The Bar Towel

What are the labelling laws regarding beer? Is there anything that stops someone from calling a lager an ale and vice versa? What is the legal definition of "beer" in Canada? (all this relating to the Keith's question).

This is all I've been able to find from the Liquor License Act of Ontario. These regs say you can identify the contents as "Lager", "Ale" etc. but it doesn't spell out a legal definition for each style.


9. (1) A manufacturer of beer shall affix to each container of beer a label showing the nature of the contents, the name of the manufacturer and the place where the beer was brewed. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 720, s. 9 (1).

(2) For the purpose of subsection (1), the nature of the contents of the container must be designated by the words "beer", "ale", "stout", "porter" or "lager". R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 720, s. 9 (2).

Ok, found a bit more, from the Department of Justice, Consolidated Statues and Regulations, Food and Drugs Act.

The rules give common names you can give to beer - Beer, Ale, Porter, Stout, etc.. The difference being based upon Taste Profile, not type of yeast used. Lager is also not layed out as a separate type. I assume that's because the powers the be figure Beer = Lager.

Here's the reg:

B.02.131. [S]. Ale, Stout, Porter or Malt Liquor

(a) shall be the product of the alcoholic fermentation by yeast of an infusion of barley or wheat malt and hops or hop extract in potable water and shall be brewed in such a manner as to possess the aroma, taste and character commonly attributed to ale, stout, porter, or malt liquor, respectively; and

(b) may have added to it during the course of manufacture any of the ingredients referred to in paragraph B.02.130(b). SOR/88-418, s. 2.


B.02.132. Where a beer, ale, stout, porter or malt liquor contains the percentage of alcohol by volume set out in Column I of an item of the table, the qualified common name or common name set out in Column II of that item shall be used in any advertisement of and on the label of the beer, ale, stout, porter or malt liquor.

TABLE



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Column I
Column II

Percentage
Qualified common

alcohol by
name or

Item
volume
Common name


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.
1.1 to 2.5
Extra Light Beer, Extra Light Ale, Extra Light Stout, Extra Light Porter

2.
2.6 to 4.0
Light Beer, Light Ale, Light Stout, Light Porter

3.
4.1 to 5.5
Beer, Ale, Stout, Porter

4.
5.6 to 8.5
Strong Beer, Strong Ale, Strong Stout, Strong Porter, Malt Liquor

5.
8.6 or more
Extra Strong Beer, Extra Strong Ale, Extra Strong Stout, Extra Strong Porter, Strong Malt Liquor


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's the reg:

B.02.131. [S]. Ale, Stout, Porter or Malt Liquor

(a) shall be the product of the alcoholic fermentation by yeast of an infusion of barley or wheat malt and hops or hop extract in potable water and shall be brewed in such a manner as to possess the aroma, taste and character commonly attributed to ale, stout, porter, or malt liquor, respectively; and

(b) may have added to it during the course of manufacture any of the ingredients referred to in paragraph B.02.130(b). SOR/88-418, s. 2.

Then how can macros, brewed with rice and corn, call themselves "ale" or "beer"? Is it because they include some portion of barley or wheat malt? I would think the law implies that ONLY barley/wheat malt should be used (no offence to good rye beer). It would be fun to be in charge of enforcing this reg.

Those are just the regulations related to labeling. There's apparently a list of some 105 or so ingredients that can legally be included in beer (maybe it's 150, I'm not really sure) - regardless of what it's called. I have yet to actually see the list but I imagine Corn and Rice as well as any number of interesting chemicals are included in the list. If I ever run across the list, I'll post it.

Just to dip back into the topic of "fall releases" for a second...
In my ever lasting quest for stouts, I noticed that the LCBO is stocking Black Wych. Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know, this was around last year, was it not? Do they actually buy new bottles/cases, or do they just dig last years stock out of the back corner of the warehouse?
Too bad it's a boring beer otherwise I might actually buy some.

scott

the black wych is now part of the lcbo's normal stock and they buy new cases of it. it was brought in because they thought we weren't being punished with enough bad beer so it only made sense to bring in another piss poor clear bottled macro piece of crap.

kp

Does this mean that the Fall Seasonals are out tomorrow? Wow, how exciting...

I wonder how long it'll take to ship them to the East Region / Ottawa. We may get them by first snowfall...

CapFlu

Welcome Todd

I'm so used to the moniker that I almost didn't notice that your new here.

Joe.

On 2003-09-16 15:38, CapFlu wrote:
Does this mean that the Fall Seasonals are out tomorrow? Wow, how exciting...

I wonder how long it'll take to ship them to the East Region / Ottawa. We may get them by first snowfall...

CapFlu

I was at queens quay last weekend and summerhill today and I didn't see any of the new release. we usually see at least one or two before the official date. peter, any news on when the beers will be out?

kp

The promo was set to start today and stock should have started showing up a week or two ago. I've contacted the LCBO to find out what's going on.

Seems like the LCBO can use a couple extra Communications Agents and Project Managers...

Our staff at the Ottawa Flagship store are SO nice but always seem clued out as to what is going on.

CapFlu

The LCBO beer category people have responded to me and assure me that the beers are all in transit or have arrived although I was Queen's Quay today and they don't have any of them so take that with a grain of salt...I trust we'll start seeing them pop up over the next few days. Our ROGUE DEAD GUY ALE is part of the release so please, please buy as much as your line of credit will possibly allow. It's always touch and go with Rogue and we're always worried that the LCBO will decide that they're too expensive and too slow to move through at retail so we can use the help of any all bartowellers to ensure that we continue to see Rogue in this market.

Peter - did any other Rogue come in on the Dead Guy shipment, for Joe's or consignment?

Hello Peter,
It would help if you guys would add some variety on the Rogue products you bring for LCBO. We could try something new every now and then. I remember having the I2PA in Portland last year and I was wondering - what's wrong with this one ? Instead we get Dead Guy Ale every year which is -I have to admit - better than nothing, but still ...