Canada, QC: Le Trou du diable bottles Shawinigan Handshake

The infamous chokehold Jean Chretien put on a protester 16 years ago — dubbed the Shawinigan Handshake — has been immortalized on a beer bottle. A small microbrewery in Chretien's birthplace of Shawinigan, Quebec, recently bottled a beer called the Shawinigan Handshake at the former prime minister's request, Canada.com reported on April, 11.

Isaac Tremblay, co-owner of the brewery Le Trou du diable, said he had a secret dream of drinking a draft Shawinigan Handshake with Chretien ever since his team created the strong German-style beer three years ago.

"And one day last fall, I walked into the bar and there was Mr. Chretien, sipping a Shawinigan Handshake," Tremblay said.

The two talked and Chretien expressed his interest in getting a pack of the beer paying tribute to a moment in Canadian history.

"He liked the idea and thought it was funny," Tremblay said, adding Chretien wanted to treat his friends with the Shawinigan Handshake.

At the time, the beer was sold only in draft during an Octoberfest at the brewery's bar. But Chretien insisted and Tremblay eventually bottled the Shawinigan Handshake with a label showing Chretien choking the devil.

"Mr. Chretien is known for his funny personality and he has made fun of this incident in the past," Tremblay said, noting he appreciates the politician's endorsement of his beer.

"We sold out in three days," Tremblay said, noting a new production is underway for the Memorial Cup, the Canadian junior hockey league, to be held in Shawinigan May 18-27.

For the special event, Tremblay said a new label will be released showing Chretien choking a yet-to-be-revealed sports personality.

The young businessman also intends to market and distribute the Shawinigan Handshake beer across Canada in the coming months.

Chretien's executive assistant Bruce Hartley said the former prime minister indeed tried and liked the beer.

"He thought it would be a great idea to bottle it and sell it," Hartley said.

13 April, 2012