Canadians have a pretty high tolerance for cold and snowy weather, but this winter has tried the patience of even the hardiest among us. Which is to say that summer is even more welcome than usual this year. Here are four outdoor craft beer experiences to tempt you in the warmer weather.
Ganaraska Brewing Company – Port Hope
Port Hope is one of the most picturesque towns in Eastern Ontario, with historic buildings, beautiful parks, and the Ganaraska river running right through the middle. In 2003, TVO recognized downtown’s Walton Street as the province’s Best Preserved Main Street. Fitting then, that the owners of Ganaraska Brewing Company took such pains to make sure their modern, purpose-built facility fits in with the historic vibe of the municipality.
The building houses a complete brewery, an airy taproom, and two outdoor spaces: a small 25-seat patio off the taproom, and a unique 35-seat roof-top bar that overlooks Farley Mowat park (including the boat-covered house – apparently the largest monument to Mowat anywhere in the world), the Ganaraska River beyond, and the Port Hope town hall.
Owner Steve Dines says patrons wanting “the full craft beer experience” tend to drink downstairs, where they can sample flights from the bar’s 10 taps, but folks wanting a more chill outdoor experience gravitate up top.
Several of Ganaraska’s year-round brews are well suited to warmer weather, including their most popular one, Easy Times Mexican Lager, which packs lots of flavour at just 4% ABV, along with their Hazy Rapids juicy NEIPA, and Pretty in Pink Lemonade Sour. The latter is described as a “perfectly pink troublemaker”, and “light, bright, and just the right amount of tart.”
It was cold the day we visited, but the “pink troublemaker” was delicious just the same.
Aurum Brewing Company, Carrying Place
The craft beer space has seen more than its share of turmoil in recent years, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t beer-minded entrepreneurs seeing opportunity. The team at the new Aurum Brewing Company on Rednersville Road, just east of Carrying Place, believe their combination of a solid mid-European beer menu, a small but welcoming taproom, and a unique beer garden in the middle of an apple orchard will spell success.
A late-April open house attracted 80 guests from the neighbourhood, boding well for community support, so important for a small brewery. We were able to sample a number of brews at an industry preview, including an intriguing smoked Helles, and a quite delicious Bavarian Hefeweissbier.
The brewery should be in full flow by the time this edition hits the shelves, with the beer garden targeted to be ready no later than Canada Day. No excuse needed to revisit Aurum Brewery later in the year.
555 Brewing Co., Picton
If Aurum is one of the newest breweries in the area, Picton’s 555 Brewing Co., now in its 10th year, is one of the oldest – a sign of just how young the industry is in Eastern Ontario. The team at 555 has a well-deserved reputation for excellence in brewing, serve up delicious pizza from its wood-fired oven, and offer one of the best outdoor experiences in Picton. The patio is enormous and is open all year – cold weather mitigated somewhat by patio heaters and plastic panels to cut the wind – offering a place even on the coldest days for hardy patrons to bring their pooch and enjoy a pint.
The patio effect was “massive” during Covid, says co-owner Nat Wollenberg, and continues to be a major draw, with regular trivia nights and live music every Sunday. Headed by co-owner Drew Wollenberg and lead brewer Brett French, they offer a core lineup with something for everyone, from light lagers to robust stouts. But this team’s real strength, subtlety and nuance, is exhibited in its Helles, crystal clear and bright, with a delicate balance of malt and noble hop. This has been one of my favourite 555 beers for years.
That deft brewing hand is also on display with their cherry porter, first suggested in a vote by members of 555’s mug club. Cherry is a notoriously difficult flavour addition to beer – over play your hand and you end up with something that tastes like more like cough syrup than beer – and French steers well clear of that trap, describing it as “beer with a hint of cherry, not cherry with a hint of beer.” In a world of outlandish in-your-face hop bombs, this is velvety smooth triumph.
Summer offerings from 555 include their beautifully hazy Belgian Whit, a 50/50 wheat/pilsner base flavoured with real orange peel and crushed coriander, and their annual pride beer, brewed in time for June’s County Pride.
The never-idle Wollenbergs are currently in the midst of renovating the former retail space next door which, once completed, will more than double the interior space, while also affording them a long-awaited full kitchen. There are rumours, however, that the new kitchen will no longer include their now-famous pizza oven – so if you’re planning a visit, make it soon. (And maybe the cherry porter will still be on tap…cross your fingers!)
Slake Brewing, Prince Edward County
Enjoying a beer outdoors is a stereotypical part of a Canadian summer, and nobody does the “outdoor experience” better than Slake Brewing, located just south of Picton. The description on their web site absolutely nails it: “Perched at one of the highest points in Prince Edward County, Slake offers panoramic views of the countryside and Lake Ontario. We’re proud of our beers, but it’s our relaxed, welcoming vibe that makes Slake special.”
The enormous outdoor space was a godsend when they opened mid-pandemic, and the view really is something special: more than one local brewer has told me that when they need to chill, they “head to Slake for the sunset.” As do many others: co-owner Eric Portelance told me it’s not uncommon to see a caravan of cars coming up the hill half an hour before sunset on a summer evening.
My interview with Portelance was one of the most impressive I’ve ever conducted. This guy is clear-eyed and articulate, and absolutely understands his clientele, his community, and his business plan. Oh yes – and he knows beer. Multi-legged revenue streams, a broad beer menu that includes rare barrel-aged options, a food partnership with Rebel Taco, and that unparalleled view all combine for a terrific craft brewery experience.
Slake has lots of great beer options for summer. Their flagship is Hatch, a pale ale that is more of an American pale or session IPA than a traditional English pale. It pours a lightly hazy lemon-yellow and is citrusy and refreshing without being over-powering. Several fruit sours are also on the menu, including the Yes mango sour, and Punch, which is an interesting pineapple and blood orange combo.
But the standout beer for me was the Whisper Gose. This isn’t exactly my go-to style, which is why I decided to sample it, and frankly I was blown away. Subtle salt, even more subtle grapefruit, it’s described as being “margarita-ish”, which is just about right. It’s not too tart and super refreshing – seems like a perfect summer beer! I didn’t have an opportunity to try their barrel aged offerings, so will have to keep those for another sunset visit – perhaps in time for fall colours.
These aren’t our area’s only outdoor options, of course. From the more intimate patio at Gold Rush in Madoc (this summer pairing with Barbee’s Smoking BBQ food truck) to the large outdoor affairs at Old Flame in Port Perry or Tilted Glass in Bowmanville – there are almost as many outdoor experiences as there are breweries.
Summer is all too short for beer lovers in our part of the world – don’t let it pass you by!
