Sals celebrates with local brews

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/05/2021 (1925 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s been nearly a year since the provincial government tweaked legislation to allow Manitoba restaurants to sell beer and wine with their takeout and delivery meals — a shift that’s been good for both customer and eatery.

And while the drinks selection varies from restaurant to restaurant, Salisbury House’s location at Pembina and Stafford has gone all-in on Manitoba craft beer in the hopes of helping locals weather the pandemic.

That Sals now offers more than 100 local craft beers from practically every brewery, brew pub and contract brewer making lagers and ales in the province. It’s also stocking meads from Oak Bluff meadery Bee Boyzz, and will be bringing in brews from newcomer Good Neighbour, as well as Morden’s Rendezvous Brewery and Tap Room, once they’re able.

“In celebrating our 90th anniversary this year, we wanted to do something that showcased our local ties,” says Salisbury House president and CEO Brad Kramble. “We chose the beer industry, and we wanted to be sure we didn’t choose one specific brewery over another. So we went with every single brewery — if you produce beer in Manitoba, we’re carrying your beer, or trying to carry your beer, as a regular selection.”

The result is what Sals is calling “the world’s largest selection of craft beer” (likely true among restaurants, although a couple of Winnipeg’s private beer vendors might have something to say about it). An average of four to six brews from each of the province’s producers grace the menu (available to peruse at wfp.to/salsbeer) in a wide range of styles, with a modest markup over retail prices.

The buy-in from local brewers has generally been quite positive, says Kramble. “We’ve tried to reach out to all the breweries and get them all involved.… We went through steps with the local breweries to make sure we had the right products. And we wanted to make sure we were carrying enough variety.”

Director of marketing Michael Kaye agrees. “Some of the brewers have been really supportive. When we reached out to them they advised us that a lot of their seasonal beers, or favourite beers, aren’t widely available — sometimes they keep their best ones for the tap rooms, because they want to have those interactions with their customers… they could have stuck with that, said that they don’t want to support what we’re doing, but that’s not been the case. It’s been the exact opposite — it’s been, ‘What do you need from us? How can we support you supporting us?’”

Sals plans to expand the craft beer program to its Leila location, and has also curated a smaller version of the program at its Steinbach location. And the chain also has several activities planned to celebrate its 90th birthday later in the year, contingent upon restrictions easing up.

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One Great City has launched a new small-batch, limited-edition series of beers being produced at its Madison Square location.

On April 14, the brew pub launched the first beer in its small-batch series, which should see new and experimental offerings in 473 ml cans every three to four weeks. The Maiden Voyage Brut Fruit is a Trappist-style ale brewed with Italian plum purée and finished with rosé wine yeast. I managed to get a sneak peek (or taste, rather) prior to its release — read on for more, and stay tuned to One Great City’s social media accounts for future releases.

And while there’s not much in the way of info out there yet about the forthcoming Bookstore Brewing Co. beyond a few social media posts, an announcement on Instagram mentioned a plan to brew at One Great City’s facility while looking for a location. A coffee cream ale called The Quick Fix is Bookstore’s first offering.

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Another brewery located beyond Winnipeg’s borders cleared a major hurdle in its quest to open to the public.

The Public Brewhouse and Gallery will be located in Steinbach, and is slated to open at 301 Main St., according to SteinbachOnline.com. Steinbach city council recently (and unanimously) approved a tweak to some parking-related issues that has cleared the way for work to get underway in the space, which will feature a tap room and art gallery.

On The Public’s Instagram page, the co-owners revealed themselves to include head brewer Jordan Kroeker, operations manager Stephanie Klassen, compliance officer Jordan Ross and curator Alexandra Ross. To keep tabs on developments, sign up to receive their emails at beerandart.ca.

Beers of the week

Little Brown Jug Hefeweizen (Winnipeg – $3.96/473ml cans, brewery and select beer vendors)

Pale gold and hazy, bringing banana candy, bread dough, spice and lemon meringue aromas. Crisp, off-dry and slightly creamy, with fruit/bread-driven flavours and more subtle clove notes, but without the peppery spice of some examples. A solid summer sipper; also available in LBJ’s Good Times Variety Pack. Brings 4.7 per cent ABV. 3.5/5

Trans Canada Brewing Co. Grilled Pineapple Sour (Winnipeg – $4.24/473ml can, Liquor Marts, select beer vendors)

Pale gold and clear, this Berliner Weisse offers decidedly smoky pineapple aromas along with kiwi and malty caramel notes. It’s off-dry but remarkably tart, with racy acidity working well with the grilled pineapple flavours and a slightly doughy finish. Drink in the backyard while supplies last. It’s 4.3 per cent ABV. 3.5/5

One Great City Brewing Co. Maiden Voyage Brut Fruit (Winnipeg – $4.15/473ml cans, brewery only)

Pale plum in colour and hazy, with complex plum, malt, fresh strawberry and herbal aromas. It’s dry, medium-bodied and with a nice, almost-chewy texture, loads of plum and strawberry flavours and a long finish devoid of bitterness. A delicious, intriguing debut to this series. Sampled prior to the beer being canned; it’s six per cent ABV. 4.5/5

Black Wheat Brewing Co. Blue Hills Brew (Winnipeg – $3.95/473ml cans, Liquor Marts, beer vendors, Barn Hammer Brewing Co.)

Brewed at Barn Hammer’s Wall St. location until the Brandon brewery finishes construction, the Blue Hills is similarly muted blue-ish and hazy in appearance. Big, fresh blueberry and floral aromas dominate, with some fresh malt and hints of vanilla; it’s medium-bodied, off-dry and bursting with blueberries before the long, lingering finish thanks to 6.8 per cent ABV. 3.5/5

Barn Hammer Brewing Co. Arvensis Gin Philly Sour (Winnipeg – $4.65/473ml can, brewery, Liquor Marts, select beer vendors)

Brewed with Philly sour yeast and botanicals typically used in gin, aromatically the Arvensis delivers fresh juniper and heather aromas as well as sour lime and herbal notes. It’s bone-dry and quite racy, with mouth-watering acidity delivering tart citrus flavours along with botanical flavours that will please gin and tonic fans. Clocks in at six per cent ABV. 4/5

Devil May Care Nothin’ but the Hops Vol. 3 West Coast IPA (Winnipeg – $4.49, Torque Brewing Co., select beer vendors, Liquor Marts)

Zythos, El Dorado and Zappa hops come in this medium copper-coloured brew, which brings big malt, pine, floral and grassy aromas. It’s dry and medium-bodied, with robust malt and hops notes, and pine resin and caramel components adding complexity. Brewed at Torque and bringing 6.4 per cent ABV and 60 IBU, it’s another winner in this series. 4.5/5

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