What could be more Canadian than a bottle of Guinness Extra Stout? That's right, Canadian.

You might be surprised to find that many of the most popular import brands in the United States don't travel nearly as far as you might think.

In the case of Guinness Extra Stout, it is contract brewed all over the world, but the North American supply is made in New Brunswick, Canada, along with another stalwart of Irish pubs, Harp Lager.

While the draft version of Guinness' dry stout style beer, Guinness Draught, is still made in Ireland, bottles of the Extra Stout are no more Irish than a maple leaf.

What about that other notable Irish billed stout, Murphy's Irish Stout? Murphy's is brewed in Wales along with Wexford's Irish Cream Ale. Technically these beers are all still "imported," it's just that they aren't imported from Ireland as the labeling often leads consumers to believe.

Whether it's for business reasons, taxes or freshness, your beer often comes from surprising locations.

The next time you're having a Kirin Ichiban with your sushi take a look at the can and you'll see that while it may hail from the Land of the Rising Sun, that sun is rising over Los Angeles.

Perhaps you prefer a yeoman's meal of fish and chips. Then there's nothing better to wash down your grub than a classic English brew like Whitbread Pale Ale, which is brewed by the Boston Brewing Co. - in Cincinnati.

In fact, much of the Sam Adams lineup (Sam Adams is owned by the Boston Beer Co.) is brewed not in Boston but in the same Cincinnati brewery that brings us Whitbread Pale Ale and another former English great, Mackeson's XXX Stout.

It can get confusing, but in a country where the Outback is a restaurant that considers a fried onion to be "blooming" it's only natural that Foster's is really Canadian for beer. Yep, even the old Aussie lager is only nominally an import, being brewed down above us in Toronto.

The only authentic Australian beers you are likely to find in the bay area is a stellar lineup from Coopers Brewery featuring its Best Extra Stout, Sparkling Ale and the English strong ale style brew Coopers Vintage Ale, but don't expect Outback to carry those any time soon.

The misdirection isn't limited to country of origin, though. Even names can be misleading. Mississippi Mud Black & Tan is brewed in Utica, N.Y. Even our local brew Ybor Gold Amber Lager is no longer brewed in Ybor City, but across the state in Melbourne.

It's enough to make you forget all this import business and choose something dependable. Something like Pabst Blue Ribbon, with its storied history in the United States and newfound popularity among the hipster set. Except Pabst Blue Ribbon is now brewed by Miller along with Strohs, Hamms, Old Milwaukee and Olympia, as Pabst no longer operates its own breweries.

Perhaps the better option is to head to your local brew pub like Tampa Bay Brewing Company, which is still in Ybor City, and enjoy some of the locally produced ales. It's hard to be fooled when the beer is being made in front of you.

- Joseph J.M. Redner is a Tampa resident and world beer traveler.