The Growler Ontario • Volume 2 Issue 4 • Winter 2019

PUBLISHER

Gail Nugent gnugent@thegrowler.ca

EDITOR

David Ort david@thegrowler.ca

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Crystal Luxmore

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Ted Child

Jordan Du

Ben Johnson

PRODUCTION & DESIGN MANAGER

Tara Ra q tara@thegrowler.ca

PHOTOGRAPHY

David Ort

COVER ILLUSTRATION

Marcus Hynes

SOCIAL MEDIA

David Ort

ADVERTISING

Matthew Laing-Gibbard matthew@thegrowler.ca

Krysta Frederick krysta@thegrowler.ca

DISTRIBUTION

Craig Sweetman (Newsstand)

SUBSCRIPTIONS on.thegrowler.ca/subscribe

© e Growler 2019

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. Every e ort is made to avoid errors and omissions. If you notice an error, please accept our apologies and notify us. Published by Glacier Media Group

Beer festivals have slowed to a trickle and patios have closed for the season. is is the time of year when amateurs scurry back to their red wine and mulled cider while the enthusiasts are left to enjoy the elbow room at the pub. Ontario craft beer has grown immensely in ten years and now is a great time for re ection. Jordan St. John has a look at how the evolving versions of IPA are apt signposts for what we drink (pg. 11).

We’ll soon be in the midst of the holiday-party season and I think there’s no food more festive than oysters. We have a recipe for the perfect spread (pg. 24) and also a critical look at holiday entertaining by Ben Johnson (pg. 4).

Once the dust settles, many of us will want to check our consumption with a dry January. Crystal Luxmore nds out about everything from support resources to non-alcoholic beer (pg. 21) and how this can be more than just a 31-day struggle.

rough our Brewer vs. Brewer column (pg. 8) I hear a lot about the friction between contract brewers and those who own their own facility. is issue, several of the new listings in our directory (pg. 26) belong to long-time contract brewers who took over existing breweries. If you can’t beat ’em sell to ’em?

As you gather with family and friends this winter, join us in raising a glass to the ambitious and interesting beers Ontario craft brewers are creating!

—David Ort, editor

G ROWLER-APPROVED BADGE

Keep an eye out for our 10 favourite beers this fall!

Brewery Details

GROWLER F I LL S

BO TTLES / CANS

B EER F OR SA LE ON L INE

TAS T ING ROOM

O N-SI T E KI TCHEN OR FOOD T RUCK

T OURS

DOG-FRIEND LY

GL UT EN- F REE BOO ZE O PTIONS

Availability

B – brewery taproom

L – licensed establishments, pubs, bars and restaurants

LC – LCBO

TBS – e Beer Store

Suggested Glassware

STANGE

Kolsch Alt

Gose

PIL SNER

Lager

Pilsner

Witbier

N ONI C PIN T

Pale ale

Stout and porter

Most ales, actually

W EI Z EN

Hefeweizen

Weizenbock

American wheat

TULIP

Saison

Double IPA

Strong ales

GOBL ET

Dubbel

Belgian strong Tripel

SNIFTER

Barley wine Quad

Anything funky

Hopsholidays for the holidays

Holiday hoarding:

How to channel your inner Scrooge this festive season

by Ben Johsnon

The older I get, the more I enjoy hosting parties as opposed to attending them.

e main reasons I prefer a shindig at my house are twofold: First, I can just wear my slippers. Perhaps it’s yet another symptom of progressing age but I’ve realized recently that the tedious task of putting on actual footwear can often feel like the worst part about being an adult human. Bending over? Tying things? No thanks. Having people to my house means I can keep my feet where they prefer to be: In deerskin, moccasin-style slip-ons.

Second, hosting the party at my house means that I am a orded access to all my preferred intoxicants and victuals. I’ll be honest, I can be a little bit snobby when it comes to the beverages I choose to consume. I’m willing to wager you are, too (you are, after all, reading a magazine about beer that you likely procured at a local brewery). And so, like me, you are almost certainly also a little concerned about the idea of an evening spent restricted to sipping whatever six-pack you happened to purchase on your way to a party or—worse—putting yourself at the mercy of your well-intentioned, Mill-Street-Organicserving friends.

Hosting the party yourself means you have handy access to your own day-to-day stock, as well as the more premium beer fridge in the basement,

the really good stu in your makeshift cellar, the liquor cabinet if the mood strikes, etc.

But, of course, therein lies the rub. Hosting at home guarantees my own access to good hooch but it also opens the door to the undesirable possibility that my guests might assume that they will be graced with the same luxury, which of course they are not. Indeed the one downside to hosting is that it means people might drink my beer. ankfully, over the years, I’ve learned ways to keep my guests from dipping into my stash and I’m here to pass that wisdom on to you.

DELAY SERVING THEM AT ALL

It’s not very scienti c but it works. e less time your friends have your beer in their hands, the less of it they will drink. So simply take a long time to crack that rst beer by nding ways to distract them and delay having to hand them that rst drink. “You have to see what we’ve done in the garden this winter,” “Our neighbours’ in atable holiday decorations can’t be missed,” etc.

is technique is especially e ective if you have a spouse as a co-conspirator so that you can rotate duties. While one of you is running out the clock

Indeed the one downside to hosting is that it means people might drink my beer.

DEALER'S CHOICE

Go in one of two directions for the beer you keep for yourself:

Muddy York Gaslight helles and Anderson’s cream ale are both excellent options for downing while on a “refill run.”

Or have something big and bold poured that won’t mind coming to room temperature like Nickel Brook’s Kentucky Bastard or Exchange’s Winter Warmer.

by playing tour guide, the other can feel free to nip to the kitchen for refreshment away from prying eyes.

BE STINGY WITH THE REFILLS

Once you’ve actually served your guests, it becomes more di cult to ignore when they don’t have a drink. An empty glass at a party has a way of demanding attention, but there’s no reason you can’t turn that into negative attention. So when a guest has nished a beer and is looking haplessly at you for some sign you’ll re ll it, it’s a great opportunity to make them feel shitty. Something like, “Woah Tim! Is there a hole in your glass?” or “Somebody was thirsty!” is will also signal to other guests that their normal-paced drinking won’t go unnoticed.

Once you’ve appropriately shamed someone for requesting a second beer, make sure you take your time lling the request. It helps to keep your beer some distance from the area where people will be congregating. Ignore the counter-intuitive instinct to set out a place with ice so that drinks are convenient to the party and under no circumstances should you tell people to serve themselves. at is a recipe for seriously depleted beer stocks. Instead, keep beer behind a closed-door—secluded in the kitchen is good, but somewhere like a basement or garage is ideal. is way, when you are gone, ostensibly getting re lls, you might once again happily take the time to enjoy one of your own beers at a reasonable pace. Again, the less time your guests have beer in hand, the less they will drink.

CLEAN OUT THE CELLAR

As e ective as the above methods are, if you are like me and somewhat known for enjoying well-made beer, you will almost certainly be met

at some point with a variation of, “You’re the beer guy, right?” or “Do you have any really fancy beer?”

And while being implored to crack open the good stu might induce panic in the hearts of the good beer hoarders among us, this is actually a great opportunity: Open up the cellar and foist the shelf turds on your guests.

Indeed, under the guise of a “tasting,” you might happily employ a degree of ceremony and a few small glasses and seize the chance to unload the dusty and expired chocolate stouts and cranberry saisons that you stashed away with good intentions years ago but never got around to.

Most uninitiated people will politely sip your past-its-prime beer with nary a word, but you might get someone brave enough to voice their distaste with the undesirable beer you’ve foisted on them. is too is easily handled. If someone questions the quality of the over-aged swill you’re unloading on them, say something gentle like, “Yes, it’s a bit of an acquired taste,” or “You really have to have a re ned palate to appreciate this.” If your guest persists, just woefully shake your head while you say, “You’re just not quite there yet.”

ese tips should help you host an evening without your beer reserves taking too much damage but, of course, if the idea of underserving your guests is simply too much for you to take, there is always the option of swallowing your pride.

Before the party, don dark sunglasses and a hat and duck into e Beer Store. Find the least expensive option by volume and buy a case or two. Put it out on ice before your party and play it o as something of a joke as guests arrive. Say things like, “Isn’t this beer hilarious?” as you pour your guests another round.

en just be sure to sneak o quietly when you nip down to the basement for the occasional real beer. j

It seems like Hamilton, London, Ottawa or Toronto get a new brewery just about every week. It’s a matter of numbers largely, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t breweries outside the major centres.

For the dozens of breweries in towns of less than 15,000 people, they’re probably a community hub and local watering hole. Some will send their beer further a eld—to a few select craft beer bars, the bigger LCBO locations or into the Beer Store system.

But there are a handful of Ontario breweries that serve those purposes and are also act as ambassadors for their small-size communities. ey sell vastly more beer outside of their hometown than in it. And they also tend to be major employers— with a remarkable number of their neighbours on sta —and cultural supporters through the special events they host, often beyond beer festivals.

e success and investment needed to make that jump can help propel them further. After all, if you can nd a market for your beer in a di erent city, why not in another province? Or across the border into another country?

To nd out what it’s like leading a brewing team outside the city we talked to Matthew O’Hara

s.

Brewer Brewer

ACROSS THE PROVINCE EDITION

by David Ort

of Beau’s Brewing Co. and Josh Manzie of Lake of the Woods Brewing. Manzie brews in Kenora, almost as far west as you can go before leaving Ontario. (Plus Lake of the Woods is in the process of expanding to Minnesota and Manitoba.) And Beau’s in Vankleek Hill is almost as far east as the brewery map of the province reaches.

GROWLER: Can you walk us through how you got your start in brewing and roughly the course that led to your current role?

O’HARA: I grew up in Montreal and started drinking good beer there. It was at the time when microbreweries were just starting to become a thing and there were lots to try.

My rst job was washing bottles at Brasserie McAuslan. From there, I moved on to kegging and then helped out with the brewing side of the operation.

I really liked the work because I got to be active and create something but there’s also some thought that goes into making the beer as good as possible.

And then it was o to Toronto where I got to brew with Michael Hancock at Denison’s Brewpub. As well as the wheat, we made a few di er-

Josh Manzie Lake of the Woods Brewing Kenora, ON

ent German styles at Denison’s. e familiarity and appreciation for German styles is something I built then and it’s really stuck with me.

GROWLER: And how did you land at the head of the brewing team at Beau’s?

O’HARA: I moved to Eastern Ontario in 2003. rough lucky happenstance, I got set up with the Beauchesnes who were founding Beau’s at the time. I started as a consultant with them, helping to design early recipes, including what would become Lug Tread.

Beau’s has expanded steadily from the start and so has the brewing team. We all get to experiment and contribute to the selection of beer we put out.

MANZIE: It’s been great to grow with Lake of the Woods. I’ve been here for six years and learned on the job. We’ve built our beers around the core o erings and always try to o er drinkers new things to try.

GROWLER: Tell me a bit more about that expansion?

MANZIE: Our agship and original brewery is in Kenora. We operate in the historic re hall here. is summer, we added a brewery in Warroad, Minnesota, which is on the other side of Lake of the Woods from Kenora. (And is also in an old re hall!) We brew there and also have a tasting room. It’s a 20-hectolitre brewing system and they also use the krausening system we do in Kenora.

We are now in build and development mode for our nano brewery at True North Square in Winnipeg so most days right now are stressful getting the project to completion but also very exciting!

GROWLER: I imagine that without other breweries close by, you guys have a tougher time than usual collaborating on brews. How do you make it work?

O’HARA: We do make it work. Two years running we’ve had a great time collaborating with Great Lakes Brewery on a special beer for the Terroir Symposium. e rst time, we went there and this year, they came to us.

MANZIE: Collaborations can be fun outside of the industry, too. We did one with the band members of Red Moon Road. at was the Sorrow and Glory smoked Irish red ale.

Matthew O'Hara

Beau's All-natural Brewing Vankleek Hill, ON

Collaborations can be fun outside of the industry, too. We did one with the band members of Red Moon Road.

—Josh Manzie

In order to get more of their beer across the province, Lake of the Woods has a special delivery truck that goes to Toronto on a regular basis.

Lakeside and Lug Tread, are brewed in similar styles and act as agship beers, representing their respective breweries across Ontario—and further a eld.

GROWLER: Craft brewers talk about the friendliness in the industry—how they can depend on being able to count on a neighbouring brewery for hops or malt in a pinch. Is sourcing ingredients more di cult for you guys?

MANZIE: As we’ve grown to three brewery locations, we made sure to have a solid plan for getting what we needed. We work with local producers for some of our key ingredients.

We’ve also used co-brewing to supply some of the production capacity we need for the beer we send across Ontario. Right now, we’re working on a new facility in Kenora that will employ an expanded brewing team. e plan is to have it producing beer as soon as possible.

O’HARA: We’ve been an all-organic brewery from the beginning. at means establishing channels to get the malt and hops we need to make our certi ed organic beers. Sometimes we have to wait for organic growers to catch up and plant new strains of hops but we usually can get the avour pro le we’re after.

GROWLER: You both send a great deal of beer outside of your hometown. Do you ever feel constrained by core brands?

O’HARA: Lug Tread is a very large part of what we make, but that’s an opportunity to improve it. We do make lots of di erent brands to complement it.

Beau’s has established ways to get di erent beers out there. We did just add Wag the Wolf, a hazy white IPA, which was a fun beer to make and outside of the mainstream standards.

And, yeah, we’re also creating new additions to our lineup. We added Full Time IPA and Good Time session IPA to our listings at the LCBO. e next will be Countdown, a west coast-style pale ale.

GROWLER: Charity is a big part of the craft beer mission, right?

O’HARA: Absolutely. For Movember 2019 the Beaus4Mos team has a $30,000 goal.

MANZIE: It’s great to have our agships like Lakeside and Sultana Gold represent Lake of the Woods. As we grow, we get more opportunities to diversify the beer we brew.

GROWLER: Lake of the Woods and Beau’s each have a signature event that brings people to your brewery. Tell me how that ts into your year?

O’HARA: Our Oktoberfest has grown to be a real cornerstone of the year at Beau’s. We have 10 beers there, plus 50 guest taps. We get thousands of people to come to Vankleek Hill! j

is is an edited and abbreviated version of our wide-ranging conversation. Find more on our website at on.thegrowler.ca/bvb7

We’ve been an all-organic brewery from the beginning. at means establishing channels to get the malt and hops we need. —Matthew O'Hara

of

by Jordan St. John

It’s the best selling style of craft beer in North America. e number of variants that exist are incredible. e beer world is going through an unprecedented explosion of ingredients and innovation. Individual hop varieties have created a range of aromas and avours brewers are keen to explore. Brewing techniques, like kettle souring and new hop-delivery systems, allow for tweaks that we’ve never seen before, changing acidity and texture. It really is the golden age of IPAs. I’ve created a helpful timeline of IPA brewing in Ontario so you can see how we progressed to the current situation. It is, in some ways, the story of the Ontario market catching up to the rest of North America.

Prior to 2009 // Scotch Irish Sgt. Major

A decade ago, there wasn’t really IPA in Ontario. You could nd one if you knew where to look and the most dependable version of it in Toronto was the Scotch Irish Brewing Company’s Sgt.

Major. It was on tap in about three bars within the city and loosely took 1990s West Coast American IPAs as its inspiration. At the LCBO, it came in stubby bottles with the kind of label that would end up in a Terry Gilliam animation.

In terms of avour pro le, we’re talking classic: pine and grapefruit with a little bit of herbal/ leafy interest. e combination of chinook and goldings made for a hybrid of exuberant American craft brewing and reserved English subtlety. At 68 IBUs, it was toward the top end of the spectrum of bitterness for the style but was balanced by crystal and chocolate malts.

2010

// Duggan’s No. 9

e winner of the inaugural Bar Volo IPA Challenge, Duggan’s No. 9 IPA bene ted somewhat from the cask format service of that competition. Mike Duggan had been a co-founder at Mill Street, so it’s little surprise that No. 9 IPA bore some similarities to their Tankhouse Ale, still a core o ering.

e beer’s grist claims eight varieties of malt and a single variety of hops:

We take a look back at how IPAs have de ned the most popular craft beers in Ontario.

cascade. e pine and white grapefruit certainly stick out above the depth of the body, but it’s di cult to think of it as hop driven. e caramel, biscuit and light roast linger on the palate with the bitterness, making this an odd hybrid. Is it a 55 IBU American brown ale? Eventually, everyone settled on “Ontario pale ale.”

2011 // Flying Monkey’s Smashbomb Atomic IPA

What if instead of leaning on English malt varieties and beer styles, you just did away with the specialty malts and focused on making a hop-dominant beer? After all, American craft brewers had been doing it for a couple of decades. Eventually the recipe would change and the malt character would darken, but initially, Smashbomb was a single malt, single hop beer.

at hop was citra: lemon peel, mango, and gooseberry, with a (slight) sting of cat pee lingering somewhere in the back. At 72 IBU, the beer was massively bitter, and also represented a fundamental shift in the market from established hop varieties to newer, more experimental ingredients. Like Sgt. Major had with its label design, this beer pushed the boundaries of what the LCBO considered acceptable and was very nearly banned for its name.

2012 // Amsterdam Boneshaker

To this day, Boneshaker is one of the best-selling IPAs in Ontario. At 7.1% alcohol and 80 IBU, it was innovative in terms of its scale. Compared to previously available versions of the style, it feels bigger and more complex. If Duggan’s No.9 IPA seemed to lean in balance towards malt pro le, then Amsterdam’s Boneshaker swung the other way, albeit using some of the same avours.

e beer was initially an exercise in seeing how many hops could t in a beer, using a single hop variety and a continuous hopping method. e amarillo has notes of orange veering speci cally to tangerine, and pine. e current version uses centennial, summit and chinook, and is better for that combination. e malt pro le has gotten smoother as time has passed as well.

2013 // Muskoka Twice As Mad Tom DIPA

For those who had been paying attention, double IPA was a much sought after commodity. Black Oak’s Ten Bitter Years had pioneered the style in the market but didn’t make it to LCBO shelves for years. In the meantime, Muskoka had been working away in the hop mines, harvesting nuggets for the consumer. Mad Tom was one of the rst widely available IPAs in the province. Twice As Mad Tom was the rst general list imperial IPA. At 71 IBU, it more closely modelled itself on contemporaneous West Coast double IPAs, featuring chinook, columbus, and cascade hops for a variety of citrus and tropical fruit avours. e 8.4% alcohol helped to balance the bitterness and hop character despite the absence of darker specialty malts. Imagine a beer that comes across as fruit salad instead of a pine bough in the face, and you begin to get the idea. Balanced enough to be a dangerous qua er.

2014 // Great Lakes Brewing Thrust! An IPA

In 2014, Great Lakes took gold, silver, and bronze in the American-style IPA category at the Canadian Brewing Awards. Karma Citra and My Bitter Wife were just behind rust! An IPA in the rankings, and for good reason. rust! An IPA represents innovation in terms of geography and technique. e nelson sauvin hops used here are from New Zealand and the avour pro le was more like lychee, mango, gooseberry and sauvignon blanc grape’s minerality.

In terms of avour pro le, this is a total departure from previous IPAs in Ontario. While the beer is still 72 IBU, that’s a calculated gure and hops are beginning a shift from the beginning of the boil to the whirlpool and fermenter. Less bitterness and more aroma. More haze. More juice. rust! An IPA was a push in that direction.

2015 // Collective Arts Ransack the Universe

Yes, the art design is fantastic, but the beer underneath is the real reason for Collective Arts’ success.

ey’re currently on their 11th one-o IPA in a series, but their biggest seller, Ransack e Universe shows little sign of slowing. It contains galaxy and mosaic hops, and for the rst time represented Ontario brewers keeping up with international trends. ose varieties exploded in acreage in 2015. Mosaic is complex and can run from mango through an entire range of tropical and stone fruits while even managing a touch of blueberry. Galaxy, the Australian variety, brings out citrus, peach, and passionfruit. Ransack e Universe contains massive amounts of both varieties, but later in the brewing process, retaining the aromas. It’s around this time that bitterness became less the hallmark of IPA than massive hop aromas.

2016 // Mill Street West Coast IPA

I know, I know. ey’re the evil empire. However, before they were purchased, Mill Street made a West Coast IPA that simply isn’t a West Coast IPA. You wouldn’t think an entity that large would be responsible for giving the game away, but they did. Beyond this beer, you can argue the term IPA no longer means that the style is de ned by bitterness.

Mill Street’s West Coast IPA is 50% wheat, which West Coast IPAs are not. Part of the mash is intentionally soured, which is not something that happens in IPAs. It uses German hallertau blanc hops to add a hint of melon and stone fruit. It is aged on toasted French oak to give it texture. ere isn’t anything West Coast about it. It tasted like an outsize witbier. It was still pretty good.

2017 // Bellwoods Milkshark

Bellwoods has had many ne IPAs over the years, but none of them created quite the buzz of their Milkshark series. Yes, people own Cat Lady t-shirts, but Milkshark is something else. Using their excellent Witchshark double IPA as a base, Bellwoods began to experiment with additional ingredients. Take the pineapple version: it’s made with lactose sugar and apple pectin, and conditioned on vanilla and pineapple puree.

Of course, just one version won’t do when there is so much fruit out there. You could view milkshake IPA as a natural extension of the already extant fruit avour pro le imparted by modern hop varieties. Or, you could view it as a step too far away from bitterness as a de ning aspect of avour. Either way, you’re going to view it from about a half-block up Ossington as people line up early for these.

2018 // Merit One For Us Brut IPA

Mass communication is a wonderful thing. Ideas travel the world extremely quickly. Just months after the creation of brut IPA, Merit was working away on their own version, having been in touch with the innovating brewery in San Francisco. Brut IPA uses an enzyme to break down complex sugars so that the yeast can eat away at them in fermentation, leaving a bone-dry nished beer.

In the case of Merit’s version, which used citra (American), ella (Australian) and mandarina bavaria and hallertau blanc (German), there’s a lot of complexity on display. e minerality of a sauvignon blanc and the e ervescence of a Champagne work in concert here with the stone and tropical fruit character of the hops.

2019 //

What will the future hold for IPA? It’s impossible to say. Toronto’s Godspeed has created the throwback Mondai Kristall IPA, an IPA you can actually see through. Fairweather’s Late Lunch is a sour IPA featuring pineapple, lemon, vanilla, ginger and lactose. Also, Flying Monkeys made Sparklepu .

All I know is that nothing seems to fall out of the market, meaning that there’s something for everyone. It’s a lot easier than having to know which bar carries Sgt. Major. j

LagerLit

e Growler's guide to beer books

by Ted Child

The world of beer has never been more exciting and it has never been a better time to be a beer lover. As the world of beer continues to grow and deepen, so has the quality and insight of the books being written about it. So, if you’ve never read a book about beer, if you want to know what to read next, or if you are just looking for the perfect Christmas gift, let e Growler be your guide to the incredible world of beer books.

For the beer lover just stepping into the world of beer books, one place to start is How to Have a Beer by Alice Galletly. Clocking in at just over a hundred pages, this concise read is a self-deprecating beer nerd writing with wit and without pretension. A perfect gateway beer book that will have you wanting to read more while making you laugh out loud, speci cally the chapter on the author brewing a cock ale with her father.

If you read one book this year make it Barrel-Aged Stout and Selling Out: Goose Island, Anheuser-Busch and How Craft Beer Became Big Business. Award winning journalist Josh Noel tells the tale of how Goose Island founder John Hall, with the help of his son, Greg, built one of the most important and well respected breweries in all of craft beer only to agree to one of its most scandalous sales. Well researched, highly detailed but compulsively readable, clear your schedule and stock the fridge with non-AB InBev brewed stout before you crack this impressive work of beer journalism.

For an insiders look at the early craft beer movement in B.C., plus a whole lot more, the must read book is Brewing Revolution by Frank Appleton. Appleton was an instrumental part of bringing craft beer to B.C. and his story de nitely

needed to be told. is lively book also pulls no punches as Appleton recounts his early days at one of Canada’s “Big ree” industrial breweries, consulting on the brewhouses of many early B.C. craft breweries, and his insights on certain craft beer titans, such as Jim Koch of Samuel Adams fame.

For beer travelers, the rst place to look is with Canadian beer writer Stephen Beaumont. Two of his books, Best Beers and e World Atlas of Beer (both co-authored with Tim Webb) have been recently revised and expanded. Beaumont’s newest book, Will Travel for Beer, will give you the lowdown on the most iconic beer tourism spots across the globe but also some lesser well known places to get great beer. Also this book has what might be the single best chapter title in all of beer literature: “Fuck Alexander Keith.”

Since beer writer great Michael Jackson is unfortunately no longer able to update his classic book, e Great Beers of Belgium, the next best thing might be Trappist Beer Travels. Written by a trio of beer writers, this book is, like the Trappists themselves and the beer they produce, one of the more contemplative beer books around. Enjoy it while sipping on a goblet of Orval or Rochefort.

If there has been an explosion of great beer books recently then it is even truer of homebrewing books. Of all the great books on homebrewing out there, there are a few that are especially deserving of your attention. One such read is Je Alworth’s (author of the Beer Bible) e Secret of

Master Brewers. Alworth follows a recent trend of the author not supplying the recipes but in this case getting recipes from brew masters of some of the world's most iconic and well loved breweries. Arguably, the reader doesn’t even need to be a homebrewer to nd tons of insider knowledge of world-class breweries to nerd out about. Also check out

e Brew Your Own Big Book of Homebrewing No matter how much experience you have this book will make you a better brewer.

Lastly, if Randy Mosher’s Tasting Beer wasn’t essential reading for serious beer drinkers before than the newly updated second edition certainly is. A full hundred pages longer than the original, this is the book you need to get very serious about that strange creature in your glass.

e beer literature universe is expanding with ever increasing speed. It is exciting to read great authors writing about the world's most interesting subject with passion, knowledge and skill. Other great beer books to check out are Beeronomics: How Beer Explains the World, the books of Patrick E McGovern, and Pascal Bauder’s e Wildcrafting Brewer, which will teach you how to make your next hike into alcohol. e experience of drinking beer can only be deepened by reading about it. Hopefully you now have some idea of which book to pick up next. j

Snow-season sessions

by David Ort

There was a time, say four or ve years ago, when “imperial stout,” “triple black IPA” and “bourbon-barrel-aged” whatever were the keys that unlocked craft beer sales between November and February. I still love a good barley wine, but I nd myself seeking out lower-ABV options, even as the days get shorter and the mercury drops below zero.

For a few reasons, mainly Guinness marketing, stout was saddled with a reputation as a heavy, rich beer that “drinks like a meal.” With a bit of experience and a few moments reading the side of cans it becomes obvious that opposite is true: Deep malt avours mean that stout can get by with less alcohol than lighter styles.

e dry Irish stout is the perfect example of a winter beer you can drink all afternoon. Vimy and Gateway City both make versions under 5% ABV. People’s Pint scores bonus points for the name of theirs: Jacket Weather.

Stout’s family tree has many branches lled with many options. Great Lakes makes Shinny Pants, Evergreen has Dark is the New Light and Beerlab! does Imaginary Force.

Milk stouts, like Parsons 8-ball or Wellington’s chocolate version o er lactose to tame the roasted bitterness. A creamy body helps make a lower-ABV oatmeal stout feel warmer—Rainhard (with Sweetback’s), Manantler and Collingwood all make delicious ones.

Black beers aren’t the only place to nd a winter ale without a wallop. English bitter is the perfect all-season, all-day, everyday style. Rurban’s Bettah Bittah is worth sampling and Wellington’s Arkell Best bitter has made a long-awaited return to the LCBO's shevles in a mix pack.

e English mild has a touch more malt and a bit less hops. It can be di cult to nd, so search out Grey Matter’s Avro Arrow or Grand River’s Mill Race Dark.

Brown ales are the grown-up version of milds and are natural partners for stews, roasts and most other winter fare. From Anderson Brown to Concession Road’s English brown to Chestnut Brown by Oast House, there are several opportunities to try an Ontario-made brown ale.

Obviously, British styles aren’t the only options for frosty imbibing. Working up the lager ladder, there are many rungs before you get to the doppelbocks and Baltic porters.

At the tail end of Oktoberfest season, märzens still do well on a sunny, November afternoon. Night märzen by Beau’s and Honest lager by Walkerville are worth searching for.

Subtle amber malts and restrained hops set Vienna lagers up well for cold-weather sessions. Red Circle’s is an award-winning take on the style.

At the nearly opaque end of the spectrum, we get into dark lagers and schwarzbiers. Like dry stouts, examples like Dingman Dark by Herald Haus, Muddy York’s Black Opal and Silversmith’s are crisp with roasted complexity.

ere’s no need to resort to heavy-hitters (or, heaven forbid, wine!) during holiday-and-hibernate season. Ontario craft breweries are doing a wonderful job of brewing session-worthy winter beers. j

Hammer Time

CRAFT BEER ADVENTURES IN CANADA’S “STEELTOWN”

Perhaps understandably, Hamilton isn’t on most people’s lists of Canadian tourist destinations. Plagued by outdated images of its former industrial self, who could blame someone for not being interested in a city who’s name tends to conjure images of steel plants belching black smoke, boarded up houses and crippling unemployment?

But that was the Hamilton of the past. e smog is gone (down 90 per cent since the 1970s), the economy is booming and the population has climbed by close to 200,000 people in the past 15 years, many of them eeing una ordable Toronto and bringing their big city tastes with them.

Most importantly, between Collective Arts’ attempts at global craft beer domination and Cli ord Brewing being named Canada’s Brewery of the Year for 2019, some of the best beer in Canada is coming out of Hamilton right now. Craft beer needs two things to thrive: cheap

industrial land on which to put breweries; and a population sophisticated enough to appreciate the beer. Hamilton scores on both counts.

So during a recent trip to Toronto, I decided to spend a day in Steeltown to see what’s brewing. As it turns out, it might be the best-kept secret in craft beer.

CLOSER THAN YOU THINK

I enlisted the help of my trusty beer-loving buddy Nelson for this adventure, and the two of us, sunburnt and soggy in the sweltering humid heat, made our way down the Lake Ontario shoreline on one of the GTA’s incredibly comfortable and blessedly air-conditioned Go trains. Within an hour and 15 minutes of leaving Toronto’s Union Station we were on the campus of McMaster University in Hamilton.

Hamilton's Collective Arts Brewing combines stunning artwork and killer craft beer to create one of Canada's most exiting beer brands.

Words and photos by Rob Mangelsdorf

Despite a metro population of more than 750,000, Hamilton is home to only six craft breweries and they are spread all over the city. Since drinking and driving is for assholes, and Uber—while convenient—tends to get expensive, we decided to get around using the city’s bike share program, SoBi. We set out from McMaster on our bikes, past the hilariously named Cootes Paradise nature refuge and into the bedroom community of Dundas for our rst stop—Shawn & Ed Brewing Co. e brewery is housed in a historic former curling and skating rink, dating back to the 1860s. e vast brick-and-timber frame building is spacious and provides a rustic beer hall atmosphere, with its many communal picnic tables.

e beer is de nitely aimed at converting the Molson Canadian crowd, with close to two thirds of the beer list on our visit being devoted to North American-style lagers. But it was a hot day to be riding bikes, so we weren’t complaining. at being said, Barrelshed (6.5% ABV, 37 IBU) was an absolute standout. is complex barrel-aged amber ale o ers notes caramel, dark fruit, biscuit, g, clove, oak and citrus with a dry, slightly tannic nish. Unsurprisingly, it won a national gold at the 2017 World Beer Awards.

A short but calorie-shredding ride up the Niagara Escarpment brought us to two of Hamilton’s newest and most exciting breweries, Fairweather Brewing Co. and Grain & Grit Beer Co., located just a block apart in an industrial park in the West End. Fairweather opened in 2017 and has quickly developed a loyal following among locals and beer nerds alike. e tasting room has a familiar minimalist vibe with the requisite whitewashed

walls, wood accents and leafy green houseplants one expects in 2019. But it’s the exceptionally creative and well-executed beer that sets Fairweather apart. In particular, the Nothing More (7% ABV) American-style stout wowed us with rich organic cacao, fresh raspberries and notes of roast barley, co ee and dark fruit. ink black forest chocolate cake in beer form.

Down the road at Grain & Grit, the vibe was a bit more casual. e brewery is housed in a former mu er shop and the garage doors were wide open and the patio packed on this sunny day—largely with the friendly sta of Toronto’s Left Field Brewing, who, much like us, came down for the day to check out what the Hamilton beer hype is all about. e beers were going down fast now, and the In e Palms (6% ABV, 90 IBU) lactose IPA went down so quickly we needed to go back for seconds. e luscious tropical fruit avours of mango, passion fruit, pineapple and guava seemed

Tropical avours abound at Grain & Grit Beer Co.

LEFT: Lagers aplenty at Shawn & Ed Brewing Co. in Dundas. RIGHT: Fairweather Brewing in Hamilton's West End is a must-visit for craft beer fans.

appropriate, given the weather, while the assertive hop bitterness, balanced by the addition of lactose, ensured it nished clean. If a beer could taste how a Hawaiian shirt looks, this would be it.

WORKING CLASS HERO

We cruised downhill into Hamilton proper, and through the up-and-coming neighbourhood of Kirkendall. Here, the working class charm that permeates the city was on full display as we rode past newly renovated historic brick homes while mile-long freight trains trundled noisily nearby. Given Hamilton’s blue-collar roots, it’s only natural that craft beer should ourish here.

We made a well-advised stop for food (and more beer) at Brux House, a craft beer-focused restaurant on Locke Street in a whimsical two-storey Edwardian heritage house. e oysters with mignonette and octopus salad were both fresh and invigorating, but it was the eponymous Brux Burger that stole the show, cooked medium-rare to order with bacon jam and crispy onions on a brioche bun. With 16 rotating craft taps and extensive list of cellared Belgian beers, we were spoiled for choice with beer pairings.

Heading north, we made our way to the most well-known brewery in Hamilton. By combining killer craft beer with eye-popping labels by some of Canada’s most exciting visual artists, Collective Arts Brewing is quickly becoming a global brand. Having already conquered Canada with beers like Ransack the Universe IPA and Stranger an Fiction Porter, it has its eyes set on the U.S. market with a second brewery and tasting room set to open in Brooklyn.

While the production facility in Hamilton’s North End is absolutely massive, the tasting room is surprisingly modest, with seating for 30 people, tops. at said, the beer list was extensive, with 15 beers pouring the day we visited. We settled in the tasting room’s “gallery,” a small semi-private room displaying Collective Arts’ hundreds upon hundreds of di erent bottle and can labels on each wall, from oor to ceiling. e Guava Gose (4.9% ABV) was refreshing and light bodied, with tart tropical citrus notes and balanced acidity.

Located on the far east side of town, Cli ord Brewing Co. is well outside the SoBi’s operational area—but being the civilized city that it is, an Uber is only a minute away in Hamilton. e brewery, which won Brewery of the Year honours

at the 2019 Canadian Brewing Awards, began life as a contract brewery before laying down permanent roots in a massive 10,000 sq. ft. warehouse in the city’s heavy industrial district. e cavernous tasting room sports foosball tables, air hockey and tabletop arcade games, in addition to hosting live music weekly. Cli ord’s somewhat traditional beer lineup is all brewed very much according to style, but it is nailing those styles, so it’s little wonder it wins as many awards as it does. e Bourbon Barrel-Aged Porter (8.5% ABV) was an absolute home run of a beer with velvety richness and notes of chococlate, vanilla, co ee, oak and whisky.

Back downtown, we nished up the night at Merit Brewing, a sleek and modern beer hall popular with Hamilton’s recently arrived Toronto expats. About as di erent an experience as you could imagine from Cli ord Brewing, everything at Merit was immaculately put together, with long communal tables and a menu focusing heavily on the delicious housemade sausage. Waves & Waves & Waves (4.5% ABV), a collab with Swedish brewery Dugges Bryggeri, was a titillating raspberry, blackberry vanilla sour with notes of Swedish sh candies, outdoor pools and youthful indiscretion.

And so as the clock approached midnight—with our heads swimming from the 50-plus di erent beers we sampled and our legs aching from cycling close to 20 km—we hurried to the Hamilton GO station six blocks away to catch the last train of the day back to Toronto. A mere 12 hours after we had arrived, we were gone, having been thoroughly charmed by this city of steel. j

Collective Arts' can and bottle label gallery showcases the brewery's creative side.

by Crystal Luxmore

Two years ago, Karen Belfry agreed to try her rst Dry January. Belfry was a brewer at Lake Wilcox working the early shift, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Alcohol had become a daily habit: “I had plenty of time to come home, do some chores, and polish o several beers or a bottle of wine,” she says.

“I was generally lethargic and didn’t have that ‘get up and go’ at 4 in the morning, not necessarily hungover, but not feeling my best,” she says. “ rough the Dry January I felt awesome and realized it might be the key to feeling better.”

Find Community

It wasn’t Belfry’s idea to do Dry January—she was part of a group of brewers that she met on

Facebook and Reddit who talked about how the holidays are a heavy consumption period and decided to take a conscious break together. Drinking can be a hardcore habit—and hard to break. It’s easier if you have support, nding like-minded friends, colleagues or internet buddies (try the Alcohol Change UK website) who want to change their drinking habits for the better can be a key part of success.

And taking a month o —while di cult for some of us—does a lot more than give your liver a fourweek break. A 2019 study by the University of Sussex found that people who tried a Dry January drank one less day per week for at least six months afterwards, got drunk less often, and drank fewer units of booze than before.

Now is the time to examine the role alcohol plays in your life and nd the consumption that is right for you

Moreover, Dry January makes you notice how much you crave or use alcohol in your life and makes space and motivation to reset drinking habits. Belfry, who now brews at Molson Coors, has certainly experienced this: “I replaced a lot of my mindless drinks, like a beer while vacuuming, with a sparkling water with fruit, I generally don’t drink alcohol from Monday to ursday, and if I’m going to a party I’ll bring a six-pack of zero alcohol beer to rotate it in.”

SUBSTITUTE WITH NON-ALCOHOLIC OPTIONS

Non-alcoholic beers are a great tool to help moderate intake—especially if moderation feels like a chore. Fourteen years ago, Ted Fleming, a beer lover who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in his late 20s, started collaborating with Durham College to design a non-alcoholic beer. He was tired of showing up at every party and just drinking water or pop, so his alcohol-free brewing company, Partake, was born. Not only are all of the beers—from pale ale to stout—alcohol-free, they’re also only 10 to 30 calories each.

DIRECT THAT EXTRA ENERGY SOMEWHERE

When many of us nally quit drinking we somehow expect our life to be instantly better. But drinking is often an escape, a way to shake o the boredom of an endless week of meetings, celebrate the end of a stressful project, or feel more con dent at a party.

Quitting can ll you with anxiety—that’s why it’s helpful to direct that extra energy somewhere new. Find a new space to hang out in, take up your favourite sport or hobby again, or start a new practice like meditation or yoga to help with anxiety and managing emotions. As for socializing, nd friends who also aren’t drinking, or suggest non-drinking activities like rock climbing or a board game café instead of a bar. Go to bed early and notice how much better you feel after many nights of sober sleep.

LOOK WITHIN

Our culture has normalized drinking to the point where people think you’re crazy for quitting— from the “hair of the dog” to cure a hangover, to gleeful “Drunk Mom” blogs, we don’t question whether alcohol nourishes us or just numbs us. To stay o the sauce, even for a day, you need to be clear on WHY you’re doing it, says Jason Ley, a Certi ed Cicerone and CEO at Better Drinking Culture, a Michigan-based company devoted to reducing alcohol abuse and promoting drinking in moderation.

“ ere’s nothing super sexy about it, but you’ve got to be willing to look yourself in the mirror when all of the dust from last night has settled, and really ask yourself if you’re doing more harm than good to yourself by how much you drink,” says Ley. His book, e Drinker’s Manifesto, gives you tools to moderate consumption and lists warning signs that signal alcohol use disorder including:

• Needing a drink to relax

• Lying to others about your alcohol use

• Feeling incapable of cutting back on the amount of alcohol consumed

• Losing time from work or school due to your drinking

• Worrying about running out of alcohol

rough the Dry January I felt awesome and realized it might be the key to feeling better. —Karen Belfry

e Partake Pale is at the LCBO and e Beer Store carries Blonde and IPA. Bars and restaurants are also starting to add non-alcoholic beer to their o erings. Supplied photo

“If you can look at yourself in the mirror and answer yes to any of these, the rst and foremost, let’s pause and slow down our drinking, because otherwise those problems are going to grow, and it never ends well.”

Ley knows this rsthand. “I was the poster boy for binge drinking in college,” he says. “I’ve had to go to the hospital multiple times for drinking-related injuries, I’ve lost jobs and girlfriends because of the regrettable things I’ve done while intoxicated.”

In his early-30s, Ley nally faced up to his drinking habit and found a sweet spot for moderate consumption. “It wasn’t as easy as ipping a switch overnight, but I was so tired and ashamed of having to apologize to my wife for drinking too much, maybe throwing up in a toilet, or saying something hurtful,” he says.

TRACK YOUR DRINKS

You don’t have to do a dry month, but to cut down, you do have to track your drinks. e rst thing Better Drinking Culture teaches is paying attention to what, and how much, you consume.

Health Canada’s Low Risk Drinking Guidelines recommend that women consume no more than 10 drinks a week, no more than two drinks at a time and take at least two sober days per week. And for men, it’s maximum 15 drinks a week and no more than three a day. On special occasions, you can up it by one more drink. Staying within these guidelines means alcohol has no risk of harm to your health, relationships or work performance. And it’s

key to know what “one drink” means.

For beer, it’s a 341-ml bottle of 5% beer. So a 20-ounce pint of 6.5% IPA is equivalent to just over two units of alcohol.

SOMETIMES ZERO IS THE LIMIT

When he was 21, Michael Gurr, now president of Kensington Brewing Company, already knew drinking was a problem for him. “So I did what a lot of people do, I had a system of moderation, which for large periods of time was successful,” he says. “I would only drink on X number of days per week, or cut out drinking at home, I stopped drinking hard liquor, or tried taking a week o .”

Later, when he got into the beer industry, moderating became even harder: “ ere’s social pressure to partake all the time,” he says. And moderation

felt like hell, “because when you step away you realize you’re just waiting to get drunk again.”

Gurr’s rock bottom came in September 2016, he’d been trying all year to cut back, but found himself seeking out excuses to be alone so he could binge drink. “I did a full inventory of where I was at and realized that alcohol was a problem, and moderation wasn’t working.” Initially, Gurr told his wife, and “a group of anonymous strangers on the internet,” slowly telling his friends and colleagues.

e reception from his friends wasn’t what he expected, “ ey were like, ‘Really? We didn’t think you had a problem at all,’ or ‘But I’m getting married in six months, so you’ll drink then, right?’”

“ ere’s still a belief that alcoholics are all homeless people drinking mouthwash,” he says, “but the majority are high-functioning professionals who own homes, hold down jobs and relationships, and appear very successful.”

If sobriety is something you know you need to explore, nd a community and allies. If Alcoholics Anonymous turns you o , there are plenty of other options these days as a growing number of people are choosing sobriety over moderation. You can start by telling someone close to you, reading Sober Curious, calling an addictions hotline, or talking to a sober friend to start. j

Crystal Luxmore is an Advanced Cicerone® and co-founder of Beer Sisters Inc. Inspired to do #DryJanuary? Follow the Beer Sisters on Facebook and Instagram and go dry with us!

Michael Gurr, now president of a Toronto brewery, found that cutting back wasn't enough and decided to quit drinking entirely in 2016. Supplied photo

Island Oysters' rice wine vinegar & apple mignonette

Paired with Mascot Pilsner

BY JASON KUN

Craft breweries are so busy creating dozens of di erent beers that it’s no surprise that many have opted for a schedule of food pop-ups rather than an on-site restaurant.

In Ontario, Island Oysters has a devoted following of shell sh slurpers. I often hear from brewery owners and taproom managers that few popup o erings are as popular as Jason Kun’s briny bivalves.

Fresh, in-the-shell oysters are easier to nd in grocery stores than ever and they are coming into peak season now. In winter, they tend to be at their fattest and sweetest. Oysters also make a delicious addition to holiday parties—especially if you make the shucking part of the fun.

is apple and rice wine mignonette helps to brighten and sweeten the avours already on the shell. With a small spoonful, it becomes much

easier to convince people to savour the oyster’s avours instead of slurping the whole thing straight back.

Stouts are the standard pairing for straight-up oysters, but a pilsner like Mascot’s, with a touch of hoppy snap, gives more for the sweet avours in the apple and rice wine vinegar to bounce o of.

—David Ort

INgredients

• 1/2 gala apple

• 1 medium shallot

• 1 cup rice wine vinegar

• 1 tsp jalapeno flavour Tabasco

• 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper

• 1 Tbsp honey

• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

directions

1. Pour the rice wine vinegar into a resealable container

2. Peel and halve the apple. Remove seeds and core. Cut the apple into very small sticks (about

⅛”) and then the sticks into very ne cubes. Place directly into rice wine vinegar to prevent browning.

4. Peel and cut the shallot into equally ne dice. Add to vinegar and apple mix.

5. Add the remaining ingredients to the rice wine vinegar and mix.

6. Seal and place in fridge for 12 hours.

7. Add freshly cracked pepper before serving in a small bowl. e mignonette goes great with freshly shucked, briny Atlantic oysters. Add leftover mignonette to olive oil to make a salad dressing. j

OPPOSITE PAGE: Look for Atlantic oysters with their briny freshness to balance this sauce. LEFT: At farmers' markets and brewery taprooms, Jason Kun, owner of Island Oysters, and his oysters are a popular draw. RIGHT: Avaiable at plenty of LCBOs, Mascot's pilsner is a solid pairing. Supplied photos

GREAT LAKES BREWERY

30 Queen Elizabeth Blvd., Etobicoke | GreatLakesBeer.com

MON-TUE 10AM-6PM ^ WED-SAT 10AM-9PM

SUN 10AM-6PM

EST. 1987

GLB is one of the oldest independently owned and operated craft breweries in Canada. Freshness and quality are the keys to the beers that are Ontario favourites—99.99% stays in the province.

LAKE EFFECT IPA

Seasonal: B,L,LC

PNW hops give a bold mix of mango, tangerine and grapefruit plus a soft pine nish.

SHINNY PANTS

S ESSION S TOUT

Seasonal: B,L,LC

A light to medium body balances the chocolate and espresso in this all-day stout.

WINTER ALE

WINTER W A RMER

Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS

A local leader in the APA style, Canuck balances tropical citrus, pine and smooth carbonation.

Seasonal: B,L,LC

Orange peel, ginger, honey and cinnamon make cameo appearances in this winter classic.

Christmas Market R eturns!

e 2nd annual Christmas Market returns to Great Lakes Brewery on Sunday, December 8. Jam-packed with local artisan vendors, tasty treats, beer releases and more! Naturally, there will also be plenty of GLB beer to go with the Bavarian fare.

e tree farm and, of course, Santa also make their triumphant return this year!

IND I E ALEHOUSE

B REW ING CO.

2876 Dundas St. W. | IndieAleHouse.com

SUN-THU 12-11PM ^ FRI-SAT 12PM-12AM

EST. 2012

As well as their production brewery in Etobicoke, this Junction mainstay has added another location—Birrotecca in the new Eataly Toronto on Bloor West. is part of the brewing programme will be led by John Jenkinson, with retail beer and on-site brews. Find tickets for the 8th annual Stout Night (Dec. 21) at stoutnight.com.

Seasonal: B,L

ABV IBU 5%60

is delectable and dank IPA comes with notes of sweet citrus, and a clean, bitter nish.

Seasonal: B

ABV IBU 10N/A

Big, dark and strong roasted avours dominate with a deep and sweet malt backbone.

LEMONADE STAND

L EMON A ND LACTOSE S OUR

Year-round: B,L

ABV IBU 7.220

Made with oats, it shows co ee and chocolate and is slightly sweet, all for breakfast.

INSTIGATOR

WEST COA ST-STYLE IPA

Seasonal: B,L

ABV IBU 5 N/A

Dry-hopping, Meyer lemons and lactose give a balanced tartness with aromas of citrus.

BROKEN HIPSTER

BELGI A N WIT

Year-round: B,L Year-round: B,L

ABV IBU 6.5%88

An ode to craft beer trailblazers, this IPA is full of citrus and ends on a cleanly bitter note.

ABV IBU 5%20

e pairing of sweet orange and ginger notes keep this wit sharp. A popular all-year option.

AMSTERDAM BREWING CO.

45 Esandar Dr.; 87 Laird Dr.;

245 Queens Quay W. | AmsterdamBeer.com

AVLING BREWERY

1042 Queen St. E. | Avling.ca

e fact that Amsterdam has a Boneshaker gift pack, including a skull-shaped mug at the LCBO is evidence we’ve come a long way.

FRACTURE

IMPERIAL IPA

e comfort-focused menu designed by chef Suzanne Barr is perfect fare for the colder months at this neighbourhood brewery.

BANDIT BREWERY

2125 Dundas St. W. | BanditBrewery.ca

BATCH

75 Victoria St. | BatchToronto.com

After a bit of a wait while it was in development, Bandit has launched an online bottle shop. at means easier access to their popular fruited sours and well-made IPAs.

TIKI-PIÑA COLADA

COCKTAIL BEER

One-o : B

IPA

Look for a constantly evolving beer lineup and elevated pub fare in this historic brewery space in downtown Toronto.

BLACK LAGER

IRISH RED ALE

IRISH RED ALE

Seasonal: B

Year-round: B

Year-round: B

BEACHES BREWING CO.

1953 Queen St. E. | BeachesBrewing.com

BELLWOODS BREWERY

124 Ossington Ave., 20 Ha s Rd. BellwoodsBrewery.com

Born in the Beaches neighborhood of Toronto, inspired by beaches around the world, Beaches Brewing Company has made the jump from contract brewing to their own brewpub.

BALMY BEACH

AMERICAN-STYLE BROWN ALE

Year-round: B

A-BAY PALE ALE

AMERICAN-STYLE PALE ALE

Looking to host a party with excellent beer? Bellwoods is launching group bookings for their 20 Ha s Rd. location starting this season.

SKELETON KEY

SPICED IMPERIAL STOUT AGED IN RUM BARRELS

Small-batch: B Year-round: B,L,LC

BIG ROCK BREWERY (LIBERTY COMMONS)

42 Liberty St., 1589 e Queensway LibertyCommons.ca

BLACK LAB BREWING

DONKEY VENOM BARREL-AGED DARK SOUR ALE

Small-batch: B

As the chilly weather settles in the residents of Liberty Village ock to their local brewery with plenty of screens for game night.

TRADITIONAL ALE

ENGLISH-STYLE BROWN ALE

Year-round: B,TBS

FORGET THE

HERO

AMERICAN-STYLE IPA

818 Eastern Ave. | BlackLab.beer

Barrel-aged Baltic porter and barleywines, plus a dunkel and a KitKat-infused stout are among the special beers they will be releasing for their one-year anniversary this fall.

CINNAMON HEART SOUR

GOLDEN SOUR W/ CANDIES

ANUBIS

BARREL-AGED BALTIC PORTER

Small-batch: B Year-round: B One-o : B

TORONTO TORONTO

TORONTO TORONTO

BLACK OAK BREWING CO.

75 Horner Ave. | BlackOakBeer.com

BLOOD BROTHERS BREWING

165 Geary Ave. | BloodBrothersBrewing.com

With award-winning beers like their Nutcracker porter, Black Oak deserves a key spot in your holiday rotation.

NUT BROWN AMERICAN-STYLE BROWN ALE

As well as adding a kitchen and greatly expanding their seating capacity, Blood Brothers has also doubled-down on their barrel programme.

NUTCRACKER PORTER

DEVILS TRILL HAZY IPA SERIES

BRUNSWICK BIERWORKS

25 Curity Ave. | BrunswickBierworks.com

BURDOCK BREWERY

1184 Bloor St. W. | BurdockTO.com

It’s worth visiting the taproom of this contract brewing host for the opportunity to try a wide range of the world’s top beers.

OMNIPOLLO AGAMEMNON MAPLE IMPERIAL STOUT

MIKKELLER THAT’S A PADDLIN’ NEW ENGLAND-STYLE DOUBLE IPA

e kitchen for this triple threat (brewerey, concert venue and restaurant) is now open every day from 11 to 11.

GRAPE AND PLUM STOUT STOUT

CAPTAIN HOWDY BOURBON BARREL-AGED STOUT GRAPE + LEMON ZESTÉ FRUITED SOUR

COMMON GOOD BEER CO.

475 Ellesmere Rd. |

Food trucks and chef pop-ups are added incentives to visit this contract brewing host in Scarborough.

SOLACE TORONTO TORONTO

700 Queen St. E. |

Keep track of special events during the holiday season at this Queen East brewery by checking their social feeds for updates.

IPA

Small-batch: B

Small-batch: B,L

Seasonal: B,L

FOLLY BREWING

928 College St. | FollyBrewing.com

GODSPEED BREWERY

242 Coxwell Ave. | GodspeedBrewery.com

A new brewer will be taking over at this brewpub on College. Look for them to stick with the yeast-forward styles.

LOQUACIOUS 2019

BELGIAN STRONG DARK ALE

Look for hearty takes on Japanese comfort food from the on-site restaurant to go with the beer from this east-end favourite.

HEIST SOUR PALE ALE

GOOSE ISLAND BREWHOUSE TORONTO

70 e Esplanade | GooseIsland.com

DOUBLE OCHAME

IMPERIAL GREEN TEA IPA DRY-HOPPED WITH MOSAIC HOPS

SILNÉ PIVO SVEˇTLÉ IMPERIAL CZECH PALE LAGER

GRANITE BREWERY

245 Eglinton Ave. E. | GraniteBrewery.ca

As downtown patios close for the winter, this spot on the Esplanade—a branch outpost of the Chicago brewery— lls up even more.

MIDNIGHT OIL PORTER

BUCKPASSER VERMONT-STYLE IPA

With their Ringwood-yeast-driven beers and classic British pub fare, this uptown brewery is one of the best spots for a cold-weather meal.

DARKSIDE BLACK IPA

HALO BREWERY

247 Wallace Ave. | HaloBrewery.com

HENDERSON BREWING CO.

128A Sterling Rd. | HendersonBrewing.com

e all-window facade helps keep this Wallace Avenue brewery during the winter months. eir beer lineup balances between hoppy pale ales and sour or fruited options.

Look for this season’s “Ides of” releases on Nov. 15, Dec. 13 and Jan. 17. is Sterling Road brewery is usually lively—particularly so for these release parties.

HIGH PARK BREWERY

839 Runnymede Rd. | HighParkBrewery.com

is November this west-end brewery will host a special pub night in support of the nearby High Park Zoo. Generally, at least 2% of their gross earnings go to support charitable causes.

e big events at the Destructor this winter are Junction City Wrestling’s 2nd annual Destructor Rumble on Jan. 26 and the SOBDL 6-year anniversary on Jan. 31.

KENSINGTON BREWING CO.

299 Augusta Ave. KensingtonBrewingCompany.com

LEFT FIELD BREWERY

36 Wagsta Dr. | LeftFieldBrewery.ca

Kensington Market gets a bit less crowded with tourists in winter, but that just means more available seats at this standby brewery in the heart of the action.

Nov. 29 is Blackburne Friday (release day for their BBA imperial stout) and Dec. 8 is Draughts & Crafts Makers’ Market. In Dec., $1 from taproom sales goes to Red Door Shelter.

BLACK-

BURNE IMPERIAL

LONGSLICE

484 Front St. E. | Longslice.com

LOUIS CIFER BREW WORKS

417 Danforth Ave. LouisCiferBrewWorks.com

A former contract brewery, one of Toronto’s newest is co-located with the Aviary Brewpub in the Canary District. Longslice makes beer deliveries in the neighbourhood.

HOPSTA LA

BELIALED

TORONTO TORONTO

37 Advance Rd., 220 King St. W. MascotBrewery.com

MILL ST. BREW PUB

21 Tank House Ln. | MillStreetBrewery.com

As well as their production facility out in Etobicoke, Mascot has reopened downtown with a space near King and Peter.

As soon as the Chrismas Market takes over the Distillery District, the Mill Street Beer Hall and Brewpub become oases of relative calm.

Seasonal: B

Year-round: B

SPICED ALE

Seasonal: B

Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS

IBU ABV 70 6.6% IBU ABV 10 5%

TORONTO TORONTO

MUDDY YORK BREWING CO.

22 Cran eld Rd. | MuddyYorkBrewing.com

eir porter—one of the best in Ontario—is going to the LCBO as a seasonal release. Mark mid-February for their 5th anniversary bash.

NORTHERN MAVERICK BREWING CO.

115 Bathurst St. | NorthernMaverick.ca

Seasonal: B

From brunch to basketball, this downtown brewery is popular with crowds looking for the whole experience to go with their beer.

HANDCRAFTED

Year-round: B,L,LC

AMERICAN-STYLE

IPA WEST IBU ABV 17 6.6% IBU ABV N/A 5.3% IBU ABV 4 6% IBU ABV 50 7%

Year-round: B,L,LC

39

PEOPLE’S PINT BREWING CO.

90 Cawthra Ave. | PeoplesPint.com

RADICAL ROAD BREWING CO.

1177 Queen St. E. | RadicalRoadBrew.com

e popular Junction hangout has taken advantage of the new rules for brewery taproom hours by staying open until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

JACKET WEATHER DRY STOUT

Seasonal: B

POST-HAZE

AMERICAN-STYLE IPA

e bottle shop at this popular Queen East brewpub is a great place to stock up before holiday parties this season.

8 TRACK AMERICAN-STYLE IPA

Year-round: B,L,LC

THREE KINGS HIBISCUS SAISON

Seasonal: B

RAINHARD BREWING CO.

100 Symes Rd. | RainhardBrewing.com

RORSCHACH BREWING CO.

1001 Eastern Ave. | RorschachBrewing.com

Get yourself to the Aleyards on Dec. 7 for the Rainhard holiday party and release of Age & Beauty #2 from their foeder-aging programme.

AGE & BEAUTY

#2 FOEDER-AGED WILD ALE W/ BLACKBERRY, LEMON, AND VANILLA

Want a reminder of warmer weather this winter? Reminiscence, their Mexican lager, has just made its way into LCBO locations.

SWEETBACK’S SERIES STOUT W/ADJUNCTS

TRUTH SERUM DOUBLE DRY-HOPPED IPA

HEDONISM

SORBET SOUR IPA W/ BOYSENBERRY

SAULTER STREET BREWERY

1-31 Saulter St. | SaulterStreetBrewery.com

SHACKLANDS BREWING CO.

101-100 Symes Rd. | Shacklands.com

As well as Krampus and Paradise Found, look for more from the red wine and bourbon barrel aging projects at Saulter Street this winter.

From live jazz to a new camera club, the diverse event schedule really picks up at Shacklands for the cooler months.

Seasonal: B

Small-batch: B

THE SIX BREWING CO.

777 Dundas St. W. | eSixBrewingCo.com

Seasonal: B,L

Small-batch: B

Together let’s tell the field-to-bottle story.

Look for discounted beer ights at this downtown brewpub on Saturdays. ey do a full menu of classics with a beer twist.

BLUE

Seasonal: B

Year-round: B

Fresh, quality hops for home and commercial brewers that showcase a community effort to craft great beers. Visit our online hop store

STEAM WHISTLE

255 Bremner Blvd. | SteamWhistle.ca

VEGANDALE BREWERY

1346 Queen St. W., | VegandaleBrewery.com

With the end of the baseball and peak tourism seasons, it’s a great time to head into the Roundhouse and to snag the un ltered version of their pilsner.

is Queen West brewpub continues to o er beer to go with the plant-based menu served on-site and at associated restaurants.

SHINING EXAMPLE

IRISH DRY STOUT

Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS

Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS

VON BUGLE BREWING

249 Evans Ave. | VonBugle.ca

As well as visiting them in Etobicoke, you can also nd Von Bugle at Steam Whistle’s (their sister brewery) Biergarten downtown.

Seasonal: B,L

WOODHOUSE BREWING CO.

303 Landsdowne Ave. | WoodhouseBrewing.com

I. PREFER. ANIMALS.

AMERICAN-STYLE IPA

Year-round: B,L

Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS

After ve years of brewing on contract, Graham Woodhouse’s brewery has made the jump into the old Lot 30 space. STOUT

IRISH DRY STOUT

Year-round: B,L,LC

IPA

AMERICAN-STYLE IPA

Year-round: B,L,LC

FALCON BREWING

30 Barr Rd. | FalconBeer.beer

is just-east-of-Toronto sticks closely to its Second World War theme. ey now have one of their beers in the LCBO.

DWARVEN AJAX BOWMANVILLE

CHRONICLE BREWING CO.

422 Lake Rd., Unit 3 | ChronicleBeer.com

With 20 beer taps it’s no surprise that this relatively new brewery in Bowmanville has already put out several dozen di erent beers.

SALEM BOWMANVILLE MARKHAM

MANANTLER CRAFT BREWING CO.

EVOLUTION

182 Wellington St., Unit 18 | Manantler.com

Lots of breweries o er trivia nights, but Manantler’s is next level with the winning team in the league getting a keg party at the brewery. New season starts in January!

FALCON KETCHIN’ ZEEZ OATMEAL STOUT

ALE IRISH-STYLE RED ALE IBU ABV N/A 5.5% IBU ABV 40 7% IBU ABV 54 8.5%

B

ROUGE RIVER BREWING CO.

B IBU ABV N/A 6% IBU ABV 7 5% IBU ABV 34 5% 44

8-50 Bullock Dr. | RougeRiverBrewery.com

On weekends, house-made pizza joins the long list of reasons to pay Rouge River a visit. ey mix it up with bottles and short cans.

ARCH BREWING CO.

4-11 Pony Dr. | ArchBrewing.ca

MARKET BREWING CO.

4-17775 Leslie St. | MarketBrewingCo.com

ey continue to evolve their beer lineup with new entries in their single-hop series. Look for live comedy events in the taproom.

Regulars visit for the live music every Friday and Saturday night, as well as rotating food trucks and pop-up kitchens Tuesday through Saturday.

ALL OR NOTHING BREWHOUSE

439 Ritson Rd. S. | AllOrNothing.beer

COUNTY DURHAM BREWING CO.

Look for paint nights and custom wood signmaking events to ll the taproom in Oshawa that is now open seven days a week.

Winter months are the when the British styles from this GTA brewery really come into season. ey don’t have an on-site bottle shop or taproom.

OLD FLAME BREWING CO.

135 Perry St. | OldFlameBrewingCo.ca

THE SECOND WEDGE BREWING CO.

14 Victoria St. | eSecondWedge.ca

ey schedule everything from beer education classes to food pop-ups for their taproom space in Port Perry.

RAVEN BLACK LAGER

PERRY’S

ese guys get extra festive between Christmas and New Year’s for the celebration of their fourth anniversary. See their Facebook page for details on all of these events.

FOGGY WATER

GRUIT W/ HIBISCUS, MARSHMALLOW LEAF & HOLY BASIL

LAKE WILCOX BREWING CO.

3-1033 Edgeley Blvd.

LakeWilcoxBrewing.com

MAGNOTTA BREWERY

271 Chrislea Rd. | MagnottaBrewery.com

Colder weather means adjusted hours that included closing on Sunday and Monday. Watch out for their brewer’s dozen deal.

BLACK HOPS BLACK IPA

B

e 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 BLACK IPA

3 THREAD PORTER

5 PADDLES BREWING CO.

#3-1390 Hopkins St. | 5PaddlesBrewing.ca

BROCK STREET BREWING CO.

244 Brock St. S. | BrockStBrewing.com

e Durham-area brewery with a deep beer selection in the fridge is a solid go-to for stocking up for holiday gatherings.

PEANUT

BUTTER

GODIVA IMPERIAL STOUT W/ PEANUT BUTTER

e new 12welve Bistro & Tapwerks is a separate operation from the brewery, but you can grab a ight next door from the tasting bar.

IN YOUR FACE

B

LITTLE BEASTS BREWING CO.

2075 Forbes St. | LittleBeastsBrewing.com

Every Friday brings Mark’s Pizza and their from-scratch pies to the brewery. Also, Record Day falls on alternating last Sundays of the month. All events on their Facebook page.

Small-batch: B

TOWN BREWERY

1632 Charles St. | TownBrewery.ca

Town marks their second anniversary this November with a celebratory bash. Live music acts perform right in front of the tanks.

IRISH RED ALE IRISH RED ALE SQUARE

GLILTTER ON

B,L One-o : B

Brant & w est G ta

N ICKE L BROOK

BREW ING CO.

864 Drury Ln. | NickelBrook.com

SUN-TUES 11AM-6PM ^ WED-SAT 11AM-9PM

EST. 2005

Nickel Brook took their Cuvee, aged it for two years in bourbon barrels and then matured it on fruit and spices. Look for Glory & Gold.

GLORY & GOLD

2-YE A R BOUR B ON B A RREL-AGED CUV EE

Seasonal: B,L,LC

ABV IBU 9.5%37

Combines bright avours like citrus and orange peel with an oaky smoothness and touch of funk.

KENTUCKY BASTARD IMP ERI A L S TOUT AGED 1 YEA R IN BOUR B ON B A RRELS

Seasonal: B,L,LC

ABV IBU 11.9%70

Richly layered with co ee and chocolate, arming alcohol and a long-lasting nish.

BELL CITY BREWING CO.

51 Woodyatt Dr., unit 9

BellCityBrewing.com

MASH PADDLE BREWING CO.

111 Sherwood Dr., unit 3A

MashPaddleBrewing.com

As well as their mainstays at the LCBO, this Brantford brewery is also pushing the envelope with special releases like a co ee IPA aged for nine months in whisky barrels.

EUREKA CREAM ALE

Special seasonal events and live music keeps this brewery taproom in Brantford buzzing on weekends all winter.

MANEUVER

AMERICAN-STYLE IPA

STEEL WHEEL BREWERY

105 Powerline Rd. | SteelWheel.ca

BADLANDS BREWING COMPANY

13926

Rd.

You’ll nd more information about their winter series of courses (not just about beer!) at steelwheel.ca/courses.

ey’ve gutted and retro tted a retired bus so that they have an indoor, heated service space for winter. Pay them a visit on Saturdays from 12-5 p.m.

CALEDON HILLS BREWING COMPANY

CaledonHillsBrewing.ca

GOODLOT FARMSTEAD BREWING CO.

18825 Shaws Creek Rd. | GoodLot.beer

Keg sales—including for holiday parties and family gatherings—is the specialty for this brewery without a taproom.

BOHEMIAN PILS PILSNER

Blustery weather means they’ve moved into the Sipping Container for the winter and have adjusted their hours. See their website before planning your visit.

BROWN ALE BROWN ALE

Seasonal: B

Seasonal: B

SONNEN HILL BREWERY

20683 Heart Lake Rd. instagram.com/sonnenhill

SHAWN & ED BREWING CO.

65 Hatt St. | LagerShed.com

e new Bar Volo in Toronto—as well as other top beer bars—is your best bet for tracking down the limited releases from this brewery.

THREE NEW GRAINS

ENGLISH-STYLE BITTER

One-o : L

Small-batch: L

Winter is the perfect season for digging into the Barrelshed series of beers—all aged in Ontario wine barrels.

BARRELSHED NO. 1

BARREL-AGED ESB

Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS

DUMBLEPOUR DARK LAGER

Small-batch: B

FURNACE ROOM BREWERY

1 Elgin St. | FurnaceRoomBrewery.com

CLIFFORD BREWING CO.

1-398 Nash Rd. N. | Cli ordBrewing.com

is Georgetown brewery will celebrate one year this December. ey’ve just added an onsite food truck and have live music scheduled for most ursdays.

BLACK IPA BL A CK I PA

One-o : B

COLLECTIVE ARTS BREWING

207 Burlington St. E. | CollectiveArtsBrewing.com

Cli ord is still riding high from their breweryof-the-year award at the 2019 CBAs. Look for more live music at the brewery in East Hamilton. We’re happy it’s porter season!

Small-batch: B

FAIRWEATHER BREWING CO.

1-5 O eld Rd. | FairweatherBrewing.com

With Audio/Visual the Collective core range now includes a lager that will feature both visual and recording artists on the label. Look for lime and mandarin from the wai-iti hops.

e 2019 vintage of Wishing Well, their imperial stout, was conditioned on co ee, coconut, vanilla and rum-soaked hazelnuts. Look for a limited rerelease of the 2018 version.

GRAIN & GRIT BEER CO.

11 Ewen Rd. | GrainAndGritBeer.com

MERIT BREWING

107 James St. N. | MeritBrewing.ca

Check their website, starting in November, for information about their 2020 local memberships that o er discounts on purchases and access to special events.

WINTER WHITE STOUT WHITE STOUT W/CANDY CANE AND CACAO

In January 2020 they’ll host their 3rd annual In e Dead Of Winter beer dinner. Last year’s feast traveled across the country for snapshots of what winter is like in each region.

IN THE PALMS

IPA W/MANGO, PINEAPPLE AND LACTOSE

THEN

SAISON W/CAB FRANC SKIN AND VINE

FASHIONABLY LATE KVIEK W. BRETT & SPENT GIN BOTANICALS (COLLAB W/WILLIBALD)

Seasonal: B One-o : B

Year-round: B

ORANGE SNAIL BREWERS

1-32 Steeles Ave. E. | OrangeSnailBrewers.ca

Seasonal: B

OLD CREDIT BREWING CO.

6 Queen St. W. | OldCreditBrewing.com

Entertainment at Orange Snail includes live music and comedy on weekends, plus a Babies & Brews event every Wednesday.

IRON PIG AMERICAN-STYLE PALE

B

Winter means the folks at Old Credit really lean into the “Ice Aged” feature of their core beer lineup—now 473-ml cans.

HOLIDAY HONEY BLONE ALE Seasonal: B

AMBER

STONEHOOKER BREWING CO.

866 Lakeshore Rd. E. | Stonehooker.com

CAMERON’S BREWING

1165 Invicta Dr. | CameronsBrewing.com

e long list of games in this quaint, cozy taproom includes foosball, table tennis, cornhole toss and ladder toss.

Why’s a beer called Jurassic? ink subtle nod to a very successful Toronto basketball team. Skeleton Crew is their new label for hopfocussed beers.

JURASSIC AMERICAN-STYLE IPA

BENCH BREWING CO.

3991 King St. | BenchBrewing.com

KAME & KETTLE BEER WORKS

25 Pelham Town Square | KameAndKettle.ca

A wide range of brewed o erings—from sessionable to very specialized—make this Beamsville brewery a must-visit in Niagara.

TWENTY MILE FARMHOUSE ALE

Year-round: B,L,LC

OAK GROVE

ey made a California common, nicknamed Archie, to celebrate the rebuilding of the iconic arches in Fonthill.

SCHWARZBIER SCHWARZBIER

Small-batch: B,L,LC

Year-round: B,L

COUNTERPART BREWING

3659 Stanley Ave., unit 6-8

CounterpartBrewing.com

Seasonal: B,L

NIAGARA BREWING CO.

4915-A Clifton Hill

NiagaraBrewingCompany.com

Every two weeks they add two new cans—a relatively new format for this brewery—to the retail fridge at Counterpart.

ORIGIN

DOUBLE STOUT W/ COFFEE & MAPLE SYRUP

Seasonal: B

Seasonal: B

e rotating taps o er seasonal options that might include an Icewine beer, chocolate porter or an Irish red ale.

PREMIUM

Year-round: B

HONEYMOON PEACH RADLER RADLER

Year-round: B

THE EXCHANGE BREWERY

7 Queen St. | ExchangeBrewery.com

NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING BREWERY

135 Taylor Rd. | NCTeachingBrewery.ca

Noteworthy events at this NOTL brewery include a vegan cheese workshop and monthly comedy nights on Nov. 22 and Dec. 20.

If you’re passing through Niagara this holiday season, it’s worth stopping into NCTB for a sample of Ontario’s brewing history.

NIAGARA OAST HOUSE BREWERS

2017 Niagara Stone Rd. OastHouseBrewers.com

SILVERSMITH BREWING CO.

1523 Niagara Stone Rd. SilversmithBrewing.com

Stop in on Dec. 23 for the 7th annual Holiday Hoedown, one of the best parties in Niagara! If you can’t make it in, Oast House’s Pitchfork porter is in cans at LCBOs.

Yes, they have their iconic black lager across the province, but if you can make it into the brewery-in-a-church you’ll get to try their wide range of special, seasonal releases.

BREAKWALL BREWING CO.

46 Clarence St. | BreakwallBrewery.com

LOCK STREET BREWING CO.

104-15 Lock St. | LockStreet.ca

Breakwall keeps the seasonal beer releases going over the cold-weather months with at least one new o ering per month.

e Founders’ Club, including custom steins and discounted beer, continues to be a popular o ering at this brewery in Port Dalhousie.

BRIMSTONE BREWING CO.

209 Ridge Road N. | BrimstoneBrewing.ca

THE MERCHANT ALE HOUSE

98 St. Paul St. | MerchantAleHouse.com

Elliott Brood and Hollerado are among the concerts slated for the Sanctuary in Novemeber. See the full list at thesanctuaryarts.org/events.

A regular schedule of live music acts helps bring crowds into this St. Catherines standby on Friday and Saturday nights.

is Cambridge brewery (and their branded teku glasses) is a darling of the beer-Gram set. eir lineup rotates frequently.

VANILLA LATTE

MILK STOUT W/COFFEE AND VANILLA

Look for their Beer Club meeting—an individual beer style gets matched with a carefully chosen food pairing—on Nov. 20, Dec. 18 and

RUSSIAN GUN IMPERIAL STOUT

JACKASS BREWING

100 Sheldon Dr., Unit 36 | JackassBrewing.ca

NORTH WORKS BREWING CO.

46 Sta ord Ct. Unit B | NorthWorksBrewing.com

is Cambridge brewery takes fundraising seriously with events this fall in support of Ronald McDonald House and the Cambridge Self Help Food Bank. LECKER

One O Wednesdays feature small-batch, limited releases only by the glass in the taproom. Fall means new beers featuring fruit from Cambridge-area farms.

Seasonal: B

RHYTHM & BREWS BREWING CO.

1000 Bishop St. N., Unit 10 RhythmAndBrews.ca

WAVE MAKER CRAFT BREWERY

639 Laurel St. | WaveMakerBrewery.com

No surprise they have a packed, music-heavy lineup including metal/country Wednesdays, open mic ursdays and live music on weekend. Look for vinyl brunch starting mid-Nov.

MIXTAPE

Year-round:

Pay them a visit to see what’s new in their bottle fridge—bottles, plus short and tall cans are all represented here.

THANK YOU, INDIA

Seasonal: B

One-o : B

KITCHENER KITCHENER

ABE ERB

151 Charles St. W., Kitchener

15 King St. S., Waterloo

143 Northumberland St., Ayr | AbeErb.com

COUNTERPOINT BREWING CO.

#4-935 Frederick St. | counterpointbrewing.ca

is season, they have a Clash of the Kitchens series pitting their locations against each other in a culinary battle royale. Look for their redesigned cans at LCBOs.

THE

Seasonal: B,L

SETTLE DOWN COFFEE PALE ALE

Year-round: B,L,LC

DESCENDANTS BEER & BEVERAGE CO.

319 Victoria St. N. | DescendantsBeer.com

Counterpoint will mark their rst full year in brewing this winter. e plan for 2020 includes an expanded barrel-aging programme including blended releases.

UP FOR THE DOWNBEAT

Small-batch: B

Small-batch: B

RED CIRCLE BREWING CO.

137 Glasgow St., Unit 385 RedCircleBrewing.ca

e weekly list of events here range from TV trivia on Tuesday to music bingo on ursday and $1 oysters with live music on Friday.

HARBINGER

AMERICAN-STYLE PALE ALE

Year-round: B,L

EL BUSCADOR MEXICAN-STYLE LAGER

Year-round: B,L

Early November is the big grand opening for their brand new Brewer’s Lounge at the brewery. Look for regular collab brews with other breweries in the area.

SUPER CRISP

JAPANESE RICE LAGER (COLLAB W/WELLINGTON)

One-o : B

NIGHT SHIFT COFFEE PORTER

Year-round: B,L

THE BLACK CELLO COFFEE STOUT

SHORT FINGER BREWING CO.

20 Hurst Ave. | ShortFingerBrewing.com

TOGETHER WE’RE BITTER CO-OPERATIVE

300 Mill Street, Unit 1 | Brewing.coop

Join the SFBC crew on Dec. 19 for a holiday movie night in the taproom. ey’ll be watching Home Alone, eating popcorn, drinking some rad sours, and raising money for e Working Centre.

is local-favourite Kitchener brewery continues to grow—this time expanding by adding their own barrel programme.

WATERLOO BREWING

400 Bingemans Centre Dr. WaterlooBrewing.com

To mark their 35th anniversary (truly impressive milestone!) Waterloo opened a new Taphouse with more seating and expanding lineup of beer taps.

SALTED

Seasonal: B,LC,TBS

B,L,LC,TBS

BITTE SCHÖN BRAUHAUS

68 Huron St. | BitteSchonBrauhaus.com

BLOCK THREE BREWING

1430 King St. N., Unit 2 Block reeBrewing.Ca

Word came this fall that this New Hamburg brewery is up for sale. Hopefully, they nd a buyer to keep the taps owing.

THE WILD CREAM ALE

GINGER SNAP BROWN ALE W/GINGER

INNOCENTE BREWING CO.

283 North eld Dr. E., unit 8 | Innocente.ca

ey’ll be participating in the annual St. Jacobs Sparkles Christmas Open House in the middle of November this year.

FRANKENSTOUT SESSION STOUT

KING STREET SAISON

UPPER THAMES BREWING CO.

225 Bysham Park Dr., unit 9 | Upper amesBrewing.ca

e rotating special releases continue here with a new DIPA in November and a cranberryorange ESB for Christmas in December. Check out the new online store.

CRANKY ZESTIVE ALE

Woodstock’s own brewery now has a second location at their brewpub, Brickhouse Brewpub. Look for on-site brewing and a total of 24 taps featuring Ontario craft beer.

DUSK TO DAWN WHITE

DARKSIDE CHOCOLATE STOUT

Year-round: B,L Seasonal: B,L

C OW B ELL B REWING

40035 Blyth Rd. | CowbellBrewing.com

SUN-THU 11AM-9PM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-11PM

EST. 2016

Cowbell’s skilled brewing team brews a deep catalogue of styles for the world’s rst closed-loop brewery. e restaurant ups their road trip worthiness. eir beer is available online for home delivery.

MCNALL’S MISSION

GRAVEL

Year-round: B,L,LC

With notes of biscuit, to ee and a touch of cocoa this honey brown ale is just right for autumn.

HONEY B ROWN A LE DOC

Year-round: B,L,LC

Named for a local character and his trained bear, it punches with weighty doses of lime and lychee.

Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS

Punches above its weight with citrus zest, lime, pineapple and pine. Very easy drinking.

Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS

Warm fermentatoin provides more avour than most kölsches. Crisp and refreshing.

G row Your Community

rough their Greener Pastures Community Fund, Cowbell Brewing Co. contributes 5¢ from the sale of every pint and can, starting with the very rst can of beer sold in May 2016, to support the four children’s hospitals across Ontario.

CHEERS TO

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.

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!

W ELLINGTON BREWER Y

950 Woodlawn Rd. W. | WellingtonBrewery.ca

MON-SUN 11AM-7PM

EST. 1985

Arkell best bitter, one of the brewery’s original creations in 1985, makes its triumphant return in the current mix pack. Also, watch out for their chocolate milk stout.

ARKELL BEST BITTER

ENG LI S H- S TYLE B ITTER

Seasonal: B,L,LC

A smooth introduction to craft beer for many. Arkell has the malty balance that lets it do excellently in all weather.

IMPERIAL RUSSIAN STOUT

IMP ERIAL RU SS IAN STOUT

Seasonal: B,L,LC,TBS

is award-winner is a bold, full-bodied stout that’s jet black with a deep tan head and an inviting aroma of dark chocolate and co ee

OLD BUDDY

ESPRESSO B ROWN A LE

Seasonal: B,L,LC

is deep mahogany brown ale has roasted malt, nut, and to ee avours which meld seamlessly with the creamy espresso reduction.

CHOCOLATE MILK STOUT

M ILK STOUT W/ C OCOA

Seasonal: B,L,LC

is stout takes creamy smoothness to the next level. Search for it on tap on a cold winter night.

NOT A WORD SPOKEN

APRICOT IPA

Seasonal: B,L,LC

is hazy IPA is brewed with loads of fresh apricots and generously dry-hopped with simcoe and citra hops. Find it in Vol. 7 Mix Pack.

UPSIDE IPA

New England-style IPA

Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS

Exploding with juicy grapefruit, peach and tropical hop avours. is New England-style IPA has a hazy appearance and soft mouthfeel.

BAD APPLE BREWING CO.

73463 ON-21 | BadAppleBrewingCo.com

RIVER ROAD BREWING AND HOPS

35549 Bay eld River Rd. RiverRoadBrewing.com

e taproom event schedule takes a festive turn on Nov. 30 for a Christmas urn workshop. Find their beer through Small Batch Dispatch.

SERIOUSLY BLACK DRY-HOPPED PORTER

SERIOUSLY

COFFEE STOUT

Minor renovations to the taproom will help River Road welcome the holidays. ey’re also participating in Christmas urn-making workshops in Bay eld.

STATION 9 SMOKED BROWN ALE

ONE LONELY SCOTCH NIGHT SCOTTISH ALE

RURAL ROOTS BREWING COMPANY

21B Industrial Dr. | RuralRootsBrewery.ca

ELORA BREWING CO.

107 Geddes St. | EloraBrewingCompany.ca

is new brewery in Elmira professes a strong dedication to their rural community and already has many of the polished brewery trappings like a custom mug club.

NQIPA

AMERICAN-STYLE IPA

Live music Fridays continue with acts like Mike Tood and Drew Chester booked for November and December. Look for a cranberry version of their Lodestar sour to drop this fall.

AUSTRALIS

AUSTRALIAN-STYLE PALE ALE

LODESTAR SOUR ALE W/ CRANBERRY KETTLE

FORMOSA SPRINGS BREWERY

1120 Bruce Rd., Unit 12 FormosaBrewery.ca

SQUARE BREW

430 Parsons Crt. | SquareBrewCo.com

is Ontario brewery has a long history but also manages to stay on trend. As evidence, their lime beer was launched a decade ago.

HONEY BROWN LAG ER W/ H ONEY

Monthly trivia plus other special events keep the taproom calendar full at Square in Goderich. e town is especially pretty when covered in snow.

SQUARE ONE PILSNER PIL S NER

ONTARIO’S WEST COAST IPA

LAG ER

Year-round: B,L

Small-batch: B

Year-round: B,L

BROTHERS BREWING CO.

15 Wyndham St. N. BrothersBrewingCompany.ca

A MERICAN- S TYLE IPA

Year-round: B,L

FIXED GEAR BREWING

CO.

20 Alma St. S. | FixedGearBrewing.com

In downtown Guelph, this is one of the most convivial taprooms in Ontario. ey also have an especially deep menu of recommendations for outside food from local spots.

MISTY MOUNTAIN HÖP K VEIK IPA

Small-batch: B

Small-batch: B

Fans of barrel-aged o erings will be eager to try Fixed Gear’s rst oak-aged foeder beer when it comes out in mid-November.

RED HOOK STOUT

Seasonal: B

STONEHAMMER DARK ENG LI S H- S TYLE ALE

Year-round: B

ROYAL CITY BREWING CO.

199 Victoria Rd. S. | RoyalCityBrew.ca

MACLEAN’S ALES

52 14th Ave. | MacLeansAles.ca

Tuesday trivia nights at Royal City get special, crowd-pleasing themes such as Friends or the movies of Quentin Tarantino.

eir Scotch ale—a type well-suited to the blustery days of November and December—is the style’s standard-bearer in Ontario.

GREY MATTER BEER CO.

726 Queen St. | GreyMatterBeer.com

NEUSTADT SPRINGS

456 Jacob St. | NeustadtSprings.com

Stop into the Kincardine brewery this winter to sample the o erings from the Grey Matter Labs series, which is brewed on their pilot system.

is brewery, with historic digs, has been open for more than twenty years and winning brewing awards for almost as long.

HOCKLEY VALLEY

25 Centennial Rd. | HockleyBeer.ca

HALF HOURS ON EARTH BREWERY

151 Main St. S. | HalfHoursOnEarth.com

Widely available at LCBO locations at a goodvalue price their darker, cool-weather beers have been favourites well before the current wave of craft.

DARK ENGLISH-STYLE BROWN ALE

is brewery has a very high batting average on making gems. Lots of o erings in cans as well as the bigger bottles. Watch out for new releases on Wednesdays.

TOTALLY FARMHOUSE SOUR ALE AGED IN RED WINE BARRELS W/ FRUIT

SHAKESPEARE BREWING CO.

2178 Line 34 | ShakespeareBrewingCompany.ca

BLACK SWAN BREWING CO.

144 Downie St. | BlackSwanBrewing.ca

ese guys are de nitely a part of the crop of inventive breweries in the Stratford region. ey straddle the can-bottle line for their brewed lineup.

THE

As warm-weather running season ends, the live music becomes the bigger draw for this taproom in Stratford.

HERALD HAUS BREWING CO.

21 Market Pl. | @HeraldHaus

JOBSITE BREWING CO.

45 Cambria St. | JobsiteBrewing.ca

From the award-winning Dingman dark to an oatmeal stout and popular American-style pale ale, there’s plenty to sample at this brewery in historic, downtown Stratford.

DINGMAN

Still a bit under-the-radar in Stratford, this new brewery celebrated its rst anniversary this summer. ey have a deep, creative catalogue.

STRATFORD BREWING CO.

Facebook.com/StratfordBrewing

76050 Parr Line | StoneHouseBrewing.ca

Get a taste of Ontario’s most famous theatre town at your local bar or LCBO. ( ey don’t have an on-site taproom.)

is small brewery in Varna continues to expand their regular lineup—they launched a new Bavarian lager this fall.

GL HERITAGE BREWING COMPANY

8728 Howard Ave. | GLHeritageBrewing.ca

LONSBERY FARMS BREWING CO.

7781 Howard Ave. | LonsberyFarms.beer

e core lineup of a blonde ale, California common and American-style pale ale are joined this season by seasonals including a sweet stout and a rye pale ale.

APPLE JACK’D ALE

Wide distribution across area establishments helps keep this brewery top-of-mind with local craft beer fans.

BLACK EYE PA BLACK IPA

SONS OF KENT BREWING CO.

BEE-UTIFUL HONEY BROWN BROWN ALE

BAYSIDE BREWING CO.

970 Ross Lane | BaysideBrewing.com

27 Adelaide St. S. | SonsOfKent.com

Fergie’s Classic is named after MLB pitching legend, Ferguson Jenkins. Partial proceeds will help the Chatham-Kent Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation buld a new facility.

FRUIT BEER SPACE

Live music, especially on Saturdays and Sundays, keeps this brewery property in Erieau hopping with beer drinkers.

CONCESSION ROAD BREWING CO.

17 Talbot St. E., unit 4

THE

12 Main St. E. | BrewEatSleepRepeat.com

e plan is to add weekly cask releases—each with a seasonal touch—to the o erings at Concession Road.

RAMBLIN ROAD BREWERY

2970 Swimming Pool Rd. | RamblinRoad.ca

is brewery with an on-site hotel has made it to the two-year mark in style. At the 2019 Ontario Brewing Awards, they scored a gold medal for their Westcott cream ale.

e retail bottle shop and tasting room for this on-farm brewery are open every day and their restaurant, the Roost, has separate lunch hours.

STONEPICKER BREWING

7143 Forest Rd. | StonepickerBrewing.com

REFINED FOOL BREWING CO.

1326 London Rd., 137 Davis St. Re nedFool.com

Look for gourmet food pop-ups and inventive collaborations with local produces—such as a sun ower beer—from these guys.

TRACTOR ON THE WALL OATMEAL STOUT

November 20 is the holiday-themed Charity Takeover at Re ned Fool on London Rd. at night, 15% of proceeds go directly to the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Centre in Sarnia.

BIG RED 9350 RED IPA

RIVER RUN BREW CO.

146 Christina St. N. | Facebook.com/RiverRunBrewCo

CHARLOTTEVILLE BREWING CO.

1207 Charlotteville West Quarter Line Rd. CharlottevilleBrewingCompany.ca

Look for this relatively new brewery, started by homebrewers, in Sarnia’s revitalizing, historic downtown neighbourhood.

BEASTMASTER

Look for the “Experi-tap” series of new beer releases from a wide range of styles and with unusual ingredients.

SARNIA SIMCOE

SARNIA

RAILWAY CITY BREWING CO.

130 Edward St. | RailwayCityBrewing.com

RUSTY WRENCH BREWING CO.

9 Front St. W. | RustyWrench.ca

Karen Emeny, e Groove Station and Black Suit Devil are all on the live-music schedule at Railway City this season.

From DIY workshops, to themed paint nights and karaoke there is a full schedule keeping the Strathroy taproom full.

STRATHROY BREWING CO.

62 Albert St. | StrathroyBrewingCompany.ca

NATTERJACK BREWING CO.

25292 Talbot Line | NatterjackBrewing.ca

Two cask engines have pride of place at this small-town brewery that tends to pick beer names related to the War of 1812.

Look for Grandma Varga wearing her Natterjack Brewing t-shirt around town, snap a sel e with her and send it to the brewery. How’s that for community engagement?

ANDERSON CRAFT ALES

1030 Elias St. | AndersonCraftAles.ca

BEERLAB!

420 Talbot St. | Beerlab.com

Expanded hours—from 11-9 on Tuesday through Saturday and 12-5 on Sunday—plus a full kitchen menu means there are even more reasons to visit this standout London brewery.

Look for pop-up meals in this new London taproom from Salt&Swine on certain weekends throughout the fall and winter months. More details on their social feeds.

DUNDAS & SONS BREWING

400 Adelaide St. N. | DundasAndSons.com

FORKED RIVER BREWING CO.

45 Paci c Crt., Unit 4 ForkedRiverBrewing.com

Look for them at the I Heart Beer Holiday Festival at London’s RBC Place on Nov. 22— ugly sweaters encouraged, naturally.

On Dec. 14, they’re hosting a pop-up holiday market with local vendors, artists and artisans. Peas+ ank You will be there with eats.

LONDON BREWING

521 Burbrook Pl. | LondonBrewing.ca

CO.

100 Kellogg Ln. | PowerhouseBrewery.beer

Euchre takes over the brewery on Wednesday night; live music features play on Friday; and they do a relaxed, acoustic set on Sunday.

From community fundraisers to holiday events, this brewery that only opened this summer has already become a cornerstone in London

STORM STAYED BREWING CO.

169 Wharncli e Rd. S., unit 8 StormStayed.com

From pop-culture trivia to special beer cocktails on Sunday, there are plenty of reasons to visit this London brewery on top of their selection of well-made beer.

TOBOGGAN BREWING CO.

585 Richmond St. | TobogganBrewing.com

FRANK BREWING CO.

12000 Tecumseh Rd. | FrankBeer.ca

is downtown London brewery made a special beer just for the Grand eatre, called London Proud. From gear to tastings to beer to-go they have the full package on Richmond. SIMPLE

One of Windsor’s larger craft operations has a rotating brew programme and a taproom with occasional food specials.

WINDSOR WINDSOR

BREW MICROBREWERY

635 University Ave. E. | BrewWindsor.com

CHAPTER TWO BREWING CO.

2345 Edna St. | ChapterTwoBrewing.com

e maple beer outsells the rest of the lineup at this independent brewery in Windsor—they also sell it through their website.

e good news for those stopping into this Windsor brewery is that they’ve added an onsite kitchen and are serving a full BBQ menu.

CRAFT HEADS BREWING CO.

89 University Ave. W. | CraftHeads.ca

MOTOR CRAFT ALES

888 Erie St. E. | isIsMotor.com

ey manage to keep dozens of taps wellsupplied with a nano system and are adding online bottle sales this season. Get set for their big ve-year anniversary later this winter.

With beers created using crabapples and another with beets and ginger, the infused-beer options keep going over the winter months.

DRAGULA SCHWARZBIER

30ML COFFEE STOUT STOUT Year-round: B

B

B

SANDWICH BREWING CO.

3230 Sandwich St. | @SandwichBrewing

B

WALKERVILLE BREWERY

525 Argyle Rd. | WalkervilleBrewery.com

Grab a Barrels, Bottles and Brews passport and make a brewery tour of Sandwich and other area establishments.

SOUTH OF THE BORDER

ENGLISH-STYLE PORTER

Small-batch: B

RUBY SUE

ENGLISH-STYLE MILD

Year-round: B

ey’re hosting Windsor’s Mistletoe Market on the weekends of Nov. 15-16 and Dec. 6-7. Each weekend has a di erent set of Etsy vendors with handmade wares.

RIVERSIDE BROWN

ENGLISH-STYLE BROWN ALE

Small-batch: B

EASY STOUT MILK STOUT

Year-round: B,L,LC

CHURCH-KEY BREWING

1678 County Road 38 ChurchKeyBrewing.com

Wondering about the name? at’s what we called bottle openers in decades past—you know, like the 90s. eir brewed styles also tend to the traditional.

More of their lineup tends to be on tap at the brewery than in bottle or can, so this is a great option for grabbing a growler on the way to a holiday party.

SUPER

WILLIAM STREET BEER CO.

975 Elgin St. W. #4 | WilliamStreetBeer.com

FENELON FALLS BREWING CO.

4 May St. | FenelonFallsBrewing.com

Watch out for the latest act on the Crown Pallet Stage—their live music venue at the brewery. e Busker Brothers perform on Nov. 16.

CRANBERRY SAISON SAISON W/FRUIT

BELMONT LAKE BREWERY

54 Fire Rte. 17 | BelmontLakeBrewery.com

is fall, their revitalized facade in downtown Fenelon Falls was honoured with an entry in the award from Explore Fenelon Falls.

RED ALE RED ALE

PIE EYED MONK BREWERY

8 Cambridge St. N. PieEyedMonkBrewery.com

With somewhat limited opening hours, it’s best to con rm that this brewery is open before you make the trek o the beaten path to see them.

is fall, the brewpub in Lindsay added cocktails to the menu to go with their brewed o erings.

BOBCAYGEON BREWING CO.

191 St David St., Unit 2

BobcaygeonBrewing.ca

THE OLDE STONE BREWING CO.

380 George St. N. | OldeStone.ca

is brewery in Peterborough is putting the nishing touches on their online bottle shop so that you can order your favourites.

Many of their seasonal o erings, including their holiday beers, make it onto the cask engine at this brewpub in Peterborough.

PUBLICAN HOUSE BREWERY

300 Charlotte St. | PublicanHouse.com

SMITHAVENS BREWING COMPANY

687 Rye St., Unit 6 | SmithavensBrewing.ca

O’Leerie stout makes a return for the winter months as well as the one-year-aged version of their Eight or Better Belgian-style tripel.

In October, new owners closed this taproom for a remodel. Check that they’ve re-opened before planning your visit.

S PE ARHE AD BREWING

675 Development Dr. | SpearheadBeer.com

SUN-MON 11AM-9PM ^ TUE-THU 11AM-10PM

FRI-SAT 11AM-11PM

EST. 2018

Winter events at Spearhead include their annual New Year’s Extravaganza and a party in February for Groundhog Day.

BELGIAN STOUT STOUT BIG KAHUNA IMPER I AL I PA

Seasonal: B,L

A BV IBU 6%35

Brewed with coriander, demerara sugar and Curaçao orange peel it has a dry nish.

Seasonal: B,L,LC

A BV IBU 10%100

It gets warrior, cascade and hallertau blanc hops to go with the pure pineapple juice.

MACKINNON BROTHERS BREWING

1915 County Road 22 MackinnonBrewing.com

MATRON FINE BEER

65 Barker Lane | MatronFineBeer.ca

ey’re adding a 10,000-square-foot, timberframe expansion to their brew house, packaging and storage facility. Check their social feeds for hours over the holiday season.

HARVEST ALE ALE MADE FROM 100% FARM-GROWN INGREDIENTS

One of the County’s newest and most popular breweries continues to gradually expand their lineup and have a new beer coming for winter. ey’ve added online sales.

SIGNAL BREWING COMPANY

86-87 River Rd. | Signal.beer

GANANOQUE BREWING COMPANY

9 King St. E. | GanBeer.com

Look for popular, local tribute bands Epic Journey and Epic Eagles to play the taproom on Dec. 6 and 8, respectively.

e brewery with the di cult-to-say name is holding their 3rd annual chili cook-o after the Santa Claus parade on Nov. 30.

YEASAYER LAGERBIER

BOBO FARMHOUSE WHEAT

COOPER’S HAWK

LAKE ON THE MOUNTAIN BREWERY

11369 Loyalist Pkwy. LakeOn eMountainBrewCo.com

GILLINGHAM BREWING CO.

1316 Wilson Rd. | GillinghamBrewing.ca

Very limited winter hours so be sure to check their website or social feeds before heading to this converted-resort brewery.

ONOKENOGA

PALE ALE

AMERICAN-STYLE PALE ALE

Seasonal: B

Year-round: B

STRANGE BREWING CO.

371 Chase Rd. | facebook.com/ e-StrangeBrewing-Company

e lineup continues to evolve at this smallscale brewery in the County, which has a focus on pales ales plus seasonal styles.

HOWLETT IPA AMERICAN-STYLE IPA

Seasonal: B

Small-batch: B

KINGSTON

KINGSTON BREWING COMPANY

34 Clarence St. | KingstonBrewing.ca

O the beaten track in Hillier, this backyard brewery goes well beyond the ordinary for their 200-litre nano batches.

As well as their house beers, this brewpub covers o wine, cocktails and selections from some of the best breweries in Eastern Ontario.

DOUBLE DRYHOPPED IPA IMPERIAL IPA

Seasonal: B

Seasonal: B

Year-round: B

Seasonal: B

JM PORTER

PORTER

RIVERHEAD BREWING CO.

631 Fortune Cres. | RiverheadBrewing.com

SKELETON PARK BREWERY

675 Arlington Park Pl. | SkeletonPark.ca

ey do a “hoppy hour” on Wednesdays from 3-6 p.m. with reduced prices on beer ights and selections on a special snack menu.

is former contract brewery stepped into the former King’s Town Brewing space and held their grand opening on Nov. 2.

BITTER

STONE CITY ALES

275 Princess St. | StoneCityAles.com

NAPANEE BEER COMPANY

450 Milligan Lane | NapaneeBeer.ca

Oh Susanna and Julian Finnegan are playing the second installment of the fall concert series at Stone City on Nov. 14.

One of Eastern Ontario’s most popular breweries has lots of their beer in grocery stores. Look for monthly beer releases from them.

555 BREWING CO.

124 Picton Main St. | 555Beer.com

BARLEY DAYS BREWERY

13730 Loyalist Parkway

BarleyDaysBrewery.com

Food pop-ups feature here throughout the week and Leafs games on the big screen are a big draw at this Picton brewpub.

FOOTPRINT AMERICAN-STYLE IPA

PARSONS BREWING CO.

876 County Road 49 | ParsonsBrewing.com

eir oyster stout has had a cult following for many years in Ontario. It’s particularly wellsuited to cold-weather imbibing.

PRINCE EDDY’S

CO.

13 Macsteven Dr. | PrinceEddys.com

Stop by this brewery in Picton for a wide range of beer selections (from co ee stouts to milkshake IPAs) and cozy taproom atmosphere.

A black lager and double milkshake IPA will join the Norwegian pale and dry-hopped sour on the release schedule this season at this brewery in Picton.

BREWING

LONG BLACK BLACK IPA W/

RUM BRÛLÉE MILK

WILDCARD BREWING CO.

38 Gotha St. | WildcardBrewCo.com

MIDTOWN BREWING CO.

266 Wellington Main St.

MidtownBrewingCompany.com

ey’ve added hand-made steins to their swag shop. Local woodworker Alex Ferri makes each one from wood he harvests himself.

BLUE SOUR RANGER

BLUEBERRY LEMONADE SLUSHIE KETTLE SOUR

e light-touch British in uence gives pretty much their full range a very sessionable quality. Extremely solid brewpub menu to match the beer and friendly ambiance.

FAIT ACCOMPLI (RED)

BERLINER WEISSE W/ GAMAY GRAPES

WESTPORT BREWING CO.

41B Main St.

WestportBrewingCompany.ca

DRY

WOLFE ISLAND SPRING CRAFT BREWERY

1570 County Road 96 | WolfeIsland.beer

Once the Upper Rideau Lake freezes, you’ll be able to skate (or sled) right up to this brewery on Westport’s harbour. ey’ve just passed the one-year mark!

A fancy new canning line means more of their beer will be travelling across the province this year—some of it with nitro.

WESTPORT WOLFE ISLAND

BE AU’ S ALL NATU R AL BREWI NG CO .

10 Terry Fox Dr. | Beaus.ca

MON-SUN 10AM-6PM

EST. 2006

Beau’s continues to expand their lineup, this time with Countdown, a west coast pale ale. Look for cascade and simcoe hops plus an easy 5%.

TOM GREEN CHERRY

CH ERRY MI LK S TOUT

Seasonal: B,LC

A BV IBU 5.6%30

With a luscious and silky body, this certi ed organic stout is chocolate cake with a cherry.

STRONG PATRICK

Seasonal: B,L,LC

A BV IBU 6.1%24

From whiskey and oak on the nose to rich and warm nish, this is an easy favourite.

IR ISH -S T YLE RED A LE

CROOKED MILE BREWING

453 Ottawa St., Unit 3 | CrookedMile.ca

ASHTON BREWING COMPANY

113 Old Mill Rd. AshtonBrewingCompany.com

Most of the brewed options here hew fairly closely to traditional British styles that are balanced and subtle.

HIGHLANDER

HILL WALKER

SCOTTISH EXPORT ALE

CALABOGIE BREWING CO.

12612 Lanark Rd., 105 Schneider Rd. Unit 130, Kanata | CalabogieBrewingCo.ca

Extensive renovations have made Ashton into even more of a family destination. eir own canning facilities mean their brews are in more LCBOs and grocery stores.

RED RYE RED ALE

BRAUMEISTER BREWING CO.

19 Moore St. | Braumeister.ca

e event space at Calabogie can handle up to 200 guests for any type of gathering this holiday season. eir Brown Cow is a favourite at this time of year.

Rotating seasonals do a good job of complementing their core lager styles. Grab a pretzel when you visit their taproom.

CARLETON PLACE CASSELMAN

STALWART BREWING CO.

10 High St. | StalwartBrewing.ca

CASSEL BREWERY

2 Racine St. | CasselBrewery.ca

Beers from this Carleton Place brewery show up at bars all over Ottawa. eir own taproom features a cask engine.

BULLDOG BOB BROWN

Live entertainment—comedy nights in particular—keep the brewpub humming throughout the winter months.

CABOOSE IPA AMERICAN-STYLE IPA

CORNWALL EMBRUN

RURBAN BREWING

412 Cumberland St. | RurbanBrewing.ca

ÉTIENNE BRÜLÉ BREWERY

893 Notre-Dame St. | EtienneBrule.ca

Cornwall’s own brewery puts on beer-andfood pairings during the cold-weather season. is brewery has particularly deep connections to the local community.

BETTAH BITTAH BEST

is brewery in Embrun is well-known for the food o erings and comfortable space as well as the deep range of beers.

BLACK CREEK BLACK IPA

TUQUE DE BROUE BREWERY

189 Bay St. | TuqueDeBroue.ca

WHITEWATER BREWING CO.

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 e ervescence, to the bene t of the drinker.

ST-NICOLAS COFFEE PORTER

e cult favourite Peanut Butter Shake makes a return in mid-November. It’s a sweet stout that balances the familiar combination of chocolate and peanut butter avours.

GOUGOUNES ROUSSES RED ALE

B,L

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS BREWING CO.

25 orold Ln.

HumbleBeginningsBrewing.ca

Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS

WINDMILL BREWERY

5 Newport Dr. | WindmillBrewery.ca

is four-year-old brewery in Ingleside incorporates local artworks into their bright, airy taproom space.

Live music from a rotating roster of acts in a broad range of styles keep brewery guests entertained at this eastern Ontario brewery.

EMBRUN FORESTERS FALLS

W

D BROTHERS BREWING CO.

2980 Wylie Rd.

WoodBrothersBrewingCo.com

CARTWRIGHT SPRINGS BREWERY

239 Deer Run Rd. | CSBeer.ca

Small batch sizes mean Wood Brothers can continually experiment with new beers—often featuring interesting hop varieties.

Head to Pakenham for this brewery’s 360-degree view of nature and beers like the wet-hopped IPA they made with hops they grew themselves.

SQUARE TIMBER BREWING CO.

800 Woito Station Rd. | SquareTimber.com

PERTH

PERTH BREWERY

121 Du erin St. | PerthBrewery.ca

is Pembroke-area brewery has just turned ve! ey’re adding a Scottish heavy and a light lager this fall and are drawing up plans for a maple quad for the spring.

NESS SCOTTISH HEAVY

B,L

A family operation that has a strong local fan base in Perth. eir beers also make it into bars and restaurants across Eastern Ontario.

BUDBUSTER IPA

AMERICAN-STYLE IPA

Year-round: B,L

Year-round: B,L

4 DEGREES BREWING CO.

275 Brockville St. | 4DegreesBrewing.com

HALCYON BARREL HOUSE

10 Terry Fox Dr. | Halcyon.beer

AMERICAN-STYLE IPA

Small-batch: B

Year-round: B

Halcyon continues to mix it between breweryonly one-o s and regular o erings at the LCBO—such as Curse of Knowledge and Echo Chamber.

GRAVITY WELL CHERRY

ORGANIC FLANDERS RED W/ CHERRIES

One-o : B

One-o : B

IBU ABV 24 5.1% IBU ABV N/A 7.3% IBU ABV N/A 6.9% IBU ABV 78 6.5% IBU ABV N/A 9% IBU ABV 18 5% 100

BIG RIG BREWERY

103 Schneider Rd. | BigRigBrewery.com

EVERGREEN CRAFT ALES

EvergreenCraftAles.com

An Ottawa favourite, these guys straddle the line between British and German styles and also strike a balance between all-year standbys and rotational o erings.

MIDNIGHT KISSED MY COW MILK STOUT

BOBBY ON THE BEAT

e brand-new taproom at Evergreen has a bright, open setup and puts guests right in the middle of the brewing action—so it’s extra cozy on brew days.

DARK IS THE

Year-round: B

SMALL PONY BARREL WORKS

101 Schneider Rd. SmallPonyBarrelWorks.com

AFTERNOON DELIGHT SESSION IPA

NE-STYLE IPA

Year-round: B

BROADHEAD BREWING CO.

1680 Vimont Ct., Unit 106 | BroadheadBeer.com

A special bottle from this Kanata brewery that focuses on barrel-aging and sours would make a perfect holiday gift.

DREAMY

Fall 2019 saw this mainstay of the Ottawa brewing scene open a new taproom at 1680 Vimont Crt. in Orléans.

Year-round: B,L,LC

Small-batch: B,L

Seasonal: B,L

Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS

STRAY DOG BREWING CO.

501 Lacolle Way, Unit 4 | StrayDogBrewing.ca

BEYOND THE PALE BREWING

250 City Centre Ave., Bay 108 BTPShop.ca

ey’ll be at the Orléans Cork and Fork Festival at the Shenkman Arts Centre in midNovember.

ey’re hosting the Ottawa Adventure Film Festival’s Full Send Friday on Nov. 15. It will be launch day for this year’s fest.

BICYCLE CRAFT BREWERY

850 Industrial Ave., Unit 12 BicycleCraftBrewery.ca

575 Bank St. | Clocktower.ca

Vinternat is a stout made with raw Persian licorice root and Billow Maidens is an IPA series featuring kveik yeast. eir annual Holiday Toast happens in early December.

eir social feeds are the best way to guring out what’s happening (and pouring) at the various locations for this brewpub chain.

DOMINION CITY BREWING CO.

5510 Canotek Rd., Unit 15 | DominionCity.ca

FLORA HALL BREWING

37 Flora St. | FloraHallBrewing.ca

ey’ll be pouring at the Ottawa Art Gallery on Nov. 30 for the Good Way, a beer dinner featuring indigenous-inpired dishes.

BETWEEN TWO EVILS

From barrel-aged beers that are hand-dipped in wax to double dry-hopped IPAs on tap, this Ottawa brewpub has a deep catalogue.

OATMEAL

VIC

Small-batch: B

KICHESIPPI BEER CO.

2265 Robertson Rd. | KBeer.ca

LOWERTOWN BREWERY

73 York St. | LowertownBrewery.ca

ey’ve settled into their new space on Robertson that o ers more space for one of Ottawa’s favourite breweries.

Music is central to the entertainment at this Ottawa brewery with the Talent on Tap sessions every Friday at 10 p.m.

NITA BEER CO.

190 Colonnade Rd., Unit 17 | NitaBeer.com

OVERFLOW BREWING

2477 Kaladar Ave. | Over owBeer.com

Find their popular beer advent calendars on their website and at a few Beer Store locations across the province. ey’ll mark 5 years of brewing later this winter.

CRANSHAW’S SPRUCED IPA AMERICAN-STYLE IPA

On Nov. 22, Over ow hosts Our Name is Jonas, the Weezer tribute band. ey’ll be playing three sets of favourites.

RIDGE ROCK BREWING CO.

421 Donald B. Munro Dr. RidgeRockBrewCo.ca

TOOTH AND NAIL BREWERY

3 Irving Ave. | ToothAndNailBeer.com

Look for orange peel, spruce tips and cranberry in their Christmas porter. eir American-style stout took home a bronze medal at the Ontario Brewing Awards.

With the end of patio season, it’s extra cozy at this Hintonburg brewery. Watch their social feeds for hours over the holiday season.

VIMY BREWING COMPANY

145 Loretta Ave. N., Unit 1

VimyBrewing.ca

WALLER STREET BREWING

14 Waller St. | WallerSt.ca

Vimy brings in neighbours from Little Italy (and across Ottawa) for trivia on Wednesdays and their deep beer selection the rest of the week.

VIMY NORTHEAST IPA NEW ENGLANDSTYLE IPA

e last Wednesday of every month brings one of the coolest events to this Ottawa brewery— they broadcast old school radio plays over their speakers.

SPEAK SOFTLY AMERICAN-STYLE PALE ALE

BLINDSIDE BITTER EXTRA SPECIAL BITTER

WHIPRSNAPR

BREWING CO.

14 Bexley Pl. | WhiprsnaprBrewingCo.com

119 Iber Rd., Unit 6 CoveredBridgeBrewing.com

rough November and December their Un ltered Project will continue to go strong wtih a new beer release set for every week.

RISQUE

COFFEE STOUT

F’N’L BRITISH-STYLE IPA

Board games—from Telestrations to Battleship—are a popular draw at this brewery that also hosts Euro Bites kitchen.

LUMBERSEXUAL SESSION IPA

WALK ON THE MILD SIDE

ENGLISH-STYLE MILD

BANCROFT BREWING CO.

4 Hastings St. N. | BancroftBrewing.ca

BARNSTORMER BREWING & DISTILLING CO.

3-384 Yonge St. | BarnstormerBrewing.com

ese guys are celebrating a big year that includes three awards at Ontario beer festivals. Find their Rusky Husky amber at the LCBO for the rst time.

Wednesday-night trivia is an intense proposition here with a rotating schedule of general interest (Nov. 6), sports (Nov. 13) and Stranger ings (Nov. 20).

BILLY BISHOP

FLYING MONKEYS CRAFT BREWERY

107 Dunlop St. E. | FlyingMonkeys.ca

REDLINE BREWHOUSE

8 & 9-431 Bayview Dr. RedlineBrewhouse.com

Right in downtown Barrie, Flying Monkeys is a leader in Ontario craft beer with some of the best-known, bold beers.

is brewery, just o Hwy. 400, marked four years in business recently. Head over to their bottle shop on Black Friday for discounts on bottled releases.

LAKE OF BAYS BREWING CO.

117-2681 Muskoka District Rd.

LakeOfBaysBrewing.ca

KATALYST BREWING CO.

13 Taylor Rd., Unit D | KatalystBrewing.com

To celebrate the holidays, this cottage-country brewery has packaged ve beers together with a pair of festive socks. Look for it at the LCBO.

Opening up in the historic Granary Building in Downtown Bracebridge, once home to the Muskoka Brewery. e brewery was started as a contract brewery in Toronto in 2016.

SCORCHED EARTH SMOKED PORTER Year-round:

BRACEBRIDGE CARLING

MUSKOKA BREWERY

1964 Muskoka Beach Rd. MuskokaBrewery.com

NORSE BREWERY

11 Ritchie Dr. | NorseBrewery.com

Love IPAs? Muskoka has a no-compromises mix pack for you with their Hopsonic release at the LCBO starting in November. Lunar Haze, Rosè Cheeks, Berry Springer join mainstays.

Can art for this brewery stays on-theme by drawing inspiration from Viking artifacts, including ceremonial drinking cups.

SAWDUST CITY BREWING CO.

397 Muskoka Rd. N. SawdustCityBrewing.com

HALIBURTON HIGHLANDS BREWING

1067 Garden Gate Drive

HaliburtonHighlandsBrewing.ca

eir award-winning stout, Long Dark Voyage to Uranus, is around until January. ey also do a variation with Cut co ee and vanilla for a more dessert-like pro le.

is Haliburton brewery collaborated with Von Edgar Hops for their 2019 wet-hop pale ale, at Time of Year.

HONEY

A MER I CAN- S TYLE BROWN ALE W/HONEY

BOSHKUNG BREWING CO.

9201 ON-118; 20 Water St., Minden | BoshkungBrewing.com

9

ey have a special edition of their Small Town Hero session IPA available for Remembrance Day. And a new wet-hopped black IPA called Mirror Lake coming out in November

is family-friendly brewery dials it up on ursdays with toys for kids and a 10% menu discount. Also, Brunch at the Brewery is back every Sunday this season!

HIGHLANDER BREW CO.

309B Hwy. 124 | HighlanderBrewCo.com

CLEAR LAKE BREWING CO.

4651

Interesting takes on British styles is the specialty at this brewery in South River. Blacksmith is one of the most consistent smoked beers in Ontario.

is Muskoka Lakes brewery closes their taproom for the winter months but will be back come spring 2020.

Collingwood, Bruce & Manitoulin

COLLINGWOOD BREWERY

10 Sandford Fleming Dr. | eCollingwordBrewery.com

NORTHWINDS BREWHOUSE

499 First St. | NorthwindsBrewery.com

November brings a winter stout from Collingwood and the Freestyle Series will include a strawberry milkshake IPA and a porter this season.

A bit more under-the-radar than their ski country neighbours, Northwinds makes some excellent beers. ey do buck-a-shuck oysters the last ursday of the month.

NOSEY PARKER PORTER

PORTER

SIDE LAUNCH BREWING CO.

1-200 Mountain Rd. | SideLaunchBrewing.com

THORNBURY VILLAGE CIDERY

& BREWHOUSE

90 King St E. | ornburyCraft.com

ey’re holding a ski-related market, called First Snow Show, in the taproom in Collingwood on Nov. 24.

is ski country brewery has turned patio drinking into an all-season activity with their patio igloos for winter seating.

MIDNIGHT

Year-round: B,L,LC

BARREL-AGED

Seasonal: B Year-round: B,L,LC

SPLIT RAIL BREWING CO

31 Water St. | SplitRailManitoulin.com

ALC/VOL IBU

4.8%40

e seasonal release they put out in late autumn, Smoked Hickory Nut Brown Ale, was especially popular at their Fall Fest.

GETAWAY AMERICAN-STYLE IPA SMOKED

Seasonal: B

Seasonal: B,L

Brewed with Bohemian Malts, Saaz hops and genuine Czech yeast.

Year-round: B,LC

GORE

MANITOULIN BREWING CO.

43 Manitowaning Rd

ManitoulinBrewing.co

KILANNAN BREWING CO.

103015 Grey Rd. 18 | KilannanBrewing.ca

Started by three friends with a passion for representing North Ontario through their beer. Browse the full selection in their online store.

CUP AND SAUCER ENGLISH ALE ENGLISH-STYLE BROWN ALE

is brewery in Owen Sound continues to expand their list of o erings in cans. ey’re also experts at putting new hop varieties to good use in their recipes.

THE MEN WHO STARE AT OATS

OUTLAW BREW CO.

196 High St. | OutlawBrewCo.com

TOBERMORY BREWING CO.

28 Bay St. | TobermoryBrewingCo.ca

With a tap list of house beers in the double digits, a full restaurant-style menu and live music, this is a community hub in Southampton.

MISTLETOE KISS WINTER ALE

BRONCO COPPER ALE COPPER ALE

ey’ve switched over to their winter hours at this brewery in Tobermory—closed Monday and Tuesday and opening at noon the rest of the week.

FRANK N STOUT IMPERIAL STOUT

FATHOM FIVE PORTER PORTER

OWEN SOUND

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

Toronto! Are you ready? e Lake of the Woods Brewing Co. delivery van is rollin’ down the 401 straight to your neighbourhood LCBO… loaded with some fresh new beers for y’all. We are excited to bring a little bit of the LOW to the 6ix. Follow the journey at #LOWinTO and #makeitlaketime.

Year-round: B,L,LC

A balanced lagered ale whose subtlety quali es it as an all-year-round session beer.

Year-round: B,L,LC

Strong fan favourite with balance and blueberry-patch aroma. Hides alcohol well.

Year-round: B,L,TBS

e roasty caramel notes are obvious from the get-go. Malt leaning with a slightly dry nish.

Year-round: B,L,LC,TBS

A malt-heavy take on the style with toasted bread and biscuit notes leading to a sweet close.

Now Brewing in 3 Locations

Our agship location in Kenora, Ont. was joined this summer by a location in Warroad, MN on the south end of the Lake of the Woods. Soon to be open, our Hargrave Street Market location in Winnipeg! Closing the loop around Lake of the Woods with our three locations in Ontario, Manitoba and Minnesota.

LAKE

SULTANA GOLD AMERICAN-STYLE

WHISKEYJACK BEER CO.

485 Ferguson Ave. | WhiskeyjackBeer.ca

BIG WATER BREWING CO.

123 McIntyre St. W. Facebook.com/BigWaterBrewing

is brewery, already an established contract oepration, has moved into the space that used to house Café Meteor Bistro.

A small-batch brewery in downtown North Bay, Big Water aims to put their spin on a range of classic craft beer styles.

GATEWAY CITY BREWERY

600-612 Gormanville Rd., Unit 206 GatewayCity.ca

NEW

1881 Cassells St. | NewOntarioBrewing.com

North Bay’s newest brewery celebrates their rst birthday on December 29! Look for a special anniversary beer release earlier in the month and more details on their social feeds.

A ight of samples is the best way to get a complete sense of the broad range of beer styles at this brewery in North Bay.

NORTHERN SUPERIOR BREWING CO.

50 Pim St. | NorthernSuperior.org

Look for live music on weekends in the taproom at this brewery in the Soo. ey’re a favourite across area establishments.

PALE SAULT STE. MARIE SAULT STE. MARIE

OUTSPOKEN BREWING

350 Queen St. E. | OutspokenBrewing.com

Seasonal parties and live music ll the events roster at Outspoken. ey also commit to charitable causes, including a Movember team.

Seasonal: B,L

46 NORTH BREWING CO.

Unit 1-1275 Kelly Lake Rd. | 46North.ca

NORTHERN 55 MÄRZEN YARD BARD

Look for a wide style range—especially where hops are in the spotlight—at this new brewery in Sudbury. ey also support the homebrew community with learn-to-brew days.

AMERICAN-STYLE PALE ALE

SMOKEY POET SCOTTISH ALE

Year-round: B NORTHERN SUDBURY

Seasonal: B Year-round: ANVIL AMERICAN-STYLE RED IBU ABV 30 5.5% IBU ABV N/A 5%

Seasonal: IBU ABV 23 4.5% IBU ABV 20 5% IBU ABV N/A 7%

B IBU ABV N/A 5.5% 119

Give

SPACECRAFT BREWERY

854 Notre Dame Ave. | Facebook.com/Spcrft

STACK BREWING

1350 Kelly Lake Rd.; 947 Falconbridge Rd. StackBrewing.ca

From plant nights to amateur comedy to vinyl LP swaps, there is plenty to do at this brewpub in Sudbury.

SUPERPOSITION AMERICAN-STYLE IPA

RIESLING IPA SESSION IPA

e full team at Stack works together to come up with recommended food-and-beer pairings for all of their o erings. Look for guest taps as part of the lineup.

DAWSON TRAIL CRAFT BREWERY

905 Copper Cres. | DawsonTrailCraftBrewery.com

SLEEPING GIANT BREWING CO.

712 Macdonell St. | SleepingGiantBrewing.ca

One of the few Ontario craft breweries still putting their beer into the classic stubbies. A great destination in under Bay.

OATER LIMITS OATMEAL

From family-friendly parties to beer school and special food events Sleeping Giant is a community hub in under Bay.

SNOW GOOSE COFFEE

COMPASS BREWING

20-1300 Riverside Dr. | CompassBrewing.com

FULL BEARD BREWING CO.

219 Wilson Ave. | FullBeardBrewing.com

e huge crop of blueberries needed for their Winter Blues seasonal were all picked by brewer Mael and his family.

WINTER

Look for a diverse lineup of events here—from Paint & Pint on Nov. 23 to Suncatcher & Suds on Nov. 30. e beer selection is just as wide-ranging.

BEER GROUND

To the Snow? What snow? Keep your eye on these newly opened breweries for the best reason to brave the blustery weather this winter.

BROADHEAD BREW ING

Orléans (fall 2019) After the longer-than-expected construction process, the new Broadhead location in Orléans is now open. eir original home in Ottawa, on Auriga Drive, closed this fall. e Orleans spot launched with small and medium-size samples, packaged beer for sale and a short snack menu. @broadheadbeer

C HURCH- K EY BREWERY

Campbellford (fall 2019) After over a decade operating both a brewery and pub in Campbellford, John Graham has sold the latter. e new publican, Mark Andrade, will keep the pub’s focus on live music while Graham will be free to concentrate on the brewery. @churchkeybeer

E VER G REEN C RAFT A LE S

Kanata (fall 2019) Chris Samuel has made the big jump from operating his brewery on a limited schedule and out of his home garage to a dedicated space just o the Trans-Canada Highway in Kanata. As well as more brewing equipment, they now have seat for those on their way to a Sens game. @evergreencraftales

HIGH PARK

Toronto (summer 2019) is past summer, High Park Brewery eased gradually into their new brewery space at 839 Runnymede Rd. in Toronto’s west end. For the rst few weeks, the focus was on private events, but they have now added their own o erings like music and seasonal parties. @highparkbrewery

IND I E A LE H OU SE

Toronto (late 2019) I e Globe & Mail reports that Indie Ale House has been tapped to operate the on-site brewery when Eataly opens in Toronto before the end of this year. e Italian-based gourmet grocery chain creates a culinary experience that goes beyond just shopping for staples, partly by featuring artisanal ingredients and carefully prepared food. e beer is sure to follow suit. @indiealehouse

L ONGS LI CE BREWERY

Toronto (fall 2019) After ve years as contract brewers, Jimmy and John Peat have moved into their own brewery in the Canary District. e brewery is co-located with the Aviary pub that the brothers opened in conjunction with owners of the Dock Ellis. @longslice

SKELETON PARK

Kingston (summer 2019) When King’s Town Beer Company decided to call it quits they quickly managed to nd another brewery to take over their space. Canadian Beer News reports that Skeleton Park, owned by Trevor Lehoux and Becky Lu, stepped into 3-675 Arlington Park Place. @skeletonparkbrewery

WATERLOO BREW ING

Kitchener (summer 2019) One of Ontario’s longest operating independent breweries opened a newly renovated space late in the summer. As well as lots of room for on-site sampling, e Taphouse by Waterloo also o ers a much-expanded tap list. @waterloobrewing

WH IS KEYJACK BREWERY

Haileybury (late 2019) is time, it’s a restaurant, Café Meteor Bistro in Haileybury, that is making way for the new home of a once contract brewery. e plan is to have a retail bottle shop and tasting room on-site with a focus on their core beers like Abitibi amber and A Reason to Live pale ale. @whiskeyjackbrewing

W OODHOU S E BREW ING

Toronto (summer 2019) When Lot 30 Brewers closed, Graham Woodhouse and his contract brewery stepped forward the next day as the new occupant of their space at 303 Lansdowne Ave. Chef Jesse Fader was brought on to help with the food side of the project.

@woodhousebeer j

What craft beer news are you dying to share? Send tips to david@thegrowler.ca.