Microbreweries in the CCR?
 

Harls' post in the Meetup thread got me thinking... I love my beer (even if I'm trying to watch my calorie intake), and I love trying local microbrew types.

The only place I've been to in Ottawa that had it's own was Clocktower, and it was pretty solid.

Are there any other places I need to go to?

For other beer fans, who I'm sure all know this, Vineyards in the Market has about 4 billion different bottles of beer on hand, and is another great place for a pint or 12.

Here's the place in Gatineau that Harls linked: http://www.brasseursdutemps.com/

When the Clocktower have their cask conditioned ale available it is worthwhile. It doesn't sell as well as some of their others, but I'm a big fan of cask conditioned ale.

I'll have to check out the new brewpub in Gatineau...it looks like more of a belgian themed beer place..

Apparently, there is a pub on rue Principale in Aylmer (the part that is under construction), but I've never been to it. It has a large beer selection.

To me, Vineyards isn't worth it as most of the beers are in the bottle and have been on a boat from europe for months. I prefer draft beer and preferably somewhat local.

Beau's from Vankleek Hill and many of the St. Ambroise products are always good (I just picked up a 12 of St Ambroise Pale Ale for $11.99 + tax and deposit at the dep on rue front in Aylmer.....its been nice knowing you The Beer Store).

Heh, that brings up another good question. Is it cheaper at all to go over to Quebec for beer? I usually just walk to the Beer Store.

I really never go over to Quebec. I should go for a drive one day and explore over on the Gatineau side.

I agree with the draft>bottled beer comment you made as well, but Vineyards has some pretty solid domestic beers as well. I had a really good Raspberry Wheat beer from Southern Ontario there last time I went.

The place on rue Principale in Aylmer is called L'Autre Oeil (my wife laughs at me when I try to pronounce it). I still haven't been there yet. It's not a microbrewery though.

Looks like they've updated their website: http://www.lautreoeil.com

442 beers, 31 countries.

It is cheaper, yes.. but I wouldn't go out of the way just for beer.. if you drove from say Orleans to Aylmer for a case of 12, you'd probably waste your savings in gas money.

A while ago Acajack had an anecdote about how you could spot the Ontarians in Costco. They would have shopping carts full of beer :D

(Incidentally, I may check out those Costco deals. They have cases of 55 Coors light cans for $50... MolsonEx $55... that's dirt cheap.)

Exactly regarding the gas money and time spent to get the beer in 819. Personally, I wouldn't want to drink 55 Coors Light but to each his own. Great deal if you are heading to a cottage with a group of people or if you are buying for your sports team for post game beverages etc. The selection at Costco isn't that great, but if they have a beer you like the price is usually right.

Be aware that at the dep in Alymer the price they quote is w/o deposit and tax so don't be fooled.

I'll have to go to that restaurant in Aylmer...work takes me there about once a month or so.

I just checked out the web site...wow, what a selection of QC microbrews and lots of Belgian beers...pretty slim pickings for Ontario beers.

With so many beers, my only fear would be slow turnover on some....they might not be the freshest.

Lots of draft options as well.

I'm going on a camping expedition on Labour Day long weekend, out in the boonies about 2 hours north of Mt-Tremblant, and when you're that far away from civilization it's always good to be overstocked. I'm not really a fan of Coors either, but when camping it's ok. People tend to look at you funny if you bring a fancy microbrew alongside a campfire ;)

I'd be wary of stale beers at that restaurant (resto? heh heh) as well, but they are usually quite busy the times I've been by there.

There are some deps around here that have dust covered cases that are to be avoided.. usually they're in gas stations. Another chinese fellow near my place puts single bottles into grey plastic bags and sells them at a discount.. $6.99 all included.. but it's horrible stuff like Bleue Dry and Bowes Dry or 'insert brand here' Dry (where 'Dry' is just a synonym for "more alcohol").

I'd be in favour of a Meet at that new Hull microbrew, I haven't tried it either. I have a buudy who plays soccer Friday nights and his team always ends up there after the game, it's supposed to be pretty lively :D

As for the Quebec beer price advantage I can vouch for it. Just crossing over the Alexandra Bridge to the first dépanneur (Chénier), without even going out to a big grocery store, I can get a case of 12 Boréale Rousse for maybe a buck more than I'd pay for a 6 of Tankhouse Ale at the LCBO. It is a bit out of the way but not too much, so I do it once in a while.

I had a 12 or so of Boreale Rousse and it just didn't do it for me...I prefer St Ambroise products more.

Your friend must be on a different footie team from me...I'm on a team that has a beer (or two) at the side of the pitch in a post game setting. Most of the beer is from the Kirkland Boutique.

Apparently the Brasseurs du Temps place is trying to expand.. there's an application on the Ville de Gatineau's public notice page.

http://gatineau.ca/upload/publicnoti...e_montcalm.pdf

They want to expand by another 1000 m2 or so.

They both have this distinct taste and smell that I cannot quite pinpoint. It's like visiting a relative's house blindfolded.. you know where you are.

Brasseurs du Temps
 

...Love that place, I have gone there many times since it opened, with friends and family, and everyone always has a good time, the inside has a nice Montreal-esque feel to it, and the patio is lovely, right by the canal.

Oh and their beer is great too, especially if you like Belgian style.

They also have a decent selection of Quebec micro-brews.

Dirt cheap, and tastes like dirt, too. Even at that price, it's not worth it to me.

$11.99 (+ tax and deposit) for a 12 of St Ambroise Pale Ale, on the other hand, is an outstanding deal! I'd better head across the river and stock up. I won't be buying 12, I'll be buying 48.

And I agree with the assessment about Boreale. Yes, it's a micro, but there's just something odd about it. I avoid now.

I went by the Bistro l'Autre Oeil the other day and snapped a pic.



and just for fun, the King of Beer place on Dalhousie. It was Saturday morning at 11 am and it was pretty busy, mostly with cars with Ontario plates.



The guy is so busy they put 15 minute parking signs in front of his place.. haha..

Here is the Street View image.....I've never been to this place...I always go to the place on Rue Front...on a corner...that is where the $11.99 + tax + deposit St Ambroise for a 12 can be found....

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...232.18,,0,2.16

Hmm looks like Mr. Gravelle has installed a new sign since Google passed by.

I like the older sign, it's kitsch. The new one smacks of corporate sponsorship (even look at the side there where Labatt has a 50 year celebration thing).

This is the place I have always gone to...I'll have to price check with the king of beer

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...08.46,,0,-5.39

Notice if you go to the next image to the south, it was taken at a separate time (different cars parked at the side).

http://www.apt613.ca/2010/03/19/big-...80%93-oh-yeah/

Nice! While the bottles are cool, sometimes you only want 1 drink ;)

http://ottawa.openfile.ca/ottawa/tex...office-complex

The 3 Brewers / Les 3 Brasseurs coming to 240 Sparks (north side along Sparks Street)

The space that they will be eventually occupying is quite large with 2 levels. They will be leasing the North east corner of 240 Sparks and they will also have a patio ( non smoking of course:( )

typical political delays have hindered any opening by June of this year as was their original plan.

Don't you mean non smoking of course :D:cheers: ?

I always love seeing more microbreweries opening up in Ottawa...am going to give Mill Street a try in the upcoming weeks. I am a NON-smoker, but I don't agree with the new smoking bylaw not allowing patios to allow smoking. I have friends who smoke and they are usually very respectful not to blow their smoke at the non-smokers, I find this the case with a lot of people who use the patios. They should have been able to separate the patio as a trial option (non smoking vs smoking). All smokers are going to do now is stand outside the main entrance and smoke, or stand on the sidewalk (beside most patios on Elgin for example) and smoke. What is the real difference between people smoking at the entrance or sidewalk and people smoking on the patio? Anyways, slightly off topic but I think it's something the City rushed to pass.
Nevertheless... exciting to see more stuff being added to Sparks Street!

Three Brewers isn't really a microbrewery. They're a huge french chain. I'd rather support a local (or even Canadian) brewery.

Chris Phillips is opening a brewpub by IKEA.

Mill Street is relatively expensive but I enjoyed my meal and the beer is good. Very neat building

I was there about 3 weeks ago...had a nice beer...the fish and chips started off quite nice, but was cool in the middle. They asked me how my meal was..I told them it was cool inside but the outside was fine and the chips were fine...they gave me the fish and chips no charge, a free dessert and just charged me for the beer and gave me a $10 off coupon good until the end of may.

It was very busy and not the quiet pub atmosphere I like. I prefer the place about 2 km away in Hull that is a brew pub.

I have to agree with MountainView on this. Plus, the bylaw should of had some clause which would give business owners the option to allow smoking after a certain hour, like after the kitchen closes at 11pm, by which point most people going on the patio are those who wish to drink and smoke. Mill street will have 3 patios, and could have made one for smokers. Now smokers will leave their beers on the table and go smoke on the other side of the fence, creating congestion at the entrance, pissing off people coming and going through the entrance, and stinking up the entrance. This bylaw is very premature. City parks and beaches sure, but private businesses? A step too far I think.

As for Mill Street, is it not on NCC land? If it is, then the smoking bylaw might not apply there. Also, it will be bylaw officers enforcing these, same guys who give parking tickets. If you are getting a parking ticket and drive away, they will mail it to you as they got your licence plate. If they want to ticket you for smoking in a patio, and you just walk away without producing ID, then what?

What if you are smoking wakkytobbaky on a city beach? Will that get you a ticket? Its not a cigarette.

What about Scotia Bank Place? All smokers will now have to go street level?

I wonder if the city has analyzed all these and many other scenarios. By-law officers will have their work cut out for them, BIG time! LOL A shitty job, is getting even shittier!

As for the cig smokers, I can already foresee many will be flocking to the QC side for their summer patio beer drinking, or will just stay at home. The City of Ottawa sure knows how to help small businesses.

Radster
There is a very big anti smoking agenda going on this is not a ottawa only thing it would not shock me if smoking is banned canada wide at bars etc with in the next 5 years the other thing is there is a huge pro weed etc agenda there are many it should be legal and you should be able to smoke any where you want.

That was the argument when the indoor bylaw was brought in 10 years ago. Didn't happen.

Fact is, the majority does not smoke and doesn't want to breathe in other people's.

As far as the "wacky-tabacy", I actually agree it should be legalized. But that doesn't mean I want people smoking it in bars or a foot away from me on a patio.

Part of the issue is some that are hard core weed etc users is they don't think there should be any rules if they want to smoke up in a bar they should be able to while i have no issues with legalized the only way i would support it is there has to be a tax and there has to be rules.

This is really OT, but if weed were decriminalized, restrictions on it would still be higher than those on tobacco.

Also, decriminalized does not necessarily mean legalized.

Some interesting tweets from Neil Malhotra - VP of Claridge Homes - this morning:

A few people questions the tweets and he basically refused to provide any more info at this time.

There is talk of banning smoking on patios in Quebec as well.

I went to the Mill Street brew pub for lunch today. Their "Ambre de la Chaudiere" is excellent. I hope they do well, the prices are reasonable.

The Irish Red is also delightful. Find the prices in the store a little steep though, and I much prefer the way they fill your growler on the spot at Kichesippi.

Do you have to buy refillable bottles from them or can you bring your own? I still have a bunch of those nice Beau's ceramic bottles :)

Don't know? I paid the 4$ deposit for a growler the first time, and then I just keep swapping it for a fresh clean one that they fill up, either the 1855 dark ale (just over 10 bucks) or their seasonal when there's a good one in stock (closer to 12 bucks), and I get to bring home four pints of delicious fresh draft beer to share over dinner.

Heading out there for a couple of growlers tomorrow then. Although the brewery is actually closer to me than the Beer Store, I've never been there since it's on that "odd" side of Carling :)

I gave Mill Street a try last night and I enjoyed it a lot. Like others have said, their Ambre de la Chaudiere is superb! They also have 6oz and 8oz 'flights' of 4 beers that you can order to see which ones you like best before you order a pint or pitcher. The service was good and the Fish & Chips were amazing. It was very busy though and between 7:00-8:30pm seemed very crowded, I was lucky to have connections in order to reserve a table. I would definitely go back and would recommend it to any beer lover. And even if you're not a beer lover, they have Martinis!

Local microbrewer Kichesippi has satarted to put six packs in local LCBOs.

They are also sponsoring production of a full lenght video on CIS Gee-Gee video --details of which I have put in the thread-Garnet and Grey.

http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2012/...-pub-business/ not just one, but could be three Big Rig brewpubs in a few years if their plans go well.

http://app01.ottawa.ca/postingplans/...appId=__87Y1GF
5 Hamilton Avenue
Renovations to building for a small micro brewery with a tasting room and retail bottle sales of product produced on-site

It will be called Beyond the Pale,
http://www.openfile.ca/ottawa/story/...enge-tastebuds

Le Bop in Hull will be transformed into a brasserie over the next few months as well.

With all of the microbreweries and brew pubs that have popped up in Ottawa in the past few years (Kitchissippi, Beyond the Pale, Broadhead, Big Rig, Lowertown Brewery, Clocktower, Mill Street, Bicycle Craft, Dominion City, Brasseurs du Temps, 3 Brasseurs etc.) I'm wondering why the city isn't heavily promoting itself as a beer destination. It can certainly hold its own with anywhere in Canada.

That type of promotion seems to work for this San Diego suburb:

http://www.citylab.com/work/2014/12/...t-beer/384062/

:previous: Nobody does it better than Portland :)

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Craft beer is a growing trend in North America. I'm not sure whether it's hit its pique just yet though.

Or even its peak. :cheers:

No question that it is growing everywhere. But Ottawa is definitely a hotspot.

Maybe I am just dreaming of an Ottawa Tourism ad that doesn't focus on the Parliament Buildings and insert museum here.

Ottawa Tourism does feature craft breweries:

http://www.ottawatourism.ca/en/featu...aft-beer-scene

They've got great adverts that aren't really focused on Parliament Hill, there's some beer flowing at 0:46 :)
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