I believe what you're experiencing with Leinie's is that most of the stuff in Chicago would likely not be from Chippewa Falls. Whatever you had in Minong would have been from there....at least "back in the day".

Moosehead? I'm in Canada all the time and almost never see it. They made a push a few years ago to become more of a player at home, but it didn't really get anywhere. Too many other good Canadian brews....but none of them exactly cheap.

IMHO the best of a very good bunch north of the border includes Alexander Keith's, Sleeman's (especially the cream ale), Rickard's, Labatt 50 (ale), and Molson Export (ale). All of these are best on draught, but still quite good bottled (or in the oilcans they sell in Quebec).

Cheap? A relative term. Carling Light in the Ontario beer stores and LCBO stores is about a buck cheaper per sixpack than the big boys and isn't bad at all. As for other "cheap" beers available in Canada, anyone who'd go up there and drink Busch or Old Milwaukee is "a few bricks shy of a load"!