10 Road Trip-Worthy Canadian Breweries
Posted by Allison Day on August 9, 2017, http://www.foodnetwork.ca/wine.../#!bandedpeakbrewing
Canada has been a big player in the craft beer market, with bars and restaurants catering to crowds with a taste for something different. From epic east coast beers made from iceberg water to a brewery with its own hop farm in Ontario’s wine country, there are 10 great reason to jump in the car and make a weekend of it. Our great Canadian brewery crawl starts here, but certainly doesn’t stop – let us know your favourite Canadian breweries that are worth the drive.
The adventurous, outdoors crowd can quench their post-trailblazing thirst at Calgary’s Banded Peak Brewing Co. in “the shadows of the rocky mountains...” The brewery's clean, crisp aesthetic is showcased in their heavily focused beers that will appeal to both storied craft beer drinkers and recent adoptees alike. With names like ‘Chinook Saison’ and ‘Summit Seeker,’ the dramatic, daring theme of the brewery is worth the trek alone.
Crafted in the Niagara Escarpment, Bench Brewing considers the surrounding ecosystem, terroir, farmlands and orchards when brewing up their highly sought-after beers. Set to open Fall 2017 in the converted historic Maple Grove School, the brewery will have a tap and tasting room, beer garden and exclusive hops field. Bench culls inspiration from the surrounding land, not only in the ingredients, but in their beer names, too, with brews like Ball’s Falls, a session IPA, and Twenty Mile, a farmhouse ale. These beers have quickly become cult classics, available at LCBO locations and on tap at select bars and restaurants. We’re loving “wine country’s” new look.
The recipe for Little Brown Jug, according to Little Brown Jug: “Take one smart, motivated economist desiring to return to his hometown, mix in one derelict heritage building in downtown Winnipeg and then add beer. Voila!” We can’t think of a more unique place to savour a pint in all of Winnipeg. In a time when showing off reigns in the craft beer realm, the livery-turned-brewery’s focus on their 1919 Belgian Pale Ale is as refreshing as their beer. Hop in the car to visit their taproom, and pick up your very own little brown jug of kräusened craft beer to take home.
The recently expanded Schoolhouse Brewery in Windsor, NS, practices what they preach, serving up environmentally responsible beers. The brewery started in the basement of an old schoolhouse in Falmouth, Nova Scotia, “graduating” to a larger space in downtown Windsor, where you will find flights, growlers and bottles available to taste and take home. Schoolhouse Brewery’s even does a locally hopped beer series in limited quantities, featuring Maritime malt and locally grown hops.
Vancouver has done a tremendous amount for putting craft beer on the map, and Brassneck Brewery, which opened in 2013, has quickly become a neighbourhood gem that beer lovers from across the country come to visit. The popular west coast growler is the ultimate to-go option in their storefront and tasting room where they serve up small-batch, ultra-fresh brews that fans flock to get a taste of. Brassneck’s chocolate mole stout, English-style bitter with douglas fir tips, ginger beer, wild brett wasp sour and many more esoteric varietals appeal to the craft beer aficionado, while focused stunners like their English golden ale, dry-hopped sour and table saison are gateway brews that speak to those new to the craft beer scene.
The award-winning brewery’s self-proclaimed slogan, “beer worth freezin’ for,” caught our eye immediately, likewise the story of Yukon Brewing’s ultra-Canadian conception of two guys on a canoe trip with one big idea. The brewery, which started in 1997 (though under a different name) is offering a limited edition Canada 150 Series, along with its regular and seasonal roster of Yukon-made craft beers. On-site tours are available, where you can learn about brewing and fermentation, then cap off the day in their sampling room for a taste.
Just a couple of hours outside of Montreal, Brasserie Dunham is making some of Canada’s most unique beers, with wild bottle art to boot. From more sessionable fruit beers to hearty coffee-infused stouts that pack a punch, they're serving up something for every palate, mood and season. Brasserie Dunham’s bottle release days see droves of fans gather on their historic patio, in their pub and around the back for some old fashioned bean bag toss games. It’s worth the trip for not only good beer, but good vibes, too.
