Two new breweries near Niagara-on-the-Lake

[sstackho]

Well, new to me at least.

Straight to the point
News
No beer store in Niagara-on-the-Lake? No problem.
DONG HEROD
610 words
2 August 2012
St. Catharines Standard
STCTHS
Final
A2
English
2012 Sun Media Corporation

It isn't necessarily easy empathizing with the concerns of Niagara-on-the-Lake residents.

I mean, it's hard to shed a tear over the lack of good hedge-trimmers or the rising price of scones.

But a few months ago, I did pity the absence of a beer store in town.

Poor, under-serviced community.

But wait!

As we speak, two micro-breweries are being developed within a few kilometres of each other on Niagara Stone Rd.

Wait until Niagara regional council finds out about this! It'll want to declare Niagara the Beer Capital of Canada.

Actually, there's another beer-making joint in Niagara-on-the-Lake, if you count Niagara College's operation at Taylor Rd. and Glendale Ave.

But then, who among us regard this outpost as Niagara-on-the-Lake other than cartographers?

Let's get back to beer.

First up on the way into Ye Olde Towne is the Silversmith Brewing Company.

It's in an old church building, just past the main intersection in Virgil.

Chris Pontsioen and Matthew Swan are the co-owners, Dan McKinnon is the brewmaster.

Pontsioen, who runs a B&B in the Old Town, figured a craft brewery was "the perfect complement" to the strong wine/culinary culture that already exists in the area.

It also helps that he's a self-described "fan of good beer."

Fortunately, around the time Pontsioen was considering a micro-brewery, McKinnon, an old buddy of his brother's, was returning home from a brew-making career in Scotland and was available for hire.

"It was a good opportunity, so we hopped on it," he said.

Silversmith will make two main products, a wheat beer and a black lager.

The brewery will open in three phases, the first being the retail operation, which should be ready in a couple of weeks. In another six weeks, Silversmith hopes to have a licence that will allow it to sell beer for consumption on site.

Construction will start soon on an addition to the building that will house the main brewing operation. It should be completed sometime this fall.

While Pontsioen hopes to tap into the tourism market, he said it will be "the local market that keeps us going."

Further up the road next to Stratus Winery is Niagara Oast House Brewers. Partners in the business are Cian

MacNeill, Mike Berlis and Kevin Somerville.

The three met years ago working in retail at Inniskillin Wines. MacNeill and Berlis went on to further burnish their wine credentials while Somerville became the acknowledged "beer guy" of the group, at one point running the brewery program at Niagara College.

MacNeill said they all share a love for craft beer, and became intrigued with the idea of opening a micro-brewery in town.

The Oast House, located in a former antique store, is eyeing the tourism traffic along busy Niagara Stone Rd., but, similar to Silversmith, also hopes to get on LCBO shelves and into local pubs and restaurants.

The firm's signature brands will be its Farmhouse Ale Collection, featuring a Belgianstyle beer and a French-styled one, both bottle-conditioned with cork and cage on the top rather than cap.

It's also adopting a "farm-to-glass" ideology, growing its own hops and using as many fresh and local ingredients in its products as possible.

MacNeill said the plan is for the Oast House to open for business in September.

doug.herod@sunmedia.ca.

[velovampire]

http://www.bartowel.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=8128

[saints_gambit]

Dong Herod?

Isn't that the dick that tried Jesus?

[velovampire]

Dong Herod?

Isn't that the dick that tried Jesus?