Lots Brewing in Northumberland

There's Lots Brewing in Northumberland

By Tim Johnson

You won’t lack for places to wet your whistle this winter. With four breweries and two cideries in the County, you can easily pick up six packs and more, or order them online. Open them up at home and try them with some steaming, hearty fare – the ideal antidote to any dark and stormy blues you may be feeling.

Here we feature two new spots, and also take note of a few old favourites: 

GANARASKA BREWING COMPANY 

Set in the bustling heart of Port Hope, you would need to stride just a few steps across some urban green space to dip your toes in the brewery’s namesake river. Just opened in the final weeks of 2021, the fresh beers at Ganaraska Brewing Company are certainly inspired by their surroundings. 

Grab a frosty pint from the long, wooden bar – a big canoe hovering above it – and sit in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows to sip a Hazy Rapids (a light, fruity, laid-back New England-style India Pale Ale (IPA)), or maybe a Raging Rapids (a hopped-up double-IPA), as you watch the placid flow of the sometimes-volatile Ganaraska River. Crazy Craft, an English-style ESB (or extra-special bitter), is also linked to the water. “We named it after the boats they sail on the river during Float Your Fanny Down the Ganny event,” says Steve Dines, who co-owns the brewery with his brother David. Steve's referencing a competition in the annual Port Hope festival where people build a boat out of pretty much anything – barrels, inner-tubes, picnic tables, even a wrestling ring, and race it for 10 kilometres. Both Steve and David lived and worked in Port Hope during their high school and university years. “We saw the potential here, it’s so picturesque, and we love the history and heritage of this community,” says David. “In every way, we decided to lean into local.”

Steve notes that the brewery, just across from the community’s iconic town hall, was a long time in the making, the lot purchased three years ago. They constructed a new, glass-walled, purpose-built structure with taproom open to the tanks and mash tun and other steely machinery of brewing. Their brewmaster, Alex Nichols, earned a master’s degree in brewing and distilling sciences in Scotland before collecting a wealth of experience across Ontario. In addition to founding the Elora Brewing Company, he worked with established brands like Cowbell and Fixed Gear Brewing. 

Even on a grey afternoon in December, Ganaraska Brewing hums with energy. Patrons chat around heaping skillets of lobster mac-and-cheese and big plates of Bangkok rump steak, prepared by Chef Z, an accomplished restaurateur who has a built-in following from Craft Food House in Cobourg. In regular times, the brewery plans to offer live music every Friday, and a rooftop patio, complete with up-top taco bar.

The beer still remains the soul of the operation. Servers bring flights of four beers in a (what else?) fish-shaped wooden holder for less than nine bucks. In addition to the refreshing Hazy Rapids, my tasting today includes Marquee, a light, dangerously drinkable pilsner made for the nearby Capitol Theatre, as well as Nickels and Dimes, a dunkel that’s dark and weighty enough to prove satisfying in this cold weather (without the heaviness of a stout). Then, there is also Highwire, named for famed tightrope walker The Great Farini who crossed the Ganaraska in 1859. It’s a blueberry sour that doesn’t make me pucker, the fruit providing a hint of sweetness with each sip.

Satisfied by my tasting, I head out. I run across the street and have a look down at the river. It's moving slow, but steady – ready to inspire even more Ganaraska brews in the future.

RICE LAKE HARD CIDER

After almost two decades spending summers on the shores of Rice Lake, co-owner Jana Crawford knew exactly how her ciders should taste. “The water is my jam,” she says. So, when she and partner Graham Smith started making hard ciders in July of 2020, they started selling the lake life, in all its lustre and shine, just packaged up in a can.

Ingredients that give a sense of place are important. Jana says, “I’m always thinking, ‘What can I get locally?’” She explains that ingredients in her ciders are sourced within the province, with the hops grown on the shores of Rice Lake, and the apples grown half-an-hour down the road.

Initially selling through a variety of farmer’s markets, including Rice Lake’s Golden Beach, Port Hope and Cobourg, they’ve now expanded to about 20 licensed outlets (a number that will soon grow to 50). They also vend their three varieties at their shop in Baltimore, and are scheduled to soon appear on grocery store shelves.

Each hard cider offers its own special twist. The straight-up Original Dry is light and lovely, tasting like it was made for drinking right on the dock. The Cranberry Dry is indeed slightly dry, meaning the fruit comes through, nice and fresh without being too sweet. And while I expected the Slo-Hopped Dry to sock me right in the mouth, it’s actually very chill. The hops just linger in the background and create a nicely-rounded, full-bodied beverage. All three prove to be perfect for feeling the lake life, even in the middle of the winter.

Here are four other craft spots that you can order from to taste the goodness of Northumberland:

CHURCH-KEY BREWING CO.

Operating out of a former Methodist church in Campbellford, this award-winning brewery is the original craft beer maker in Northumberland.  Church-Key's diverse beers will elevate your tasting experience –  ranging from the original light-medium bodied Northumberland Ale, Premium Lager or Pale Ale, to their Irish Red Ale, or the dark brown, earthy Holy Smoke Scotch Ale.

401 CIDER COMPANY

Located next door to the largest apple-shaped structure in the world, The Big Apple (four storeys high, located  in Colborne just off Highway 401) you'll find this cider house. Look here to order more than a dozen varieties of cider made with Ontario fruit, as well as caramel and honey-infused hard ciders.

NORTHUMBERLAND HILLS BREWING

Colourful labels and innovative brews are the trademark of this Cobourg brewery. Go online to order bottle or cans of P.S. I Luv You, Cold Springs Pale Ale, their Moonstone IPA or, perfect to finish the night at home, their Lights Out Stout.

WILLIAM STREET BEER CO.

While best-known for their Farmstand Lager, this Cobourg brewery invites you to pick up some cool alternatives, including a Munich-style amber lager (Bock von Krampus) as well as a popular Belgian-style strong ale with a hit of cranberries (Cranberry Saison). If you live in Northumberland, they’ll happily deliver to your front porch.

Check each website for COVID-19 safety guidelines and restrictions.