Innocente Brewing

[Kish84]

More K-W news.

Originally intended to be up and running in mid-February, it's looking like it's going to be April now. Based on the address, the location seems like its in the same plaza as the St. Louis on Northfield and Bridge.

Website isn't really up yet, a little more info here, on FB and seems to be more active on twitter.

From his FB

A microbrewery on a mission to brew beer for true hopheads...if it isn't over 100 IBU then it isn't worth brewing it!

I've always considered K-W to be behind London and Hamilton in the craft beer scene, but with all these new additions coming and the ones added in the last 2 or so years, things could be changing.

[TheSevenDuffs]

This looks interesting.

[liamt07]

A microbrewery on a mission to brew beer for true hopheads...if it isn't over 100 IBU then it isn't worth brewing it!

I know it's all about perceived bitterness, but this sounds fucking stupid.

[MatttthewGeorge]

I've always considered K-W to be behind London and Hamilton in the craft beer scene, but with all these new additions coming and the ones added in the last 2 or so years, things could be changing.

As a person who sells craft in K/W, London & Hamilton (this is my entire territory, pretty much), I can tell you with absolute certainty that KW has never been behind the other two cities.

And now with Block 3, Decendants, Innocente and Together We're Bitter, I'd say KW is getting a hell of a lot more craft very quickly.

[cratez]

As a person who sells craft in K/W, London & Hamilton (this is my entire territory, pretty much), I can tell you with absolute certainty that KW has never been behind the other two cities.

And now with Block 3, Decendants, Innocente, and Together We're Bitter, I'd say KW is getting a hell of a lot more craft very quickly.

I can't comment on K-W's beer scene since I haven't yet explored it myself, but I'm familiar with London and Hamilton and I can say that – despite the handful of good spots in each city – it wouldn't be hard to surpass either in "craft beer prowess."

London has four destinations in Milos', Beertown (which is also in KW), The King Eddy, and Forked River, with The Black Shire, Morrissey House, and Railway City following very far behind as marginal, "secondary" options. The APK used to be decent but has completely fallen off the rails, as Kish can attest . Hamilton has several great bars and that can't be understated, but no notable breweries as of yet.

So without having visited myself I would still guess that The Bent Elbow, Imbibe, Borealis, Kick Off, Block Three, and the other up-and-comers make K-W a more worthwhile beer town than either London or Hamilton. Not sure if you're also counting the breweries in Cambridge and Guelph in which case it isn't even close.

[Kish84]

I can tell you with absolute certainty that KW has never been behind the other two cities.

Really? Apart from Kickoff, between the time the Castle closed and Borealis opened, I can't think of a place that had craft beer (not including Mill St.) Unless you throw Guelph or Cambridge into the equation.

I came across this a couple weeks ago, I don't even remember how, but have you heard anything about it? Considering they're looking for a head brewer it doesn't sound too promising. On a side note, any homebrewer want a head brewer job in Elora?

[Tapsucker]

As someone who day trips to KW on business, but doesn't often have much time to look around, I would find it helpful if I could be directed to a list of good pubs (preferably with a map) that I could use to pick out for a lunch with a decent pint. Everyplace I have been could pretty much pass as a corporate firkin type dump, so I usually just go for some good Vietnamese food instead.

[Kish84]

As someone who day trips to KW on business, but doesn't often have much time to look around, I would find it helpful if I could be directed to a list of good pubs (preferably with a map) that I could use to pick out for a lunch with a decent pint. Everyplace I have been could pretty much pass as a corporate firkin type dump, so I usually just go for some good Vietnamese food instead.

The Bent Elbow, Imbibe, or Borealis is what I would suggest.

I consider the Bent Elbow the best option, but they don't open until 4pm. 25+ beers on tap, plus cask, and a great selection of bottles (even if a lot of them are from the LCBO.) Probably the best price for beer, especially certain bottles (they originally had the Westy 12 for $18, but increased it to I think $22) I always find myself eating the wings, or daily grilled cheese, but have never been disappointed.

Imbibe is in downtown Kitchener, and is connected to the Museum. If you can find parking on the street, great! If not, there's paid parking on Young St., I believe $2.25 an hour. It's about a 3 minute walk depending how fast or slow you walk. 6 beers on tap, the kitchen is limited as I think it used to be a cafe and they weren't allowed to add to it.

Borealis doesn't have a map on their site, but if you knew where Sportsworld was then you can't miss it. I don't go too often anymore as the other places are less expensive and have better tap lists. They have a rotating Great Lakes tap, but the last time I went they were out and had no replacement.

Red House is another option. I've only been once, but I was impressed. Not a whole lot on tap, but looking at what's listed on the menu, it's comparable to what Imbibe had the last time I was there. The food here was very good, and is the most adventurous of the places I've listed. The cocktails here are really good too.

[Jonah Hex]

As someone who day trips to KW on business, but doesn't often have much time to look around, I would find it helpful if I could be directed to a list of good pubs (preferably with a map) that I could use to pick out for a lunch with a decent pint. Everyplace I have been could pretty much pass as a corporate firkin type dump, so I usually just go for some good Vietnamese food instead.

Some of the good KW places -- such as Bent Elbow and Kick-Off -- are not open for lunch ... to my frustration as well.

I'll list a few that are open for lunch with their Untapped pages, since they have linked maps, list current & recent beers had there (usually more up-to-date than the beer lists on their own sites), and usually have links to the pubs' homepages:

Imbibe https://untappd.com/venue/419497

Beertown Waterloo (some craft on tap, as well as Belgian & euro) https://untappd.com/venue/472431

Lancaster Smokehouse https://untappd.com/venue/132754

Taco Farm https://untappd.com/venue/800564

Gastropub No 29 https://untappd.com/venue/1138897

Bauer Kitchen https://untappd.com/venue/3477

Red House https://untappd.com/venue/689903

Woolwich Arrow (Guelph) https://untappd.com/venue/112337

Borealis https://untappd.com/venue/80932

Cafe 13 Main Street Grill (Cambridge) https://untappd.com/venue/215958

Did I forget any?

[MatttthewGeorge]

Lancaster really should be getting more love. 18 craft taps, 6 of which rotate.

Kish, I will say I started selling after Borealis, however I'm looking at it from the sales side. While there wasn't many craft beer specific bars in KW, it was still easier to pick up a tap or bottle account at a restaurant (say Holiday Inn, Delta, Angie's, Perimeter Institute, Hog Tails, etc.) then in Hamilton or London. In those towns it's pretty much sell your beer at the 4 main spots, and nowhere else.

Things are obviously changing quickly in Hamilton & London (especially London) right now, but so is KW, so again, I'd say KW has not been behind in the 3 years I've been selling.

[MatttthewGeorge]

Did I forget any?

I would add (tamer options, but still craft),

WATERLOO
Raintree Cafe https://untappd.com/venue/1038110 They just put in a 4 tap fridge, 2 of ours and 2 of Flying Monkeys. We have Pilsner and a rotating tap (currently King Moonracer) and Monkeys has Anti-Gravity and a rotating tap (currently Hoptical).

Churchill Arms https://untappd.com/venue/1343594 Brand new English-style pub opened in Waterloo this month. 16 taps (10 Euro, 6 craft). Opens at 2pm.


KITCHENER
271 West https://untappd.com/venue/685871 In the summer they have 2 of ours, 2 Welly and 2 Monkey's. Granted the most adventurist beer is Smashbomb, but the food here is fantastic! (In the winter taps are down to 1 of each brewery)

Village Creperie https://untappd.com/venue/208498 AMAZING food, plus Stoney Pils & MacLean's Pale on tap and a few craft bottles

Rum Runner https://untappd.com/venue/16757 Two of us, one Welly, one Monkey's, one Lake of Bays

Fionn MacCools https://untappd.com/venue/162585 They've just started a new rotating craft option: 3 craft bottles and one rotating craft tap (rotates every 2 months or so... Waterloo Dark is on it now tap , but Stone Hammer, Muskoka and Block 3 will all have our turn soon enough, as we're the 3 craft bottles at the moment)

[Kish84]

Lancaster really should be getting more love. 18 craft taps, 6 of which rotate.

Kish, I will say I started selling after Borealis, however I'm looking at it from the sales side. While there wasn't many craft beer specific bars in KW, it was still easier to pick up a tap or bottle account at a restaurant (say Holiday Inn, Delta, Angie's, Perimeter Institute, Hog Tails, etc.) then in Hamilton or London. In those towns it's pretty much sell your beer at the 4 main spots, and nowhere else.

Things are obviously changing quickly in Hamilton & London (especially London) right now, but so is KW, so again, I'd say KW has not been behind in the 3 years I've been selling.

Yes, I always forget about the Lancaster Smokehouse.

That makes sense. I do see F&M at a lot of places so good on you!

I'm pretty sure I met you at the king and William lcbo a couple years ago, you gave me a bunch of samples and notified me of little bean carrying F&M and welly. More specifically you told me they had Stonehammer Ipa, but warned me it had been sitting for a while.

[MatttthewGeorge]

Lancaster really should be getting more love. 18 craft taps, 6 of which rotate.

Kish, I will say I started selling after Borealis, however I'm looking at it from the sales side. While there wasn't many craft beer specific bars in KW, it was still easier to pick up a tap or bottle account at a restaurant (say Holiday Inn, Delta, Angie's, Perimeter Institute, Hog Tails, etc.) then in Hamilton or London. In those towns it's pretty much sell your beer at the 4 main spots, and nowhere else.

Things are obviously changing quickly in Hamilton & London (especially London) right now, but so is KW, so again, I'd say KW has not been behind in the 3 years I've been selling.

Yes, I always forget about the Lancaster Smokehouse.

That makes sense. I do see F&M at a lot of places so good on you!

I'm pretty sure I met you at the king and William lcbo a couple years ago, you gave me a bunch of samples and notified me of little bean carrying F&M and welly. More specifically you told me they had Stonehammer Ipa, but warned me it had been sitting for a while.

Yes that would be me... I do tend to be a bit more, let's say blunt, than the company would probably prefer.

[Jonah Hex]

There's also the smaller but related to the Lancaster place, Hog Tails BBQ https://untappd.com/venue/40332

And in Guelph, Baker Street Station https://untappd.com/venue/131140

[Tapsucker]

Thanks folks!

I have tried a few of these being mentioned and the descriptions seem to match. I'm looking forward to visiting the better sounding ones soon.

It's hard to go in a place with 25+ taps and only order one pint. Damn drive back to Toronto.