As we stretch into late summer, things around the landscape of craft beer in the province of Ontario are pretty largely focused on celebration and fairs. Our updated calendar of events will show you the extent to which this is true. It highlights a truth that has become standard over the last several years. The peak months for beer consumption in Canada are no longer specifically the summer, but rather the three month period of August, September, and October. Part of that could be a resurgence in lager styles, but it could also have to do with the shifting climate and extremely hot summers.
Regardless, it’s not all hot dogs and pretzels and beer. The news continues.
NEWS
Most locations of the 7/11 across Ontario will feature in store drinking under a restaurant license starting on September 5th in addition to selling beer, wine, cider and RTD’s as part of their normal business. Questions abound, like “Who is this for? People who’ve already been 86’d from their local pub?” and “Do you suppose they’ll have cask bitter?” and “How was this announced two years before it was made legal, there, Dougie?” Regardless of your feelings on the matter, presumably someone, somewhere is overjoyed that they can now wash down their taquitos with a Bud Light Lime.
Destination Toronto has launched a Beer Passport which allows tourists to the city to acquire samples from 23 participating breweries. The pass comes in 1-day, 3-day, and 7-day lengths and is priced at $22, $32, and $52. Given that the majority of samples on offer are 13-16 ounce pints, this passport is a terrific value. For transparency’s sake, I was given a 7 day pass to try out, and it would have paid for itself in the first four brewery visits making it a ludicrous nearly $300 value. Six days in, we’re probably sitting around double the cost of admission. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Toronto, or for locals who feel like a bit of a pub crawl and want to check back in on the craft beer scene.
Down at Steam Whistle Brewing, SEIU 2 is having a campaign to organize the brewery’s workers. While there has been interest in labour organizing across the brewing industry in Ontario over the last few years, this is the first outright attempt at creating a union shop in a modern craft brewery that your editor can remember. While it remains to be seen what the outcome might be, the organizers are to be credited for their bravery in publicly campaigning on their principles. Especially in this economy.
CLOSURES
Embrun’s Tuque De Broue have announced their impending closure and had made it dependent on making it through the remainder of their canned stock rather than announcing a date. With all cans sold, Tuque De Broue will have their final service tomorrow, August 10th. If you’re in Embrun, stop by the brewery and wish them well with a pint and a poutine from the food truck.
Two Hawks Brewing in Pembroke has also closed. Founded by two members of the Canadian Armed Forces, the brewing company existed briefly, but never quite managed to open its own taproom. This closure will certainly have an effect on the Petawawa brewing scene.
EVENTS
I’m going to make this short because I actually have to go to an event and the GO Bus to Niagara College is long. Why not join me at the Niagara College Medieval Faire. I’ll be the one that looks like Friar Tuck if he had hair.
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