A True Canadian Oktoberfest-Style Beer

Only beers meeting the strict standards of the Bavarian Purity Act qualify

For more than two centuries, the original Oktoberfest in Munich has been incredibly selective about the beer it allows to be sold during the two-week Bavarian fall festival.

For starters, the beer has to be brewed within the city limits of Munich. But it must also conform to the Reinheitsgebot — known colloquially as the Bavarian Purity Act of 1516 — that restricts the ingredients in beer to water, hops, barley and yeast. There is not much a Canadian brewer can do to meet the first standard of being an authentic Oktoberfest-style beer. But with a passion for brewing a pure pilsner, they can certainly meet the standards of the second.

“It seems like it would be so easy to use only four ingredients to make a beer, but if it was easy, everybody would do it,” says Tim McLaughlin, Director of Marketing for Toronto’s Steam Whistle Brewing. “It takes a dedication to exacting standards, attention to fine details and a commitment to quality and excellence. The result is a premium, pure pilsner, and we are extremely happy with the result.”

The reality is that using more than the four ingredients of the Bavarian Purity Act is cutting corners. Additional ingredients like corn syrup and artificial foam enhancers do little more than reduce the quality of the finished brew. Steam Whistle is not only one of the few Canadian brewers that adheres to the strict criteria of the 502-year-old food safety regulation, it is also among the few premium imports that still makes pilsner in an all-natural way.

To celebrate this Oktoberfest, Steam Whistle is featuring a one-litre beer stein as part of a gift pack that will be available in the LCBO starting in mid-September.

“We are proud to be part of an old-world brewing tradition that dates back more than a half a century,” says McLaughlin. “The proof is in the bottle. There is a more pure or fresh Canadian beer on the market than Steam Whistle.”

Join the conversation on Twitter @SteamWhistle, Instagram @SteamWhistleBrewing and Facebook at /SteamWhistle using the hashtag #WhatsInYourBeer.

About Steam Whistle Brewing:

Steam Whistle Brewing remains true to the old-world method of brewing pilsner. Its Czech Brewmaster ensures each batch is crafted flawlessly following the Bavarian Purity Act of 1516 to craft a pilsner that is true to what pilsner should be: crisp, golden and well-balanced. One of Canada’s leading independent craft breweries, Steam Whistle is made with only four ingredients and no additives or preservatives. Steam Whistle’s Bohemian-style pilsner is characterized by a floral hoppy aroma, a sweet, full malty character that is balanced by a pleasant bitterness and a clean, crisp finish.