The beer world's Golden Globes are coming to Ottawa
Local breweries take note: The Canadian Brewing Awards and Conference is now accepting entries. Let's bring home the hardware!
By: Jordan Duff Published on Thu Feb 02 2017
It’s gonna be a celebeertion!
Mark May 25-27 on your calendar: Ottawa will be hosting hundreds of Canadian brewers as they descend upon our fair city for The Canadian Brewing Awards and Conference.
This article may seem premature, but the window for submitting brews for consideration is open now.
The CBAs is the only national competition for Canadian-owned breweries. The competition, in its 15th year, is sanctioned and officiated by graduates of the Beer Judge Certification Program. It’s a big undertaking: last year there were more than 1,200 entries from 240 breweries competing in 60 categories. This is like the Golden Globes of the beer industry, only with not quite as much drinking.
Changes to this year’s entry criteria will close the competition to the big “domestic” brands with foreign parent companies — Labatt Brewing Co. and Molson Coors Brewing Co, — in favour of truly Canadian-owned operations.
“We are looking forward to waving the Canadian flag and celebrating everything that is great about Canada,” said Rob Engman, the competition’s president.
The submission deadline is in early March. At last year’s competition, in Victoria, Covered Bridge Brewing won an award, and Tooth and Nail Brewing Company won four. This year, hopefully, the 613’s new and established breweries will see that hosting the CBAs is an opportunity to put more of Ottawa’s top-notch suds on the beer-world map. As with the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, Ottawa needs to #OwnThePodium!
If your local brewery produces what you consider to be award-calibre beer, let them know! Let’s move from “support local “to “promote local.”.
“Winning four awards last year was pretty cool,” said Matt Tweedy, head brewer at Tooth and Nail. “It kept morale high, and let our customers know that they can and should expect products of the highest quality when they enter our space.”
For those interested in attending the conference, tickets are already available in canadianbrewingawards.com. Ideally, come May, there’ll be an article in this space bragging about the numerous local winners.
Local Hoppenings:
The aforementioned award-winning brewery, Covered Bridge is hosting a beer-and-chocolate pairing as a fundraiser for the Ottawa Dragon Boat Foundation. Lots of good stuff wrapped into one event.
Next Thursday, Feb. 9, Muséoparc Vanier is hosting a beer-and-tapas pairing with Cassel Brewery, at the Sugar Shack at 5:30 p.m. Proceeds will benefit neighbourhood schools and support programs that allow low-income children to attend the museum's educational programs.
Sunsplit IPA, the juicy New England style brew by Dominion City, is back in the shop!
feBREWary by Beau’s brewing is upon us. The gruit-hybrid, Triceratops Tripel, is already on tap across the city.
This weekend, at the Canadian Museum of History, is the civilized beer celebration, Festibière!
From Feb. 17-19, a perfect post-Valentine’s date for the beer lovers, the Ottawa Winter Brewfest, is at Lansdowne...
Cassel Brewery is taking members for a ride with their Hop On Club: 12 unique beers released through the year inspired by different styles across the globe.
Big Rig brewing is celebrating Canada’s 150th by releasing a special version of their Canadian Amber, repackaged to ONE50.
Whiprsnapr brewing is releasing their Valentine's Day treat: Unf. Chocolate, cherries, vanilla and coffee are all involved in the creation of this luscious stout.
http://www.metronews.ca/news/ottawa/...to-ottawa.html