Ok, so the Burger Bar is a great beer/burger bar in Kensington Market, Toronto. They have a large collection of vintage and craft beer bottles lining the walls of the restaurant. I was there for lunch today (drinking a new Ontario craft IPA called Hops and Robbers) and I found this old Black Horse stubby wedged in-between the Kenyan beer Tusker and Duggan’s Number 9 (another local IPA):
Picture taken at the Burger Bar, Toronto. March 7, 2012.
I can only guess at the age of the bottle, but it seems older than the labels that I have. The outside is brown (not golden as it was in the 60’s) but it’s still a square label (not round like up until 1952-ish). My guess is that this was the Ontario version of the label (it doesn’t say “Brasserie Dow” it says “Dow Brewery,” see below) sometime between 1950 and 1970. Also note the difference between the crown in this 1969 label and the older one at the Burger Bar.
1969 Black Horse Label, note the crown and the squaring.
Dawes Black Horse Ale label circa 1939-1952, with a round label.
This might have something to do with the Dow/Dawes connection (see the main page for the history), as the newer crown looks like two D’s. It’s in a stubby too, so, aside from the nice condition, it’s a pretty beautiful thing. Now, if only Burger Bar would put it on the menu!
newfoundlandbeer.org 