A Note from the Chris’
Brewed by Friends
March was another month of firsts and by no means are they becoming less exciting for us (and hopefully you guys too!).
We were finally able to get the Whistling Paddler and Midnight Stout into cans and just as exciting, it happened on-site at the Lakeside Brewery.
Canning these two beers was a long time coming. Over a year ago, we created the Canpaign which was designed to help us fund the large minimum orders of empty cans (128,000 per brand). We expected our new facility to be up and running in summer 2016 and therefore be canning shortly after. Sadly, due to delays in construction, and of course building a highway turning lane, that unfortunately was not to happen.
Luckily, our supporters are so fantastic that they still pre-purchased cases of beer and tickets to the launch parties and finally in March, everything fell into place to brew the beer. This wasn’t without its own challenges. Our head brewer Sean Goddard has worked incredibly hard to create recipes that will get as close to the original flavour profile as possible. We’ll certainly continue to tweak the recipes for the next couple of brews until we’re completely happy and of course, due to the new fancy system, we can expect a “cleaner” taste.
Our good friends at Big Rig 
Brewery came to the rescue on Midnight Stout brew day where we found ourselves having been shorted by 6 bags of chocolate grain which is obviously a key ingredient to the milky chocolatey goodness. Without the blink of an eye, they’d offered to lend us the grain so that our brew day could go ahead and the beer wouldn’t have been wasted. We thank them sincerely.
Speaking of our ingredients, the Lapuline hop farm on Allumettes Island continue to grow a wide variety of the highest quality hops and we’re extremely excited to be pouring in buckets of these wonderfully smelling hops. It’s great to see you guys grow in this crazy time with us and thank you for all your support.
Now we don’t actually have our own canning line, yet……. We are using a great team of guys from a company called Session Craft Canning. They drive to us, unload a canning line, hook up to our fermenter of choice and get rolling. Within 8 hours we can empty one of our 7000L fermenters and we’re proud to say that we’re now brewing and canning all four of our original beers at the lakeside location in Cobden.
And there we have it, all of this and the hard work from many other staff and friends of the brewery have resulted in the launch of both Whistling Paddler and Midnight Stout in cans. Currently just available in our retail stores and a select number of bars and restaurants, however we hope to get these into the LCBO, Grocery Stores and The Beer Store in the near future.
We hope you enjoy!
Chris Thompson and Chris Thompson.
Brewery News
Riverside Opening Soon
Despite the cooler weather, Summer is on its way, which means the Riverside Brew Pub will be opening soon for the season. While we may have moved up to the big leagues in Cobden, we are still sticking to our roots by the river. Be prepared for some new menu items mixed with some old favourites. Opening date is Victoria Day weekend.
Tours & Tastings
Coming soon to a brewery near you! We will soon be offering tours and/or tastings in Cobden at the Lakeside Brewery. Tours will be scheduled throughout the week and offer 30 minutes of beer learnin’ fun. Stay tuned for prices and schedule.
Beer 101
Time for a Drink
By Head Brewer Sean
In our last two issues we talked about the different types of glassware for each of our four original beers, and how those beers should be poured. In this issue, we will be taking the next step in turning our readers into real “Beer Snobs”. If you want to get the most out of that pint, there are a few steps you can take to drink that beer like a real BJCP* judge.
Once that favourite beer of yours has been poured into its best suited glass, its time for a drink. Or is it? When you really want to get all of those flavours and aromas out of the beer you should be sure to have a clean palate before your first sip. Have a glass of water to wash down the taste of those fish tacos you just ate, or if you have some laying around, a cracker or slice of French bread will help to neutralize any lingering flavours. Once your lunch has been washed down, rest your nose on the edge of the glass, and leaving your mouth open, take a few strong whiffs. The aroma you get will affect the sip you can now take. Swish the beer around in your mouth being sure to coat your tongue and teeth. Swallow and take another whiff. Upon your second sip you should be able to access all the aromas and flavours that beer has to offer. You can repeat this process until you feel like a proper snob and then when your ready, drink that pint at your leisure.
It is noteworthy to mention that if you want even more complex flavours to show themselves, let that beer warm up a bit while you drink it. Don’t throw it in the microwave or boil it on the stove but let it sit and come up to about 10 degrees. You’ll be surprised how the malts and esters** can develop, particularly in ales, as the temperature changes.
What the #@&% does that mean?!
BCJP
The “Beer Judge Certification Program” allows those who complete it to evaluate beers, meads, and ciders based on a structured and standardized process. It promotes general knowledge and appreciation and gives feedback and recognition to those beers, meads, and ciders that truly impress the judges.
Esters
During the fermentation process a fruity flavour and/or aroma can be produced. Some esters may come across as bananas, roses, pears or other light fruit. The “esterification” of ethanol, which is the primary alcohol in beer, can sometimes even produce a solvent-like flavour depending on the concentration.
Cooking with Beer
Stout Jerk Chicken
Best Paired with Midnight Stout
Ingredients
1/2 cup Midnight Stout
3 Scotch Bonnet or Habanero Peppers
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp chopped scallions
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp dry mustard powder
1 tbsp Chinese five spice
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp Kosher or sea salt
3 lbs chicken wings, thighs, legs, bone in, skin on
Method
Add all ingredients except chicken to blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Put some marinade aside in a sealed container to use as a dipping sauce later.
Add the chicken to a large resalable plastic bag (use two if necessary). Pour the sauce over the chicken. Close the bag, removing as much air as possible. Refrigerate over night and up to two days, rotating the bag on occasion.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
Grill the chicken, turning occasionally until cooked through (about 20 minutes). Move to upper rack of the grill to finish cooking once the exterior is as dark as you prefer it.
Serve with the marinade you saved (that didn’t touch raw chicken) and the side of your choice
Events
Adventure Ottawa
April 1 & 2
Everything outdoors and adventure can be found here, including the best beer to follow that adventure. WBC will be pouring samples as you wander around this show hosted by not one, but two outdoor magazines. Get your tickets here.
Backyard Living Expo
April 21, 22 & 23
Proud to be one of the few breweries that will be pouring samples at this show. Just in time to get ready for Summer, this expo showcases everything you need/want for your backyard. Get your tickets here.
Niagara Food & Wine Expo
April 21, 22 & 23
We will not only be pouring samples but have paired our beer with a local chef’s cuisine to create some delicious pairings. Beer tasting seminar on Saturday at 7:30. Get your tickets here.
Roast Dinner
Every Sunday
Your choice of roast pork, roast beef, or roast chicken with potatoes and vegetables the way Mama used to make ’em. Let our Whitewater family cook for your family. Minimum 4 people with 5 days notice. Served family style for $10 per person. Call 613-646-0101 for reservations.
Pub Quiz Night
Every Monday
Feeling competitive? What better way to get it out of your system than a good old fashioned Pub Quiz. Starts at 7pm every Monday but be sure to make a reservation to guarantee a spot for you and your team. Call 613-646-0101 for reservations.
Questions from Friends
Steve asked:
I bought some Straight Outta Cobden on Sunday – very tasty. Do you have the ABV and IBU for that beer? Do you have a description of it yet?
We answered:
Hey Steve. Thanks for the compliment. We think its pretty tasty too. The ABV is 4.5% and the IBU is 50. We like to describe it as a West Coast Red Ale with notes of caramel malt and piney citrus hops. Cheers.
Meagan asked:
Is it true that the water for your beer comes straight out of the river?
We answered:
Hey Meagan. While we sometimes joke about it, no, the water we make our beer with isn’t pumped directly from the Ottawa River. That water has been contaminated with raft guides who use it as their bath tub. We do however use well water at our Riverside location and town water at our Lakeside location. Both are filtered and treated so the beer tastes the same no matter where it is made. Cheers.
Clinton asked:
How do you come up with your beer recipes? Who creates them?
We answered:
Hey Clinton. In the very beginning the recipes were created by Chris, Chris, and James. Today they still have a lot of say in how a beer should taste and what it should be made with but the beer chef with the big book of secret beer recipes is our head brewer Sean. He often collaborates with our other in house brewers Jeff, Eric, and Josh to create our seasonal brews. Our recipes start with an idea and after many small test batches we make the right adjustments to brew the best beer we can that stands apart from the rest. Cheers.
We want to answer your questions about anything from the beer, the brewery, the boys or whatever else is on your mind. Due to the high volume of questions though, we won’t be able to post every one, but keep your eyes peeled in case yours makes it to the front page.
*Questions from Friends is for general questions in the areas listed above. For personal inquiries please use thebreweryboys@whitewaterbeer.ca