Good news for Ontario beer and seltzer lovers; Equals Brewing and Side Launch have come together with a commitment to build on their respective leadership positions in Canada’s craft landscape. That means Ontarians can expect to see even more of the Side Launch beers, Bangarang seltzers and Shake Lagers they love.

The combined portfolio includes Ontario’s pioneering seltzer brand (Bangarang), 2016 Craft Brewer of the Year (Side Launch), the #3 rated wheat beer in the world (Side Launch Wheat), and award-winning Shake Lager

The combined company is excited to grow and expand from both of its homes in London and Collingwood.

“Like so many beer-lovers in Ontario, we’ve admired Side Launch from afar for close to a decade. We love the entire beer portfolio, and love the location in Collingwood, and love the experience and energy of the team.” Justin McKellar, President, Equals Brewing

“So, when we saw the opportunity to bring the companies together, it was a no-brainer. The cost of sales and distribution becomes a big challenge for smaller craft breweries, so building a winning portfolio alongside Bangarang has been a priority for us, and we believe we have found the perfect fit with Side Launch Brewing.”

The Side Launch brewery and taproom in Collingwood will remain the flagship location for the brand, and they are eager to deepen the connection with the local community.  The company already has plans to bring back the much-enjoyed Side Launch Passionate Sour and has quickly gotten to work thinking about ideas to expand the brand’s reach in time for next summer.

McKellar says, “Through building success with Bangarang, we understand what it means to have a brand and product that our customers love, and we appreciate every customer that helped us build Bangarang. Now, we feel the same about the Side Launch customer, and the Collingwood community, and we’ll put in the effort to earn their continued support.”