Last weekend I had a craving for some top notch American Craft Brews. Most Edmontonians don't believe me, but the US produces the best micro/craft brews in the world. Here in Edmonton we can get some very nice Belgian beers, but very few good American. Ranting about this at the liquor store that I frequent (DeVine's) the store clerk recommended I try Sherbrooke Liquor. Despite the fact that I don't like driving very far, and I really don't like driving outside the pretty parts of Edmonton (downtown, ravine, etc), I made a Saturday adventure of it and headed to the "best" beer store in Edmonton. I think I had my expectations too high. First, by the time I got there I had to go the bathroom. I asked the gentlemen behind the counter if I could use the restroom. His reply was that there was no public restroom and that I should go around the corner to Subway's. Grumble. So I go outside to find... no Subway in sight. Not as far as the eye can see in any direction. So I walk to Timmy H's and do my business. I head back to the beer store ready for some great American craft brews.
The beer room is not any bigger than the average corner liquor store, or maybe a little bigger. They advertise that they have a huge number of beers, and they do, but most are the same beers that you can get elsewhere. The same Belgians, but more expensive than Aristocrat liquors on Jasper and 122 St. And they had beer from only 6 American craft breweries: Hopworks, Rogue, Pike, Coney Island, North Coast (Red Seal), and Dogfish Head. Furthermore, they only had one North Coast beer and two Dogfish Head. So this just confirms my grumblings that there isn't enough good American beer in Edmonton. I'll probably go back to get Red Seal (which I am enjoying right now), but that is the only beer that I can't get somewhere else in Edmonton. Honestly, the one man beer store in my neighborhood has Coney Island Human Blockhead Tough as Nails Lager! Please Edmontonians. Speak out and ask for more of the great American craft brews that you're missing (Deschutes, Three Floyds, Bell's, Great Lakes, Metropolitan, Goose Island, Portsmouth, Boulevard, the list goes on and on.) You can't even get Fat Tire here! read more