A couple of months ago… ok maybe more then a couple… like before Christmas, lol… I received free passes to the Holiday I Heart Beer festival. So of course I went! And I grabbed my cousin to go with me.
The I Heart Beer festivals are a fairly recent organization that are helping to unify the Ontario brewing community. They are bringing together consumers and producers of craft brews to educate on the diversity and flavours of Ontario craft beer, cider and spirits. And of course to make sure everyone has an amazing… and safe… time.
Each event has a theme depending on what time of year it is. I attended the Christmas festival where I got to rub shoulders with Santa himself. Currently they are running I Heart Beer and Bacon fest, but you can visit their website for info on upcoming festivals in your area, such as Toronto, Hamilton, Guelph and more.
So what can you expect when you attend a beer fest? Well lots of beer of course. Samplings from small local breweries showcasing their latest creations. As well as food vendors selling yummy fish tocos, championship games of beer pong, and competitive giant jenga. A great way to gather a group of friends and have a good time, share some laughs and try some drinks. And of course visit Santa in the photo booth if you happen to attend the next holiday edition.
Now I have to give a shout out to my two favourite booze booths!
Firstly, the best beer I think I ever tasted is courtesy of Collective Arts Brewing. They had a few flavours to try and my fav, along with everyone else since they totally ran out, was a honey lavender beer. It. Was. Delicious! But even more impressive to me are their can art work. Collective Arts was founded on the principles of creating great craft beer and supporting artists around the world. Every six months they open call for art where they invite visual artists, photographers, designers, to showcase their art on limited-edition beer labels. Their cans are therefore crazy creative with amazing art as well as funky names such as “Life in the Clouds”, “Prophets & Nomads”, and “Stranger than Fiction”. Can’t wait to see what else they come up with.
The second shout out goes to Kannuk Vodka. Yes I know, not beer, But Kannuk is a new, small batch sprint distiller. The vodka is handcrafted by a Polish-Canadian distiller and produced using ingredients that represent Canada’s diverse culture. Only vodka I know that uses four ingredients - corn to represent its North American origin, wheat for its European essence, sweet potato to give it a Caribbean and South American vibe, and wild rice for its Asian and African influence. Even their square bottle design is meant to represent the four corners of the world, making tis vodka truly diverse. But aside from all the impressive creative stuff (that I as a designer really appreciate), the vodka really taste great. You can check it out for yourself by visiting the Kannuk distillery in St. Catharines. I know I’ll be heading there for a visit and hoping to sample their new Artezan Collection of liquors they are launching.
So if you are looking for a good time in southern Ontario check out one of the I Heart Beer festivals and taste some local craft goodness.
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