Brewers Plate Pairs Chefs With Breweries

The organizers of the third annual Brewers Plate have released the chef and brewery pairings for this years event; however, the menu has yet to be finalized.  It will be posted here once available.

Black Oak - Brook Kavanagh – La Palette
Cameron's - Brad Long – Veritas, My Place
Great Lakes - Michael Steh – reds bistro & wine bar
Mill Street - Mark Cutrara – Cowbell Restaurant
Steam Whistle - Marc Breton – The Gladstone Hotel
Waupoos Cider - Jamie Kennedy - Jamie Kennedy Kitchens
Wellington - Marc Breton – The Gladstone Hotel

And there will be some new breweries participating in the Brewers Plate this year:  Beau's All Natural Brewing Co, Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery,  Heritage Brewing and Scotch Irish Brewing and Nickel Brook Beers.

The Brewer’s Plate will be held on Wednesday May 26th 2010.

The feast begins at 7:00pm. at Hart House, University of Toronto, 7 Hart House Circle (Click Here For Directions)

Ticket Price: $159.00 (inc.GST and service charge)


**It should also be noted that the Ontario Craft Brewers (OCB) are a prime sponsor of the Brewers Plate!

Brewmaster & Brewery Operations Management Course Update

I'm sure many of you have heard about Niagara College and their efforts to bring the first two-year 'Teaching Brewery' to Canada (two page article in the Spring issue of TAPS: Canada's Beer Magazine by Bill White).  If you haven't, well, here's the deal.

Niagara College has a beautiful campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake just off the QEW.  The college has made quite the name for themselves with their one of a kind Winery & Viticulture Technician program, something they introduced to North America ten years ago.  That program, which has been extremely successful, led the brain-trust at the college to explore the possibility of developing a Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program that would span a two-year period.  That was three years ago, and as I learned on Thursday, during a visit with a small contingent of individuals representing the Ontario Craft Brewers (OCB), the college has all their ducks in a row to welcome the first batch of successful applicants.

As mentioned, I was blessed with the opportunity to visit the NOTL college with OCB members (the OCB are listed as partners in the college's course description, and it was noted how much the association has helped with assisting in the development of the program), and one member of the Provincial Ministry of Agriculture, to speak with the individuals in charge of the new program, and to get a tour of the college grounds.  The group of us were led into the college's state of the art Wine Tasting Lab where we received a hearty update on the progression of the program and to have any questions answered by the Dean (Jon Ogryzlo), Coordinator (Steve Gill), and Chair (Craig Youdale) of the Food & Wine Services Division.

Ogryzlo welcomed everyone to the campus before going straight into his presentation, which provided a brief overview of the academic guidelines and a look into course outline.   He mentioned that the two-year course, once in operation, will be the first of its kind in North America and it will provide the industry with highly skilled individuals upon graduation, something OCB members believe is key to enhancing the commercial brewing community for years to come.  Ogryzlo also provided some future ideas that the college has in mind for the Brewmaster program involving the talented individuals in the acclaimed Culinary Services division within the college.

Craig Youdale was next to present and he began by praising the work Niagara College has put into developing the new program since the idea became a reality.  "Jon (Ogryzlo) and Steve (Gill) have spent ten years building the tremendously successful wine program, so I believe this program will be exceptional, and successful, right from the start."

Youdale spoke about the program outline and offered some administrative numbers that backed up his belief in the program.  "We received 165 applications for the first intake of students.  Extremely, extremely positive program numbers for a new course," he said.  "College's often have to look for students when introducing a brand new program, the wine program did, so these numbers indicate that a program like this is needed."  Out of those 165 applications only 24 could be accepted, and as of Thursday, the program was already full as the successful applicants responded to their acceptance packages right away.  Youdale also mentioned that there were a number of international students accepted into the program along with a number of females.

The program outline was discussed at length and individual courses were touched on.  Things certainly sound great.  Students will be brewing right from the start and there will be a pilot system built within the new brewery for individual brewing assignments.  There are also courses on the history of brewing, sensory evaluation classes, packaging, sales and branding, and much, much more.  See the list below.

Gill was next to speak and his presentation centered on the brewery, which will be erected on the campus by August 1st.  It will be a 1600 square foot fully operational 5hl brewery with 10hl fermenters and will be able to accommodate two brews a day.  The pilot system, as mentioned above, will be a 60 litre system.  Gill mentioned that all the beer brewed will be sold in the on-site Wine store (which will be renamed Beer & Wine Store) and at the college bar, and all dollars generated will be put back into the program, essentially having the brewery pay for itself.

The college wants to become centre of brewing excellence in Canada and one day act as a research centre that could be utilized by breweries across the country.  To measure the success of the 'Teaching Brewery' Niagara College will form an Advisory Counsel of professionals from the brewing industry to review student feedback, talk to employers of graduates, and to assess the skills graduates leave the college with.  The college hopes to attract these professionals from all over Canada, having them meet twice a year.

The day ended with a spectacular lunch prepared by culinary students before we headed for a tour of the Winery and the wine retail store.  The drive home gave me time to think about what was said during the day and left me with this conclusion: Students who were lucky enough to get accepted are in for a solid program.  The college sold me on the program values and the curriculum and I have no doubt whatsoever that the Brewmaster & Brewery Operations Management course will be a success right from the first day.

*Pic #1: (top row left to right) Gary McMullen (Chair, OCB - Founder Muskoka Cottage Brewery), Gill, Ogryzlo, George Eagleson (F&M), John Hay (President, OCB), myself, and Mary (OCB).  (bottom row left to right) Rob Creighton (Grand River), Paul Dickey (Cheshire Valley), Representative from Ministry of Agriculture, Adrian Popowycz (Black Oak), Ron Keefe (Granite)


*Pic #2: Niagara College Brewery Sketch


*Pic #3: Craig Youdale addressing the group

Kichesippi Beer Co. Launches in Ottawa

Another new Ontario beer.  Another beer contract brewed.  They seem to be popping up more and more these days.  

Kichesippi Beer Co. officially launched in Ottawa on Thursday with the release of their flagship beer, Natural Blonde Ale, and they have the video to prove it.

I talked to co-owner, Paul Meek, last week about Kichesippi and he let me know that the Natural Blonde is being contract brewed at Heritage Brewing Co. with plans to build the brand up before moving into more adventurous beers.  Meek also hopes of opening his own location in the future.   For now it will be Meeks and his wife (other owner) running the sales side of things and they've managed to get into a handful of accounts right out of the gate.  The beer will only be available on draught in the Ottawa area, but there are plans to bottle the product one day.

You can follow along by signing up for their newsletter or follow them on twitter and facebook

Here is the video of the first pint of the Natural Blond being poured:

Collectors of Canadian Brewery Advertising 2010 Annual National Convention

The Collectors of Canadian Brewery Advertising (CCBA) have announced the dates for their annual National Convention - Wednesday August 4th to Sunday August 8th, 2010 at the Holiday Inn Kitchener-Waterloo Hotel & Conference Centre.

This will the the 31st annual convention the CCBA have held.  It's a great opportunity to head to Kitchener-Waterloo to meet people from all over Canada who share your enthusiasm for collecting brewery advertising relics, and it provides a rare opportunity for beginners to potentially score some items for their growing stash.

Convention Itinerary:
* 4 Nights hospitality room
* Trip to the Ontario Legislature & lunch with the Speaker (The Honourable Steve Peters) - Aug 6th
* Tour of Waterloo region brewpubs, breweries - Aug 6th
* Buy, Sell, Trade Show - Aug 7
* Dinner at a traditional German social club - Aug 7

Cost to attend is $85 - $75 for seniors (60+)
Cheques made payable to "CCBA Waterloo Region"

Muskoka Pilsner Light Launch Tonight

Just a reminder that Muskoka Cottage Brewery is officially launching their new Pilsner Light tonight at Highway 61, which is located on Bayview just south of Eglinton.  The party gets started at 7pm.

**UPDATE**
Here is a video from last night.  Mike Laba, Muskoka Cottage Brewery's Manager of Marketing is pimping TAPS Beer Magazine and announcing the name of the winner of two tickets to the 2010 Canadian Brewing Awards gala.  (grainy video again....)

Central City Red Racer IPA Private Order - HMH Negotiants

From HMH Negotiants

Toronto, ON - Central City Brewing Co. and HMH Negotiants, are excited to announce the release of Central City Red Racer IPA for private order in Ontario! Central City, out of Surrey BC, have become known for their true to taste styles, funky labels, and use of cans. With their growing popularity, and great taste, it’s no wonder why Central City is a top rated Canadian Brewery, and why beer lovers, and patio drinkers alike would love to have this aggressively hopped IPA in their fridge.

This award winning IPA, is an ale that was fashioned to survive the long voyage from England to India during the British colonization.  Hops, hops, and more hops, this ale has an intense aroma and a long lingering finish.  Drink as an appetizer on its own, or pair it with a hearty dish.  A beer for the connoisseur, this is a brew not to be missed.

If you are interested in placing an order, please e-mail your name, phone number, address, email and the quantity you are interested in ordering to sales@hmhnegotiants.com

This order will be closing Wednesday, May 12^th, 2010. For more information on how private ordering works, please visit www.hmhnegotiants.com/aboutprivateordering.html.

Alcohol by volume: 6.5%

Price: Approx: $75.00* (24 x 355mL) Cans

*Prices may fluctuate based on freight rate.

www.hmhnegotiants.com | www.centralcitybrewing.ca  

2010 Brewers Plate @ U of T's Hart House

The 3rd annual Brewers Plate is set to take place on Wednesday May 26th at the University of Toronto in their historic Hart House.

The Brewers Plate

A local, sustainable spring feast featuring many of Toronto’s most distinguished chefs, brewers, food artisans and farmers.

I have been fortunate enough to attend the first two Brewers Plates and I can say, without hesitation, that it is a real treat to be in attendance.  The food is great (see list of chefs below), the beer is great and paired wonderfully with the food creations, and the music has always been terrific. 

Chefs involved: Jamie Kennedy (Jamie Kennedy Kitchens), Brad Long (Veritas, My Place), Mark Cutrara (Cowbell), Marc Breton (Gladstone), Karen Vaz (Rebel House), and Brook Kavanagh (La Palette),  Michael Steh (Red’s), and others from Oyster Boy, Magic Oven and BuddhaDog.

Ontario Breweries: Black Oak, Wellington, Steam Whistle, Mill Street, Great Lakes, Cameron’s, NickelBrook, Flying Monkeys, Beau’s and Heritage Brewing and more!

David Crombie, a former Mayor of Toronto, will be headlining the special evening of taste revelations in a stunning historic venue with live jazz music. 

For more information on the event, or to purchase tickets, head to brewersplatetoronto.org

Wednesday May 26^th 2010

Hart House, University of Toronto

The feast begins at 7:00pm.

Tickets$159.00 (inc.GST and service charge)

barVolo Announces 2nd Annual Ontario Cask IPA Challenge

From barVolo

In 2009 barVolo hosted the first Ontario Cask IPA Challenge placing eighteen Ontario India Pale Ales/Pale ales up against each other in a single elimination bracket tournament. The final four beers last year were: Granite Hopping Mad IPA, Durham Hop Addict IPA, Mike Duggan #9 IPA and Scotch Irish Sgt.Major IPA. In a head to head final round, Mike Duggan #9 IPA was victorious against Durhams Hop Addict, taking the title of the 1st annual IPA challenge winner.

It’s now 2010 and barVolo would like to invite breweries to participate in the 2nd Annual Ontario Cask IPA Challenge. This year will feature 16 India Pale Ales on cask, with three rounds, all tasted blindly. The top score from each beer pairing will advance to the next round.  All participating beers will be disclosed as brewers submit their beers, please check the website for updates.

Canadian East Coast vs. West Coast vs. No Coast Double IPA Challenge

Saturday, May 29th, 2010 from 12:00-5:00pm

To start the Ontario Cask IPA Challenge festivities, we will be hosting a Canadian Bottle Double IPA Challenge, featuring Eight Double IPA’s from coast to coast served blind.

1. Phillips Amnesiac - Victoria, British Columbia
2. Tree Hop Head Double IPA - Kelowna, British Columbia
3. Half-Pints Humulus Ludicrous - Winnipeg, Manitoba
4. Black Oak Ten Bitter Years - Toronto, Ontario
5. Beau’s Screaming Beaver - Vankleek, Ontario
6. Great Lakes My Bitterer Wife - Toronto, Ontario
7. Charlevoix Amarillo Double IPA - Baie-St-Paul, Quebec
8. Garrison Imperial India Pale Ale - Halifax, Nova Scotia

Try all eight double IPA’s blind served in 3oz sample glasses for $20.00. Beers will be disclosed after the event on our website.

To see the dates for the actual IPA Cask Challenge, please click 'read more'

Creemore's Kellerbier Coming Back Soon!

The beer I decreed to be 'my beer of the year' for 2009 is on its way back into the market as Creemore stated in an issued press release on Friday.

The Kellerbier will be made available by May 3rd at select LCBO's and pubs/restaurants.  Don't wait to long to get some, it sold out extremely fast last year

Here are my thoughts from last years batch:
The can is attractive and full of educational reading material for the individuals out there looking for something new (you've seen these people standing in the beer section at the LCBO reading all the cans). The unfiltered Kellerbier (cellar beer) pours a lovely hazy tarnished gold with a strong bold white layer of foamy protection that decides to hang out with me for the duration of the tasting, covering my glass with thick lacing.

My nose awakens as I dip it into the glass to get a big whiff of aromas, aromas that take me to an autumn day in the country. Floral, biscuity and a slight grassiness are picked up along with some sweet fruit, white peppery notes and a little citrus. The first sip is a good one. The second is even better. Caramel notes and some of that Creemore fruitiness, along with some of the left over yeast is found up front leading into a nice subtle hop body that sparks a slight peppery touch ending in a nice dry, yet clean and refreshing finish. The malt base plays nicely with the hops and only has a mild cloying effect on the palate.

This unfiltered lager is bursting with flavour and aromas, resembling a cask conditioned ale in a can, which is essentially what a Kellerbier is in Germany. Creemore has certainly taken the ball and ran with it on their latest seasonal, which will hopefully awake some of the smaller craft breweries in this province who produce lagers. Get some while it's fresh as the brewery has only produced enough for 80,000 cans.  

CASK! Toronto Releases Dates for 2010 CASK Ale Crawl

The fine folks behind the CASK! Toronto group have let it be known that their 2nd annual CASK Ale Crawl, which takes real ale drinkers to great establishments throughout Toronto, will take place between Friday May 7 and Sunday May 9.  While they haven't listed any specific pubs as of yet, they did say that at least six will be participating and they'll be announcing them on their website in due time.

For those of you that don't remember, or for those of you who are just getting into the 'better beer experience', the CASK Ale Crawl is a weekend long event, throughout Toronto, that celebrates real ale and the pubs that serve it.  So mark the date on your calendar now to make sure you get in on the action.

From CASK!
This is advance notice of this year's CASK Ale Crawl, coming to several pubs near you in May.  You may recall the 2009 CASK Crawl, for which we were honoured with a Golden Tap Award.  This year we're aiming for a Nobel Peace Prize, so no fighting, okay?  The 2010 Crawl will take place over the May 7-May 9 weekend and will include at least six pubs, all serving fresh, delicious, local cask-conditioned ales.  Watch this space for further details.

Ontario Brewing Awards - Winners Announced

Here is a complete list of the Ontario Brewing Award Winners - Congratulations to all the winners!  It was a pleasure judging the People's Choice Awards this year.

Category	Gold Medal	Silver Medal	People’s Choice
North American Light Lager	Laker Light Brick Brewing	Antigravity Light Flying Monkeys Brewery	Antigravity Light Flying Monkeys Brewery
North American Lager	Cool Lager Cool Brewing	Red Bull Beer Sleeman Brewing	Trailhead Lager Wellington Brewery
European Style Lager (Pilsner)	King Pilsner King Brewery	Traditional Pilsner Creemore Springs Brewery	King Pilsner King Brewery
Amber Lager	Oaktoberfest Black Oak Brewing	Barking Squirrel Hop City Brewing	Barking Squirrel Hop City Brewing
Dark Lager	Cameron’s 266 Cameron’s Brewing	King Dark Lager King Brewing	Dark 266 Cameron’s Brewing
Bock	Mill Street Spring Bock Mill Street Brewery	Amsterdam Spring Bock Amsterdam Brewing	King Pilsbock King Brewery
Honey/ Maple	Laker Honey Brick Brewing	Stone Hammer Maple Red Stone Hammer Brewing	Laker Honey Brick Brewing
German Style Wheat (Hefeweizen)	Lawn Chair Classic Weisse Hop City Brewing	Duggan’s #13 Weiss Duggan’s Brewery	Duggan’s #13 Weiss Duggan’s Brewery
Belgian Style Wheat (Witbier)	Mill Street Belgian Wit Mill Street Brewery	Waterloo Wheat Brick Brewing	Mill Street Belgian Wit Mill Street Brewery
Cream Ale	Muskoka Cream Ale Muskoka Cottage Brewery	KLB Cream Ale Amsterdam Brewing	Muskoka Cream Ale Muskoka  Cottage Brewery
Pale Ale	Duggan’s #9 Duggan’s Brewery	Hoptical Illusion Flying Monkeys Brewery	Canuck Pale Ale Great Lakes Brewery
India Pale Ale	10 Bitter Years Black Oak Brewing	Dead Elephant Ale Railway City Brewing	Duggan’s #9 Duggan’s Brewery
Amber Ale	Big Wheel Amsterdam Brewing	Cameron’s Auburn Ale Cameron’s Brewing	Devil’s Pale Ale Great Lakes Brewery
Dark Ale	Muskoka Dark Ale Muskoka Cottage Brewey	Mill Race Mild Grand River Brewing	County Dark Ale Wellington Brewery
Bitter	KLB Pale Ale Amsterdam Brewing	Galt Knife Old Style Grand River Brewing	Galt Knife Old Style Grand River Brewing
Porter	Mill Street Coffee Porter Mill Street Brewing	Nutcracker Porter Black Oak Brewing	Black Irish Plain Porter Heritage Brewing
Stout	Russian Gun Imperial Stout Grand River Brewing	John Bye Imperial Stout Heritage Brewing	John Bye Imperial Stout Heritage Brewing
Fruit or Vegetable	Framboise Amsterdam Brewing	Ringberry Ale Granite Brewery	Green Apple Pilsner Nickel Brook Brewing
Strong	Mill Street 2009 Barley Wine Mill Street Brewery	Iron Duke Wellington Brewery	Mill Street 2009 Barley Wine Mill Street Brewery

I Am A Canadian Craft Brewer - Video by VCBW

A couple of days ago the organizers of Vancouver's Craft Beer Week (VCBW) posted a teaser on Twitter that a 'I Am A Canadian Craft Brewer' video would be going live in due time, a video to help promote the VCBW that is taking place from May 10-16th.  Well, they've released the video and it's terrific!  Good job lads.


I am a Canadian Craft Brewer from VancouverCBW on Vimeo.

There seems to be a wave right now spreading throughout Canada, a wave of passion in the industry.  It was evident in Chicago, with the many brewers and brewery representatives wearing their bright red t-shirts with the Maple Leaf on the back and the 'Proud To Be A Canadian Craft Brewer,' and I think it's about time.  Canadian craft brewers nation-wide have a lot to be proud of and a little flair and showmanship like we see from American breweries is something that has sadly been lacking here in our country.  Let's keep this momentum going!

*pic on right taken by Jason E. Kaplan at the Craft Brewers Conference.

Here and There

> Greg Nash is at it again.  According to a post he put up on his Hart & Thistle blog, Nash plans to brew up a 'Hop Mess Monster' (a huge Imperial Pale Ale) with a calculated alcohol content of 11% and a 533 IBU count!  Click here to read more here.

>  Greg Clow has posted an interesting news item over at his Canadian Beer News site about a planned collaborative brew that was to take place tomorrow in Vanleek Hill between Beau's All Natural Brewing Co. and Dutch Trappist brewery De Koningshoeven.  Turns out the ash cloud from the volcano in Iceland has disrupted flight plans. 

**There is word of another Ontario brewery looking into a collaboration in the US with a very well known brewery.  Details will follow once they are made available, but let's just say that it will be delicious**

>  The final round of judging for the Ontario Brewing Awards (OBA's) and the OBA's People Choice Awards will take place tonight.  Winners will be announced...actually, I don't even know.  I'll get back to you with that.

>  Black Oak Brewing Co. has announced (on Bar Towel) that they have just bottled their much talked about 10 Bitter Years and have lots of it for sale at the brewery's retail store.

>  Organizers of Vancouver Craft Beer Week continue to list the participating breweries daily on their Twitter account @VCBW.  Check out their website though for the full listing.

>  I am heading up to Niagara-on-the-Lake next week to check out the new Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program at Niagara College for an update on their progress.  I was talking with two people on the weekend who were accepted and they both can't wait for the fall (when classes commence).  TAPS also features a short article on the program in the Spring issue, written by Bill White.

>  Heritage Brewing Co. is hosting a launch party for their Maple Bush Lager next Tuesday, the 27th, starting at 5pm.  Head to their Facebook site for more details.

>  And Muskoka Cottage Brewery are also organizing a launch party for next week.  On April 29th (Thursday), Highway 61 will be the place to head to to indulge in the new Pilsner Light. 

Meet Bob Baxter: Yukon Brewing Co.

Meet Bob Baxter, the Founder and President of the Chilkoot Brewing Co.,...err.... I mean the Yukon Brewing Co. in Whitehorse, Yukon.   Baxter, and co-founder, Alan Hansen, opened for business back in 1997 and today sells more draught beer in the Yukon than the big boys - combined!  Last year Baxter's Yukon Red Amber Ale won the distinguished Canadian Beer of the Year Award at the Canadian Brewing Awards, something the brewery is quite proud of.

Meet Bob....

Where is the Yukon Brewery and what beers do you produce?

Yukon Brewing is located in Whitehorse, Yukon, in the farthest northwest corner of Canada. There has only ever been one brewery in the Yukon, that being during the gold rush, in Dawson City, in the early 1900's. The end of the gold rush pretty much did them in, with prohibition driving the final nail. We are the first brewery ever to be located in Whitehorse. We produce eight full time brands - Yukon Gold, Chilkoot Lager, Discovery Honey ESB, Creekside Cranberry Wheat, Yukon Red, Lead Dog Strong Ale, Midnight Sun Espresso Stout, and Ice Fog IPA - plus an assortment of 'brewery only' beers available through our growler system.

Describe the history behind the brewery

Yukon Brewing was conceived like so many Yukon babies - near a campfire, late one night, on a canoe trip. Co-founders Alan Hansen and Bob Baxter sat on the side of Jennings River in the mid-90's, talking about world problems, beer, and breweries, probably in that order. One thing led to many things, and in 1997 the Chilkoot Brewing Company began sending beer out the door. By 1999, we realized that almost nobody outside of the Yukon knew what Chilkoot meant (the Chilkoot Trail was the main route to the goldfields in 1898) and we rebranded as Yukon Brewing. And our baby just became a teenager.

What is your best selling beer?

Our best selling beer in the Yukon is, without question, Yukon Gold, especially on tap. Yukon Gold is now the number one selling draught beer in the Yukon, bar none. One of those big brands is number two, but Yukon Gold outsold it by more than 50% in 2009. Yukon Gold accounts for one out of every three beers consumed on tap in the Yukon.

What's new at the brewery?

Yukon Brewing has been trying to find a better bottle filler for over two years, and this past winter we found the perfect Krones filler on the used market. We snapped it up and just finished the install within the last couple of weeks. While there is still some tweaking to do, we are totally thrilled to see our beer bottled in such a high quality way.  Of course, there is always something new here on the beer front...next week our traditional German Hefeweizen will be ready for the growler system, and we are eagerly anticipating our birch beer coming this spring, as soon as the sap decided to start to run.

Why get into the beer biz?

The history of beer in Canada goes back to before there even was a Canada. The chance to work in an industry that has such heritage is pretty hard to pass up. And, to actually be in control of making something you love...well, find me something better to do and I just might start doing it.

What is the best aspect of working in the Canadian craft beer industry?

The Canadian craft beer industry is pretty much in its infancy, even still. So, you have a bunch of folks shepherding their products along, trying to create a market and then find their place in it. It makes sense to work together to that end and, guess what, nearly everybody does. We have traded questions and answers with so many other craft brewers, always with the idea of improving our products. The camaraderie continues to amaze me.

Where can someone find our products?

Everywhere in the Yukon...we dare you to find a licensee who doesn't serve some (if not all) of our brands. We also export to B.C., Alberta, and the Northwest Territories.

Something not many people know about the brewery?

We always get the raised-eyebrow look when we talk about our market penetration with respect to draught beer in the Yukon. In 2009 we sold more draught beer in the Yukon than those two big multi-national breweries - combined.

Advantages for small brewers over the big guys?

Boy, there are not a lot of those! Our main advantage over the big boys is the freedom to have fun with our beers. We can use crazy ingredients like birch sap or espresso coffee beans and not worry about the need to sell trainloads of it. In 2009 we bought a still and started making whiskey (which of course we won't see out of the barrels for some time to come) simply because we thought it might be kind of a funky thing to do, not because we have shareholders to please and big money to make.

Highlight of brewing career?

Actually, the highlight of my brewing career was something that happened more to my partner Alan than to me. Last year, we were invited to participate in the JD Wetherspoon Real Ale Festival in England. Sending beer that far would not be great, so instead we were invited to send a brewer to make some of our beer in a brewery across the pond, which Alan quite happily did. While the festival invites brewers from around the world to participate, we were the first ever to be invited from Canada. And, of 50 real ales in the festival, we finished 2nd overall in the peoples' choice voting. A highlight, indeed.

Cold clean lager, big hoppy pale ale, or nicely roasted stout?

Hands down, nicely roasted stout...a meal in a glass.

Favourite non-Yukon produced beer?

I guess further to the last question, I am kind of partial to the Blackheart Oatmeal Stout from Nelson Brewing...especially since I can't buy it in the Yukon, so it generally is part of a BC getaway.

Best time for a pint?

The end of the work day which, around the brewery, is often an Ice Fog IPA...at the end of most days somebody here at the brewery will say "Well, guys, I think it is Fog O'Clock".

Duggan's No.9 IPA Heading to the LCBO

Duggan's No.9 IPA, a beer that has done very well for itself (silver at Canadian Brewing Awards) since being released back in 2009 by Duggan's Brewery brewmaster, Michael Duggan, will be showing up on LCBO shelves in the very near future I'm told.  There was no mention of a price, but it will be an open format six-pack of the 275ml bottles.  I confirmed this with Duggan this morning, who also shared some other interesting tidbits about some events he has planned for the brewery/restaurant.

"We're working on a MaiFest down at Duggan's that will celebrate German beer, German food, and we'll have some live bands in house to entertain the customers," he said today over the phone.  The plan is to run it for 10 days or so.  He also mentioned that Duggan's Brewery plans to do little festival's like the MaiFest each month or two.

And, for all your homebrewers out there, Duggan plans to host a Homebrew Weekend at the brewery during the first weekend of May.  "We'll cover some theory, have some ingredients for sale, and on Sunday we'll actually do some brewing."  More information will be available shortly.