Few craft beer drinkers in Florida and the southern U.S. give pause to consider what the rest of the world has available for craft beer selection. Here in Western Canada (where I am visiting my parents and brothers), the craft brewing industry has encountered a similar awakening as in the US with an explosion of flavor varieties.
One big difference between the U.S. and Canada in terms of beer lies in the pricing structure: Canada taxes beer (and other forms of alcohol) to the extent that a "case" (12 x 12 oz bottles) of craft beer typically runs around $26.00 US (plus a 10 cent deposit per bottle.) Similar to the U.S., Canada regulates the sale of alcohol by province (what states in Canada are called) – therefore where and when you can purchase beer/wine/spirits is dependent on where you are. Unlike the U.S., however, Canada does not have any dry counties.
This article appears in Aug 9-15, 2012.