Raise a glass to a century of learning

by Josh Naud

Photo by Josh Naud. Bob Madge enjoys his prize pint for submitting the winning entry in the contest to name MRU’s centennial beer. Along with a pint or two, he got a tour of the brewery and some Wild Rose swag.

Now that centennial celebrations are officially in full swing, it’s a fine time to introduce the latest offering on tap at the Liberty Lounge. Meet the Wild Rose Royal 100, brewed in honour of Mount Royal’s 100th year. A fine birthday present.

“At Wild Rose, we’re not all about the simple, yellow bubbly beer, we’re a little bit more interesting,” said Tina Wolfe, spokesperson for Wild Rose. “We try to come with styles that not everyone has necessarily had before.” The beer was dry hopped with cen- tennial hops, which is supposed to add a nice dry finish to the coppery-coloured brew. It’s on the darker side with a hint of the roasted, malty kick you’d recog- nize in a glass of Wild Rose Brown, but sweet enough to be enjoyed by those who prefer a lighter brew.

She said the beer was crafted with the mindset that, “We want as many people to go to the Liberty and drink as much beer as they can.” Nice. The beer will be in production for at least a year and perhaps longer, depend- ing on how it sells. Wolfe said the partnership with MRU was easy because the institution and the brewery share some values.

“We’re trying to educate people about beer, and they’re (MRU) trying to give people an education for life,” she said. Ah yes. Drinking and learning. Common company. Wild Rose is donating a quarter to MRU’s scholarship and bursary program for every pint sold at the Taproom, and a portion of sales from Co-op liquor stores, where it will be sold in bottles.

So enjoy a beer, Mount Royal, it’s your birthday. And it’s good for your education.