Ontario Brewing Awards Winners
Yesterday afternoon, I had the opportunity to sit in on the 5th annual Ontario Brewing Awards and sample some of the Gold Medal winners.
57 brands of Ontario brews were submitted for judging across 15 different categories. The big winners were Mill Street Brewery walking away with 3 Golds, 3 Silvers and 1 People's Choice. Close behind were Brick and Great Lakes Breweries with 2 Golds, 2 Silvers and 2 People's Choice each. The People's Choice favourite was Nickel Brook with 3 People's Choice and 2 Silver Medals.
The awards, which caused some brew-ha-ha last year, were judged this year by a panel of beer experts and some regular beer drinking folks. The Gold and Silver Medals were based on the expert tastings and the People's Choice were based on the whole panels input.
As soon as the photo above hit Flickr, comments started coming in on the winners:
- Adam said "Hockley Stout? Gotta try that... the dark is already almost a stout."
- Raj said the Belgian Wit is "Good for the patio"
- Arieh added a note to Cameron's Auburn, "The Auburn is my favourite"
Which are you favourites? Any surprises on the list?
Keep reading for the full list of Gold, Silver and People's Choice Winners.
NORTH AMERICAN LIGHT LAGER
GOLD – Robert Simpson Brewing Company for Antigravity Light
SILVER – Brick Brewing Company Limited for Formosa Springs Light
PEOPLE’S CHOICE – Nickel Brook for Nickel Brook Pilsner
PILSNER
GOLD – Brick Brewing Company Limited for J.R. Brickman Pilsner
SILVER – Old Credit Brewing for Pale Pilsner
PEOPLE’S CHOICE – Mill Street Brewery for Pilsner
DARK LAGER
GOLD - Steelback Brewery for Steelback Tiverton Dark Lager
SILVER - Brick Brewing Company Limited for Waterloo Dark
PEOPLE’S CHOICE – Great Lakes Brewery for Black Jack
AMBER ALE 
GOLD – Cameron’s Brewing Company for Cameron’s Auburn Ale
SILVER – Old Credit Brewing for Amber Ale
PEOPLE’S CHOICE – Nickel Brook for Nickel Brook Ale
BITTER 
GOLD – Wellington Brewery for Wellington Arkell Best Bitter
SILVER – Granite Brewery for Best Bitter Special
PEOPLE’S CHOICE – Granite Brewery for Best Bitter
SPECIALTY 
GOLD – Great Lakes Brewery for Winter Ale
SILVER – Wellington Brewery for Wellington Iron Duke Strong Ale
PEOPLE’S CHOICE – Nickel Brook for Nickel Brook Cuvee
FRUIT BEER 
GOLD – Mill Street Brewery for Frambozen
SILVER – Nickel Brook for Nickel Brook Green Apple
PEOPLE’S CHOICE – Great Lakes Brewery for Orange Peel Ale
WHEAT BEER 
GOLD – Mill Street Brewery for Belgian Wit
NORTH AMERICAN LAGER 
GOLD – Great Lakes Brewery for Golden Horseshoe
SILVER – Niagara’s Best Beer for Niagara’s Best Lager
PEOPLE’S CHOICE – Brick Brewing Company Limited for Laker Lager
CREAM ALE 
GOLD - Cameron’s Brewing Company for Cameron's Cream Ale
SILVER - Robert Simpson Brewing Company for Robert Simpson Confederation Ale
PEOPLE’S CHOICE - Nickel Brook for Nickel Brook Draught
AMBER LAGER 
GOLD – Cool Beer Brewing Company for Millenium Buzz
SILVER – Great Lakes Brewery for Red Leaf
PEOPLE’S CHOICE – Brick Brewing Company Limited for J.R. Brickman Amber
PALE ALE 
GOLD - Mill Street Brewery for Tankhouse Ale
SILVER - Mill Street Brewery for IPA
PEOPLE’S CHOICE – Wellington Brewery for Wellington Special Pale Ale
HONEY BEER
GOLD - Brick Brewing Company Limited for J.R. Brickman Honey Red (unfortunately, no photo)
SILVER - Old Credit Brewing Company for Holiday Honey
DARK ALE
GOLD - Hockley Valley Brewing Company for Dark Traditional English Ale
SILVER – Mill Street Brewery for Scotch Ale
PEOPLE’S CHOICE – Great Lakes Brewery for Devil’s Pale Ale
PORTER/STOUT 
GOLD – Hockley Valley Brewing Company for Traditional Irish Stout
SILVER - Mill Street Brewery for Coffee Porter
PEOPLE’S CHOICE – Granite Brewery for Keefe’s Irish Stout
The awards and consumer tasting was held at the Esplanade Bier Markt, sponsored by LibationNation.ca, Ontario Brewers, Toronto's Festival of Beer, and Esplanade Bier Markt, and hosted by Roger Mittag, the "Professor of Beer".
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