Having just had a very agreeable night out down my local pub good beer and company, will I miss this in Canada or are there comparable places as when I visited twice I was unable to find any

It probably varies from city to city, but Calgary has nothing on the scale or quality of English pubs. Where a pub would be in England, a church stands in Calgary.

Occasionally, out in the suburbs you'll find 'neighborhood pubs', but you probably don't want to go in there - they are a far cry from your English local! Downtown Calgary has a bunch of decent enough pubs, but they lack atmosphere and are not too adventurous.

I miss English pubs alot, and had couldn't get enough of them when I was on holiday there in May!

The closest we have found was the pub at Naramata. Has in the past been owned and run by an Englishman. Naramata being the closest you could get to a village so I guess that is why it nearly works!

JJ

Nah, its something you'll miss. If you get really desperate you can always buy a Pool table and convert the basement into a pub you can invite your friends and neighbours to, but I dont know where you will find decent english beer to stock it with!

Rather alarmingly the only English beer at the Ontario beer stores is Charles Wells (and it doesnt travel well, and never tasted too good even when i lived near Bedford), although there is a bit more selection, stuff like Boddies, Old Speckeled Hen and Tetleys at the Liqour Stores.

The beer store near me has a small stand with imported beers now. It has Old Speckled Hen, Boddies, etc.

If you are in Ontario you want to go to the beer store:
http://www.thebeerstore.ca/

They have over 300 different brands of beer from 70 countries so you can find lots of different stuff. Mostly the stuff they have on display is the regular Canadian and Us beer with some Boddingtons and Tetley's etc thrown in, you have to actually go and ask for anything more obscure. Most have a chart with them all on against the wall.

But you can't stand in the liquor store playing pool and chatting to your buddies.

Try in the car park outside and you'll be arrested

Canadians just don't do pubs very well ....

Strangely enough, there is a local near me in the Fraser Valley in BC which is not half bad at the pub thing. They also serve Genius at just the right temperature, even though they have yet to master a full pint pour. The local beer store has a huge British beer section and will get anything you want. Costs an arm and a leg (Guinness $14.85 plus deposits 10c x 4) but you can only get it cheaper at BC Liquor Stores ($13.85, aren't you lucky )
What kills me is the price of wine - my fave Bin 444 is $18 and Fat Bastard is $21!!!!:scared:

You have seen Cheers - there are places a bit like that. But their ain't no Rovers Return.

Alberta privatised liquor stores a few years ago, one of Ralphie's better ideas.

How much for a bottle of Southern Comfort, and what size is it,
also how much for regular beer (lager)?

Do you mean Canadian carbonated wee, or more flavourful lagers like Stella, Becks, Holsten, 1664 etc?

In a pub expect just over $4 for a pint of the former, and $7+ for the latter.

Jees, you realy have it in for Canada and all things Canadian dont you! I can see the point about the job situation and petty rules, but the beer??? Nothing wrong with the Canadian beer, its certainly not "carbonated wee", perhaps you are confusing it with american beer?

Say what you like about my adopted country, but leave the beer out of it

Iain

Sometimes its hard to not get carried away - I'm just doing the opposite of people who exaggerate about the UK. I'll try to not be so silly in the future.

Back to the beer - I was referring to Molson Canadian which is pretty harsh. I actually quite like the other Canadian beers like Labatt & co - My personal preference has nothing to do with the country it was brewed - I love k1664, and that is brewed in France!!