Is the U.S. microbrews beating Canadian micros?!

[cattersley]

I recently read and article in the Toronto Star about the microbrewing industry in Canada compared to the U.S.A.

Having tried alot of U.S. beer during travel south, I would have to say I am starting to be convinced they are doing alot more interesting and dirverse styles and combinations of beers.

I have checked numours beer website through the U.S. just out fo interest on what beers they are brewing...

Most Micro's in Ontario are very concentrated on Lagers, where are the offereing for breweries such as Dogfish, Goose Island, Ommegang are making an array of different beers...

I am been to the beer festival in Old for York, and am always trying new beers... this actually might be and Ontario thing, I have tried some interesting beer out of Quebec, and Manitoba though.

What is your opinion people?! Sound off, speak you mind, and list any interesting beers, from Canada or the U.S. that you have tried recently.

[jjpm74]

Apples and oranges. There are many, many more microbreweries in the US and a much larger population, meaning by default these brewers need to push the envelope in order to grab their share of the market. The US is also set up closer to a free market government than Canada. In Canada, it is possible for a brewer to have a monopoly in a given area. This is not the case in states in the US that have the largest concentrations of brewers. When there isn't much in the way of competition, or if there are antiquated laws on the books (such as Germany's Reinheitsgebot), or the ABV limits on the books in several US states, creativity is stifled. In areas where there are dense populations of culturally diverse people with expendable incomes coupled with looser restrictions on things like ABV content, creativity is inevitable.

[Vienna Lager]

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[HarkJohnny]

having a bomber of Dragon's Milk from New Holland, A Michigan brewery tonight. but I rarely drink anything that comes out of canada. Not for the reason of poor quality or anything like that, but the fact that I don't really know of any other "good" breweries than Unibroue.

I've never really given a ton of thought about where, geographically, the beer comes from because I'm always looking for something new... yet I do buy the "standards".... Stone, Dogfish, Great Lakes, Thirsty Dog (kinda local), Goose Island, Anderson Valley, etc.