This is the most-fun note in my inbox for at least a couple of months.
Likely more. [cheers]
From: Eric Malofsky Subject: Scooper Beer Hey y’all. Longtime subscriber here.
I just wanted to message you and share that Trans Canada Brewing up here in Manitoba took my suggestion to immortalize the venerable CL-215 by brewing an ale dedicated to fire aircraft -- it's the Scooper Pale Ale!
Not sure how far abroad availability will be, but I know for sure it will be well-received after alerts on tanker bases around here! CHEERS, Eric
“Welcome to our newest seasonal series beer, Scooper Pale Ale,” says Trans Canada. “The CL-215, an iconic Canadian waterbomber commonly referred to as a Scooper, has been guarding the Canadian wilderness for decades. This pale ale boasts tropical and citrus notes with a refreshing bitterness to create a thirst-quenching finish.”
Trans Canada Brewing Co. also makes the FLYING OTTER Light Lager, complete with just about the coolest and most iconic and awesome brew logo EVER, so they can’t be all bad.
⇠ ⇠ Does the Flying Otter lager logo make you think of FirePirates, I mean fire pilots, who drove Twin Otters, I mean twatters, for smokejumpers ????? Yeah, me too !
Trans Canada has a brewery, a taproom, and a general store in Winnipeg’s southwest corner. The company is Manitoba-owned and 100 percent independent — and they’ve got some dandy vintage-style art on their website:
The more you look at that art the better you will like it.
I fully expect this SCOOPER pale ale will become just as iconic with firefighters as Moose Drool (and its family of seasonal delicious brews from Big Sky Brewing) became some years ago in the Northern Rockies fire region.
And the SCOOPER pale ale’s only “available seasonally,” so heads-up on when and where you’ll find it.
— and —
BIG CHEERS and un fuerte abrazo to Our Pal Eric Malofsky for suggesting in the nicest most persuasive way to Trans Canada Brewing Co. that they oughta make us a pale ale branded with a CL-215 ! He just happens to be a 215 mechanic.
(And BTW anyone who ships me a can or six of either one wins a bonus prize.)
This is awesome, thank you so much for the article! I'm glad you like it; we've had quite the response since putting this beer out into the market. I just shipped a case to Quebec to some of the pilots out there yesterday. One thing about our brands is there is always some sort of easter egg hidden in the label. The Scooper label has an Otter plane in the background, and our Flying Otter label is modeled after a Royal Canadian Airforce recruitment poster. Thanks again, I'm going to share this article around the office!
Sounds like a great reason to visit Winnipeg!