Best Breweries by Province

A few for me I wouldn't change from your list, a few I would.

BC: Driftwood
AB: Alley Kat with Wild Rose a close second, Brewsters is under-rated IMO.
SK: Paddock Wood - good beer and I don't know of any other good breweries in SK.
MB: Half Pints
ON: Bellwoods
QC: DDC
NB: ?
PEI: ?
NS: ? Garrison
NL: ?
YK: Yukon Brewing - truly an excellent brewery and one of my favourites.
NWT: ?

 

In my opinion, BC = Driftwood and Four Winds

 

BC: Four Winds, Driftwood
AB: Wild Rose, Alley Kat
SK: Paddock Wood
MB: Half Pints
ON: Bellwoods
QC: DDC, Dunham
NB: Picaroons
PEI: Only had Gahan, very average
NS: Garrison, Sea Level
NL: Only had Quidi Vidi, 'nuff said
YK: Yukon

 

For NB, I would have to say that Picaroon's has fallen off lately, Grimross in Fredericton is really doing well these days, and growing.

I've recently had some Petit Sault, which was pretty decent, and I hear good things about Hammond River and Trailway.

@CurtisD might have some more insight.

 

Yes, I really think the new smaller breweries have surpassed Picaroons and Pump House, though in the grand scheme of things they both still make some good beers.

Petit-Sault makes good stuff, I know I will drink a lot of their Tante Blanche wit this summer. If Grimross ramps up production enough to supply the provincial liquor stores, I think they will be the best widely available NB brewery.

I think Gahan/PEI Brewing Company is the most reliably good brewery in the Maritimes (of the larger breweries). Their 1772 IPA is wonderful, the Sydney Street Stout is also very good, and it you just want a lager on a hot summer day, their Beach Chair Lager is hard to beat.

 

Ouch.

 

BC = Four Winds handily

 

MHO from the breweries I've sampled:

NS: Garrison
QC: DdC, Dunham
ON: Bellwoods
BC: Four Winds, Driftwood
SK: Paddock Wood
MB: Half Pints

 

Not a slam on Paddock Wood at all, but Rebellion is doing some really great things, and although they are quite young they are certainly in the running, but they aren't bottling/canning and i dont believe have any immediate plans to, so aside from travelling/trading i doubt they will make a huge impact on the rating sites.

 

I'd put Boxing Rock about even with Garrison for NS. Bad Apple makes some excellent beer, but it's not very accessible.

 

I'm not gonna speak on any other province because I don't have much experience with them, I will speak on behalf of my own though.

Ontario - Bellwoods

 

For NS the only widely distributed micros are Garrison and Propeller, and I personally prefer what Propeller does. However, some smaller breweries are definitely putting out some quality beer. Top brewery for me would be Boxing Rock, followed by Big Spruce and Bad Apple.

PEI only has Gahan and BarNone, with Upstreet opening up this summer. I've never had BarNone.

NL only has Quidi Vidi and Storm, plus one brewpub (YellowBelly). I've only had Quidi Vidi.

NB only has Pump House and Picaroons widely distributed, but a lot of nanos have opened up lately. I think in the next couple of years we'll see who can pump out consistently good beer. Again, I only get to sample the occasional beer via festival or keg at Stillwell.

 

Yeah, I definitely prefer Propeller to Garrison for the regular line-up, but Garrison does put out some nice one-offs. I think Propeller's core offerings are tasty, affordable, and nice to have available in 6-packs. The Pale Ale, Porter, and ESB are all staples in my fridge....the IPA not so much, but that's a personal preference, I just don't like the hops they use in that one.

 

I would agree with this completely, but Propeller has been doing a few good one-offs lately to bridge the gap in that department.

 

There's a lot of new great breweries.
Black Bridge is brewing a few nice beer. Their ipa is greatly improved over the last few months, and they are selling cans in AB.

There is Prairie Sun and now 9 Mile in Saskatoon, Nokomis in Nokomis and Rebellion in Regina. There are also a few others on the horizon. It's shocking actually