Questions about Canadian beer
 

Hey, I heard that in canada, a case is 12 beers and that it is stronger than the ones you commonly get in the us... How much would a (canadian) case cost, and what kind of percentage are we talking about? And where would somebody be able buy a case of canadian beer outside of canada?

Both the cost and the percentage of alcohol completely depends on what kind of beer you get; we don't just have one kind.

Also, Molson and Labatt, which are both Canadian, can be found in most of the US. To answer your question on 12 beers in a case, how many beers are in a case for you???

A case can be 12 bottles, 24 cans, etc, depends on the beer itself.

When it comes to whether or not Canadian beer is stronger than American, there is no difference, only in the way the alcohol content is measured. American brewers measure the alcohol by weight (abw) while Canadians measure it by volume (abv). A Canadian beer with 5% abv is equal to an American brew with 4% abw. Canadian mainstream beers also have a golden colour while the American equivalent has a pale yellow hue.

the typical measure is:

1 case = 24 bottles
half case = 12 bottles (called a half-sack in BC)
poverty-pack = 6 bottles (ok, officially called a 6-pack)

Some brewers have odd sizes. Cameron Brewery in Toronto has 9-packs, some corporate-brews have 4 extra bottles (eg 28) but since I don't buy corp-brew, I only know this from advertizing. And I know that Guiness sells 4-packs & singles.

as for strength, what Feelgood said. It is a myth that American beer is weeker. Maybe the taste isn't as hoppy or strong, but the alcohol content is pertty well equal.

Tis a myth ole sonny, but ne'er worry, make yer own and you'll see mour alcohol in ther.

Janey - in B.C. a half sack is 6 beers.

12 is a case, 24 a 2-4.

Perhaps this isn't consistant across our great country. In AB:

24 - Box of beer, or a Two-Four
15,18 - ?????
12 - Case
6 - Six-Pack, or a Half-Sack

But in general if you go out 'for beers' and come back with enough for everyone, nobody cares :cool:

The whole; what's a case, half-sack or box debate, varies from province to province. Slang just works that way. When I went to school in BC in the mid 1990's a half sack was 6 beers and a case was 12. Some of my fellow students from Ontario told me that they called 12 beers a box and 24 was a case or a two-four. Whatever... it's not that important.

Now with regard to alcohol content by volume, that is a little more concrete.

All Canadian made beer will have at least 5% alc/vol, otherwise it will be clearly labled as being "light." IE: Labatt's Lite, Bud Lite and so on. As I understand it, this is the law. The US has no such law and each state can limit and legislate their alc/vol content as they see fit. From what I was told by people that live there, all beer in Utah is limited to 3.2% but may not be labled as such, in many cases they don't post a alc/vol content anywhere on the label.

The old what is a case of beer discussion.
Like already mentioned...a case is 12 bottles ....in the better parts of the country ;)
If the alcohol is the same, why does the american beer taste like crap? Is it the brewing technique?

I grew up in BC, but I was too young to grasp the finer aspects of half sacks versus cases, especially since off sales meant that you could get twelve very expensive beer from a bar.

After moving to Ontario, where a 2-4 is defined as a case, I must have assumed that a half sack (from BC days) meant a half case or 12 beer. When you go to the Beer store, and order a 12 pack, they yell out a 'half' in the microphone: eg a half of Blue.

I get the feeling that canadians are snobby about american beer because the flavour down there is so light in comparison (i'm talking corp-brew here, not craft/mircro beer). I bet some teenagers long ago erroneously translated this light flavour to light alchohol content.

Huh, it's just that my friend who is from canada said that the beer was stronger himself... I suppose it was just particular to the brand he purchased though. Anyhow, around here a "case" is 24 and we call a 12 pack a "half rack".

I guess it'd be pretty tough to compare prices of beer though, with exchange rates... a half rack of Pabst, which is what we usually get, costs you $6-something.

I'm sure the one thing we Canadians can all agree on is that beer is overpriced. 12 bottles will chew up a $20 bill pretty good.

No shit, about half of the cost of beer is actually taxed by the government not counting the GST or PST

This is half true. Although American beer is measured by weight, the percentage of alcohol is an average, and the average is somewhere around 3.5%. American beer alcohol content can drop as low as 2% and as high as 5%. Canadian beer is more consistent because it is measured by volume. This is why when I'm in the states, a 6 pack at times will have me feeling buzzed while other times after 20 beer the only thing I'm feeling is my dick going in and out of my pants to relieve myself.

As far as taxes go in Canada, beer and liquor are taxed a little more than 50%. Unless things have changed and the government is taking in less tax (highly unlikely) the rate is 75 to 80% tax. Had a friend who worked in a distillery tell me that after the product was completed ( buying the bottles, caps, labels, the booze itself, cost to produce and wages included) a 40 ounce bottle of rum was sold to the government for about $8.00. What does the liquor store charge for a 40? $36- 38 bucks?

It used to be worse
 

I recall back to a time when all the liquor stores in BC were run by the government. There was no place other than the BCLS to get any spirits. Cold Beer and Wine could only sell just that, and it was a serious pain to get to the BCLS before it closed after work. It seemed like the damn stores were always closed! Perhaps that's why so many people in BC practiced recreational pharmacology.

I think the publicly ran liquor stores were the reason the provincial government hiked up the taxes so much, and in typical government fashion, now that the publicly owned stores are gone, the tax still remains.

I believe at one time our beer was stronger then american beer, I seem to remember budweiser only being 3% or something like that? now its 5%? is that right?

Cdn beer is usually 5% or more

That's why I stick to good ol' Unibroue products. A "Maudite" at 9%? Yes, I believe I'll have one, thanks!

In Quebec, we always refer to a beer case/box/sack as "caisse", then we just add the number to indicate how many beers are in there. So, you get "une caisse de six (6) / douze (12) / vingt-quatre (24)". Simplicity is key.

I even heard that at the end of production, a bottle of coke is actually half of the price that it sells for.

$20?? I wish. Here on the left coast, a 12 pack of Corona runs about $28!

A 2-4 of cans is also known as a flat.

Maybe Carona's, but I was talking about your typical Canadian beer. I'm on the left coast too, and a locally made case is around $20 at the liquor store.

don't buy it then! :lol:

Seriousy, if you want a really really light beer, there's lots of home-brewed product that is cheaper...

AMEN to that brother... Unibrou is making the best beer in Canada at this moment... Though Creemore comes a close second,

mm creemore. my fav lager.

Hmm... never tried Creemore. I'm on it as soon as I get back! Is it available throughout Canada?

don't know the answer to that one, bob, poke around their website, http://www.creemoresprings.com/ it may have more info...

Although I drink Labatt 50 almost religiously, I found James Ready to be cheap - 24 bottles for $29 bucks (At The Beer Store). 5.5% and it tastes pretty good.

I agree with Bob, Unibroue is best. my fav is 2004 or terrible at 11%. Did you know they have a resterant in Chambly, it is amazing.

by the way a 2-4 of blue in quebec is around 24 dollars

RED ALERT RED ALERT RED ALERT!!!!!!!!!

In april, Molson bought Creemore Springs Brewery!!!

Story here.

The implications of this are yet to be seen, but I'm skeptical...I'm skeptical...

I was bothered by that as well. I was also bothered that Sleeman's bought Unibroue but so far the quality hasn't suffered.

All I can say is that I curse the economic system that doesn't allow the small business to carry on without having to be swallowed by a bigger company.

The only implication I don't like is that they're not expected to enter the US market...

We could use more Canadian beer. Right now the only readily available choices around these parts are the mass-market domestics like Molson and Labatts. Sometimes in Washington you find Moosehead...but that's it. But if they expand to BC then I'll manage to get some sooner or later.

i read somewhere that Canadians invented beer ... is that true? :)

Yes, yes indeed it is. :thumbsup:

oh nooooooo! So far the product hasn't suffered. I hope Molson's doesn't Rickards-ize the stuff.

I grew up in Montreal and I can assure the original poster that Canadian beer was indeed stronger the American beer.

Even American beer in the Montreal market was stronger.

For example, Budweiser in Canada was 5.0% alcohol by volume and the same beer in Vermont was only 3.2%. All of the Canadian brews in Canada were 5.0 also, and the export version in Vermont was 3.2% Including Molson Canadian and Export, Labatt Blue and such.

Of Course this was mid to late eighties before all the ICE, Dry and what not labels started becoming trendy.

So...it was not a myth then.

This without even mention of the high test, speciality seasonal carnival brews or my favorite year rounder: Molson Broduer (I can't even remember how to spell it!) which was nice smooth 6.2 percenter.

Anywho, we called a 24 pack of cans a two-fer or a suitcase.

It's been so long since my days in the McGill ghetto I don't know what is up anymore.

Very much looking forward to my pilgramage this summer to introduce the little one to some family and old friends.

And for the record Canadians DID NOT invent beer, the ancient egyptians did. In fact they are given a kudos from Plato for their invention. Canadians just perfected it :thumbsup: .

Peace,

-bear

Long live Maudite in all it's ale sur lees glory!!!!

The oh so delicous vegemite which tickles your throat at the bottom of each bottle is simply divine.

-bear

Bear... Molson Brador... one of my first tastes of the possibilities of stronger, darker beer... had a roommate who used to drink it all the time.


...and I think if you CHECK AGAIN you will see that not only did Canada perfect the making of beer but we did also invent it... the Egyptians just stole the idea. ;)


(geez... bloody Egyptians have the mummy, paper, pyramids, modern civilization... you think they wouldn't have to take beer from us too. The next thing you know someone is going to suggest Americans invented hockey...)

j8ear, it's "Molson Brador", kind of like Newfoundland's "Labrador" region.

BigBird, I've been to the restaurant in Chambly. It was... sublime! The quality of the beer was only equalled by the beauty of the female staff. Truly an earthly paradise. A few of my friends and I went there after the yearly "grenouille (frog) festival" (keep your frog jokes to yourself, those types and in France!) in the Chambly Rapids. Basically, it involves a bunch of people putting on wet/dry suits and flippers, then jumping in the rapids and letting the current do its thing. It's really exhilirating, especially in the section of the Rapids called "La gueule du loup" (Wolf's Maw). Three currents converge off a jetty to create a high water spout, which sucks you under and propels you about 25 feet in 3-5 seconds! After that, it's just a matter of keeping close tpo the shore (that's what the flippers are for) and watching out for stones (got my left knee busted a few times).

Nothing beats Maudite, Blanche de Chambly (my fave) and Trois-Pistoles beers after a day like that! Vive Unibroue! :thumbsup: