The Bar Towel

http://www.brunswickbierworks.com/#welcome

http://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2016/08 ... n_toronto/

What does everyone think about this? It's an idea I had a number of years ago as a way to sidestep the importing laws in Ontario, and it looks exactly like this is what it is. Feels like a way to bring the likes of Mikkeller / Evil Twin concepts of gypsy foreign brewers to Ontario...but contract isn't exactly always embraced here. Thoughts?

Hopefully it takes off and attracts some exciting people! I can see them settling into having a few regular "partner" beers, but hopefully more interesting one-off stuff happens. I think this largely depends on their networking skills and ability to schmooze some international brewers to do something special here.

Cass wrote:http://www.brunswickbierworks.com/#welcome

http://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2016/08 ... n_toronto/

What does everyone think about this? It's an idea I had a number of years ago as a way to sidestep the importing laws in Ontario, and it looks exactly like this is what it is. Feels like a way to bring the likes of Mikkeller / Evil Twin concepts of gypsy foreign brewers to Ontario...but contract isn't exactly always embraced here. Thoughts?

i had discussions with a famous Belgian brewery to do this here as well and they're all for it (i've put it on hold indefinitely for a number of reasons). talk is different than action, and i'm curious as to how the business model would work to make it make sense for Brunswick.

right now, it's just a pretty website with words. we know nothing about the execution. but you have to think that more connected breweries (like the soon-to-be-expanded Bellwoods) would have more contacts and know how to do this with their foreign beer friends than a newcomer. but i, for one, welcome our new contracting overlords.

also of note: i've talked to Jeff from Muddy York before and I think that the O'Connor area is ripe for the picking as a huge brewery district. you can get large spaces and rent is Toronto reasonable ($8-12/sq ft).

I'm all for it. More good beer!

I still don't understand brick & mortar breweries being pissed about contract brewers. Unless there's a massive financial advantage for the contractors then who really gives a flying fuck?! Mind your own damn business and make good beer.

lister wrote:I'm all for it. More good beer!

I still don't understand brick & mortar breweries being pissed about contract brewers. Unless there's a massive financial advantage for the contractors then who really gives a flying fuck?! Mind your own damn business and make good beer.

it's a pride thing, and i (sort of) get it.

i go out to eat. have some delicious charcuterie at a restaurant. i like it, but then find out that they just buy it from Schneiders. i kind of want to know that i'm being something made in house.
these contracting breweries are (in many ontario cases) just some dudes that pay the Paul Dickeys and Jamie Mistries of Ontario for a recipe. there's no soul and no craft behind it.
the question is: should we fucking care?
Amsterdam: Iain and Cody are doing most, if not all of the new recipes. Cool. does the owner have an active say in the recipes? probably not. how is that different than Lost Craft, for example?

Westvleteren and St Bernadus are the same recipe, just different water sources and, likely, different yeast. one monestary gifted the recipe to another. so should we not drink it?
3 Fonteinin's a blendery. he didn't brew his own gueuze. just ages and blends. no one throws a stink.

so, 2 sides to the coin, and i get both. like, i hate Tom Cruise, but the dude does his own stunts and that's pretty neat. but if i'm watching a movie and i can't differentiate between a stuntman and the actor, then should i care?

Cass wrote:http://www.brunswickbierworks.com/#welcome

http://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2016/08 ... n_toronto/

What does everyone think about this? It's an idea I had a number of years ago as a way to sidestep the importing laws in Ontario, and it looks exactly like this is what it is. Feels like a way to bring the likes of Mikkeller / Evil Twin concepts of gypsy foreign brewers to Ontario...but contract isn't exactly always embraced here. Thoughts?

The only question that really matters is this - Is the beer any good?
If yes, then we get to ask questions like Is it as good/better than other options? How does the price compare to the competition?

I have been wondering how fellow Bartowellers would react to this too. We've seen some hate-ons for contract brewing and there also is the age old, 'not authentic' mantra still floating around for things like Guiness that's not brewed in Dublin.

I concur with a few comments here that conclude that as long as the beer is good it's all good. Recipes are transferable and water can be engineered. Heck, even the lower carbon footprint is a good thing.

What I wonder about, however, is why is this necessary? I understand it's potentially a better way to access the market for the brand and I think the Brunswick people are really clever for what they have come up with. What I don't get, especially from the Bartowel community that has fought for good local beer for so long, is why not point our energy and dollars behind brewers from our region rather than this (Trojan Horse?).

I love the opportunity to enjoy beers from anywhere and appreciate competition ups the game for all, but when I see a local startup that might have a great recipe snubbed for contract brewing, I have hard time getting excited about another Euro-brewer finding a way around our mess of a distribution regime.