What's in your glass?

The owner of Quidi Vidi Brewery says his beer is being left out of the local restaurant market due to competition with big international products.

An ad cropped up in the Weekend Telegram newspaper accusing big franchises like Boston Pizza and the Keg of selling mostly foreign-owned beer brands.

Quidi Vidi says that they are one of the very few real local brands left in Newfoundland. Older brands, such as Dominion and Blue Star, have been bought by bigger companies, such as Molsen and Lebatt, and money spent on them does not go directly back into the Newfoundland economy.

You can read more about this via CBC.

A response comes on the Signal Blog which hits the nail on the head: the new ad blames others for the situation instead of inciting us to enjoy more local brew.

Canada Day traditions

My earlier post on the Canada Day sunrise ceremony got me thinking of another Canada Day tradition: drinks on patios.

If you're not lucky enough to have a patio (or be invited somewhere that has one), here are some spots you can check out on Canada's Birthday to have a drink outside (weather permitting of course):

Sundance (Duckworth/George St.) has a large deck equipped with umbrellas for sunny days and heaters for more-frequent Newfoundland chillier days. They have drinks, food, and an excellent proximity to the downtown area and George Street.

Mexicali Rosa's (George St. West) has a small patio but provides tex-mex food, good 'ol nachos and lots of margarita's for warm sunny days. If you can't get down for Canada Day, try Margarita Mondays!

Greensleeves (George St.) also has a deck and really big, decently priced nachos if you're so inclined. Stop in for a pint and a gawk at those on a George St. stroll.

Jungle Jim's on George has a covered deck and their typical fries-laden food fare. If you want a drink go for a frozen concoction or their Normie beer.

Mustang Sally's is re-opening (yea!) and you can get a made-right-in-front-of-you wrap or stir fry and eat it outside on a table near Mile One. Again, great people-watching!

Of course, you don't have to eat and drink yourself silly to enjoy a good patio. There are a few coffee shops in the downtown area with outdoor seating and unlimited people watching opportunities. Hava Java and Coffee & Co. on Water St. are prime spots. Auntie Crae's also has outdoor seating and if you trek up farther out of the downtown core you're find Coffee Matters (Military Rd.) which has some outdoor seating and a huge following of committed customers (There's also Coffee Matters Two on Water St. and a drive-thru location in Paradise). Finally (and Canada Day sunrise ceremony related) you should try Sweet Relic (Power's Court, Signal Hill Rd.) for its coffee offerings and general lovely setting. Take your coffee to the road for the walk down after seeing the sun rise!

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.