For folks who were around in the time not so long ago when your beer selection was limited to those brewed by Molson, Labatt, O'Keefe, and perhaps a couple of imports, the several dozen craft breweries and brewpubs currently active in Ontario seems like a whole lot. But that number is a far cry from the more than 300 local breweries that were around in the late 19th century, years before prohibition, brewery consolidation and changing consumer tastes virtually wiped out the industry.
While it's unlikely that we'll ever see so many small breweries in this province again, it's hard to deny that Ontario's craft brewing scene is more vibrant today than it's been in close to a century, and more small breweries than ever are looking back to the traditional beer styles of many years ago for inspiration when creating their new brews (albeit usually with a modern twist or two).
It's this connection between old and new that was being celebrated this past weekend up at Black Creek Pioneer Village, where they presented their first annual Black Creek Brews Fest. Held on the quaint Town Hall Green in the heart of the Village, the event felt more like an old tyme country fair than a beer festival. Families gathered at tables around the Green to enjoy the sunny weather (well, on Sunday, at least), eat ribs and chicken and roasted corn, listen to the sounds of various roots and folk bands who were playing in the pavilion, and - for those old enough to do so - taste beer from a few of Ontario's best craft brewers.
Serious beer-hunters might've been a bit disappointed by the selection, as there were only five breweries - plus a cidery - on hand, but most people didn't seem to mind. For $8 for 4 samples, or $6 for a full beer, you were able to enjoy the beers of Church-Key Brewing (with owner and brewmaster John Graham in attendance in full pioneer garb), Steam Whistle, Great Lakes Brewery, Robert Simpson Brewing and Black Oak Brewery, as well as Pine Farms Apple Cyder. Booths were also set up by a local group of breweriana collectors and Canadian Home Brewing, a local online retailer of supplies and equipment for home brewers.
In the Town Hall, various presentations and workshops took place over the course of the two days, including several short talks by culinary historian Dorothy Duncan on topics such as the important place that beer took on the table of the early settlers. Just off the Green, the Village's resident beer history expert Sean Stoughton curated a small display on the early history of brewing in the area, while Oliver Dawson from the Beer Lovers Tour Company presented a couple of tutored beer tasting sessions. And on the non-beer front, several artisans and vendors were in attendance selling jewellery, teas, preserves and other crafts.
For a first crack at a craft beer festival, I'd have to say that the Black Creek Brews Fest was a qualified success. It certainly had the atmosphere and spirit down pat, but if they hope to have it thrive as an annual event, more breweries will need to be added to the line-up. Thankfully, the event representatives that I spoke to told me that they're already planning to do so for next year. They also hope to bring in a number of local food producers and suppliers, and perhaps a couple of wineries to add a bit of variety, although beer will still remain the primary focus. As someone who sorely misses the short-lived St. Lawrence Craft Beer Festival, I'm hoping they succeed in keeping the Brews Fest going as a laid-back, family-friendly and macrobrew-free beer festival for many years to come.
