Summer drinkin'

A post by a blog I just discovered, A Wicked Scoff, has got me thinking about summer refreshment. Of the beer variety. We don't have a lot of local beer, but for a province and population as small as ours there's enough to go around.

Also a note of interest for anyone not familiar with our province: we can buy locally made beers in corner stores and gas stations as well as at provincially-run liquor stores.

India considers itself an India Pale Ale and is golden, mildly carbonated and has a grainy/straw taste. It's a favorite for young folk and hipsters downtown. Brewed by Molson, it features a portrait of a Newfoundland Dog on the label.

Other Molson beers unique to this province are Black Horse, Molson Extra, and Dominion Ale.

Quidi Vidi brewery in the village of Quidi Vidi in St. John's offers several types of beer and often experiments with limited offerings. There's QV, QV Light which are crisp and mildly hoppy. Eric's Red is the cream ale of the group and is heavier but still tasty. 1892 is a sweet amber ale for those who like a full beer. Honey Brown and Honey Brown Light are sweet and I have found only select customers like this one...but those who do like it are loyal. Quidi Vidi has recently started brewing an excellent Iceberg beer which is fresh, crisp and refreshing made from glacial water from icebergs. The downside is it's only available in a 4-bottle-pack and costs more than your average beer.

Storm also has several varieties: Irish Newfoundland Red Ale, Island Gold Ale, Coffee Porter, Raspberry Wheat Ale, Hemp Ale. These beers are pretty easy to find in St. John's restaurants (especially downtown) and stores.

Yellow Belly on Water St. offers four microbrews which you can order in their pub/restaurant or order in 1 or 2 liter bottles to take home. These are fresh tasting and cover most tastes of beer drinkers. First there's St. John's Stout, Fighting Irish (a red ale), Wexford Wheat (which they often serve with lime), and the signature Yellow Belly Pale Ale.

Labatt makes Blue Star here in the province, a nice fruity, light and hoppy offering. It also makes Jockey Club which is a stronger (though light) American style beer also popular by younger folks and die-hard fans. And though it's not from Newfoundland, you can find Alexender Keiths beer in corner stores in this provinces because it is produced and bottled by Labatt.

For more about local beer, have a look at this article.

Did I miss your favorite local brew? Let me know and I'll add it to the list.