A Year of Beer - 365 different beers in 365 different Days

What's next? I'll tell you what's next. Drinking a different beer everyday for a full year.
Yes in 2007, (minus the first four days of 2007, which were picked up on the first four days of 2008) I drank a different beer each day. I didn't think that it would be a particularly difficult task and in some respects it wasn't, in fact it was quite a joy. But in other respects, it sucked major ball sack.
Firstly, in Ontario we are pretty much relegated to buying whatever the Beer Store and Liquor store has on stock at the time. The Beer Store may tout the fact that they have three-hundred-and-some-odd different types of beer for sale, but for the most part that's just a bunch of hogwash. Mostly because, of those three-hundred-and-some-odd "different" beers, 295 of them are the same generic-yellow-tasteless-fizzy-lager-style beers. So how much fun would it be to drink the same goddamn style of beer everyday for a year? Not too much I'm afraid. And truthfully, I despise that particular style of beer. Lagers can be great. They can be refreshing and they can be full bodied, they can be bitter and they can have a delicious whisp of hops across the nose. But sadly this is not the case for many of the lagers available at the beer store. Because many of them are the lowly "buck-a-beer" dealies that frankly taste like the under side of a donkey's cock. Now don't get into the whole, "how do you know what the under side of a donkey's cock tastes like?" argument....let's just let that one ride and we'll move on with the post.
And another thing about the Beer Store! I can't count how many times I walked into different beers stores across the city, took my time scouring the wall of labels looking for something different, something new and exciting, finally find one, only to be told that they don't have it in stock. Many times I had to revert to my third and fourth choices! What kind of way is that to run a business? Well what does it matter to the Beer Store? They are a fucking monopoly! And since they have no real competition, they don't really care. It's ridiculous. It's pathetic. It's Ontario.
Now the LCBO has done a good job this year picking up the slack. They seem genuinely interested in supplying different beers from around the world to the beer purchasers in Ontario.
Their shelves seem, more and more, to be stocked with some interesting beers from some very interesting places around the globe. With new releases seemingly popping up each month. They still have a long way to go, for evidence, just pop into any LCBO and see how many of the imports are again just lagers from other parts of the world, but at least they are trying.
The price point maybe different from the Beer Store, which maybe part of the reason that the Beer Store doesn't stock to many imports or Micros, but again that is just our wonderful government at work. Now don't quote me on this, but I've been told that on a percentage basis, Canada is the second highest taxed country in the world when it comes to beer and liquor. WTF? I can see the argument in that I would gladly pay a little more for beer and liquor if it means I get free health care, but come on. It's getting ridiculous.
Anyhoo, enough of the ranting and raving. Truth is, if you want to find good beer there are many options available to you. Especially here in Toronto.
You can visit many of the local Craft and Micros across the GTA and purchase directly from them. Mill St, Magnotta, Great Lakes Brewing, Steamwhistle, Black Oak, Cameron's, Trafalgar Ales & Meads, Old Credit Brewing...and the list goes on. There are a lot of great beers to be had if you just go out and take a look.
There are also many great beer bars across the GTA. Cafe Volo, C'est What?, The Rhino, Victory Cafe, The Beer Bistro, Michelle's Brasserie, the Mill Street Brew Pub, The Granite Brewery and Pub, just to name a few. And many of these bars offer great events throughout the year. Cafe Volo hosts a cask day each year. C'est What? has there spring and fall craft brewing festivals. The Granite has Robbie Burns day and other brewing focused dinners.
And if you really feel the need to try something different, take a drive down the QEW, pop across the border and just inside State side, there is a great little place in Buffalo called, The Premier Gourmet. They have an extensive beer list, many of which are unavailable to us in Canada. And with a strong dollar it maybe worth the trip.
So I may complain about the beer selection, but truthfully there are many options, case in point, my 365 different beers.
Now I also had many friends who just happened to be travelling last year bring me back beers from the many locals they were travelling too, and I myself picked up some great beers from my West Coast visit this year, but for the most part, the beers were purchased here in Ontario.
So with out further adieu, here is the break down of the beers I enjoyed over the past year.
Oh, and one more thing. This list is in no way the only beer I drank over the last year. Many times I would have 2 or more different beers in a day, but these are just the ones I wrote down, or at least remembered.

What were they?
Ales - 247
Lagers - 115
Lambics - 3

How did I drink them?
Bottles - 266
Draught - 55
Cans - 35
Cask - 8
Growler - 1

How many Different Countries?
37

What Countries were they from?
Canada - 137
U.S. - 80
England - 40
Germany - 25
Belgium - 18
Poland - 8
Ireland - 6
Scotland - 5
France - 5
Cuba - 4
Czech Rep - 3
Honduras - 3
Netherlands, Denmark, Mexico, Italy, Jamaica, Philippines - 2
Singapore, Japan, Slovenia, Slovakia, China, Portugal, Hungary, Estonia, Sri Lanka, Australia, Vietnam, Barbados, Austria, Argentina, Trinidad & Tobago, Holland, Greece, Kenya & Latvia - 1

How many different Styles?
67 (If they didn't specify, I would try to decipher it myself or I just put it in a generic Lager or Ale category. There are also, many subcategories of styles.)

What styles were they?
Lager - 55
Ale - 27
I.P.A. - 20
Double or Imperial I.P.A. - 1
Pale Ale - 23
Double or Imperial Pale Ale - 3
E.S.B. - 6
Best Bitters - 3
Brown Ale (including Nut Browns) - 8
Indian Brown Ale - 1
Milds - 1
Porter (Including Smoked)- 13
Coffee Porter - 1
Double Chocolate Porter - 1
Stout (Including Irish, Oatmeal & Smoked) - 15
Russian Imperial Stout - 3
Chocolate Stout - 2
Imperial Coffee Stout - 1
Barley Wine - 7
Scotch Ale - 4
Strong Ale - 3
Winter Ale - 10
Red Ale - 6
Amber Ale - 2
Cream Ale - 6
Dark Ale - 11
Belgian Ale - 16
Triples - 3
Dubbels - 2
Saison - 2
Kriek - 2
Frambrozen - 1
Geueze - 1
Belgian Wit - 5
Weizen (German) - 8
Weizen (U.S. or North American) - 8
Weissbock - 1
Bock -4
Eisbock - 2
Dopplebock - 1
Hellesbock - 1
Maibock - 1
Festbock - 1
Vienna Lager - 1
Pilsner - 18
Imperial Pils - 2
Dortmunder - 2
Dunkel - 3
Schwatzbier - 1
Alt - 5
Export - 2
Bier Du Gaurde - 1
Dark Lager - 3
Red Lager - 1
Amber Lager - 4
Light Lager - 4
Cerveza - 7
Stock Ale - 1
Pumpkin Ale - 3
Orange Peel Ale - 1
Lemon Pepper Ale - 1
Vanilla Wheat Ale - 1
Apricot Wheat Ale - 1
Honey Brown Lager - 1
Maple Lager - 1
Sorghum & Rice Gluten Free - 1
Organic Ale or Lager - 4

So there you go. That's the break down. I know that there are many mistakes in there. The styles are kinda mixed up and aren't perfect, but you know what? Cram it with walnuts mister! It's beer! Take it easy. We aren't saving lives here.
Anyhoo, I've wasted enough time with this today. Tomorrow or possibly next week, the entire list of beers!
So what's next?