Toronto-based craft brewery earns Beer of the Year honours for its Spadina Monkey Sour Cherry and continues to impress with its adventurous and eclectic line-up of beers.
TORONTO, June 20, 2017 /CNW/ - Indie Alehouse is pleased to announce that their Spadina Monkey Sour Cherry beer has won Beer of the Year at the Canadian Brewing Awards.
Since opening its doors in 2012, Indie Alehouse has become something of a fixture in The Junction – a neighbourhood that cuts along stretches of Dundas Street in Toronto's west end. "We're not typically driven by anything more than doing what we want to do and, sure, the appreciation of our customers," said Indie Alehouse's owner and chief visionary Jason Fisher. "But, in a competition pitting us against some extraordinarily talented brewers and exceptional product, we're pleased by how well we did and, frankly, it's not even our best beer."
The Spadina Monkey Sour Cherry is a part of Indie's Fates and Furies portfolio, and the result of the tireless efforts of Head Brewer Jeff Broeders and Barrel Aged and Funkworks Beer Program Director Nick Bobas. In addition to taking home Beer of the Year honours, The Spadina Monkey Sour Cherry also snagged a gold medal in the wood and barrel aged sour beer category.
For those who have watched as Indie Alehouse grew from a fledgling start-up to a first-class craft brewery, these honours come as no surprise. "We've been singularly focussed on quality experiences and beers since we opened in 2012" muses Katie Ross, Indie Alehouse's Director of Marketing. "Being recognized for the great work of everyone who madly rushes around Indie Alehouse seven days a week, delivering against this promise, is something that we take seriously."
Home to a veritable revolving door of eclectic and adventurous blends, the now five-year-old brewery has developed a reputation for going against the grain. In an industry long dominated by conventional Lagers and Pilsners, smaller craft breweries like Indie have begun to close the gap by offering a range of compelling alternatives. "We make and serve hard to find Ales like a Belgian Sour, a Double IPA, or an English Porter," explains Fisher. "We make some beers regularly, some once a year, and some are made one time only. We apologize, but when you're dealing with mad scientists, you're a slave to our schedule."
While craft brewers have become increasingly popular over the past number of years, their ongoing struggle with provincial regulations, especially in Ontario, have made access to broader markets difficult. "Things are improving slightly," says Fisher, "and winning a national award is not going to hurt. However, we really need to continue the conversation about fair access to Ontario's beer market."
For Fisher, this conversation is all about choice. "Small brewers like Indie Alehouse bring new ideas, new recipes and, in our case, very, very different flavour profiles to the market. Ultimately, this means more alternatives and better choices for consumers."
And, while regulators have begun to relax some of the conditions imposed on craft brewers, Fisher reminds us that provincial policy remains firmly aligned with the interests of a few major labels. "Spadina Monkey Sour Cherry could never have even existed in Ontario five years ago," admitted Fisher, "but our province's current policies still protect the interests of a core group of corporate monopolies. The industry needs to be restructured to ensure that everyone has fair and equal access to the market."
While the struggle for fair and equitable access continues, Fisher and the rest of the team at Indie Alehouse are pleased to celebrate their award-winning efforts in the true spirit of the craft brewing community. "We're proud and have a lot of people to thank over a few beers of course."
For more information about Indie Alehouse: http://www.indiealehouse.com/about/
More about the CBAC: http://www.canadianbrewingawards.com.
SOURCE Indie Alehouse
For further information: For Media Inquiries, please contact: Katie Ross, Director of Marketing, 416-629-6670, [email protected]; Jason Fisher, Owner, 416-760-9691, [email protected]
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