Canada, NL: Beer connoisseur notes lack of craft beer in Newfoundland and Labrador

People in Newfoundland and Labrador spent more on beer last year than the year before, but one connoisseur says the quality of beer on the market in the province is low, CBC News posted on April, 21.

Compared to other Canadian provinces, Newfoundland and Labrador saw the single biggest jump in the value of beer sales - up 15 per cent over the year before.

But Stephen Beaumont who has traveled across Canada twice to write two editions of The Great Canadian Beer Guide said quantity doesn't necessarily translate to quality.

He liked drinking beer in St. John's but he didn't really like the beer he drank in St. John's.

"I thought St. John's was one of the best cities in Canada for beer drinking. And one of the worst cities to drink beer," said Beaumont.

Beaumont says it comes down to a lack of craft beer.

Essentially, beer that strays from the norm - beer that has a little more flavour than major commercial breweries are producing.

But Beaumont is optimistic that the quality of beer drinking in Newfoundland and Labrador may change.

"It could be that one particular beer just hits the spot with the people of St. John's and next thing you know St. John's is the next craft beer mecca in eastern Canada.

22 April, 2011