Brewer Jon Miller peers into a brewing tank as a batch of India Pale Ale transfers to another tank where it will ferment. Miller is one of two brewers at The 3 Brewers, a microbrewery restaurant at 240 Sparks St.
New microbreweries are opening up with a supply of festive fall drinks, just in time for Ottawa’s beer season.
Several local craft breweries are preparing for their first fall season, a time when they try new recipes, ranging from pumpkin ale to Oktoberfest lager.
“Craft brewing is the willingness to be adventurous, to experiment, and push the envelope in different respects,” says J.P. Fournier, founder of the National Capital Craft Beer Week and president of Turtle Island Brewing Co. Turtle Island is in its first year of production and is already striving to push the boundaries.
“We were a little concerned in the beginning, because the alcohol content in our beers was higher than normally expected,” says Fournier. This had to be done in order to achieve a specific flavour, but ultimately, it was well received, he says.
In keeping creative with the season, Turtle Island has brewed a pumpkin porter. “I wanted to emulate the different parts of a pumpkin pie,” says Fournier. Spices used to bake pumpkin pie are added to the ingredients, along with butternut squash, which Fournier says gives the beer a richer taste.
Fall is a good season for beer. With the inclusion of Thanksgiving and Oktoberfest, warm and spicy flavours are introduced to fit with the festive nature of the season, says Fournier. It’s an opportunity to introduce people to new tastes and new styles, he says.
During the summer, Fournier organizes the National Capital Craft Beer Week. The festival is for microbreweries only, and allows visitors to experience and taste craft beer, he says. The Ottawa microbrewery scene is growing, he adds, as new breweries are coming to the festival every year, including prospective local brewers, who are just starting out.
Sir John A Pub on Elgin Street had a supply of Turtle Island’s Dark Honey Brown ale back in the summer, which was well received, says bar manager Glenn Schweyer. These new craft beers are making their presence known in Centretown. A lot of people we get have a taste for craft beer, “so we sell a lot of it,” says Schweyer.
The 3 Brewers, a restaurant and brewery, is making its fall debut at its 240 Sparks St. location. In celebration of the season, the restaurant will be introducing an Oktoberfest menu, with beer pairings for traditional German dishes.
Munich and pumpkin ales are going to sell well this fall, because their spiciness will go well with the dishes, says Jon Miller, one of the brewers. Chris Maxfield, another brewer, adds that there is a lot of German history in Ontario and the fall weather seems to bring out the desire to drink beer in many people.
Maxfield says that he enjoys creating craft beer, because it is not a laboratory process, unlike mainstream, mass-produced beer.
“You’re going to use a lot more ingredients; more malts, different spices, but it’s going to be more natural,” says Maxfield.
“Craft brewing is not as consistent as mainstream beers, but has more style and personality, and allows you to actually get your hands in the dough. Local is better, and fresh is better, and that’s what craft breweries are all about.”