Patio season is approaching, Saint Patrick’s Day is almost nigh, and in anticipation, we’ve decided today’s the day to provide you with a much-needed update to the brewing and distilling scene here in Northeastern Ontario.
With newcomers opening their doors in Sudbury and Timmins, and already-established facilities expanding their lines and increasing production capacity, it’s a great time to explore new flavours in the Northeast!
Full Beard Brewing
219 Wilson Avenue, Timmins
No longer the new kids on the block for the Timmins, Ontario brewing scene, Full Beard Brewing opened shop in downtown Timmins in 2017. As consumers have come to expect, Full Beard Brewing welcomes visitors into their facility for tastings, a retail experience, and private events in a beautiful space. You’ll immediately get a sense of “old meets new” when perusing Full Beard’s selection of brews, with names like the Bearded Prospector, On the Banks of the Mattagami, and Drop Bear leaping off the page.
Stack Brewing
1350 Kelly Lake Road, Sudbury
There’s a good chance that you’ve already heard of the award-winning Stack Brewery, with its locally inspired branding and impressive range of selections. Staple brews such as Saturday Night, Shattercone, La Cloche, and Stack ’72 are available through taps in Sudbury restaurants (and beyond), and are available for purchase in Ontario liquor stores. With 17 beers currently listed on their website, Stack boasts something for everyone.
Crosscut Distillery
1347 Kelly Lake Road, Sudbury
This addition to the Sudbury craft scene is so new, their doors aren’t even open yet. Visitors in search of unique spirit combinations crafted with love and local ingredients can look forward to small batch pours of rye, vodka, and gin coming in spring of 2018. Visit their distillery on Kelly Lake Road, grab a seat at the copper-top bar for samples, and discover unique cocktail creations made in-house. Maybe the best part for visitors? It’s located right across the street from another Sudbury favourite, Stack Brewing.
Split Rail Brewing Co.
31 Water Street, Gore Bay
The Split Rail Brewing Co. on Manitoulin Island is over five years young! One of the (many) appeals of this local craft brewery is its deck with views of Gore Bay, where you can enjoy a glass of Copper Lager, Hawberry Ale, or LoonSongOats Stout and a slice of pizza during the summer months. When visiting their tasting room in the winter months, plan accordingly as their retail store and tasting room is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday (and every day in the summer). Alternatively, ask for their taps in eateries on Manitoulin Island, as well as in Sudbury, Espanola, and Whitefish Falls.
Manitoulin Brewing Co.
43 Manitowaning Road, Little Current
The minds behind Manitoulin Brewing Co. have been around the world but returned home to Manitoulin to do what they love: make delicious beer. With brew names (and can art) inspired by local landmarks such as Bridal Veil Pale Ale, Swing Bridge, and Cup and Saucer English Ale, there’s no doubt that what you’re drinking is from Manitoulin Island. Manitoulin Brewing Co. beers are available in a wide range of restaurants across Ontario as well as in your local LCBO, But if you’re on the Island, make sure to stop in for a beer and a burger at their on-site patio and bar.
The New Ontario Brewing Company
1401 Seymour Street, North Bay
Open seven days a week, New Ontario Brewing is the place to stop for craft beer in North Bay. Paying homage to their history, New Ontario Brewing adopted the name of the original North Bay beer brewers from 1907, The New Ontario Brewery Co. Ltd., and opened their doors in 2015. With an ever-expanding list of specialty beers, New Ontario Brewing’s core lineup includes catchy cans such as Bear Runner Blonde Ale, Clothing Hoptional Session IPA, and Frisky Pete’s English Pale Ale.
Cecil’s Brewhouse & Kitchen
300 Wyld Street, North Bay
When you’re in downtown North Bay, you’d better consider stopping in at Cecil’s Brewhouse & Kitchen for a pint and a bite. I will happily recommend the Temagami Brewhouse Burger—a perfect pairing to your in-house brewed pint that takes inspiration from local flavours, landmarks, and culture. You’ll get a taste for the local flavour with brews such as Nipissing Lager and Nipissing Light, the Temagami Amber Ale, and the Wyld Blueberry Wheat Ale—or if you can’t decide, decide on a flight and try them all.
Boreal Winery
748 Little Brule Road, Warren
The only winery to make our list, the Boreal Winery specializes in unique artisan ice ciders and wines made from the juicy haskap berry and others, such as Saskatoons, cherries, goji, and lingonberry. Their facility is Canada’s coldest climate winery, and the largest certified organic boreal and arctic berry orchard in North America! Visitors can stop in at the farm and orchards in Warren to take a winery tour and wagon ride, taste the wines, peruse their boutique retail shop, or just enjoy a sip on their licensed patio overlooking the grounds.
