From local…
Sharing a pint and sitting at a high top table across from the bar, I asked Jason Kaptyn, owner of Northern Maverick Brewing Company, what he thought a ‘craft beer lifestyle’ might be. “Well, it precludes the consistent drinking of macro beer,” he began, “It has great charitable components, always aiming to support the local community.
“Craft beer drinking is something that’s really up to the individual and their preferences. One explores flavour, and intends to expand it. And I would say that this search for flavour occurs within a made-from-scratch landscape. True to a culinarian, we at Northern Maverick make ‘from scratch’ our mission, both with our beer and our food. A craft beer lifestyle is one that engages a ‘from scratch’ mentality, I would say.”
…to ‘from scratch’
Opening in September of 2017, Northern Maverick Brewing Company is located in the uber-trendy, chic King West area of downtown Toronto. And true to that area, the brewery and 450 person capacity restaurant is a large and gorgeous space.
Massive windows surround the west and north sides of the brewery, with the west side opening up to a large patio in the summer. Barrels are suspended above the dining area, reminding the guests of the beer-first establishment. Cozy booths line the middle of the space, separating the high tops tables and bar area from the low top dining area. A few televisions are scattered around, enough to keep an eye on the game, without sacrificing the modern decor by having too many of them on display.
A walk upstairs to the washrooms will reveal conditioning tanks near the top of the stairs and a 70 person capacity private room with its own bar for events and large group bookings. Like the King West area, this brewery knows how to shimmer and shine. (See the full Northern Maverick photo gallery here.)
King West…
True to craft beer lifestyle form, Northern Maverick has engaged their King West community since their doors opened a few years ago. When the Toronto International Film Fest, only a few blocks east of the brewery, screened the premier of The Disaster Artist the year Northern Maverick opened (in fact, almost in the same week they opened!), the brewery was called on to produce the official beer for the movie.
Black Toe Running is a running and sports apparel shop a stone’s throw south of Northern Maverick Brewing Company. As good neighbours do, the two locations quickly became friends, and then the idea of creating a collaboration beer to help build excitement for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon began a conversation that would result in the “Jogger Lager” – a refreshing beer, ready to be crushed after a solid run.
…and beyond
The team at Northern Maverick don’t stop within the confines of their ‘hood though. They have now an on-going relationship with the Society of Beer Drinking Ladies after last year’s collab brew, a chocolate mint stout. The beer was made with charity in mind: $1 of every bottle sold was donated to the Canadian Women’s Foundation. Certainly, I’m excited to see what the two teams come up with together for this summer’s collab brew.
Northern Maverick is now a major sponsor of the Toronto Wolfpack, the local rugby team. The brewery packs the house whenever the boys hit the field for screenings of the game – whether they’re at home or away. A signed jersey hangs framed on the wall in the brewery’s bottle shop.
Standing out
With a craft beer market that is growing at a pace none of us can keep up with (there’s now well over 300 breweries in Ontario alone), finding one’s niche in such a market can prove challenging. With their location, Northern Maverick’s vision is to marry food and drink with every decision they make. ‘From scratch’ is their ethos, and pairing beer with food is at the centre of every beer and food recipe.
The large space and full kitchen allow Northern Maverick to carve out their own place in the craft beer scene. It’s not just a spot for good beer; it’s a spot for good beer, great food, friendly service and a beautiful atmosphere. I enjoyed a brunch that not only featured a house-made, beer-infused sausage, but also hash browns like no other: small chunks of peameal bacon were added to the mix, which was rounded out by a mildly hot spice. My photographer, Kris, drooled over his juicy burger.
The people of Northern Maverick Brewing
Andrew Crowder, formerly a microbiologist, heads up the brewing team at Northern Maverick. He was brewing with Muskoka Brewery before Northern Maverick picked him up for their project. In the span of about a year and a half, Andrew has produced more than 160 delicious brews.
While Andrew was not around for my visit, I instead had a chat with Mitch Tuckett. Mitch is an assistant in the brewhouse, a retail associate and a Northern Maverick brand ambassador at events. He was not only very friendly, but we also knew each other: it’s always nice meeting Instagram pals in real life! Mitch goes by @craftbeertoronto, and has a solid wall of beers from all over – he knows his beer (give him a follow!).
And I mean he knows his beer. When I asked him about ‘craft beer lifestyle,’ he had this to say: “Craft beer is more than just beer. It is a willingness to branch out, experiment and try new things. It’s a fantastic creative outlet, allowing breweries to share their experiments with the public – with the potential to perhaps revolutionize a traditional style, or create a new one altogether.” Mitch is currently working towards becoming a beer sommelier, and, as far as I’m concerned, we should work together sometime soon…
The Northern Maverick
I had a much longer conversation with Jason Kaptyn, and I requested a Northern Maverick history lesson from him, which he more than happily obliged. Jason grew up in restaurants, working in his grandfather’s establishment by the age of 15. Heading to the University of Guelph only solidified Jason’s love of food and beer, with the university housing the Ontario Agricultural College and the city’s well-known brewery scene, anchored by Canada’s oldest independently owned microbrewery, Wellington Brewery.
Shortly after, at the age of 26, Jason began home-brewing beer, falling in love with the process and the endless possibilities of flavour that beer allows. His skill in the hospitality industry though was in management, having performed almost every possible role imaginable at his family’s restaurants. And while he spent time opening new restaurants and running them quite successfully throughout his 20’s and early 30’s, he longed for a place he could call his own.
Not wanting to wait too long, Jason got together the finances and basic concept, and began the Northern Maverick project. Enlisting Andrew as his brewer was a first big step, but so was finding the incredible space the brewery is now housed in.
What’s in a name?
What the team also needed though was a name, and the Northern Maverick brand has a great story behind its name and polar bear logo. Jason spent a lot of time working with and learning from his uncle, Ron Dysart, when Jason was growing up. Ron had a huge love of beer that rubbed off on Jason, as many things Ron did.
Ron was a writer, but he eventually got sick of the city life, and decided to move north, to Dorset. He wanted a bit of a retreat to nature – he wanted a bit a maverick life. The northern maverick of the brewery’s name is in fact Jason’s uncle, Ron Dysart. Ron has since passed away; but the brewery stands as homage to the bright light in Jason’s life that was his uncle Ron.
Indeed, Ron not only loved beer, but he also had a thing for polar bears. And, as Jason let me know, he was also a really fun character, so putting some sunglasses on the Northern Maverick polar bear was another way to honour Jason’s uncle and really complete the brand properly.
Ron liked to have fun – and so do I, so after my visit, Jason sent me off with three of Northern Maverick’s beers to have my usual fun with – pairing them.
Pairingwith… Northern Maverick Brewing Company’s “Hefeweizen”
The “Hefeweizen” is a staple at Northern Maverick Brewing Company, and won a gold medal at the Ontario Brewing Awards in 2018. It also makes for a wonderful pairing with this yellow “TO” hoody from Model Citizen in Kensington Market.
With a body a bit lighter than a typical hefeweizen, Northern Maverick’s own version hits the style well with its banana and bubblegum nose, mildly sweet wheat, yeast and clove flavours and a very subtle hop bitterness on the finish. It’s a refreshing beer, perfectly poised to welcome the summer sun.
Complementing this with a bright yellow hoody from Model Citizen not only speaks to the sunshine this beer provides a taste of, but also mirrors the polar bear branding on the bottle. Drinking in the sun or wearing this hoody, means sunglasses are also required – just ask the polar bear.
The trendy hoody, with its nod to Toronto, supplies the wearer with a cozy and bright look that is proud of where it comes from. Similarly, Northern Maverick’s own polar bear is a nod to the inspiration for the brewery and where it ultimately comes from. The northern maverick the brewery’s name refers to you is the owner’s own uncle who moved away from the city to live as a maverick in northern Ontario.
The brightness of the hoody prepares one for the summer, yet also keeps one warm during the colder evenings of the north. Drink the beer during the day in the sun; wear the hoody in the evening to provide a bit of sunshine and sun-warmth when the sun goes down.
In other words, regardless of where you pair these, the pairing brings out the sunshine.
Model Citizen
Model Citizen Toronto is a men’s fashion boutique in Kensington Market that works to elevate the men’s fashion experience. Owner and operator Julian Finkle acts as the shop’s curator, gathering stylish brands, typically from Canadian designers. He then also contributes his own designs to the Model Citizen line, which they silk screen right there in the shop. In fact, the hoody I wear in the pairing above literally came off the press moments before I put it on to wear (so yes: I got to watch it being made!).
The experience in the shop is one that plays out like your own personal fashion show. Julian takes his time to encourage you try on as many chic items as possible, offering his own, well-trained eye to help with any decisions. He offers a fun experience, identifying with his customers and the intent they have with their own fashion. Indeed, it’s not merely fashion here: Julian likes to build relationships.
Established first as a silk screening studio in 2004, the shop itself opened in 2006. For Julian, it was never going to simply be designing clothing items. He also wanted a space where those designs could find their proper wearers. From the designs through the space and staff at Model Citizen to the customers, the focus is on integrity across the board.
The swallow of the brand’s logo references flight and adventure – something Julian expects his clientele engage with if they are donning the fashion found at Model Citizen – yet, the swallow also reminds the wearer of where to return for items ripe for their next journey.
With designs that are fashion-forward, stylish and fun, Model Citizen is a shop where cool is found and made. This includes items that Julian has uncovered from secondhand stores, refurbished with a big breath of fresh, new life – one-of-a-kind, in other words.
To really extend the coolness factor of Model Citizen, they even offer monthly silk screening classes where one can learn how to bring their own designs to life, covering all silk screening mediums and materials. (To book your own session, call the shop at 416-553-6632).
With a mantra to step up the men’s fashion game, Model Citizen’s slogan not only expresses this aim, but also includes the sense of humour found in Model Citizen designs: “You deserve a better dressed boyfriend.”
Julian also let me know, and I was happy to hear, that “We also drink a lot of beer. You don’t have to say that though…” On a beer blog, Julian, that is something that, in fact, I must say. Damn: they drink beer too? How cool could this place really be?!
Pairingwith… Northern Maverick Brewing Company’s “Enforcer” IPA
The “Enforcer” is a juicy New England-style IPA offered year round from Northern Maverick Brewing Company. It is also a perfect pairing with these Wendel Clark socks from Major League Socks.
On the day the Stanley Cup Playoffs open, enjoying an Enforcer while rocking some Wendel Clark socks should provide a good omen – especially for the Leafs, who take on the Bruins in game 1 tomorrow night. A good omen that’s highlighted by the punchy grapefruit-forward flavour and subtle tropical notes of pineapple and citrus in the beer: a juicy Enforcer, sure to get you riled up.
Indeed, the 7% ABV is excellent fuel for taking over the play in the corners – and then getting that pass in the slot to rifle a bullet of a wrist shot into the top shelf, as Wendel knew so well how to do. The socks, while pure fun, are also enough to give an extra bounce of confidence in your step, ready to enforce your true character on the world. Follow in Wendel’s footsteps, in other words.
The hazy deep yellow-orange colour of the beer stands nicely in front of the bright Maple Leafs’ blue of the socks. The polar bear on the beer’s label dawns the same special blue colour. Complementing all of this is the no-nonsense Wendel face and the scratched up polar bear who maybe wearing sunglasses to cover a black eye. As Wendel would say, “You should see the other polar bear.”
Get out your jersey; pop the cap off an Enforcer; and be ready for round 1 – but don’t forget your lucking Major League Socks to ensure your team enforces its presence on the ice.
Major League Socks
Jake Mednick came up with a pun before his beer-league hockey game in 2015: “Babsocks,” like the Toronto Maple Leafs’ new head coach, Mike Babcock – socks with his face on them: “Babsocks!”
The joke was more than merely funny for Jake’s friend, Thomas McCole, a marketing student at the time. For Tom, this was a genius idea that had legs – or, rather, feet. Imagining the possibilities, Tom and Jake took their idea to a graphic designer, requesting a stylized image of Mike Babcock’s face. They then sent this to a manufacturer in China, and in a couple of weeks, 100 Babsocks arrived in the mail.
They haven’t looked back from there. The lineup has expanded dramatically over the subsequent years, now featuring more than simply Mike Babcock: Wendel Clark, Doug Gilmour, Bobby Clarke, Jean Beliveau – the list goes on to more than 30 different players and personalities from the history of hockey, and it continues to grow.
Partnering with the NHL Alumni Association to create the “Sockey Hall of Fame” allowed the Babsocks team to expand their vision. The original Babsocks company is now going by the moniker, “Major League Socks,” and they are sure to expand into other professional sports as well.
But the project initially took off only shortly after that first order of 100 Babsocks, when TSN broadcaster Jeff o’Neill tweeted a picture of the socks on his Twitter account. It was an instant success that even Mike Babcock got on board with.
In 2017, Babcock teamed up with the Tom and Jake, the Movember Foundation and the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) for a fundraiser to raise awareness of youth mental health issues: $5 from every Movember Babsock (a version featuring an over-sized, Lanny McDonald-esque moustache on Babcock, who, for his part, grew the ‘stache in support of the cause) went directly to the Movember Foundation.
Socks from Major League Socks can be found in many sports apparel stores in Toronto, the Arts Market on College St, on Amazon and on the Major League Socks website. The team also offers a monthly sock subscription for a new set delivered to your door every month.
Pairingwith… “Northern Maverick Brewing Company’s …
The “Handcrafted Lager” from Northern Maverick Brewing Company is a Vienna-style lager offered year round. It is also an apt pairing with this handcrafted leather keychain from A Word in the Woods.
The lager from Northern Maverick hits the Vienna style beautifully, with its deep amber colour, light body, almost creamy mouthfeel and slight hoppy finish. The malt-forward beer, with its subtle grass and tree fruit flavours matches the branding of the brewery with their nod to the outdoors of the ‘great white north.’
While navigating the outdoors, one of course cannot get by without a trusty Swiss Army knife, which hangs off my A Word in the Woods leather keychain. Attaching the keychain to the belt loops on my pants, makes for easy access, ready for outdoor survival – or ready, with the knife’s bottle opener function, to crack my next Vienna-style lager.
The handmade, Full Grain leather keychain is an item that will only improve its appearance with age and use, gaining additional character from life in the woods. The keychain is a balancing act of slick finish and rustic charm; hand-cut, sewn and constructed with precision. Similarly, the lager from Northern Maverick is the sort of beer that balances itself beautifully with sweet, grainy malts and a mild-bitter finish – so not merely “handcrafted,” but handcrafted with precision.
As we enter the time of year that provides a more inviting outdoor experience, this is a pairing we should get ready to exploit. Pack your camping gear; hook the keychain to your belt loops; pack a case of Handcrafted Lagers; and get your butt outdoors: it’s time to get your inner maverick out.
A Word in the Woods
A Word in the Woods is a leather goods brand from Toronto, and is a passion project for its founder, Mike Zimmermann. Mike had been working in the corporate digital industry for 20 years before he moved on to create A Word in the Woods in 2015.
An avid camper and canoeist, Mike began repairing his own leather goods for his nature trips about 10 years ago, restitching and improving the reliability of the items. After a few successful repairs, he decided to start designing his own items for personal use with the purpose of working well in both the city and the country. Before he knew it, family and friends were requesting their own versions of the items he designed.
Mike takes pains to ensure the quality of his leatherwork. Every item is stitched by Mike’s own hands, which he is happy to abuse for the purpose of creating top quality leather goods. Indeed, his “Full Grain” leather goods ensure the strength and character of the top grain of the leather – where the good stuff is found. So-called “Genuine Leather” (or the even lower quality “Bonded Leather”) does not have the lasting power of the Full Grain – they may look similar at first, but down the road will reveal the cheapness of the other qualities, as they begin to wear, pull apart or break at the seam. Mike’s Full Grain leather goods will outlast these, bar none.
Mike’s hands are his sewing machine, and this is not for some romantic vision of a bygone era he wishes to retreat to. No: the “lock stitch” a sewing machine will produce does not have the reliability of the “saddle stitch” hands can produce. The lock stitch unravels almost as soon as any thread is cut, whereas the saddle stitch utilizes two needles to double down on each stitch, and supply a much more secure bond. Mike abuses his hands because he insists on producing heirloom-quality products that possess both character and a durability that will see it have a much longer life.
Describing his passion, Mike says, “What I love most about my craft is that your personal needs and experiences shape each piece uniquely. Good leatherwork reveals its quality as it ages, and each handcrafted item becomes a blank canvas ready to tell your story.”
Crafting out of Mike’s workshop in the east end of Toronto, A Word in the Woods products can be found at the Arts Market in Riverside, the Blue Crow Gallery on Gerrard St. East, on the A Word in the Woods website, and at local pop-up shops and artisan markets in Toronto and the surrounding area (check the website for upcoming appearances).
See you next week when I’m Pairingwith… Kensington Brewing Company!!
Quick Links
- FULL NORTHERN MAVERICK BREWING COMPANY PHOTO GALLERY
- PAIRING OUTTAKES
- Northern Maverick Brewing Company WEBSITE
- Model Citizen
- Major League Socks
- A Word in the Woods
Leave a Reply