Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan will soon be able to battle the heat of the southern Afghan desert with some beer from the largest Canadian-owned brewery. Moosehead Breweries, based in Saint John, N.B., is sending more than 1,700 cans of Moosehead Lager to Canadian troops stationed in Kandahar, after some of them specifically requested the suds.
Moosehead spokesman Joel Levesque said the beer would be shipped to Afghanistan from Canadian Forces Base Trenton in three rounds, with the first shipment leaving in the next week. Another shipment will leave at the end of October, and a third will be sent in November.
The beer will be cracked on special occasions only -- and soldiers will only be allowed to enjoy a cold one when they're off duty.
Levesque said military officials contacted Moosehead requesting to buy the beer, though the brewery is working out an arrangement to donate it.
"We're pretty proud of the fact that they're specifically asking for Moosehead," said Levesque. We'll do whatever we can to support our troops. We're going to be inquiring if we can donate the beer on a regular basis."
The brewery's employees have also signed a poster with messages to the soldiers.