The BEER thread

[17to85]

5 minutes ago, Noeller said:

It fills my heart to see how the craft beer industry is exploding in Manitoba......I have this "Lottomax Dream" of opening a really cool brewpub on the edge of the Whiteshell, just east of Seven Sisters.....I really think it could work, one day.

dibs on head brewer!

[blue_gold_84]

10 minutes ago, Noeller said:

It fills my heart to see how the craft beer industry is exploding in Manitoba......I have this "Lottomax Dream" of opening a really cool brewpub on the edge of the Whiteshell, just east of Seven Sisters.....I really think it could work, one day.

I had a similar conversation a while back with a friend regarding the craft beer scene here lately. It's so good to see.

Whiteshell Brewing Co. has a pretty nice ring to it. A Seven Sisters Saison, perhaps...?

[Noeller]

4 minutes ago, blue_gold_84 said:

I had a similar conversation a while back with a friend regarding the craft beer scene here lately. It's so good to see.

Whiteshell Brewing Co. has a pretty nice ring to it. A Seven Sisters Saison, perhaps...?

Faaaaaaaaaack.......that's a great name. I'll remember to enlist you for that one!   And David, Heather and I actually talked about that exact thing while home on holidays "Dave could totally be the head brewer!" ha ha....what an awesome time...

[blue_gold_84]

3 minutes ago, Noeller said:

Faaaaaaaaaack.......that's a great name. I'll remember to enlist you for that one!

I could totally be the brew name maker and master taster. Maybe even get into labelling each brew, too.

[Noeller]

5 minutes ago, blue_gold_84 said:

I could totally be the brew name maker and master taster. Maybe even get into labelling each brew, too.

ha ha you can fight my chick for "master taster" but the rest, you're in.......

The only issue with a Brew Pub at SSF (as with ANYTHING at SSF...) is what do you do in the winter? 'Cause anyone familiar with the North Whiteshell knows that it's a ghost area come winter. Not to say there aren't people at all, but compared to summer, it's really dead, and tough to make a go there. 

A lot of my idea has to do with the fact that our family farmed a big chunk of land immediately to the west of the park gates for a long time. There's a road there named after us. My grandfather sold the land about 15 years ago, but I'd love to buy back a plot and put Whiteshell Brew Co up there, on our old land, right on the edge of the park. A unique factor would be using the pristine water of the Winnipeg River, which is literally a couple hundred feet away, to make the beer...

[blue_gold_84]

1 minute ago, Noeller said:

ha ha you can fight my chick for "master taster" but the rest, you're in.......

The only issue with a Brew Pub at SSF (as with ANYTHING at SSF...) is what do you do in the winter? 'Cause anyone familiar with the North Whiteshell knows that it's a ghost area come winter. Not to say there aren't people at all, but compared to summer, it's really dead, and tough to make a go there. 

A lot of my idea has to do with the fact that our family farmed a big chunk of land immediately to the west of the park gates for a long time. There's a road there named after us. My grandfather sold the land about 15 years ago, but I'd love to buy back a plot and put Whiteshell Brew Co up there, on our old land, right on the edge of the park. A unique factor would be using the pristine water of the Winnipeg River, which is literally a couple hundred feet away, to make the beer...

I'd be willing to be co-master taster.

I think the optimal method for such a venture would be to incorporate more amenities. Look at what Falcon Trails or Tall Pines do to see what I mean. Build some nice cabins/chalets and a big lodge as an aside from the beer tasting/brewery tour stuff and that'd be a sure-fire way to attract clientele year-round (or at least more consistently in the colder months). Offer hiking/walking tours to show clients where you get the ingredients, add in food pairing events to go with tastings depending on the time of year (seasonal pairings FTW), and provide a full experience dedicated to the Whiteshell.

Ugh, now I want to win the lottery... LOL

[Noeller]

4 minutes ago, blue_gold_84 said:

I'd be willing to be co-master taster.

I think the optimal method for such a venture would be to incorporate more amenities. Look at what Falcon Trails or Tall Pines do to see what I mean. Build some nice cabins/chalets and a big lodge as an aside from the beer tasting/brewery tour stuff and that'd be a sure-fire way to attract clientele year-round (or at least more consistently in the colder months). Offer hiking/walking tours to show clients where you get the ingredients, add in food pairing events to go with tastings depending on the time of year (seasonal pairings FTW), and provide a full experience dedicated to the Whiteshell.

Ugh, now I want to win the lottery... LOL

Yeah, Heather is a hardcore Ukrainian, and does a lot of traditional cooking, so she wants to have a menu that features different types of perogies, sausage, sauerkraut, beet leaves, pedehay (sp??!!), etc.....along with normal pub grub....

Not sure there's enough demand for yet another "resort" (cabins, etc) in that area, but maybe.....and you're right that it might be the only way to make a go of 'er...

[17to85]

Resurrecting this thread cause I'm bored... 

Haven't had a lot of new or interesting beers but since I know there are people here who like beer I was wondering if anyone else has actually done any brewing themselves.

I got a kit last Christmas and have made about 6 batches over the course of the year (mostly in the fall) and I am quite enjoying the hobby. 

So far they've all been drinkable (well the last one isn't ready to drink just yet but it should be fine too, hoping for good results with it truthfully just based on the recipe and how it looked while fermenting). Nothing I have made has been phenomenal but tasting at least somewhat like they are supposed to for the styles is a big win. Step 1 make beer you can drink, step 2 refine the process so you can make good beer right? 

I wish I'd started the hobby years ago but I was always a bit intimidated by how complicated some people make it sound. It's really simple if you're just trying to make a beer you can drink though and aren't caught up in trying to get it exactly perfect and repeatable. There is something satisfying about turning a bag of grain into a beer. 

Anyway if anyone else has tried I am curious about your experiences with it. 

[Noeller]

I don't have a lot to contribute except how stunned I am that you created content....good lord.......

Fwiw, going to the 2nd Olds College Brewery Cask Night, tonight. They did a Cherry Sour Saison last month.....I think it's an IPA of some sort tonight. Looking forward to seeing what the kids have come up with...they've done some neat one-off's!

[17to85]

Like I said, bored. 

 

Those experimental things are the absolute best ones to try cause it's just this idea someone had and bam, now it's a beer. 

[Noeller]

23 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Like I said, bored. 

 

Those experimental things are the absolute best ones to try cause it's just this idea someone had and bam, now it's a beer. 

and I stand corrected, as tonight it's a Winter Warmer Spiced Ale.....should be fun, for sure! 

[bluto]

On ‎2017‎-‎07‎-‎26 at 2:57 PM, Noeller said:

ha ha you can fight my chick for "master taster" but the rest, you're in.......

The only issue with a Brew Pub at SSF (as with ANYTHING at SSF...) is what do you do in the winter? 'Cause anyone familiar with the North Whiteshell knows that it's a ghost area come winter. Not to say there aren't people at all, but compared to summer, it's really dead, and tough to make a go there. 

A lot of my idea has to do with the fact that our family farmed a big chunk of land immediately to the west of the park gates for a long time. There's a road there named after us. My grandfather sold the land about 15 years ago, but I'd love to buy back a plot and put Whiteshell Brew Co up there, on our old land, right on the edge of the park. A unique factor would be using the pristine water of the Winnipeg River, which is literally a couple hundred feet away, to make the beer...

I am familiar with the issue. Two of my close friends each own/operate microbrews. One of them is currently jumping through many local legalities and repressive red-tape to get opened up (was supposed to be by New Years, but looking now like it won't be until early Spring... we hope... small-town councils, even in towns made famous in Hip songs, do lovvve red tape).

Anyway, back to my point... The only way to make a go of it in the months where foot traffic is nil and car traffic is greatly reduced is to have a total stud of a sales rep get your taps into all of the establishments within a one day delivery run in each direction. And you make beer 3 days a week, deliver it 3 days a week and if you're very luck and have no fires to put out, you drink beer 1 day a week.

[blue_gold_84]

Peg Beer Co. closed until further notice: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/peg-beer-1.4547116

Quote

Owner Nicole Barry announced the closure in a brief post on Facebook on Thursday. She did not provide explanation.

"We are currently closed. Once we are able to provide further info, we will. Thank you for your support and understanding," the post said.

Peg Beer has been closed since Tuesday, Barry said.

The business opened on Pacific Avenue in the Exchange in April 2016 and began brewing craft beer in September 2016. 

 

[17to85]

2 hours ago, blue_gold_84 said:

Peg Beer Co. closed until further notice: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/peg-beer-1.4547116

 

Well if I had to guess I suspect they discovered that making money is harder than just opening a business. 

It's sad but it's a tough market out there. 

[Jimmy Pop]

One door closes, another opens... Any of you left coasters been to this place?

 

[blue_gold_84]

17 hours ago, 17to85 said:

Well if I had to guess I suspect they discovered that making money is harder than just opening a business. 

It's sad but it's a tough market out there. 

The food there is good but has any beer been produced in-house recently?

Maybe this closure is just temporary and Peg Beer Co. plans to retool...? Either way, that's a rough blow to a business in a pretty prime location.

[Jpan85]

3 hours ago, Jimmy Pop said:

One door closes, another opens... Any of you left coasters been to this place?

 

They are originally from Regina. Really great spot. Food is good and beer too. Do a mix of local beers and imports domestics.

[MOBomberFan]

Finally made it to One Great City Brewing co. for lunch... definitely worth the expense. Loving that Monkey Trail Pale Ale. I'm fortunate enough to live only a few blocks away... will need to set aside space in my house for empty growlers this summer. Gotta check out one of their cask nights.

[Noeller]

15 minutes ago, MOBomberFan said:

Finally made it to One Great City Brewing co. for lunch... definitely worth the expense. Loving that Monkey Trail Pale Ale. I'm fortunate enough to live only a few blocks away... will need to set aside space in my house for empty growlers this summer. Gotta check out one of their cask nights.

Cask nights are a blast. I live in a town which has a college with one of the only Brewmaster programs in all of Canada, so they do a lot of cool stuff there....and have a regular cask night (once a month) with some really neat small-batch recipes. 

My latest obsession is NEIPAs....the citrus hops are deadly. Next to woodsy/earthy Red Ales, this is probably my favourite "type" of beer that I've ever tried...

[17to85]

I tried the Folding Mountain Brewery Overlander Pale Ale recently, and after being curious to try those guys I was massively disappointed. Didn't taste much like a pale ale if you ask me.

Two Sergeants did a NEIPA though that was pretty good, oh and I drank the 9% NEIIPA at the Annex Ales taproom the other night, boy was that a good beer but it'll get ya ****** up pretty quick if you drink a bunch of those. 

[Noeller]

Folding Mountain is up by Edson...that one? Head Brewer is Dave Moziel, who was the OC Brewery head guy for awhile, till he went off to start that. Shame about that Overlander...

[17to85]

Yeah they're up that way some where, I am curious if it was just an off batch or something or if that's just what they call their pale ale and I suspect that perhaps it's a case of they call it a pale ale but they're really trying to make it a gateway beer making it more similar to some of the light lagers, cause it tasted more like that than what I expect from a pale ale. 

I would be curious to try some of their other offerings. 

 

Oh and the other one I had recently was from Blindman Brewing I think, was a red ipa or something, very tasty, was done for Canada 150 so it's probably an older brew but yeah I liked that one. 

Edited February 24, 2018 by 17to85

[Noeller]

Bought some Overlander on the way home for H. Gonna have a  sip and see what I figger... 

[MOBomberFan]

Was gonna drink beer tonight but Crown won out. Sorry beer but you aren't whisky.

[17to85]

Bumping this thread cause I feel like it. 

Spent a few days in Vancouver, went to a few breweries and yeah had some pretty solid beers. If you like beer and are in Vancouver I recommend trying Brassneck. Sampled 8 of their offerings and not only is their beer naming game top notch but the beer is damned good as well. Fuggles and Warlock are the biggest nerds going but again good beer and good branding. I didn't think I would enjoy a gin and lime pilsner, yet here we are. Had a porter from Brittania as well which was damned good. 

Calgary International Beerfest goes this weekend so perhaps I will have more to add after that.