From travelling and exploring…
After pulling him away from sharpening his chainsaw (ok, I ain’t in Kansas anymore, Ma…) and taking a seat at a high-top table surrounded by fermentors, kettles, and mash tuns, I asked Blair Hagman, co-owner and head brewer at Manitoulin Brewing Co., what he thought a ‘craft beer lifestyle’ might be.
“I think, as a consumer, a craft beer lifestyle is about travelling and exploring craft breweries in the region. It’s about supporting the different breweries and trying the products and flavours they produce, and then engaging them and becoming a part of craft beer culture.”
“As the producer, it’s all about focusing on your local region and supporting local producers by purchasing local ingredients to incorporate in your recipes, collaborating with local businesses on community projects and events, and producing beers that celebrate the region, culture, and people.”
…to celebrating the region, culture, and people.
Opening in the summer of 2015, Manitoulin Brewing Co. has engrained itself in the local community by doing exactly what Blair says craft beer producers should be doing: celebrating the local region, culture, and people. Take a look at any of their branding, and you’ll find nods to the most recognized sights on Manitoulin Island, all designed by local artists (originally Frank Chartrand from nearby Sudbury, and now Kendra Edwards, a local Manitoulin Island resident).
Manitoulin Brewing Co.’s philosophy is one that wisely puts their local community ahead of all others. They work to brew beers relevant to residents of Manitoulin Island as their first priority – the local population, of course, need to be the ones who enjoy their beer most. As the thinking goes, there’s little reason to produce some new-age, red wine barrel-aged Flanders red for a community who is looking for a more approachable brew (is that beer even a thing?!).
“That crap tastes like…”
To be sure, I had a brief conversation with a local biker who had showed up prior to the brewery opening, looking for some suds for his Saturday afternoon. After inspecting the offerings, he suddenly blurted out, “No way I’m having a pineapple sour! That crap tastes like you’re licking an *******!!”
Well I’d have to disagree with my new biker friend, and I was thrilled to see Manitoulin Brewing Co. producing such a style – but then again, what does my opinion really matter in this equation? The biker will be back for more IPAs and blondes tomorrow – I’ll be on the MS Chi-Cheemaun heading off into the horizon…
But yet, Manitoulin Brewing Co. did produce that pineapple sour. It’s clear that Blair likes to have some fun with small, one-off batches like this one, and my biker friend did admit that while he hates sours, he had a niece who dies for that sort of stuff. So while their staple offerings are likely to be of more traditional and approachable styles, their Small Batch Series of one-offs allows the brewery to try different concoctions and supply local residents inclined to experiment with more unique brews.
Moving backwards is smart and fun
Knowing how the seasons work on Manitoulin Island means that Blair is gearing up to move back into his garage where his original home-brewing system resides. Winter brings a slowdown for Manitoulin Brewing Co., especially on the island. Focus turns from their busy summer patio to off-island, provincial sales, and Blair scales back production, knowing full-well how challenging it will be to move larger volumes of product.
But this is exciting for him. It’s like retreating to some romantic era where life was simple, and all we needed to do was catch dinner, make a fire, and do some landscaping during the day. It’s exciting to go back to working on a smaller system where experimentation can scale up without as much of a risk of wasting resources. He’s excited to have some fun in his garage throughout the winter, in other words.
A large garage and a silo
The brewery itself is almost like a large garage – albeit, with a sizeable bottle shop in the front, and a large patio with a full service bar attached to its side. Located on the way into Little Current, the brewery is really a small oasis for craft beer lovers, especially in the summer when the patio is open.
The patio is beautiful, with long low-top tables, an off-white stone chip floor. A very trendy, old grain silo purchased from a local farmer that has been repurposed into a bar serves an array of the brewery’s beers, along with cocktails and local cider throughout the summer. The patio becomes full, not only with locals, but also with flocks of tourists who populate the island and brewery during warmer temperatures.
A food truck buttresses the patio on the other side from the brewery. Rumour has it that when the food truck is in operations, it’s one the busiest lunch spots in Little Current. Inside the brewery is more about the production of beer, with a decent-sized bottle shop and merchandise room. The merch sells well, I was told, and that must be because of how the community feels about their local brewery: they’re proud to have it here, and I would be too.
(Click here for the Manitoulin Brewing Co. photo gallery.)
Manitoulin Brewing Co. and their community
The community is proud of their local brewery, and while I am sure they are fans of the beer, I suspect that they are more proud of how Manitoulin Brewing Co. engages their community. Blair doesn’t simply talk – he also likes to walk – well, he may even be the sort that prefers to run.
As frequently as he can, he is incorporating local ingredients into his recipes. Their “Porter of Prov” (named after a local beach) uses dark chocolate sourced directly from Manitoulin Chocolate Works in nearby Kegawong. A forthcoming grape-beer sour was brewed using grapes, hand-picked by the Manitoulin Brewing Co. team at the local Angry Antlers Vineyard.
For their launch of their “Haw Eater” lager (haw berries were a necessity for pioneers of the region, and residents have now adopted the moniker, “Haw Eater”), the brewery hosted a local (and epic) canoe race with 600 people showing up for the event. Last year, the brewery hosted more than 200 cyclists from the Manitoulin Island Cycling Advocates group, throwing a party at the brewery, which raised over $1500 for the group.
Manitoulin Brewing Co. understands that the community’s success is their success. Growing together is the philosophy, and it appears to be heading in exactly the right direction.
The people of Manitoulin Brewing Co.
Upon arrival I was met by John Kift. John is a sales rep and brand ambassador for Manitoulin Brewing Co., and a local resident who grew up here. I knew John from before this trip: him and I worked together when John was living in Toronto, so it was an excellent reunion to get to spend a weekend together.
John presented us with a paradigm of the local resident. He was incredibly accommodating to us, taking us around the island on the Saturday and proudly showing us the amazing sights this island has to offer.
He continually interspersed personal details of his upbringing: “I used to hang out all day in that garage, it was in there where I first watch Apocalypse Now… This is where I tried my first beer… This is one of the houses my father built on the island… This is where I lost my -” Eventually, you need to stop John (seriously: I’ve sadly, because he’s hilarious, censored everything he had to say here), but the key to this is how attached he is to this island, how much of his character is a result of the place he calls home. It’s one big reason why he felt a need to move back here from Toronto.
I imagine many of the local residents feel exactly how John does about Manitoulin Island, and after briefly experiencing it myself, I cannot blame any of them. This attachment to the local is also exactly how Manitoulin Brewing Co. operates their strategy.
Gettin’ it done
While I spend quite some time hanging out with John, I had a more engaged conversation with Blair about Manitoulin Brewing Co. and their history.
That history really begins with Blair’s travels. Blair was a teacher and principal over the span of about 15 years, and this included teaching gigs in the North West Territories and New Zealand. Teaching away from Manitoulin Island gave Blair an inclination for more travel (often making Belgium a preferred destination), and a renewed appreciation for Manitoulin Island. Travelling to places like Belgium, of course, will eventually spark a serious interest in beer.
In noticing the growth of the craft beer movement in North America, Blair recognized Manitoulin Island as a “cool place for a brewery.” When you travel like I did to get there, it’s clear Blair’s hunch was more than correct: this is a sick spot for a brewery.
Blair connected with Mark Lewis from The Collingwood Brewery, and started working at Niagara College: after a few years, both avenues provided Blair with the knowledge and insight necessary to purchase his own home-brewing system and start making his own beer.
As they say, “The rest is history” – and thank the lord for that: on an island this gorgeous in October, I was dying to get out there to pair some Manitoulin Brewing Co. beers. And, thankfully, Blair was happy to hook me up with some.
Pairingwith… Manitoulin Brewing Co.’s “Swing Bridge” Blonde
The “Swing Bridge” blonde ale from Manitoulin Brewing Co. is named after the swing bridge on the island, just outside of Little Current. It’s a clear pairing with that bridge (and I love it when breweries do my work for me!)
Made for the local community, the Swing Bridge blonde offers an excellent gateway brew for those unfamiliar with the craft beer scene. Pouring a bright gold, a decent waft of grain and muted citrus greats the nose. The taste is clean and crisp, with malty sweetness leading the charge, and a very subtle bitterness revealing itself upon the finish. Easy, comfortable, and refreshing.
Every hour, the swing bridge swings, making way for passing ships, including the sailboat crossing in this photo. Waiting for the slow turn of the bridge to open up more light from behind it as boats circle for this to complete is like sipping on this blonde ale in the sun: calming, relaxing, rejuvenating, and enjoyable.
Crack your can of Swing Bridge; kick your feet up on the water; enjoy the landscape and the swing, as your mood swings directly into happy: You’re on Island Time Now.
The Little Current Swing Bridge
106 years old is the Little Current Swing Bridge on Manitoulin Island. It serves to bridge the largest fresh water island in the world (Manitoulin Island) to Goat Island, and the mainland beyond it.
Operating for the majority of the year (closed once the water is freezing, and opened only when the water is thawed), it typically swings on the hour throughout the day time.
Built between 1912 and 1913 by the Algoma Eastern Railway, the Little Current Swing Bridge was eventually leased to the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1930. Until 1946 it was strictly a bridge for trains, kept open for boats until a train was approaching to pass. In 1946, it was opened to vehicle traffic, reversing the operation, leaving it closed until boats approached. During the winter, when the MS Chi-Cheemaun ferry is out of operation, the bridge is the only link to Manitoulin Island.
Today, the bridge is about to see the end of its days in service, as the Ministry of Transportation is in the midst of plans to replace the bridge. Residents of Little Current and Manitoulin Island have been engaged as to whether a new bridge or a tunnel will be built in the Swing Bridge’s stead, with final plans due at the end of 2020.
Nonetheless, the Little Current Swing Bridge has been designated an Ontario Heritage site, destined to remain as a reminder of the history of the community of Little Current and life on Manitoulin Island.
Pairingwith… Manitoulin Brewing Co.’s “Cup & Saucer” English Ale
The “Cup & Saucer” English ale from Manitoulin Brewing Co. is a year round offering from the brewery named after the Cup & Saucer hiking trail. The hike itself culminates in this incredible view – and, with the beer, an obvious pairing.
Pouring a delicious crimson-brown with a wonderful, fluffy head, this English ale lives up to the style and then some. A subtle, malty aroma arises from the glass. Notes of caramel, minerals, toasted grain, and a touch of stone fruit mix with a mild bitterness to produce an incredibly well-balanced brew. Smooth, with little carbonation, the beer is easy and ready for almost any situation.
But the best situation to find yourself in while drinking this beer is to be at the top of the Cup & Saucer Trail, looking out into a world below of colour and fluffy trees that are reminiscent of the head retention in this brew – and its off-whiteness. October is really the perfect time of year for this amazing view, with all the colours of autumn speaking loudly across the horizon. Sipping on the English ale only makes the experience of natural calm all the more calming.
Grab your hiking boots; spend the 45 minute hike upwards; and then crack your can of Cup & Saucer from Manitoulin Brewing Co. and take in the world around you: this one is meant to be enjoyed in the sky.
The Cup & Saucer Trail
The Cup & Saucer Trail is a hiking trail on Manitoulin Island that takes about 45 minutes to hike, one-way. A constant rumble across a rocky path that continues as a slow incline the entire journey brings a touch of excitement to the experience.
Slight glimpses of an incredible view are peaked at through the trees periodically throughout the hike, as if to tease you and encourage you to hike faster. Eventually, after about 45 minutes, you come upon a sudden opening to a view that cannot properly be captured by words or a camera.
About 230 feet high in the air is where your view materializes from. October may be the best time of year for this view, as the colours of the autumn landscape heighten the view to near divine-like images.
Part of the Niagra Escarpment, the Cup & Saucer Trail is more than 2 kilometers long, and features 12 kilometers of hiking trails (the 45 minute estimate is going along the most direct trail). The name of the trail is derived from the shape of the rock formations, with a cup-like looking rock formation perched on top of a saucer-like formation below. The Silurian deposits are somewhere around 400 million years old.
While the hike itself is very enjoyable, the view from above is where you want to be: incredible, gorgeous, wonderful, awe-inspiring, sublime, and beyond selfie-worthy. Don’t miss it.
Pairingwith… Manitoulin Brewing Co.’s “Bridal Veil” Pale Ale
The “Bridal Veil” pale ale from Manitoulin Brewing Co. is a flagship beer of the brewery, available year round. Like many of the brewery’s brands, this one is named after another incredible sight on the island, the Bridal Veil Falls. And what a place for a pairing that is!
A cloudy, golden-amber colour is capped nicely by a decent head that dissipates at a reasonable rate. A faint aroma of citrus, floral, and caramel malts meets one’s nose. The taste is similar, with a good hop-to-malt balance. The backbone is caramel, but subtle flavours of orange zest, lemon, and grapefruit reveal themselves in the middle, and then is completed by a more floral, bitter finish. Light-bodied, and moderately carbonated.
Sitting by the base of the Bridal Veil Falls while enjoying this pale ale is a match made for all craft beer lovers – and all lovers of the beauty of nature. The Falls are certainly the feature, and a walk behind them allows for a whole new way to experience a waterfall. The slight mist of the falls while hanging out behind them is purely complementary to a refreshing gulp of this beer.
Take the walk down to the base of the Bridal Veil Falls, get out your can of the Bridal Veil pale ale; pour it in a glass, and sit back and enjoy the soothing sounds of the falls as the liquid soothes your throat: this is the way to make a splash without needing to take a dive yourself.
The Bridal Veil Falls
The Bridal Veil Falls on Manitoulin Island is an amazing sight to witness. Flowing from the Kagawong River into Lake Huron, the falls are approximately 35 feet tall. Take a walk down a steep set of stairs to the base of the falls, and find yourself cruising in behind them, as if you’ve just entered some superhero’s layer.
Various observation platforms are scattered upon the staircase down, allowing for various views from numerous different heights, and the ease of finding your perfect photograph. A number of picnic tables are also scattered around the site, available for a lunch with a stunning backdrop.
Large salmon can be found in the Kagawong River, and swimming at the base of the falls is certainly a treat worth diving into (although it isn’t deep enough to dive, so don’t try it!). Continue the journey by hiking the trail that begins at the Bridal Veil Falls, and features additional, smaller falls along the trail that follows the river to Mudge Bay on Lake Huron.
The Bridal Veil Falls are a must-see for any visitor on the island, and an excellent date spot for anyone living there. Bring the camera with a full charge, or you may regret having to leave incredible images behind.
Quick Links
- FULL MANITOULIN BREWING CO. PHOTO GALLERY
- PAIRING OUTTAKES
- Manitoulin Brewing Co.’s WEBSITE
- Manitoulin Island tourism
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