The Beer Lovers' Tour Company Celebrates 10 Years

2008 marks the 10th anniversary of The Beer Lovers' Tour Company, the folks behind the Old Toronto Beer Tour and other beer travel events. Below is the press release announcing their plans for 2008, including trips to the Creemore Copper Kettle Festival and the Chambly Beer Festival, as well as a Fall Colours Country Beer Tour to several breweries in south-western Ontario.

THINK GLOBALLY, DRINK LOCALLY
The Beer Lovers’ Tour Company
Celebrates 10 Years And With It Expands To 18 Tour Dates
From May 10 until October 4, 2008

(Toronto – May 5, 2008) Due to a growing thirst for tours combining beer appreciation and travel, The Beer Lovers' Tour Company has expanded and offers 18 tour dates on the 2008 Old Toronto Beer Tour this year: starting May 10th and going strong till Oct 4th!

The Old Toronto Beer Tour (Sat May 10 - check for other dates at www.beerloverstour.com) is a city tour unlike any other. Featuring four outstanding local breweries (Steam Whistle, Amsterdam, Mill Street and the Granite), this day-trip blends the experience of Toronto's rich brewing history with a celebration of Toronto's world-class lagers and ales. Complimentary lunch, VIP tours, tutored tastings, a historic walking tour and pub visit as well as a four-course gourmet beer dinner are among the many delights to be enjoyed on this splendid day in the city. Prices range from $99-$149 per person, including transport, taxes and gratuities.

New Local Brews

Several new local brews now available on various taps around town:

• At the Granite Brewery, the season's first keg of Summer Ale will be tapped on May 12th. This 4.0% golden ale is a great session beer for the warmer weather.
• At Volo, you'll find the debut keg of Grand River Hannenberg Pils and a cask of the brand new Durham Witbier.
• At C'est What, their Mild Brown Ale has been retired and replaced with Sierra Excellent Ale, a 3.8% golden ale.

Southern Tier on Bar Towel Radio

We're proud to announce a new episode of Bar Towel Radio, an interview with Phin DeMink and Paul Cain of Southern Tier Brewing from Lakewood, New York. Phin and Paul were in Toronto recently to celebrate the pending release of their Southern Tier IPA at the LCBO.

Get it from Bar Towel Radio's home page or subscribe to the feed here. We've got some more episodes coming down the pipe so keep your eyes open for them.

Ontario Brewing Awards 2008 Winners

The winners of the Ontario Brewing Awards 2008 were announced earlier this week. The full press release, including the list of winners, appears below:

TORONTO, ONTARIO: May 7, 2008…. They excel in the beer industry, exemplify creativity and are determined to succeed. They are the winning brands of the fifth-annual “Ontario Brewing Awards”, sponsored by: Toronto’s Festival of Beer, Esplanade Bier Markt, Ontario Brewers and LibationNation.ca.

Roger Mittag, the Professor of Beer, hosted the awards ceremony and consumer tasting at Toronto’s own nirvana for beer lovers, the Esplanade Bier Markt on Tuesday, May 6th, from 3:00 – 6:00 pm.

This annual competition provides an opportunity for commercially produced beers to be judged against the best beers in the province. It also provides beer lovers with an opportunity to meet the brewers behind the brand, and sample the winning brews for themselves.

After judging 57 brands of Ontario brewed beer in 15 different styles, here are this year's Ontario Brewing Awards for the Gold, Silver and Bronze medal winners:

Import Report

There are a few new imports on the shelves (or soon to be) at the LCBO and The Beer Store - here's a quick round-up:

• Carlsberg is now available in Canada as an imported version for the first time in 40 years. Brewed domestically by Moosehead/McAuslan for the past 4 years, and by Labatt and Carling O'Keefe in the years prior, this month will see the Danish version arriving here in distinctive green bottles and other formats.
  
  
• Originally released here last fall but getting a big push now for the spring and summer months, Grolsch Premium Blond is a 4% lager available in 500 ml cans exclusively at the LCBO.
  
  
• Several beers in the long-anticipated US micros release will be arriving at the LCBO this month, with all but one being new year-round general list items:
  • Sam Adams Summer Ale ($12.65 / 6x355 ml) - one-time release
  • Anchor Steam ($10.35 / 6x355 ml)
  • Rogue Dead Guy Ale ($13.95 / 6x355 ml)
  • Southern Tier IPA ($12.00 / 6x355 ml)
  These will be joined by Dogfish Head 60-Minute IPA later this year.
  
  
• Also coming soon to the LCBO are the following, all available initially as one-off releases, but with the potential for becoming general list products:
  • Ursus Premium (LCBO 74450) - from Romania
  • Cisk Lager (LCBO 71316) - from Malta
  • Nektar Pivo (LCBO 75309) - from Bosnia
  • Mahou Cinco Estrellas (LCBO 75275) - from Spain
  • Keo Pils (LCBO 350918) - from Cyprus
  • Yanjing Beer (LCBO 77974) - from China
  • Ochakovo Premium (LCBO 70920) - from Russia

Ontario Brewing Awards 2008

The 5th annual Ontario Brewing Awards will be taking place on Tuesday, May 6th at the Esplanade Bier Markt (58 The Esplanade).

Hosted by Roger Mittag, the awards will be announced during a media event from 3:00 to 5:00 PM, followed by a public event from 5:00 to 6:00 PM where complimentary samples of the nominated beers will be served.

The full press release follows behind the cut.

Nickelbrook Cuvée '07

Burlington's Nickelbrook Brewery have announced the details of their newest offering:

Beginning Saturday May 03, Nickelbrook Brewery is releasing a new special edition for sale at our retail outlet.

Nickelbrook Cuvée '07
Spiced Strong Ale

'People's Choice' Winner for Specialty Beer at the 2008 Ontario Brewing Awards!!

7.75% A.B.V.
17 I.B.U. 15 Lvb.

A rich auburn reserve ale, brewed with five European malts, Caribbean demerara and a special blend of herbs and spices.

Cellared in oak for six months, naturally carbonated, and packaged unfiltered for a complex flavor profile and stability over time. Clarity is achieved through a careful brewing process and extensive aging.

Enjoy it today, or lay it down and savor the changes in character as it continues to mature.

Supplies are limited and are NOT available at L.C.B.O or Brewer's Retail.

NICKELBROOK BREWERY & BEER STORE
864 Drury Lane
Burlington, Ontario
(905) 681-2739

Mention this ad with your purchase and receive a free 12 oz. Nickelbrook glass.

Great Lakes Brewery Events

Etobicoke's Great Lakes Brewery have two fun events coming up:

Great Lakes Brewery Orange Peel Ale Release Party
Thursday May 15th @ The Victory Cafe

Join us as we celebrate the launch of Orange Peel Ale for another year! Available on draught since early April, it will be hitting LCBO shelves province-wide in late May.

The festivities run from 6-10 (and perhaps beyond...) upstairs at the Victory Cafe. There will be a selection of Great Lakes beers, a live band, and lots of orange-themed food to keep everyone going. To get a free ticket or your name on the guest list, email us at info@greatlakesbeer.com

Great Lakes 5th Annual Charity BBQ
Saturday, May 24th @ Great Lakes Brewery

Join us for our annual kick off to summer BBQ from 12 noon to 6 PM. Bring your friends and family for a fun day and help to raise funds and awareness for "The Gatehouse". There will be plenty of entertainment and refreshments.

REMINDER: Southern Tier IPA Launch Events

Just a reminder about the two Southern Tier launch events taking place this weekend. There are still tickets available for the dinner, and the Volo event is now free (except for the beer, which you'll have to buy). Hope to see you there!

The Bar Towel is pleased to announce that we're teaming up with import agency Roland + Russell, and Toronto's premier food & drink website, Taste T.O., to co-present a pair of tasting events on Friday, April 25th and Saturday, April 26th marking the arrival of Southern Tier IPA at the LCBO.

Southern Tier is a relatively new brewery from Lakewood in western New York State, but in the four short years they've been in business, they've attracted a ton of acclaim from beer geeks on both sides of the border, so the addition of their IPA to the LCBO general list is quite a coup for Ontario's craft beer lovers. To help celebrate the occasion, Southern Tier co-founder Phin DeMink as well as his brewmaster will be coming to Toronto for special events at two of the city's best beer destinations.

________________________

Friday, April 25th, 2008
Southern Tier Beer Dinner
The Academy of Spherical Arts, 1 Snooker Street (formerly 38 Hanna Avenue)
6:00 PM
$75 (including all taxes and gratuities)
call 416-532-2782 to reserve

Dinner & Beer Pairing Menu:

Butternut Squash, roasted pear and cheddar soup
served with Phin & Matt's Extraordinary Ale

Baked black cod with sweet potato, rapini and a walnut butter sauce
served with Southern Tier Porter

Spicy chicken panang with scented rice, crisp garlic and onions
served with Southern Tier IPA

Bitter Chocolate mousse with fresh raspberries and sauce
served with Southern Tier Raspberry Wheat Beer

The dinner will be hosted by Cass Enright (The Bar Towel) and Greg Clow (Taste T.O.), with Phin and his brewmaster also saying a few words. After dinner, all are welcome to stay to enjoy more libations and shoot some stick on the Academy's renowned pool tables.

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Saturday, April 26th, 2008
Southern Tier Beer Tasting
Volo, 587 Yonge Street
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
free admission

A casual meet & greet event with Phin and his brewmaster, with Southern Tier's Hoppe, Big Red, Un*Earthly, and IPA available for tasting.

________________________

Cameron's Cask Night for April

Cameron's Brewing have announced the details of their "Let's Drink The Cask" Night for April:

Following last month's infamous Dark Cherry Lager Cask, this month's Cameron's 'Let's Drink the Cask Night' will be on Thursday April 24th, from 6:00 - 8:00pm

Cameron's Cask Nights are a casual and intimate monthly event at the brewery. The guestlist only event is free of charge and mainly a chance for us to share a glass of our latest creation with our friends, supporters and our local community.

For those who have not been to the brewery before, this is a great chance to meet the folks behind the scenes and to tour our facility. As well, it's a great time to pick up some brewery fresh Cameron's beer.

We will be tapping the Cask at approximately 6:15pm.

Whole Foods Markets have graciously donated some delicious food for the event. The food will be available at 6pm.

As always, the event is capped at 60 people to keep it intimate and to ensure everyone gets a taste of the cask. RSVPs always come flooding in, so confirm your attendance as quickly as possible.

Due to the good weather and overall cheer at the brewery, we encourage everyone to invite a guest (or a few) to join them this month. Just indicate how many people will be coming with you on your RSVP.

For any questions or to RSVP (if you haven't already), email mike@cameronsbrewing.com

For more information or to get directions, visit the Cameron’s website.

Cameron’s Brewing is only a short jaunt from the Oakville GO Station, so feel free to make the trip that way as well.

New episode of Bar Towel Radio

Well, it's been a little while, but we're proud to announce a new episode of Bar Towel Radio, an interview with Brian Morin and Dayna Guy of beerbistro.

Get it from Bar Towel Radio's home page or subscribe to the feed here. We've got some more episodes coming down the pipe so keep your eyes open for them.

Three Ontario Breweries Win Bronze at World Beer Cup

The winner of the 2008 World Beer Cup competition were announced yesterday at the Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego, and three Ontario breweries took bronze medals:

Category 37: American-Style Dark Lager, 18 entries
Gold: Black Diamond Lager, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR
Silver: Canterbury, Pacific Western Brewing, Prince George, Canada
Bronze: Waterloo Dark, Brick Brewing Co. Ltd., Waterloo, Canada

Category 41: Belgian-Style White (or Wit)/Belgian-Style Wheat, 35 entries
Gold: Hoegaarden, InBev Belgium N.V./S.A., Jupille-sur-Meuse, Belgium
Silver: Ommegang Witte, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY
Bronze: Mill Street Belgian-Style Wit, Mill Street Brewery, Toronto, Canada

Category 78: Golden or Blonde Ale, 39 entries
Gold: Alaskan Summer Ale, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK
Silver: Kiwanda Cream Ale, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Bronze: Red Cap, Brick Brewing Co. Ltd., Waterloo, Canada

The full list of winners is available on the World Beer Cup website.

News from the Ontario Craft Brewers

This past week, the Ontario Craft Brewers sent out the following media release to announce various developments at their member breweries:

Spring has sprung, the birds are chirping and the sun is shining. To help celebrate the arrival of patio weather, the OCB is beginning to gear up for the 2008 beer season in a number of different ways:

There's a new kid on the block - The Ontario Craft Brewers are proud to announce its newest member Grand River Brewing. Located in a historic industrial building in Cambridge, Ontario, Grand River Brewing is committed to producing fresh craft beers of outstanding quality with an alcohol content of less than 5 per cent. Grand River Brewing is currently producing four brands which will be available year round: Plowman's Ale, Mill Race Mild, Galt Knife Old Style Lager and Town Hall Lager. All of these beers can be purchased at the Grand River Brewing retail store or can be found at select restaurants throughout southern Ontario.

Breaking new boundaries - King Brewery is pleased to introduce the new Pilsbock to the Ontario Craft Brewers portfolio. It's the first of its kind in the world, a unique hybrid creation that brings together a Pilsner and a Bock. Created by the award winning Brewmaster Phil DiFonzo this high-alcohol (6.5%), seasonal beer is available for a limited time, while supplies last, beginning in May at the King Brewery retail store and on tap at select establishments throughout Ontario.

A new regular has arrived - Hockley Valley Brewing Co. is proud to present one of the Ontario Craft Brewers' favourites, the Hockley Traditional Irish Stout. This brewer's take on a classic Irish stout contains roasted malts, a slight acidity and hints of bitter chocolate that are just some of the essences hiding in the inky darkness topped by a thick tan head. Deceptively light, this former seasonal beer has now become a regular part of the lineup due to its high demand. Traditional Irish Stout is available at LCBO stores throughout Ontario in a convenient 473 ml can.

A new love? - Trafalgar Brewing Company has released its new Oak Aged Rye to the Ontario Craft Brewers portfolio. Hitting the LCBO shelves this month as part of their Spring Premium Beer Release. According to brewmaster Dave Jamieson, "This is the first time in at least 200 years a beer such as this has been crafted and we're really expecting beer drinkers to stand up and take notice." Crafted in the German Roggenbier style the Oak Aged Rye uses 25 per cent rye malt before it is brewed and then aged with oak cut from actual whiskey barrels. With its Oak Aged Rye, Trafalgar has created a truly unique beer that will stand out for years to come.

Expanding to new horizons - Creators of the popular Black Oak Pale Ale and Black Oak Nut Brown Ale, the Black Oak Brewing Company is packing up and moving out. But not to worry the Ontario Craft Brewers have learned that the brewery will find new digs in May. Their new home at 75 Horner Ave. in Etobicoke will help the brewery keep up with the ever growing demand for an Ontario Craft Beer favourite. The new facility will be much larger which will mean more tanks and upgrading a lot of the current equipment. The new facility also has event space which will allow a little more room for tours, tastings and generally merry times. Look for details of the brewery's grand opening in July.

Upcoming Beer Events

Here's a handy guide to what's coming up on the beer scene in Toronto and surrounding areas in the coming weeks and months.

Events in Toronto:

Sat Apr 19 2008 - Canadian Brewery Collectibles Show & Sale - Amsterdam Brewing
Sat Apr 19 2008 - McAuslan Beer Dinner - Local 4
Sun Apr 20 2008 - Volo 20th Anniversary - Volo
Fri Apr 25 2008 - Southern Tier Beer Dinner - Academy of Spherical Arts
Sat Apr 26 2008 - Southern Tier Meet & Greet - Volo
Wed May 28 2008 - Dogfish Head Beer Dinner - beerbistro
Thu Aug 7 to Sun Aug 10 2008 - Toronto's Festival of Beer - Fort York
Sat Sep 6 and Sun Sep 7 2008 - Black Creek Brews Fest - Black Creek Pioneer Village

Events further afield:

Sat May 3 2008 - Church-Key Spring Revival - Church-Key Brewery, Campbellford
Fri May 16 & Sat May 17 2008 - 13th Annual World Expo of Beer - Heritage Park, Frankenmuth, MI
Wed May 28 to Sun Jun 1 2008 - Mondial de la Bière - Windsor Station & Courtyard, Montreal
Fri Jul 4 to Sun Jul 6 2008 - Barrie Brews and BBQ Festival - Centennial Beach, Barrie
Fri Jul 11 2008 - Empire State Brewing & Music Festival - Clinton Square, Syracuse, NY
Thu Jul 17 to Sat Jul 19 2008 - Downtown London Beer Festival - King and Clarence Street, London
Fri Jul 18 to Sun Jul 20 2008 - Downtown Kitchener Ribfest & Craft Beer Show - Victoria Park, Kitchener
Fri Jul 18 and Sat Jul 19 2008 - Fiesta Buckhorn: A Celebration of Fine Wine, Beer & Cuisine - Buckhorn Community Centre, Buckhorn
Fri Jul 25 and Sat Jul 26 2008 - Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival - Ypsilanti, MI
Fri Aug 1 to Sun Aug 3 2008 - Belgium Comes to Cooperstown - Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY
Fri Aug 18 - Flour City Brewers' Fest - Frontier Field, Rochester, NY

Pepperwood Bistro Beer Notes for May

Pepperwood Bistro (1455 Lakeshore Road, Burlington) have sent out early word about their beer plans for May:

CAMRA are designating May as "Mild Month". Mild is the ultimate session beer. It is one of the most traditional beer styles which is enjoying a revival in today's real ale market. Usually dark brown in colour, due to the use of well-roasted malts or barley it is less hopped than bitters and often has a chocolatety character with nutty and burnt flavours.

Pepperwood Monthly Feature – English Mild - available May 2nd - Cask & Draft

To celebrate “Mild Month” we will tap a cask of Mild on Friday May 2nd. The same beer will be available on draft so you can compare the cask and draft versions. To complete our celebration of Milds we will also have Grand River Mild on tap.

Feature Ontario Craft Brewer Beer - Grand River Mill Race Mild

Darkly coloured and rich in appearance, this mild ale is brewed in the traditional style of British mild beers that are disappearing even from the pubs of London, England. Grand River Brewing has revived this traditional style of beer that is deep in colour but doesn’t possess the harsh bitterness that many people associate with a darker beer. The pronounced creamy head welcomes you and is followed with a beautiful roasted barley flavour and a smooth creamy taste. This is a beer that just makes you want to have another and with being a mild, go right ahead.

Volo 20th Anniversary Party

This month marks 20 years since Ralph Morana bought Volo (587 Yonge St.), and to mark the occasion, they'll be opening on Sunday April 20th from 12 noon to 10:00 PM for a casual celebration.

Admission will be free (but the beer won't be!), and there will be a half-dozen casks tapped on the patio, as well as a special draught line-up featuring a number of special brews:

Casks
Black Oak Double Chocolate Cherry Stout
Grand River Mild/Plowman's Ale Blend
Cameron's Pomegranate Cream Ale
Amsterdam Framboise
Church Key West Coast Pale Ale Oaked
Durham ESB

Taps
Church Key Grains of Wrath DIPA
King Pilsbock Unfiltered
Nickelbrook Cuvee 07 Strong Spiced Ale
Great Lakes Chocolate Orange Peel Ale
Stratford Common Steam Lager
Barley Days Sugar Shack Ale
Granite Gin Lane Barley Wine
Neustadt Big Dog Porter
Durham Hop Addict IPA Hop Infused
Grand River Ploegers Vlaams Rood
Denison's Weissbier
Koningshoeven Dubbel

Railway City Brewing Set To Open

Ontario's newest craft brewery, Railway City Brewing, is on track (no pun intended) to open this coming week in St. Thomas (south of London).

Their initial offerings will be Ironspike Amber and Ironspike Ale, with their distinctive railway spike tap handles due to appear at over a dozen licensees in St. Thomas, London and surrounding area. They're also planning a number of seasonal beers, including an oatmeal stout and an American-style pale ale.