Formerly Great Canadian Beer Thread - Page 5

kwoldtimer · #81 Posted **Apr 29, 2022, 9:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by niwell

I may have mentioned this earlier in the thread, but Black Label is South Africa's most prominent beer - the Carling label is more or less stripped and it's just referred to as Black Label. Or in slang terms as Zamalek after an Egyptian football team with the beer's colours that beat Soweto locals the Kaiser Chiefs. Known as a strong beer at 5.5% (as strong as Zamalek!) it's what you start drinking if you want to get drunk, as in Fridays at 3pm. Tastes much better than here, weirdly enough. And unlike here much, much cheaper than craft options.

When I lived in SA, your choice of beer made a political statement - in white circles, you drank Black Label or (then most popular) Castle. Choosing a Lion lager could raise a eyebrow and get you labelled as “one of those”.

esquire · #82 Posted **Apr 29, 2022, 9:45 PM**

What were the connotations of Lion Lager?

kwoldtimer · #83 Posted **Apr 29, 2022, 10:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

What were the connotations of Lion Lager?

Amandla!

niwell · #84 Posted **Apr 29, 2022, 10:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

When I lived in SA, your choice of beer made a political statement - in white circles, you drank Black Label or (then most popular) Castle. Choosing a Lion lager could raise a eyebrow and get you labelled as “one of those”.

Interesting - never heard that connotation about Lion but I’m sure it’s still in the mind of older people. Castle was probably the most popular among my drinking friends there. Black Label is enjoyed by pretty much everyone there but is now predominately seen as a Township favourite. Some dumpies of Black Label and Johnny Walker on ice and you got yourself a good night! The “sharing” quart bottles seem more popular among the sports club crowd, which are a fun vibe I wish existed in Canada. Very different than the elite places that tend to exist here.

Of course if you’re in Cape Town (City Bowl) you are expected to drink only fancy cocktails, wine or craft beer.

Denscity · #85 Posted **Apr 30, 2022, 2:06 AM**

Happy 38th birthday to the Granville Island brewery. One of if not the oldest microbrewery in the country.

qprcanada · #86 Posted **Apr 30, 2022, 3:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denscity

Happy 38th birthday to the Granville Island brewery. One of if not the oldest microbrewery in the country.

Brick Brewery in Ontario started in 1984 as well.

Denscity · #87 Posted **Apr 30, 2022, 3:20 AM**

Ya and Howe Sound around then as well.

MolsonExport · #88 Posted **Jun 27, 2022, 8:15 PM**

I never cared for Black Label, even when it had a brief renaissance back in the early 90s.

Remember O'Keefe? Molson Golden? 50?

50 is still around, but it has not been promoted in decades. Neither has Blue.

Wigs · #89 Posted **Jun 27, 2022, 8:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

I never cared for Black Label, even when it had a brief renaissance back in the early 90s.

Remember O'Keefe? Molson Golden? 50?

50 is still around, but it has not been promoted in decades. Neither has Blue.

When I was between say age 19-23, Labatt 50, Moosehead, and Keith's were my domestic macrobrews of choice.

Wigs · #90 Posted **Jun 27, 2022, 9:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Oh, and Brador! I recall those commercials.

Just after I was legal, Molson and Labatt came out with their higher alcohol content beers (5.5% and 5.6%... wawa-wee-waa!). There was Molson Dry and Labatt Ice. Dry wasn't bad and actually had a nice clean taste to my recollection. Ice was just a quicker way to get pissed.

Labatt Maximum Ice (believe it's 7.1%) was my first "holy **** I'm drunk" moment having my friend over for a sleepover (we were 13) and getting into my Dad's stash that was leftover from a party (my Dad was/is a social drinker only so never noticed a couple bottles were gone from the 'two four')

Awful stuff!

this may be one of the worst commercials of all time

• Video Link

MolsonExport · #91 Posted **Jun 27, 2022, 9:02 PM**

^what a find. Cringy as hell. Ironside with a wig

WarrenC12 · #92 Posted **Jun 27, 2022, 9:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

^what a find. Cringy as hell. Ironside with a wig

Wasn't the point of those "ICE" beers to jam as much alcohol content in as possible, regardless of taste?

esquire · #93 Posted **Jun 27, 2022, 9:07 PM**

Ice beer was all the rage back in the early 90s... I still don't know what the hell it supposedly was.

Same with dry beer. It all tasted pretty much the same to me

The regular Labatt Ice didn't have high alcohol content, maybe like 5.2% or something? Nothing crazy. I never tried Maximum Ice... I don't even remember it. I'm not a fan of very strong beer, it's just too boozy. The "La Fin du Monde" type stuff is just...blechhhhh. I like beers that are milder.

Nashe · #94 Posted **Jun 27, 2022, 9:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wigs

Labatt Maximum Ice (believe it's 7.1%) was my first "holy **** I'm drunk" moment having my friend over for a sleepover (we were 13) and getting into my Dad's stash that was leftover from a party (my Dad was/is a social drinker only so never noticed a couple bottles were gone from the 'two four')

Sad to say, me too, though I was of legal drinking age. First case of beer I ever bought with my own money. A lot of it ended up in the toilet after spending a few hours in me.

MolsonExport · #95 Posted **Jun 27, 2022, 9:47 PM**

Back in my teenage years (early/mid eighties), the strongest beer that was readily available was Brador.

shitty brew (what the fuck is 'malt liquor'?), but it got you there quicker.

Wigs · #96 Posted **Jun 27, 2022, 10:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vorkuta

Sad to say, me too, though I was of legal drinking age. First case of beer I ever bought with my own money. A lot of it ended up in the toilet after spending a few hours in me.

Labatt and Molson products forcing Canucks to "pray to the porcelain gods" is a rite of passage, it seems.

Luckily we only split 2 regular sized bottles but were so drunk with basically no alcohol tolerance (other than an occasional summertime sip from my parents beer, or a tiny glass of wine me/my older brother were allowed at Xmas).

I remember people later buying them in the 1.18L or whatever it's called size as that was enough alcohol to get one tanked in short order.

Malt liquor, just as gross as ice beers--maybe even more

Molson, that usually gives one the worst gas/bathroom experiences!

Kilgore Trout · #97 Posted **Jun 27, 2022, 10:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Back in my teenage years (early/mid eighties), the strongest beer that was readily available was Brador.

shitty brew (what the fuck is 'malt liquor'?), but it got you there quicker.

Legally it just means any strong beer made from barley, but usually it means they add a bunch of sugar to increase the alcohol content.

Nashe · #98 Posted **Jun 27, 2022, 11:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wigs

I remember people later buying them in the 1.18L or whatever it's called size as that was enough alcohol to get one tanked in short order.

I learned much later if I was gonna drink a strong beer to effect, a single 750 of Fin du Monde was MUCH tastier (and stayed down, easily).

esquire · #99 Posted **Jun 28, 2022, 2:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Back in my teenage years (early/mid eighties), the strongest beer that was readily available was Brador.

shitty brew (what the fuck is 'malt liquor'?), but it got you there quicker.

Not familiar with Brador, not sure that was common in these parts, but this is the malt liquor that the real drinkers in the family reached for when they wanted something light and refreshing

AuxTown · #**100** Posted **Jun 28, 2022, 4:31 AM**

Malt beer?!?!

There were only two acceptable options: Colt 45 and Old English

Fuck that shit was gross!