Get In Line - Canning Great Lakes Crazy Canuck

After sitting through a couple of meetings today I thought I'd pop over to the Great Lakes brewery off the Gardiner Expressway to check out the canning of their Crazy Canuck Pale Ale, a beer that's really grown on me since its inception.

The Crazy Canuck will start making its way to LCBO retail stores shortly, so keep an eye out for the new cans.

Here is the canning line in action.

VCBW 2011 Collaboration Beer Video

The organizers of the 2nd annual Vancouver Craft Beer Week (VCBW) have just released another excellent video that they've put together, which is available on their Facebook page and Vimeo account and will soon be uploaded to the VCBW website.

This video highlights the 2011 VCBW Collaboration beer that 28 British Columbia brewers participated in. Some of the speakers featured on this video include: Gary Lohin (Central City Brewing Co.), Tariq Khan (Big Ridge Brewing Co.), Barry Benson (R&B Brewing Co.), Rick Dellow (R&B Brewing Co.), James Walton (Storm Brewing) and a handful of others. The proceeds of the Cascadian Dark Ale will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross Society Tsunami Relief Fund.

Canada Malting donated the raw materials for the collaboration beer, bottles have been donated by Richards Packaging, and it was brewed at Vancouver's R&B Brewing on April 1st, 2011..


VCBW 2011 Collaboration Beer from Vancouver Craft Beer Week on Vimeo.

The video was produced by Chris Bjerrisgaard and Soren Johnstone

Garrison Brewing Co. Thinks #momdeservesabeer

Garrison Brewing Co. may possibility have the best Mother's Day contest happening out there - a chance to win your mother a gift basket full of Garrison swag.

The Halifax brewery thinks that Mom Deserves A Beer this Mother's Day, so their looking for the most mischevisous picture of your little angels to back up their theory! Best image wins the basket, and so far there are some killer photo's that have been submitted, especially this one. You can view them all on the Garrison Facebook page.

CONTEST RULES

• All photos submitted must be of you and/or your children.
• Photos you submit can be recent or from your childhood.
• Garrison has the right to disqualify photos that are inappropriate or not in the spirit of this contest.
• Please make sure your submissions are 1MB or less – suitable for emailing.
• By entering this contest, you agree to have your photos made public via Facebook, Twitter and our website.
• Photo submissions will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, May 5, 2011.

Email entries to mom@garrisonbrewing.com for your chance to win!

Spring IPA Festival - Toronto's Burger Bar & Tequila Tavern

Brock Shepherd, the owner of Kensington's Burger Bar & Tequila Tavern, doesn't seem to stop. After putting his establishment on the craft beer radar with his involvement in Toronto Beer Week he then got involved with the cask scene and held one of the most successful CASK! Toronto Social's to date. He later founded the Kensington Brewing Co. and started to contract brew Augusta's Ale at Etobicoke's Black Oak brewery, which has received positive feedback from the beer community and is starting to make the rounds at various Ontario pubs.

Now Shepherd has announced that he his hosting the first annual Spring IPA Festival at the Burger Bar - taking place this Friday April 29 until Sunday May 1st.

From Shepherd: 

6 Rotating taps and 1 rotating cask full of IPA GOODNESS!
10+ Different IPAs will be available throughout the Weekend!
Some never to bee seen anywhere ever again

• Beau's Ip'eh 
• Amsterdam BoneShaker ON CASK
• Great Lakes Brewery - Robohop Triple IPA, Scurrilous on Tap and Johny Simcoe on Cask
• Taps Brewing Co. Chuck Norris & Choke Slam IPA 100 IBU's 7.3%
• Cheshire Valley's 1st ever IPA Official Launch!
• Muskoka Cabin Fever
• Grand River Curmudgeon
• Scotch Irish Sgt Major
• Flying Monkeys SMASHBOMB
• Wellington's - Welly One Off on Cask

To kick things off, Shepherd will be pulling out his Randall the Enamel Animal on Friday night. Beau's IP'Eh from Beau's All Natural Brewery will be the beer to run through the beast at 9pm with Beau's owner Steve Beauchesne looking on.

The Burger Bar & Tequila Tavern
319 Augusta Avenue
Toronto, ON
(416) 922-7423
www.theburgerbar.ca

Partake In A Pub Crawl This Weekend - Why Not

Sounds like a great idea! Head out and enjoy a number of great craft beer supporting pubs/bars.

Click on the link for some suggested routes/locations!

Toronto Pub Crawl Series

See you back here next week. Happy Long Weekend!!

Duggan's Brewery - Downtown Location - Officially Closed

Duggan's Brewery downtown location (brewery/restaurant) is officially closed, according to their Twitter account, ending two days of speculation and rumours.

A member of Bar Towel was the first to break the news about an eviction notice posted on the boarded up front entrance of Toronto's Duggan's Brewery at 75 Victoria Street. The poster (biegaman) shared the news on Tuesday morning and since then there was a lot speculation surrounding the closure, and a lot of rumours.

There were numerous tweets mentioning that the tied-house would re-open shortly, like the one below -

Mike Duggan says he hopes brewpub will reopen this week. Shut down because “landlord made a mistake. lawyers working right now to fix it.”
-Josh Rubin, Toronto Star beer writer @starbeer on Twitter

and there were tweets about its demise and that the closure is for good -

It's official Duggans is closed for good. There's going to be a lot of good staff looking for work in the city..tweet if you can help
- Ben Shillow @saison81 on Twitter

blogTO, a website dedicated to covering Toronto news, even weighed in on the matter, posting an article in their Deadpool series which including a photograph of the eviction notice on the front door.

There was also a lot of chatter at Queen's Park on Tuesday evening at the Speaker's Tasting that I attended. No one really seemed to know much about it; although some industry members did mention hearing about issues with the landlord.

Until now I felt it better to not put up a post about the news, or the photograph of the notice, without hearing from Michael Duggan himself or one of his General Manager's first. I didn't feel that putting more fuel on the fire without actually speaking to someone involved would benefit anyone, but the Twitter post this afternoon confirmed the worst. What hasn't yet to be confirmed is the real reason behind the closure.

However, while the downtown location closes down, there is  good news for fans of Duggan's No. 9 IPA.

"The production and distribution of Duggan's No. 9 IPA remains unaffected by events at the downtown brewery and we hope to have some very good news regarding a second beer any day now," stated Graham Duncan, a sales rep with Duggan's Brewery.

No. 9 IPA and this second beer are currently contract brewed at Etobicoke's Cool Beer Co.

The closure of the brewery/restaurant really is unfortunate news for the Toronto beer scene. Whether you were a fan of Duggan's Brewery or not, tied-houses don't come along to often here in Ontario and to have one close in the largest city is troublesome to say the least.

***
From Duggan's facebook page:
Duggan's Brewery
Duggan's Brewery at 75 Victoria St. will remain closed. Ongoing negotiations with the landlord were halted after the April 19 lockout. Thanks to all our customers and the beer community at large for the all the support. Here's to you. Meanwhile, Duggan's No 9 IPA is alive and well and will continue to be available at select bars, restaurants and local LCBO outlets.

Jack Layton Raises A Pint To Quebec

Jack Layton and his NDP party have moved ahead of other Federal parties in Quebec, including the Bloc Quebecois.

Is it because of this picture? With playoff action taking place between the Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins, Layton smartly dons a Habs jersey and raises a glass. Or is it the moustache?

photo taken by Shaun Best/Reuters

Canadian politicians have a knack for posting with a few pints during elections, but the question is - after the picture is taken, do they consume the beer? I think it's safe to say that Jack does!

Here's what Rick Mercer once told me about our leaders when it comes to beer:
Stephen Harper - Diet Coke guy. Okay, generic lager. Did you know that when he sat down to have tea with the Queen at Buckingham Palace he asked for a Diet Coke?

Michael Ignatieff - I think Ignatieff would be a craft beer guy. I would bet that he would order local always. That would be my guess.

Jack Layton - Jack Layton would drink anything that's cold. He likes beer. I talked to him when he was fighting cancer (luckily he seems to have beaten it) and he was bemoaning the horrible diet his wife had him on, but what he was really bemoaning was the fact that he couldn't have a beer. I saw him recently drinking a beer so I guess he's back at it. Full flavoured.

Gilles Duceppe - I don't know what to think. I bet he'd be a full flavoured guy. I would guess that he's a good beer drinker. He is one party leader I haven't spent any time with.

Elizabeth May - You know what, she's a bit of a party girl, but yeah, she'd be the Organic drinker of the bunch.

*Question and answers appeared in the Fall 2010 issue of TAPS The Beer Magazine.*

Session 99 Craft Beer Festival

I can tell - you're already excited about this news. I know I am.

The Session Craft Beer Festival is coming back, albeit with a new name: Session 99 Craft Beer Festival, so mark the following date (Saturday June 25th) on your calendars!

Last year the Session Craft Beer Festival ran into some bad luck - rain, G20 protests, TTC transit issues... yet the organizers, Jed Corbeil and Curt Dunlop, still did a great job getting people to the event to sample a number of excellent beers from breweries from across Canada.

This year, armed with a new location and a new focus, Corbeil and Dunlop have already put together a solid line-up of breweries that will be participating in the event at 99 Sudbury, capping off what is expected to be a great Ontario Craft Beer Week.

"We're doing it up big this year," said Corbeil over a pint at barVolo a couple of weeks ago. "Garrett Oliver (from the Brooklyn Brewery) will be in town for a Friday night beer dinner and he'll be our special guest to open the festival."

The guys are also introducing a "Best of the Fest" award, along with a "Best One-Off or Cask" award, so they are encouraging the pariticpating breweries to bring their A game.

Tickets are now on sale on the Session 99's website, so head that way and grab a couple early. The $35 ticket allows you entrance to the festival to be part of the opening ceremony with Oliver, to sample over 100 different craft beers (see list below), take in terrific bands and other entertainment, and it gets you a limited edition tasting glass.

1. Central City Brewing (Surrey, BC)
2. Phillips Brewing Co. (Victoria, BC)
3. Howe Sound Brewing (Squamish, BC)
4. Lake of Bays Brewery (Baysville, ONT)
5. Mill St. Brewery (Toronto, ONT)
6. Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, NY)
7. Muskoka Cottage Brewery (Bracebridge, ONT)
8. Cameron's Brewing (Oakville, ONT)
9. County Cider Compnay (Picton, ONT)
10. Spearhead Brewery (Toronto, ONT)
11. Amsterdam Brewing (Toronto, ONT)
12. Wellington Brewery (Guelph, ONT)
13. Beau's All Natural Brewing (Vankleek Hill, ONT)
14. Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery (Barrie, ONT)
15. Great Lakes Brewery (Etobicoke, ONT)
16. Microbrasserie Charlevoix (Saint-Paul, QC)
17. Dieu Du Ciel (St-Jérôme, QC)
18. Trois Mousquetaires (Brossard, QC)
19. Trou Du Diable (Shawinigan, QC)
20. Black Oak Brewing Co. (Etobicoke, ONT)
21. Kensington Brewing Company (Toronto, ONT)
22. Railway City Brewing Co. (St. Thomas, ONT)
23. McAuslan Brewing (Montreal, QC)
24. Duggan's Brewery (Toronto, ONT)
25. F&M Brewery (Guelph, ONT)
26. Nickel Brook - Better Bitters Brewing Co. (Burlington, ONT)
27. Rogue Brewery (Newport, OR)
28. Spirit Tree Cidery (Caledon, ONT)
29. Thornbury Village Cidery (Thornbury, ONT)
30. King Brewery (Nobleton, ONT)
31. Weihenstephan (Germany)
32. Hop City Brewing Co. (Brampton , ONT)

On This Day In 1927

84 years ago today the provincial government in New Brunswick repealed prohibition for good as they became involved in the day to day control of alcoholic beverages. The province had been dry since May 1, 1927 - 9 years, 11 months, 354 days.

To celebrate this key period in New Brunswick history Picaroons Traditional Ales in Fredericton are encouraging their fans to go out and have a pint in honour of this news (responsibly), and to check out the Garrison District Ale House who will feature a live repeal reading by Fredericton's very own Town Crier. There will also be live fiddle playing by George Steeves and there will be a special on Picaroon's Simeon Jones all night long! The event kicks off at 7pm and

For more information on the event, check out Picaroons Pub.

Teaching Brewery Grand Opening Celebrations - Niagara College

On Wednesday April 13th, the Niagara College Teaching Brewery, the first of its kind in Canada, celebrated their official Grand Opening with a cask tapping, Brewmasters Lunch and Dinner, seminars on growing hops and brewery sustainability, tastings and more. It was a great day for the Canadian brewing industry and it was a privilege to attend the days festivities.

I've written about the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program on here numerous times since I first ventured down to the campus, so I won't bore you again with the details about the program, but let me say that it has been a success from the very beginning, and the grand opening showcased the best of the first year program.

After arriving to the beautiful campus shortly after 11am, a short tasting in the brewery's retail store (separate building) was in order. A number of us went through a Kristal Wit (yes, Wit), Rauchbier, Gluten Free beer, Pilsner and a Porter. With the exception of the Gluten Free beer, all were quite well done and the nodding of the heads from other beer writers in the room showed they also received them nicely.

There were some handshakes and some "how ya doing's" before heading into the dining area for the Brewmasters Lunch. Three courses matched with three different beers and without going into detail, they were all exceptional, especially the Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout by Muskoka Cottage Brewery and the Sticky Toffee Pudding. Read Jordan St. John's blog, St. John's Wort, for his thoughts on the food pairings for both lunch and dinner.

After lunch there were a couple of seminars to sit through before the cask tapping to mark the official opening. The first seminar was presented by Mike Driscoll from Harvest Hop located in Guelph, ON. Driscoll presented some interesting information about commercial hop farms in Ontario and provided some industry numbers and some historical Canadian hop growing statistics. *Interesting fact - over 20 commercial hop growers are operating in Ontario today*

Steve Beauchense, co-founder of Beau's All Natural Brewing Co. in Vankleek Hill was the next presenter, firing up a powerpoint presentation on Brewery Sustainability while handing out some samples  of various Beau's product. Steve showed examples of why Beau's is a leader in the Ontario brewing industry in everything from social media to packaging, charitable work, environmental efforts, employee relations and more.

When the samples were finished and the presentation complete it was back outside for the cask tapping. Niagara College President, Dr. Dan Patterson, was getting ready to tap the shiny and decaled firkin, much to the amusement of his lovely wife, who was both excited and nervous for her husband's first cask tapping.

By 4:30pm a large crowd of brewers, media, politicians, and students had gathered under the party tent and watched a number of speeches, including one delivered by John Sleeman, who was quick to point out how exciting this program is for the brewing industry. Once the speeches were out of the way, onlookers watched as Dr. Patterson swung the wooden mallet, tapping the first official cask (Get Fuggled) to mark the grand opening.

Shortly after 6pm we were ushered into the dining room again for a five course Brewmasters Dinner that was simply amazing. The floor was shared between brewers and the chef (Michael Olson) who spoke about their creations respectively.

Here are some cool facts about the program:

• The student made beers, First Draft Campus Lager and First Draft Campus Ale, will start appearing in pubs near the college in the very near future. 

• Each student currently enrolled in the program has been successful in landing work in the brewing industry for the summer break. 

• Like last year, the admissions staff at the college have been assaulted with a barrage of student applications for the 24 student seats, over 200 applications in fact.

And here are two video's on the Grand Opening, one from the CBC that has been posted on the Ontario Craft Brewers YouTube channel and the latter from TAPS The Beer Magazine.

New Mill Street Brewpub Heading To Ottawa

Given the job I have, I tend to come across rumours about the brewing industry on a fairly frequent basis.

The Mill Street Brewpub expansion(s) plans is one such rumour that has been out there for quite some time now and today the CBC broke the story about Mill Street heading to Ottawa to start a new brewpub operation there.

Turns out Mill Street signed a 10 year lease at a 165 year old stone structure that last housed the Mill Restaurant and is situated the Portage Bridge and Lebreton Flats.

Steve Abrams, the last remaining founder still with Mill Street, told CBC that the Toronto brewery hopes to have the brewpub open by the fall, which he confirmed with me over the phone this afternoon.

"The location is pretty cool as it's in an area that once had a lot of brewing activity," said Abrams. "We get the keys to the building soon and we've got a lot of interior renovations to do to be up and running by the fall, including working on the flooring to get our brewing equipment in place."

Great news for residents in the nation's capital!

Click here to read the story on the CBC website.

TAPS The Beer Magazine - Spring 2011 Issue Contents

TAPS Spring 2011 Issue

TAPS The Beer Magazine - Spring 2011 Issue
Up front disclosure: It is no secret that I am now employed by TAPS Media, the parent company of TAPS The Beer Magazine. From time to time I've posted material on this blog (before and after being hired) with respect to work that has appeared in TAPS. My intention when posting said material, and the material below, is only meant as news, nothing more.

p.9 Bar Snacks
Coast-to-Coast Industry News

p.13 Quebec Dispatch by Mirella Amato
Brewing news from the belle province.

p.14 Every Day Is Cask Day by Joe Wiebe
There's no waiting for cask in Vancouver, you can enjoy a tasty fresh one any day of the week.

p.16 Brewing A Brewery by Matt J. Simmons
Chapter Two in the ongoing series about starting a microbrewery. “We have a name. It might not seem like a landmark, but it’s taken a long time to come up with something satisfactory. The candidates ranged from obvious to hilarious and everything in between. There were plenty of great names and a few not-so-great ones; all were discussed openly and at length. We struggled valiantly through brainstorming sessions and late-night logo design, emailing ‘top-five’ lists back and forth for weeks. It took long discussions on brand-ing, logos, and labels to come to a consensus. Oh, and beer, it took lots of beer..."

p.18 Verboten! by James Burla
Alberta Bans High Alcohol Beer in reaction to teen binge-drinking.

p.19 French Connection by Mirella Amato
The Griffintown area of Montréal, just southeast of downtown, which was quite a lively residential area from the early nineteenth century through the middle of the twentieth century, is currently home to mostly factories and offices. Visitors passing through the area might be surprised to come across a large outdoor patio. Should their curiosity push them to enter the adjacent building, they may be further surprised to find themselves in a stylish, welcoming restaurant. This is the home of Brasseurs de Montréal brewpub.


p.21 Size Matters
You enter your local haunt, relishing the anticipation of what will surely be a perfectly poured pint of your favourite brew. Ahhh, there it is – inches away. Your local barkeep, all smiles, hands you your pint. You look at the glass, then at the barkeep, then back at your glass, but say nothing. You think, “here’s the rub, is it really a pint?” Are you getting what you believe you are paying for - a ‘real’ pint? Or, is your glass coming up a little short?

p.23 Roll Out The Barrel-Aged & One Hit Wonders by Craig Pinhey
Atlantic Canada brewing news...

p.25 Symbiotic Samba by Rob Symes
We live in a world of increasing user participation – it all started when a bunch of Greek guys got together to discuss a little thing called democracy. It seems to have culminated in the internet and the rise of the user-created Wikipedia, which is not only one of the web’s top ten sites in terms of visits, but also an unreliable source in countless essays, papers and dissertations. Until recently, the brewing industry has withstood this wave of change like the Rock of Gibraltar, and user participation has largely been limited to consumers buying and drinking a brewery’s offerings. Place your ear to the ground, though, and you’ll notice that change is afoot. The trend of amateur brewer-professional brewer collaboration is sweeping North America.

p.28 Brewing Rogue Rules The Roost by Craig Pinhey
Rogue’s Roost's brewer Lorne Romano is one of those ‘Serious Home-brewers turned Pro’ that are the engines behind many of the craft breweries in North America. Originally from Southern Ontario, Romano made a name for himself winning homebrewing awards. At the time he had one of the more sophisticated homebrewing systems – it looked to us ‘bucket users’ like a mini-commercial brewery. This was back in the early 90s.

p.30 A Little Piece of Britain by James Burla
Centuries old hop-growing centre in Kent lends its name to prairie trailblazer...

p.31 Introduction to China... Wow! by Bill White
The planet’s largest beer producer (by far), China. Beer and the brewing industry is mirroring the exponential growth in the rest of China and becoming more and more a part of the society.

p.34 Full Sail by Karla Dudley
A while ago I was purchasing some craft beer in a grocery store somewhere in the southern US (I know what you Canadians are thinking, “Beer in a grocery store? What a concept!”) and as I tend to do, I was making my choices based on what the box or bottle read. Craft brewers have a crafty way of getting your attention with colourful graphics, playful names, innuendo and creative wordsmithing. I can spend a lot of time in the beer aisle amusing myself with bottle-copy. As I meandered through the Smuttynoses, Moose Drools, Arrogant Bastards and Blithering Idiots, a rather understated bottle, by comparison, got my attention. I was on the hunt for some new IPAs to try and I liked the slogan: Full Sail – Brewed to Stoke, Stoked to Brew. I bought it. When I got it home I also noticed ‘Employee Owned’. I had not seen that on a bottle of beer before...

p.37 Ladies In The house by Chuck Cook
During the Middle Ages in Europe, brewing was a common profession for women, who were often known as ‘brewsters’ or ‘alewives’. During the last hundred years, not so much. However, recent years have borne witness to a re-emergence of women within the brewing industry. Here is a look at Belgium’s Brewing Ladies.

p.40 Simmering by Michael Olson
Chef Michael Olson soups it up!




p.42 Perfect Pair
Chefs Collin Stone & Aaron Lawrence create tantalizing beer and food matches.

p.46 Celebrating The Norm by Rob Engman
People of different ages and nationalities have their own cultural icons that become part of the fabric of their identities. A lot of these defining pieces of the quilt come from music and the media. For many of us who frequent a local pub, where it feels like a home away from home… a place where ‘everybody knows your name’, it's difficult not to make comparisons to the legendary TVland pub that was the home of the '80s sitcom Cheers. And one of the most memorable characters was Norm Peterson, the stoic and single-minded fixture played by George Wendt.

p.48 Quaffs, Questions & Answers by Mirella Amato
Based in Portland, Oregon, Lisa Morrison, also known as the Beer Goddess, hosts ‘Beer O’Clock!’ a weekly, hour-long commercial radio show devoted to craft beer. She is a regular columnist for numerous beer publications and blogs, and was the first female recipient of the national Beer Journalism Awards. Her first book, Craft Beers of the Pacific Northwest, will be released in April.

p.52 Walk On The Mild Side by Martin Sayers
Mild had been all but forgotten in Britain, despite the fact that for more than a century it was the most popular style of beer in the country. However, this dark, flavourful beer is rapidly winning back its lost fans in the UK and it may not be long before Canadian drinkers are able to sample its undeniable qualities.

p.55 Do The Craft Beer Can Can by Craig Pinhey
There is a beer can revolution going on. - Click on the link to read the entire article.

p.57 Dreadlock Challenge by Cary Hyodo
The quintessential tropical paradise awaits you on the Caribbean island nation of Jamaica. Whether you head into the lush, verdant mountains crisscrossed with waterways and bursting with picturesque waterfalls, or choose to frolic on one of the endless white sand beaches that surround the island, you'll never run out of oohs and aahs. Toss in a rich history, diverse culture, that ever present reggae rhythm and the tendency to dive into party mode at the drop of a hat – let’s face it, it’s virtually impossible to not have a good time here...

p.60 Adventures Of A Craft Beer Foodie by Tracey Phillippi
Living in Toronto, it’s pretty easy to drink locally. You can mosey on down to any number of reputable establishments and find a wide variety of Ontario taps. However, as a connoisseur of truly local food, I can literally trace my meals back to the farmer, whose hard work and devotion to his or her product is evident in each delicious bite. BUT… where does a Craft Beer Foodie go to find a truly local beer? I’m talking about a beer made with local hops and barley!

p.62 Granite Celebrates its 20th Anniversary by Troy Burtch
Stephen Beaumont has called Toronto's Granite Brewery a leader in the province’s brewpub scene and the late Michael Jackson sang praise for Granite’s Peculiar in a number of his world-famous beer books. The 2010 Golden Tap Awards honoured the Granite with the distinction of being the best brewery for cask-conditioned ale, the best brewpub or tied-house in Ontario, and the best cask ale in Ontario.

p.64 Down The Hatch by Troy Burtch
Interview with Michael Hancock. Ratebeer dot-commers have called his Weissbier one of the best in the world, and his Dunkel has received high praise from all those who have tried it. Michael Hancock, a veteran of 35 years in the industry, founded Denison’s Brewing Co. in Toronto in 1989.
**Click here for exclusive video**

p.66 Lagunitas, I Like The Way They Roll by Mike Tessier
Guitars, bongs, board sports and beer. The bad boys of the brewing world at Lagunitas Brewing Company love them all, but make no secret of their passion for all the bud-bearing plants...

p.68 It's All About Hooking Up
While most micro and craft brewers strive to be ecologically conscious, the brewing process is less than ‘green’ by its very nature. Besides the huge amount of water used, electricity consumption and fuel burned for transport, there is one more inherent problem: spent - but far from useless - malt is going into the garbage and landfill by the ton. The solution? Get the tasty, nutritious stuff to farmers.

p.69 Confessions Of A Brewer by Sam Corbeil
An education - get too many Cs and they tell you that you have to do better. Get too many As, and they start to think anything less is underachieving. I caught on pretty quickly and learned to play the game.

p.71 Ale'ing Alaska by Matthew J. Simmons
In the late 90s, two Alaskans rolled up their sleeves to make some beer fresh from the glaciers at the top of the continent. Paul Wheeler and Jeanne Kitayama own and operate Haines Brewing Company, a little brewery in a very large landscape. They set up shop in 1999 on the abandoned Disney set of "White Fang".

p.73 The Canadian Cream Ale Puzzle by Mirella Amato
George Sleeman set the Canadian standard, but East & West make a case for regional distinction.

p.76 Ask The Brewmaster by Bill White
How can a distributor & their employees learn to manage the proliferation of beer styles and ensure the beer is delivered in top quality? The MBAA Beer Steward Certificate Program.





p.78 Carboys In My Laundry Room by Christine Beevis
There’s one thing that unites all homebrewers; a love for craft beer. But spend some time brewing with them and you’ll quickly realize no two homebrewers are alike

p.79 By The Numbers by Luke McKinney
Beer can be beautiful, flavourful, soothing, inspirational, and thousands of other words which are no bloody use to someone shipping thousands of gallons. Breweries need to quantify their contents on spreadsheets as well as tongues, so while reviewers have developed more of a sophisticated code– language of adjectives than MI-5 ever could, businesses have boiled everything down to cold hard numbers.

p.81 Build Your Own Yeast Library by Christine Beevis
Who needs Shakespeare, Dickens or Elliott when you can pull out a bottle of your favourite 3787, 3874 or 1084? Yes, some people have libraries that show off their favourite books and some homebrewers build yeast libraries (also known as yeast banks) in their fridges or freezers, much like some families have kept yeast strains for baking bread and passed them along from generation to generation.

p.82 Tasting Notes
Pump House - SOB, Flying Monkeys - Netherworld, Gahan House - Island Red Premium, Bushwakker - Palliser Porter, Bierbrier - Pilsner, Lighthouse - Deckhand Belgian Saison - tasting notes provided by Stephen Beaumont, Roger Mittag, Chester Carey, Greg Clow, Craig Pinhey and Troy Burtch

p.84 Homebrew Recipe #10 by Eric Ecclestone
A relatively recent invention, the double IPA was born from the classic India Pale Ale style and some American craft brewing innovation. Also known as Imperial IPA, this is a big bruising style perfectly suited to the last of winter’s chill.

p.85 Wood, Wind & Ale by Matthew Bellamy
The period from the end of the Napoleonic Wars to Confederation was a heady time for Atlantic Canada and its brewers. The American Revolution (1775-1783) and the subsequent exclusion of the thirteen colonies from the British mercantile system led to unprecedented trade and prosperity.

p.88 My Shout by Stephen Beaumont
There is a monthly ritual among beer bloggers known as ‘The Session.’ Initiated by Stan Hieronymus at his Appellation Beer blog and chronicled most exhaustively by Jay Brooks at his Brookston Beer Bulletin, it is a single day on which a multitude of the beer-obsessed blog on a single topic specified by a member of the fraternity. In February, the chosen topic was ‘Bottle, Can, Keg or Cask?’ and its intent, as proposed by blogger Reluctant Scooper, was to make people consider the merits of beer dispensing in all its forms and, ultimately, address the question of whether it even matters.

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The Only Cafe Spring Beer Fest

The folks at Toronto's The Only Cafe are gearing up for their first ever Spring Beer Festival scheduled for the Easter long weekend.

From April 22-24, between 3pm-11pm, people can sample a number of local beers in a number of different formats, including a number of seasonals, casks and one-offs. There will also be live music, bbq treats, guided tastings, prizes and more.

The confirmed breweries (beers) for the Spring Beer Fest, as you can see on the poster to the right, include: McAuslan, Flying Monkeys, Dieu du Ciel, Amsterdam, Great Lakes, Beau's, Creemore Springs, Neustadt, Unibroue, Big Rock and the Kensington Brewing Co.

The Only Cafe Spring Beer Festival
April 22, 23, 24
3pm-11pm
The Only Cafe/The One in the Only Coffee House
966/972 Danforth Ave

Great Lakes Crazy Canuck Pale Ale Coming To An LCBO Near You...soon

This news has been percolating for a while now, but it seems it's closer to reality today...

Great Lakes Brewing Co. in Etobicoke, ON has stated that their Crazy Canuck Pale Ale will soon be available at the LCBO in 473ml cans; near the end of the month.

To quote them:

"We are pleased to announce that our Crazy Canuck Pale Ale will be available in 473ml cans later this month at the LCBO as well as our retail store. Soon you'll be able to enjoy this amazingly refreshing aromatic pale ale all year round! It is currently available in 650ml Project X bottles in our retail store as well as on tap throughout the GTA."

Launched last year for the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Crazy Canuck Pale Ale appeared on LCBO store shelves as a seasonal release but not before removing the "Crazy" in the name to accomodate the LCBO's Social Responsibility mandate.

So how is the current name acceptable? Well the brewery removed the ski's that once graced the label and replaced them with a Loon and voila! All good. The name "Crazy" and "ski's" didn't work out to well.... I know, I know.

The Crazy Canuck was first developed for a Great Lakes Project X night and went through some diacetyl issues in the beginning that Ontario craft beer drinkers quickly noticed. The brewery did a great job sticking with the brand and worked hard to remove the kinks, which they did, and they ended up going on to win a gold medal at the 2010 Canadian Brewing Awards and a People's Choice award at the Ontario Brewing Awards.

Once released, the Great Lakes Crazy Canuck Pale Ale will be available as a general listing at the LCBO.

Niagara College - Teaching Brewery Grand Opening

NC Teaching Brewery

I can't believe it has almost been a year since I made my first trip to the Niagara-on-the-Lake Niagara College campus with a number of OCB members to get more information on the new Brewmaster program the college was pulling together. We spent the day hearing about the Teaching Brewery, the staff who'd be educating the first crop of students, the astoundingly high number of applicants and the college's plans moving forward.

I've been back to the college and the Teaching Brewery on a number of occasions for TAPS business and I've been lucky to have met and befriended a number of students, faculty and staff. So, it is with great pleasure that I post the following information, albeit last minute, about the college's Grand Opening Celebrations!
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Tomorrow is going to be a great day for Niagara College (NC) as the Niagara-On-The-Lake campus is hosting their Grand Opening celebration for the Niagara College Teaching Brewery (Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management Program).

The celebrations will kick off at 12pm with a Brewmasters Lunch at the college's Benchmark Restaurant. Featuring three courses, with three matching beers, the lunch menu has been created by Chef Michael Olson (a new TAPS contributor). The cost of the lunch is $40.

From NC: We’ve planned a full slate of activities in the afternoon and evening that showcase Canada’s first and only teaching brewery, our first-ever class of Brewmaster/Brewery Operations Management students, and the unique approach of our Canadian Food and Wine Institute, which combines food, wine and beer education.

Following what I'm sure will be an excellent lunch there will be a Beer Technical Symposium, where grower Mike Driscoll will talk about the use of Ontario hops in craft beer. The symposium will run from 2pm to 4pm which will be followed up with a cask-tapping ceremony with NC President Dan Patterson, NC faculty and staff and beer industry representatives.

And they're not done yet... To cap off the day, NC will be hosting a five course Brewmasters Dinner that will be paired with five beers.

The dinner will kick off at 6:30pm and run until 9pm, with presentations throughout on food and beer pairings by brewmasters and chefs. The cost to attend the dinner is $75 and the menu, like the lunch menu, has been created by Chef Michael Olson.

To RSVP for the lunch and/or dinner, contact firstdraft@niagaracollege.ca - Space is limited -

Click here to look back on all the NC Brewmaster & Brewery Operations Management posts I have up on the blog

Wednesday, April 13th Niagara College Teaching Brewery Grand Opening!
Canada's First and Only Teaching Brewery
Beer Lunch - $40
Beer Dinner - $75
Menu created by Chef Olson

Railway City Brewery To Launch New Pilsner

The Railway City Brewing Co.(RWC) in St. Thomas, ON, is getting set to launch yet another new brand to their portfolio.

Since opening for business in 2008 RWC has launched a number of seasonal brands to complement their flagship beers, including two like their Shambock and Dragon Berry Pilsner. Their latest seasonal, Roundhaus Pilsner, will be unveiled on Thursday April 14th at the brewery's monthly Thursday Night Sessions.

The new pilsner is described by RWC as nice and smooth with 30.7 IBU's and weighs in at 4.7% abv.

From RWC:
$5.00 is the cost of entry and all who attend will enjoy samples of our newest Seasonal plus a couple of others yet to be identified. We pass around some Tasting Note sheets in which you are welcome to critique all of the beers while developing an awareness and appreciation of beer.


Contact the brewery for more information (info@railwaycitybrewing.com)

LCBO Premium Specialty Beer - Summer 2011

Here is the list of product that has been accepted for the LCBO's Summer Line-up - Premium Specialty Beer.


LCBO#/  PRODUCT NAME/ BREWERY NAME/ Unit Size (Ml)/ Proposed Retail/ AGENT/ COUNTRY

224816/ Lindeman's Kriek/ Lindemans/ 355/ $5.95/ MCAUSLAN BREWING/ BELGIUM

224824/ Lindeman's Cuvee Rene (Gueuze)/ Lindemans/ 355/ $6.45/ MCAUSLAN BREWING/ BELGIUM

105874/ Great Lakes Green Tea Ale/ Great Lakes Brewery/ 650/ $4.95/ GREAT LAKES BREWING CO/ CANADA

165746/  ROSEE D'HIBISCUS/ MICROBRASSERIE DIEU DU CIEL/ 341/ $3.10/ HMH NEGOTIANTS/ CANADA

229629/ Dominus Vobiscum Blanche/ MicroBrasserie Charlevoix/ 500/ $3.85/ HMH NEGOTIANTS/ CANADA

224212/ Coeur Brise Raspberry Beer/ Brasseurs de Montreal/ 341/ $2.85/ RUBAIYAT WINE AND SPIRIT MERCH/ CANADA

175018/ Cherry Ale/ TRAFALGAR ALES AND MEADS LTD./ 650/ $4.50/ TRAFALGAR ALES AND MEADS LTD.

157651/ Organic Wiesen Edel-Weisse/ PRIVATBRAUEREI G. SCHNEIDER & SONS/ 500/ $3.25/PREMIER BRAND, LTD/ GERMANY

234187/ Schofferhofer Hefeweizen/ RADEBERGER GRUPPE KG/ 500/ $2.50/ The Kirkwood Group/ GERMANY

696955/ Christoffel Bier/ SINT CHRISTOFFEL BIER B.V./ 330/ $2.85/ RUBAIYAT WINE AND SPIRIT MERCH./ NETHERLANDS

696831/ Banana Bread Beer/ WELLS AND YOUNG'S BREWING CO./ 500/ $3.50/ BRUCE ASHLEY GROUP/UNITED KINGDOM

223818/ Sunburst Golden Ale by Dark Star Brewery/ BRANDED DRINKS LTD/ 500/ $3.45/ DIONYSUS WINES/ UNITED KINGDOM

224600/ Celt Golden Crafted Ale/ The Celt Experience Ltd/ 500/ $3.45/ RUBAIYAT WINE AND SPIRIT MERCH./ UNITED KINGDOM

171439/ Samuel Smith's Organic Raspberry Ale/ SAMUEL SMITH OLD BREWERY/ 550/ $5.50/ MCAUSLAN BREWING/ UNITED KINGDOM

244632/ Badger Golden Champion Ale/ Hall & Woodhouse Ltd./ 500/ $3.50/ MCCLELLAND PREMIUM IMPORTS/ UNITED KINGDOM

676858/ Organic Honey Dew/ FULLER SMITH & TURNER PLC/ 500/ $3.25/ PREMIER BRAND, LTD./ UNITED KINGDOM

224220/ 2XIPA/ SOUTHERN TIER BREWING CO. INC./ 355/ $2.95/ ROLAND AND RUSSELL/UNITED STATES

Meet Viv Jones: Great Western Brewing Co.

Viv Jones - Brewmaster, Great Western 

Meet Viv Jones, Brewmaster at the Great Western Brewing Co. in Saskatoon, SK. 

Jones got into brewing like a lot of other brewers - a background in chemical engineering before developing an affliction for the product. From there it was off to the University of Birmingham Brewing School, which kicked off the start to an ongoing 30+ year brewing career.

Meet Viv Jones.

Where is the Great Western Brewery and what beers do you currently produce?
Great Western Brewing is located in downtown Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. We produce four brands of beer: Original 16 Canadian Pale Ale; Great Western Brands (including Lager, Light, Pilsner, and Pilsner Light); Brewhouse Brands (including Pilsener and Light); and Value Brands (Olympia Beer, Gold Strong, Gold Extra).

Describe the history behind the brewery.
Great Western Brewing Company was founded more that twenty years ago. The brewery’s previous owner, Molson, had slated it for closure. Sixteen employees decided they weren’t going to let that happen. They pooled their savings, purchased the plant, and saved a Western Canadian brewing tradition. The brewery was renamed Great Western Brewing Company, and began producing high quality beer. Since then we’ve been growing as a company and winning awards around the world for the quality of our beer.

What is your best selling beer?
Great Western Brewing’s best selling beer is Brewhouse Pilsener, which is a Slovakian-style pilsener. It is smooth and well balanced with no aftertaste. Brewhouse is available across Western Canada.

Original 16 is a new Great Western beer. What's the story behind it?
Our Original 16 Canadian Pale Ale celebrates the spirit and dedication of our company’s original founders - sixteen employees who saved the brewery when the previous owner had slated the facility for closure. With determination, commitment, passion, and the personal risk that came with taking on such a large-scale facility, they saved the brewery.

Original 16 honours their legacy. It is a perfectly-balanced, exceptionally smooth-tasting Canadian Pale Ale with a delicate citrus hop flavour and fruity aroma. It is refreshing, highly drinkable, and will leave a sparkle on your tongue.

Why did you get into the brewing industry and describe your passion for it.
My first degree was in chemical engineering. As a graduate, I did the usual rounds of interviews trying to find a suitable career and employer. I saw an ad in the local newspaper for a brewer and applied, knowing plenty about the product but nothing about how it was produced. At the end of the interview, I asked how the interview went. To my great surprise they said: “great, can you start Monday”.

After twelve months the company paid for me to attend the University of Birmingham Brewing School and one year later graduated with a M.Sc. in Brewing Science. I was on my way.

That was almost 40 years ago and I have no regrets. I have travelled extensively in that period and have brewed for breweries - both large and not so large- in the UK, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Canada.

What is the best aspect of working in the Canadian brewery industry?
All countries have their own brewing traditions, some ancient, some relatively modern. The biggest advantage in Canada is that there is relatively little government interference, at least on the production side of the business.

Where can someone find your products?
Great Western Brewing’s home province is Saskatchewan and we are a household name there, known for our Great Western Lager, Light, and Pilsner brands. Our Brewhouse brands are popular in Alberta and Manitoba. Our newest brew, Original 16, will be available right across Western Canada. You can find Original 16 in select privately-owned cold beer and wine retailers, and in select restaurants, pubs, and lounges.

Tell us something about Great Western that not a lot of people know about.
People do not realize that all the malted barley we use is grown and malted in Saskatchewan, and that the province’s barley is recognized as the best in the world. Beer is only as good as its raw ingredients. We have very limited malt storage on site at the brewery, but the finest prairie malt is just an hour’s drive away. Some might see our lack of onsite storage as a negative, but we look on it as a positive: it means we’re always brewing with the freshest malt in the industry.

What advantages do smaller breweries have over the big guys?
Smaller breweries have more agility in their decision-making and a much closer identification with the final product. Quality is where we are very competitive, and at Great Western Brewing, quality is job #1.

Best time for a pint?
Anytime, this is not just a breakfast beverage! My own preference is after work where a good beer can help me unwind after a tough day at the office.

What is the highlight of your brewing career? 
I have had many highlights in my career, but I must admit I do get a kick from winning beer awards. Over the past three-four years we have won 25 awards in international competitions. I was particularly pleased to win the World’s Best Standard Lager (Light Beer) in 2008 and 2009 at the World Beer Awards in London, and Gold in the Canadian Brewing Awards for Brewhouse Light in 2008 and 2010.

Cold clean lager, big hoppy pale ale, or a nicely roasted stout?
I much prefer draught to bottled or canned beer and have many favourites in all categories. It depends on my mood and where I am. I prefer to drink local beer because there’s every chance the beer will be fresh. What I look for in a beer is balance between body and hop flavour. Too often brewers brew to a given recipe rather than create a recipe to meet the final flavour intended for the finished product.

Name your favourite non Great Western produced beer.
I have many favourites from both large and small breweries. The list would be endless but I will name a few: Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Tetley Bitter and Tetley Imperial, Guinness, Bittburgher Pils, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Anchor Steam, and Newcastle Brown Ale.

Vancouver Craft Beer Week - Tap Into It

With only 28 days to go until the 2nd annual Vancouver Craft Beer Week (VCBW), the organizing team have released the following video to get you in the mood.

VCBW will be taking place between May 6-14th.

www.vancouvercraftbeerweek.com

 
TAP INTO IT from Vancouver Craft Beer Week on Vimeo.

Dead Frog Coming To Ontario

North American Craft (NAC), a company I profiled here in March and interviewed Claude Lefebvre (owner) for the TAPS Blog, has announced via their Facebook page that they will start representing the Dead Frog Brewery Co. from  Aldergrove, BC.

North American Craft is pleased to announce that we will be bringing you the 1st ever Mix 12 Pack from a BC Micro Brewery called Dead Frog. We will be shipping out to the Select Self Serve Beer Stores in Ontario which will be available just in May. Click on to: www.thebeerstore.ca to see where this 1st mix 12 pack from Dead frog Brewery will be sold at.

After speaking with Lefebvre this morning over the telephone, he indicated that 30 Beer Stores across Ontario will soon have the mixed 12 packs from Bracebridge to Toronto and from Guelph to Kitchener. NAC will also be focusing getting the beer into combo stores and agency stores throughout the province.

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And, in other NAC news, they have increased the presence of Halifax's Propeller ESB in Toronto and Ottawa with additional listings in LCBO stores across both cities. Check out their Facebook page for more information.

Kichesippi To Unveil New Beer

On Friday April 15th, Kichesippi Beer Co. will introduce Ottawa residents to their new brand - Kichesippi 1855.

Ottawa Mayor,  Jim Watson, will be on hand to help celebrate the occasion with the first official pint at 5:30pm.

Kichesippi 1855 is described as a Dark Ale that is named in honour of the official incorporation date of the City of Ottawa - January 1, 1855.

The brewery will be offering brewery tours between 5-8pm and there will be a number of refreshments available, including wine from Henry of Pelham, locally roasted coffee from Wake Cup Coffee, bbq from Amberwood BBQ, oysters from The Whalesbone and Kichesippi Spice Cake from Murray Street Kitchen.

Email kelly@kbeer.ca by April 11th to RSVP.

Friday April 15th
Kichesippi Brewery (868 Campbell Street, Ottawa, ON)
Reception: 5-8pm

Tree Brewing In Toronto

Kelowna BC's Tree Brewing Co. made their first foray into the Ontario market in February with the release of their award winning Hophead Double IPA through the LCBO as part of the Spring Speciality Release Program, and Ontario residents made the brewery proud when they purchased every bottle in the retail system shortly after they appeared on store shelves.

Fast forward to April 1st - Tree's brewmaster, Stefan Buhl, and Tree's Director of Marketing, Chris Stirling, made their way to Toronto to do two tastings/Meet and Greets at two of the LCBO's Toronto flagship stores: Cooper Street and Summerhill. Both stores had to hold back a number of cases of the 650ml bottles for the tastings, making them the only places in Toronto to get your hands on the last of the shipment.

I met up with the two men from Tree on Friday at Canoe Restaurant to do some work with them for TAPS The Beer Magazine. We had a great lunch with a number of solid Ontario beers (Muskoka Harvest Ale with a Canoe Lobster Clubhouse and Grand River's Ploegers Vlaams Rood was paired up with a delicious array of Canadian cheeses and sauces) before heading off to C'est What for a pint of Flying Monkeys Smashbomb Atomic IPA.

After shooting a small TAPS podcast with Buhl (look for it with the release of the Summer issue) we sat around Toronto's oldest craft beer bar and shared some stories about the BC and Ontario brewing industry. We discussed the LCBO system and how it has changed for the better over the last number of years, talked about Tree's 15th year anniversary, and the two men provided some tips on where to drink good beer in Kelowna if I ever get to visit. Buhl was very impressed with C'est What and their dedication to local breweries. "To see all these beers on tap, from Ontario, is simply great," he said while browsing the daily beer menu.

We finished our pints and took off on foot to the Cooper Street LCBO for the first tasting, scheduled from 4pm-8pm. The welcoming face of Bill George (if you shop at Cooper St. you'll know who I'm talking about) greeted us upon arrival and he quickly summoned for the last remaining 'hidden' cases of the Hophead Double IPA to be brought out .


With the display built and with Buhl's poster on display, people started showing up to have a taste. Two men, one from Markham and the other from Mississauga, were the first in line and tried their best to purchase two cases each before the LCBO staff kindly mentioned that there was a two bottle limit due to demand. The men waxed poetically about how much they enjoyed the beer when it first arrived in Ontario and took their bottles and headed for the checkout. Minutes later they were back to get two more. Then again 10 minutes later... these guys knew what they were doing.

Stirling was pouring the beer for sampling while Buhl chatted with customers about the brewery, the beer, and how they'd like to one day get a listing with the LCBO for one of their most popular brands. A shy guy Buhl is, but he did a great job engaging with everyone who stopped by to shake his hand and get a bottle or two signed by the brewmaster.

By the time I had to depart at 5pm there were only a couple of cases left. A pretty successful tasting in a short amount of time. It was good to catch up with these guys - hear their thoughts on dealing with the LCBO and knowing how serious they are to getting a brand listed here in the near future. Tree Brewing makes some great beer and it would be to our (Ontario residents) benefit if they become a regular fixture on store shelves across the province. And judging by the amount of positive comments they received from people who stopped by - their beer would be most welcome here.

Click here to read an old Meet Stefan Buhl post from October 2008.

Tartan Week April 4 – 8: The Monks Table

The following is from my good friend Adam Grant, publican of Monks Table: A Gourmand House. Grant and his staff will be hosting Tartan Week, starting today and running until Friday. Each night will feature different events with different hosts and different alcoholic beverages.

Back in the fall, The Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Honourable James Moore, announced that the Federal Government would recognize April 6th as a Tartan Day in Canada; a celebration of the achievments of Celtic People. So, the Monk's Table would like to celebrate all things Celtic.

From their FB page: Celebrate Scottish, Irish, Welsh and the lesser known 4 original Celtic Nations, we hope to enlighten and educate people on the impact of these different cultures through history and how together they impacted our development as a nation. We also plan to provide a lot of fun to make the event more memorable.

TARTAN WEEK APRIL 4TH – 8th  at the Monk's Table

Monday April 4th 8pm 
Five Course Whiskey and food pairing with Ryan Powell - $90
Ryan has extensive training in Absolut Akademi in Ahus, Sweden; Havana Club Masters Class in Havana, Cuba; Chivas Masters Class at Strathisla Distillery in Keith, Scotland; G.H. Mumm and Perrier-Jouet Champagne Masters Class in Champagne, France; and Received one-to-one training sessions from Global Brand Ambassadors, Master Distillers, Master Blenders, and Wine Makers 

Tuesday April 5th 8pm 
Three course pre fixe with Irish Whiskeys and Spirit Specialist Trevor Dawes - $50
Join Trevor as he explains the history of Irish whiskey over Chef Lester Garcia’s prix fixe pairings 

Wednesday April 6th 8pm 
Tartan Cocktails with Christine Sismondo and Scott Mochrie - $30
One of Toronto’s rising bar stars; Scott is fresh off a win at the Bacardi international cocktail competition. He and his signature drink, the Rikers Islay, will be profiled in Eye Weekly, hitting the stands on April 6. Christine Sismondo is the author of America Walks into a Bar: A Spirited History of Taverns and Saloons, Speakeasies and Grog Shops. She is also the ROB Magazine cocktail columnist and author of Mondo Cocktail: A Shaken and Stirred History. 

Thursday April 7th 8:30pm 
Got Wood? With Stephen Beaumont - $50
Join Stephen as he explores the world of wood finishes and how barrels affect the flavour of your dram. There's more wood in your glass than you may think! Stephen has been writing about beer and spirits for two decades, in such diverse publications as the Malt Advocate and Saveur, Wine Enthusiast and the International Herald Tribune. He has authored or co-authored six books and contributed to numerous others, and recently presented the keynote address at the first ever Canadian Whisky Summit. 

Friday April 8th 8pm
Innis and Gunn Pre-Fixe with Nicol Rennie - $50
A casual but informative sit down dinner as Nicol, the International Brand Manager for Innis & Gunn Canada, recants the amazing success story of Innis and Gunn. With a special appearance by The Innis & Gunn IPA

barVolo 3rd Annual Ontario Cask IPA Challenge

barVolo / Cask Days has announced the dates for the first round of their 3rd annual Ontario Cask IPA Challenge on their Facebook page.

The first round of the popular annual challenge will take place on Saturday and Sunday May 14-15.

24 different IPAs will go head to head in a single elimination format. Once the list of IPAs is confirmed, I'll post it here.

Also, barVolo will be making a special announcement over the course of the challenge, so stay tuned!

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Past mentions of barVolo's / Cask Days Ontario IPA Cask Challenge

Canadians At Craft Brewers Conference

You may have already seen this picture, it has been circulating through Facebook and Twitter - let me explain the story behind it.

As I mentioned in the O' Canada post, a large group of Canadian brewers/industry/media/trade representatives came together during the last evening of the Craft Brewers Conference in San Francisco during the closing reception to share some stories over a couple of beers. This all led to the group heading to the lobby for a group photo, which then turned into a imprompt performance of the Canadian national anthem. I snapped a couple of shots and unfortunately all of them turned out a bit grainy due to the pillar not seen in the photo's (the pillar cast a shadow over the crowd...). 

The list of individuals is listed below the image (listed by organization, which was also at the end of the video I posted the other day).

Bar Towel, barVolo, Beer Thirst, Benelux, Beau's All Natural Brewing, Big Ridge/Red Truck, Canada Malting, Central City Brewing, Church Key Brewing, Clocktower Brewpub, F&M Brewing, Garrison Brewing, HMH Negotiants, Mark James Group, R&B Brewing, Spinnakers, Square Peg Brewing (Planning), Toronto Beer Week, Vancouver Craft Beer Week, Yaletown Brewing.

Now, here is a list I put together of ALL Canadians that attended the Craft Brewers Conference (not in alphabetical order). If you aren't listed here, please let me know and I'll add you.

UBC Group
Dieu du Ciel
Great Lakes
Better With Beer (Bill White)
Granite Brewery (Toronto)
Beau's All Natural Brewing
Phillips Brewing
Central City Brewing
Spearhead Brewing
Church Key Brewing
F&M Brewing
Garrison Brewing
HMH Negotiants
The Bar Towel
Benelux
Clocktower Brewpub
Amsterdam Brewing
Muskoka Cottage Brewing
McAuslan Brewery
Alley Kat Brewing
Grizzly Paw
Drummond
R&B Brewing
Le Trou Diable
Bushwakker Brewpub
Barley Station Brewpub
Rain City Brands
Sterling Packaging
Le Saint Bock
The Rhino Bar & Grill
TAPS The Beer Magazine
Beer Thirst
Yaletown Brewing
Howe Sound Brewing
Tree Brewing
Square Peg (Planning)
Mondial de la Biere
Cask Brewing Canning Systems
Canada Malting
Chrislan Ceramics
Stephen Beaumont
Beerology (Mirella Amato)
Niagara College - Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management
Mark Anthony Brands
The Indie Alehouse
Yukon Brewing
Artisan Ales Consulting Inc. (Mike Tessier)