{{short description|2013 song by Tim Hicks}} {{Infobox song | name = Stronger Beer | cover = Stronger Beer.jpeg | alt = | type = song | artist = Tim Hicks | album = Throw Down | released = {{start date|2013|08|27}} | recorded = | studio = | genre = Country | length = 3:03 | label = * Open Road | writer = *Tim Hicks *Jeff Coplan | producer = | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|2E064kb3UnU|"Stronger Beer"}}|header=Lyric Video|type=Song}} }}
"'''Stronger Beer'''" is a song recorded by Canadian country music artist Tim Hicks. He wrote the song with Jeff Coplan.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://open.spotify.com/track/3DNHQlTDOspmEoVl7STC35|title=Stronger Beer, Song by Tim Hicks|date=August 27, 2013|work=Spotify|publisher=Open Road Music Inc.|access-date=December 24, 2025}}</ref> It was included on Hicks' debut studio album ''Throw Down''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tim Hicks "Throw Down" Out Today|url=http://topcountry.ca/tim-hicks-throw-down/|access-date=December 23, 2025|work=Top Country|date=August 27, 2013}}</ref>
==Background== Hicks and frequent collaborator Jeff Coplan wrote "Stronger Beer", intending for it to be a joke to show Hicks' American manager at the time.<ref name="FPM">{{cite web|url=https://frontporchmusic.ca/on-the-porch-tim-hicks/|title=[ON THE PORCH S1:E22] A Million and Six Answers with Tim Hicks|first=Logan|last=Miller|work=Front Porch Music|date=November 1, 2022|access-date=December 24, 2025}}</ref> Hicks wanted to play "Stronger Beer" for his manager first, then show him a more serous song that he actually intended to record. His manager urged him to release "Stronger Beer".<ref name="FPM"/> Hicks initially was hesitant to do so, believing lyrics such as "We've got bigger balls and longer fields" (a contrast between Canadian football and American football) would prevent him from being taken seriously as an artist.<ref name="FPM"/> Nonetheless, Hicks subsequently recorded the song for his debut album.
The song was never released as a single to radio or digital platforms, but a lyric video was released to YouTube.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://topcountry.ca/tim-hicks-new-album-501-now/|title=TC Exclusive Interview: Tim Hicks’ 5:01 out now!|date=August 5, 2014|work=Top Country|access-date=December 24, 2025}}</ref> The original demo of the song that Hicks presented to his manager was ultimately released, as Hicks felt that any attempt to re-record it would not match the energy they brought in the demo.<ref name="FYI"/>
==Lyrical content== "Stronger Beer" is a humorous cultural comparison, intended to show the differences between Canada and the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://frontporchmusic.ca/tim-hicks-country-artist/|title=Tim Hicks: A Deep Dive Into One Of Canada’s Biggest Stars|date=August 10, 2024|work=Front Porch Music|access-date=December 24, 2025}}</ref> The song is sung from the perspective of a Canadian, and highlights direct contrasts between both countries such as popular brands of chocolate ("We eat Smarties, you eat M&M's") to well-known celebrities ("We got Bryan Adams, but hey you got Bruce Springsteen").<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.rootsmusic.ca/2022/09/11/tim-hicks-got-the-crowd-singing-at-city-folk-on-night-three/|title=Tim Hicks got the crowd singing at CityFolk on night three|first=Laurie|last=Bowen|work=Roots Music Canada|date=September 11, 2022|access-date=December 24, 2025}}</ref>
Hicks described the song as a representation of if "two drunk guys were sitting in a bar and one was from the states and one was from Canada, what would they be talking about? Maybe about stronger beer.”<ref>{{cite web|url=https://westerngazette.ca/culture/tim-hicks-gets-stronger-beers-and-longer-cheers/article_11802885-560f-5525-9579-1c53fc3ddca5.html|title=Tim Hicks gets stronger beers and longer cheers|work=Western Gazette|date=March 10, 2025|first=Jennafer|last=Freeman|access-date=December 24, 2025}}</ref>
==Commercial performance== Despite never having been released as a single, "Stronger Beer" has been certified Double Platinum by Music Canada.<ref name="MC"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://musiccanada.com/news/tim-hicks-presented-with-pair-of-platinum-plaques-in-toronto/|title=Tim Hicks presented with pair of Platinum plaques in Toronto|date=June 29, 2017|first=Bram|last=Gonshor|work=Music Canada|access-date=December 23, 2025}}</ref>
==Music video== The official lyric video for "Stronger Beer" premiered on YouTube on March 8, 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tim Hicks - Stronger Beer (Lyric Video) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E064kb3UnU |website=YouTube|date=March 8, 2013|format=video|access-date=December 23, 2025}}</ref> The video was created by graphic designer Mitch Nevins.<ref name="FYI">{{Cite web|date=2017-08-30|title=How Tim Hicks' "Stronger Beer" Hopped Up His Career In 2017|url=https://www.fyimusicnews.ca/articles/2017/08/30/how-tim-hicks-stronger-beer-hopped-his-career-2017|access-date=December 24, 2025|website=FYI Music News|url-status=dead|language=en|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180223072426/https://www.fyimusicnews.ca/articles/2017/08/30/how-tim-hicks-stronger-beer-hopped-his-career-2017|archive-date=February 23, 2018|first=Nick|last=Krewens}}</ref>
==Credits and personnel== Credits adapted from Apple Music.<ref>{{cite web|title=Stronger Beer, Song by Tim Hicks|url= https://music.apple.com/ca/album/stronger-beer/1587060305?i=1587060593 |website=Apple Music (Canada)|publisher=Open Road Music Inc.|date=August 27, 2013|access-date=December 23, 2025}}</ref>
*Rob Blackledge — background vocals *Nick Buda — drums *Jeff Coplan — background vocals *Tim Hicks — lead vocals, guitar
==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Tim Hicks|title=Stronger Beer|award=Platinum|number=2|type=single|relyear=2013|certyear=2021|access-date=December 23, 2025|refname="MC"}} {{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|noshipments=true|nosales=true}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Tim Hicks}} {{authority control}}
Category:2013 songs Category:Tim Hicks songs Category:Songs about Canada Category:Songs written by Tim Hicks