Cheers from Ontario, Canada!

[Gavgomad]

Hello everyone!

I've been registered for awhile, and a longtime lurker, so an introduction was LONG overdue, but I finally feel like I can write my "introductory" post since I have finally brewed my first batch - it's in secondary right now, but so far so good and I've been lucky to hit my numbers! Woohoo!!

My beer adventures started with the usual BMC stuff - well, the Canadian version of it anyway! . Everything changed when I tasted my first Belgian brew, and I got lost in the fridge of a local Belgian pub. I've come full circle now and I'm loving the vast number of wonderful microbreweries out there - unfortunately it's hard to get many of the American craft brews here, other than the odd Rogue or Anchor, but we are having a bit of a craft brew revolution in Ontario right now. I'm particularly enjoying discovering American style IPAs and APAs of late, and we have some stunning ones here right now!

I've been reading everything I could get my hands on, including this forum, for almost a year as I slowly pulled together my equipment. I have had some amazing luck along the way - a Schmidling Malt Mill barely used from a local thrift shop for $4.75, and a friend who was gifted a deluxe equipment kit from Brewers Best together with a Brewers Best American Pale Ale extract kit (Cascade and Citra hops) - my first brew - which he decided was better in my hands than his.

Anyways, thanks to everyone on this forum for all of the help you were unwittingly giving me along the way! I look forward to mixing it up a little, particularly as I start putting together the rest of my system - something close to jkarp's countertop brutus, but a tad bigger kettle so I can move up to 5 gal brews on reasonable OG beers.

Cheers everyone!

Gav

 

[MaxStout]

Welcome aboard! And it looks like your lurking has payed off and you're well on your way. Keep us posted on that first brew.

How close are you to the border? You could always make the occasional beer run to the U.S. side if there is some 'Murrican micro that tempts you. IIRC, you can bring in a case of beer, duty-free.

 

[Cyclman]

Welcome to the hobby, and the group, from CO

I was in Toronto last week, went to the Hop Bar, what an awesome place.

 

[Bear979]

There is a newer brewery that just opened up by where I live, it's called MacLean's Ale. I understand it is available at most lcbo's, but is certainly a craft brew worth hunting down. I enjoy their farmhouse blonde but have yet to try their pale ale.
As well in my area is the Neustadt brewery, which some brave souls drink 10w30 (it's not a clever name...) but their lager is at least worth trying!

That's about all I know of small craft brews in Ontario...sadly.

Cheers!

 

[unionrdr]

Welcome to the best site on the net for up to date home brewing info! I was up in Ontario (North London area) in the 90's & I couldn't believe how clean & safe that town was in the evening! Sadly, no micro brews at that time. There are a lot of great recipes on here for that which you seek. Nastarovyie!

 

[alliemackie]

Welcome fellow Ontarian! Glad to see you've been bitten by the brewing bug.

There's a TON of amazing craft brews in Ontario. Toronto and Ottawa boast the most, but a lot of that stuff is available across the board in LCBOs. I don't find myself longing for American craft beer when there's so much to enjoy here, and new craft breweries opening up constantly.

I'm not sure if you're close to Toronto or Ottawa, but both cities have pretty huge brewing communities. I'm a "mobster" (Members of Barleyment - MoB for short) in Ottawa and the brew community is a wealth of resources and information.

Enjoy your beer!