The Good, The Bad & The Hairy

Howdy Y'all, firstly this blog post has nothing to do with Clint Eastwood.  As much as I'd like it to, it just doesn't, so if you have any problems with the title, send a letter.

Also, there really isn't any "The Bad", this is mostly a Good & Hairy post, but that just didn't roll off the tongue quite as well.  So again, any problems, I direct you to write that letter again.

And for those of you who do want to write a letter, please do, cause it's always nice to receive a letter in the mail isn't it?

Well that's enough of that, on with the post!

So Toronto Beer Week came and went last week and what a week it was! My liver has served me papers and officially brought suit against the rest of my person...but outside of that I thought it was a purdy darn good week.  We officially Rocked The Danforth with our good friends at Great Lakes and Bartowel. Some of us rocked it a little too irresponsibly but that happens.  That happens.  We met some good folks and tasted some great beers at the C'est What? "New Brewers" night.  Chris Schryer broadcasted my ugly mug all over the interwebs with the Brewer's Round Table.  But seriously thanks Chris, Iain and Mike it was a blast and hopefully it will happen again.  And "Just The Mention of Berlin Makes Me Sexy" tasted just dandy at barVolo's, We Live For the Funk night.  But what I really wanted to get into was The Mighty Mustache Competition at The Only Cafe.  I gotta say, it was the highlight of my week.  Fabian and the crew at The Only put on a great show and as far as I'm concerned it went off brilliantly!

I don't know exactly what I was expecting. We aren't much for planning, a lot of flying by the seat of our pants. But let me just say this, what did end up happening that night, it was exactly what I was expecting!

Like always, The Only had the bar prepped (they are clearly much much better at planning than me). We got there and the taps were ready to go.

All labeled and looking oh so handsome

The Princess was there to do some judging.

All dressed up and looking oh so handsome.

And he brought along his lovely wife Jen and our good friend and great sport Mike D from The Atomic Geeks to help him with the judging.

Now let me lay it out for you, we had a number of contestants, with varying degrees of facial hair and mustache styles, so we needed to level the playing field and make this a fair competition.  So before we could start the show we had to learn them on the rules.  The contestants had to not only parade their fantastic 'staches in front of the judges and the audience but they also had to wow the crowd with the stories behind said 'stache.  And I gotta say,everyone of them, to a man, did an absolutely bang up job.  We threw this curve ball at them last minute and they all pulled it off.  Kudos to all of you and thank you so much for taking part in the 1st Annual Mighty Mustache Competition.

So here they are, with out further adieu..The Contestants!

Zee Devil!

Zee Lover!

Zee Lumberjack!

Zee Pugilist!

Zee Farmer!

 And er..Zee Hedgeman!

I apologize for all of those names, I made them up...well except for one.  They are all terrible, terrible names.

Like I said, they not only had to have some serious 'stache, but they also had to sell the story.  So after each one of them took the mic and spun some great yarns, the judges tabulated the scores.

Unfortunately none of our judges were very strong with the maths, so Mike D had to tabulate the exceedingly high scores on his electronic phonemachine.

And after his electronic phonemachine spit out the resulting tallies, the winner of The Golden Cant Hook and the bragging rights for The Most Ballin' 'Stache, This Side of the Don, was....The Hedgeman!

 Seriously, that is one badass mustache!

But again thank you to all the contestants for coming out, cause with out you, there would be no ballin' 'staches.  It's my honour to share the stage with all of you.

And thanks to Chris Grimley for taking on the role of MC for the evening, you did a bang up job and we really do appreciate it. And of course, thanks to the mighty, The Only Cafe for putting it all together. What more can I say, you gotta love The Only.

So what's up next for Sawdust City? Well we have a few events in the West end of the province over the next few weeks.  On Thursday, September 27th we will be in picturesque Cambridge, ON at The Kiwi for Caskstravaganza.  Along with our good pals at Nicklebrook and Lake Of Bays, we'll be showing off our wares to great drinkers of the tri-city area.  Peep the poster.

And then on Wednesday, October 3rd we are heading even more Westerer, to London, ON and The Grand Theater for the Arts & Draughts Gala Event. There is going to be some great local craft beer pouring that night and all the money goes to help the theater and the local art scene so come on out and support.  Peep the poster.

Well again, Toronto Beer Week was a blast, thanks to all the organizers, bars, breweries and just about everyone that came together to make it all happen.  It was awesome and I can't wait til next year.

Anyhoo, that's about it for now.  Until next time, keep the beer in your mugs and the sawdust beneath your feet.

And The Days Are Short Again...

Not sure how many of you out there will recognize it, but I stole the handle for this here blog post from the title of an old Furnaceface album...it always reminds me of this time of year.  A sorta sad mixture of melancholy and nostalgia. Of good times coming to an end.  I mean, the CNE has wrapped up, the kiddies are back at school and the last Summer long weekend has come and gone.  I know, I know, technically summer isn't over until September 21st and yes, technically the days started getting shorter again on June 21st...but who are we kidding, for all intents and purposes Summer ends the day after Labour Day.

Labour Day maybe the unofficial end of summer, but there are some good folks out there doing there best to remind us that Summer still has some good days left in her, and she's ain't going down with out a fight!

Take for example this Sunday, September 9th.  The 1st Annual Street Food Vendor Awards are being held at the Evergreen Brickworks in Toronto, ON.  Taking advantage of one of the few nice days Summer has left to offer, Ontario's best street food vendors are coming out to celebrate, showcase some of there wares and to educate the public on what great things are happening in the world of street food.  And Sawdust City will be there pouring at the event!  It'll be tough to stand behind the taps all day with so much great food right at our finger tips, but we'll do our best.

Here check out this here poster and get ye to the Brickworks on Sunday, it's sure to be a great event.

Then right on the heels of this fantastic event comes The Premium Beer Experience.  On Thursday, September 13th with just over a week left in Summer, at The Berkley Church in downtown Toronto comes this very special beer event.  With all participating breweries bringing special one-off beers or new brands that are set to launch, it's a great opportunity for beer lovers to get out and try some new and exciting beers from some of Ontario's finest craft brewers.  And guess what? Sawdust City will be there with not one, not two, but three beers!  So if you fancy yourself a beer fan, get ye to The Church on Berkley for this one of a kind event.  Check the website for details -

http://www.beerexperience.ca/

So now we're down to just one week left in Summer and what better way to spend it than by taking in as many events as you can during Toronto Beer Week!  From September 14th to September 22nd (yes I know that technically is Fall...but come on!) in venues all over the great city of Toronto, comes Toronto Beer Week. Now I can't sit here and list off all the events cause daggit, there is just way too many!  But I will tell you about all the events that Sawdust City will be taking part in.

First up we have The Danforth Pub Crawl.  On Monday, September 17th starting at 545p with our good friends from The Great Lakes Brewery and The Bar Towe,l we will be making our way from the close West to the far East of the mighty and historic Danforth Avenue.  Rockin' 5 bars along the way, it's a great way to get out and not only enjoy one of Summer's last remaining days, but to try some beer, meet some good people and find a new watering hole!  Check the poster -

It's probably going to be a long night, I've been known to get out of hand from time to time, but I've got to recovery quickly cause just two short days later we will be hosting an event at one of Toronto's best watering holes, The Only Cafe!  Now if you have a duster, a soup strainer, a 'stache or whatever name you've decided to give it, I suggest you get out to The Only Cafe on Wednesday, September 19th cause we're hosting the 1st Annual Mighty Mustache Competition and The Golden Cant Hook is on the line.  Well that and the bragging rights that you have the baddest 'stache this side of the Don River!

We'll be pouring 4 brands of Sawdust all night, rockin' great tunes and basically having fun in general.  So brush up your upper lip and get ye to The Only Cafe to show off your man hair.  Check the poster -

Blurrgh...don't read the date too carefully! That's Wednesday, September 19th!

Anyhoo the very next night, the second last day of Summer, at another of Toronto's finest beer bars, we will have one of our collaborations beers pouring at barVolo's fantastic event, "We Live For the Funk".  A 3.8% BerlinerWeiss brewed with Iain Mcoustra of The Amsterdam Brewing Co., "Just The Mention of Berlin Makes Me Sexy", is a tart little minx aged on grapefruit and lechee.  Very rare and very special, there is only one keg of this in existence, so get ye down to barVolo on Thursday, September 20th and get yer Funk On!

Alright, last day of summer, September 21st and we'll be at yet another beer institution in Toronto...C'est What?  The new brewers night is an event that gives folks the chance to come out and meet some of Ontario's newest craft brewers.  You can sit down and chat over a  few pints and find out a little bit more behind these odd fellows who call themselves brewers.  What motivates them to get up unholy hours, slave over kettles for god knows how long and work for minuscule amounts of money.  Please ask them all of those questions...

And then it's over...Summer will be gone for another year.  But don't fret good readers cause it will be back and well the Fall is pretty awesome too.  Cause now it's time for big beer season!  Break out the stout!

Anyhoo, that's just about does it for now.  Until next time, keep the beer in your mug and the sawdust beneath your feet.

Parking Lots in Parking-lots

Yes we've been parking lots in parking-lots...and pouring lots of beer in these here lots. Dang, it that ain't a lotta lots.  Well, I'm guessin' I should hush up with all these lots now.

Well here's the first parking lot we parked and poured at this weekend; The Mighty Griffin Gastropub in Bracebridge, ON.  Last Friday, August 2nd along side our good friends from Beaus's Brewery, we plopped down our kegs and poured for the Midnight Madness Parking Lot Party...and why yes, if it wasn't just pure madness!  The lot was packed all night long with shoppers, party-ers and fun seekers alike.  The boys at the Griffin, now they've been running this here event for 4 years or so now and each year it proves to be a hoot.  We're certainly much obliged for their hospitality and look forward to many more such parking lot parties in the future.

Unfortunately t'wernt no overnight parkin' at the Griffin so we had to pack up our belongings and make way to Kahshe Lake for the 30th Annual Kahshe Lake Craft Show and Sale.

A little less asphalt and a lot more grass, this here lovely parking lot turned out to be right on the shores of beautiful Kahshe Lake. Now I ain't sayin' the Griffin ain't real purdy, but dang if this place don't just beat all!  Surrounded by tall pines and sitting right on the heels of the historic Rockhaven Inn, the setting for the Kahshe Lake Craft Show was down right gorgeous, if I don't mind sayin' so myself.

The weather may have been a little gloomy, but heck, it didn't stop the determined folk of Kahshe Lake from comin' on out to see the crafts and try some beer!

There was a steady line of people all day and shoot if I didn't have some down right decent conversations with many of them.  Good folks they were on Kahshe Lake.  And with food, music, crafts and well...craft beer, there was certainly enough to keep everyone busy!

If you ain't never ventured down to the Kahshe Lake Craft Show and Sale, I do highly recommend it!

That was it for this weekend, but coming up in just two short weeks, yer gonna find us parked down at the Special Events Field on the Muskoka Wharf pourin' beer for the 21st Annual Dockside Festival of the Arts.
Again, were gonna be there along side some great artisans and with more food and entertainment than ever before, this is gonna be one darn good time if I don't mind sayin' so myself.  Here, if ya don't believe me, check out this here poster and see fer yer self

Well shoot, now don't that look just look real darn snappy to you?  Well, if it do, I suggest you come on down to the Muskoka Wharf from August 17 to 19 and see fer yer self.

Now like I said, we done gonna be there for 3 full days doin' our Sawdust thang, but then we gotta be hittin' the road cause we got another park to be parkin' and pourin' at.  This time, it's Annie Williams Park right on the shores of the Mighy Muskoka River in downtown Bracebridge for the 4th Annual Muskoka Beer Fest.  The boys from the Griffin are puttin' it on again and you just know Sawdust City is gonna be there pourin' beer and havin' a grand ol' time.  And you know what?  Looks like Lone Pine IPA might just make the trip with us!  Now, it ain't gonna be quite ready for draught, but we know we gonna bring a fresh cask of dry-hopped goodness with us.  Stuffed right to the hilt with Chinook, Simcoe and Columbus hops, the Lone Pine ain't fer the faint of heart.  Along side Lone Pine, looks like we gonna be bringin' some Gateway Kolsch, some Golden Beach Pale Wheat and maybe one or two more special brews for y'all to try.

Now we know it ain't always about us, we're certainly lookin' forward to seein' and tastin' some of the beers from our brewery brethren at this years Muskoka Beer Fest. It's always great to see so many familiar faces up in our neck of the woods.  The boys at the Griff have made some friends over the years and these friends, well they done usually come packin' beer.  So head out to Annie Williams Park on August 25th and check out this years fest.  Dag, here be the website for all y'all who are into that kinda thing

 http://muskokabeerfestival.ca/

Now we ain't quite done yet, so hold onto yer hats.  The very next day we have another parking lot to get too! No rest fer the wicked as they say.  Savour Simcoe, which is into it's 5th year, is gonna be held on the outdoor grounds of the Simcoe County Museum.  This is gonna be the first year Sawdust City has ventured out this way and we're rarin' to go.  Just check out his list of vendors, I think yer gonna wanna come join yer self

http://www.simcoecountyfarmfresh.ca/savoursimcoe

Dang if this post ain't gettin' long in the tooth.  But don't worry, I only gots one more parking lot to tell you about and this one, well it's down in the big city!  On September 9th at the Brickworks in Toronto, Sawdust City is gonna pullin' into the parking lot to be a part of the 1st Annual awesTRUCK festival.  Now for those of you who don't know about awesTRUCK, take a gander at this here website

http://foodtruckeats.ca/awestruck/

Now tell me you don't wanna go to that! We most certainly do.  So if you find yer self wonderin' down by way of the Brickworks on September 9th, stop by our booth, say hello and try some Sawdust City, we love makin' new friends.

Anyhoo, that just about does it for now.  Until next time, keep the beer in your mugs and the sawdust beneath your feet.

Beer in the Summer? Haven't Tried That Before.

Howdy Y'all, so it's  been a while since we last spoke, but it's summer and it seems people like to drink beer in the summer.  Go figure.  And although this is Sawdust City's first official summer brewing beer we've been extremely busy, slingin' pints and getting our name out to all you good beer drinkin' folks.  And shucks, it seems to be goin' all right!  But with so many great events going on across this great province of ours, it's all we can do to keep up.  But we're determined gadnammit!  So we've pulled up our socks, put our heads down and hopefully you've had a chance to hear, see or drink some of what we've been brewin' up here in Sawdust City.  But if you haven't, cause you've been our enjoying all this wonderful sun we've been having, don't fret, we've got yer back.  We've throwin' together a little recap of the summer so far for ya here on the blog, so buckle up and take a read!

After the chaos that was OCB Beer Week back in June, Sawdust City kept the momentum going right into July with a radio spot on the Fearless Fred Show on Edge 102.  For those of you that didn't get a chance to hear it, here is the full interview.

http://www.edge.ca/Blogs/FearlessFred/BlogEntry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10399763

This was the first time I was actually on air, but this interview marks the third time Sawdust City has been covered by Fearless Fred and Chris Schryer.  So big thanks to them and all the support that they've given us.

That same week, the National Post did a write up on Session 99 Craft Beer Fest and some of the summer beers available during the show and throughout the summer.  And yes, Sawdust City made the cut!  It not only talks about us, but also some other great Ontario craft breweries like our good friends at Spearhead and our neighbours in the North, Lake of Bays. Again, if you haven't had a chance to read the article yet, here's the link...have a read.

http://www.nationalpost.com/search/Shorts+crafts/6845784/story.html?q=sawdust+city

We took a bit of a hiatus in early July as we'd run ourselves pretty ragged, but in that down time we were able to get the next batch of Kolsch brewed and learn how to use our brand spanking new 4-head HDP bottle filler.  The Kolsch is tasting great and should be in bars by early next week, but the filler still has a few kinks to work out.  Let's just say there is a bit of a learning curve.  But that's okay, we'll get it working smoothly and hopefully more growlers and bombers will find there way into bars across Ontario very shortly.

For those of you eagerly awaiting the Kolsch, here's a teaser for you -

That little break also gave us time to head back up to Niagara and check the progress of Princess and Girlpants as they quietly age in the two oak blueberry wine barrels. I took a sample and they were both tasting great.  The oak character hits you right away both on the aroma and on the palate.  The hops have mellowed and it's become a different beer altogether.  We are going to age it for a few more weeks and then we will be kegging it off and then packaging the entire batch into bombers.  Look for this new beer, Princess and Girlpants Meet the O.D.B. in mid-August at a great beer pub near you.

But hiatus' have to end and it was back to slingin' pints.  Last week we had the honour of pouring some Golden Beach Pale Wheat and How Do You Say Monkey in Latin? back home in Gravenhurst.  To celebrate the opening of the new Norman Bethune Museum, the Chinese "twin" city of Gravenhurst, Boading City of the Hebei Province sent some dignitaries to Muskoka to witness the ceremonies.  It was great to be part of the event and have the chance to not only meet some new local faces but to also meet some new Chinese friends.

A few short days later it was back to our second home, Toronto, for a Toronto Festival of Beer satellite event at WVRST beer and sausage hall.  Along with Great Lakes, King Brewery, Flying Monkey's and our good pals at Black Oak, we poured some beer to pair along side the sausages prepared by WVRST.  Again, it was a fun event and it's always nice to get out and talk to people one on one about the beer we are brewing and what's happening with Sawdust City.

Next up, we're off to Niagara to brew this years vintage of the Great Weiss North.  If you recall, this is a beer we brewed with the good folks at the Niagara Teaching Brewery last year for the Canadian National Exhibition.  Sawdust City came up with an idea to brew a beer with an ingredient from every province and territory in the country, we wanted to exhibit all of Canada at the Canadian National Exhibition.  Jon Downing, brew master at the College, was good enough to throw together a recipe and allow us to use his brew house.  Need some more help remembering?  Well here is the poster from last year -

This will be our second kick at the can, so we've made a few adjustments to improve upon last years wonderfully delicious brew.  This time around we're brewing it a little earlier and giving it a few more weeks to age and hopefully clarify a little more.  But other than that, it's basically the same recipe, a melange of grain, berries, teas and spices from all across our great nation.  So if you enjoyed it last year, come out to the CNE again and try this years version.  I'm sure you'll be even happier!

To bring a close to July, Sawdust City will be doing a "Mash-up" with our friends at Spearhead for the Toronto Festival of Beer.  We're taking one of Spearheads newest brews and one of our brews and making a summer time concoction like no other.  It's top secret, so I can't divulge which brews each one of us will be bringing, you'll have to come by the Mash-up tent to find out for yourself!

August starts with a bang.  First up, we got the parking lot party at the Griffin Gastropub in Bracebridge on Friday, August 3rd.  Along side our good friends at Beau's All Natural Brewing, Sawdust City will be pouring a number of different beers to the thirsty Midnight Madness patrons. Like every year, this will be a very well attended event with lots of great music, amazing food and tasty beer, so come early and stay late!

Two days later Sawdust City will be pouring at the 30th Annual Khashe Lake Craft Show.  This will mark the first time in the thirty year history of the event that they will be pouring beer.  Sawdust City is extremely proud to be the first brewery to do so.  We'll have Gateway Kolsch and Ol'Woody Alt pouring so if you haven't had a chance to try either, this would be a great time.  Held at the Rockhaven Inn on North Kahshe Lake Road, there will be many local artisans, bakers and craftsmen displaying there wares, so come for some craft and try some craft beer!

Then on the weekend of August 17,18,19 Sawdust City is going to be sponsoring the 21st Annual Gravenhurst Dockside Festival at the Muskoka Wharf.  With over 5,000 attendees, this is going to be one fantastic event! There will be many original, unique, one-of-a-kind and skill fully created articles on display over the 3-day event and with the unbelievably amazing back drop of the Muskoka Wharf what better reason do you have to come out?  Oh yeah, beer!  As the main sponsor of the event, Sawdust City will have a beer tent running throughout the 3 days and will be showcasing a number of different beers.  It's simple math folks, Crafts + Craft Beer = 1 Great Event.  Check out the Gravenhurst Chamber of Commerce Website for more information -

http://www.gravenhurstchamber.com/special-events/

And if that's not enough, we have two more events still to come in August!  The 4th Annual Muskoka Beer Festival will again be held at Annie Williams Park on Saturday, August 25th.  Sawdust City was there last year, but we didn't have any of our "own" beers to pour, this year we'll have plenty!  Check out the website for updates or go to their Facebook/Twitter page and follow this great summer event -

http://muskokabeerfestival.ca/about/

The very next day we are off to Savour Simcoe.  In it's 5th year, Savour Simcoe celebrates local heritage, agriculture and regional cuisine and Sawdust City will be there sampling some our beers.  So if by late August you still haven't had a chance to try our stuff, come out to this wonderful event and try it along side some great food and drink from other amazing local artisans.

Well sheesh, that got a little long winded there!  But I think I got pretty much everything covered.  So like I said, it's a busy summer and we really do hope to see y'all out at some of these events.

Anyhoo, that's about it for now.  Until next time, keep the beer in your mugs and the sawdust beneath your feet.

The Week That Was

OCB Beer Week 2012 has come and gone, but it won't soon be forgotten.  It's left it's mark in our collective consciousness.  In previous years I never found that this week really lived up to the hype.  Sure there have always been a lot of events, but they never seemed to be as big as the advertising suggested.  Maybe I just didn't go to enough events?  Maybe I'm just went to the wrong ones?  Maybe I'm just plain wrong?  Either way, this year there just seemed to be a lot more weight behind everything. The craft beer market seems to have reached a critical mass and it's really starting to show.

By all accounts, the events seemed to be well attended and well put together.  Events seemed to have the solid advertising and promotion behind them and leading up to events, there seemed to be lots of excitement and anticipation.  The Twitters and Facebooks seemed to be a glow up right before an event.  Every night people seemed to just want to go out and try something new.

And we here at the Sawdust City Brewing Co, are just down right happy to be involved in any way.  No we aren't a part of the OCB quite yet, but we're new and we're very small.  So it just hasn't made sense for us to join yet.  But still, we were able to hop on the wave and be a part of a few events through out the week.

As I outlined in the last post, we had a lot going on.  Collaborations, Tap Takeovers, Beer Festivals...it was a big week for us.  And it didn't disappoint.

Starting with the Antique Car Show in Gravenhurst last Saturday (that's a photo up top there), we couldn't have asked for a better summer day.  26C and sunny, it was a great opportunity for Sawdust City to showoff to our local crowd.  The days started off great and we went through a lot of beer early on.  It tailed off near the end, but as far as first time events go (it was the first time they'd ever had beer at this event) it was a sure-fire winner.  Thanks to everyone at the Gravenhurst Chamber of Commerce for asking us to take part in this event.  We had a great time and look forward to working with you all again in the future.

That was one event, now how about the collaboration I was talking about.  Brewed earlier in the month, specifically for OCB Beer Week, Daily Bread Saison, was a collaboration we did with the Black Oak and Cheshire Valley (sorry, this is an early version of the poster with neither breweries logo included).  A Belgian Table Sasion, this beer was definitely brewed to be a session beer.  At only 4.5% and with a gentle, refreshing and thin body, this ale will be perfect for the summer.

Other breweries around Ontario also did collaboration brews for OCB Beer Week as well, with many of them being showcased at events through out the province.  It was a pleasure to work with the guys at Black Oak again and to work with Paul Dickey from Cheshire Valley for the first time.

Next up we had the "Tap Take Over" at WVRST Beer and Sausage Hall in downtown Toronto.  The good folks at WVRST gave us 8 taps to show off our wares.  And show off we did.  We gathered all the beer that we could muster and did our best to impress.  The crowd was fantastic and the bar was packed all night long.  For our first ever tap take over this was an amazing night.  It also marked the 1 year anniversary of our first ever pilot brew at the Niagara College.  So in 1 year we went from a single pilot batch to having 8 beers on tap and a great beer bar in downtown Toronto...not too shabby.  Thanks so much to the WVRST for all the support they've given us throughout this first year. If it weren't for awesome places like this, we'd have no where to serve our beer!

Next up was Session 99, the big festival to wrap up the week.  In it's third year of existence, Session 99 promised to be bigger and better than ever before...and bigger and better it was!  Boasting an all-in-one $50 all you can eat and drink ticket, the revelers came out like never before.  Almost 1,500 people over the two Sessions.  99 Sudbury was a packed both inside and outside.

I was inside, and with so many people trying our beer it was difficult to get outside, even for a minute.  So unfortunately I have no outside shots...just this one from my booth.

It was great to have the chance to serve beer and to0 talk directly to everyone.  So many people were genuinely interested in trying new beer and discovering new flavours, it was amazing just to be there.  Over the two sessions we served almost 800 samples, that ain't bad.  Getting the chance to get our beer into that many different hands is unbelievable.  The staff and crew at Session 99 did a great job and this is will definitely be a premiere event in Toronto for years to come.

Anyhoo, that just about does it for now.  Until next time, keep the beer in your mugs and the Sawdust beneath your feet.

Happy Father's Day Eve Everyone

So June just started...and it's almost over.  Months get lost, especially in Montreal.  After spending the first week of this month in Montreal working the 5 day Mondial de la Biere Festival and the first ever Canadian Brewing Awards held outside of Ontario, the first two weeks seemed to pass over like a sound. A really loud, obnoxious drunken sound.  But a sound non-the-less.  Eitherwhich, the days they are a'gone now and it's almost Father's Day.

Playing second fiddle to Mother's Day, the mostly forgotten of the two parental holiday's, Father's Day normally just sees spikes in tie sales and World's Best Dad coffee mugs, but this year on Father's Day Eve, we're aiming to give Dear ol'Dad something a little special.  The Gravenhurst Chamber of Commerce is hosting the 19th Annual Classic and Antique Car Show at lovely Gull Lake Park.  And Sawdust City will be there pouring our Ol'Woody Alt and releasing for the first time this year, our summer ale, Golden Beach Pale Wheat.  This is the second time around for Golden Beach, but it's been a while, so peep the label for a refresher -

Along with all the beer, Chef Sean is going to be on hand as well cooking up some sweet, sweet pork.  A full pig roasted on a spit!  What more do you need?  It's gonna be sun, cars, pork and beer.  I'm pretty sure Dad's around Muskoka are going to be having a pretty awesome Father's Day this year.

For more information on the show check out the website -

http://www.gravenhurstchamber.com/special-events/

But that's just Father's Day Eve my friends, this year, Father's Day also signifies the kick off of OCB Beer Week (http://www.ontariocraftbrewers.com/craftbeerweek/index.php#2) .  Breweries, beer bars and beer fanatics across the province are hosting a multitude of events, collaboration brews and just fun times in general.  For our part, Sawdust City has a number of things going on.  Firstly, we put together a special collaboration brew with our good friends at Black Oak Brewery and Cheshire Valley Brewing Co.  A Belgian Table Saison, CSB is the great foil to the June heat.  4.5% abv and loaded with fruity aromas, this is certainly a session beer...and it says it in the name! CSB stands for Collaboration Session Beligian or Cheshire Sawdust Belgian, pretty clever eh?  This one-off collaboration can be found at a number of events through out the week.

One such event is our very own and very first tap takeover!  Held at the amazing WVRST Beer and Sausage Hall in downtown Toronto (King & Portland - http://wvrst.com/), Sawdust City is going to be pouring 8 beers through out the night.  Yep, you heard it right, 8 beers.  5 of our very own brands and 3 collaborations.  It's going to be a night of probably too much fun.  But dang it you deserve it!  Also, it's not only the very first day of Summer but it's also Rob's Birthday, so there are plenty of reasons to come out and celebrate.  RESPONSIBLY!

That very same night, way across town at the legendary The Only Cafe (http://www.theonlycafe.com/theonly/ocbweek.html), my brother Jed and a few of his cohorts will be taking the stage as part of The Griffin House band.  They will be representing Sawdust City in the Brewery Battle of the Bands.  They are up against stiff competition though as the boys from Beau's will be in town rockin' the stage as well.  So all you East Enders get out there, listen to some sweet tunes and drink some great beer.  RESPONSIBLY!

Next up is Corks Beer & Wine bar @ Longo's in the Maple Leaf Sqaure.  Hosting a mini beer fest, the good folks at Corks will be pouring some of Ontario's most unique beers in one of Ontario's most unique bar locations, in a grocery store!  Running from 5-9pm that night, you've got 4 hours to get down town and taste some great beer.  RESPONSIBLY!

Through out the week, Bryden's on Bloor (http://www.brydens.ca/) will be hosting "The Best of the West" event, showcasing the best beers from Toronto's west end.  Sawdust will be there with a few collaborations, "How do you say Monkey in Latin?" a beer we brewed with Black Oak and our friend Frederick Trembley from MicroBrasserie de Charlevoix in Quebec.  It was a unique one-off brew we put together for the CBA's this year (but I've probably already told you about that).  We'll also have "Marked For Death Match", a double collaboration! Half COCKpuncher, half IndieAleHouse Wit, it's Segal and Van Damme together at last.  Starting Sunday and running all week there will certainly be plenty of chances to get out to Bryden's and enjoy RESPONSIBLY!

Lastly, to wrap up this amazing OCB Beer Week, we have Session 99 THE CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL.  (http://sessiontoronto.ca/) Full of special one-off casks and kegs, this festival not only showcases amazing beer from local breweries, but also great local food, music and artisans.  Held at 99 Sudbury, Session is into it's third year and is out to prove it self as one of Toronto's premier beer events this year.  And Sawdust City is going to be there pouring not only our beer, but also a few special collaborations never done tasted before.   (wink, wink nudge, nudge Amsterdam and Bellwoods) But the real big deal this year is the deal it self.  In order to taste all this lovely beer, all you have to do is pay one simple admission fee.  That's right, no more waiting in line for beer tickets, no more muss or fuss.  One price gets you all you can drink and eat.  There are two sessions, 1-4pm and 6-9pm.  Pay one price, drink and eat as much as you want for 3 hours.   RESPONSIBLY!

Anyhoo, that's about it for now.  Until next time, keep the beer in your mug and the sawdust beneath your feet.

How Do You Say Monkey in Latin?

Simia.

But wait, I'm getting a little ahead of myself.  First things first, let's talk about last weekend before we get to next weekend.

Last Saturday was the 1st annual Brews'n'Bands Festival at The Casbah in Hamilton.  A great beer bar / concert venue, The Casbah brings together two of our favourite things on a regular basis, indie music and craft beer.  But the Brews'n'Bands Festival was the first time they jammed the place, with 16 craft breweries and 5 bands, 4 food vendors and 1 radio station in one solid day of gloriousness. The Casbah's two levels were over flowing with beer and beer lovers and Sawdust City was there to witness....and to pour

Ol'Woody and COCKpuncher made the trip down to Hamilton.  No, the two DUDES are Sam and Sean, the BEERS are Ol'Woody and COCKpuncher.  Ol'Woody Alt, one of our 5 mainstay brands was tasting great and pouring well, but it tended to attract a more reserved crowd.  While COCKpuncher IPA an 8.5% massive IPA we brewed with our good friends at the the IndieAleHouse in Toronto, brought the rock and pulled in the more adventurous drinker.  A little ying and yang thing goin' on.

By early afternoon The Casbah was filled with revelers.  Beer lovers and music lovers coming together as one to enjoy the scene.  The beer was flowing and the first act, (one of my personal favourites) The Sadies took to the main stage at 4pm.  I may have left Sean to handle the pouring duties for a while...

After The Sadies rocked the stage, I headed down to do a little radio spot with 108 FM to talk Sawdust City and the growing craft beer movement in Ontario

And that was just the first session!  Session 2 started at 6p and brought in even more great indie music with The Wooden Sky, headlining.  A whole new crew of beer and music lovers made there way through the Casbah, sampling the wares of some of Ontario's finest breweries

D-Money in the house!

All and all it was a good day, but seriously, how can you not have fun with that much awesome music and amazing beer under one roof...it's pretty much impossible not too.  Brodie, the owner of The Casbah has big plans for this festival and with one successful year under his belt, I can't wait to see what he has planned for next years fest.  What ever he does plan, if they'll have us, Sawdust City will definitely be back

So what of all this latin monkey talk?  Well a few weeks ago, Frederick from Microbrasserie Charlevoix, Simon and John from Black Oak and yours truly from Sawdust City got together and brewed a special commemorative collaboration brew for the 10th Anniversary of the Canadian Brewing Awards.  This was first time a beer had been made specifically for this event, so we wanted to do something special.

What we came up with was a pretty unique brew.  A Dubbel IPA.  We've seen Belgian IPA's before, that's not really anything new, but what we wanted to do was take the DNA of a Belgian Dubbel and cross it with the DNA of an American IPA to not create and exact hybrid of the two distinct styles, but a whole new animal, unlike any seen before. So along with the old, we also wanted to throw in a dash of the new.  A little of the unknown into two styles we were pretty familiar with.  So we elected to use a few new varieties of hops that we had not used in the past to see what they`d bring to the table.

This was an experiment after all.  The outcome could have been an abomination onto beer.  An ungodly mistake, one that should never have been released to man.  But we were willing to take that chance and venture into the unknown.

So using the malt and yeast body of a Belgian Dubbel we added in the hop profile of an American IPA and what we ended up with was, `How Do You Say Monkey in Latin` .  Continuously hopped for 60 minutes with a boat load of Galaxy, Nelson Sauvin and Legacy hops, then dry hopped with another boat load of the same hops, Monkey turned out like nothing we`d ever tasted before.  Not really a Dubbel and not really an IPA, this beer has massive aromas of berries and wine, with just a hint of banana lurking around in the background.  The flavour is much of the same, some sweet malt melted into blackberry jam and red wine. Quite unique, and yet very drinkable....and at just under 7% abv, that could be trouble.

Oh yea, we also wanted to make this as Belgian as we could, so we bottle conditioned the brew as well.

But there isn`t much to go around so you`ll have to make the trip to Montreal to try this unique one-off brew and get your commemorative bottle in the CBA gift bag.

Here take a look at the label done by Shannon our design guru -

Big thanks to all the suppliers who generously donated to the brew - G & P  for the malt, Hops Direct (Beer and Wine Filter) for all the hops, H.Moore Printing Services for the amazing labels and United Bottles for the bottles.

Anyhoo, that just about does it for now.  Until next time, keep the beer in your mugs and the sawdust beneath your feet.