New York bar bans Canadian beer during Olympic hockey semi-final

CTV News Channel: No Canadian made beer allowed John Bona III, owner of Amherst Pizza and Ale House says he is banning Canadian beer to create a buzz and patriotism among his customers.

A New York sports bar is taking a stand against Canadian beer, banning Molson Canadian, Labatt Blue and La Fin du Monde during the Olympic men’s hockey semi-final on Friday.

Amherst Pizza & Ale House posted a flyer to Facebook and Twitter on Thursday, saying: “We will not be serving Canadian beer during the USA vs Canada men’s Olympic hockey game on Friday, 2/21/14. This is a patriotic matter, thanks for your understanding.”

John Bona III, owner of the bar, said he wanted to “create a buzz amongst our customers and a little patriotism.”

And his decision to ban Canadian beer this year comes after the U.S. men’s hockey loss to Canada four years ago in Vancouver -- when the bar was in fact selling beer that day.

“So after a little discussion with my wife, a few of the staff members and some customers, we said: ‘Hey, let’s try anything.’ Hopefully we’ll get a different outcome,” he told CTV News Channel.

The sports bar owner says he’ll be strict with bar customers craving Canadian beer.

“We don’t want anyone to break our superstition here or possibly our luck in the game today,” he said. “If they don’t understand that, they’re going to be allowed to stay, but they still will not be allowed to purchase Canadian beer until the game ends.”

But Bona says that he has many Canadian friends and customers who frequent his bar, and who know that the temporary Canadian beer ban is “a little tongue-in-cheek and it’s just for good banter.”