News

La Trappe Brewmaster Lodewijk Swinkels joins Brunswick Bierworks

La Trappe brewmaster Lodewijk Swinkels has left the Dutch Trappist brewery to join Ontario’s Brunswick Bierworks as its brewmaster and head of operations. He is the seventh generation of brewers and for the past 14 years, has been the brewmaster at De Koningshoeven Brewery (La Trappe). Here, he won numerous international brewing awards and established La…

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Cask launches “industry changer” canning system

Canadian manufacturer Cask has unveiled its new system, Micro-Automated Canning System (mACS), which combines a compact footprint and the ability to fill cans of various sizes. The system can be converted to fill and seam cans of varying heights and diameters — from 5.5 ounces (163 mL) to 19.2 ounces (568 mL) in volume  in…

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Ska Fabricating launches new mobile depalletizer

The new system, called Half Pint, is targeted at mobile canning businesses and breweries that operate under both tight space and budgetary restraints. Half Pint requires little to no installation, which makes the depalletizer a suitable option for canning lines from 15 CPM to 60 CPM, as well as international breweries or breweries with tight…

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The Exchange Brewery’s Oud Bruin hits LCBO

The beer is The Exchange Brewery’s non-traditional version of a Flemish Ale that is decidedly tart from a short lactic fermentation and then aged in oak with a mixed cocktail of wild yeast and bacteria to round out its flavour. Our Bruin, which won a Gold Medal at the 2017 Ontario Brewing Awards, is auburn-brown…

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Dominion City Brewing Co launch Drop Bear IPA

The brewery, established in 2014, said its latest beer is loaded with peach, melon and orange hop flavour. Drop Bear IPA is a 6.5% beer that is brewed with Australian Galaxy and Summer hops and is the brewery’s nod to Australia’s unusually large and viscious marsupial, the Drop Bear. The brewery explained: “Australia’s history as…

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Scott Simmons, OCB | Six Months In

“The brewing industry is an extremely important part of the fabric on Ontario. As the sector grows, new breweries open and with that, jobs are created and there is a knock-on impact on the economy here in Ontario. And that is only a good thing,” explains Scott Simmons, the president of Ontario Craft Brewers. Simmons is…

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Cicerone celebrates 10 years

Nearly 95,000 individuals have been certified through the Cicerone program since it was founded 10 years ago. The program, which went live in January 2008, was founded by former Brewers Association publisher Ray Daniels. The course covers a number of areas, namely: 1) Keeping and Serving Beer, 2) Beer Styles, 3) Beer Flavour and Evaluation,…

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Toronto business offers green cleaning systems

ChemStation Toronto, a wholly owned subsidiary of Schwartz Chemical Corporation, will provide brewery businesses with a range of cleaning products via a unique system of delivery into refillable containers bringing “safety, convenience and local service” to the industry’s doorstep. According to the company, the refillable containers offer many benefits including elimination of handling and disposing…

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Phillips Brewing & Malting Co expands with new brewhouse

Victoria, BC-based Phillips Brewing & Malting Co has installed a new 120 hectolitre brewhouse from Specific Mechanical Systems. The automated system comprises brewhouse a mash vessel for mixing of the water and malt and two kettles that utilize a single external calandria for heating the wort.

A single stack condenser to collect steam from both kettles…

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Nickel Brook appoints Ian MacDonald as president

Burlington, Ontario-based Nickel Brook has appointed Ian MacDonald as president with co-founder John Romano transitioning to the role of CEO. Romano will take a more hands-on role in the day-to-day operations of the company as a result. MacDonald brings his years of industry experience to the company and will work with the founders and management…

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