100 Breweries in Ontario?!?!?!

momnhops · Post by **momnhops** » Wed Mar 20, 2013 11:58 pm

BTW, I first found out about Bamboo Beer from the Beer Manufacturers/Microbrewers and Brands List. THey are listed as a Microbrewer:

http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/lists/bwt/beer.html

cfrancis · Post by **cfrancis** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 1:13 am

toweringpine wrote:
midlife crisis wrote:That is quite amazing, really. Never would have guessed. Anyone know if the one in Pembroke is for real? I spend some time in that area in the summer.
The one in Pembroke seems a bit iffy to me. Their blog posts have months or even years between them. If they started in 2009 and still aren't up and running then I don't have much faith they ever will be. I grew up near Pembroke and have been hoping for years that they would have a good beer for me to try when I am back for a visit but no lick yet.

Whitewater Brewing in Forster's Falls sounds promising though. They announced their formation in the fall I think and said they hoped to have some beer for sale by this summer. The facebook page looks like they may be getting there.

Where did you grow up? I'm from Cobden.

I don't know anything about the Whitewater, I think it's a bunch of guys that work at Wilderness tours. There is another brewery in the works in Rankin near Pembroke that will be called Square Timber that I know the brewer. I'm eager.

Kel Varnsen · Post by **Kel Varnsen** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:37 am

What I find interesting is that there are 100 ontario breweries according to this list. But the Ontario Craft Brewers association only has like 28 member breweries. I know a number of breweries on this list aren't actually producing anything yet, but even taking that into account how the hell can the OCB have any kind of relevance if they don't even represent the majority of the brewers in Ontario?

JerCraigs · Post by **JerCraigs** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:43 am

Kel Varnsen wrote:What I find interesting is that there are 100 ontario breweries according to this list. But the Ontario Craft Brewers association only has like 28 member breweries. I know a number of breweries on this list aren't actually producing anything yet, but even taking that into account how the hell can the OCB have any kind of relevance if they don't even represent the majority of the brewers in Ontario?

I don't think contract breweries are eligible for membership but I could be wrong. Some brewers choose not to be members because there is (was?) a cost associated with it.

matt7215 · Post by **matt7215** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:54 am

Kel Varnsen wrote:What I find interesting is that there are 100 ontario breweries according to this list. But the Ontario Craft Brewers association only has like 28 member breweries. I know a number of breweries on this list aren't actually producing anything yet, but even taking that into account how the hell can the OCB have any kind of relevance if they don't even represent the majority of the brewers in Ontario?

the OCB is just a collaborative maketing/lobbing group of breweries, if you want in you pay to play

Kel Varnsen · Post by **Kel Varnsen** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 9:04 am

matt7215 wrote:
Kel Varnsen wrote:What I find interesting is that there are 100 ontario breweries according to this list. But the Ontario Craft Brewers association only has like 28 member breweries. I know a number of breweries on this list aren't actually producing anything yet, but even taking that into account how the hell can the OCB have any kind of relevance if they don't even represent the majority of the brewers in Ontario?
the OCB is just a collaborative maketing/lobbing group of breweries, if you want in you pay to play

I get that they are a marketing/lobbying group, but I wonder how effective a group you can be, especially when it comes to lobbying, when you don't even represent half the small companies in the province making beer. By comparison, some quick googling tells me that the Vermont Brewers association represents almost all of the breweries in Vermont.

As far as contract brewers go, I checked the OCB page and Hogsback is a member. While Hogsback positions itself as an Ottawa company all of there beer is made at the Cool brewery in Toronto.

momnhops · Post by **momnhops** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 9:57 am

Recently the OCB informed us that they do not count contract brewers or brewpubs as breweries.

Kel Varnsen · Post by **Kel Varnsen** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:01 am

momnhops wrote:Recently the OCB informed us that they do not count contract brewers or brewpubs as breweries.

That's interesting, especially since their own website disagrees with that. If you look at their list of brewers it not only includes Hogsback (which is a contract brewer) but also the Clocktower and Granite brewpubs.

momnhops · Post by **momnhops** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:09 am

Perhaps they mean going forward...

Mike-KBCo · Post by **Mike-KBCo** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:24 am

I am under the impression that contract brewers may join, but only as non-voting members.

Tapsucker · Post by **Tapsucker** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:03 pm

sprague11 wrote:This part stood out for me

After partnering with Trafalgar Ales & Meads in Oakville to perfect their recipes, manufacturing licenses are now in place and the final stages of artwork and listing with the LCBO are nearing finalization

They probably need Trafalgar's unique bacteria to get the bamboo to ferment...

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:17 pm

Granite is not a brewpub. They can and do sell their beer in other bars.

toweringpine · Post by **toweringpine** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:52 pm

cfrancis wrote:
toweringpine wrote:
midlife crisis wrote:That is quite amazing, really. Never would have guessed. Anyone know if the one in Pembroke is for real? I spend some time in that area in the summer.
The one in Pembroke seems a bit iffy to me. Their blog posts have months or even years between them. If they started in 2009 and still aren't up and running then I don't have much faith they ever will be. I grew up near Pembroke and have been hoping for years that they would have a good beer for me to try when I am back for a visit but no lick yet.

Whitewater Brewing in Forster's Falls sounds promising though. They announced their formation in the fall I think and said they hoped to have some beer for sale by this summer. The facebook page looks like they may be getting there.
Where did you grow up? I'm from Cobden.

I don't know anything about the Whitewater, I think it's a bunch of guys that work at Wilderness tours. There is another brewery in the works in Rankin near Pembroke that will be called Square Timber that I know the brewer. I'm eager.

Square Timber is the name for the one in Pembroke I thought. It would take a true valley boy to notice there is a difference between Pembroke and Rankin. If you know the brewer and are eager then I will keep my hopes up.

I grew up in Deep River. All my family has left town but I still get up to see friends in Pembroke and Chenaux once in a while.

momnhops · Post by **momnhops** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 5:01 pm

midlife crisis wrote:Granite is not a brewpub. They can and do sell their beer in other bars.

They are a tied-house now.. but originally a brewpub.

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 5:17 pm

Yes, agreed. All I meant was, they are eligible for OCB membership.