Introductions

Hello All,

I wanted to start this thread so that all members can get to know each other and get a feel for what everyone does in this industry.

I'll start:

I'm Matt from Pint Pursuits Brewing Co. I went to school for finance, worked in commercial banking for a quick stint, then quit to follow my passion. My Uncle and myself started this contract brewing company and started selling beer Fall of 2016. I've been homebrewing for quite a few years now, and I create the recipes that we go to market with, as well as one-off festival beers.

As of now, I've come to know quite a bit about the Ontario craft beer scene, and am now looking to learn more about how bricks & mortar breweries are operating, what makes them tick, etc. I'm looking to meet brewers and industry folk, and hopefully shadow some brewers in Ontario to learn about commercial equipment and as much about setting up a brewery as I can, as Pint Pursuits is in that planning stage right now.

Cheers!

I guess I'll go next!

I'm Nick from Crooked Mile Brewing.
We're a bricks 'n mortar brewery in Almonte entering our 10 month in operation now.

I've previously had careers in architecture, construction, retail, and landscaping. It was during my stint as a landscaper that I decided I wanted to open my own brewery, that was about 9 years ago.
I started homebrewing about 2 batches before I made that decision.

I think this forum could be a great opportunity to build camaraderie and strengthen the community we have here in Ontario.

Cheers!

Nick

I'm Kevin, the head brewer at block three. I've been around a while, lots of folks reading this probably know me. If you don't know me, drop me a line if you are ever out in the KW area or want to come check out the brewery and we can grab beers.

B3 has been open for 4 years now, but i've only been there 1.5 yrs. Before that I did a 4 year stint at wellington, and magnotta before that. I've been brewing professionally since 2010.

Mostly focused on farmhouse ales, mixed fermentation, and barrel aging stuff.

My name is Matt, I'm the Marketing Manager at Nickel Brook. Started off as a lawyer, left law to sell beer with All or Nothing Brewhouse before switching to sales at Nickel Brook. Now I run the marketing department. Big supporter of craft, love sours and barrel-aged beers but never say no to a great IPA. Looking to eventually open my own but likely not in Ontario. Always looking for more tips on marketing/sales, and just to hear other challenges the rest of the industry is facing.

I'm Karen, Head Brewer at Lake Wilcox in Vaughan. Went school for science, then got a diploma to be a paramedic, and finally decided beer was what I was actually good at. I've been a real grown up brewer for a year now, but I've been working in the industry in some capacity for four.

Michael - owner, head brewer, guy who buys stuff @ Haliburton Highlands Brewing. Stop by if you are in the area or call if there's anything we help with.

Peter Collins here, brewer for Together We're Bitter Co-operative Brewery in Kitchener.

Have been with TWB for just over a year now but was head brewer at Grand River Brewing in Cambridge for 1.5 years before that and in various brewing roles there for around 8 years. Shift brewer, assistant brewer, cellarman, filtration, etc.

Excited for this forum for bringing together Ontario pro brewers and everything we bring to the industry. Great folks, great ideas, and great beer!

Sean Goddard here, Head brewer for Whitewater Brewing Co.

Been around for 4 years now. main brewhouse is in Cobden, ON with our pilot system in Forester Falls, ON. Running a 35hl system and making beer like a mad everyday lol. Been brewing commercially now for 2.5 years all as Head brewer here.

Excited to see where this forum goes!

Hey Gang!

Andy Vanderkaay. Co-Founder and Partner over at Oast House Brewers in Niagara On The Lake. oasthousebrewers.ca

Got into Craft Beer around 1996, and then worked in a Craft Beer bar back around 2002, in St. Catharines of all places.

Before we got the (Oast) wheels turning in 2011, I had worked in advertising.


Pretty happy that this forum is up and running, so here's me tipping my cap to you, Matt!

Pr'oast!

Hello all,

Name is Jeff Wilson, Brewer and Barrel manager at Wellington Brewery. Been in the industry for about 5 years now, learn most of my brewing from home brewing and reading books. I production brew for Welly but am also responsible for a lot of the more experimental One-off and small batch beers (Especially anything that is low ABV, Hoppy or Brett)

I feel like most people know about Wellington Brewery. We have been around for 32 years this September. Starting to make some changes now with new beers and our recent expansion.

Very stoked to have a forum like this for the Ontario industry!

Cheers all!

Hi all!

Avery Henderson here... Brewer at Sleeping Giant Brewing up in Thunder Bay. Went to school for geology and did that for 6 or so years, then when the market took a dive, I got into home brewing and eventually wound up working at Sleeping Giant not long after it opened (part-time storefront type of stuff). SGBC's been around for just over 5 years now, and after moving away for 2 years, I came back as an assistant brewer and eventually found my way to being a brewer...!

I'm relatively new to the industry and haven't had a ton of exposure yet, so I'm pretty stoked to be chatting with anyone who's willing to talk about.... well anything, really.


Avery

Hi Everyone!

I'm Scott. I own Old Dog Brewing Company Inc., which I'm in the process of building in Bobcaygeon.

Much like Matt, I worked in finance at one of the big banks for many years before I decided to follow my passion, which ever since high school was to have a little pub of my own. I left the bank to work as a front-of-house manager at Jack Astor's for a year to get back into the industry and learn as much as I could, all while brewing in my basement, which I had started to do a year or two earlier.  It was during this time that I started to really delve into the world of craft beer and craft breweries.  While the training there is phenomenal, working at Jack's helped me to realize that my dream didn't have to involve food and that I could focus on what I really loved.

It's been a bit of a whirlwind since December when I decided that I was all in.  I quickly pulled some investors together, bought a hundred year old limestone building in Bobcaygeon, which is going to be the tap-room and retail space, and am working on getting site plan approval to build an addition that will house the brewery.

I'm looking forward to getting to know some of you and am excited to see what this forum will develop into.  It's an exciting time to be a craft brewer in Ontario!

Hey all,

Pete Chasapis here, owner of Northern Canning. We're a mobile canning company that started up operation early this summer. It's been over a year in the making and it's an exciting time right now as we build and grow this thing!

My formal education is in business, and I used to own a restaurant that was sold in the summer of 2016. All my years in the service industry had me always intertwined with the craft beer industry and it's been awesome to watch it take shape, and even more awesome to be a part of it now. I also used to work for the Toronto Festival of Beer, have dabbled in homebrewing, taken the Prud'Homme courses and spent a lot of my time leading up to our launch working and training with Wild Goose, breweries packaging lines and other mobile canning companies in the USA.

Matt - thanks for putting this together, it's about time there was a resource like this catered exclusively to the Ontario industry and it's great to see people from all avenues of craft beer have a place to come together!

Cheers!

Hi all my name is Jeff Bunton. I am the owner of Concession Road Brewing Co. in Jarvis.
We are in the building phase of creating Haldimand County's first microbrewery. At the moment by day I am a Chemical Operator at a large chemical manufacturing facility, so I play with extremely large tanks and process equipment every day, but unfortunately I make industrial chemicals.

I love my job but am not passionate about the products we produce which led me down the path I am on today.

Like many others here I started with home-brewing and very quickly fell in love, going pro someday was my intent from the first all grain batch I ever made.

We should be opening within the next few months, and I look forward to getting out there in the industry and meeting all you fine folks.
Cheers

Hey everyone, my name is Kyle Holland, I am the head brewer at Smithavens Brewing Company in Peterborough, ON. I have been here about a year now, and am in charge of all things brewing, cellar, packaging (bottle conditioning specifically) and the odd time delivery man. Love what I do, love the idea of this forum. I'm sure I'll be meeting some or all of you in the future. Cheers.

Hi All,

I am Ethan Allured, currently serving as Head Brewer at Market Brewing Co. in Newmarket. We are quite new, only started brewing in January 2017. We don't have a "specialty" as of now, just brewing everything we can come up with and seeing what the response is. In my opinion our best beer to date is our Festbier lager.

I moved to Ontario for this position from Vancouver where I had been Head Brewer at Coal Harbour Brewing for 4.5years. I brewed at Turning Point Brewery before that. I am certainly not the most experienced brewer, but more than willing to share what I know where I can. If anyone finds themselves in Newmarket, please come by and say hi!

I'm Sean. I have a thing in Ottawa called Small Pony Barrel Works. I am putting beer into barrels, ruining the beer, and spending all the money doing so.
I'm excited to pester the other Sean (from Whitewater)
See you all at OCBC.

Took you long enough! And keep your infected beer to yourself! Well and your clients of course

Hey all,

Graduated NC in 2014 and have been working as a brewer ever since. Currently brewing for Old Flame in Port Perry where we specialise in German lagers. Looking forward to getting to know you all.

Cheers!

Hello,
My name is Ian Leis and I am currently putting Ward1BrewingCo. together. What was to be tiny proof of concept has blown up into a full on brewpub. Currently awaiting MTO and then construction can "officially" start. Worked in restaurants for over a decade then became an electrician. Currently still working as an electrician on nights while I get this baby going. Brewed with my father as a youngster and picked up home brewing a while ago. Been brewing seriously for the past 5 years and have had this vision for several years. It's amazing to see thing slowly coming together. Mostly learned though trial and error, lot's of reading and of course the Google, Forums, homebrew talk and homebrew comps.
Trying to put this brewery together for as inexpensive as possible. Will are a rural brewpub so we will need to brew a little something for everyone, but my heart is with ridiculous IPAs, wheats, Lagers and fun one-offs.
The brewing community is amazing and very helpful, a quick shout out to Jeff from Wellington and also Kevin from Block 3 for always helping to answer my questions. (Jeff even pointed me to this forum)
It is exciting to have an Ontario brewers forum, Thanks!!
I do have a pretty good knowledge of electrical and automation, I would be willing to help answer questions just may be a bit busy for the near future.

Ward1BrewingCo. wrote:Hello,
My name is Ian Leis and I am currently putting Ward1BrewingCo. together.  What was to be tiny proof of concept has blown up into a full on brewpub.  Currently awaiting MTO and then construction can "officially"  start.  Worked in restaurants for over a decade then became an electrician.  Currently still working as an electrician on nights while I get this baby going.  Brewed with my father as a youngster and picked up home brewing a while ago. Been brewing seriously for the past 5 years and have had this vision for several years.  It's amazing to see thing slowly coming together.  Mostly learned though trial and error, lot's of reading and of course the Google, Forums, homebrew talk and homebrew comps.
Trying to put this brewery together for as inexpensive as possible.  Will are a rural brewpub so we will need to brew a little something for everyone, but my heart is with ridiculous IPAs, wheats, Lagers and fun one-offs.  
The brewing community is amazing and very helpful, a quick shout out to Jeff from Wellington and also Kevin from Block 3 for always helping to answer my questions. (Jeff even pointed me to this forum)
It is exciting to have an Ontario brewers forum, Thanks!!
I do have a pretty good knowledge of electrical and automation, I would be willing to help answer questions just may be a bit busy for the near future.

Welcome aboard. This forum is still pretty new. And most of us are crazy busy brewing and running breweries. So it is pretty quite around here most days. Glad to see another person delving into the seen. Best of luck!