All my friends

Microbrewery offers a unique selection of beers

With colourful cans and intriguing names such as Gimmie Peaches or Bumbleberry Milkshake, the new All My Friends Beer Company in Bloomfield is establishing a reputation for itself. Brewmaster Robert Snowdon says he and his team come up with three or four new beers every month. It starts with the idea for a new beer flavour, and then with the help of a few artists a label is created together with an appropriate name. Within a few weeks, those cans and their contents are in the fridge at the ready to offer a new taste experience. “We’re focused on making small-batch fresh and unique beers, and we try to keep it exciting for our fan base,” said Snowdon, who owns and operates the microbrewery with his partners Brian Turcotte and Bill McMenomy.

Snowdon started making beer in his college days as a hobby, and began working at a commercial production facility in 2011. He studied at the Institute of Brewing and Distilling in London, England and moved to the Bay of Quinte area about seven years ago to help start another brewing company. The opportunity to start his own company came during the pandemic. “It’s always been a dream of mine to own a facility and make my own beer that I’m passionate about, and I had this opportunity with two of my good friends. We took the leap and quit our jobs, and here we are,” he said. “We are very passionate about the modern science behind draft beer. A lot of the adjunct- based hop-forward beers are our forte. We’re trying to do something different than what most people in the region are doing, and it seems to be working for us.”

All My Friends is the eleventh beer company to set up shop in the County, and Snowdon said he and his partners chose to locate in Bloomfield to take advantage of the County’s reputation as a beer and wine destination. The brewery opened its doors on the May long weekend, and Snowdon said it has been an excellent first season.

“We’ve been keeping the tanks full and the beer flowing.” It takes three to four weeks to go from grain to glass. They use mostly Canadian grains, but do use European grains for certain styles of beer. About half of their products are in the India Pale Ale style, with the remainder split between easy-drinking beer and fruit beer. The latter has proven quite popular, and their latest version incorporates tangerine puree in the fermentation process. “We ferment out a lot of the sugars, but we maintain the fruit flavours,” said Snowdon. “We’re excited to be part of the community and we’re grateful for everyone’s support so far.” All My Friends Beer Company (amfbeer.com) is located at 8 Stanley Street in Bloomfield