A guide to Ottawa's craft beer breweries
- Ottawa Travel Guide
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- Wednesday, 05 September 2012 16:54
As Ottawa, Ontario has quickly become a hub for Canada's craft brew scene, people who travel to Canada’s capital may be overwhelmed by the options before them. There’s a variety of crowd pleasers to choose from including Beau's All Natural Brewing Co., HogsBack Brewing Company, Cassel Brewery and Les Brasseurs du Temps.
In an interview with Ottawa Magazine, Mill St. Brewery co-founder Steve Abrams gave his two cents as to why he thinks the Canadian capital has become such a hotspot for craft beer.
"Ottawa is a very sophisticated, well-educated population," Abrams told the news source. "They like good food, the people travel and they know what's good - they're definitely connoisseurs."
Curious about where to get started? Here's just a taste of what Ottawa's craft beer scene currently has up its sleeve:
Cassel Brewery
The train-themed craft beer manufacturers in Casselman dove into the brewery scene when Michel Racine realized his homemade libations were better than what he was getting in the stores. With his newfound passion, Racine teamed with a business-minded friend to begin working on churning out more unique and delicious brews.
Today, travellers can drive over to Casselman, just east of Ottawa, and fill a few growlers with the Hopper Car, an IPA, or the Lil' Red Steamer, a red ale, before heading back to their Ottawa accommodations for an evening of tasting and good times with friends.
Les Brasseurs du Temps
Brew masters at Les Brasseurs du Temps, located just across the Ottawa River in Gatineau, Quebec, use only the finest hops and ingredients in their products, utilizing the changing seasons as a sign for when to offer new beer flavours. Using traditional brewing techniques, each batch comes out with a unique and crisp finish, which is perfectly complemented by a decadent meal. Travellers who come hungry will want to stop by this brewery-restaurant to taste some of the finer notes of Canadian beer.
Kichesippi Beer Co.
This family-owned brewery located just west of downtown Ottawa, has brought incredible beers to numerous local restaurants and pubs. Before 1855, the Ottawa River was known as the Kichesippi, or The Great River, and the company pays its respects to the true nature of the nation's capital by ensuring that some of their beers are only offered in Ottawa and the neighboring communities. When visitors go to the brewery, they simply must try the Natural Blonde ale, which is served on tap and has a perfect finish on the palate.
