Web Notifications

SaltWire.com would like to send you notifications for breaking news alerts.

Activate notifications?

Craft Beer Attraction takes over St. John’s Curling Club

When 10-time Tely 10 champ Colin Fewer travels off the island to compete in a road race, he makes a point of seeking out and sampling the best local craft beers, oftentimes trying to ferret some back to the province to share with friends.

Port Rexton Brewing Co. owners Sonja Mills (left) and Alicia MacDonald were among 40 North American and European breweries represented at the Craft Beer Attraction this weekend at the St. John’s Curling Club. The Port Rexton team were debuting a new barrel-aged version of their Mixed Opportunity saison.
Port Rexton Brewing Co. owners Sonja Mills (left) and Alicia MacDonald were among 40 North American and European breweries represented at the Craft Beer Attraction this weekend at the St. John’s Curling Club. The Port Rexton team were debuting a new barrel-aged version of their Mixed Opportunity saison.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THESE SALTWIRE VIDEOS

Rick Mercer: Rants, Writings, and Road Trips | SaltWire #comedy #thinkingoutloud #ontour #canadian

Watch on YouTube: "Rick Mercer: Rants, Writings, and Road Trips | SaltWire #comedy #thinkingoutloud #ontour #canadian"
Colin Fewer reads up on one of the 128 different beer available at the Craft Beer Attraction. The competitive runner and amateur brewmaster developed an appreciation for craft beer on trips outside the province for road races.
The recently engaged Jack Botsford and Susan Case peruse the list of products available at the Craft Beer Attraction in search of something to suit their tastes. Botsford, a member of the NL Artisanal and Craft Beer Club, likes a beer big on hops while Case, a relative newbie to the beer world, prefers a crisper, lighter beer.

“There’s some delicious stuff out there if you’re open to trying it and developing your pallet,” Fewer said Friday night at the Craft Beer Attraction put off by the NL Artisanal and Craft Beer Club.

Cheryl Gibb (left) and Stephen Trickett pour were pouring up samples of beer from The Bruery, a microbreweries based in California.

“I like a very well-balanced (India Pale Ale) and there’s lots of IPAs out they’re not all made the same. I’ve been lucky enough to sample some of the best made in the world and I’m coming here looking to see who’s getting close to those beers.”

Proof that Fewer is not alone in his appreciation for craft beer were the hundreds who attended the Friday and Saturday night grand tasting events to sample 128 types of beer from 40 craft breweries and microbreweries from North America and Europe.

Among them was Newfoundland’s own Port Rexton Brewing Co., which was debuting a new barrel-aged version of their Mixed Opportunity saison.

“Our beer is still very difficult to access because we’re so small as a brewery, you either have visit us at the brewery or catch some of our beer on tap at a handful of restaurants downtown,” said Sonja Mills, who co-owns the brewery with Alicia MacDonald.

“We’re really excited to be here and get our beer out to a ton of people in St. John’s who love and appreciate craft beer.”

Mills believes many Newfoundlanders beer fans already have a taste for unique products and have been waiting patiently for the province’s craft brewery industry to catch up.
“Give it a couple of years and there’s going to be so many more breweries,” she said, noting the dozens of small-scale breweries coming to community across the province.
“You’re going to be able to leave St. John’s and visit breweries all across the island until you hit Port Aux Basques or up to St. Anthony.”

 

[email protected]
Twitter: kennoliver79

 

 

Share story:
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT