Do you like beer?

If not, you have my deepest sympathies.

Nicholas Pashley loves beer and so do I. I liked reading his book Cheers! almost as much as I like drinking beer and that, my friends, is something special. I was immediately turned on by the brilliant cover image of a blurry Mountie – but the laughs didn’t stop there.

Cheers! is a refreshing and witty take on the history of beer in Canada. The Globe and Mail liked the book and so did many beer blogs. Pashley, admittedly a beer geek, is not on his high horse. He is an everyman, a quiet crusader intent on improving the quality of life for beer drinkers everywhere. He is also funny in a dry, ironic fashion.



Chapters include:
• Prohibition: Who Thought That Was a Good Idea?
• When Canadians Knew Squat: The Stubby in Our Lives
• The Future of Beer: Can I Afford to Drink It? (Can You Afford Not to Drink It)?

Did I mention that this book is hilarious?

I finished the book with a much greater knowledge and appreciation of beer. The book also raised some concerns about how we can remedy our poor showing as 20th in the world for per-capita beer consumption. Like Mr. Pashley, I wondered who is letting our team down. Odds are if you are reading this blog without a beer in hand then you either hate Canada or you forgot your patriotic duties!

To support the ailing Canadian economy and beer drinkers everywhere, pick up a copy of Cheers! While you're at it, you may want to take a look at ratebeer.com for help with your next beer purchase. Try something new (maybe even *gasp* local!) and remember that beer doesn’t need to be from Europe to be good!

I’ll see you in the pub!

Wylie out…