November 30, 2001 -- It's probably not too much of a stretch to guess that most of the population of the world outside of Canada has not the faintest idea that there exists in southwestern Ontario a city called London. And even if they were to somehow come across that fact, it is even more unlikely that they would know the city to be the heart of Middlesex County. I know that I didn't, and I live a three hour drive from London.

Thus, the first thing I did when I received a copy of 'On Tap: The Odyssey of Beer and Brewing in Victorian London-Middlesex,' a book by Glen Phillips, was to investigate whether the London in question was Ontario's own or its better-known kin in England. One glance at the full-colour plate of a 1870 advertisement lauding the John Labatt brewery was enough to convince me that it was indeed 'our' London.

Because of this, readers residing outside of Ontario or Canada might be discouraged from any interest in 'On Tap,' and that would be a shame. Because this beer history is one of the more enjoyable that I have had the pleasure of reading, a product of Phillips' ability to keep the narrative light and easy while staying informative.

I almost despaired for the book when I came to the irst chapter of 'On Tap,' as Phillips falls back on the old literary cliche of an imagined travel through time to introduce his subject. Surprisingly, though, said trip is not the groaner I anticipated, but a fun and fanciful traipse back a century and a bit to the heyday of Middlesex brewing. Yes, he could have used a better device to get where he was going, but no, it wasn't that bad a read.

The rest of the book, which is to say the vast majority, benefits from the sense of fun that Phillips demonstrates in his introductory chapter. The reader learns as much about the families who created the industry as she does about the breweries and the industry itself, and Phillips thus adds to his narrative a sense of humanity that is lacking in all too many beer histories. Fascinating and often curious facts and figures round out the chapters quite ably.

Of great benefit to the book is the 'eye candy' used on almost every page. Pictures of breweries long reduced to dust, early ads that make such amusing boasts as 'the establishment is complete in every particular' (marking the opening of the Western Steam Brewery), and assorted reproductions of maps and ledgers round out the format in a most enjoyable way. But then again, I'm a sucker for that sort of stuff.

In all, I have to believe that 'On Tap' would be enjoyed by most beer drinkers with an interest in the industry's earlier days, whether you live in London, Ontario, London, England, or some point between or far beyond.

On Tap: The Odyssey of Beer and Brewing in Victorian London-Middlesex by Glen Phillips, Cheshire Cat Press, 2000

Available for C$25.00, postage and tax included, from Cheshire Cat Press, P.O. Box 373, Thessalon, Ontario, Canada P0R 1L0; p: 705-842-2944; e: cheshirecatpress@yahoo.co.uk

Search The Real Beer Library For More Articles Related To: Canadian beer books

Feedback?

We're very interested in your news, notes, comments and questions, so please feel free to contact SBWoB by clicking on the link below. Or you can add your comments when you sign up for the World of Beer Update, a mid-month e-mail newsletter that brings even more of the world of beer to your computer.

Send Feedback To: beaumont@worldofbeer.com