Taps buys Niagara's Best

[GregClow]

Some interesting news from down Niagara Falls way: Niagara's Best Brewery & Pub has been taken over by Taps Brewing.

The brewmater of Niagara's Best, Ian Watson, posted the following to Facebook last night:

"Taps on Queen has purchased the brewery and pub and will be making some cool changes to the pub. Target date to re-open is November 1st. In the mean time, some of our beers will be available at the Taps location on Queen Street, as well as my Pumpkin ales and a few other interesting Brewer's Specials I have been brewing."

Comment from someone else:

"so if the brewery was purchased, are you still going to keep your name or will it be changed?"

Ian's reply:

"The name of the Pub is still to be decided. They have a few names in mind and are still mulling it over but as soon as I know I will post it. As far as the brewery side goes, I think they are still going with Niagara's Best."

And another comment from Ian, regarding renovations:

"They will be remodelling the interior, moving the bar, etc and adding a large wraparound deck out front. There ...wi...ll be a huge Grande Re-Opening, which should be lots of fun!"

Will be interesting to see how this plays out...

[SteelbackGuy]

This should be interesting. I wish them all the best.

Niagara makes superior beer than Taps, so I hope they keep the Niagara brewmaster at least.

And isn't the Niagara pub still fairly new? Why would you rennovate a new pub?

[phat matt]

They deffinetly need to renovate the niagars best. It is only a 2 years old or so I believe, but the interior is very strange. From the placement of tables, and small sized bar. To the weird combo of white walls, and pine wood.

I also hope they keep the brewmaster at niagaras best. I think he has a better imagination when it comes to creating new recipes for beers. Taps beers do have their nice qualities when you want something very balanced.

I always thought the main thing that needed changing at Niagaras Best were the waitresses and their food menu. They both need improvements in quality. Hopefuly the owners of Taps will be able to fix there problems. They said reopening November 1st, so I do look forward to trying them again.

[hopheadbrewer]

Hi all

I have been reading with interest the various comments about the decline of the Pub, so much so that I would like to attempt to explain the state of the food there. The place had been going through some "changes", so to speak. For the last month or two, the Pub part was taken over by a certain relative of the previous owners, and although they are some of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet, they didn't know a lot about quality food, so that can explain the food complaints. I understand that now that Taps is in control, food quality will be as important as the beer and I understand they have some very interesting ideas for the new menu. I also know that they will be hiring all new wait staff who will be able to talk intelligently about beer.

For the month of October, while NB is closed for renovations, some of our beers and all of the finished Brewers Specials will be on tap at Taps, and I assume will be available for growler fills.

There will be a large Grande Re-Opening somewhere around the 1st of November, which, as I have posted, will be a lot of fun. I will post details as the plans become more concrete.

Cheers,

Ian

[dutchcanuck]

This is a VERY interesting turn of events and thanks for providing some context Ian. I've recently started going to Taps Growler Club meetings and I think its a fantastic way to get people in the door who want to talk about beer. Now that their has been a change in ownership do you think this might be in the works?

I wish you guys the best and I look forward to coming back in November to see how things developed. Any chances that the new decor, both inside and out, will be a bit less tacky?

[Timmy]

This should be interesting. I wish them all the best.

Niagara makes superior beer than Taps, so I hope they keep the Niagara brewmaster at least.

I would disagree with this. Maybe before they moved but I think after the move the beer produced at Niagara's Best has gone down hill with the beer at Taps becoming so much better. The food at Taps is much better as well. This is of course just my opinion.

[hopheadbrewer]

[/quote]

I would disagree with this. Maybe before they moved but I think after the move the beer produced at Niagara's Best has gone down hill with the beer at Taps becoming so much better. The food at Taps is much better as well. This is of course just my opinion.[/quote]

I find your comment perplexing, Timmy, because, before the move, we had 2 brands, which were fairly mainstream beers. Since the move, I have formulated 7 new recipes, plus at least 12 new brewer's specials rotating tap beers. Apart from the Light Lager, the new beers are more complex as far as the use of such specialty malts as amber, black, chocolate, dextrine, carafa, maris otter, pilsner, vienna, munich, wheat, rye, beechwood smoked, and oats. And of course I am using far more hops in the new beers.

[Timmy]

I would disagree with this. Maybe before they moved but I think after the move the beer produced at Niagara's Best has gone down hill with the beer at Taps becoming so much better. The food at Taps is much better as well. This is of course just my opinion.[/quote]

I find your comment perplexing, Timmy, because, before the move, we had 2 brands, which were fairly mainstream beers. Since the move, I have formulated 7 new recipes, plus at least 12 new brewer's specials rotating tap beers. Apart from the Light Lager, the new beers are more complex as far as the use of such specialty malts as amber, black, chocolate, dextrine, carafa, maris otter, pilsner, vienna, munich, wheat, rye, beechwood smoked, and oats. And of course I am using far more hops in the new beers.[/quote]

I was a loyal customer prior to the move but I found once the brewing shifted to multiple brews I didn't enjoy it overall as much. There were some gems within the new offerings, but I just found them not to be of the same standard as I had grown accustomed to with the original Blonde. I think I was at the new place a total of 3-5 times. I loved the fact that there was a new destination in Niagara for beer. I would def love to have the opportunity to be proven wrong. I didn't say it out of any spite or malice this was just my opinion. I apologize for coming off fairly calously in my initial post.

[hopheadbrewer]

This is a VERY interesting turn of events and thanks for providing some context Ian. I've recently started going to Taps Growler Club meetings and I think its a fantastic way to get people in the door who want to talk about beer. Now that their has been a change in ownership do you think this might be in the works?

I wish you guys the best and I look forward to coming back in November to see how things developed. Any chances that the new decor, both inside and out, will be a bit less tacky?

Hi Dutch. I don't know about the Growler club being started at our place. As far as the decor, any change will be an improvement

Ian

[kwjd]

For the month of October, while NB is closed for renovations, some of our beers and all of the finished Brewers Specials will be on tap at Taps, and I assume will be available for growler fills.

I'll be at my parents place in St Catharines this weekend. Do you know if the beer will be at Taps by then (yes, I know that is soon)? My dad now has a growler to fill since I got him to get a growler from Taps this summer.

Regardless if I get to try the beer this weekend, I'll for sure try out Niagara's Best at some point after they re-open.

[SteelbackGuy]

This should be interesting. I wish them all the best.

Niagara makes superior beer than Taps, so I hope they keep the Niagara brewmaster at least.

I would disagree with this. Maybe before they moved but I think after the move the beer produced at Niagara's Best has gone down hill with the beer at Taps becoming so much better. The food at Taps is much better as well. This is of course just my opinion.

Hey, fair enough.I've liked Taps beers enough I liked the Taps Rye Knot a lot actually.There is some major flaws in the canning however so it scares me a bit. But overall, Niagara has them beat for consistency IMO.


Whoever brews that General Brock Oatmeal Stout at Niagara should be the fucking king of the castle as far as I am concerned. One of the best stouts I have ever tasted...........EVER. And I've tasted a lot.

[hopheadbrewer]

I'll be at my parents place in St Catharines this weekend. Do you know if the beer will be at Taps by then (yes, I know that is soon)? My dad now has a growler to fill since I got him to get a growler from Taps this summer.

Taps has a few of Niagara's beers on tap right now, mostly to fill open lines. I saw Light Lager, Blonde and Lager kegs being loaded up to be taken over to Taps but I think they have some of the other ones. I will check and report back. I know they will also have some of my Brewer's Specials, Pumpkin Ale, Dunkelweisen and a ridiculously hoppy Extreme West Coast Pale Ale also in a week or so.

Ian

[phat matt]

Has anyone heard anything about the how the renovations are going? I have been looking but cant seem to find anything. I might take a drive by after work.

[dutchcanuck]

Something is definitely going on. If you attempt to access Niagara's Best website you are taken to a homepage informing you that the "Syndicate" has taken over. So....looks like something is in the works.

[hopheadbrewer]

Has anyone heard anything about the how the renovations are going? I have been looking but cant seem to find anything. I might take a drive by after work.

Given the usual red tape and delays from the city, the opening has, of course, been delayed. From what I have heard, we should be open in the middle of the month. As far as renovations, things are moving along very well, considering.... We now have a substantial bar that should seat at least a dozen people and which is now moved to the front of the pub. We have also added a nice stone fireplace and have repainted the whole place.

I will attempt to post updates.

Ian