Though England is known for plenty of liquid refreshment – tea, cider, gin and tonic – when it comes to beer, our friends across the pond haven’t always had the best reputation. Known for its room temperature lagers, North Americans are often underwhelmed by the taste of uncarbonated (read: flat) British pints.
Then there's Meantime, a London craft beer now available in Ontario that has been working to change that for decades. Early on in the craft beer scene, Meantime was created by Alastair Hook, who embarked on a 20-year labour of love from a flat in Greenwich (home to the Royal Observatory Greenwich famous for Greenwich Mean Time). Before 'craft beer' was even a thing, Hook built one of the first new breweries in London, paving the way for the rebirth of British beer.
The brewery sources the best ingredients from around the world and then brews its beer in England – which is then enjoyed across continents. Available in a range of fresh and vibrant flavours like Yamika Red Ale and London Lager, Meantime taught drinkers that beer is to be enjoyed not endured, winning plenty of accolades along the way. Meantime was the first British brewery to win awards at the World Beer Cup in 2004 and is the only British brewery to have won medals at every World Beer Cup since.
Canadian beer fans can finally get their hands on the flavourful, high-quality craft beverage without a trip to London. In addition to a number of restaurants and pubs serving Meantime, Toronto Wolfpack rugby fans can also grab a craft brew on game days at the Beer Den, where Meantime will be available all summer. Both London Pale Ale and London IPA are available now for Torontonians to enjoy, and you can find them here at findmeantimebeer.ca
