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Canadian Press
Posted September 14, 2011 | 8:15 pm, by nadine
Canada lost a budding opera singer when Mirella Amato switched careers to become a beer sommelier. Four years ago, while living in Naples, Italy, the Toronto soprano had to make a choice between spending all her time overseas performing or returning to Canada…
Women’s Post – Online
Posted September 14, 2011 | 8:15 pm, by nadine
…Canada’s first female beer sommelier, Mirella Amato is breaking boundaries personally and professionally by turning her passion for beer into a full-time career. Some of us have our personal favourite, and no matter the day, time, weather, setting or meal, we order that same old beer…
The Canadian Cream Ale Puzzle
Posted September 13, 2011 | 1:43 am, by nadine
The cream ale is a defined historical style of beer. A cursory research on its character will point to a golden-coloured, light-flavoured, malty and refreshing ale. Historical notes will explain that ale breweries in the U.S. developed cream ales sometime in the 19th century in order to compete with the increasing popularity of lagers. The cream ale style is still quite popular in North America. Perhaps the best-known Canadian example is Sleeman Cream Ale, whose recipe can actually be traced […]
Vessels of Inspiration
Posted September 13, 2011 | 1:42 am, by nadine
Beer glasses come in all shapes and sizes. There are tall, narrow glasses like the Pilsner glass and German Wheat Beer glass, then there are wide ones like the Shaker, Nonick or Tulip pint and there are also stemmed glasses which are mostly used for higher alcohol beers. These different shapes do serve a purpose and were designed to highlight the appearance, aroma and flavour of various beer styles. The slender shape of the Pilsner glass, for example, will highlight […]
Celebrating a 60 Year Old Friendship in New and Delicious Ways
Posted September 13, 2011 | 1:39 am, by nadine
On Monday, May tenth, a new collaborative brew called ‘Vrienden’ was unveiled as part of the House of Orange festival, in the Canadian capital of Ottawa. The House of Orange was organized by the Dutch Embassy to mark the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Holland and ran parallel to this year’s edition of the annual Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa. Canada and Holland have shared a particular bond since World War two. The Dutch feel that Canada played […]
Beer Festival
Posted September 13, 2011 | 1:39 am, by nadine
The Gods were smiling on the GCBF (Great Canadian Beer Festival) this year. On September 11th and 12th beer-lovers in Victoria, B.C. enjoyed two full days of gloriously sunny weather as they assembled in Royal Athletic Park to sample a range of delicious craft beers. The festival started with a special presentation by CAMRA B.C. honouring Frank Appleton with a lifetime achievement award. Frank Appleton is one of the pioneers of the North American craft beer movement. In 1972, […]
The Québec City Beer Scene
Posted September 13, 2011 | 1:37 am, by nadine
It’s no secret that Québec City is a great place to visit. It is rich in history, being one of the oldest cities in North America, and its historic centre is the only remaining walled city in Canada and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city itself is beautiful; teeming with life and culture. It is packed with great restaurants and fashionable little art galleries and shops. It is also home to two contrasting but equally delightful […]
Who Really Came First…
Posted September 13, 2011 | 1:37 am, by nadine
In 1980, on the west coast, one man decided that it was about time Canadians had access to a wider variety of beers. Over the course of the next two years, assisted by a few men who shared his vision, this man lobbied to have laws amended, assembled a brewhouse from used dairy equipment and started brewing. His passion and drive opened the door for the current craft beer movement. His name is John Mitchell and in the spring of […]
Bytown Brew Scene
Posted September 13, 2011 | 1:36 am, by nadine
Quebec’s newest microbrewery opened its doors five minutes outside of Ottawa, in Gatineau, on May 20th this year. Les Brasseurs du Temps brewpub has been in the works for five years, and the owners are delighted to finally see the project come to fruition. They spent six months revamping the interior of a beautiful historic brewery on Montcalm Street. The new warm wood décor is inviting, and the brewpub layout includes a bar and restaurant that seat 200 people as […]
Raise A Glass!
Posted September 13, 2011 | 1:01 am, by nadine
When entertaining at home, choosing the right beer glass may seem like a daunting task. There are a wide variety of beer glasses on the market. They seem to come in all shapes and sizes. Some of them, like the Pilsner glass, are closely linked with a distinct style. Others, for example the Nonic and Tulip pints, seem to be variations on a theme. The fact is that each of these different shapes is designed to enhance a specific beer’s […]
