Craft beer festival

Base31 brings brewers and distillers to Drill Hall

Afine selection of beers, spirits, ciders, and cocktails were on tap at the inaugural Craft Beer Festival at Base31. Although billed as a beer festival, other types of beverages were in the majority, with (on Friday night) only 555 Brewing Company and Common Good Beer offering a selection of beers. Starting at the zero end of the alcoholic spectrum, Jenna MacKay of Finally! had a preview of that company’s non-alcoholic cocktails. “We offer sophisticated nuanced flavours for people who want a non-alcoholic drink. Instead of being offered a coffee or a pop, now non-drinkers can finally feel included with something that looks and feels like an adult drink,” she said. Right now, the company is working with Niagara College to finalize flavour profiles and they expect a full launch next spring.

Toronto-based Founders offered a selection of four ready-to-drink cocktails in cans. “We wanted to be able to bring the kind of cocktail being served by a bartender, but with the convenience of having at home or at other events,” said company representative Willo Thomas. Climbing up the alcohol scale was Crimson Cider of Picton. Mike McTavish is the cider maker and he came at his craft after studying distilling at Niagara College. His first job after school was at a winery/cidery in Niagara, and this is where he became enamoured with cider making. He joined the team at Crimson Cider three years ago and said that at any given time he has about eight to 10 different varieties of cider available. “I love the creativity of this. With wine, there are so many rules you have to follow, and it’s the same with beer, but for cider, as long as it’s got mostly apples, you can add anything you want and it really opens up the world. The sky’s the limit,” he said.

Topping the alcohol sweepstakes was Legend Spirits Company of Parry Sound. It is only one of four craft distillers in northern Ontario and began operating about three years ago. They have had product available for about one year and opened a retail shop last November. They make three basic products: whisky, vodka and gin, but then add many different flavours. One particularly intriguing one is peanut butter whisky. Co-owner Caroline Quanbury said that the flavour combination really works and it is one of the more popular varieties. At the present time, the product is only available at the retail store in Parry Sound, but an online sale portal is in the plans.