Canada, and especially Quebec, has in recent years become a center of the international beer scene. Countless hundreds of microbreweries have opened across the country in the last twenty years alone.

Canadians are proud of their thriving and innovative beer culture. Beer has grown from a niche interest to a national staple. And the federal government has taken notice. 

ALSO READ: Norwegian Air Is Launching Super Cheap Flights From Montreal To The Caribbean

Yesterday officials announced new plans to regulate the beer industry, including a change to the very definition of beer. The change will expand the assortment of drinks that are considered beer. Many specialty beverages in small craft breweries will now fall under the new definition.

That's both a blessing and a curse. Those drinks will now be subject to federal regulations specific to beer.

But that's not all. The new rules will also require all beers to clearly label nutritional information like ingredients and calorie counts. That's generally good news for the consumer, who will now be able to understand exactly what they're injesting.

Of course, the new regulations come with a price. Beer companies, and in particular microbreweries, will have to pay big bucks to conform to the rules. The act is expected to cost the beer industry tens of millions of dollars.

That price tag will be passed along to consumers. So when you notice the price of your beer tick up over the next year, now you'll know why.

Source