Saturday morning we packed the car and headed to Bracebridge, Ontario. Unfortunately we were not heading to the Muskoka Beer Festival. A good buddy of mine was getting married and the service started at 4pm and I felt it prudent to NOT show up in an I-was-just-at-a-beer-festival state. Now that the beer festival was off the table what were our other options? Two instantly popped to mind. The first was, of course, the Muskoka Brewery (or technically the Lakes of Muskoka Cottage Brewery). Google Maps suggested this was only a 4 minute walk away from the B&B we were staying in. Very doable. The second was the Griffin Gastropub – the renowned establishment, which happened to be the ones at the helm of the beer festival. Google Maps says 1 minute walk. This should be easy!
The B&B we were staying at was the Spiritbear B&B. Located on a side street just off of the main street of Bracebridge, I chatted with the landlady explaining the purpose of our visit as well as our ancillary objectives. She noted that she and her husband are regular patrons of the Griffin, citing good food, a patio, live music and though “not a beer” drinker she has found a few beers to enjoy. It was mentioned she has spoken with the proprietors of the Griffin and they are trying to come up with a B&B with dinner package. If this comes to fruition it will be an amazing weekend away.
We met up with a few friends, donned our wedding best and headed down the road insearch of the Griffin’s patio. We found the place easily and were quickly drawn to the chalkboard outside” “Closed today for the Muskoka Beer Festival.” Sonofa. “Not a problem, guys, we’ll just go to the brewery!” Three minutes down the road we found the Muskoka Brewery. Though in the middle of town, this little shop definitely had that rustic, cottage vibe. Wood everything everywhere. And beer. Muskoka had made it known the 2010 batch of the Harvest Ale would be available at the beer festival and fortunately it was available at the brewery too! Tasting very fresh out the tap I was disappointed to learn it was not yet for sale. (Patience and beer geek-dom do not always see eye to eye.) We also sampled the Light Pilsner, Hefeweissbier and Cream Ale. The store clerk noted that everyone else from the brewery had gone to the festival for the day and she was left back all by her lonesome. Due to this we weren’t able to take a look at the brewing side of things despite an offer from one of us to mind the retail store for her. Maybe it was the wink or the sly smile that put her on to our true intentions.
What a pleasant experience this trip to the brewery was. Great beer and a company that cares about what their customers think. Hops growing outside in a window box, biodegradable sample cups and the promise of a double chocolate cranberry stout around Christmas time – these guys seem to have it all figured out. It’s no secret that I am a Muskoka Brewery fan and it’s no wonder Muskoka is gaining massive popularity in Ontario! I can’t wait for the Harvest Ale to hit full swing!
One final note: the wedding went very well and the bridge and groom and guests danced well into the night. The venue of the wedding was Inn at the Falls. An in-town resort with a number of amenities. I have to note I was amazed by the draught selection in the bar: 4 Muskoka beers, Lake of Bays Pale Ale, Mill Street (Wit?) and Guinness. It is awesome to see the local business supporting Ontario craft beer, and in particular the two breweries closest to it!
Beer With Me 