The Bar Towel

For Immediate Release
June 29, 2011

Canada’s First Microbrewery Launches in Ontario

Granville Island Brewing proudly introduces its award-winning English Bay Pale Ale

Toronto, ON - Canada’s original microbrewery announced today their plans to bring their award-winning flagship ale, English Bay Pale Ale, to Ontario this summer. Known for its West Coast inspired flavours, Granville Island Brewing (GIB) is excited to offer this high-quality, premium craft brewed beer to local beer enthusiasts.

“We are very excited to launch Granville Island Brewing in Ontario,” says Vern Lambourne, Granville Island Brewing’s brewmaster. “The craft beer scene here is booming and we think local beer drinkers are going to love our premium, all-natural West Coast Ales. Our first offering, English Bay Pale Ale, is a great example of what we have in our beer line-up. It has a smooth, mild flavour brimming with West Coast flavour and a caramel malt aroma. With a delicious taste that finishes with dry roasted, light hop bitterness, this is the perfect craft beer for kicking back with friends and family while grilling up a feast.”

English Bay Pale Ale is the recipient of numerous awards over the years, and most recently won Gold at the 2011 World Beer Championships organized by the Beverage Tasting Institute. This winner tastes especially great when paired with your favorite grilled meats. GIB recommends sipping on English Bay Pale Ale while enjoying a freshly made Angus beef burger and side of fries. The mild caramel malt flavour of this brew also brings out the sweetness in succulent pork tenderloin.

Established in 1984, Granville Island Brewing was founded on the principles of the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516. Over the years, GIB has translated what those intrepid German beer makers were doing back in the day, and put a modern spin on it. “Though our process is inspired by the Law, we don’t let it limit our imagination. What we’ve learned from it is to use high-quality and natural ingredients, and a strict brewing process. No additives or preservatives are used in making our beer.” Said Brewmaster Vern Lambourne.

English Bay Pale Ale is available in select LCBO stores throughout Southern Ontario at a cost of $12.95 for a six pack of 341ml bottles. English Bay Pale Ale will also be available in draught at select on-premise accounts.

For more information on GIB, visit www.gib.ca or www.facebook.com/granvilleislandbrewing or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/itsgoodtobehere.

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About Granville Island Brewing (GIB)
Established is 1984, Granville Island Brewing (GIB) is Canada’s first microbrewery offering a variety of award-winning beers which are brewed in BC. GIB is dedicated to handcrafting only the finest premium unpasteurized beers that are all-natural and brewed to provide consumers with the ultimate tasting experience. In celebration of its West Coast heritage GIB names each beer after iconic Vancouver locations that embody the local lifestyle. Names for the famed beach, seawall and surrounding community, English Bay Pale Ale will be the first of Granville Island Brewing’s West Coast inspired ales to be launched in Ontario. For more information, visit www.gib.ca.

Aww man. They pick Granville Island and they bring in this POS?

cfrancis wrote:Aww man. They pick Granville Island and they bring in this POS?

The ratings over on BA look terrible...

Is this the outcome of Molson-Coors creating Six Pints, which then bought Granville Island?

zane9 wrote:Is this the outcome of Molson-Coors creating Six Pints, which then bought Granville Island?

Molson-Coors bought Granville Island (via Creemore) well before Six Pints existed. But the creation of Six Pints and the increased distribution of GIB are quite likely connected.

Actually saw a tap handle for this last night at The Rhino and was wondering if it was coming in. Too bad they chose this one of Granville's offerings; there are better ones.

ritzkiss wrote:Actually saw a tap handle for this last night at The Rhino and was wondering if it was coming in. Too bad they chose this one of Granville's offerings; there are better ones.

I am partial to the winter I had a few times. Lion's Ale or some such thing?

It took gold at the 2007 World Beer Championship (while it was still being brewed in Kelowna). Now it's brewed at Molson (just a few blocks from Granville), and it's still a decent brew that I support when the tap handles are limited.

While it's no Sierra Nevada, this old-school pale was a pioneer in the 1980's (Okanagan springs was using German hops in theirs, and still does!). The west-coast hopping certainly isn't as strong as newer examples, but it is clearly an American Pale Ale. It's a gentle intro to west-coast hops, which will hopefully leave more Ontarians thirsting for more!

SteelbackGuy wrote:

ritzkiss wrote:Actually saw a tap handle for this last night at The Rhino and was wondering if it was coming in. Too bad they chose this one of Granville's offerings; there are better ones.

I am partial to the winter I had a few times. Lion's Ale or some such thing?

Yes, this is probably one of the easiest drinking of their offerings,. Even before I was really into craft beer I would make sure to get a couple sixers of this when it came out. Perhaps the pale will lead to other handles coming in.

Evidently the first kegs are on tap at the Rhino.

You will likely never see the better Granville Island beers in Ontario. Vern makes them at the pilot brewery at the original site on the island and they are only bottled in 650ml bombers. The expansion plan to Ontario, from what I understand, is to compete with the likes of Amsterdam's mainstream beers quality wise and they are only bringing in kegs and 6 packs. I WISH you guys were getting the IIPA...it's been one of their best so far.