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With next weekends Niagara Craft Beer Festival on tap, it seemed like the time was right to revisit the craft brewery developments in Niagara. Back in April, I dedicated a blog to the local craft breweries and how they were able to refurbish and repurpose commercial buildings to suit their brewing and retail needs. Fast forward a couple of months and the scene is continuing to evolve.
In that blog, I touched on a number of breweries but there are many more in Niagara that deserve recognition.
Niagara Craft Breweries You Need to Know About
Niagara College Teaching Brewery
The Niagara College Teaching brewery, saw major upgrades over the last several months and is a new build, unlike many of the breweries in Niagara. It is a 1500 sq. ft. state of the art retail and brewing facility in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The 135 Taylor Road building opened in 2011 on the Niagara College campus and has become a draw for both craft brew enthusiasts and students alike. What is most unique about this brewery is that 20% of the sales go back into the Niagara College brew masters program.
Brock Brewing Co.
In January, news came of a St. Catharines based brewery aptly named Brock Brewing Co. The brewery is set to open in the former Hudson Welding and Fabricating building. Once open, the building will have 6000 sq. ft. of retail and brewing space. Macdonald Zuberec Ensslen Architects were hired to redesign the former industrial space and yes, Gerry the Giraffe still remains. The brewers, are former students of the previously mentioned Niagara College Teaching Brewery. While the brewery has yet to open, the brews are reportedly on tap at a number of local restaurants.
Newly announced Niagara Craft Breweries
Kame and Kettle Beer Works
Kame and Kettle Beer Works plans to open it's downtown Pelham doors this fall. The retail and manufacturing site will open in the lower level of Forestgreen Creations at 25 Pelham Town Sq. The brewery/retail site will include seating for 30 people. In a years time, the owners hope expand into the 27 Pelham Town Sq. property, this will be readied to operate as a 48-keg brewery facility. The development of both properties is substantial; their plans include the construction of multiple residences on the upper levels, for a total of 8 apartment units. If the brewery is anything like the designs from Forestgreen Creations, look for it to be an innovative space. The downtown location of this micro-brewery, feels like a similar idea to Niagara craft brew pioneers the Merchant Ale House and Taps Brewery. Both breweries occupy downtown based restaurant locations to sell their brews.
Update on Brothers Brewing
I covered Brothers Brewing Co. in my last blog, click here to read their story, at the time the brothers had not found or developed a retail space for their brews. According to an announcement on their Facebook the brothers have chosen to open their Brothers Ale House in downtown Guelph.
Cider market in Niagara
New breweries aren't the only craft market in Niagara. Some local wineries are also throwing their brewing skills into the ring. You may have seen or tried Ironwood Hard Cider if you are a Niagara local. The cider line is from Niagara-on-the-Lake's Sunnybrook Winery. Not far down the road from Sunnybrook, Small Talk Vineyards also produces their own cider line, which includes Shinny Apple Cider and Shinny Red Apple Cider. Both wineries sell their cider lines in their previously established winery retail shops as well as the LCBO.
The Niagara Craft Beer Festival takes place August 22 and 23rd in Niagara-on-the-Lake at the Garrison Village Plaza. Many of Niagara's top craft breweries including Oast, Silversmith, Brimstone, Niagara College and Shinny Apple Cider will be present. To learn more about the two day festival click here.
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