Ah, the first week of September. The kids are back in school, the nights are cooling down, and judging by the sheer number of Oktoberfest events I’ve had to put into the calendar, everyone is ready to get out there and hoist a pretzel and a Masskrug.
It seems like we’re back from summer and that events of consequence are once again transpiring. The little news hiatus that we had been enjoying is over.
NEWS
The reform to beer sales in the province of Ontario continued this week as beer and RTD’s became available in convenience stores. Nearly 4,200 newly-licensed locations currently exist within the province, and while not all of them will have completed the necessary renovations on schedule, many began selling beer on the 5th of September. Beer is available for purchase from 7 AM to 11 PM, which is a significant departure from previous avenues of retail.
While the proposition of beer in convenience stores is a significant victory for anyone who has ever looked south of the border and wondered why we too cannot buy a beer from the corner store late in the evening, it does come with some significant problems for recycling, social responsibility, and selection. The development is likely to help breweries that are large enough to supply several hundred additional retail locations. It is also likely to punish those that cannot develop such an economy of scale.
What pressures will this development exert on the market? Only time will tell, but that time is likely to be pretty gnarly if you’re under 10,000 hL. Don’t give up your taproom events just yet. Taylor Swift Trivia might save your tuchus.
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News from Napanee, Ontario where the Napanee Beer Company has announced that their final day will be September 13th. Opened in 2016 by Geordan Saunders, The Napanee Beer Company brewed an eclectic mix of beers including Blacklist Dark Lager, Extremist Belgian IPA, and the Napanee adjacent Complicated Sour.
In a post on Facebook, Saunders sites pressures from the landlord as the reason that the brewery must come to an end, saying, “the thing I’m proudest of is the relationships we’ve built since 2016. I’ve made so many lifelong friends here at Napanee Beer, and I hope that those persist in a post-brewery world … There is a chance you haven’t seen the last of our recipes at least, so keep an eye out in the future for some more news on that front.”
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Meanwhile, in Toronto, Andrew McCready’s Bickford Brewing has opened this week on Harbord Street, making it the first brewery to open in the city this year. McCready, a longtime homebrewer, is an audio engineer by trade and has turned his hobby into a small batch brewery. Although the brewery’s flagship, Dog Park Pale Ale has been available on a contract basis for nearly a year, it is joined by five other beers on draught at the brewery. Why not stop by and try Colonel Bickford’s Premium Ontario Ale made with 100% Ontario Hops?
According to local beer man, Dave Smith, “It’s a nice space, bright and boisterous, and definitely aimed at being a neighbourhood spot, given its size and volume. Space is limited, with seating for a couple of dozen people maximum.”
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A Go Fund Me has been set up for Bill Perrie and his wife Debbie, who find themselves in dire straits after a bout with cancer and the closure of their small pub in Orangeville. Bill Perrie is the author of several books on Ontario beer including the 2007 Craft Brewers of Ontario. If you’ve enjoyed his work over the years, now would be an excellent time to display a little gratitude.
EVENTS
Judging by the sheer number of Oktoberfest beer gardens I have put in the calendar this month, you’re all aching to get out your dirndls and lederhosen and dance to some Oompah. If you’re in Ottawa, it’s worth thinking about Dominion City’s 10th anniversary party which has been rescheduled for 3 PM today. Nothing like four hours notice to bring out the crowds.
THE SIX PACK
RORSCHACH LAGERBIER HELL
Accompanied by a heartfelt newsletter, Matt Reiner’s Lagerbier is the result of several years of iterative development and reflects the brewer’s German heritage. It’s got six weeks of lagering time on it, uses malt from Heidelberg, and a swiss lager strain. It’s Bavarian way down deep in its soul, and I’m sure his Oma would be proud.
Also, they got this really cool shirt.
WILLIBALD FREEFALL TRIPLE IPA
Featuring a trifecta of New Zealand hop varieties, this Triple IPA is guaranteed to tickle your tastebuds with tantalizing tropical notes. Featuring Riwaka, Motueka, Kohia Nelson, & SubZero Hop Kief. It’s also 10.2% so probably go a little easy on that one.
EASTBOUND PATCHWORK ORANGE PUMPKIN ALE
Listen, I’m not a pumpkin spice guy, but a decade ago we made pumpkin spiced ales such a big thing that they persist across the industry. In my experience, the best ones include actual pumpkin and balance the spices pretty gingerly so that it doesn’t become overwhelming. Eastbound’s is my favourite of the Toronto brewery pumpkin beers. If you go to the brewpub, they’ll serve it in a sugar rimmed glass. It’s, and believe me, it pains me to say this… actually good and I’m looking forward to it.
DOMINION CITY DECK ADE IPA
You loved Sunsplit. It’s got staying power. Why not try Deck Ade? Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Dominion City, it’s got more hops in it than you can shake a mash paddle at: Hopped with our favourite and most expressive varieties…Freestyle Hops Nelson Sauvin™, Nelson Sauvin™ Cryo®, Strata®, Mosaic®, Citra®. Topped off with Freestyle Kohia Nelson SubZero Hop Kief. (That Kief’s a big deal this week. Did someone put Bob Latimer back on the road?)
STEADFAST CALDERA HOT PEPPER ALE
Is it sessionable? Listen, bud. It’s probably not sessionable. You thought that was going to be a Spiderman reference, but this might be more of a sipper. I’m guessing the heat sort of builds up.
A hop & pepper-forward ale. Malty caramel notes balance its bitterness, while berry hop aromas accentuate the hot pepper spice, citrus and light smoke. Brewed with a special chili blend by Miguel Angel Garcia of @migueliscooking, don’t miss this collaboration!
WHIPRSNAPR BOURBON PEACH
This one is too tantalizing not to throw in the six pack. This is a NEIPA with peaches aged on bourbon barrels. Will the bourbon from the oak staves overpower the delicate hop volatiles? Will the vanilla from the oak play nicely with the peaches? Will the slight caramel tone from the barrel coalesce with the pillowy body of the NEIPA suggesting a more complex malt profile than exists in the base beer? I don’t know. I just work here.
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