The Most Expensive Beer In Canada

...is in Alberta.

Canoe.ca reports that a boost to the province's liquor taxes has made Alberta beer as much as $5 a case (of 12) more than other beer.

Why the tax hike in Conservative country? Because Stelmach's government wanted more revenue from booze. Well geez, maybe they shouldn't have privatized it then. In fact, as the article says:

"The government that helped push Alberta to the lonely peak of prices refuses to discuss the impact on customers -- people who once naively believed liquor store privatization would lead to cheaper suds.

Although in fairness the article also blames minimum wage hikes and the cost of aluminum for Alberta's high-priced pints so I'm not sure there's a coherant economic analysis here. The minimum wage comment just seems like a cheap shot. And everyone knows REAL Canadians don't drink beer from, shudder, cans.

Then again these are Albertans, not Canadians, we're talking about.

So who has the cheapest beer? Good old Manitoba. Hey--don't they have an NDP government there? I'm so disillusioned.