Beer Time in The Hammer - Hamilton's Craft Beer Scene

My Hometown

The rise of craft beer in Hamilton took a little longer than I would have liked, but damn if 2017 didn't take off like a rocket. The 3 year old Collective Arts was joined in the west end of the city first by Merit, then Fairweather, Grain & Grit and finally in early 2018 by Clifford Brewing on the east end to bookend a very busy 12 months for this beer fan. I have moments of joy at each brewery and now that we've reached that critical mass of making Hamilton a beer destination, it's time to take a snapshot look at this city's growing craft beer scene. No doubt I will revisit each of them more in depth as the year goes on, but my weekend spent hanging out at all 5 inspires me to spread the gospel of my hometown today!

First pint at Clifford January 2018

Clifford Brewing
Location -  398 Nash Road North
Website - http://www.cliffordbrewing.com/
Hours - Monday to Thursday - Closed/Friday & Saturday 12-9/Sunday 12-5
Personal Favourite Beer - Clifford Porter
  The newest Hammer brewer is led by one of the most liked people in Ontario Craft beer, Brad Clifford and is the culmination of many years hard work and persistence. The Clifford Porter and Pinball Wizard APA are well known and LCBO available beers that helped build the brand while Brad worked to make his dream happen. The space itself is a huge 10,000 square foot former Mattress factory located in the city's east end and is now home to the closest brewery to my house...that's pretty awesome right there. With 5 beers on tap, a Dry hopped session lager, English ale and East Hamilton Lager in addition to the more well known Clifford beers, it has the laid back feeling of a neighbourhood gathering spot that should gain more character as they fill out the large tap room to reflect the personality of the people who work there. Friendly and ready to show off the open concept brew space, its easy to see why a quick visit to Clifford turns into a few hours talking all things beer and then some. Look for a variety of excellent beers as Brad gets into a groove and no doubt there will be barrels and one offs for even the most discerning of drinkers to go along with easy drinking beers to help bring those new to the community of craft beer drinkers into the fold.

First Flight at Grain & Grit October 2017

Grain & Grit Brewing Company
Location - 11 Ewen Road
Website - http://www.grainandgritbeer.com/
Hours - Tuesday to Saturday - 12-9/Sunday 12-6/Monday Closed
Personal fave beer - Bob's Best Bitter
  Opening in October of 2017, this former garage turned cozy and inviting brewery was first visited by us months earlier and we couldn't believe the hard work to transform it so beautifully. The team of Joe and Lindsey Mrav along with Head Brewer Alex Sporn have brought a fine example of taking your dream and running with it till it comes true. The beers are in constant rotation as they bring different styles to the fore and let the consumer decide what is possible when hops and barley meet. From Pineapple Rye to the Candy cane White stout, they have a unique take on traditional styles that will serve them well going forward. The natural light from the big garage doors serves to heighten the bright white and clean lines of the brewery with the tanks so close you can rest your hand on them and give a little prayer to the beer gods for bringing these good beer folks to Hamilton. Upwards of 8 different beers on tap and a fridge stocked for you to take home, Grain & Grit is ready for you anytime.

First pint at Fairweather May 2017

Fairweather Brewing Company
Location - 5 Olfield Road
Website - http://fairweatherbrewing.com/
Hours - 11-9 Every day
Personal fave Beer - Dream Pop
  A May opening led to a summer of amazing releases that just kept hitting the mark every time. Fairweather brewing caught the city and the Ontario Craft beer scene at just the right moment with a combination of big hoppy IPAs, deliciously roasty porters and more and more, sour beers that are transforming peoples perception of the style. A family friendly place that feels like its been there forever and welcomes you back like a long lost friend, it fits the city and its community like a glove. Founded by Ram McAllister, Brent Milcz and Dan Ryan, this cozy taproom belies the enormous production facility in the back. A place that was made for lots of expansion, the early success of their initial offerings bodes well for the future and a growing fan base that makes there trek to Hamilton's west end for stops here and at G&G are becoming more frequent. Available in 500 ml bottles with just 3 words used perfectly to describe each beer, growlers and on tap, Fairweather has made a statement and it behooves you to listen, taste and join in the fun.

First Pint at Merit May 2017

Merit Brewing Company
Location - 107 James Street North
Website - http://www.meritbrewing.ca/
Hours - Monday to Wednesday 4-Midnight/Thursday Noon-Midnight/Friday and Saturday Noon-2 a.m./Sunday Noon-10
Personal Fave Beer - California Never Felt Like Home IPA
  May of 2017 saw Merit accelerate the craft beer revolution in The Hammer when they finally opened the doors to their location on a James Street that was in the beginnings of a serious revitalization. Located in the downtown core, the city has been working to transform this gritty urban landscape into a haven for art, good food and now great beer. The addition of not only the brewery but a proper kitchen that was full of delicious sausage and fries to die for help Merit stand out right from day 1. Communal seating encourages conversation and when we stop in at anytime, someone is sipping, eating and enjoying this gem on James Street. Tej Sandhu, Aaron Spinney and the group here make guests feel like family and the combination of a love of great beer from all over the world and the passion to brew it make this a must stop for lunch, dinner or a quick pint. The bottle shop is full of great 500 ml bottles and growlers for further home enjoyment.

First Growler fill Collective Arts September 2015

Collective Arts Brewing
Location - 207 Burlington Street East
Website - http://collectiveartsbrewing.com/
Hours - Every Day 11-9
Personal Fave Beer - Ransack the Universe IPA
  The OG Hamilton craft brewery that brought back our proud heritage as a beer making town when they took over the former Lakeport Brewery in the city's industrial North End in 2014, Collective Arts has since become a leader in the Craft beer scene for their innovative and constant new releases. Core beers took off almost immediately after opening and I was among those getting multiple growler fills every week as we started to experience what really good beer could be. Matt Johnson and Bob Russell along with Brewmaster Ryan Morrow have created lineup worthy beer that has people buzzing about every release, rivalling some American markets or even Bellwoods for their anticipation. Expanding their distribution to 7 U.S. states and even overseas, the sky is the limit for my first Hometown Heroes and their amazing beer. The taproom is filled with art and a buzz of people most of the time with a Biergarden for the summer and a hopeful expansion with a kitchen to come in the near future. Someone had to take the lead and Collective has been a partner to create the ripple that turned into a wave when it comes to craft beer in my hometown. Online ordering makes it easy to get CA beer anywhere in Ontario and the tap room is fully stocked with every offering as well as growlers and pints.


  Wrapping up this quick look at Hamilton's burgeoning scene makes me thirsty and anxious to make another road trip around the city to visit and hang out with the friends I've made along the way. It is now a whole day trip and worth making a drive to my hometown to explore the vibrant cultural scene that has been helped in part by the great craft beer being made at these locations. All seem to have a social connection to local charities and events and their support of those causes gives rise to a pride this town needs. The restaurants and bars are becoming more in tune to what beer drinkers want and you can find many fine establishments with either taps or cans and bottles from1or even all 5 of our Steeltown brewers.
  This is just the beginning, new and exciting beers and brewers to come as the year goes on I am sure. Hamilton has been my home almost my entire life and now I can proudly show off it's beer with a smile and a wink. See you all soon!
Cheers!


Polk

Craft Beer thoughts on a Friday Morning

Mrs. Polkaroo and I at Descendants Brewing Company.

I want you to imagine that you live in a world where what you do for a living is as scrutinized as those who make Craft Beer. Visualize that every day your workplace was filled with visitors, your social media blowing up with positive and negative comments and at the core of it all, people passionately discussing your every decision. I would think that it would drive you batty after a while and you'd want to find a quiet place to hide at the end of every day. With the exception of professional sports and politics, I don't think there is anything that generates the intense discussion that your favourite (and not so favourite) craft beer does day after day. Oh I know that there are devotees of any number of things, but if your just watching from afar and don't really get the whole craft beer phenomenon you still can't help but notice its rapid explosion in the last few years. Not that it hasn't always been with us, but it has become so much more mainstream and accessible recently that many people have been drawn into its flame and that of course means more opinions.

"How would you like a job where you make a mistake, a big red light goes on and 18,000 people boo." - Jacques Plante, Goaltender

I have been asked many times if I've had a bad craft beer and the honest answer is that it is not the quality of the beer I didn't like, it was just one that didn't meet MY expectations or wasn't MY style. I capitalize the MY because no matter who you are, from Master Ciccerone (Trained/certified Beer Expert) to someone cracking their first IPA, it is all about your experience and palate. I have worked diligently to create an understanding for myself, my friends, family and finally a wider world about the journey I've taken through Craft Beer without taking the snob route. I couldn't fathom ever liking the bitter "pine tree" beers a little over 18 months ago and now I will drive for an hour to grab the latest Innoccente Brewing Double IPA. Reading and following breweries and other beer geeks on social media to keep track of the latest releases from Bellwoods or my own hometown Collective Arts is how I spend my lunch break at work and I get excited when it's my day off and I can galavant around the area picking up new brews. But does that make me better than anyone else? Do I look down on someone who loves their macro lagers?

In one word...No.

All it means is that I have taken what was a destructive and potentially addictive force in my life and turned it into a positive. It means I use my spare time to try a few new beers and write about them. I do that to help me track and understand my own growing base of knowledge as much as to share them with the universe. I don't think anyone should tell you what you are tasting and judge you if you don't get what they do out of something like a dark roasted malt stout. I do love to read other people's descriptions of what they are tasting in a beer I just poured or purchased; It has been massive help to me in understand the often subtle and nuanced flavours found in almost any style of craft beer. But if you don't find that licorice flavour in the beer that I did, it only means that you tasted what you tasted. I understand the need for tasting notes and use them all the time, but don't beat yourself up if your not pulling the passion fruit or blood orange flavour out of your new beer. In time and with lots of different beers, you will be able to identify and put into YOUR own words what you taste. And that is what it is supposed to be about, tasting good beer with friends that you can enjoy and share.

I think the passion that we as a community have developed and joyously share with the world (in some cases), comes from a few places. One is the feeling of smallness and access to the people who make the beer. In many places, the brewing is taking place right in front of you when you visit the brewery and you can talk to the people who make your beer when you stop by. As I stated at the top, I couldn't imagine the pressure that comes with such a rabid and opinionated group of followers each brewer has. Two is the people who work in the breweries themselves. With few exceptions, they are even more passionate, enthusiastic and dedicated to the craft than even the most devoted fan. They help each other out, prop each other up and come together like no industry I've ever seen. That feeling permeates everything they do and it is their local connections and promoting of their communities that helps to integrate them into our towns and cities. It's easier to talk to the owner of your local craft brewery than it is your own mayor most of the time.

Such a thing to meet the person who creates your favourite beers.
 The Polkaroo and Steven Innocente, Innocente Brewing Co.

I'm sure we all have a moment when we crack open a new beer, pour it into a glass and let out a contented sigh at the end of another work day. To me it also means I am saluting the men and women who work so hard to imagine, create and brew my beer. I will never question the integrity of a beer, even if I personally may not enjoy it. Beer on the craft level is an experience in trying new flavours and textures. So when you read a glowing, over the top review or a slamming take down of a beer, try to read between the lines for the truth. Every beer has its place and I urge you to keep trying different styles and coming back to revisit ones perhaps you didn't like the first time. Saisons, sours, IPA's and other summer ales will soon be flooding out into the LCBO and local breweries and you should always be on the lookout for something you've never tried before. Who knows, next year you may be like me and taking trips to places you've never been for a new and delicious Craft Beer that we can share.

Raise your Glass and your Standards.

One Beer at a Time.

Cheers!

Celebrate Craftivus with the Drunk Polkaroo

My favourite person to share a beer with.

What is it about Craft Beer that turns people into such evangelists? I cannot think of another product that encourages such devotion outside of maybe wine. And even then, you don't see the sort of communal sharing, writing and dedication from regular folks like me.
I have noticed that many of my Beer Friends are alike, just wanting to spread the word of great brews for no other reason than they are amazing. I don't get paid to review beers. I do it for myself, as I have described many times, and also because I want to help my friends who may be new to all this in their decisions. It's fun to talk about beer, its history, my favourites, my not so favourites and what I  think about it.

It is not only getting together for a beer that makes my night, it is amazing when I get to treat my buddies to a beer they haven't had or couldn't get their hands on. It's a great thing to share beer with people and even better if it blows them away like it did to you.
It is in this spirit that I would like to introduce an idea I've had fermenting in the back of my mind for many years. In the long ago time of the lost years of the Drunk Polkaroo,  I used to refer to St.Patrick's Day as not only the high holy day of beer but also Alcoholic Christmas.  It was a way to cover up my ridiculous over consuming of shitty beer with some humour and while it was true, it also made me sad.
So while I no longer cram adjunct lagers down my throat like a man who is chasing his demons away, I do still love to enjoy this celebration of not only all things Irish,  but also all things beer.
So in the spirit of sharing the love of great beer and preaching the Gospel of the Craft that I will celebrate Craftivus; in conjunction with St. Patrick's Day of course.
 What is Craftivus you ask?
Much like Festivus does for Christmas,  this Holiday is a rejection of green beer, corporate sponsored overindulgence and the general  commercialization of this once genial holiday. To celebrate this wonderful day, all that is required is for you to share a beer with a friend. Maybe two. Get together with someone you love and spend some time enjoying not only each others company, but maybe a few beers that are new to you. Perhaps you can share a favourite Craft beer with someone who is just new to the scene or give someone who is in need of it the gift of great beer. It doesn't matter how you celebrate, it just matters that you share. With friends,  family,  coworkers, that weird guy, like me, who just loves to talk about all things Crafty.
I think it is high time we take back our holiday from the frozen glass, food colouring in the beer , shamrock shaming bastards who want nothing more than to watch you fade to black as they find a cheaper way to make beer. It is only in the compartmentalized world of pie charts, sales tactics and paradigm chasers that adding rice and corn to beer makes sense.
Craftivus is meant to embrace this day with the joy and happiness that only great beer can bring. Quality versus quantity is a battle worth fighting. Raise not only your glass but your standards and help spread the word of awesome local craft beer.
So if you going out today to celebrate the greenest of days, I encourage you to not only grab that pint of Guinness to honour the Emerald Isle, but to try something new and perhaps do it with a friend.
Craftivus is all about coming together in support of your neighbourhood bar, your local craft brewereries and you, the loyal exporer of delicious brews. Give it a try, it might change your life.
Cheers!



In Defense of The Hammer

I was out and about on Tuesday and when I was coming home from Toronto, crossing the Skyway bridge, I started to think about all the times I hear and see people slamming my hometown, Hamilton, Ontario. So many times, especially on social media, I will see people posting about how they can't wait to get out of this city, how all the people here are losers and so on. I am struck by how they feel. I am not sure if they realise that it isn't Hamilton that does