VOLUME
02 01 ISSUE
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O N TA R I O REGIONS COVERED IN THIS ISSUE PUBLISHER Gail Nugent gnugent@thegrowler.ca EDITOR David Ort david@thegrowler.ca CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Crystal Luxmore CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jordan Duff Kristina Mameli Jordan St. John PRODUCTION & DESIGN MANAGER Tara Rafiq tara@thegrowler.ca PHOTOGRAPHY David Ort COVER ILLUSTRATION Marcus Hynes SOCIAL MEDIA David Ort ADVERTISING Krysta Frederick krysta@thegrowler.ca DISTRIBUTION Craig Sweetman (Newsstand) Debbie Tang (Direct) orders@thegrowler.ca SUBSCRIPTIONS on.thegrowler.ca/subscribe © The Growler 2019
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. Every effort is made to avoid errors and omissions. If you notice an error, please accept our apologies and notify us. Published by Glacier Media Group thegrowler.ca @thegrowleron
NORTHERN & NORTHWEST ONTARIO
MUSKOKA & LAKE SIMCOE // COLLINGWOOD, BRUCE & MANITOULIN HAMILTON, BRANT & WEST GTA CENTRAL WEST & TRI-CITIES
EASTERN ONTARIO & OTTAWA
KAWARTHAS & NORTHUMBERLAND // KINGSTON & PEC NORTH & EAST GTA TORONTO NIAGARA
SOUTHWEST & WINDSOR
Contents
04 06 09 12 16 18 22 25 26 28 39
ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BEER YOU'VE GOT BEER MAIL JOINT VENTURE BREWER VS BREWER: EXPERIMENTERS EDITION THE FAULT IN OUR BEERS GRAIN IN THE LAND OF GRAPES A BEER FOR EVERY TABLE BEER TO THE GROUND RECIPE: BEEF TENDERLOIN WITH BÉARNAISE AÏOLI ONTARIO BREWERY LISTINGS BEER 101: POURING FROM A FULL GROWLER
Breweries by Region 28 TORONTO 46 NORTH & EAST GTA 51 HAMILTON, BRANT & WEST GTA 58 NIAGARA 62 CENTRAL WEST & TRI-CITIES 76 SOUTHWEST & WINDSOR KAWARTHAS & NORTHUMBERLAND // 86 KINGSTON & PEC 95 EASTERN ONTARIO & OTTAWA & LAKE SIMCOE // 108 MUSKOKA COLLINGWOOD, BRUCE & MANITOULIN 117 NORTHERN & NORTHWEST ONTARIO Editor’s Note Speaking seasonally, this issue really does straddle two very different parts of the year. When you read this, it’s equally likely that we’ll be digging out from under a February blizzard or on the dock getting set to mark Queen Victoria’s 200th birthday. Either way, I hope you have a favourite craft beer close by. We here at The Growler are all about solving problems—and Ontario’s retail alcohol system is definitely problematic. Luckily, many craft breweries are finding a way to send their beer directly to you (pg. 6), the drinking public. In the same theme of really big changes, legal marijuana has been a topic of conversation in many brewery taprooms (and boardrooms). We dig into the question of how the two industries will compete or collaborate (pg. 9). Before summer starts let’s head to Niagara (pg. 18) to see one of the hotbeds of new brewery development in the province. And you’ll find a ton more in our features section! Having covered all those bases I must apologize. I’ve committed a minor editorial sin. I’ve buried the lede. The truly exciting news is that The Growler now covers the entire province. From Vankleek Hill to Walkerville to Blyth to Port Colborne and all the way up to Kenora, our brewery directory encompasses all of Ontario. From here out, we’ll grow as Ontario craft beer grows. Thanks so much for your support!
LEGEND GROWLER-APPROVED BADGE Keep an eye out for our 10 favourite beers this spring!
Brewery Details GROWLER FILLS BOTTLES / CANS KEGS TASTING ROOM ON-SITE KITCHEN OR FOOD TRUCK TOURS DOG-FRIENDLY GLUTEN-FREE BOOZE OPTIONS
Suggested Glassware STANGE Kolsch Alt Gose
PILSNER Lager Pilsner Witbier
NONIC PINT
Pale ale Stout and porter Most ales, actually
WEIZEN
Hefeweizen Weizenbock American wheat
TULIP
Saison Double IPA Strong ales
GOBLET
Dubbel Belgian strong Tripel
SNIFTER
Barley wine Quad Anything funky
Row, row, row your beer
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by David Ort
Tasty beer, but I can only have a half-pint of it.” “What's everyone drinking for National IPA Day?” “We're right in the middle of triple imperial stout season.” “The horse blanket from the brett really slaps you in the face.” The craft beer industry often props itself up on a wooden leg of insufferable pretense, doesn’t it? And craft beer sometimes needs to attract attention with an eye patch and parrot on its shoulder. That’s fine. Everyone needs the occasional pirate movie—they entertain. But what about the rowboat beers? These are the ones that get you from work to bed; distract the mind from the leftover turkey meatloaf that’s for dinner; and make an afternoon of fence-building with your oddball neighbour tolerable. They also don’t change themselves for the sake of marketing. They don’t come in fancy bottles. And they definitely aren’t new “takes on an IPA”. Obviously, finding these beers is an itch that I’ve needed to scratch for quite a while now. Organised by style, here are my favourite rowboat beers. Extra-special bitter (or ESB) might be the most precariously balanced of the English styles. They are stronger in every dimension than a mild or an
ordinary bitter and don’t put any of the elements in the coxswain’s seat the way an IPA, porter or vintage ale do. Most of all, they do great on cask. Collingwood makes Kingpost, Beau’s has one and Nickel Brook strikes an Equilibrium. All are fine examples at the LCBO. Further afield, try Bob’s Best by Grain & Grit, Muddy York’s Major Small or Rurban’s New Johnstown’s Best Bitter. Helles has replaced pilsner as my favourite lager style. It always takes at least three sips to figure out which way a good helles leans, and as many as three pints to discover its subtleties. You probably don’t need me to tell you about Gaslight by Muddy York or Trainspotter by Junction or the one Wellington makes. But dig deeper with People’s Pint’s Helles Island, Checkmate by Grey Matter and Cannonball from Left Field. Dortmunder is another German lager style that places the accent on balance, but with a bit stronger malt than helles. Beau’s has one in their Farm Table series, Market makes Beswick and, of course, there is Otsukaresama by Godspeed. Let’s have more of these, please! Finally, grisette is the everyman of the saison family tree. Hell, the name even comes from the colour of dust-covered Belgian coal miners. How unromantic is that? Not many of this low-octane Belgian style make it to the LCBO but Great Lakes, Fairweather, Town and Kensington all have versions in their back catalogue that I’d love to see more of. As you enjoy your search for your own all-season beer, stay away from the shoals of trendiness and let me know what treasures you find. j
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Ontario craft breweries are doing an end-run around our jammedup beer retail system to send their product directly to consumers
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by Jordan Duff
n 2019, ordering beer online direct from the brewery and having it delivered to your doorstep seems commonplace. It wasn’t always that way. The future is now, but we’ll have to cast back eight years to understand how far we’ve come. As with so many beer-tales in Ontario, it begins with Beau’s All Natural Brewing. Though often associated with Ottawa, Beau’s is actually a good 100 kilometres east of Canada’s capital, in picturesque Vankleek Hill. More direct access to the Ottawa market seemed like an important opportunity. So, in 2011, Beau’s teamed up with a local charity, Operation Come Home (OCH),
to create a beer home-delivery service: Buy Your Beau’s Online (BYBO). The beer would be delivered directly, for a fee, to your home and delivery staff are members of OCH’s youth employment initiative. The $8 delivery charge goes to Operation Come Home to fund their full range of programmes. “BYBO serves a vital connection to the brewery for many of our fans who can’t make it all the way to Vankleek Hill,” says Beau’s CEO Steve Beauchesne, “It’s a real triple win: Our customers get our beer more conveniently, our brewery gets additional sales and homeless youth get a chance to earn a paycheque, build their resume and hopefully find a way off the streets.” As Beauchesne notes, on paper it was a winwin-win. However, issues with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) meant that the operation was almost stopped before it began. While beer delivery services were allowed to buy beer from the LCBO or The Beer Store, they couldn’t from breweries. As so rarely happens,
With a small (but loyal) home market in Vankleek Hill, Steve Beauchesne saw the BYBO service as an important means of getting beer to the larger market, an hour away, in Ottawa.
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BYBO serves a vital connection to the brewery for many of our fans who can’t make it all the way to Vankleek Hill.
— Steve Beauchesne, Beau's All Natural Brewing
legislation was quickly changed, breweries were included as licensees and BYBO has been running successfully ever since. Here in Ottawa, Brew Donkey launched in 2013 when they spotted a business opportunity. The company would serve as a delivery service for all local breweries and would even collect empty growlers. At their height, they had over 200 beers, from 25 local breweries, listed on their web site. At that time, many local breweries were not available at the LCBO or The Beer Store, and so Brew Donkey was the most convenient way to sample and support local beer. Brew Donkey owner Brad Campeau notes another advantage to his model: “In 2013, the laws around shipping alcohol were such that Canada Post did not allow it and only private couriers were willing to do it.” But as the rules changed, his home delivery model was no longer sustainable. “In mid-2016 the LCBO began their online ordering and shipping,” explains Campeau. “This was made possible through changing the rules around Canada Post. This also resulted in craft breweries being able to ship direct to homes affordably and legally.” Due to these changes, Campeau shuttered the delivery service. And since then his company has very successfully shifted focus to brewery tours in the Ottawa area. Since deliveries can come by mail, consumers have much greater access to Ontario craft beer. Conversely, breweries now have access to consumers in markets they couldn’t reach before.
Dominion City Brewing, nestled in Ottawa’s Beacon Hill neighbourhood, is a prime example of a brewery taking advantage of home delivery. At press time their eight online offerings ranged from the popular Sunsplit NEIPA to the new Avian Principality American brown ale. “We launched our online beer shop in September 2017,” says co-founder Josh McJannett, “This was something we wanted to do because extending our taproom offering to beer lovers across Ontario supports our vision to sell the freshest, most exciting and delicious beer we can make as directly as possible. We sell only a tiny portion of our beer through off-site retail channels and have no ambition to be listed at the LCBO.” In the “Amazon age” it’s not surprising that people are having craft beer delivered to their front stoop. “We've seen weekly orders grow from a handful to consistently being in the dozens,” says McJannett, “Last month we announced $10 flat rate shipping for orders over $40 and we've seen a big jump as the cost of having our beer delivered to your door has become even more affordable for people.” Moose Factory, on the southern tip of James Bay, is the furthest a Dominion City order has gone. From Beacon Hill to Kanata, west of Ottawa, Small Pony Barrel Works is another brewery taking advantage of mail-direct sales. They are Ontario’s only all barrel-aged sour beer brewery. Even within craft beer, these niche beers have a limited market, so direct access to the consumer has been essential for brewer-owner Sean McVeigh. “While we may only see a fraction of the customers a conventional brewery sees in a week, we also aren’t sharing the overall craft beer drinking crowd as broadly with other breweries. That is to say that if someone likes sour beer, there may only be a small number of breweries to choose from, and they may not be nearby,” says McVeigh. “So, for us, beer mail is a way to still be accessible to that niche group of sour lovers, since there isn’t a sour beer brewery in every suburb in Ontario.”
743 km Ottawa
Moose factory
city The farthest distance Dominion beer Brewing Company has shipped its via Canada post.
Interestingly, McVeigh has gone beyond using the online tool simply for sales and also uses it to interact with fellow sour fans. “My online store has also become an invaluable way for me to interact with my beer club,
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It had crossed our mind to not have a retail store at all, only days available to pickup an order.
— Kyle Teichert, Half Hours on Earth Brewery
who can reserve bottles for pickup later in the year, or consolidate orders in the future and ship them out,” says McVeigh “So we’re not just using it as a mail-order portal.” McVeigh credits Half Hours on Earth Brewery for blazing the “sour beer in the mail trail” that he’s now following. The small batch brewery is located roughly 200 kilometres west of Toronto in Seaforth and produces farmhouse and lambicstyle beers. Focusing on top-notch niche styles meant thinking outside the box and the progressive brewery looked to shipping immediately. Kyle Teichert, co-owner, explains: “We started working on our business plan in 2013, and home delivery was actually the main part of the plan. There weren’t many sour/farmhouse beers available at the time in Ontario, and given our location, we initially thought shipping would be the only way to get our beer out there. It had crossed our mind to not have a retail store at all, only days available to pick up an order.” Taking their lead from wineries, who have been mailing directly to consumers for years, they were pioneers in bringing beer into the online-ordering age and took full advantage of Canada Post’s changes. “Shipping beer across the province cer-
tainly helped spread the word of our brewery,” says Teichert. “It also led to quite a few emails, almost weekly, from other breweries with questions about going online.” And beyond getting beer out of Seaforth, the owners of HHoE can also now order beer from the many breweries that have joined them in the future: “Over two years later, it’s great that there are now so many breweries online in Ontario. Definitely makes it easier for us to get a variety of beer to Seaforth!” We reached Canada Post and they said: “Canada Post delivers alcohol in many Canadian provinces. As you are aware, Canada Post is not the regulator. There are strict guidelines that we must follow when it comes to the delivery of controlled products, such as alcohol. Shippers are responsible to ensure these items are properly prepared and meet applicable requirements for mailing.” Exciting times! Beer mailed directly to your home. But there are still restrictions, for instance beer cannot be shipped across provincial borders. So while it’s hard to find excitement in Canada Post’s statement, beer nerds across Ontario have been getting excited about Bellwoods Brewery’s newly launched online store. Bellwoods’ Joey Seaman explains that the online shop has been a longtime goal for the business, “It can be a challenging sales environment in Ontario for most breweries, so having the option of an online bottle shop is a great way to finally get beer to those who can’t make it to our brewery on a regular basis,” says Seaman. “We also love the fact that we’re able to continue dealing directly with people who want our beer. This has been a big part of Bellwoods from the beginning and we really don’t want that to change.” The beer world has a long history of unchanging rules and regulations, by those low standards, these changes have actually moved relatively quickly. From Beau’s launching BYBO to more than a dozen Ontario breweries with online stores, we’ve come a long way in a few years. So, crack open a parcel and raise a pint to the joy of online shopping for beer. j From pale ales like Cat Lady and Jutsu to their barrel-aged favourites like Donkey Venom and 3 Minutes to Midnight the Bellwoods store is delivering beer joy across Ontario.
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joint e r u t n ve How craft beer and legal cannabis are more likely to collaborate than compete for Ontario consumers by Crystal Luxmore
S
ince first-year university, about 20 of my girlfriends have gathered for our annual Girls Christmas Party. This regular affair has been going strong for 18 years. We’re not girls anymore, we’re 40-something moms, but other than that, little has changed. The party is always filled with gifts, bubbly, beer, a few joints and riotous laughter. But this year something was different, I brought cannabis edibles, in the form of gummie bears, to the party. According to experts, consuming cannabis via low-dose edibles, pills or beverages will eventually replace part of the alcohol that some of us drink. Right now though, with bud, oils or pre-rolled joints the only legal option for buying cannabis in Canada, consumption habits have yet to shift. Christopher Shepard, Senior Editor at Beer Marketer’s Insights, Craft Beer Analytics says in the short term, legalization of cannabis has had zero impact on craft beer consumption. In fact, in US states where cannabis has been legalized,
craft beer consumption has remained the same as before legalization, whereas it has declined slightly in states where cannabis is still illegal. “However, a lot of companies have spent a lot of money figuring out how to change the classic pitfall of the edible—where you feel nothing at first but the effect is very strong two hours later,” says Shepard. There are technologies that will make drinking a cannabis-infused, non-alcoholic beer a lot like the effects of drinking alcohol—where you feel the psychoactive kick earlier, but a very mild buzz, and by the time you’re finished sipping three or four beers, you’re high. “Once companies master that technology, it makes the replaceability of beer with cannabis far more likely,” says Shepard. Before that happens though, social stigmas around cannabis need to fall away, and knowledge gaps about the complicated plant need to be filled, says Jessica Lukas, vice president of consumer insights at BDS Analytics, a Colorado-based market research firm that tracks sales in the cannabis industry.
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A lot of companies have spent a lot of money figuring out how to change the classic pitfall of the edible—where you feel nothing at first but the effect is very strong two hours later.
—Christopher Shepard, Beer Marketers Insights
Looking at our holiday party, she’s right. The handful of women who tried my gummies and chocolate were the same women who I’ve always shared joints with at parties since high school. But fast-forward to October, when edibles are legalized, and things might be different. Picking up a few legal, non-alcoholic cannabis beverages at the store will likely feel safer to most non-cannabis users than eating a gummie from your veteran stoner friend at a party. Experts predict a drop in “smokeable” flower (sticky, green bud) once edibles come on to the scene. Ontarians will be able to buy everything from a de-alcoholized craft beer from one of their favourite breweries, to fair-trade chocolate bars, to topical creams for pain relief. In the short term though, they’ll still be consuming the cannabis at home. “There’s not really a bar or restaurant equivalent for ordering cannabis over a drink because no on-premise consumption license exists yet,” says Shepard. But as more Canadians try these new products, the competition for their “entertainment dollar” will grow fiercer. Which is why breweries, big and
small, are looking at creating a line of cannabis-infused beverages. It’s highly unlikely that the government will ever legalize an alcoholic cannabis beverage, so breweries are exploring ways to de-alcoholize their products and replace the ethanol buzz with a plant-based one. Last year some of the biggest breweries in the world shared news about partnerships or acquisitions of cannabis brands. In August, Molson Coors Canada announced a joint venture with Quebec-based The Hydropothecary Corporation to develop non-alcoholic, cannabis-infused beverages. And in December, Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s biggest brewing conglomerate, said that it is partnering with Canada's Tilray to research non-alcoholic beverages containing THC and CBD. Ontario’s craft breweries are also considering the possibilities of cannabis-infused, non-alcoholic beers. Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company in Vankleek Hill is eyeing the opportunity and looking for a certified organic cannabis producer. In October, Ace Hill beer, one of the most popular brands for Toronto millennials parterned with B.C. based Flowr to launch a line of pre-rolled joints under a sister company called Ace Valley. Both companies are hoping Ace Hill’s brand equity will attract consumers to the Ace Valley brand. Plus, a number of breweries, including Whitby’s Brock Street Brewing, Toronto’s Lost Craft Beer, and Brantford’s Bell City Brewing Company have announced partnerships with Province Brands, a company which has a licensed facility to produce cannabis-based, non-alcoholic beverages. The idea is that Province Brands will brew the beer on site using their patented technology, but it will be sold and marketed under the craft breweries’ brand.
October is the legalization for THC-packing, cannabis-infused products, including edibles like gummies and also non-alcoholic, marijuana-infused craft beer. Stock photo.
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So why are so many brewers hopping on the cannabis train? Well, cannabis and beer have a lot in common. Marijuana and hops are cousins and the plants contain the same essential oils (or terpenes)
Potheads know that there are many different strains with different effects—you can use one and feel relaxed, and another will help you feel creative.
—Dennis Marijan, Bell City Brewing Company
so their aromas and flavours are similar. Moreover, they have a common fan base. BDS Analytics reports that 72 per cent of cannabis users drink alcohol—and of those slightly more are choosing beer over wine or spirits: 63 per cent of cannabis users drink beer, versus 52 per cent who drink wine, and 58 per cent who drink spirits. “The vast majority of cannabis consumers consume alcohol, and they’re more likely to consume alcohol than non-cannabis consumers,” Lukas said. “These people are already your consumers.” “To be clinical about it, people are going to spend their entertainment budget on alcohol or other intoxicants like THC,” says Dennis Marijan, co-owner of Bell City Brewing Company. “So there’s only so much “throat share” to go around, and when you add cannabis into that mix, how much money are people going to spend per week on their own entertainment, which includes dinner, alcohol and now this new category: cannabis?” Marijan predicts the consumption of beer will drop by 5 to 10 per cent thanks to the introduction of edibles. “Whether it’s in a drink or cookie format, when edibles become reality next October there’s going to be an impact to the industry.”
So what exactly will a cannabis beer look like? Bell City doesn’t plan to de-alcoholize any of their regular beers, instead, they’re making a new product that can show off the plant’s aromatic terpenes. And Marijan thinks that cannabis connoisseurs, just like craft beer nerds, will crave a variety of different beverages. “Potheads know that there are many different strains with different effects — you can use one and feel relaxed, and another will help you feel creative.” It’s possible that cannabis beers will follow craft beer’s lead—brewing various non-alcoholic beverages with their own unique strains of cannabis, mix of terpenes, and flavour profiles. There are still many unknowns for consumers including: where will cannabis beers retail and what, if any, kind of branding will be allowed on the can. When cannabis beers do come onto the market in October, there’s little doubt they’ll be popular. When Bell City announced their partnership with Province Brands, they had 60,000 visitors to their website, many asking where they could buy it. But next winter, will non-alcoholic cannabis-infused beverages become a new staple at holiday parties? We’ll just have to wait and see. j
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Brewer THE EXPERIMENTERS EDITION by David Ort
There are a few brewers in Ontario who can claim celebrity status, at least amongst a niche group of hardcore fans. By contrast, Mark Murphy of Left Field Brewery and Jason Tremblay of Shacklands Brewery, are experimenters. They’re both co-heads of their own award-winning breweries. Those breweries might show some flash at times, but these guys are more likely to be quietly out of the limelight, cultivating a yeast culture or balancing the books. Tremblay and Murphy were kind enough to get together with me for a conversation at The Only on the Danforth. We talked about everything from contract brewing to dogs in brewery taprooms. Here’s what they had to say.
MARK MURPHY
GROWLER: You both lead brewing teams. What’s your day-to-day like now? How is it different than when you opened?
TREMBLAY: For me, I still need to get in first. If we’re brewing that day I measure out the brewing salts and acid. Take that off [our brewer] Kalev’s plate. That first hour in the morning is magic for productivity. MURPHY: I guess I’ve gone from doing everything to specifics. We have a five-person brewery team that I lead.
GROWLER: Are you optimistic about the chances for beer-retail reform? MURPHY: There’s been no better time since we’ve been in the industry, just with the way the laws are being reviewed and considered. We’ve been members of the OCB since our founding. At first, it was just a good way to get information. I think the new president, Scott Simmons, has a lot better handle on things.
GROWLER: You guys both grew breweries from a contract stage. Brewers point to contract breweries these day as a concern. Is that valid?
MURPHY: On the contract subject, I don’t know if their goal when [the current large-size contract brewers] set out was to build a brewery or if they had a specific timeline. Because some are getting on in their years and they’re seemingly not making any progress. I think that’s why some people might call them marketing companies. There’s no end in sight. What’s the actual goal? TREMBLAY: To demonstrate that you can build a marketing machine? GROWLER: Is the LCBO getting easier to sell in?
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Brewer TREMBLAY: Except for the odd keg for the growler programme, we don’t really deal with the LCBO. But we’re going to have to eventually. It’s a weird world for the small player to navigate. MURPHY: It’s good in the start because their mandate is to support Ontario producers. That first SKU is almost guaranteed. And that’s why you see so many contract brewers at the LCBO. Getting the second one or the seasonals is where the headaches come in.
JASON T R E M B L AY
GROWLER: What’s the bright light on the horizon? TREMBLAY: What I’d like is independent craft beer stores that can drive to a brewery and pick up 24 of something they like. I’ve heard the idea floated that independent breweries could open a retailer like the Beer Store. Even if we could partner with three or four other breweries to open a retail store that would be so wicked. A lot of independent breweries are specializing. We rock in the farmhouse beers.
It’s good in the start because their mandate is to support Ontario producers. That first SKU is almost guaranteed. —Mark Murphy
MURPHY: My bright line is to have a remote taproom, where we don’t have to brew on site, and we can have retail to go. Mandie and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary in San Diego and LA. San Diego is full of remote taprooms, no brewing on site and you can buy beer to go. It’s just an extension of your brand. People love your beer. GROWLER: You both have family- and dog-friendly breweries. How did that come about? TREMBLAY: We just sort of lucked into being a brewery that is dog-friendly. People who go out to breweries with dogs are good. I love dogs. MURPHY: Our standard answer is “if they’re on a leash and good with other dogs, bring them in.” But what actually happens... TREMBLAY: When I was at Left Field we wandered down and my wife looked over and it basically looked like a playgroup. MURPHY: Absolutely. There used to be this group on Facebook called Left Field With Babies. We didn’t create it, they just used to coordinate it and come on Thursdays at 1.
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A lot of independent breweries are specializing. We rock in the farmhouse beers.
—Jason Tremblay
ABOVE: For their fourth anniversary, Left Field brewed an extra-dry saison and added El Dorado and Summer hops. RIGHT: Shacklands are the masters of brett in Ontario and a rare brewery with a strong committment to bottle conditioning their beers.
TREMBLAY: It absolutely makes sense for us to have local history nights and showcase posters for events. It works for us but it’s not for everyone. MURPHY: It’s not something we sought out, it just sort of happened. When we opened I said to Mandie, “I’m sure we’ll get men saying to their wives, ‘oh just heading out for a walk with the dog.’” But I’m sure Black Oak doesn’t have the same dogs and strollers because they’re in an industrial park. GROWLER: What’s the one beer that made you say, “I can’t believe people didn’t latch onto that”? MURPHY: Our best beer to sell the worst, we called it Grandstand. It was a hoppy wheat and people just couldn’t wrap their head around wheat and hops. Sawdust has Golden Beach and it started as a pale wheat and then it’s a wheat IPA and now I think it’s just an IPA. TREMBLAY: For us, it was probably our first Christmas spiced Belgian ale we brewed with Ren Navarro, Krampus. Feedback in the tasting room: Glorious. Bottle run we did sold out slightly before Christmas but we were never able to sell it to licensees. They would have the sample and say, “man, that’s really good! It’s not like anything else currently available.” And then they order a straight-up standard saison from us. We flew through it in the tasting room, we just never convinced licensees to pick it up.
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MURPHY: Eephus is a whole other thing for me. It will sell to its potential but not everyone wants a brown ale. GROWLER: What should people be excited about at Left Field and Shacklands in February? TREMBLAY: February, we’ve got the brut saison coming up. And we say “brut” but going the extra few points to 100% attenuation...does it really matter? Towards the end of February we’re going to release a batch of Rasbretty Bates, which is a raspberry and bretty beer. I figure if we’re going to be slow I’m just going to make brett beers all year. I think we’re trying to scale back our focus to two or three beers instead of seven. MURPHY: February is our anniversary month because our first ever brew (contract-brewing wise) was Feb 14. TREMBLAY: That’s so romantic. MURPHY: We’ve always had an anniversary beer in February. It’s always been a saison. French saison, dry-hopped saison. I pushed for something else so we’re brewing a mimosa brut IPA.j
IN WINDSOR ESS E X
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indsor and Essex County have a longstanding connection to malted barley and the wonderful things that can be made with it. When the U.S. went dry for Prohibition that meant sending top-quality Canadian whisky across the border. Now that Ontario has an insatiable thirst for craft beer, it means satisfying that demand with some of the best brews in the province. The free Barrels, Bottles and Brews passport is your guide to finding the best in the area. With 10 breweries and two distilleries, it’s easy to find something on the BBB passport for everyone! The long list of noteworthy waypoints goes from Craftheads Brewing in Downtown Windsor to Walkerville Brewery in its historic home to Sandwich Brewing on the west side and The Grove Brew House out in Kingsville.
J.P. Wiser’s and Wolfhead anchor the distilled side for those who want something a little more spirited.
STAY ON TARGET Get your ticket stamped at 8 of 12 participating stops and you can redeem it for one of our swanky Barrels Bottles & Brews beer koozie and 3-in-1 bottle/can/cork opener.
TAKE YOUR BEER EXPERIENCE TO NEW HEIGHTS WITH THE VIP FLIGHT LOG For $25, the upgraded VIP flight log gives you the chance to keep notes as you sample through half-price or free tastings. Anyone who manages to score a stamp from all 12 locations qualifies for a Barrels Bottles & Brews bar mat. Come for a visit, stay for a drink! j
Sponsored content
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by Kristina Mameli
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ver had a beer that was just, well… off ? When good beer goes bad, it can feel like a tragedy. Off-flavours are a scourge that affects every style, and without sensory training, it can be difficult to find the words to adequately describe why you’re blubbering into your pint. Being able to recognize and diagnose common off-flavours is extremely important for brewers and craft connoisseurs (read: “beer nerds”) alike. Sensory training is training—or perhaps, retraining—your palate and other senses to critically evaluate beer, recognize certain flavours and pinpoint what may have caused these flaws. Unfortunately, the best way to learn is to experience these flavours for yourself…but, dear reader, I wouldn’t subject you to that! So, here’s an abbreviated cheat sheet with the technical jargon toned way down. Hopefully, it’ll improve your homebrew and have you sounding like a Cicerone in no time.
ACETALDEHYDE Tastes/Smells Like: Green or rotten apples, or, oddly enough, freshly cut pumpkin; not to be confused with “pumpkin spice” which, in my opinion, also has no place in beer. Likely Culprit: Acetaldehyde is naturally produced by yeast during fermentation. Over time, the chemical is converted into ethanol alcohol. This process can take longer in higher alcohol beers or if not enough yeast has been used. So, if you taste green apples in your beer, it’s probably best to give the poor yeast a little more time to work its magic.
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ALCOHOLIC Tastes/Smells Like: Overpowering alcohol, paint thinner (yum!) or acetone (think nail polish remover). This is one will put hair on your chest! Likely Culprit: Fusel alcohols; basically things with names that sound like they are what gasoline is comprised of. These alcohols are caused by fermentation occurring at too high of a temperature.
ASTRINGENT Tastes/Smells Like: Sucking on a teabag, essentially. If astringency is present, you get a dry kind of puckering mouthfeel and may taste tannins just as you would from the teabag. Go ahead, try. I’ll wait. Likely Culprit: Astringency has a variety of causes including tannins found on the husks of grain or skins of fruit steeping for too long, as well as over-hopping for the size of the batch.
CHLOROPHENOL Smells/Tastes Like: Plastic or iodine (medicine). Likely Culprit: Chlorinated water or sanitizer. It may seem crazy, but using tap water to brew or rinse equipment can negatively influence the flavour of beer. Filtered water is king.
DIACETYL Tastes/Smells Like: Butter, rancid butter or butterscotch complete with a slick mouthfeel. If this is what they meant by “Butterbeer” in Harry Potter, then childhood me is seriously disappointed. Likely Culprit: Yeast (hot tip: it’s always the yeast). Diacetyl is naturally produced by all yeast during fermentation and is then reabsorbed. If not, it’s likely the result of weak or mutated yeast or a
fermentation temperature that is too low for the particular strain of yeast.
OXIDIZATION
DIMETHYL SULFIDE (DMS)
Likely Culprit: Before sensory training I never once thought, “I wonder what wet cardboard tastes like?” Now it haunts my dreams. Oxidization occurs when too much oxygen has been introduced to the beer, especially while the wort is still warm or after fermentation is complete. It can also occur from too much headspace in bottles.
Tastes/Smells Like: Cooked vegetables, especially corn, cabbage, tomato and sometimes even shellfish; none of which you want in your beer. Likely Culprit: Under-boiling or infection. DMS is essentially a by-product of the malting process and is created whenever wort is heated. It typically evaporates when that wort is boiled.
ESTERY/FRUITY Tastes/Smells Like: Fruit, especially banana, pear, strawberry, raspberry, and grapefruit. Likely Culprit: This one is a bit tricky. Esters are naturally produced by yeast during fermentation. Sometimes those lovely naturally occurring fruit flavours are even supposed to be there, such as in a hefeweizen—but in a pilsner? Not so much.
GRASSY Tastes/Smells Like: Exactly as it sounds: like freshly cut grass, or musty straw. Likely Culprit: Moldy ingredients are usually at fault here. Always be sure to check for freshness before brewing!
METALLIC Tastes/Smells Like: Iron, pennies or blood—you’ll feel this one on your teeth. Likely Culprit: This is caused by beer or ingredients coming into contact with unprocessed metals, or in packaging via bottle caps or kegs.
Tastes/Smells Like: Stale, wet cardboard, sherry, pineapple, decaying vegetables.
SKUNKY Tastes/Smells Like: Skunk, burned rubber or cat musk. Likely Culprit: Light. Beer skunks when hops are exposed to light from certain parts of the spectrum. (That’s why brown glass is popular for beer bottles.) Science, science, science, this reaction creates mercaptan—literally the same chemical skunks secrete when they spray.
SULFUR / HYDROGEN SULFIDE Tastes/Smells Like: Sulfur, rotten eggs, raw sewage or a beautiful combination thereof. Likely Culprit: This chemical is naturally produced by all yeast during fermentation. CO2 carries most of it away during conditioning or lagering.
SWEET Tastes/Smells Like: Overly sweet or sugary; sweet wort; cloyingly sweet. Likely Culprit: The yeast clocked out early. What did I say? It’s always the yeast. j
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Grain grapes in the
land of
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a hub for an expanding network of craft breweries in Ontario’s wine country by David Ort
T
here are a few things that obscure how obvious Niagara-on-the-Lake is as a beer destination.
Especially near the water, it’s stately and preserved as if a historical society has a universal veto on everyone’s choice of front door colour and tree selection for their yard. There aren’t any grocery stores (more or less) let alone beer gardens. You’re probably thinking that the location in wine country is also a strike against it. But that's where the case begins to turn. The proximity to wineries means that breweries here have closer access to barrels, talent and ingredients. They also need to make beer to satisfy a clientele with dozens of drink options pulling them in multiple directions. That’s why I say: Soak in the surroundings, pull up to one of the excellent tasting bars and maybe even try a glass of wine. Niagara is one of the best beer spots within a short drive for a lot of Ontarians.
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Bench Not strictly in Niagara-on-the-Lake proper but we’re getting closer. This is where a great deal of investment has built one of the most impressive new breweries in Ontario. The Beamsville location also means plenty of nods in the direction of the grapevine. Ball’s Falls (4.5% ABV), as a session IPA, leads off flights with its clean balance and way more tropical citrus notes than you’d expect at that ABV. Dig into the Foundry series with complex options like Bewilder Brett IPA (4.9% ABV) that balances summer stone fruit aromas with a clean, brett-enhanced finish. Folklore (6.8% ABV) is an especially lovely dark sour aged on cherries from nearby Twenty Valley farms. If possible try it beside the version, with the same name, made with cab franc skins. The Grove series also shines a spotlight on sours with a single hop variety added at the dry-hopping stage.
Weekends before summer starts are the best times to take in the quaint ambiance minus the hordes of tourist season. Cross the street diagonally from the Prince of Wales to get your craft beer tour started at The Exchange.
Niagara College TEaching Brewery If there’s one place to taste the future of Ontario craft beer, this is it. It serves as the lab for students in the brewmaster programme at the college. Their English-style pale ale, Butler’s Bitter (4.4% ABV) has a ton of well-deserved medals. And the Beer 101 series is a great primer on beer styles that
are both the basis for innovation and delicious in their own right. For instance, Beer 101 Bock (7% ABV) is perfect for chasing away spring chills.
Oast house The brewery in the unmissable, red barn on the road into town has paired Belgian-leaning core beers with a willingness to experiment and bring seasonal fruit into their recipes. They’ve greatly expanded around the original front room and are now worth a stop just to find out what’s new upstairs in the Hayloft or out back on the patio. From the originals, the Biere de Garde (7% ABV) is my favourite for the combination of raisin, dark fruit and treacle plus its strong cellar potential. In their Rural Route series, both the Strawberry Rhubarb Ale (4.8% ABV) and Oak-aged Peach Hefeweizen (5% ABV) are very good showcases for top-notch Niagara produce. If you’re there in March, they might be brewing the very good Sweet ’n’ Sowr Biere de Mars (5.5% ABV). Silversmith, with their cozy, former-church atmosphere and sessionable beer options, is just a few minutes up the road. TOP: Bench Brewery makes a remarkably wide range of beers, so a tasting flight is an ideal place to start. The food—like slow-roasted brisket and scallop ceviche—is also unusually good. BOTTOM: Downstairs at The Exchange serves as a tasting bar with their rotational flights. (Look for one-offs on summer weekends.) Upstairs, you’ll find events like weekly trivia.
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ra-on-the-Lake is a town that demands a stroll. Whether you’re visiting during a cold snap or in to catch a show at the Shaw Festival in August, The Olde Angel Inn is the place to seek comfort. At 230 years it is the oldest inn in Ontario and does the whole traditional English pub thing with vigour. Classic pub fare goes well with the most varied beer list on the main strip. We’re a beer crowd, I know, but on a trip to Niagara visiting a winery or two won't hurt you. Michael Di Caro, the editor for Vitis, our soon-tolaunch sister magazine about Ontario wine, helped out with a few tips for nearby stops.
TOP: NOTL’s favourite English-style pub is an immersive experience for those looking for a bit of historical Canadiana with their pint of craft beer.
The Exchange We’re now right downtown for the craft brewery that was named after a telephone hub. Many of the beers made by Sam Maxbauer's team use barrels and mixed fermentation to show beer flavours at their most complex. Peppercorn Rye Saison (6.9% ABV) is a soft-drinking farmhouse beer that adds peach notes to the title ingredients. Equally, Oud Bruin (7.4% ABV) is one of Ontario's best takes on this darker sour style that’s part of beef carbonnade. Their Foreign Extra Stout (7.2% ABV) is a dark coal colour with a creamy mouthfeel and dessert-like notes of cocoa and vanilla but a roasted, slightly bitter finish for balance.
Where else to visit Everyone will tell you that if you're on Niagara Stone Road, visiting Oast House and Silversmith, a walk across the street to The Pie Plate is mandatory. All of their creations are pretty dynamite, but the small-size versions are my favourite because they let groups smaller than a hockey team try a variety of the flavours like unexpected grape pie or the iconic peach. No matter what the weather is like, Niaga-
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We both really dig the wines coming out of Big Head, especially the Raw line they make by fermenting juice in concrete tanks. Stratus spans the range for their niche, high-end Red and White blends to the good-value Weather Report series. Pillitteri (very close to Oast and Silversmith) are very strong in the icewine department and continue to push boundaries. Di Caro also pointed us to wineries like Rosewood (and I’ll add Flat Rock) who are bringing our two worlds closer together through collaboration with Ontario craft breweries. If that seems a lot to plan (see our listings on pg. 58 for more), you can opt for an organized tour. These range from bike-based ones (pedal responsibly, please) to climate-controlled vans. Niagara Craft Brewery Tours is the leader in the area. j
Getting to NOTL Driving is a solid option, which opens up the possibility of stopping in Hamilton, for their great beer scene, on the way. The GO bus also goes to NOTL and more train options open up once summer starts. Also, Toronto to Niagara-on-the-Lake is almost exactly 100 miles by bike—anyone up for the challenge?
Where to Stay NOTL accommodations come in various degrees of quaint. The Oban Inn has it in historical spades, the Prince of Wales is more fancy-quaint, 124 on Queen adds a strongly modern vibe and the Pillar and Post does it in the familiar sense. Especially in the off season, groups should investigate renting one of the many houses that are up for grabs on sites like AirBnB or VRBO.
Join us for the
;BEST; BREWERY TOUR in the Niagara region!
Included: • 1 night accommodation at the Olde Angel Inn • Transportation to The Oast House, Silversmith and The Exchange where you will get a flight of beer and a gift • 3-course dinner at The Angel MIDWEEK TOURS STARTING AT plus tax $ per person
275
(Based on double occupancy)
Email us at angelinn@bellnet.ca for more info and to book.
BOOK TODAY
THE OLDE ANGEL INN
224 Regent Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake 905-468-3411 ✮ angel-inn.com
A beer K every table How craft beer is pairing with the amazing variety of global cuisines in Ontario. by Jordan St. John
T
oronto is a city that wears its Caribbean influence on its sleeve. Not only do we have one of the largest street festivals in North America in the form of Caribana, but you can buy a spiced beef patty at just about every subway station. Although there are pockets of the city that display more influence from this wave of 1960s immigration, restaurants sell roti, jerk chicken, and doubles in nearly every neighbourhood. For all that these foods are familiar, even comfortable, it has taken a certain amount of time to get to this point. In acclimatizing to Ontario, there’s the loss of some of the specific identity. Patties, for example, are Jamaican. Not Trinidadian. Not Bahamian. Jamaican. It would be like asking for poutine in Saskatchewan; you’re in the right region, but it’s not the same thing. One of the most exciting brewpub menus in Toronto deals with this problem in a highly specific way. Laylow Brewery is notable not only for being the smallest brewery in the city of Toronto, but also for its hip hop soundtrack and changing ambiance. As a room, it’s as likely to take on a lounge feel as it is to clear the tables for dancing. The addition of Adisa Glasgow’s Young Animal catering brand to the property has resulted in something absolutely unique.
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While the catering business has been in operation since 2015, Glasgow had been running it as a side hustle doing pop-up events while working full time at Bar Hop’s original King Street location, which saw some menu additions featuring his influence. Although he had been slated to join Laylow when they opened in 2016, it didn’t work out initially. “They were looking for something a little different and I didn’t want to lose my business, so the deal was if I’m going to come here, I have to bring my business inside here,” he says. “They don’t have to worry about kitchen payroll, so it works out well for them.” The result has had an effect not only on the vibe of the room but on the beer menu, too. Consider Lightworks, a witbier that has replaced curacao orange peel and coriander with a distinctly Trinidadian flavouring: sorrel. Hibiscus in beer is not unheard of but the blend of cinnamon, clove, and ginger makes for an intriguing harmony when combined with similarly spicy Belgian yeast notes. An invention of brewer Colin Weadick, it’s a clever nod to the bolder flavours that inhabit the menu. Glasgow’s resume includes time spent in fine dining in both French and Italian spots during his time in British Columbia. And it is for this reason that the menu features aesthetic touches
I like food that’s born of necessity. It was about cooking stuff that nobody wanted to eat but had to taste good. —Adisa Glasgow from the fine dining world. It might be difficult to find an Oxtail Crepe or a Goat Wellington in any other context but this. While the techniques are borrowed, the flavours are from southern Trinidad; a fact displayed prominently on the website menu that goes as far as listing the neighbourhoods that influenced each dish. “I want people to learn a little bit more about Trinidad,” Glasgow explains. “Nobody knows about San Fernando or Oropouche or Fyzabad or La Romaine. I want them to think about it like Kingston or Montego Bay. There’s a bunch of different things going on there.” With staples like pholourie (pronounced “fillery” rather than “foolery”), callaloo and doubles, the menu is vegan-friendly, but it’s not a concession to the market. “I like food that’s born of necessity. It was about cooking stuff that nobody wanted to eat but had to taste good...It’s not vegetarian, it’s just what we eat. Just food that happens to have no meat on it,” he says. Doubles, the most popular menu item to date, are especially labour intensive. All of the components are made in house; curried chickpeas, mango
ABOVE: From his signature stewed oxtail wrapped in a coconut-milk crepe (TOP), to pepper shrimp served on top of doubles (MIDDLE), to the curry goat wellington (BOTTOM) Adisa Glasgow strikes a three-way balance. He's melding Trinidadian flavours, French technique and matching all to Laylow’s beer menu. Supplied photos.
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Cooking with beer is more of a novelty than anything else, but cooking food that pairs well with beer is a different story. —Adisa Glasgow cake. “Cooking with beer sounds dope, whereas it’s not as cool as you might think it is. Cooking with beer is more of a novelty than anything else, but cooking food that pairs well with beer is a different story,” he says. In a different context (uptown Waterloo) Loloan Lobby Bar strives to deliver a similar transportive experience that takes diners to a very specific place. Loloan adds stunning ambiance to the mix.
ABOVE: With tempura scallion and green curry sauce on the lamb wellington (TOP) to ribs served on Bangkok-style drunken noodles (BOTTOM) Loloan matches Southeast Asian flavours with upscale atmosphere. Supplied photos.
chutney, tamarind sauce, pickled cucumber. “In Trinidad, there would be way less chickpeas on it, because you eat that thing in two to three minutes. Obviously, because it’s Toronto, you need a little more joie de vivre, but in Trinidad it’s handed to you on a piece of wax paper and you eat it right there, throw the paper in the garbage, and go about your business. It’s also a breakfast food. People start setting up their carts at five a.m.” The saucier version served at Laylow really requires a knife and fork approach. That said, the spice and fruit components are a natural when it comes to craft beer, especially with hop varieties that feature tropical fruit. Ten years ago notes of mango and tamarind would not have been prominent in your glass, but with hazy IPAs it’s possible to paint from a wider palette. Even the stout, Black on Both Sides, has a dry, fruity middle that meets the tamarind head on. In a rare instance where Glasgow uses the beer on the menu, the stout is a key component of an ice cream served with pone, a cassava and pumpkin
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Their sommelier, Jake Richards describes the food as “South East Asian inspired with a traditional French twist... a rollercoaster ride for your palate.” Paul Boehmer, also owner of Bhima’s Warung, created both restaurants to experience the food he ate while traveling and living in those places. Richards says: “All I can say about Paul is that he is our captain on the Pirate Ship we call Loloan.” “The people who frequent us and dig cool one-off beers come here now expecting to find something new since the last time they were in,” Richards says to a question about customers’ to try new pairings where both the food and beer have flavour. “Fortunately, the breweries always have something up their sleeves to surprise us with.” Hopefully the success of Laylow X Young Animal and Loloan will have an influence on Ontario’s craft beer scene; the idea that the menu can be experience- and personality-driven rather than offering a standard range of pub grub. Whether it’s the initial vibe of the bar that you notice, or the uniquely flavoured beer, or a menu that borrows influences from a culinary career that has had different focuses, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In a province with dozens of breweries and one of the most diverse arrays of cuisine from all over the world, it only makes sense that this type of alchemy should come together to create vibrant, exciting menus more frequently in the future. j
BEER GROUND To the
A new year brings a crop of fresh-faced breweries to Ontario. From now until Victoria Day is the prime time to sidle up to a tasting-room bar and find out what’s new.
BEARD FREE BREWING
HERALD HAUS BREWING
Peterborough (winter 2019) The story broke on Twitter last month that this Peterborough brewery was closing, at least temporarily, to retool. After some controversy they removed their Facebook page, but Canadian Beer News (CBN) reports that one of the three founding partners hopes to re-open the business soon.
Stratford (winter 2018) After a long (and probably quite arduous) construction phase, downtown Stratford has a new brewery complete with bottle shop and taproom. Their diverse range of styles and historic location in the former home of the Stratford Herald are two more reasons to visit one of Ontario’s prettiest towns. @heraldhausbrewing
CASSEL BREWERY Casselman (spring 2019) Small-town favourite Microbrasserie Cassel has set April 1 as the target date to open in their new location. They're staying in Casselman but will have a roomier taproom for their rotating selection of beer.
EVERGREEN CRAFT ALES Ottawa (winter 2019) Chris Samuel's nano-brewery is making the jump from his garage on Evergreen Drive to its own space in Kanata later this year. Check out the brewery's new YouTube channel to see what it's like to set up a brewery from blank space to eventually brewing beer on their indie-sized system.
GATEWAY CITY BREWERY North Bay (winter 2019) One of Northern Ontario’s newest breweries opened just in time to see out 2018 and ring in the new year. Stop in to their taproom at 600-612 Gormanville Rd., Unit 206 to try one of their two launch beers—also available to-go in cans. @gatewaycitybrewery
GOODLOT FARMSTEAD BREWING Caledon (winter 2019) Formerly focused on their organic hop operation, then a farm brewery, Goodlot now has an on-site bottle shop on their property in Caledon. The doors are open in the afternoon from Friday to Sunday at 18825 Shaws Creek Rd. @goodlot.beer
HOGSBACK BREWING Ottawa We don’t often report on contract brewers but this is a big one. Sadly, after eight years, Hogsback shut down late last autumn. They drew attention for the Aporkalypse Now oatmeal bacon stout, an appearance on Dragon’s Den and their early adoption of cans.
KICHESIPPI BEER CO. Bells Corners, Nepean (April 2019) One of Ottawa’s oldest craft breweries is moving a little bit further out of town this spring. The much larger space will let Kichesippi add to their beer programme. If all goes according to plan, you’ll find them at 2265 Robertson Rd., Nepean by April 1. @kichesippibeer
SPACECRAFT BREWERY Sudbury (winter 2019) Another big opening in the North is this sci-fi themed brewery in the Nickel City. Canadian Beer News reports that they are starting with two house beers (plus guest taps for beer from other craft breweries) and hope to grow to seven home selections and seven from alien breweries, so to speak. Find them at 854 Notre Dame Ave. @spcrft What’d we miss? Send tips on new brewery openings to david@thegrowler.ca. j
RECIPE
Beef Tenderloin with B é arnaise A ï oli BY CHEF TONIA WILSON paired with Sawdust City Hali’s Comet
Supplied photo
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H
aving written one myself, I definitely have a soft spot for cookbooks that pair beer with their recipes. Chef Tonia Wilson published Beer at my Table: Recipes, Beer Styles & Food Pairings as a guide to 35 different beer styles and dishes to go with them.
In her intro to this recipe, Wilson says, “The béarnaise aïoli, with its herbaceous and zippy personality, adds flavour support to the mild-tasting tenderloin, while its silky texture works wonderfully with the meat.” As a beef cut with a lighter touch, tenderloin is Wilson’s pick for spring. It also works wonderfully
for brunch on a certain big day in May. Sawdust City Brewing, in Gravenhurst, makes several beers that stand out for being amongst the best in their style for Ontario. In the book, Wilson pairs the dish with Henderson’s Best. As an alternative, I think the grapefruit notes in Hali’s Comet plays nicely with the aïoli's tarragon. —David Ort
I N g r ed i ents
d i r ecti o ns
• 750 g beef tenderloin, trimmed • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste • 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil • 2/3 cup unsalted butter • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped tarragon stalks • 1/4 cup plus 1 tsp white wine vinegar, divided • 1 large shallot, peeled and finely diced • 2 egg yolks • 1 tsp dijon mustard • 2 tsp finely chopped tarragon leaves • Lemon slices and tarragon sprigs for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. 2. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper. In a large oven-proof skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until it is dark golden, about 5 minutes per side. 3. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the beef registers 130 F for medium-rare, about 15 minutes. 4. While the beef is cooking, in a small saucepan over low heat, warm the butter just until melted, then set aside. 5. In a second small saucepan, combine the tarragon stalks, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar and shallot. Simmer over medium-low heat until the vinegar is reduced to 1 tablespoonful. Strain the vinegar into a blender, discarding solids.
TOP: Pick a beer that can stand up to a flavourful sauce. Sawdust City’s dry-hopped amber has hop notes that do that, plus a malt base to complement the meat. Supplied photo. LEFT: If you’re going to serve beef tenderloin, it makes sense to go all-out with the presentation. Having something, like fries, to dip in any extra sauce also helps. Supplied photo.
6. Add the remaining vinegar, egg yolks, mustard and 1/2 tsp salt to the blender. Pulse until smooth. With the machine running on low speed, slowly drizzle in the melted butter. Pour slowly until the mixture begins to thicken, then continue to slowly drizzle in the butter until it is all incorporated. Scrape the sauce into a small bowl, stir in the chopped tarragon leaves and season with pepper to taste. Set aside until ready to serve. (If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.) 7. When the beef is ready, let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with lemon slices and tarragon and serve with the béarnaise aïoli, fries and a green salad. j
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TORONTO
GREAT LAKES BREWERY
30 Queen Elizabeth Blvd., Etobicoke | GreatLakesBeer.com SUN-WED 11AM-6PM ^ THU-SAT 10AM-9PM EST. 1987 Increasingly, GLB is filling their taproom with community-focused events. For instance, Wednesdays bring their workshop series—from beer tasting to painting—and Fridays feature the Live at 5 events with live music, beer releases and food from the Wavy Wall Kitchen.
CANUCK PALE ALE A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E A L E Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV
5.2%
IBU
35
A local leader in the APA style, Canuck balances tropical citrus, pine and a smooth body.
OVER MY DAD BODY PILSNER
GERMAN-STYLE PILSNER Seasonal: B,L ABV
5%
IBU
25
A malty-sweet opening follows into fresh grass and lemon with a crisp finish. Cheers, Morty!
OCTOPUS WANTS TO FIGHT IPA
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA Year-round: B,L,LC ABV
6.2%
IBU
88
Plenty of hops lend tropical aromas and just the right bitterness to go with the malty body.
ROBOHOP IMPERIAL IPA
I M P E R I A L I PA Year-round: B,L,LC ABV
8.5%
IBU
100
Hops-wise, the heaviest hitter in the GLB rotation. Tropical fruit, a strongly bitter finish.
Brewed for you, Ontario! GLB takes enormous pride in the fact that 99.999% of all our beer produced in Etobicoke remains here in the province. With a commitment to freshness, keeping our beer local ensures we can carefully monitor each can, case and keg.
30
TORONTO
INDIE ALE HOUSE BREWING CO.
2876 Dundas St. W. | IndieAleHouse.com SUN-THU 12-11PM ^ FRI-SAT 12PM-12AM EST. 2012 Their barrel-aging programme continues to grow with Jeff Broeders aiming to release the equivalent of 100,000 bottles of it this year. You’ll find some of their beers online. Behind the bar, they also have a fine selection of bottled offerings including a wide choice of rare lambics and hard-to-find American craft beers.
INSTIGATOR IPA
BROKEN HIPSTER
Year-round: B,L
Year-round: B,L
W E S T C OA S T- S T Y L E I PA
ABV
6.5%
IBU
88
An ode to craft beer trailblazers, this IPA is full of citrus and ends on a cleanly bitter note.
ABV
5%
IBU
20
The pairing of sweet orange and ginger notes keep this wit sharp. A popular all-year option.
BREAKFAST PORTER
SHADOW CHASER
Year-round: B
Seasonal: B
P O RT E R
ABV
7.2%
IBU
20
Made with oats, it shows coffee and chocolate and is slightly sweet, all for breakfast. In winter the sun’s always below the yardarm, right?
ST CRISPIN’S MILD
E N G L I S H - S T Y L E DA R K M I L D A L E
ABV
3.5%
S E S S I O N I PA
ABV
5.5%
IBU
45
This citrus-heavy session IPA is dank and juicy. It features a one-two of citra and Idaho 7 hops.
GLORY AND CONSEQUENCES BELGIAN-STYLE DUBBEL Year-round: B,L
Seasonal: B,L IBU
N/A
An easy-drinking mild, with distinctive English hops and the proper malt balance. 32
BELGIAN WIT
ABV
8.5%
IBU
N/A
Raisin, plum and other dark fruit notes help support the sweet background for this dubbel.
It’s not about defiance or making a big statement. It’s not about what you listen to, what you eat or what you wear. It’s about being who you are, no matter what’s happening around you. We all live Indie. Oh, it IS about really great beer.
2876 Dundas Street West. Toronto indiealehouse.com
TORONTO
EASTBOUND BREWING CO.
700 Queen St. E. | EastboundBeer.com TUE-SUN 11-12AM ^ MON 1-9PM EST. 2017
Lots on the special-events calendar with Feastbound, their East Coast kitchen party on Feb. 28 and their 2nd anniversary Apr 27-28.
BACKPACKER
REVEALED CONSTELLATIONS
BLONDE ALE
S M A S H I PA Year-round: B,L
Year-round: B,L ABV
5.2%
IBU
N/A
ABV
Flavourful, crisp with honey malt notes and light, aromatic hops. Great intro to craft beer!
4.4%
IBU
N/A
Golden promise malt combines with mosaic as the singles in this juicy, tropical IPA.
@eastboundbeer
brewpub
+ BEER SHOP
snacks + plates + sandwiches
COLD BEER TO GO • 7 DAYS A WEEK
34
Lunch
DINNER
BRUNCH
Thu–Sat
TUE–SUN
SUN 11am–2pm
TORONTO
JUNCTION CRAFT BREWING
150 Symes Rd. | JunctionCraft.com
WED 4-9PM ^ THU-SAT 11AM-11PM ^ SUN 11AM-7PM EST. 2011 JCB is an entertaining place to visit (especially on live-wrestling night), but they’ll soon have an online store for in-between-visits beer.
TRAINSPOTTER
GHOST TRAIN IPA
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS
Seasonal: B,L
HELLES
ABV
5%
IBU
18
Cold-conditioning gives this light and bright Munich-style lager balance and smoothness.
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
ABV
6.8%
IBU
56
This Hoppercar series IPA gets grapefruit and citrus aromas from summit and cascade hops.
35
TORONTO
TORONTO
AMSTERDAM BREWING CO.
AVLING BREWERY
45 Esandar Dr.; 87 Laird Dr.; 245 Queens Quay W. | AmsterdamBeer.com
1042 Queen St. E. | Avling.ca
While we’re outside of patio season—a.k.a. prime Queens Quay weather—pay the uptown locations a visit to find out what’s new from one of Toronto’s most established breweries.
In a former A&P, this 5,000-square-foot brewery will eventually also have a restaurant and rooftop garden. Their opening was delayed while they waited for brewing equipment.
SPACE INVADER
BALTIC
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
DEFAULT STICKE ALT A LT B I E R
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
Seasonal: B,L
6% 64
ABV IBU
5.7% 30
TORONTO
IPA
BA LT I C P O RT E R
I PA
Year-round: B ABV IBU
6.4% 45
Year-round: B ABV IBU
6% 65
TORONTO
BANDIT BREWERY
BATCH
2125 Dundas St. W. | BanditBrewery.ca
75 Victoria St. | BatchToronto.com
Bandit is using the respite from patio season (they have one of the best) to expand their capacity. Look for even more variety in 2019.
For big games this season, this downtown brewpub draws in crowds. Look for Creemore mainstays plus on-site brews.
ORAGE
PALE ALE
ELEMENTS
D O U B L E I PA
BA R R E L - A G E D B L E N D ED SOUR
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
36
8% 80
Small-batch: B ABV IBU
5.5% 10
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE Year-round: B ABV IBU
4.6% 35
MUNICH DUNKEL
D U N K E LW E I Z E N Year-round: B ABV IBU
5.4% N/A
TORONTO
TORONTO
BIG ROCK BREWERY (LIBERTY COMMONS)
BELLWOODS BREWERY
124 Ossington Ave., 20 Hafis Rd. BellwoodsBrewery.com
42 Liberty St., 1589 The Queensway LibertyCommons.ca
Their new online bottle shop was met with wide celebration. No surprise given that Bellwoods still get lineups for special releases. JUTSU
GOBLIN SAUCE
I N D I A PA L E A L E
D O U B L E I PA
Liberty Villagers have their own Big Rock outpost with unique beers. O&B runs the food side of the operation, including wood-fired smoked meats.
RHINESTONE COWBOY LAGERED ALE
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5.6% N/A
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
8.5% N/A
TORONTO
Seasonal: B,L,TBS ABV IBU
TRADITIONAL ALE
E N G L I S H - S T Y L E B R OW N ALE Year-round: B,L,TBS
4.6% 18
ABV IBU
5% 20
TORONTO
BLACK CREEK HISTORIC BREWERY
BLACK LAB BREWING
1000 Murray Ross Pkwy. | BlackCreek.ca
818 Eastern Ave. | BlackLab.beer
Jump back two centuries with this recreation at Black Creek Pioneer Village and drink ales as they were made in the days when Ontario was a frontier for a fledgling country.
Since opening late last year, Billy and Anne Madden’s brewery has become the new hotspot for east-siders with a dog and a penchant for craft beer.
RIFLEMAN’S RATION
CORNERSTONE
B R OW N A L E
Year-round: B,LC,TBS ABV IBU
5% 20
CANADIAN FRONTIER
BLACK LAGER
BEST BITTER
Year-round: B,LC,TBS ABV IBU
5% 25
Year-round: B ABV IBU
5% 25
SITTING PRETTY
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE Year-round: B ABV IBU
4.5% 40 37
TORONTO
TORONTO
BLACK OAK BREWING CO.
BLOOD BROTHERS BREWING
75 Horner Ave. | BlackOakBeer.com
165 Geary Ave. | BloodBrothersBrewing.com
It’s shaping up to be a big year for this mainstay of the Ontario craft beer community. Black Oak turns 20 in 2019!
Lots on the release schedule including: Paradise Lost in a blackberry gin, pear, chai spice version and Captain Howdy BBA stout with hazelnut and coconut.
LOVE FUZZ
10 BITTER YEARS
R E D PA L E A L E
I M P E R I A L I PA
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
NARCOS SATANICOS
Year-round: B,L,LC
6.2% 40
ABV IBU
T E Q U I L A BA R R E L A G E D SAISON W/CITRUS Small-batch: B
8% 80
ABV IBU
TORONTO
CAPTAIN HOWDY
B BA S TO U T W / H A Z E L NUT AND COCONUT Small-batch: B
8.2% N/A
ABV IBU
11% N/A
TORONTO
BRUNSWICK BIERWORKS
BURDOCK BREWERY
25 Curity Ave. | BrunswickBierworks.com
1184 Bloor St. W. | BurdockTO.com
A world-class brewing team help a range of brands, both Canadian and international, brew their product. Friendly space for sampling the range. Limited hours.
The masters of walking the line between beer and wine. Their on-site music hall features an eclectic mix of acts throughout the week.
OMNIPOLLO ZODIAK I N D I A PA L E A L E
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
38
6.2% 64
SUMAC BRUT IPA B R U T I PA
Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
5.1% 18
TUESDAY
VERMONT BLOND
SAISON
BLOND ALE Seasonal: B ABV IBU
5.5% N/A
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5.5% 29
BEER 101
POURING FROM A FULL GROWLER
EVER WONDER HOW TO POUR A PERFECT PINT FROM A FULL AND HEAVY GROWLER? Impress your friends with this spiffy single handed pouring technique...
INSERT INDEX FINGER IN HANDLE
ROTATE BOTTLE AND REST ON BACK OF ARM
RAISE ELBOW TO TILT BOTTLE INTO POURING POSITION
POUR LIKE A PRO! DON’T SPILL
TORONTO
TORONTO
COMMON GOOD BEER CO.
FOLLY BREWING
475 Ellesmere Rd. | CommonGoodBeer.com
928 College St. | FollyBrewing.com
Scarborough’s only brewery switches hats between making their own beer and acting as a contract-brewing hub for many recognizable brands. Both are available on site.
The brewery led by John Jenkinson continues to impress with farmhouse styles, sometimes from barrels and sometimes with fruit.
SOCIABLE PILSNER
BECOMING ONE
#10 IPA
BOHEMIAN PILSNER
W E S T C OA S T- S T Y L E I N D I A PA L E A L E
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
Small-batch: B
4.7% 27
ABV IBU
6.2% 56
TORONTO
BLENDED SAISON W/ FRUIT
INKHORN
FA R M H O U S E B R OW N ALE
Small-batch: B ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L
00% 00
ABV IBU
6.5% 30
TORONTO
GODSPEED BREWERY
242 Coxwell Ave. | GodspeedBrewery.com
GOOSE ISLAND BREWHOUSE TORONTO
70 The Esplanade | GooseIsland.com
The end of winter and the start of spring is the perfect time to stop into this Coxwell Ave. brewery with its own restaurant.
A Toronto outpost for a Chicago icon serves a deep list of made-on-site beers to go with the special releases from head office.
IRORI
TANDEM JUMP
P E AT E D S C OT C H A L E Small-batch: B ABV IBU
40
8% N/A
FUYU
AMERICAN-STYLE BA R L E Y W I N E Seasonal: B ABV IBU
9.5% N/A
D O U B L E I PA
MARZEN
Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
OFF-SEASON LAGER
8.7% N/A
Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
6.2% 26
TORONTO
TORONTO
GRANITE BREWERY
HALO BREWERY
245 Eglinton Ave. E. | GraniteBrewery.ca
247 Wallace Ave. | HaloBrewery.com
A special stout for the day is just one more reason that this midtown brewpub will be one of the more enjoyable places to be on Mar. 17.
For Halo’s third anniversary in May expect to see special releases for beers that have been in barrel for 6+ months plus an anniversary beer, Ten Eighty.
ST. PATRICK’S DAY STOUT SERIES
I R I S H - S T Y L E S TO U T Small-batch: B ABV IBU
5% 28
GRAPEFRUIT LAGOON
MAGIC MISSILE
Seasonal: B,L
Year-round: B,L
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
ABV IBU
6% 60
TORONTO
D RY- H O P P E D PA L E A L E
ABV IBU
5.5% 28
NEW WAVE
NEW ENGLAND-STYLE I PA Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
6.7% 37
TORONTO
HENDERSON BREWING CO.
KENSINGTON BREWING CO.
128A Sterling Rd. | HendersonBrewing.com
299 Augusta Ave. KensingtonBrewingCompany.com
Look for their Ides of... release on the 15th of every month. In February it’s a special collab with the winner of the Henderson Cup for homebrewers.
As spring approaches, Kensington Market is the perfect part of Toronto for reconnecting with our vibrant culinary scene and this is the market’s perfect watering hole.
EXPORT STOUT
CONVERGENCE
E X P O RT S TO U T
Seasonal: B ABV IBU
6.5% 50
IDES OF FEBRUARY 2019 (HENDERSON CUP) B O C K One-off: B ABV IBU
6.7% 22
KETTLE SOUR W/FRUIT Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
5% 15
WATERMELON WHEAT W H E AT A L E W / F R U I T Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
4.5% 13 41
TORONTO
TORONTO
LEFT FIELD BREWERY
LOT 30 BREWERS
36 Wagstaff Dr. | LeftFieldBrewery.ca
303 Lansdowne Ave. | Lot30Brewers.com
February is anniversary month for the folks at Left Field. That means the annual release of the their hyper-popular anniversary brew.
Their small-scale system keeps Lot 30 nimble and able to put out hyper-seasonal beers in styles you won’t find at larger breweries.
LASER SHOW
SIA PORTER
IMPERIAL NEW ENG L A N D - S T Y L E I PA
BANG-BANG
D RY- H O P P E D S O U R
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
Year-round: B
8% 80
ABV IBU
5.3% 10
TORONTO
P O RT E R
SASKATOON BERRY SOUR SOUR W/FRUIT
Small-batch: B ABV IBU
One-off: B
6.5% N/A
ABV IBU
5.5% N/A
TORONTO
LOUIS CIFER BREW WORKS
MILL ST. BREW PUB
417 Danforth Ave. LouisCiferBrewWorks.com
21 Tank House Ln. | MillStreetBrewery.com
Brewpub meets bar at this Danforth favourite. The lively room attracts groups of locals with a mix of house-made brews and favourites from other local craft breweries.
News came late in 2018 that Joel Manning, a recognizable pillar of the brewing community is retiring after 32 years. Cheers, Joel!
COCONUT LEMONGRASS THAI-PA
I PA W I T H F R U I T Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
42
6.5% 60
IRISH DRY STOUT
COBBLESTONE I R I S H - S T Y L E D RY S TO U T
S TO U T
Year-round: B ABV IBU
4.1% 33
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
4.2% 40
WEST COAST IPA
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
6.6% 82
TORONTO
TORONTO
MUDDY YORK BREWING CO.
22 Cranfield Rd. | MuddyYorkBrewing.com
NORTHERN MAVERICK BREWING CO.
115 Bathurst St. | NorthernMaverick.ca
Online sales mean you can polish up on their beer and decide what you want to try when at their 4th anniversary party on March 9.
The all-star team has turned this brewery near the foot of Bathurst into a go-to spot for events, food and especially their beer.
LEGEND OF BERNARD GRODZISKIE
ENFORCER
OA K - S M O K E D W H E AT Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
3.5% 15
WORKING HARD
NEW ENGLAND-STYLE I PA Seasonal: B ABV IBU
6.5% 20
TORONTO
MINT CONDITION
I PA
Year-round: B ABV IBU
6% 50
OAT M E A L S TO U T W / M I N T A N D C H O C O L AT E Seasonal: B ABV IBU
8% 20
TORONTO
PEOPLE’S PINT BREWING CO.
RADICAL ROAD BREWING CO.
90 Cawthra Ave. | PeoplesPint.com
1177 Queen St. E. | RadicalRoadBrew.com
Head to the Junction on March 23 for their first anniversary party. While you’re there, encourage the guys to get the patio open as soon as possible.
RR marked their 2nd anniversary late last year. Also, they’ve confirmed that they’ll be putting on another annual Radical Road Show craft beer and music series this summer.
HELLES ISLAND
GOLDEN ALE
U N F I LT E R E D A M E R I C A N LAGER Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
4.9% 18
GOSE CUERVO TEQUILA-LIME SOUR
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
4.7% 1
GOLDEN ALE
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5% 15
ENTROPY I R I S H S TO U T
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5% 25 43
TORONTO
TORONTO
RAINHARD BREWING CO.
RORSCHACH BREWING CO.
100 Symes Rd. | RainhardBrewing.com
1001 Eastern Ave. | RorschachBrewing.com
Stop in on Friday for their food truck popups and watch for special events to continue complementing the most hop-forward beer programme in the Aleyards.
If the connection between fruit and tart IPAs is your sweeetspot, Rorschach is the brewery for you. Visiting the Eastern Ave. taproom is the best approach given the rotating list.
SWEETBACK’S
HEDONISM
M I L K S TO U T
Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
5% 25
HEARTS COLLIDE I M P E R I A L S TO U T (BOURBON & RUM BA R R E L A G E D ) Seasonal: B ABV IBU
S O U R I PA W / R A S P BERRIES Seasonal: B,L
11% 80
ABV IBU
TORONTO
TRUTH SERUM D O U B L E D RY- H O P P E D I PA
Year-round: B,L
6.9% 35
ABV IBU
6.5% 40
TORONTO
SAULTER STREET BREWERY
SHACKLANDS BREWING CO.
1-31 Saulter St. | SaulterStreetBrewery.com
101-100 Symes Rd. | Shacklands.com
The poster child for an endearingly small-scale take on brewing. Look out for their off-thewall events including the sort-of-monthly trivia nights.
The brewery that Jason Tremblay and Dave Watts co-own is the best way to experience the lovely influences brett and bottle-conditioning can have on beer.
PARADISE FOUND
SAISON DAVENPORT
MAGIC HOUR
T R O P I C A L DA R K A L E Seasonal: B ABV IBU
44
5.8% 35
GOLDEN ALE
SAISON
Year-round: B ABV IBU
5% 55
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
6.4% 20
TRIPEL
BELGIAN-STYLE TRIPEL Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
7.5% 30
TORONTO
TORONTO
THE SIX BREWING CO.
STEAM WHISTLE
777 Dundas St. W. | TheSixBrewingCo.com
255 Bremner Blvd. | SteamWhistle.ca
Whether by taxi, bike, transit or on foot, this is one of the easiest breweries to get to and feels right at home in the creative and youthful Trin-Bellwoods neighbourhood.
This spring, Steam Whistle will open a German-style beer hall in their recognizable downtown brewery in the Roundhouse.
HOPSTER
PILSNER
LINE 1
S E S S I O N I PA
LAGER
Year-round: B ABV IBU
4.3% 40
CZECH-STYLE PILSNER Year-round: B ABV IBU
4.8% 22
TORONTO
PILSNER (UNFILTERED)
CZECH-STYLE PILSNER
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
Year-round: B
5% 22
ABV IBU
5% 22
TORONTO
VEGANDALE BREWERY
VON BUGLE BREWING
1346 Queen St. W., | VegandaleBrewery.com
249 Evans Ave. | VonBugle.ca
This controversy courting Parkdale brewery wears its philosophy on its sleeve and in its logo. Beer brewed by Duggan’s, their downstairs neighbours on Queen West.
To Steam Whistle as Frasier was to Cheers, Von Bugle continues the make-one-beer-well mantra, this time with a dark lager.
MORALLY SUPERIOR IPA
VON BUGLE MUNICH LAGER
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA Year-round: B ABV IBU
6.5% N/A
SHINING EXAMPLE STOUT
I R I S H D RY S TO U T Year-round: B ABV IBU
4.2% N/A
MUNICH DUNKEL
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5% 33
Tag us in your beer #ontariocraft ram! ag st In photos on @THEGROWLERON 45
BREWERIES
15 Town 50
Wedge 49
01 5 Paddles 50 02 Arch 47 03 Brock St. 50 04 Chronicle 47 05 County Durham 48 06 Lake Wilcox 49 07 Little Beasts 50 08 Magnotta 49 09 Manantler 47 10 Market 48 11 Old Flame 48 12 Oshawa 48 13 Rouge River 47 14 The Second
02 10
E
400
06
08
VAUGHAN
NEWMARKET
W
N
404
13
401
MARKHAM
48
407
47
7
11
412
01 03
15
12
OSHAWA
2
57
7a
09 04
LAKE ONTARIO
07
WHITBY
PORT PERRY
PICKERING
05
UXBRIDGE
14
12
35
115
N or t h & E ast G TA
BOWMANVILLE
BOWMANVILLE
CHRONICLE BREWING CO.
422 Lake Rd., unit 3 | ChronicleBeer.com
MANANTLER CRAFT BREWING CO.
182 Wellington St., unit 18 | Manantler.com
They’ve become a popular Bowmanville hangout largely for the beer, but the Mario Kart tournaments also don’t hurt. Beer lineup is diverse and rotates frequently.
The Bowmanville brewery with a knack for design celebrated four years in business from Feb. 21 - 24. Surprise events and beer releases are in the works.
HEROS HANDBAG
SEISMIC NARHWAL
GOLDEN AXE
ENGLISH-STYLE MILD ALE Year-round: B ABV IBU
BLONDE ALE
ABV IBU
B L A C K I PA
I M P E R I A L I PA
Availability: B
4% N/A
DARK PRINCE
Small-batch: B
4% N/A
MARKHAM
ABV IBU
Small-batch: B
8.5% 100
ABV IBU
6.5% 66
NEWMARKET
ROUGE RIVER BREWING CO.
ARCH BREWING CO.
8-50 Bullock Dr. | RougeRiverBrewery.com
4-11 Pony Dr. | ArchBrewing.ca
The bottle shop has both cans and bottles in a range of styles and flavours including fruitadn hop-forward options. Taproom events range from jazz nights to open mic.
The vibe in their taproom, including the popular live music, suits a brewery with a Dinner Jacket IPA featuring a“lumberjack formal” plaid-adorned can.
HOLY TRINITY IPA
FLIP FLOP
NEW ENGLAND-STYLE I PA Year-round: B ABV IBU
6.7% 53
KING DANKSTER T R I P L E I PA
Year-round: B ABV IBU
CHESTERFIELD
P O RT E R
11% 70
KÖ L S C H
Year-round: B ABV IBU
3.8% 40
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
5.3% 20 47
NEWMARKET
OSHAWA
MARKET BREWING CO.
OSHAWA BREWING COMPANY
4-17775 Leslie St. | MarketBrewingCo.com
875 Wilson Rd. S., Unit 1 Facebook.com/OshawaBrewingCompany
Live music on Fridays and Saturdays is the entertainment highlight for this north-ofToronto brewery.
The only brewery in Oshawa, just open for less than a full year, puts out a focussed lineup of straightforward brews.
METROPOLITAN
MAPLE ALE
P O RT E R
BEAR HUG
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L,LC
5% 30
ABV IBU
BLONDE ALE
Year-round: B
7% 55
PICKERING
BLONDE ALE
RED ALE
ABV IBU
Year-round: B
5.5% N/A
ABV IBU
5.5% N/A
PORT PERRY
COUNTY DURHAM BREWING CO.
OLD FLAME BREWING CO.
135 Perry St. | OldFlameBrewingCo.ca
1885 Clements Rd.
If you spot their ales on cask at your local, that’s what you should order. Straightforward and complex. No on-site bottle shop or taproom.
Coming up on five years in business, Old Flame has build a local following. One of the only Ontario breweries to package beer in a proper-pint-sized can.
SIGNATURE ALE
RED
B R I T I S H - S T Y L E I PA Year-round: L,LC ABV IBU
48
5% 28
BLACK KATT STOUT I R I S H S TO U T
S TO U T
Year-round: L,LC ABV IBU
PERRY’S CHOCOLATE ORANGE STOUT
VIENNA LAGER
4.4% 26
Year-round: B,LC ABV IBU
5% 20
Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
5.4% 18
UXBRIDGE
VAUGHAN
THE SECOND WEDGE BREWING CO.
LAKE WILCOX BREWING CO.
14 Victoria St. | TheSecondWedge.ca
3-1033 Edgeley Blvd. LakeWilcoxBrewing.com
They’ve promised that the “first hint of a warm breeze” is all it will take to reopen their beer garden for the season. Check the website for details on Springtide Music Festival 2019.
Lake Wilcox took home two gold medals at the 2018 Ontario Brewing Awards, for Mad Quacker and their coffee stout. Follow their social for info about events in the taproom.
DERAILLEUR
BANDIT
DUBBEL
Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
7% 23
FAT BIKE D O U B L E I PA
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE
Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
8.5% 85
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5% 28
MAD QUACKER AMBER LAGER
Year-round: B,L,TBS ABV IBU
5% 24
Homebrewing
VAUGHAN
MAGNOTTA BREWERY
271 Chrislea Rd. | MagnottaBrewery.com
...it’s never been easier!
• Ingredients and hardware for novice to pro brewers
The Vaughan stalwart has a longstanding connection to wine country (beyond also making wine) that includes their own strain of hops grown in Vineland. DOUBLE DROOLING DOG IPA B L A C K I PA
Seasonal: B,L,TBS ABV IBU
6.4% 64
• Classes for every experience level • Shop in-store or online!
TRUE NORTH INUKSHUK IPA E N G L I S H - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
6.5% 38
9-1400 Bayly Street, Pickering • 905-556-0725
TheHomebrewBeerAcademy.ca
49
WHITBY
WHITBY
5 PADDLES BREWING CO.
#3-1390 Hopkins St. | 5PaddlesBrewing.ca
BROCK STREET BREWING CO.
1501 Hopkins St. | BrockStBrewing.com
One of Durham’s most successful craft breweries, 5 Paddles runs two side-by-side brew systems. That setup gives them the flexibility to brew a style for every palate.
Construction delays have held up the new location opening, but the signs are up and the move is on. Watch their social for when they’ve opened up the doors on Brock Street.
HOME SWEET HOME
BOHEMIAN PILSNER
SPICED BEER
SKULL PUCKER S O U R I PA
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
Seasonal: B,L
5.5% 29
ABV IBU
5% 65
WHITBY
BLONDE ALE
BOHEMIAN-STYLE PILSNER Year-round: B,LC,TBS ABV IBU
LAGERED ALE
Year-round: B,LC,TBS
5.2% 35
ABV IBU
4.2% 25
WHITBY
LITTLE BEASTS BREWING CO.
TOWN BREWERY
2075 Forbes St. | LittleBeastsBrewing.com
1632 Charles St. | TownBrewery.ca
Erin Broadfoot and John Henley’s brewery offers the rare combination of a family-friend space and a complex and deep beer selection.
A frequently changing beer list and a willingness to experiment help this Whitby brewery stay on top of trends.
PINION
LOST IN THE BLACK FOREST
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE Year-round: B ABV IBU
50
5.5% 40
LA SAISON D’HIVER DA R K S A I S O N
Seasonal: B ABV IBU
8% 20
S TO U T I N C O L L A B . W / BEER DIVERSITY One-off: B,L ABV IBU
4.6% N/A
NEON KNIGHTS SOUR
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5% N/A
H am i lt o n, Bran t & W es t G TA 19 04
N W
10
E
27
400
10
CALEDON 02
407
124
6
09
GEORGETOWN 7
MISSISSAUGA 15
16
7 Tri-Cities & Central West Ontario maps pages 62 & 67.
MILTON
401
05 01 407
14 17
6 8
24
18 5
07 13
HAMILTON
20
403
BURLINGTON 06 8
2 20
BRANTFORD
BREWERIES 01 All or Nothing 57 02 Badlands 54 03 Bell City 53 04 Caledon Hills 54 05 Cameron's 57 06 Clifford 55 07 Collective Arts 56
LAKE ONTARIO
403
03 12
08 11
OAKVILLE
08 Fairweather 56 09 Furnace Room 55 10 Goodlot Farmstead 54
11 Grain & Grit 56 12 Mash Paddle 53 13 Merit 56
14 Nickel Brook 52 15 Old Credit 57 16 Orange Snail 57 17 Pepperwood 53 18 Shaun & Ed 55 19 Sonnen Hill 54 20 Steel Wheel 53
BURLINGTON CITY
NICKEL BROOK BREWING CO.
864 Drury Ln. | NickelBrook.com SUN-TUES 11AM-6PM ^ WED-SAT 11AM-9PM EST. 2005 Find new Funk Lab releases in the bottle shop, plus artisan cheese and charcuterie in the taproom. Closed Mon. & Tue. until late March.
WICKED AWESOME N E W E N G L A N D - S T Y L E I PA Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV
6.5%
IBU
64
Juicy, hazy and dank come immediately to mind. A proven winner from the Mystery Pack runoff.
52
UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE S E R I E S
OF BA R R E L S O U R S W I T H F R U I T One-off: B ABV
N/A
IBU
N/A
No. 2 spent 2 years in barrel and then 4 weeks on cherries. Can’t wait to see what’s next!
BRANTFORD
BRANTFORD
BELL CITY BREWING CO.
MASH PADDLE BREWING CO.
51 Woodyatt Dr., unit 9 BellCityBrewing.com
111 Sherwood Dr., unit 3A MashPaddleBrewing.com
Since their partnership with Province Brands was announced, it’s looked like Bell City will be on the cutting edge of cannabis-infused beers when they’re legalized later this year.
Entirely family-owned and operated by self-declared beer geeks. A rotating selection of releases fills the lively taproom with locals.
EUREKA CREAM ALE
CITRANATTI BENGAL
AMBER CREAM ALE
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
RAVEN’S HEART BELGIAN STOUT S TO U T
Seasonal: B,L
5.8% 38
ABV IBU
6% 28
BRANTFORD
SESSION ALE
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
4.5% 30
DUTCHMAN’S ALT A LT B I E R
Year-round: B,L
5% 20
ABV IBU
BURLINGTON
STEEL WHEEL BREWERY
PEPPERWOOD BREWERY BISTRO
105 Powerline Rd. | SteelWheel.ca
1455 Lakeshore Rd. | Pepperwood.on.ca
Located on an existing hop farm in Brant County that belongs to Harold Kuret and Cindy Blair. Taproom is in a fully-renovated 1890s farmhouse with a patio.
The house beers at the Burlington bistro are designed to complement classic fare like haddock and frites and curried lamb shank.
EAST COAST IPA
CREAM ALE
NEW ENGLAND-STYLE I PA Year-round: B ABV IBU
6.3% N/A
PALE ALE
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E Year-round: B ABV IBU
4.2% N/A
CREAM ALE
Year-round: B ABV IBU
5% N/A
MONKEY BROWN ALE
AMERICAN-STYLE B R OW N A L E Year-round: B ABV IBU
5% N/A 53
CALEDON
CALEDON
BADLANDS BREWING COMPANY
CALEDON HILLS BREWING COMPANY
13926 Chinguacousy Rd. BadlandsBrewing.ca
CaledonHillsBrewing.ca
Apparently, the bottle shop opening for this Caledon brewery is imminent. Keep an eye on their social media for details.
The outside-the-city brewery with a woodpecker for a logo. They focus on selling tall cans and kegs for events.
CITRA DIPA
BOHEMIAN PILS
D O U B L E I PA
One-off: B ABV IBU
SAISON MAUVAISES TERRES
SAISON W/LOCAL HONEY One-off: B
8.2% N/A
ABV IBU
7.8% 0
CALEDON
BOHEMIAN-STYLE PILSNER
Year-round: B,LC,TBS ABV IBU
5% N/A
PREMIUM LAGER
VIENNA-STYLE LAGER Year-round: B,LC,TBS ABV IBU
5% 18
CALEDON
GOODLOT FARMSTEAD BREWING CO.
SONNEN HILL BREWERY
18825 Shaws Creek Rd. | GoodLot.beer
20683 Heart Lake Rd. | SonnenHill.com
An organic hop farm since 2010, they now make beer with 100% Ontario hops from local farms in support of the #BrewON campaign. Malted grain is local, too.
This brewery, a short drive outside of Toronto, is brewing for some of the best bars and hopes to add on-site sales soon as well as attending festivals this summer.
GOODLOT FARMSTEAD ALE
EXTRA HELL
PA L E A L E
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
54
6.2% 38
SESSION PORTER
M I X E D - C U LT U R E B E E R
P O RT E R
Seasonal: B ABV IBU
4.7% 6
Small-batch: L ABV IBU
4.5% N/A
PALE BEER
BLENDED MIXED-CULTURE BEER Year-round: L ABV IBU
00% N/A
DUNDAS
GEORGETOWN
SHAWN & ED BREWING CO.
FURNACE ROOM BREWERY
65 Hatt St. | LagerShed.com
1 Elgin St. | FurnaceRoomBrewery.com
Lagershed beers are sessionable lagers in three varieties. The Barrelshed range represents the brewery’s connection to wine and are all aged in pinot noir barrels from Flat Rock Cellars.
Conveniently right next to the Georgetown GO station the lineup includes a glutenreduced take on the kölsch style.
LAGERSHED ORIGINAL
BEARDMORE
LAGER
BARRELSHED NO.1 BA R R E L - A G E D E S B
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS
5.2% 18
ABV IBU
6.5% 49
KÖ L S C H
WRIGHT HOUSE RED ALE
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L
4.5% 8
ABV IBU
5% 15
HAMILTON
CLIFFORD BREWING CO.
WWW.CANADAKEGS.COM
1-398 Nash Rd. N. | CliffordBrewing.com
PAKTECH
CAN CARRIERS IN STOCK!
From champion homebrewer to producer of some of Ontario’s consistently solid beers, Brad Clifford has come into his own at his eponymous Hamilton brewery. DEVIL’S PUNCHBOWL ISL
INDIA SESSION LAGER Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
4.8% 35
CLIFFORD PORTER Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS IBU
WITH CANS BECOMING THE PACKAGING STANDARD OF THE INDUSTRY, OUR PAKTECH CAN CARRIERS ARE AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND EASY TO USE PACKAGING OPTION. MADE FROM 100% CANADIAN POST CONSUMER WASTE. 1 BOX MINIMUM ORDER!
SOLD BY THE BOX OR PALLET:
P O RT E R
ABV
PAKTECH CAN CARRIERS
5.9% 38
• ALWAYS IN STOCK IN 8 DIFFERENT COLOURS • SHIPS FROM OUR DELTA BC WAREHOUSE OR OAKVILLE, ON WAREHOUSE • 4, 6, 8 AND 12 PACKS AS WELL AS CROWLER CAN 3 PACKS AND, SLIM/SLEEK CAN 4 PACKS – IN STOCK
CANADA KEGS & PACKAGING INC.
3600 BILLINGS COURT, SUITE 100 BURLINGTON, ON L7N 3N6 JENNIFER@CANADAKEGS.COM | 905-220-2311
55
HAMILTON
HAMILTON
COLLECTIVE ARTS BREWING FAIRWEATHER BREWING CO.
207 Burlington St. E. | CollectiveArtsBrewing.com
1-5 Ofield Rd. | FairweatherBrewing.com
Get set for another Liquid Art Festival on June 14 and 15 put on by Collective Arts. They’re calling it ”a creative collision of music, art and beer”.
If all goes to plan they’ll have an online bottle shop up and running this month. And next month Fairweather celebrates its second anniversary.
IPA 9
WILD VANESSA
SURROUND SOUND
B R U T I PA Seasonal: B,L,LC ABV IBU
7.1% 16
D O U B L E D RY- H O P P E D D O U B L E I PA Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
8.2% N/A
HAMILTON
TA RT B R E T T S A I S O N WITH HIBISCUS & MEYER LEMON Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
LATE LUNCH
S O U R D O U B L E I PA W / L E M O N , VA N I L L A & GINGER One-off: B,L
5.5% 15
ABV IBU
7.2% 30
HAMILTON
GRAIN & GRIT BEER CO.
MERIT BREWING
11 Ewen Rd. | GrainAndGritBeer.com
107 James St. N. | MeritBrewing.ca
The two beers listed below, plus a Belgian-style wheat ale called La La Lovely, were all part of a triple-release day for the brewery this January.
May 11 will mark two years for Merit. Watch their social for details on festivities, including what promises to be another can’t-miss Common Ground beer dinner.
PLAY THING
UNWRITTEN
OAT M E A L S TO U T W / CHAI One-off: B ABV IBU
56
6% 25
CLOUDED JUDGEMENT D O U B L E I PA
One-off: B ABV IBU
7.9% 78
C H A I M I L K S TO U T
Seasonal: B ABV IBU
5.5% 20
EITHER WAY: RIESLING
SAISON W/ LEANING POST RIESLING One-off: B ABV IBU
8.9% 25
MILTON
OAKVILLE
ORANGE SNAIL BREWERS
ALL OR NOTHING BREWHOUSE
1-32 Steeles Ave. E. | OrangeSnailBrewers.ca
1156 Speers Rd. | AllOrNothing.beer
Family-owned and operated in Milton, this neighbourhood brewery has eight beers on tap. They make a wide range of English-leaning beer under the tagline “blissfully ignorant ales”.
Late 2018 brought an announcement that they were closing the Oakville location and moving to 439 Ritson Rd. S. in Oshawa. Watch their social for when this opens early this year.
RATTLE ‘N’ NEMO
MASALA CHAI MEAD
IRON PIG BLONDE ALE
AMBER ALE
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5% 25
TEA-INFUSED MEAD
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
T R O P I C A L W H E AT
Year-round: B,LC
5% 18
OAKVILLE
ALL OR NOTHING HOPFENWEISSE
ABV IBU
Year-round: B,LC,TBS
7% N/A
ABV IBU
5.1% 30
PORT CREDIT
CAMERON’S BREWING
OLD CREDIT BREWING CO.
1165 Invicta Dr. | CameronsBrewing.com
6 Queen St. W. | OldCreditBrewing.com
From clean, sessionable lagers to a very excellent barley wine, this is one of Ontario’s most flexible breweries. Lots in the LCBO, but the taproom is worth a visit.
Founded by the Listas in 1994, Old Credit is now one of the oldest in Ontario. They make a focused lineup of straightforward styles.
CROOKED NOSE
PALE PILSNER
DARK & STICKY I N D I A B R OW N A L E
S TO U T
Small-batch: B,L ABV IBU
4.6% 45
Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
5.5% 45
PILSNER
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
5% 15
AMBER ALE AMBER
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
5% 22 57
n i a ga ra BREWERIES 01 Bench 59 02 Breakwall 60 03 Brimstone 61 04 The Exchange 60 05 Kame & Kettle 59 06 Lock Street 61 07 Merchant Ale
LAKE ONTARIO Q U E E N E L I Z A BETH
01
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WA
NIAGARA ON THE LAKE 11
87
06
55
07
Y
09
House 61
58
57
406
08
NIAGARA FALLS
05
House 60 11 Silversmith 60
100 405
ST. CATHARINES
08 Niagara 59 09 Niagara College 59 10 Niagara Oast
04
10
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WE ARE HIRING! Sessions is the one-stop shop for craft beverage packaging in Ontario and Quebec. Passionate about craft and want to be a part of our team?
sessionscraftcanning.ca/jobs
s d Can Printe ning · Blank Cans n a C e Mobil Sleeving · k Shrin
BEAMSVILLE
FONTHILL
KAME & KETTLE BEER WORKS
BENCH BREWING CO.
3991 King St. | BenchBrewing.com
25 Pelham Town Square | KameAndKettle.ca
The wine ethos is strong here—including beer aged on grape skins and others mixed wine. Aptly complemented by clean pale ales and a strong taproom food menu.
The Niagara-area brewery boasts a huge taplist. The brewery’s name is a play on a double-entendre around the region’s geological formation. Rock jokes are the best.
BALL’S FALLS
MIDNIGHT BLUE
S E S S I O N I PA
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
SHORT HILLS EAST COAST IPA
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA Year-round: B,L
4.5% 30
ABV IBU
6.5% 40
NIAGARA
SOUR FRUIT BEER
MINIVAN KÖ L S C H
Seasonal: B ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L
4.9% 10
ABV IBU
4.8% 18
NOTL
NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING BREWERY
NIAGARA BREWING CO.
4915-A Clifton Hill NiagaraBrewingCompany.com
135 Taylor Rd. | NCTeachingBrewery.ca
An oasis in a desert of tourist traps and souvenir shops, this is the place to stop in for an approachable beer when you’re in the Falls.
Stop at the bottle shop, just off the QEW, for a few selections from the Beer 101 series. This is the easiest way to try product from Ontario’s brewmasters in training.
NIAGARA PREMIUM LAGER
VIENNA LAGER 101
HENNEPIN S TO U T
VIENNA-STYLE LAGER
LAGER
Year-round: B,TBS ABV IBU
4.5% 20
Year-round: B,TBS ABV IBU
4.4% 33
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5% 20
STOUT 101 S TO U T
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5.5% 26 59
NOTL
NOTL
NIAGARA OAST HOUSE BREWERS
SILVERSMITH BREWING CO.
1523 Niagara Stone Rd. SilversmithBrewing.com
2017 Niagara Stone Rd. OastHouseBrewers.com
Get in for a few samples in the tasting room before the summer crowds arrive. They continue to highlight Niagara produce in a variety of new beer releases.
Virgil’s church brewery has many breweryonly beer options that work excellently on a tasting paddle. They have a major expansion underway at their historic space.
BARNRAISER
BLACK LAGER
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5% 16
BIERE DE GARDE
S C H WA R Z B I E R
BIERE DE GARDE Year-round: B ABV IBU
7% 20
NOTL
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5% 15
LET IT RIDE
B E L G I A N - S T Y L E RY E ALE Small-batch: B ABV IBU
5% 24
PORT COLBORNE
THE EXCHANGE BREWERY
BREAKWALL BREWING CO.
7 Queen St. | ExchangeBrewery.com
46 Clarence St. | BreakwallBrewery.com
The anchor of NOTL’s main strip is doing another edition of their popular Sourpalooza Festival. Look for early bird tickets to go on sale when the weather warms up.
A full menu of pub fare is served at the on-site restaurant that contributes another good reason to make it down to southern Niagara.
#7 NEW ENGLAND IPA
9 O’CLOCK WHISTLE
NEW ENGLAND-STYLE I PA Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
60
7% 71
& FLANDERS RED
FLANDERS RED ALE Seasonal: B,L,LC ABV IBU
7% 27
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA Small-batch: B,L ABV IBU
6% 50
TOASTED WALNUT DUNKEL
D U N K E LW E I Z E N Small-batch: B,L ABV IBU
5.5% 20
PORT DALHOUSIE
RIDGEWAY
LOCK STREET BREWING CO.
BRIMSTONE BREWING CO.
104-15 Lock St. | LockStreet.ca
209 Ridge Road N. | BrimstoneBrewing.ca
Let’s collectively cross our fingers for sunny weather for when their biergarten opens in May. See the event page on their website for a schedule of upcoming gigs.
Brimstone takes its religious decor from its home in a modern church, called The Sanctuary Centre for the Arts in Ridgeway, Ont.
INDUSTRIAL PALE ALE
SINISTER MINISTER
I PA
Year-round: B,LC,TBS ABV IBU
5.8% 63
THE JEALOUS MISTRESS
B R OW N A L E W / H O N E Y Year-round: B ABV IBU
6.8% 12
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
7% 90
ENLIGHTENMENT
AMERICAN-STYLE BLONDE ALE Year-round: B ABV IBU
5.5% 25
ST CATHARINES
THE MERCHANT ALE HOUSE
98 St. Paul St. | MerchantAleHouse.com
re Niagara Explo with us! us Look for well-made pub fare and a deep bottle list to complement their house beers. You’ll also find those brews in their new bottle shop. DANKFRUIT
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA Small-batch: B ABV IBU
5.9% 70
GET 10% OFF YOUR BOOKING of 5 or more guests when you mention this ad.
SIGNAL COLD BREW COFFEE STOUT N I T R O M I L K S TO U T Seasonal: B ABV IBU
4.4% 32
info@niagaracraftbrewerytours.com • 1-877-360-3930
niagaracraftbre werytours.com
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BREWERIES
ST. JACOBS 08
01 Abe Erb Kitchener
03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
64 63 66 66 64 63 66 63 63 64 64 65 65 66 65
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04
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6
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KITCHENER
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NEW HAMBURG
CAMBRIDGE 24 5 401
59
N 2
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WOODSTOCK
join the #LADYBEERSQUAD
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02 Abe Erb Waterloo Barncat Bitte Schรถn Block Three Descendants Grand River Innocente Jackass North Works Red Circle Rhythm & Brews Short Finger TWB Upper Thames Waterloo
7
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ladiesdrinkbeer.com @ladiesdrinkbeer @ladiesdrinkbeer
CAMBRIDGE
CAMBRIDGE
BARNCAT ARTISAN ALES
GRAND RIVER BREWING
1600 Industrial Rd., Unit B5 BarncatAles.com
295 Ainslie St. | GrandRiverBrewing.com
A small brewery in Cambridge with a deft hand for making hop-forward IPAs and an advanced barrel programme. Check their social for latest realease news.
After the new owners took over the beers have stayed under the same names and styles. Only time will tell if the execution has remained solid.
MOTHER NIGHT
BEAM ME UP
BA R R E L - A G E D I M P E R I A L S TO U T
DOUBLE THE JUICE D O U B L E I PA
Seasonal: B
Seasonal: B
ABV 11.7% IBU N/A
ABV IBU
8.6% 30
CAMBRIDGE
S C OT C H A L E
CURMUDGEON E N G L I S H - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L
6.2% 26
ABV IBU
6.5% 70
CAMBRIDGE
JACKASS BREWING
NORTH WORKS BREWING CO.
100 Sheldon Dr., Unit 36 | JackassBrewing.ca
46 Stafford Ct. Unit b | NorthWorksBrewing.com
This Cambridge brewery is owned by two brothers making the wide range of beer styles they love to drink. Selection rotates frequently.
Find their IPA-dominated list (plus a handful of other complementary styles) at a few Cambridge bars and in their taproom.
SUNKISS JUICY IPA
MOSAIC SMASH
NEW ENGLAND-STYLE I PA Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
6.5% 45
RED BEARD IRISH RED ALE
Small-batch: B ABV IBU
6.5% 20
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
6.2% N/A
THE EXCHANGER B L A C K I PA
Seasonal: B ABV IBU
7.2% N/A 63
CAMBRIDGE
KITCHENER
RHYTHM & BREWS BREWING CO.
ABE ERB
151 Charles St. W., Kitchener 15 King St. S., Waterloo | AbeErb.com
1000 Bishop St. N., Unit 10 RhythmAndBrews.ca
The best part about a brewery that’s also a music venue is the rare combination of good beer and good music in one place.
They’re now a trio of breweries. Abe Erb at the Mill opened in January at 143 Northumberland St. in Ayr. Like the upcoming fourth location, in Guelph, it has on-site coffee.
MONISTRY
SLOW BURN
AMERICANA
TRIPEL
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE
Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L
9.5% 22
ABV IBU
5.5% 55
KITCHENER
P O RT E R
1857 KÖLSCH KÖ L S C H
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS
5.8% 20
ABV IBU
4.8% 25
KITCHENER
DESCENDANTS BEER & BEVERAGE CO.
RED CIRCLE BREWING CO.
319 Victoria St. N. | DescendantsBeer.com
137 Glasgow St., Unit 385 RedCircleBrewing.ca
A familiar brewer in the Waterloo Region. Look for them to put on one of the area’s better St. Patrick’s Day parties.
Housed in the innovative Catalyst 137, the brewpub fits right in with digitally interactive tables, an upscale menu and a solid lineup of flavour-forward beers.
HARBINGER
IRON HORSE TRAIL
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
64
5.5% 38
DEWULFE DUBBEL
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
7.1% 7
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
6.3% 60
NIGHT SHIFT C O F F E E P O RT E R
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5% 25
KITCHENER
KITCHENER
SHORT FINGER BREWING CO.
TOGETHER WE’RE BITTER CO-OPERATIVE
20 Hurst Ave. | ShortFingerBrewing.com
300 Mill Street, Unit 1 | Brewing.coop
They’ve grown progressively over three and a half years, but Short Finger now has a taproom above their homebrew shop.
Known to locals as just “TWB” and the best spot to grab a growler. It’s a legit co-op with a community focus. Only special releases go into cans or bottles here.
SOUR BELIEVER SPA
WOBBLY WHEEL
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE Seasonal: B ABV IBU
HOP LT.
SESSION ALE
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B,L
5.2% N/A
ABV IBU
4% 30
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
6.5% 47
PULLMAN PORTER
R O B U S T P O RT E R Occasional: B,L ABV IBU
5% 31
KITCHENER
WATERLOO BREWING
400 Bingemans Centre Dr. WaterlooBrewing.com
News came late last year of a huge, $9.6-million expansion for this veteran of Ontario’s craft beer industry. WATERLOO IPA E N G L I S H - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
5.2% 32
WATERLOO DARK DA R K L A G E R
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
5% 14 65
NEW HAMBURG
ST. JACOBS
BLOCK THREE BREWING
BITTE SCHÖN BRAUHAUS
68 Huron St. | BitteSchonBrauhaus.com
1430 King St. N., Unit 2 BlockThreeBrewing.Ca
At just 1,000 sq feet this is one of the smallest breweries in Ontario. If you can’t get to New Hamburg, their hefeweizen is also at several LCBO locations, mainly in SW Ontario.
Right in the core of St. Jacobs, this is the oldest operating microbrewery in the Kitchener Waterloo region. Kevin Freer runs one of the area’s top barrel programmes here.
HURON ST.
KING ST SAISON
ERNIE RITZ
HEFEWEIZEN
HOPFENWEIZEN
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5% 13
SAISON
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
FICKLE MISTRESS
5% N/A
WATERLOO
D RY- H O P P E D S O U R
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
Year-round: B,LC
4.6% 16
ABV IBU
5.5% 20
WOODSTOCK
INNOCENTE BREWING CO.
283 Northfield Dr. E., unit 8 | Innocente.ca
UPPER THAMES BREWING CO.
225 Bysham Park Dr., unit 9 | UpperThamesBrewing.ca
Friday is the day to stop into this Waterlooarea taproom for some brewed-on-site cask ale. Follow #firkinfriday for the latest selection.
They have a second location opening in Woodstock soon. It’s a brewpub with an openconcept brewing facility as well as counterservice light pub fare.
INN O’SLAINTE
DUSK TO DAWN
IRISH-STYLE RED ALE
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
66
5.2% 18
INNOCENTE FLING GOLDEN ALE
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5% 25
W H I T E S TO U T
Seasonal: B ABV IBU
5% 24
TAKE A HIKE
D RY- H O P P E D PA L E A L E Year-round: B ABV IBU
5.6% 45
74
10 The Herald Haus 74 11 Hockley Valley 73 12 Jobsite 75 13 MacLeans 73 14 Neustadt 73 15 River Road 71 16 Royal City 72 17 Shakespeare 74 18 Square 72 19 Stone House 75 20 Stratford 75 21 Wellington 70
on Earth
08 Grey Matter 09 Half Hours
Springs 71 73
BREWERIES 01 Bad Apple 71 02 Black Swan 74 03 Brothers 72 04 Cowbell 68 05 Elora 71 06 Fixed Gear 72 07 Formosa
08
01
BAYFIELD
15
GODERICH
18
21
19
KINCARDINE
LAKE HURON
4
83
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04
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13 4
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02 10 12 20
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FORMOSA NEUSTADT
07
10
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Tri-Cities map page 62. xx.
401
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GUELPH 124
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124
125
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ORANGEVILLE
ELORA
05
109
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Ce nt ra l W e s t
BLYTH CITY
COWBELL BREWING
40035 Blyth Rd. | CowbellBrewing.com
SUN-THU 11AM-9PM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-11PM EST. 2016 Stephen Rich brews a deep catalogue of styles for the world’s first closed-loop brewery. The restaurant ups their road trip worthiness. Their beer is now available for home delivery through their website.
ABSENT LANDLORD
SHINDIG
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS
KÖ L S C H
ABV
5.3%
IBU
18
A touch of copper (colour and flavour) stretch this beyond most kölsches. Crisp and refreshing.
GRAVEL RUN Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS
4.5
IBU
ABV
4.2
IBU
14
This light and refreshing lager features bready malts and a crisp finish. Great with food.
DOC PERDUE’S BOXING BRUIN
S E S S I O N I PA
ABV
HURON COUNTY LAGER
40
Lots of flavour for the ABV with citrus zest, lime, pineapple and pine. Very easy drinking.
I N D I A PA L E A L E Year-round: B,L,LC ABV
6.3
IBU
50
Named for a local character and his trained bear, it punches with weighty doses of lime and lychee.
Grow Your Community Through their Greener Pastures Community Fund, Cowbell Brewing Co. contributes 5¢ from the sale of every pint and can, starting with the very first can of beer sold in May 2016, to support the four children’s hospitals across Ontario.
68
COWBELL BEER SUBSCRIPTION
CHEERS TO Convenience Cowbell Online delivers to your door. Delicious Cowbell Beer, cool Cowbell Gear, and custom merch from local and Canadian suppliers. “Now everyone can stay connected to Cowbell, from anywhere in Ontario. We are thrilled to deliver across the province, bringing Cowbell home to every community,” says Kathryn Peach, Manager, Cowbell General Store.
GIFTS PURCHASED GIFTS PURCHASED
Purchase a subscription online. Shipping charge included in price.
GIFTS PURCHASED GIFTS BEERPURCHASED DELIVERED
Check it out: the Cowbell Craft Beer Subscription. With each 3-month subscription, you or a craft beer buddy of your choosing, will be treated to a 12-can assortment of Cowbell beer delivered each month for three months. Two Cowbell glasses are included with first shipment. Sign up today for delicious Cowbell beer, straight to your doorstep!
BEER DELIVERED BEER DELIVERED
COWBELL ENJOYEDCOWBELL ENJOYED BEER DELIVERED
Purchase a subscription Shipped directly to recipient’s home. Cowbell beer will be Cowbell beer will be ShippedPurchase directlya tosubscription recipient’s home. Shipped directly to recipient’s home. online. Shipping charge Parcel must be signed for and enjoyed for the next online. charge Parcel must be signed and Parcel mustShipping be signed for and enjoyed for thefornext included in price. proof of age must be shown. three months. Cheers!
in price. proof included of age must be shown.
proof ofthree age months. must be shown. Cheers!
COWBELL ENJOYED COWBELL ENJOYED Cowbell beer will be enjoyed for the next three months. Cheers!
WWW.COWBELLBREWING.COM • 844.523.4724
GUELPH CITY
WELLINGTON BREWERY
950 Woodlawn Rd. W. | WellingtonBrewery.ca MON-SUN 11AM-7PM EST. 1985
Wellington will host a collaborative brew day for a special beer to be served at Queen of Craft’s event series starting Mar. 1 at the brewery.
UPSIDE IPA
CHOCOLATE MILK STOUT
I N D I A PA L E A L E
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV
6.8%
IBU
58
In the East Coast-style, this hazy IPA has tropical grapefruit and peach notes with a citrus finish.
70
M I L K S TO U T Year-round: B,L,TBS ABV
6.6%
IBU
20
Eagerly awaited every year, this seasonal release brings chocolate cake and a silky mouthfeel.
BAYFIELD
BAYFIELD
BAD APPLE BREWING CO.
RIVER ROAD BREWING AND HOPS
73463 ON-21 | BadAppleBrewingCo.com
35549 Bayfield River Rd. RiverRoadBrewing.com
Find Bad Apple surrounded by apple orchards in lovely Huron County. (And their beer in their online store.)
On May 11, you’ll find River Road at the annual Bayfield Beer, Food and Wine Festival in the Bayfield arena.
BANNOCKBURN 1314
HESSENLAND HELLES
SPRING BLONDE
S C OT C H A L E
BLONDE W/MAPLE
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
SCURVY ELIXIR
Year-round: B
5.5% 34
ABV IBU
I PA W / S P R U C E T I P S
Seasonal: B,L
4.8% N/A
ABV IBU
ELORA
Seasonal: B
5.6% 22
ABV IBU
4.5% 36
FORMOSA
ELORA BREWING CO.
FORMOSA SPRINGS BREWERY
107 Geddes St. | EloraBrewingCompany.ca
1120 Bruce Rd., Unit 12 FormosaBrewery.ca
The second iteration of their Brewer’s Feast is set for Feb. 28 with a British theme for the food and beer. On April 13, Jenn Grant will be performing at the brewery.
This brewing operation with a historic connection was bought from Brick and reopened. They do particularly well in the lighter lager categories at beer competitions.
ELORA BOREALIS
FORMOSA SPRINGS DRAFT
COLLUSION
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5.1% 30
S TO U T
RED BARON BLONDE LIGHT LAGER
LAGER Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5.6% 22
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5% 9
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
4.8% 10 71
GODERICH
GUELPH
BROTHERS BREWING CO.
SQUARE BREW
430 Parsons Crt. | SquareBrewCo.com
15 Wyndham St. N. BrothersBrewingCompany.ca
German and American styles share the beer focus for this small-sized brewery in Goderich. Plenty of nearby sightseeing after you’re done at the taproom.
The 9th annual Guelph & Area Independent & New Music & Arts Festival is happening across the street on Mar 8 - 10 and you’ll find Brothers beer there.
SQUARE ONE PILSNER
SERENITY NOW
PILSNER
FOG DAY!
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
Seasonal: B,L
5% 30
ABV IBU
4.5% 25
GUELPH
SAISON
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
BLUEBERRY BERLINER WEISSE
BERLINER WEISSE Seasonal: B
6.7% 30
ABV IBU
4% N/A
GUELPH
FIXED GEAR BREWING CO.
ROYAL CITY BREWING CO.
20 Alma St. S. | FixedGearBrewing.com
199 Victoria Rd. S. | RoyalCityBrew.ca
The new brewery is set up in a former garage in Guelph’s Junction neighbourhood and earns extra points for having a personalized Airstream on site.
This Guelph brewery has joined the onlinebottle-shop club as part of an entirely revamped website. Get set for their 5th anniversary in June.
BREAKAWAY IPA
TART ATTACK
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA Year-round: B
PELOTON PILSNER PILSNER
Year-round: B
D RY- H O P P E D K E T T L E SOUR Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
72
6.5% 12
HIBISCUS SAISON SAISON
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5.4% 15
HANOVER
KINDARDINE
MACLEAN’S ALES
GREY MATTER BEER CO.
52 14th Ave. | MacLeansAles.ca
726 Queen St. | GreyMatterBeer.com
ALES INC.
Charles MacLean trained in London and has been turning out great brews since he helped open Wellington in 1985. He’s since become one of Ontario’s best-known brewers.
Four core beers stay on tap all year and share the spotlight with a mix of one-offs. Their event space overlooks the beautiful Kincardine marina and lighthouse.
ARMCHAIR
RISE OF THE ROBOTS
MACLEAN’S PALE ALE
S C OT C H A L E
Seasonal: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
B R I T I S H - S T Y L E PA L E ALE Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS
7.5% 22
ABV IBU
5.2% 35
NEUSTADT
LAGER
Seasonal: B ABV IBU
DAWN OF CIVILIZATION
AMERICAN-STYLE W H E AT W / C I T R U S Year-round: B,L
5.4% 16
ABV IBU
5% 13
ORANGEVILLE
NEUSTADT SPRINGS BREWERY
HOCKLEY VALLEY
25 Centennial Rd. | HockleyBeer.ca
456 Jacob St. | NeustadtSprings.com
The building went up in 1859 and that makes it the first spring-fed brewery in Canada. The awards case of the current brewery includes several international prizes.
Their three-pack at the LCBO has always been one of the better ways to taste the differences in the darker end of the ale register.
THE SOUR KRAUT
SCOTTISH PALE ALE
HOCKLEY DARK
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS
LIGHT PILSNER W/ RASPBERRIES Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
4% 20
PA L E A L E
ABV IBU
4.5% 23
E N G L I S H - S T Y L E B R OW N ALE
ABV IBU
5% N/A
HOCKLEY AMBER RED ALE
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
5.2% N/A 73
SEAFORTH
SHAKESPEARE
HALF HOURS ON EARTH BREWERY
SHAKESPEARE BREWING CO.
151 Main St. S. | HalfHoursOnEarth.com
2178 Line 34 | ShakespeareBrewingCompany.ca
As of the end of March, HHoE will have been sending their lovely, eclectic beer across the province for three years.
All of the beers made at this modest-sized operation outside of Stratford are made exclusively with Ontario-grown hops.
FUNK LAND
THE CLASSY COW
OA K - A G E D B I E R E D E C O U PA G E ( B L E N D E D FA R M H O U S E S O U R A L E ) Small-batch: B ABV IBU
6% N/A
WHO SPEAKS FOR EARTH
OA K - F E R M E N T E D GRISETTE Small-batch: B ABV IBU
4.5% N/A
STRATFORD
M I L K S TO U T
THE GRUMPY GOAT
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B
Year-round: B
5% 25
ABV IBU
ABV IBU
6% 60
STRATFORD
BLACK SWAN BREWING CO.
HERALD HAUS BREWING CO.
144 Downie St. | BlackSwanBrewing.ca
21 Market Pl. | @HeraldHaus
You probably didn’t realize that Feb. 1 is International Gruit Day. Black Swan is helping remind us of how lovely these unhopped ales can be with Rocky Mountain(b)eer.
After a bit of a lengthy construction process, Herald Haus is now open. The downtown brewery takes up residence in the former home of the local newspaper.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN(B) EER
H2 GOLDEN ALE
GRUIT ALE
One-off: B ABV IBU
74
5% N/A
RUSSIAN METRIC STOUT RUSSIAN IMPERIAL S TO U T One-off: B ABV IBU
9.6% N/A
GOLDEN ALE
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
4.7% 15
DINGMAN DARK MUNICH-STYLE DUNKEL Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5.6% 18
STRATFORD
STRATFORD
JOBSITE BREWING CO.
STRATFORD BREWING CO.
45 Cambria St. | JobsiteBrewing.ca
Facebook.com/StratfordBrewing
With the founders history in construction, the brewery’s name and location were designed to highlight craftsmanship. Good news: Their beer is paired with wood-fired pizza.
A longtime fixture in Ontario’s most famous theatre town. No on-site taproom but they are in the LCBO and on tap in the area and elsewhere in the province.
2X4
STRATFORD PILSNER
IMPACT
CREAM ALE
R E D I PA
Year-round: B ABV IBU
PILSNER Year-round: B
4.8% 15
ABV IBU
6.9% 44
Year-round: L,LC ABV IBU
4.9% N/A
STRATFORD CALIFORNIA COMMON
CALIFORNIA COMMON Year-round: L ABV IBU
5% 30
VARNA
STONE HOUSE BREWING CO.
76050 Parr Line | StoneHouseBrewing.ca
The focus is lagers for this quaint brewery in rural Huron County. The beer programme is overseen by a German-trained brewer. CZECH PILSNER LAGER
GERMAN DARK LAGER LAGER
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5% 32
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5% 18 75
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BREW Chapter Two Craft Heads Frank
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05 Motor Craft 06 Sandwich 07 Walkerville
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Like what’s in our Growler? Carry us in your brewery, tap room or store and your customers will keep coming back for more. Contact orders@thegrowler.ca to order your copies.
ontario craft beer guide
THEGROWLER.CA 76
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@THEGROWLERON
EXPY
TECUMSEH
WINDSOR
FRANK BREWING CO.
BREW MICROBREWERY
12000 Tecumseh Rd. | FrankBeer.ca
635 University Ave. E. | BrewWindsor.com
December 2018 marked four years in operation for Tecumseh’s combination brewery, sports bar and pizza restaurant.
Brew was also part of the late-2015 brewery boom in the Windsor area and celebrated their fourth anniversary in December. Drop by on Saturdays for acoustic sets in the taproom.
OLD COMRADE
MAPLE BREW
AMERICAN-STYLE RED ALE
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
4.7% 21
SMOOTH HOPERATOR
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
5.5% 32
WINDSOR
BREW LAGER
SPICED ALE
LAGER
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L
5% 15
ABV IBU
4.7% 15
FullyCustom
CHAPTER TWO BREWING CO.
2345 Edna St. | ChapterTwoBrewing.com
brewhouses fermenters bright tanks CIP systems & more *
The Edna Street brewery is lead by Ciceronecertified brewer Michael Beaudoin and boasts a surprisingly sophisticated hotdog menu. THREE ON THE LEASH ENGLISH PUB ALE BEST BITTER Year-round: B ABV IBU
4.3% 33
BELGIAN GOLDEN STRONG BELGIAN-STYLE STRONG ALE One-off: B ABV IBU
9.5% 22
1.778.743.2003 innovativestainless.com
max@innovativestainless.com 77
WINDSOR
WINDSOR
CRAFT HEADS BREWING CO.
MOTOR CRAFT ALES
89 University Ave. W. | CraftHeads.ca
888 Erie St. E. | ThisIsMotor.com
February 22 - 23 is the four-year-anniversary party at this downtown Windsor brewery. They’ll have 36 taps going (plus 2 casks) and a variety of live music from disco to hip hop.
They really have the car theme dialled in at this Windsor favourite. With a brewpub named Motorburger the food menu should be obvious.
NEXT ON STAGE
SUPER GOOSE
FEATHER HAT GUY-PA
AMBER ALE
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5.9% 33
Year-round: B ABV IBU
5.8% 53
WINDSOR
B R U T I PA W / S P R U C E
Occasional: B ABV IBU
5.3% 32
2 CARS COLLIDE
CALIFORNIA COMMON Seasonal: B ABV IBU
4.8% 21
WINDSOR
SANDWICH BREWING CO.
WALKERVILLE BREWERY
3230 Sandwich St. | @SandwichBrewing
525 Argyle Rd. | WalkervilleBrewery.com
Sandwich turned one late in 2018. Signs are positive for their mission to reinvigorate their historic space in Windsor.
Keep an eye on Walkerville for the latest release in their Heritage Series of beers meant to recognize recipes from Windsor’s brewing past.
RUBY SUE
BRITISH SPECIAL ALE
ENGLISH-STYLE MILD Year-round: B ABV IBU
78
4.9% 23
CANNONBALL STOUT OAT M E A L S TO U T
Seasonal: B ABV IBU
5.6% 29
EXTRA SPECIAL BITTER One-off: B,L ABV IBU
4.7% 30
EASY STOUT M I L K S TO U T
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
5.5% 32
80 Road 05 Dundas & Sons 81 06 Forked River 81 07 London 82 08 Natterjack 84 09 New Limburg 83 10 Powerhouse 82 11 Railway City 84 12 Ramblin' Road 80 13 Refined Fool 83 (Davis St.) 14 Refined Fool (London Rd.) 83 15 Rusty Wrench 84 16 Sons of Kent 80 17 Stonepicker 83 18 Storm Stayed 82 19 Strathroy 84 20 Toboggan 82
BREWERIES 01 Anderson 81 02 Bayside 80 03 Charlotteville 83 04 Concession
16
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402
87
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401 3
08
2
STRATHROY
79
ERIEAU
02
CHATHAM-KENT
40
SARNIA
13 14
1721
LAKE HURON
11
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LONDON
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LAKE ERIE
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59
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403
401
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Hamilton, Brant & West GTA map page 51.
Tri-Cities & Central West Ontario maps pages 62 & 67.
s ou t h W e s t
CHATHAM
ERIEAU
SONS OF KENT BREWING CO.
BAYSIDE BREWING CO.
970 Ross Lane | BaysideBrewing.com
27 Adelaide St. S. | SonsOfKent.com
Four friends founded this 20-tap brewery in downtown Chatham’s iconic movie theater. Deliveries made in a ’77 El Camino Classic.
Based out of a little, laid-back fishing village, they create beers that go well with the village’s easy-going vibes. A large patio looks out on to Rondeau Bay and they’re close to the beach.
8 TRACK XPA
LONG POND LAGER
E X T R A PA L E A L E
ZEPHYR
D RY- H O P P E D S O U R
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L,LC
5.7% 57
ABV IBU
5.3% N/A
JARVIS
LAGER
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5% 13
HONEY CREAM ALE CREAM ALE
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5% 14
LA SALETTE
CONCESSION ROAD BREWING CO.
RAMBLIN ROAD BREWERY FARM
17 Talbot St. E., unit 4 ConcessionRoadBrew.com
2970 Swimming Pool Rd. | RamblinRoad.ca
At this community hub in Jarvis, the first Friday of every month is live comedy night and the last Friday serves as community jam night.
John Picard runs his brewery farm in Norfolk County. The crop selection on this going concern includes a hop garden and they make Picard’s fresh kettle chips on site.
CLUMSY FARMER THE GRIND CITRUS PALE COFFEE MILK ALE AMERICAN-STYLE STOUT PALE ALE
Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
80
5.9% 25
M I L K S TO U T W / C O F F E E Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
4.7% 22
COUNTRY CREAM ALE
COUNTRY LAGER
CREAM ALE
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5% 18
EUROPEAN-STYLE LAGER Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5% 22
LONDON
LONDON
DUNDAS & SONS BREWING
ANDERSON CRAFT ALES
1030 Elias St. | AndersonCraftAles.ca
400 Adelaide St. N. | DundasAndSons.com
Every couple months they release a different barrel-aged take on a base of saison with grape must. Holidays 2018 sees a very limited number of 2017 Holiday Belgians released.
The goal at this new brewery is to put a new beer out every week and put a different live act on stage every week in their taproom.
WINTER
THE BLACK NIGHT
SPICED WINTER ALE
AUTUMN MÄRZEN
Seasonal: B ABV IBU
B L A C K I PA Seasonal: B,LC
7% 32
ABV IBU
5.5% 26
Year-round: B ABV IBU
6.5% 51
WINTER SAISON SAISON
One-off: B ABV IBU
6% 40
LONDON
FORKED RIVER BREWING CO.
45 Pacific Crt., Unit 4 ForkedRiverBrewing.com
As one of the first craft competitors in Labatt’s hometown they know what it’s like to be an underdog. Continually getting unusual beers into the LCBO. FLANDERS RED
SOUR FLEMISH RED ALE Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
7.3% N/A
Custom crafted products to set your brand apart.
CAPITAL BLONDE BLONDE ALE
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
4.7% 28
Tap into our 10 years of experience in the liquor industry by contacting us:
www.swellsource.com 81
LONDON
LONDON
POWERHOUSE BREWING CO.
LONDON BREWING
521 Burbrook Pl. | LondonBrewing.ca
100 Kellogg Ln. | PowerhouseBrewery.beer
They call themselves a plough-to-pint brewery because of the spotlight given to locally-grown, organic malts. Friday is free-concert night with food on site.
This newly opened brewery is working towards adding a taproom to their operation this spring. Until then, you’ll find them at several LCBO locations.
LONDON NATURAL LAGER
HOMECOMING
NORFOLK RED RED ALE
MUNICH-STYLE HELLES Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L,TBS
4.7% 18
ABV IBU
5.3% 42
LONDON
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE
BUCKLEY’S IRISH RED
IRISH-STYLE RED ALE
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L
5.5% 32
ABV IBU
4% 20
LONDON
STORM STAYED BREWING CO.
TOBOGGAN BREWING CO.
585 Richmond St. | TobogganBrewing.com
169 Wharncliffe Rd. S., unit 8 StormStayed.com
Justin Belanger, one of the owners, brings East Coast hospitality from his native PEI as well as the name. The kitchen serves house-cured meats, fermented vegetables, and BBQ.
The restaurant and biergarten patio have helped establish this relative newcomer as a popular fixture in London.
MOONSHADOW
MR. INSURANCE MAN
BERLINER WEISSE
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
82
4.2% 4
SUNBURST
NEW ENGLAND-STYLE PA L E A L E Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5.4% 36
BLONDE ALE
S TO U T
Year-round: B ABV IBU
BLACKFRIARS BRIDGE VANILLA STOUT
4% 18
Year-round: B ABV IBU
6% 35
PLYMPTON-WYOMING
SARNIA
REFINED FOOL BREWING CO.
STONEPICKER
7143 Forest Rd. | StonepickerBrewing.com
1326 London Rd., 137 Davis St. | RefinedFool.com
An on-farm brewery near Forest, Ont. with a deep lineup of beers the partners developed over several years of homebrewing together.
From Theology on Tap to Burger Bingo to board game tournaments, this Sarnia mainstay has a lock on eclectic taproom events.
STONEPICKER 21
ILLITERATE LIBRARIANS
AMBER ALE
TRACTOR ON THE WALL OAT M E A L S TO U T
Year-round: B ABV IBU
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B
5.5% N/A
ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L,LC
6% N/A
ABV IBU
SIMCOE
6.1% 70
TROLL TOLL CREAM ALE
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
5% 18
SIMCOE
CHARLOTTEVILLE BREWING CO.
NEW LIMBURG BREWERY
1207 Charlotteville West Quarter Line Rd. CharlottevilleBrewingCompany.ca
2353 Nixon Rd. | NewLimburg.com
An estate craft brewery located on a family farm, housed in two old barns. One was built in the 1860s and the other in 1913. The barns were disassembled and moved here.
The first day of spring, Mar. 21, bring a combination karaoke and open mic night plus a performance by Trout Lily to this brewery in a former schoolhouse.
LOCAL 519
WIT
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
4.9% 28
WEDGIE DELIGHT
AMERICAN-STYLE B R OW N A L E Year-round: B ABV IBU
5% 22
BELGIAN BLONDE
WITBIER Year-round: B,L, LC ABV IBU
4.8% N/A
B E L G I A N - S T Y L E FA R M HOUSE ALE Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
7% N/A 83
ST. THOMAS
STRATHROY
RAILWAY CITY BREWING CO.
130 Edward St. | RailwayCityBrewing.com
RUSTY WRENCH BREWING CO.
9 Front St. W. | RustyWrench.ca
Submit your entries to their Platform Homebrew Competition for judging on National Homebrew Day.
Local and ethical sourcing is the focus for this small-town brewery. The kitchen also features beer ingredients across the menu. As they say, their “beers range from mild to wild.”
DEAD ELEPHANT
OXIDATION AMBER ALE
BLACK COAL AMERICAN-STYLE S TO U T
I PA
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
6.5% 60
DA R K A M B E R
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
LEFT HANDED SPANNER
6% 46
STRATHROY
W E S T C OA S T- S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5% 24
Year-round: B ABV IBU
6.1% 64
WEST LORNE
STRATHROY BREWING CO.
62 Albert St. | StrathroyBrewingCompany.ca
NATTERJACK BREWING CO.
25292 Talbot Line | NatterjackBrewing.ca
This small-town brewery has an independent streak and a historical bent. It’s particularly focussed on the history of the War of 1812.
Matt Soos, a graduate of the Niagara College Teaching Brewery and former Muskoka Brewing employee, passed away in 2015. His family have opened his dream brewery.
1815 XXXX PEACEMAKER
NATTERJACK TOAD
TRADITIONAL ALE
Year-round: B ABV IBU
84
6.5% N/A
1812 INDEPENDENCE ALE A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA Year-round: B ABV IBU
5.5% N/A
SPICED BELGIAN BLONDE Year-round: B ABV IBU
7.6% 24
SOOS’S JUICES AMERICAN-STYLE STRONG ALE
Year-round: B ABV IBU
9.7% 50
Expand YOUR PALATE
Publican House Brewery
JUST EAST OF TORONTO
Meet the Makers at TasteKN.ca
Pie Eyed Monk Brewery
Northumberland Hills Brewery
Kawa rt h as & NOr t h u m b er lan d 36
04
LINDSAY
06
7
01
28
03 05
7
CAMPBELLFORD
PETERBOROUGH
35 7a
115
28
N 02 07
3
401 2
COBOURG
BREWERIES 01 Church-Key 87 02 Northumberland Hills
03 Olde Stone
86
87 88
04 05 06 07
Pie Eyed Monk
88
Publican House
88
Smithavens
88
William Street
87
W
E
CAMPBELLFORD
COBOURG
NORTHUMBERLAND HILLS BREWERY
CHURCH-KEY BREWING
1678 County Road 38 ChurchKeyBrewing.com
1024 Division St., Unit 1 | NHB.beer
Founded in 2000 the brewery is situated in an 1878 Methodist Church on the outskirts of Campbellford, Ontario. They’re known widely as smoked-beer specialists.
Owner-brewer Rick Bailey was inspired to take his homebrewing to the professional level after watching the success of upstart 5 Paddles Brewing Co. Brewers helping brewers.
HOLY SMOKE
SUPER CONTINENTAL
P E AT- S M O K E D S C OT C H ALE Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
6.2% N/A
WEST COAST PALE ALE
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5.5% N/A
COBOURG
WILLIAM STREET BEER CO.
975 Elgin St. W. #4 | WilliamStreetBeer.com
PA L E A L E
PROJECT 22 DA R K L A G E R
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L
5.5% 20
ABV IBU
5% N/A
Brewer’s pantry home brewing supplies
& ingredients
Put your in craft beer
Cobourg’s first craft brewery is marking five years in the beer business with an anniversary extravaganza on April 27. HARDSCRABBLE WILLIAM IIPA STREET D O U B L E I PA PREMIUM PILS Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
7.7% 68
CZECH-STYLE LAGER Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
4.7% 34
We have everything you need to brew Beer, Wine & Cider in your home. 116 King St. W., Bowmanville
brewerspantry.com * 905-419-Brew (2739) 87
LINDSAY
PETERBOROUGH
PIE EYED MONK BREWERY
THE OLDE STONE BREWING CO.
8 Cambridge St. N. PieEyedMonkBrewery.com
380 George St. N. | OldeStone.ca
All the beer for Lindsay’s own brewpub is made in-house on their seven-barrel system. Find them in the historic C.L. Baker Building.
A tight rotation of house-made beers, generally in styles from the British Isles, power the drinks menu at Peterborough’s downtown pub.
DIRTY BIRD
OR DUBH STOUT
RY E A L E
LAUGHING TROLL LAGERED ALE
Year-round: B ABV IBU
6.5% 22.5
I R I S H D RY S TO U T
Year-round: B ABV IBU
5% 15
PETERBOROUGH
Year-round: B ABV IBU
5% N/A
RED FIFE WHEAT ALE
AMERICAN-STYLE W H E AT A L E Year-round: B ABV IBU
5.1% N/A
PETERBOROUGH
PUBLICAN HOUSE BREWERY
300 Charlotte St. | PublicanHouse.com
SMITHAVENS BREWING COMPANY
687 Rye St., Unit 6 | SmithavensBrewing.ca
Starting in January they had a year-round light lager as part of their lineup. Mark June 14-15 in your calendars for the 5th annual Kawarthas Craft Beer Festival.
German styles, especially wheats, predominate here. Popups like Ellie’s Taste of Texas get the taproom guests well fed.
PADDLER’S ALE
KELLERBIER
AMERICAN-STYLE W H E AT A L E
Year-round: B,LC ABV IBU
88
4.5% 14
LIGHT LAGER LIGHT LAGER
Year-round: B ABV IBU
4.5% 15
KELLERBIER
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5.2% 20
DUNKELWEIZEN D U N K E LW E I Z E N
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5.2% 12
Brothers 90 08 Midtown 94 09 Napanee 92 10 Parsons 93 11 Prince Eddy's 93 12 Riverhead 92 13 Signal 90 14 Spearhead 92 15 Stone City 92 16 Westport 94 17 Wild Card 94 18 Wolfe Island 94
07 MacKinnon
Mountain 90
BREWERIES 01 555 93 02 Barley Days 93 03 Gananoque 90 04 King's Town 91 05 Kingston 91 06 Lake on the
17
13
37
401
2
08
62
BELLEVILLE
62
7
09
33
NAPANEE
06
PICTON
02
01 10 11
49
41
05 15
KINGSTON 18
04 12 14
LAKE ONTARIO
07
38
2
15
03
42
W
N E
GANANOQUE
401
WESTPORT
16
Ki ngst o n & P EC
BATH
CORBYVILLE
MACKINNON BROTHERS BREWING
SIGNAL BREWING COMPANY
1915 County Road 22 MackinnonBrewing.com
86-87 River Rd. | Signal.beer
Ivan and Daniel added a farm-based brewery to the land their family has been cultivating for over two centuries. Note the new operating hours for their bottle shop.
This brewery raises a glass to its local history by brewing beer in the historical distillery district that was once a big enough employer to have the whole town named after them.
CROSSCUT CANADIAN ALE
RADIO TUBE
GOLDEN ALE
8 MAN
E N G L I S H - S T Y L E PA L E ALE
Availability: xx ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L,LC
00% 00
ABV IBU
5.8% 26
GANANOQUE
PILSNER
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
4.5% 30
WAVE
NEW ENGLAND-STYLE PA L E A L E Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
6.1 55
GLENORA
LAKE ON THE MOUNTAIN BREWERY
GANANOQUE BREWING COMPANY
9 King St. E. | GanBeer.com
11369 Loyalist Pkwy. LakeOnTheMountainBrewCo.com
The location makes this a popular spot for visitors to the 1,000 Islands and a bustling schedule of live music keeps the taproom full of local regulars, as well.
Appropriately for the area, this brewery is connected to a resort. Some of the hops used are grown on the property.
NAUGHTY OTTER
CREAM ALE
BELL RINGER
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
PA L E L A G E R
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
90
5.2% 24
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
6.5% 65
CREAM ALE
HOOK LINE & CITRA I.P.A
E N G L I S H - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5.5% 25
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5% 75
KINGSTON
KINGSTON
KINGSTON BREWING COMPANY
KING’S TOWN BEER CO.
675 Arlington Park Pl., Unit 3 KingsTownBeerCo.ca
34 Clarence St. | KingstonBrewing.ca
Approachable and sessionable are the names of the game for Kingston’s west side brewery. Look out for their growler card that offers the 11th fill for free.
A mainstay brewpub in downtown Kingston has been making their own beer for several years. Food menu leans to pub favourites.
KING’S TOWN ALE
DRAGON’S BREATH ORIGINAL
AMBER ALE
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5.6% 16
1840 STOUT AMERICAN-STYLE S TO U T
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
BEAU’S ALL NATURAL BREWING CO VANKLEEK HILL, ON
00% 00
WHITETAIL CREAM ALE
ENGLISH-STYLE BITTER Year-round: B ABV IBU
6% N/A
COWBELL BREWING CO BLYTH, ON
Year-round: B ABV IBU
5% N/A
JACK’S GASTROPUB KINGSVILLE, ON
GREAT LOCAL BEER DESERVES GREAT LOCAL FOOD. Find your next perfect pairing at one of these ® Feast On Certified breweries and pubs near you. BLUE ELEPHANT CRAFT BREWHOUSE NORFOLK COUNTY, ON
NORTHWINDS BREWHOUSE COLLINGWOOD, ON
FOR MORE LOCAL FOOD AND DRINK ADVENTURES, VISIT: ONTARIO CULINARY.COM GREAT LAKES BREWERY TORONTO, ON
THE PUBLICAN HOUSE PETERBOROUGH, ON
RHUBARB AT BOSHKUNG BREWING MINDEN, ON
91
KINGSTON
KINGSTON
RIVERHEAD BREWING CO.
SPEARHEAD BREWING
631 Fortune Cres. | RiverheadBrewing.com
675 Development Dr. | SpearheadBeer.com
The Kingston Tied House offers four mainstays brews plus an extensive menu and are, surely, the only brewery with a dedicated mascot— Brewster the beer-loving Sasquatch.
These guys really take the special events in the taproom seriously. Everything from open-mic storytelling to an in-brewery escape room.
TROPICAL IPA
SPEARHEAD SUMMER ALE
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
CANADIAN PALE ALE ENGLISH-STYLE PA L E A L E
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
Seasonal: B,L
6.1% 60
ABV IBU
5% 20
KINGSTON
C H A R D O N N AY S A I S O N Seasonal: B,L,LC ABV IBU
4.3% 13
SAM ROBERTS BAND ALE RED ALE
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
4.5% 33
NAPANEE
STONE CITY ALES
NAPANEE BEER COMPANY
275 Princess St. | StoneCityAles.com
450 Milligan Lane | NapaneeBeer.ca
If you’re into fruited sours, this is your spot in Kingston. As well as shipping across Ontario, their bottle shop also takes reservations for free local delivery and in-store pickup.
In 2017 the brewery won New Brewery of the Year at the Ontario Brewing Awards. Many of their special releases are snapped up quickly from their brewery store.
YACHT ROCK
BLACKLIST
GOSE
OAT M E A L S TO U T Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
92
SHIPS IN THE NIGHT
4.4% 8
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5.6% 25
EXTREMIST
BLACK LAGER
B E L G I A N - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B ABV IBU
5.3% 24
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
7.3% 68
PICTON
PICTON
BARLEY DAYS BREWERY
555 BREWING CO.
124 Picton Main St. | 555Beer.com
13730 Loyalist Parkway BarleyDaysBrewery.com
Drew Wollenberg’s beer and pizza from the wood-fired oven draw visitors to the “Triple Nickel” on Picton Main Street in PEC.
They’ve back away from the brief experiment with the buck-a-beer programme and are refocused on their core lineup.
FOOTPRINT
HARVEST GOLD
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA Year-round: B ABV IBU
7.2% 60
LONG BLACK C O F F E E B L A C K I PA
Year-round: B ABV IBU
5.6% 55
PICTON
E N G L I S H - S T Y L E PA L E ALE
WIND & SAIL DA R K A L E
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L,LC
4.8% 22
ABV IBU
5% 28
PICTON
PARSONS BREWING CO.
876 County Road 49 | ParsonsBrewing.com
PRINCE EDDY’S BREWING CO.
13 Macsteven Dr. | PrinceEddys.com
Escaping to PEC’s wine country? Parsons has become the must-visit in the County, especially for complex beer styles.
In addition to a taproom, tasting bar and brewery, Prince Eddy’s also offers a 1959 Chevy Suburban delivery vehicle and a beach volleyball court.
FULL SEND SMOOTHIE IPA
CHIN DROPPER
M I L K S H A K E I PA
Seasonal: B ABV IBU
7.5% 40
SUNKISSED
WINE-BEER HYBRID Seasonal: B ABV IBU
7.5% 18
BLONDE ALE
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
4.7% 20
HAZE BRIGADE NEW ENGLAND-STYLE I PA Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
5.5% 55 93
TRENTON
WELLINGTON
MIDTOWN BREWING CO.
WILDCARD BREWING CO.
38 Gotha St. | WildcardBrewCo.com
266 Wellington Main St. MidtownBrewingCompany.com
The Trenton brewery isn’t afraid to experiment with styles and ingredients. Stop in at their bottle shop or they’ll send their creative creations to you through the mail.
Midtown brings the upscale brewpub concept to PEC’s most charming town. They sponsor charity shinny and are an apres-ski hot spot.
ABSOLUTE MONARCHY (IRISH NOBILITY)
COUNTY KÖLSCH
4 SHADOW
E N G L I S H M I L K S TO U T
BA R R E L A G E D S TO U T Small-batch: B ABV IBU
Seasonal: B
11% 40
ABV IBU
4.8% 30
WESTPORT
DRY IRISH STOUT
KÖ L S C H
S TO U T
Year-round: B ABV IBU
4.8% N/A
Year-round: B ABV IBU
4.5% N/A
WOLFE ISLAND
WESTPORT BREWING CO.
WOLFE ISLAND SPRING CRAFT BREWERY
41B Main St. WestportBrewingCompany.ca
1570 County Road 96 | WolfeIsland.beer
The charming community known for its boating culture along the Rideau Canal system welcomed its first brewery in the fall of 2018. Will be a must for those dropping anchor.
Brewery attached to the Wolfe Island Grill. Their Cannonball is made by pitching a redhot cannonball into the brew.
LAKESIDE
CANNONBALL
BEAVER POND TRAIL
LAGER
B R OW N A L E Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
94
5.1% 22
Seasonal: B ABV IBU
5% 26
AMBER LAGER
Year-round: B,LC,TBS ABV IBU
5% N/A
OUT FOR A SIP BLONDE ALE
Year-round: B ABV IBU
4.5% N/A
Springs 100 07 Cassel 98 08 Crooked Mile 97 09 Étienne Brûlé 98 10 Halcyon 101 11 Humble Beginnings 100 12 Perth 101 13 Rurban 98 14 Square Timber 100 15 Stalwart 98 16 Tuque de Broue 99 17 Whitewater 99 18 Windmill 100
BREWERIES 01 4 Degrees 101 02 Ashton 97 03 Beau's 96 04 Braumeister 97 05 Calabogie 97 06 Cartwright
41
14
41
60
17
7
05
417
04 15
29
08 02
12
01
15 42
29
SMITH FALLS
15
416
Ottawa area map page 102.
OTTAWA
CARLETON PLACE
06
QUEBEC
18
31
401
EMBRUN
09 16
43
07
17
11
417
13
W
N E
CORNWALL
138
34
VANLEEK HILL
03 10
EAs t e rn O nta r i o
VANLEEK HILL
BEAU’S ALL NATURAL BREWING CO.
10 Terry Fox Dr. | Beaus.ca MON-SUN 10AM-6PM EST. 2006
In the National Capital Region for St. Patrick’s Day? Check out stpatricksparty.ca for the Beau’s take on green-coloured revelry.
ALTBIER
PAPER CHASE
Seasonal: B,L,LC
One-off: B,L,LC
AMBER LAGERED ALE
ABV
4.7%
IBU
B I R C H WO O D A L E
40
In some ways an amped-up version of Lugtread with more intense maltiness and hop presence.
96
ABV
5.6%
IBU
27
Locally foraged birch bark and aging on roasted birchwood contribute a one-two punch.
ALMONTE
BECKWITH
CROOKED MILE BREWERY
ASHTON BREWING COMPANY
453 Ottawa St., Unit 3 | CrookedMile.ca
113 Old Mill Rd. AshtonBrewingCompany.com
A small batch brewery that focuses on British ale styles. They serve snacks and guests are welcome to bring their own food to the taproom in Almonte.
The Hodgins family has a decades-long association with running a pub in the area. Lorne Hart makes the beer for their authentic British-style pub.
HIGHLAND HILLWALKER
RED RYE
S C OT T I S H E X P O RT A L E Year-round: B ABV IBU
4.4% 20
STANDING STONE
E N G L I S H - S T Y L E I PA Year-round: B ABV IBU
CREAM ALE
Year-round: B,L
6.2% 52
CALABOGIE
CREAM ALE
RY E B E E R
ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L
5.2% N/A
ABV IBU
5% 20
CARLETON PLACE
CALABOGIE BREWING CO.
BRAUMEISTER BREWING CO.
12612 Lanark Rd. | CalabogieBrewingCo.ca
19 Moore St. | Braumeister.ca
A fan favourite at festivals across Ontario. Even if you can’t make it Eastern Ontario, you’re likely to see Calabogie at lots of craft beer events closer to you.
In their first year, they’ve picked four German styles, with clean interpretations as their specialty. They’re building a fanbase with those keen on straight-ahead brews.
FRONT PORCH
ROUTE 21
KÖ L S C H
Seasonal: B,L,LC ABV IBU
4.7% 32
BROWN COW N I T R O M I L K S TO U T
Year-round: B,L,TBS ABV IBU
5.5% 25
BIERGARTEN BLONDE
MÄRZEN
HELLES Year-round: B ABV IBU
5.5% 22
Year-round: B ABV IBU
5% 20 97
CARLETON PLACE
CASSELMAN
STALWART BREWING CO.
CASSEL BREWERY
10 High St. | StalwartBrewing.ca
715C Principale Rue | CasselBrewery.ca
One of the best bootstrap stories in beer. From kitchen-based brewery, called Stockpot Ales, to now drawing folks into downtown Carleton Place for three years.
April 1 is the target date for the opening of their new brewpub. It will feature a roomier space for lineup of beer and food offerings.
THRILLER
CABOOSE
I M P E R I A L P O RT E R
DOS JEFES
I PA W I T H G R A P E F R U I T A N D VA N I L L A
Seasonal: B ABV IBU
Seasonal: B
7.8% 44
7% 61
ABV IBU
CORNWALL
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
6.4% 69
LAYOVER S E S S I O N I PA
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
3.8% 42
EMBRUN
RURBAN BREWING
412 Cumberland St. | RurbanBrewing.ca
ÉTIENNE BRÜLÉ BREWERY 893 Notre-Dame St. | EtienneBrule.ca
EST.
Combining the hard-to-pronounce words of rural and urban, Rurban encapsulates their hometown of Cornwall. Keep an eye on their social accounts for special events.
The brewery is perfectly located in a former firehall in the small Franco-community of Embrun. Like their namesake, the brewery explores new styles and ingredients.
VIENNA CALLING
CHERRY MILK STOUT
QUEENS OF HOP
VIENNA LAGER
I N D I A PA L E A L E
Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
98
00% 00
One-off: B,L ABV IBU
6.7% 57
M I L K S TO U T
Seasonal: B ABV IBU
6% 26
CAMPFIRE
S M O K E D H O N E Y B R OW N ALE Seasonal: B ABV IBU
4.5% 20
EMBRUN
FORESTERS FALLS
TUQUE DE BROUE BREWERY
WHITEWATER BREWING CO.
189 Bay St. | TuqueDeBroue.ca
22 Fletcher Rd. | WhitewaterBeer.ca
One of two breweries in Embrun, the “Tuque” is a well-poured beer’s head, which seals in all the best aromas and effervescence, to the benefit of the drinker.
The Lakeside location features a rotating calendar of events, from trivia nights to all-out beer dinners.
TUQUE DORÉE CANADIAN PALE ALE CREAM ALE Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
4.5% 17
HOPS AND BROS
CLASS V
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
HARVEST ALE
Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
5.6% 38
MIDNIGHT STOUT S TO U T
Year-round: B ABV IBU
Year-round: B
5.5% 72
ABV IBU
4.5% 30
BREW BETTER BEER WITH US We supply fresh ingredients and homebrew supplies to discerning home brewers.
Ingredient kits from
1999
$
VISIT US: 99 Rue Crémazie, Gatineau, QC SHOP ONLINE: beergrains.com QUESTIONS? CALL US: 1-888-675-6407 99
INGLESIDE
JOHNSTOWN
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS BREWING CO.
WINDMILL BREWERY
25 Thorold Ln. HumbleBeginningsBrewing.ca
5 Newport Dr. | WindmillBrewery.ca
A quaint and sun-filled space is what Humble Beginnings offers as a refuge from the weather. New things coming for this rookie brewery.
A family-run brewery operated by Sean and Amanda Lucey, with a focus on approachable, easy-drinking styles.
MAD CANADIAN
1838 PILSNER
FOURTH AND OAK
KÖ L S C H
OAT M E A L S TO U T
Year-round: B ABV IBU
Seasonal: B
5.2% 23
ABV IBU
5% 30
PAKENHAM
PILSNER
BARRACKS BLACK DA R K L A G E R
Year-round: B ABV IBU
Seasonal: B
5% N/A
ABV IBU
4.5% N/A
PEMBROKE
SQUARE TIMBER BREWING CO.
CARTWRIGHT SPRINGS BREWERY
239 Deer Run Rd. | CSBeer.ca
800 Woito Station Rd. | SquareTimber.com
Andre Rieux’s Pakenham paradise is worth the drive - his enthusiastic tours are coupled with inventive brews and innovative brewery technologies.
Recently collaborated with local bakery Wilkies to make two spent-grain breads made the byproduct of their Pembroke Pils.
SPRUCE TIP IPA
PEMBROKE PILS
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
100
5.1% 40
I’D TAP THAT PILSNER PILSNER
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
4.8% 11
BOHEMIAN-STYLE PILSNER Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
4.5% 36
DEACON SEAT HEFEWEIZEN
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
4.2% 15
PERTH
SMITHS FALLS
PERTH BREWERY
4 DEGREES BREWING CO.
121 Dufferin St. | PerthBrewery.ca
275 Brockville St. | 4DegreesBrewing.com
A family operation that has a strong local fan base in Perth. Their beers also make it into bars and restaurants across Eastern Ontario.
When the community mall faltered, this Smiths Falls brewery stepped up and moved into the space, helping bring new life to the town’s centre.
BONFIRE BLACK LAGER
LIVIN’ NORTH OF 7
S C H WA R Z B I E R
CALYPSO IPA
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L
4.9% 20
ABV IBU
4.8% 42
VANLEEK HILL
HALCYON BARREL HOUSE
10 Terry Fox Dr. | Halcyon.beer
HELLES-STYLE LAGER Year-round: B ABV IBU
5% 18
HILL 70
BELGIAN-STYLE BLONDE Year-round: B ABV IBU
7% 20
Celebrating Ontario Wine Culture COMING THIS SPRING!
May 25 marks the second anniversary for one of Ontario’s most innovative breweries with some of the province’s top sour options. ECHO CHAMBER
O R G A N I C D RY- H O P P E D SOUR Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
4.8% N/A
CURSE OF KNOWLEDGE
Watch for our inaugural issue— available late April at local restaurants, wine bars, wineries and online at vitis.ca.
O R G A N I C FA R M H O U S E SAISON Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5.8% 24
Find us at: vitis.ca • @vitisontario 101
BREWERIES
(Gloucester) 103 04 Big Rig 103 (Kanata) 05 Big Rig 103 (Ottawa) 06 Broadhead 104 07 Clocktower 104 08 Covered Bridge 107 09 Dominion City 104 10 Flora Hall 105 11 Kichesippi 105 12 Lowertown 105 13 Nita Beer 106 14 Overflow 106 15 Ridge Rock 106 16 Small Pony 103 17 Stray Dog 103 18 Tooth and Nail 106 19 Vimy 107 20 Waller Street 107 21 Whiprsnapr 107
01 Beyond the Pale 103 02 Bicycle 104 03 Big Rig
15
04 16
W
E
08
417 36
38
148
21
QUEB E C
416
05
32
36
16
01 18 19 07 10
12 20
13
OTTAWA
50
NEPEAN 06
11
5
14
19
79
02
74
03
417
174
09
S NK BA
49
KANATA
N
17
Ottawa
T.
KANATA
KANATA
SMALL PONY BARREL WORKS
BIG RIG BREWERY
101 Schneider Rd. SmallPonyBarrelWorks.com
103 Schneider Rd. | BigRigBrewery.com
Brew Doneky’s Western Libations Express stops in here on Feb 24 as part of a three-brewery tour. This is the only brewery in Canada whose output is 100% barrel-aged sours.
To their Ottawa area locations, they’ve their own hop yard at the Phillips Farm in Manotick, ON. The plan is to put 100% of the crop of specialty hops into their beers.
HALF REMEMBERED DREAM
CANADIAN AMBER
BA R R E L A G E D S O U R Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
MARES IN A JAM
AMERICAN WILD ALE
ABV IBU
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
AMBER ALE
Year-round: B,L
Year-round: B,L
5% N/A
ALPHA BOMB
7.7% N/A
ABV IBU
ORLEANS
Year-round: B,L,LC
5.2% 18
ABV IBU
00% 00
OTTAWA
STRAY DOG BREWING CO.
BEYOND THE PALE BREWING
501 Lacolle Way, Unit 4 | StrayDogBrewing.ca
250 City Centre Ave., Bay 108 BTPShop.ca
Located in a suburban industrial park, the brewery has become a community hub for Orleans. Regular events include stand-up comedy, live music and burlesques shows.
Launching a special saison on March 8 for International Women’s Day; profits to charity. They also have a new kitchen—complete with smoker—as part of ongoing expansion plans.
THIS ONE
CLEAN CUT
CALIFORNIA COMMON Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5.2% 35
SHAGGIN WAGON
KÖ L S C H
I PA
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
6.4% 55
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
4.8% N/A
PINK FUZZ
G R A P E F R U I T W H E AT BEER Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
6% N/A 103
OTTAWA
OTTAWA
BICYCLE CRAFT BREWERY
BROADHEAD BREWING CO.
850 Industrial Ave., Unit 12 BicycleCraftBrewery.ca
81 Auriga Dr. | BroadheadBeer.com
The brewery is well-named, as the bicycle represents owners Laura & Fariborz’s vision for their business—simple, traditional, and down to earth.
This Ottawa favourite is on tap at many finer pubs across the province. It’s worth visiting their production location for an even wider view of their beer selection.
ON THE LAM
DARK HORSE
NEW ENGLAND-STYLE I PA
FREQUENCY
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L,LC
6.6% 56
ABV IBU
5.4% 25
OTTAWA
OAT M E A L S TO U T
BLUEPRINT
B L U E B E R RY B L O N D E ALE
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS
5.5% 26
5% 12
ABV IBU
OTTAWA
DOMINION CITY BREWING CO.
CLOCKTOWER BREWPUB
575 Bank St. | Clocktower.ca
5510 Canotek Rd., Unit 15 | DominionCity.ca
In business for over two decades, Clocktower is the senior statesman of Ottawa craft beer. They have six locations, Rideau is the newest, in addition to their HQ in the Glebe.
The pride of Beacon Hill, these Canadianaloving hosers brew some of the best hazy IPAs in the country. The team is committed to supporting their community.
RASPBERRY WHEAT
SUNSPLIT
F L AV O U R E D W H E AT Year-round: B,LC,TBS ABV IBU
104
4.4% 18
PUMPKIN PUMPKIN
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
Seasonal: B,TBS ABV IBU
5% 20
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
6.5% N/A
PAPER SALESMAN
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
5.6% N/A
OTTAWA
OTTAWA
FLORA HALL BREWING
KICHESIPPI BEER CO.
37 Flora St. | FloraHallBrewing.ca
866 Campbell Ave. | KBeer.ca
With various spaces in the one building, Flora Hall is suited for lots of different occasions. Conveniently located, just off Bank Street, near some of Ottawa’s most interesting restaurants.
The new taproom at 2265 Robertson Rd. will have 80 seats and 16 draught taps. Plans are for a 100+-seat beer garden by early summer.
MACCHIATO BROWN ALE
HELLER HIGH WATER
C O F F E E B R OW N A L E Seasonal: B ABV IBU
6.7% N/A
ENGLISH ORDINARY BITTER
ENGLISH-STYLE BITTER Year-round: B ABV IBU
3.5% 30
OTTAWA
HELLES
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
4.9% 18
STONY MONDAY
W E S T C OA S T- S T Y L E I PA Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
6.4% 64
Get dressed!
LOWERTOWN BREWERY
Look as good as the beer you drink.
73 York St. | LowertownBrewery.ca
This Byward Market standby makes great beer but also focuses on food (including from their smoker) and events in their York St space. TIMBER SLIDE IPA I N D I A PA L E A L E
Year-round: B ABV IBU
5.8% 56
DARK LAGER DA R K L A G E R
Year-round: B ABV IBU
4.9% 16
shop growler merch at thegrowler.ca subscriptions • t-shirts • hats • & more 105
OTTAWA
OTTAWA
OVERFLOW BREWING CO.
NITA BEER CO.
190 Colonnade Rd., Unit 17 | NitaBeer.com
2477 Kaladar Ave. | OverflowBeer.com
February 9 was Nita’s big anniversary party featuring live music, food by Shorty’s Sandwiches and the re-release of Chauncey, their English-style IPA.
Their freshly opened taproom is home for their truly impressive commitment to live music and acting as a community clubhouse.
PERFECTUM
REARVIEW
S TO U T
BRUT IPA B R U T I PA
Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
Seasonal: B,L
5% 50
ABV IBU
LANDLOCKED
PILSNER
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B,L
Year-round: B,L
6.7% 70
OTTAWA
OTTAWA
RIDGE ROCK BREWING CO.
TOOTH AND NAIL BREWERY
421 Donald B. Munro Dr. RidgeRockBrewCo.ca
3 Irving Ave. | ToothAndNailBeer.com
Carp’s easy-going brewpub features a focused food menu to go with their equally tight lineup of beers. Sundays are open mic night.
From hazy IPAs to their flagship pilsner, they have a very deep lineup of rock-solid beers. Visit the Hintonburg brewery to find what the latest rotation into the lineup is.
AMERICAN PALE ALE
VIM & VIGOR
BLONDE
A M E R I C A N PA L E A L E Year-round: B ABV IBU
106
5% N/A
BLONDE ALE
PILSNER
Year-round: B ABV IBU
5% N/A
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5.2% N/A
FORTIFIED
I M P E R I A L S TO U T Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
9.5% N/A
OTTAWA
OTTAWA
VIMY BREWING COMPANY
WALLER STREET BREWING
145 Loretta Ave. N., Unit 1 VimyBrewing.ca
14 Waller St. | WallerSt.ca
The Sirko brothers travelled the world with the Navy, discovering new beers and flavours in their travels. Their brewery celebrates Canada and its accomplishments.
This brewery in the basement of a heritage building takes fundraising seriously. Under their Flights for Hope programme, you get 5 X 4 oz. samples for $12e and $2 goes to charity.
VIMY CREAM ALE
MOONLIGHT PORTER
CREAM ALE
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5% 15
VIMY WHEAT HEFEWEIZEN
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5% 10
OTTAWA
AMERICAN-STYLE P O RT E R Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
KNOCK, KNOCK B R U T I PA
Year-round: B,L
6.3% 50
ABV IBU
7.7% 80
STITTSVILLE
WHIPRSNAPR BREWING CO.
COVERED BRIDGE BREWING
14 Bexley Pl. | WhiprsnaprBrewingCo.com
119 Iber Rd., Unit 6 CoveredBridgeBrewing.com
The taproom and bottle shop at Whiprsnapr has become a community hub for the Bells Corners neighbourhood. Outside food is welcome.
Look for ice cream, made with their beer, in the bottle shop as a complement to their deep and varied bottle and can list.
INUKSHUK CANADIAN IPA
HASHTAG SOULMATES
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B,TBS ABV IBU
5.5% 55
ROOT OF EVIL LIGHT LAGER
M I L K S TO U T
Year-round: B,TBS ABV IBU
4.5% 30
Seasonal: B ABV IBU
7.4% 24
LUMBERSEXUAL S E S S I O N I PA
Year-round: B ABV IBU
3.5% 27 107
BREWERIES
Highlands 111 07 Highlander 112 08 Lake of Bays (Baysville) 111 09 Lake of Bays (Huntsville) 111 10 Muskoka 111 11 Norse 111 12 Redline 110 13 Sawdust City 109 14 Trestle 112
01 Bancroft 110 02 Barnstormer 110 03 Boshkung 112 04 Clear Lake 112 05 Flying Monkeys 110 06 Haliburton
10
4
Collingwood Bruce Manitoulin map page113. xx. page
26
LAKE HURON
400
11 14
124
92
PARRY SOUND
522
13
08
02 05 12
BARRIE
400 11
117
10
12
118
BAYSVILLE
09
GRAVENHURST
04
141
11
SOUTH RIVER
07
35
60
03
Northumberland map xx. page 86.
36 Kawarthas &
49
06
28
W
7
N E
62
BANCROFT
01
Mus ko k a & L a k e S i m c o e
GRAVENHURST
SAWDUST CITY BREWING CO.
397 Muskoka Rd. N. | SawdustCityBrewing.com MON-FRI 12PM-11PM ^ SAT-SUN 11AM-11PM EST. 2011 A new beer released every week as part of 52 Pick Up theme. Their award-winning Funkfest returns in June. Retail store 9-11 daily.
CORIOLIS EFFECT
GOLDEN BEACH
Year-round: B,L,LC
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS
KETTLE SOUR
ABV
3.5%
IBU
H A Z Y PA L E A L E
6
This collab with the team at Bar Hop is a trad take on Berliner weisse made with Ontario lacto.
ABV
4.5%
IBU
25
Wait out the weeks until summer with this bright pale ale full of lemon and cut-grass notes.
Use promo code GROW LER for free shippi ng on orders $50+. (offer availab le un May 31, 2019 til )
52 PICK UP To celebrate 5 years of brewing in Gravenhurst we're releasing 52 beers in 2019—one every single week. Don't miss a release! Shop our online store or visit the brewery, open 7 days a week. sawdustcitybrewing.com 109
BANCROFT
BARRIE
3-384 Yonge St. | BarnstormerBrewing.com
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4 Hastings St. N. | BancroftBrewing.ca
BARNSTORMER BREWING & DISTILLING CO.
--
--
BANCROFT BREWING CO.
--
Small-batch brewery with a dedication to local. Their beer is made from mineral-rich water at their location on the Canadian Shield.
The plan is to open a new production facility this spring, including a taproom and retail store. Monday is the day to visit for discounted growler fills on core beers.
PROSPECTOR’S ALE
400 BLONDE ALE
E N G L I S H - S T Y L E I PA
BLACK QUARTZ DA R K A L E
Year-round: B ABV IBU
BLONDE ALE Year-round: B
5.1% 20
ABV IBU
5.5% 29
BARRIE
FLIGHT DELAY
W E S T C OA S T- S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B,L,TBS ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS
4.5% 15
ABV IBU
6.5% 85
BARRIE
FLYING MONKEYS CRAFT BREWERY
REDLINE BREWHOUSE
107 Dunlop St. E. | FlyingMonkeys.ca
8 & 9-431 Bayview Dr. | RedlineBrewhouse.com
One of the most established craft breweries in Ontario, they’ve become quite the ambassador for the province—their beer is exported to 22 different countries.
Barrie’s newest brewery has joined the growing list of Ontario breweries with an online store. There you’ll find several selections from their auto-themed range.
SPARKLEPUFF
CLUTCH
T R I P L E I PA
Seasonal: B,L ABV 10.2% IBU 30
110
INVICTUS, 2016 B O U R B O N - BA R REL-AGED RUSSIAN I M P E R I A L S TO U T Seasonal: B,L
ABV 18.4% IBU 30
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
4.8% 42
DOUBLE CLUTCH D O U B L E I PA
Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
8.1% 83
BRACEBRIDGE
BAYSVILLE
MUSKOKA BREWERY
LAKE OF BAYS BREWING CO.
1964 Muskoka Beach Rd. | MuskokaBrewery.com
117-2681 Muskoka District Rd. | LakeOfBaysBrewing.ca
Their recently expanded space means more community events like Hullabaloo on Feb 16. Also a great place to check out their new-everymonth Moonlight Kettle series.
Longtime cottage-country brewery now with two locations. In 2018, they added the Huntsville Brewhouse at 59 Main St. E. Their home base is in Baysville.
BLACK RASPBERRY THUNDER
STARBOARD
EBB & FLOW SESSION SOUR
M I L K S H A K E I PA One-off: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS
6% 18
ABV IBU
2.4% 5
CARLING
NEW ENGLAND-STYLE I PA
PADDLE ON S E S S I O N I PA
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS
5.4% 40
ABV IBU
4.5% 40
HALIBURTON
HALIBURTON HIGHLANDS BREWING
NORSE BREWERY
11 Ritchie Dr. | NorseBrewery.com
1067 Garden Gate Drive | HaliburtonHighlandsBrewing.ca
This Parry Sound brewery has a tight lineup of beers in straightforward styles. They sell online for those not in their neck of the woods.
In the middle of 300 beautiful acres at the Abbey Gardens they host outdoor activities all year. Food offerings will expand this summer on the patio.
DARK ALE
HONEY BROWN ALE
GOLDEN ALE
DA R K A L E
GOLDEN
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
3.9% N/A
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5% N/A
AMERICAN-STYLE B R OW N A L E W / H O N E Y Year-round: B,LC ABV IBU
5% 27
COFFEE PORTER
P O RT E R W / H O U S E R OA S T E D C O F F E E Year-round: B,L,TBS ABV IBU
5.5% 30 111
MINDEN HILLS
PARRY SOUND
BOSHKUNG BREWING CO.
TRESTLE BREWING CO.
9201 ON-118 | BoshkungBrewing.com
9 Great North Rd. | TrestleBrewing.com
This year will see a brewery added to their Water Street location. That means more beer for patrons of the handsome, cottage-country spot.
A pleasant combination of craft beer, paired food and a stunning view of the CPR bridge where the Seguin River flows into Parry Sound harbour.
CAMPFIRE RYE
BRAG LOAD
S M O K E D RY E A L E
Seasonal: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5.5% 20
KING KUNG I M P E R I A L S TO U T
Seasonal: B ABV IBU
7.5% 30
SOUTH RIVER
I M P E R I A L S TO U T W / C O F F E E A N D VA N I L L A Seasonal: B ABV IBU
9% 47
GOLDEN ALE LAGERED ALE
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5% 22
TORRANCE
HIGHLANDER BREW CO.
CLEAR LAKE BREWING CO.
309B Hwy. 124 | HighlanderBrewCo.com
4651 Southwood Rd. | ClearLakeBrewing.co
Turning the big 1-0 this year, they picked up OBA medals, including for their porter and British-style pale ale. Online ordering available to bring South River to you.
In the heart of cottage country—and with the branding to match—this Mukoka newcomer focuses on brewing classic craft styles.
SCOTTISH ALE
SESSION ALE
S C OT T I S H A L E
Year-round: B,LC ABV IBU
112
5.4% 34
BLACKSMITH S M O K E D P O RT E R
Year-round: B,LC ABV IBU
6.5% 27
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
4.8% 21
AMERICAN IPA A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
6.3% N/A
C ol lingw o o d, Br u c e & M an i t o u li n BREWERIES 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09
Collingwood Kilannan Manitoulin Northwinds Outlaw Side Launch Split Rail Thornbury Tobermory
6 113 116 116 114 116 114 115 114 116
03
07
LITTLE CURRENT
09
TOBERMORY
LAKE HURON
6
N W
E
05
02
21
08
01 04 06
COLLINGWOOD 6
COLLINGWOOD
COLLINGWOOD BREWERY
10 Sandford Fleming Dr. | TheCollingwordBrewery.com
Downhill pale ale, their flagship, was Chris Freeman’s final project beer when he was a student in the inaugural brewing class at Niagara College. DOWNHILL
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
5.4% 33
WHITE’S BAY I N D I A PA L E A L E
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
6.1% 45 113
COLLINGWOOD
COLLINGWOOD
NORTHWINDS BREWHOUSE
SIDE LAUNCH BREWING CO.
499 First St. | NorthwindsBrewery.com
1-200 Mountain Rd. | SideLaunchBrewing.com
A must-visit in Collingwood with a strong emphasis on food as well as the beer. A skicountry favourite since they opened in 2014.
Homebase for Michael Hancock, one of the pillars of the Ontario craft beer community. They won brewery-of-the-year honours from the CBAs in 2016.
ROOSTER TAIL
MOUNTAIN LAGER
AMERICAN-STYLE W H E AT A L E
RAINMAKER
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L
4.9% 27
ABV IBU
6.9% 67
WHEAT
HEFEWEIZEN
HELLES
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
4.7% 27
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5.3% 10
COLLINGWOOD
THORNBURY VILLAGE CIDERY & BREWHOUSE
90 King St E. | ThornburyCraft.com
LADDER RUN ALC/VOL 4.8% IBU 25 Pop into the taproom, a short drive from the ski hill, for an après-ski flight of beer, cider or wine. It’s been a few years since the rebrand, but you might know them as King. BLUE MOUNTAIN
PICKUP NO 26 PILSNER
LIGHT LAGER
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
114
4% 12
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
4.8% 40
Crafted with Vienna malt and noble hops. The palate is smooth and creamy and finishes with an amazing toffee-malt flavour, and nice, dry crispness.
Enjoy a tasting flight of craft beer, fill a growler or howler, tip back a pint, or just pick up some cans and bottles to go!
Come visit us 90 KING ST. E., THORNBURY
Sun-Thurs 11am-6pm | Fri+Sat 11am-8pm
THORNBURYCRAFT.COM
GORE BAY
LOVE CRAFT?
SPLIT RAIL BREWING CO
31 Water St. | SplitRailManitoulin.com
Keep up on your local beer news & seasonal listings.
Founded by Andrea Smith and Eleanor Charlton on Manitoulin Island after a succeful Kickstarter campaign. Their home is the largest freshwater island in the world. HAWBERRY ALE
Year-round: B ABV IBU
5.1% 17
AMBER
AMBER ALE Year-round: B,TBS ABV IBU
5% 16
SUBSCRIBE NOW at on.thegrowler.ca/subscribe
115
LITTLE CURRENT
OWEN SOUND
MANITOULIN BREWING CO.
KILANNAN BREWING CO.
43 Manitowaning Rd | ManitoulinBrewing.co
103015 Grey Rd. 18 | KilannanBrewing.ca
Started by three friends with a passion for representing North Ontario through their beer. Full selection in their online store.
Owner Spencer Wareham, who got his brewing training in Germany and Chicago, is one of Ontario’s youngest brewery owners at 25.
BRIDAL VEIL
ALTBIER
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E PA L E ALE
SWING BRIDGE BLONDE ALE
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L,LC
5% 40
ABV IBU
5% 20
SOUTHHAMPTON
KÖLSCH
A LT B I E R
KÖ L S C H
Yea-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L,LC
5.2% 29
ABV IBU
5% 25
TOBERMORY
OUTLAW BREW CO.
TOBERMORY BREWING CO.
196 High St. | OutlawBrewCo.com
28 Bay St. | TobermoryBrewingCo.ca
Their historic home, on the shore of Lake Huron, was the Southampton Hotel in a former life. Strong pillar of the community.
A prime location offers a harbour view in Tobermory. Their restaurant balances the beer focus with upscale dining options.
21 LAGERED ALE
BRUCE TRAIL
AMERICAN-STYLE LIGHT LAGER Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
116
4.8% N/A
BRONCO PA L E A L E
BLONDE ALE
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5.6% 30
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
5% 25
FATHOM FIVE P O RT E R
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
4.5% 25
09 10 11 12
07 07
01 02 03 04 05 06
120 121 122 121 121
118 120
120 122 122 122 120
BREWERIES
Big Water Compass Dawson Trail Full Beard Gateway City Lake of the Woods New Ontario Northern Superior Outspoken Sleeping Giant Spacecraft Stack
KENORA
06
W
N
E
11
17
LAKE SUPERIOR
THUNDER BAY
03 10
08 09
SAULT STE. MARIE
17
11
17
101
11 12
6
400
SUDBURY
144
TIMMINS
02 04
01 05 07
NORTH BAY
11
JAMES BAY
N or t h e rn & No r t h wes t On tar i o
KENORA
LAKE OF THE WOODS BREWING CO.
350 2nd St. S. | lowbrewco.com
SUN-WED 11AM-11PM ^ THU 11AM-12AM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-1AM EST. 2013 Ontario’s northernmost brewery is named for the source of an essential ingredient: their water. A pillar of the community, they’ve supported everything from a new arts centre to tree planting.
LAKESIDE
FORGOTTEN LAKE
KÖ L S C H
B L U E B E R RY A L E
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV
5%
IBU
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS
6
A balanced lagered ale whose subtlety qualifies it as an all-year-round session beer.
FIREHOUSE
E N G L I S H - S T Y L E N U T B R OW N A L E Year-round: B,L,TBS ABV
4.8%
IBU
ABV
7.1%
IBU
13
Strong fan favourite with balance and blueberry-patch aroma. Hides alcohol well.
SULTANA GOLD
AMERICAN-STYLE BLONDE ALE Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS
28
The roasty caramel notes are obvious from the get-go. Malt leaning with a slightly dry finish.
ABV
5%
IBU
15
A malt-heavy take on the style with toasted bread and biscuit notes leading to a sweet close.
What Makes our Beer Unique? Brewing beer on the shores of Lake of the Woods was no accident. Its water is perfect for brewing beer, and since beer is over 90% water, it’s a pretty darn important ingredient. The low mineral content and softness of Lake of the Woods water is one of the things that makes our beer stand out in a crowd of many. 118
Our FlaGship has a few friends
FIND SULTANA GOLD & PALS AT SELECT LCBO, BEER STORES AND PUBS ACROSS ONTARIO. LAKE OF THE WOODS BREWING COMPANY | #MAKEITLAKETIME
NORTH BAY
NORTH BAY
BIG WATER BREWING CO.
123 McIntyre St. W. Facebook.com/BigWaterBrewing
GATEWAY CITY BREWERY
600-612 Gormanville Rd., Unit 206 GatewayCity.ca
A small-batch brewery in downtown North Bay, Big Water aims to put their spin on a range of classic craft beer styles.
A shiny, new brewery with four core beers. Glasses and flights in the taproom also feature pilot batches and seasonal beers are on the short-term horizon.
ALTBIER
503
KÖLSCH
A LT B I E R
KÖ L S C H
Year-round: B ABV IBU
5.2% N/A
DA R K RY E L A G E R
Year-round: B ABV IBU
5.2% N/A
NORTH BAY
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
11.17
S E S S I O N I PA Year-round: B,L
5.1% 30
ABV IBU
4.5% 40
SAULT STE. MARIE
NEW ONTARIO BREWING CO.
1881 Cassells St. | NewOntarioBrewing.com
NORTHERN SUPERIOR BREWING CO.
50 Pim St. | NorthernSuperior.org
The popular local in North Bay has both year-round standbys and a rotating selection of seasonal brews. Most of them have cheeky names like Clothing Optional Session IPA.
They wear the historical connections to Dorran’s Northern Breweries and the long track record of brewing in The Soo on their sleeve.
BEAR RUNNER
17 NORTH PALE ALE
BLONDE ALE
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
120
4.5% 15
TREE TOPPER AMERICAN-STYLE AMBER
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
5.2% 45
U N F I LT E R E D W H E AT A L E Year-round: B ABV IBU
5.2% 50
NORTHERN RED MAPLE PREMIUM LAGER LAGER W/MAPLE SYRUP Year-round: B ABV IBU
4.5% 34
SAULT STE. MARIE
SUDBURY
OUTSPOKEN BREWING
350 Queen St. E. | OutspokenBrewing.com
SPACECRAFT BREWERY
854 Notre Dame Ave. | Facebook.com/Spcrft
The Soo has a long history of brewing, but OutSpoken was the first modern craft brewery to launch there. Look for a new pale ale brewed with locally grown hops.
Sudbury’s newest brewery cuts their intergalactic theme with a balance between hop-forward beers and a brewpub menu.
DEADFALL
GOLDEN RATIO
MAPLE BREAKFAST STOUT
LAGERED ALE
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
RIESLING IPA I PA W I T H R I E S L I N G
S TO U T Year-round: B
Seasonal: B
ABV 5.75% IBU 21
ABV IBU
4.5% 18
Year-round: B ABV IBU
Year-round: B
7% 55
ABV IBU
7% N/A
SUDBURY
STACK BREWING
1350 Kelly Lake Rd. | StackBrewing.ca
If all goes to plan, March will bring a second location for this stalwart—a brewpub. Look for a full food menu including smoked meat and dishes prepared with beer ingredients. EXPANSION S O U R I PA
Seasonal: B,L ABV IBU
6.5% 44
PANACHE S E S S I O N I PA
Year-round: B,L,LC ABV IBU
Follow us! @THEGROWLERON
4.5% 30 121
THUNDER BAY
THUNDER BAY
DAWSON TRAIL CRAFT BREWERY
SLEEPING GIANT BREWING CO.
905 Copper Cres. | DawsonTrailCraftBrewery.com
712 Macdonell St. | SleepingGiantBrewing.ca
Their name is a historical ode to the settlers’ route to the prairies. In pioneer spirit, they brew all of their output on an oversized homebrew system.
This Thunder Bay mainstay has one of the longest tap lists serving their popular (especially on weekends) brewery. Plus an equally deep fridge in the bottle shop.
BORDER RUN
NORTHERN LOGGER
CREAM ALE
BAE’S HAZE
A M E R I C A N - S T Y L E I PA
Year-round: B,L ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L
5% 17
ABV IBU
6.2% 45
TIMMINS
GOLDEN ALE
MR. CANOEHEAD HOPPY RED ALE
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS ABV IBU
Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS
4.9% 17
ABV IBU
5.1% 45
TIMMINS
COMPASS BREWING
FULL BEARD BREWING CO.
20-1300 Riverside Dr. | CompassBrewing.com
219 Wilson Ave. | FullBeardBrewing.com
This Timmins brewery fills their eye-catching cans with a wide range of styles and their taproom with everything from live music to beer-pairing dinners.
Eclectic events in their space include terrariummaking and yoga classes. Currently seeking investors for their plans to expand to Ottawa.
JOHNNY JONES AMBER ALE
Year-round: B ABV IBU
122
5% 19
POLAR DAY S E S S I O N I PA
Year-round: B ABV IBU
4.5% 50
BOURBON BARREL BROWN
SLIPPERY SLOPE
B R OW N A L E Small-batch: B ABV IBU
N/A N/A
PA L E A L E
One-off: B ABV IBU
4.6% 32
MONTHLY ROTATING CASK DRAUGHT
KITCHEN OPEN TIL 2AM
154 Queen St W | @donnellygroup
@ D O N N E L LYG R O U P
D O N N E L LY G R O U P. C A