Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not
Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look back at the week's news and decides who's hot... and who's not. This week's list ...
Wednesday marked the first ever beer day in Canada.
To launch the kick off to beer day, Beer Canada held a tour and party at the Great Western brewery in Saskatoon.
“We chose to do our launch, our kick off to Canadian beer day here at Great Western Brewing Company because we wanted to draw the connection that beer has to malting barley,” said Luke Harford, president of Beer Canada.
“Saskatchewan is home to where some of the best malting barley is grown in the world.”
Harford said they chose the Wednesday before thanksgiving to be beer day because it is near the end of the malt barley harvest.
As of right now, beer day is not technically an official national day but making it one is in the immediate plans for Beer Canada.
“What we’re really after because there is just so much history to brewing in this country and just so much enthusiasm across the country for beer, what we want to do is have one day and celebrate it,” said Harford.
“Post this launch we’re going to go to the government and ask for it to be recognized as an act of parliament, that there will be an official recognition of the economic and cultural significance of brewing in Canada.”
The kick off party at the Great Western brewery featured 24 different brands of beer from breweries across the country.
In attendance were members of Beer Canada, Derek Oland, chairman of Moosehead Breweries, John Sleeman, founder of Sleeman Breweries and other small brewery owners from across the country, like Michael McBride owner of Storm Brewing Company who flew in all the way from St. John’s Newfoundland for the event.
“I am on the board of directors for beer Canada and I represent small brewers in Atlantic Canada so that’s the main reason I’m here for Canadian beer day,” said McBride.
“This is one day a year that we can celebrate all things beer. We hope that it will become a yearly thing to celebrate beer, celebrate the harvest and celebrate thanksgiving.”
McBride hopes to spend the rest of his time in Saskatoon checking out some of the many breweries that Saskatoon has to offer.
