It’s Not Just About the Wine

08/12/2024 | You Choose Niagara | Uncategorized

Although Niagara-on-the-Lake produces 67% of Canada’s wine production, wine is not the only drink on the table around here. This area is also home to great craft breweries, distilleries, and cideries. Let’s take a look at a few around town.

Spirit in Niagara-Distillery (SIN)

Located on the shore of Lake Ontario on Lakeshore Road, you will find the small batch Distillery called Spirit in Niagara. It was founded by Arnie Lepp, whose family have been farming here in Niagara-on-the-Lake for the last 4 generations. Their fruit farms yield cherries, yellow and blue plums, peaches, pears, nectarines and apricots. They use these fruits to make their special spirits.

Here is a list of their spirits:

Juiced Up Gin
Juiced Up Vodka
Ample Apricot Eau de Vie
Juicy Peach Eau de Vie
Plump Nectarine Eau de Vie
Sun Ripened Yellow Plum Eau de Vie
Luscious Blue Plum Eau de Vie
Sweet Pear Eau de Vie
Canadian Whisky
Mixed Mash Whisky
Canadian Brrrbon
Sweet Vermouth

Around here, “SIN” is known for its Monday Night Blooz and Jazz nights (I see what they did there. Blues and booze.) Enjoy the entertainment inside, or on their beautiful patio.

(Taken from their website)

Ironwood Cidery-This ultra contemporary, yet laid back, art gallery space at Sunnybrook Farm, is on the outskirts of town on Lakeshore Rd. It is known for its Ciders, fruit wines, and its delicious food. Step inside where they have over 10 ciders on tap or try one of their many fruit wines. Or stay outside on their lovely, dog friendly, patio. Popular here is their OG (original gangster) cider and their Ciderita. You can try a flight of cider or fruit wines. Also enjoy some oysters or fancy canapés.

Oust Brewery-Right on Niagara Stone Road on your way into town, you can’t miss Oust. It’s a beautiful red barn.

They have a great patio out back overlooking a vineyard and often have entertainment. Go back there and try some smoked meats and the best macaroni and cheese I’ve ever tasted. Or, go inside and enjoy their patina pizza.

One thing we love about Oust is that they always feature fun and seasonal Farmhouse Ales such as my dad’s favourite, Farmer Brown’s Dark Ass Ale, Bière de Noël with Santa on the bottle, and the R.R. Series with seasonal local fruits such as strawberry rhubarb in the summer, cherry, peach, and pumpkin and squash spice in the fall. Or, stick to your traditional brews like their Barnraiser County Ale or their Pitchfork Porter.

Looking for fun? Fridays at Oust is always a fun time with entertainment and a fun, younger crowd vibe.

The Exchange Brewery-Right on Queen Street in the charming heritage district of old town Niagara-on-the-Lake, you will find Exchange Brewery. Exchange got its name because 7 Queen Street was once used as a telephone exchange building. How cool is that?!

The focus of this local brewery is to house niche beers by using local Niagara fruits to create interesting sour beers and Belgium inspired ales.

Although the space is small, the Exchange Brewery houses large fermenters and 8 serving vessels that run directly to their draft lines. In the cellar, you will see large oak Foeders (pronounced Fooders) which are essentially extra large barrels and also 50 French oak barrels. The beer spends a range of time fermenting in order to give it complex and unique flavours.

This is a beautiful building inside and out. You can take a Brewery tour at Exchange for $32.00 which includes a flight of beers.

For food, the Brewery exchange has fun shareable foods such as pizza, popcorn, kettle chips, salads, pretzels and sandwiches.

They also hold small events and entertainment in the Taproom area on the second floor. Greg and I shared popcorn while watching a comedy show.