Page 55 - Beverage Master February March 2020

International News

as another must-see destination. Now, a bustling menu is well known to be some of the best BBQ in
tourism industry has begun to take form in the little the area.
town.
The other brewery that paved the way for craft
Straying from the large scale, big batch production beer in Niagara-on-the-Lake is Silversmith Brewing
of modern-day brewers, Niagara-on-the-Lake brew- Company, which poured its first beers in 2012.
eries are producing small-batch, handcrafted beer, Silversmith Brewing is housed in an old Anglican
which allows them to experiment more with their Church built in 1884 that’s been transformed into a
unique personality and flair. Focusing on natural and brewery and restaurant space complete with vaulted
more traditional production methods, Niagara craft ceilings and incredible stained-glass windows. It also
brewers are taking us back to the roots of the region. boasts live music and community events. The brew-
The breweries tend to focus on seasonal ingredients, ery’s signature Black Lager has been the star of the
traditional brewing methods and sustainable business. show since the brewery first opened its doors. Their
When it comes to style, the region knows no bounds, traditional Schwarzbier is a local favorite with notes of
producing styles ranging from classic and traditional coffee and chocolate on the nose and a smooth, crisp
to completely out of the box. Better yet, most tasting finish. It is a must-try when doing a beer tasting in the
rooms offer an array of rotating taps that change reg- area.
ularly, so you can sample an Eisbock made with skins
from icewine grapes on one day and a milk and cook- This year brings on an expansion for the Silversmith
ies porter made with actual chocolate chip cookies on Brewing Company, an indication of its continued suc-
another. This rotation keeps tourists and locals on the cess. The brewery has been working hard to complete
lookout for the latest and greatest of Niagara beers. renovations on a new event space and larger brewing
facility, set to open this year.
Setting a Path
Creating a Legacy
The first craft breweries started opening up in
Niagara-on-the-Lake in 2011, back when the tourism These two businesses made way for others, and,
industry was still growing. The Niagara Oast House since the early part of the decade, Niagara-on-the-
was one of the first craft breweries to open their Lake has seen close to a dozen new craft breweries
doors to the public. Since then, they have become a open their doors to rave reviews. Bench Brewing
hub in the community and a prized destination for Company is one of the newer craft breweries in the
tourists. Set inside a historic barn built in the 1800s, Niagara region that is especially thriving. They are
Oast House creates seasonally inspired beers using taking the idea of local and bringing it to a whole
on-site well water. Upstairs, the barn has been con- new level. Located in the Twenty Valley, also known
verted into a German-style bierhall that overlooks as “The Bench,” Bench Brewing Company sits in the
fields of grapevines and hosts events of up to 80 heart of Niagara fruit and wine country. Surrounded
people. In the back of the brewery, Oast House has by orchards and vineyards boasting everything from
an incredible patio complete with an outdoor bar and cherries to peaches, this craft brewery decided to
a stage set atop a farm truck for live performances. embrace its landscape and create beers centered
Staples like the Oast House Barnraiser Country Ale around the local produce that so abundantly sur-
and Pitchfork Porter can be found across Canada, and rounds it. Here, they use everything from elderflowers
new, innovative beers are being released constantly. to spruce tips to craft an award-winning line of beers.
You will find an array of unique offerings, such as their
Oast House Verjus Sour, the first of its kind, made Bench Brewing not only ages their beers in French
from pressing under-ripe pinot noir grapes and com- Oak foeders previously used to house Chardonnay
bining them with three different malts and a unique and Pinot Noir, but they even age their beer on the
yeast strain created in-house. That’s just one example skins of the grapes themselves. Their Folklore Dark
of Oast House’s original recipes. The brewery is con- Sour Ale is aged on Cabernet Franc skins taken locally
tinually concocting new and innovative methods of from the Twenty Valley. The sour ale earned Canada’s
production, releasing new beers regularly. They are country winner in the Experimental category at the
a must-visit when touring Niagara’s craft breweries. 2019 World Beer Awards, an annual competition
When visiting, be sure to enjoy the offerings of the that sees thousands of beers from all over the world.
brewery’s restaurant, Brushfire Smokehouse. Their Bench Brewing placed in several competition catego-

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