Two Niagara-on-the-Lake, one Lincoln brewery score four medals at inaugural Canada Beer Cup
Published October 28, 2022 at 9:35 am
A little more than a month ago, Insauga.com hit the barstool hard and tapped into a story about the TOP 5 NIAGARA CRAFT BREWERIES.
Written onto the best suds chalkboard were: 1) Counterpart Brewing in Niagara Falls, 2) Brimstone Brewing in Fort Erie, 3) Bench Brewing in Lincoln, 4) Oast House Brewing in Niagara-on-the-Lake and 5) Niagara College Teaching Brewery, also in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
In sober reflection, the one that faced the most scrutiny was the number 5 choice as its literally pitted amateur brewing students (albeit well-supervised young sudsters) against seasoned professionals.
It turns out nothing pipes down inebriated backseat boo-birds faster than a couple of medals.
Three Niagara Region craft breweries won medals at the inaugural Canada Beer Cup, a new competition created by world-renowned liquids connoisseur Stephen Beaumont, a Canadian who’s one of the world’s most authoritative voices on beer and the author or co-author of 15 books, as well as his impressive team of 45 international judges.
The first-ever round of medals took place virtually with awards streaming parties that happened live in breweries, bars and restaurants across Canada a couple of days ago.
Videos
Foaming over at the top of the winner’s circle with two gold medals was, yes, Niagara College Teaching Brewery, taking the top spot in “English Style Old Ale/Scottish Style Wee Heavy/Scotch Ale” category with their Beer 101 Strong Ale and again in the “Bock” category with Beer 101 Bock.
However, the teaching brewery wasn’t the only Niagara-on-the-Lake winner as The Exchange Brewery collected a bronze medal in the “Grisette/Farmhouse Ale” with their Homestead Farmhouse Ale.
On the other end of Niagara, Bench Brewing in Beamsville (Lincoln) also landed a silver in the “Canadian Style Beer” category with their Culp on Golden Plums, a plum sour aged for two years in a French Oak Foeder.
While the night was hopped up with winners, Toronto and Vancouver breweries (as expected given their sheer numbers) often found themselves in the medals.
Indeed, Vancouver’s Callister Brewing won itself with the Best-in-Show or rather the 2022 Canada Beer Cup Champion with their Wee Laird Wee Heavy Scottish Ale.
The Exchange Brewery collected a bronze medal in the “Grisette/Farmhouse Ale” with their Homestead Farmhouse Ale.
Bench Brewing in Beamsville landed a silver in the “Canadian Style Beer” category with their Culp on Golden Plums.