Do Canadians drink too much of the same beer?

There are hundreds of different beers available in Canada. Yet, somehow I keep hearing the same beers ordered over and over at local bars. An easy top 5 would look like this:

1. Alexander Keith’s
2. Labatt Blue
3. Molson Canadian
4. Sleeman Etc
5. Moosehead

An honorable mention could go to Heineken, Budweiser or Carling. But do we really know what is going on in Canada’s beer industry? We seem to think it’s still the same old blue vs. red fight going on between Labatt and Molson. But an interesting publication on EuroMonitor reads:

With the buyout of Sleeman’s in 2006, Canada’s beer production is firmly in the hands of foreign multinationals. By the end of 2006, nearly 90% of beer sales was from non-domestic producers. This has resulted in a distinct decline in made-in-Canada products in the mass market, and a stronger emphasis on foreign, world-spanning brands, such as Stella Artois, Heineken, Budweiser, Brahma and Coors Light. Canadians appear to be thoroughly unconcerned about the decline of the home-grown brewing industry, and have even pushed US brews Budweiser and Coors Light to the top of the sales chart. Perhaps as a reaction to this, and due to beneficial legislation, made-in-Canada beers have been rising in sales in the premium segment, and although sales are limited, consumers are growing more appreciative of microbrews and local beers.

In that perspective, Canadian beer buyers are buying a lot beer (8.4 Billions worth in 2005) but mostly from foreign breweries. Sleeman’s alone holds a near 90% market share in Ontario through the province’s LCBO. They say the clear bottles let the sun shine through. It’s obvious beer drinkers love their beer, and get used to their favorites, but it’s also true that variety is the spice of life.

So when was the last time you had an Ice Beer? Salivating no? Did you know Budweiser is made with a little rice? Perhaps we need to give a little helping hand to our local industry by acquiring a little bit more knowledge on the origins and the variety of beers available. Know thy beers. Try local breweries, or make your own brew!


Resources and links:

Rate A Beer's Worst Beers
Rate A Beer's Top 100 in 2008
Beer industry in Canada
Canadian beer and alcohol statistics
Canadian Beers on Wikipedia
I'm not from here, what is beer?
History of Beer
Great Canadian Beer Festival
Article: Facing the brave new world of beer