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Hey everyone,
Blake here from The Amsterdam Brewing Company. Wanted to fill you all in on a little trip Amsterdam brewers Iain, Cody and myself (wannabe brewer) took to wine country last weekend to pick up some oak barrels. We’re gonna use these 228L, French oak beauties to make some amazing beer. Not going to say what kind… yet… But there’s reason for excitement. Boo Yeah!
So we start the day early. It’s a beautiful January Saturday morning. Ian and Cody are first at the brewery and loaded up some beer samples to take as a gift for the wine guys. Being a brewers you gotta share the love, right? I rolled in a little later than the planned on meeting time due to some unaccounted for festivities that tend to happen on Friday nights in Toronto…. but we loaded into the van and were off. Here’s Cody’s seat:
The destination winery was Flat Rock Cellars in Jordan, Ontario. We met Greg, the assistant winemaker there and he had all our barrels ready to go. We ended up getting 2 white wine and 2 red wine barrels from 2007 - Beautiful year. Greg also was kind enough to take us for a tour of the facilities at Flat Rock Cellars and gave us a few sips right out of the barrels in their cellar room which was very, very cool.
I always thought that I only liked red wines, but after this trip I realized there are some excellent local Ontario white wines available. I’m a big fan of Ontario Rieslings now.
After a late lunch and a quick drive around lake Ontario we were back in Toronto with some new things to play with at the brewery. Can’t wait till Iain and Cody brew into these barrels and we all get to try the beer!
Cheers,
Blake
Hey Folks!
Sticking around the city this May Two-Four Long Weekend? If the answer is YES keep reading. This Saturday May 21 from 12-3pm, you’re all invited down to the Amsterdam Brewery at 21 Bathurst St. for a summer kick-off open house and special sampling of our Summer Seasonal brew - Oranje Weisse. The beer will be flowing and we’ll have some snacks to munch on. 12-3pm at the Brewery! Don’t miss it!
This event is in conjunction with NOLA (North Of Lakeshore Association). After stopping by the brewery for food and drink head up Bathurst St. where you’ll find other local businesses offering great deals. Hope to see you there!
Amsterdam.
We’re back from the Craft Brewers Conference in San Francisco and what a week it was! From March 22 to the 26th a crew of 5 from Amsterdam travelled to the West Coast and the Mecca for craft beer in order to learn about the state of the craft brewing industry, meet with friends and soak up all kinds of beer and brewing related knowledge. Hundreds of beer tastings, 8 events, 4 full conference days, 3 brewery tours, 2 flights and 1 overweight bags on the way home… we’re back to share some pictures and stories with you.
According to the Brewers Association based out of Boulder, Colorado national craft beer in the US rose 11 percent by volume. To say that the craft beer industry is booming is an understatement. This is an EXTREMELY exciting time to be a craft brewer and a beer drinker in North America and one that we’re proud to be a part of. The excitement that filled the air at the 2011 Craft Brewers Conference was insanely energizing and we brought a lot of that energy back with us. There were seminars that taught about cutting edge brewing techniques, sustainability issues, how to conserve water and make a brewery more efficient, marketing, human resources and just about everything that has to do with the craft beer industry. We walked away with a notepad full of scribbles and ideas that we’ll be reflecting on over the next week in order to process all the information we took in!
Check out some pictures below that we captured of the week. We will post more on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/amsterdambeer) but here are a few teasers with some captions attached.
Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico, CA
Sierra Nevada Beautiful Brewhouse with murals on the wall explaining the brewing process.
We brought a couple Natural Blondes down to spread the Canadain Craft Beer Love around. Here’s Sierra Nevada Brewmaster Steve Dresler enjoying one at the conference.
The Craft Brewers Conference - hotel main lobby. Busy, Busy, Busy… all the time.
An Amster’Dam good brewer in San Francisco - The Public House @ AT&T Park (Home of the World Series Champs)
Had to visit this place. The Amsterdam Cafe. Brought them some Natural Blond and a T-Shirt too!
Cheers!
Amsterdam.
Press Release from The Amsterdam Brewing Company
The Amsterdam Brewing Company, Toronto’s oldest independently owned and operated craft brewery, have released their spring seasonal beer Spring Bock. This release comes as a ground-breaking beer for Amsterdam as it is their first seasonal release to be featured in the LCBO Seasonal Program.
“We’re very happy with our Spring Bock this year and excited for it to be featured in the LCBO’s Spring Seasonal Release along side so many interesting and fantastic beers” says Amsterdam owner and president, Jeff Carefoote. “Our seasonal beers have consistently been a hit at our brewery retail store and to be able to offer them to a wider audience is a great feeling. This is a big step forward for Amsterdam as a brewing company in Toronto and a trend we hope to continue into each consecutive brewing season.”
Originally brewed only in monasteries for consumption during Lent, bock beers are the richest, creamiest, and most full-bodied beers in the world. Because of their high food energy and nutritional content, bock beer provided sustenance to monks who were required to fast for over 40 days and nights. If there was one beer you could literally live off of, this would be it. Amsterdam Spring Bock is crafted using three types of imported malts to give it a unique richness and deep mahogany colour. Fermented with their house strain of Danish yeast and aged three times longer than other beers, Amsterdam Spring Bock is a seasonal brew you do not want to miss out on.
To celebrate this brewing milestone and the spring brewing season, Amsterdam is hosting an event called “Rock Out With Your Bock Out” at the brewery this Thursday, February 24th from 5-8pm that will feature Spring Bock samples and free food from Porchetta & Co. All are welcome! RSVP Here
Amsterdam Brewing Company Releases Winter Seasonal Brew ‘Wee Heavy Scotch Ale’
(Toronto, ON, December 13, 2010) – The Amsterdam Brewing Company, Toronto’s independently owned and operated craft brewer, released their winter seasonal beer Wee Heavy Scotch Ale last week exclusively to their on-site retail store and select bars and restaurants. In its second year, Wee Heavy is one of four beers in the Amsterdam Seasonal Series which also includes their Spring Bock, Oranje Weisse and Oktoberfest Lager.
Wee Heavy Scotch Ale (formerly known as Tilted Kilt) is Amsterdam’s version of the “wee heavy” ales traditionally brewed in Scotland. Scotch Ales have a distinctive profile reflective of the environment where they are created and since Scotland’s climate is not very conducive to growing hops, Wee Heavy lacks a hoppy flavour. Instead, an extra long boil that is customary to the Scotch Ale brewing process caramelizes the wort and lends to a sweeter, fuller-bodied brew. The long boil also produces a deep copper-brown colour and at 6.2% alc./vol., Wee Heavy is not just a clever name. Roasted malt and caramel aromas accentuate the nose of this seasonal brew that is suitable to fend off the winter chill and will warm you from the belly out.
“This beer is all about warmth and comfort”, says Jamie Mistry, Amsterdam’s brewmaster. “We wanted to make a brew that warms you up during these cold, Ontario winter months, and the Wee Heavy does just that. The rich malt and caramel flavours really give you a good feeling when it’s below zero outside and the beer is a great choice with dinner or dessert beside the fire.” Wee Heavy Scotch Ale is best paired with smoked meat, lamb or salmon and also goes great with brie, gouda, havarti or swiss cheese.
Amsterdam Wee Heavy Scotch Ale is available for sale in a stylish 500mL bottle from the Amsterdam Retail Store (21 Bathurst St., 416-504-6882) and on tap at fine bars and restaurants. Amsterdam brews its seasonal beers in small batches so Wee Heavy will only be available while supplies last. For updates on quantities, visit Amsterdam’s twitter page (www.twitter.com.amsterdambeer) or facebook page (www.facebook.com/amsterdambeer) where they will be posting updates on remaining volumes.
About The Amsterdam Brewing Company
The Amsterdam Brewing Company is an independently owned and operated craft brewery located in the heart of Toronto at 21 Bathurst Street. A pioneer of the craft beer revolution in 1986 and initially called the Amsterdam Brasserie and Brew Pub, The Amsterdam was the first of its kind in Toronto to offer patrons hand crafted lagers and ales that were brewed ‘in-house’. Today they brew over ten different beers including their flagship lager – Amsterdam Natural Blonde, the award winning Big Wheel Deluxe Amber, and multiple year-round and seasonal brews. The Amsterdam Brewing Company uses only traditional brewing methods and their beers are made with four all natural ingredients – malt, hops, yeast, and water. All beers are GMO-free, without preservatives, and never heat pasteurized.
To learn more about the Amsterdam Brewing Company visit www.amsterdambeer.com
Or
Become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/amsterdambeer
And Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/amsterdambeer
Amsterdam Mix Packs Hit LCBO Shelves This Week
The Amsterdam Brewing Company, Toronto’s independently owned and operated craft brewer since 1986, is releasing their Entertainer Holiday 4 Pack at the LCBO this week. The Amsterdam Entertainer includes their flagship beer – Natural Blonde Lager, as well as Big Wheel Deluxe Amber, Nut Brown Ale, and KLB Raspberry Wheat.
“This is the first time we’ve had a mix pack on LCBO shelves and we’re really excited about it. It’s a unique offering and a great gift idea for the holidays, too.” says Amsterdam owner Jeff Carefoote.
Retailing for $8.95, Amsterdam’s Entertainer 4 Pack is a great way to get a taste of each of the offerings the Amsterdam Brewing Company has listed at the LCBO. The 4 Pack will be offered from now until supplies last at LCBO stores across Ontario.
Visit the LCBO website at http://bit.ly/b7roh5 for a complete listing of Amsterdam products and Entertiainer 4 Pack locations.
Amsterdam is up for Now Magazine’s Best of T.O. award, but we need you to get there! All you need to do is follow these quick, simple steps to help us win Best Microbrew in Toronto!
1. Click this link: http://tiny.cc/4n230
2. Scroll to Best Microbrew
3. Click ‘Vote”
4. Click ‘Amsterdam’
That’s it! Thanks for supporting your local brewery and thanks for helping us out!
Cheers!
The Amster’Dam Good Crew
What a week it was last week for us and the Toronto/Canadian Craft Beer scene overall. So many events, parties, tastings, people and beer… it was like a dream come true. We think it’s about time to sit back, reflect, and recap all the things that went on (good thing we have pictures because the memory is a little fuzzy in spots).
We started off the week with Toronto Beer Week - the first one ever - and it was definitely a success. Amsterdam took on the lead sponsorship position for the first ever Toronto Beer Week Homebrew Competition… and what a competition it was. With over 100 entries we were treated to some very interesting and tasty brews. From stouts to lagers, barleywines to English style IPAs, almost every type of beer was represented. This competition could see some significant growth at next year’s Beer Week and that makes us excited. As the lead sponsor, Amsterdam offered a grand prize of commercially brewing the Homebrew Champion’s beer which will be released in our onsite retail store. This year, Kyle Teichert’s Smoked Porter was selected as the winner. Congrats Kyle!
In 2nd place was Reed’s Old English Barleywine and in 3rd place came Ctrl Atl Delete.
Here is a list of all the category winners. Fantastic beers by everyone. Keep up the homebrewing!
Amber Hybrids - Ctrl Alt Delete
American Ambers - Red Headed Steep Child
American IPA - Hopocalypse American Pale Ale - Teichtbier Pale Ale
Belgian Ales - Tall Dark and Belgian
English Pale Ales - DJS ESB
Imperial IPA - Imperial IPA
Imperial Stout - Canadian Imperial Maple Stout
Lager - 3rd and Goal
Light Hybrid Beer - Caramel Cream Ale
Old Ales and Barleywines - Reed’s Old English Barleywine
Smoked / Herb / Vegetable - Smoked Porter
Specialty and Cider - Moroccan Imperial Brown Ale
Stouts and Porters - Bufords Best Corkscrew Stout Wheat Beers A Bee A BurrWheat Beers A Bee A Burr
Homebrew Competition entries.
Judging the brew.
Our second big event of the week was the release of our seasonal brew, Oktoberfest - a traditional style Rauchbier brewed with beechwood smoked malt. We threw a party at the brewery, called ‘Oktubafest’, to celebrate the fall brewing season and the arrival of this beer. Caplansky’s joined us to serve up some smoked meat sandwiches and we made it a legitimate German affair with sausages, Oompah music and smoked cheese. Thanks to everyone who came out!
Oktubafest photo credits go to Hamish Grant
Oktubafest
Ladies and brewmaster Jamie serving our new seasonal brew
Rounding out the week, the Amsterdam Crew made an appearance at the 8th Annual Canadian Brewing Awards, and to celebrate the fall season again, some us rocked it with Lederhosen. 76 Canadian breweries submitted 390 different beers for judging making this year the largest brewing competition ever held in Canada. We had our best showing at the awards yet and walked away with 4 medals:
Gold Medal - KLB Pale Ale
Silver Medal - Amsterdam Two Fisted Stout and Spring Bock
Bronze Medal - Natural Blonde Lager
The Hardware
Amsterdam Crew at the 2010 Canadian Brewing Awards
Thanks to everyone who supported us last week and we’ll see you all soon!
Cheers,
The Amster’Dam Good People
It’s that time of year. The leaves are turning colour, squirrels gather acorns for the winter, your mom unpacks all your sweaters from their vacuum sealed plastic bags, and smoked beer is here. Our Fall Seasonal - Amsterdam Oktoberfest - will be released next Thursday, September 23rd in celebration with Toronto Beer Week and Caplansky’s Delicatessen… and we figure we should have a little party.
OKTUBAFEST
When? - Thursday September 23, 2010
Where? - The Amsterdam Brewery, 21 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON
We’re teaming up with Caplansky’s Deli to do some smoking. Meat and beer smoking, that is. Smoked deli meat sandwiches from Caplansky’s and our fall seasonal smoked beer on tap… we may even put some in a cask. 500 mL bottles of Oktoberfest will be available for take home as well.
Amsterdam is also sponsoring the Toronto Beer Week Homebrew Competition. The winning entry will be announced on the 23 during the event!
Come on out, enjoy some smoked treats, and support your local brewers!
