This morning, as I gathered the week’s newspapers for recycling, I noticed the photo-op of Prime Minister Harper pouring a glass of beer at a Halifax pub. The tap indicated he was dispensing an Alexander Keith product.

As I looked at the photo, five questions (that’s all the Prime Minister will allow reporters to ask at his campagin stops) came to mind.

First — Did the Prime Minister forget that Alexander Keith’s is not really a “local” brewery? It was purchased in 1971 by Labatt, which in turn was purchased in 1995 by Interbrew, an international company that now includes breweries on five continents? (Could it maybe be called a “coalition” of brewers? Probably not!) If the Prime Minister really wanted to be local, there are well over a six-pack of really good microbreweries and brewpubs in the Halifax area. Think of Propeller, Hart and Thistle, and Granite to name but three. If Mr. Harper had stopped at one of these places, he’d have discovered beers that were local and really had flavour.

Second — Was the Prime Minister aware that, in November 2010 it was announced that production at the Halifax plant was being cut back, that the majority of Alexander Keith’s products would be brewed outside of Nova Scotia, and that over two dozen jobs at the Halifax brewery were probably going to be lost? Not good news at a time when the unemployment figures are distressing, not only in the Maritimes but across Canada.

Third — Did the Prime Minister know that beeradvocate.com, one of the most respected international consumer rating sites, gave Light Ale, the beer the Prime Minister was pouring (and one still brewed in Halifax), a rating of  C-? Next to the letter grade was the phrase “not worthy.”  Several individual consumer comments included the word “bland” and one reviewer called the product “an ale that’s been dumbed down for lager drinkers.” Maybe not the best product for a man who wants to continue being the country’s leader to be seen pouring.

Fourth — Is it possible that this photo op is sending messages that the Prime Minister’s campaign officials weren’t aware of?

And fifth — I wonder what beer the Prime Minister drinks? I’d sure like to know before I head to the polling station on May 2.

On the Fridays after payday, the teaching week at the univeristy over, my friend and I used to head across the North Saskatchewan River and up the Groat Road to Sherbrooke Liquor Store, where we’d be like kids at a candy store or adults at a good independent book store, gazing at all the 600 plus wonderful beers that we’d like — but coundn’t afford — to buy.

Then we’d settle for something that seemed different and interesting, head back across the river to one of our houses and sample, each trying to out do the other in sensory perceptiveness and the ability to use important sounding words from our dictionaries of beer terms.

Now that we’re retired, we head to Sherbrooke Liquor Store as soon as we’re sure our pension cheques are in the bank, gaze at the wonderful bottles and make our selections — keeping in mind the fact that we’re now on a reduced budget.

Last Friday, we came home with “the tasting pack,” a 12-bottle sampler from Half Pints Brewing Company, one of only two Manitoba microbreweries and, since Russell Brewing of Surrey purchased Fort Garry Brewing Company, the only wholly locally owned one.

The pack contained three bottles each of four different styles, ranging from the light St. James Pale Ale to the dark Stir-Stick Stout.

The label described St. James Pale Ale as “soft and smooth, with a floral finish,” and noted that the IBU level of the 4.8 per cent ABV beer, was only 11, surprisingly low for a pale ale. Blonde to gold in colour, the unfiltered beer was mildly malty and hoppy. Light bodied and effervescent, it was a refreshing drink, one which would be a good summer or session beer. More like a golden or blonde ale than a pale ale, it seemed designed as a cross-over beer, one which would appeal to people more familiar and comfortable with main-stream lagers.

Someone wanting the hoppier flavour of a pale ale would be pleased with Little Scrapper I.P.A. The label refers to it as a “strong beer.” It’s six per cent and 50 IBUs. Gold to amber in colour, it certainly isn’t a “hop bomb” and might disappoint people looking for something in the West Coast style. Instead, this mediam bodied ale achieves the nice balance between hops and malts that distinguish the English versions of the style.

Bulldog Amber Ale is 5.4 per cent ABV and has a 20 IBU count. “Nutty carmel malts and a hoppy aroma,” the label copy states. It’s a smoothe, mellow beer with gentle malt flavours set off by a hoppy finish. A mediam-bodied, very drinkable beer, it’s one which people who like darker ales might turn to as a session beer.

Stir Stick Stout is a “coffee infused stout with a chocolate aroma.” It is dark and opaque in colour and full bodied, but not so much that you’d need a stir stick. The first sip seemed a little harsh, but subsequent ones revealed a rich, malty beer that would certainly make a good finishing drink for a Friday with Barley tasting. It is 5.6 percent ABV, and the IBUs are listed at 35.

The Winnipeg brewery’s name, Half Pints, suggests something very small and local, a cottage brewery. In fact, it recently finished an expansion of the brewery that gives it sufficient capacity to ship product well beyond Manitoba’s western border.  The pale and amber ales are good, the IPA and the stout very good.

When the pension cheques come in at the end of April, we’ll be making another trek to Sherbrooke Liquor Store to get supplies for another Friday with Barley.