A new beer magazine launching in Ontario is definitely good news, right? I know we’re all pretty excited to share the first Ontario issue of The Growler with all of you. As I write this, thousands of copies are making their way across the province. When you see it on newsstands or the bar in brewery taprooms, I hope you’ll pick up a copy (and maybe a few extra to give to friends!)

Here’s a look at some of what you’ll find inside the first issue:

• “A place to brew” by David Ort is a check-in and pulse-taking for the current state of craft beer in Ontario.
• Crystal Luxmore’s “Brewing a bunch” reports on what craft breweries are doing to help support their employees’ work-family balance.
• Mike Lackey and Iain McOustra sat down with us for “Brewer vs. Brewer: The young masters edition”.
• In “Putting away pints” Ben Johnson took a critical look at whether it actually makes sense to age beer.
• Lito Howse helps us figure out the cutting edge of hop varieties and their forms in “Hip hops”.
• The Kitchener-Waterloo region is our first travel destination.
• Jesse Vallins from The Maple Leaf Tavern and Merit Brewing shares his Scotch eggs recipe with us.
• Jordan St. John goes to wine country’s gateway to find out what makes Shawn & Ed Brewing different.
• And, finally, “Beer to the ground” has all the information you need on new and upcoming breweries.

Of course, a large portion of the first issue is devoted to the brewery directory that makes The Growler so popular with readers. Here you’ll find details about your favourites breweries (and their beer) and maybe also a tip or two that will lead you to try something new and interesting.

You have three options for grabbing your very own copy of The Growler. It’s out (or about to be) on newsstands where it sells for the full cover price of $5. We’ll also send a copy directly to you or the particularly eager kids can buy a four-issue subscription (spectacular Father’s Day gift, right?), and many of your favourite breweries have copies to sell in their bottle shops and taprooms—at the discounted price of $2. Which breweries? We’re working on the best way to get you an updated list, but, in the meantime, check our Instagram feed.