United Nations of Beer

Black Horse beer

by Emily Urquhart
(Beer Delegate, NL, Canada)

Black Horse beer
Visit the UNOB's New Foundland and Labrador Beer Guide

Not available in any other province, Black Horse is greatly lamented and longed for by the many out-migrated Newfoundlanders who populate half of Alberta and a host of other provinces and countries across the globe.

It's the impetus for no less than four groups on Facebook, including The Black Horse Beer Drinkers group, where homesick Newfoundlanders post mournful missives about their beloved pale ale.

One member is filling his rented U-Haul with cases of Black Horse when he moves to Alberta later this month.

Contrary to the musings of a nameless beer-blogger who claims the head of his Black Horse deflated in mere moments, the froth on my last pour stayed thick and floated atop the golden brew rather resembling the iceberg pictured on the label (along with a black-beauty style horse perched on the edge of one of Newfoundland's rocky cliffs.)

Although these discerning taste buds found the drink not terribly different from other Molson-brewed brands (Canadian, Export, Coor's Light) this ale wins hearts, (beer) guts and points for sentimentality alone.