St. Paddy’s Day parties on tap at local breweries

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This article was published 16/03/2024 (930 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With the exception of maybe New Year’s Eve, there isn’t a day on the calendar when folks come together to raise a glass — typically a pint glass, in this case — in celebration that rivals St. Patrick’s Day.

And with the big day falling on a weekend this year, many of Manitoba’s craft beer and drinks producers are throwing parties where the taps will be flowing and whistles will be wetted.

Stone Angel Brewing Co. (1875 Pembina Hwy.) has long been the go-to brewery in Winnipeg for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. The party is happening today, with all manner of Irish-themed festivities, including music, dancing, pipers, food from Loaf + Honey and perhaps even some Irish whiskey. Things get underway just before 2 p.m., and admission is $5.

Don’t be surprised, however, if among the many merry-makers there are some long faces — Stone Angel’s social media posts have indicated this is the brewery’s last St. Patrick’s Day before it shuts down in the near future, so today would be the ideal day to pop by and hoist a final pint.

Trans Canada Brewing Co. (1290 Kenaston Blvd.) is celebrating tomorrow, on St. Patrick’s Day proper, with an Irish-themed buffet featuring appetizers, pizza, salads, entrées and more. The Shamrocks & Support brunch is in support of the Manitoba Motorcycle Ride for Dad, which raises awareness about prostate cancer. Seatings are sold out through to 12:30 p.m., but remaining spots are $30 plus fees at wfp.to/j6b. Those who show up dressed in green get pints of the Trans Canada’s Bluebeary Ale, Portager Bohemian Pilsner and Light Lager for just $5.

Little Brown Jug Brewing Co. (336 William Ave.) is opening on Sunday from 2 to 10 p.m. for St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans. There will be green beer, a pretzel special and a whiskey lager cocktail to celebrate the day.

Speaking of green beer, both Obsolete Brewing Co. in Dauphin (24 2 Ave. NW) and Section 6 Brewing Co. in Brandon (1126 Princess Ave.) will be pouring the stuff over the weekend. Obsolete is featuring a puzzle race and trivia on Sunday — $10 gets you in for just the trivia, or you can take part in both for $40 (tickets at wfp.to/j6d). Section 6, meanwhile, is featuring Celtic music by Bruce Dunlop today and is also open on St. Paddy’s Day from noon to 5 p.m.

If beer isn’t really your thing, Shrugging Doctor Beverage Co. (483 Berry St.) is hosting its own St. Patrick’s Day party on Sunday from 4 to 10 p.m., complete with Irish flatbread, specials on Irish whiskey, music by Bells and Whistles and all manner of locally made meads, fruit wines and more.

If you’d rather avoid St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans altogether, the party happening today at Sookram’s Brewing Co. (479 Warsaw Ave.) is in honour of the brewery’s fifth anniversary. There will be new brews in cans and on tap, skewers for purchase, live entertainment, new hot sauces and more. Admission is free. And if you can’t make it down there today, The Common at The Forks Market is tapping a cask of Sookram’s Always Sunny pale ale on Sunday starting at noon.

There’s a Not-A-St-Paddy’s-Day event happening all weekend at Devil May Care Brewing Co. (155 Fort St.), featuring a new dark ale and hazy pale ale, a new mead and more. On Sunday, New City Banh Mi will serve up Vietnamese fare, and the brewery’s twice-monthly cribbage tournament takes place. Admission is free.

Kilter Brewing Co. (450 Rue Deschambault) is finishing off its Pi Week celebrations with four pie-themed brews and a flight of desserts created by Lilac Bakery. Each flight features Lilac Bakery’s lemon triangle, key lime mini pie, blackberry cupcake and banoffee square desserts, which can be paired with flights of Kilter’s pie-themed beers featuring similar flavours. To check out the pie/beer menu see wfp.to/j6p.

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Beers o’ the week

All of the following Irish/Brit-inspired brews — some new, others returning — are made in Winnipeg, are served in 473ml cans and, unless noted, are available at the brewery where they were made as well as Liquor Marts and beer vendors. They’re also roughly in order, from lightest to heaviest…

Dastardly Villain Brewing Co. Steam Punk Queen ($4.20, Oxus Brewing Co., Liquor Marts, beer vendors)

Pale cola in colour, this English dark mild ale offers Tootsie Roll, toffee, fresh malt and a slight raisin note aromatically. It’s dry and light-plus bodied, with pronounced roasted malty notes as well as modest bitterness (it’s 21 IBU), secondary toffee, unsweetened chocolate and dried fruit notes before a very modest finish — the 3.5 per cent alcohol means it’s quite approachable. Very tasty — drink with fish and chips. 3.5/5

Nonsuch Brewing Co. Irish Red Ale ($4.30)

Deep copper and slightly hazy in appearance, there’s plenty of malt on the nose of this Irish-style red ale, with biscuit, toasted oat and subtle floral notes in there as well. It’s dry and light-plus bodied, with robust malty flavours leading the charge along with hints of dried fruit, bread dough and cola, moderate bitterness and, at five per cent alcohol, a not-too-hot finish. Try with steak and kidney pie. 4/5

One Great City Brewing Co. Frosty Bison Brown Ale ($4.49)

Dark chestnut in colour and with a muted head, this brown all offers rich malt, flaked oat, dried fruit and a hint of orange (not surprising, orange is one of the ingredients listed in this brew). It’s slightly off-dry and medium-bodied, with up-front malt, brown sugar and orange peel flavours as well as hints of caramel and herbal notes (it’s 28 IBU, so just barely bitter) coming with modest effervescence before a slightly warm finish (it’s six per cent alcohol). 3/5

Fort Garry Brewing Co. Midas Tap Golden Stout ($4.49)

As the name indicates, this stout is deep gold in colour (rather than a typical dark-coloured stout) and features the addition of lactose, vanilla, cocoa nibs and coffee beans, all of which come through aromatically along with subtle malty notes. It’s medium-bodied and off-dry, with vanilla, cocoa and coffee flavours prominent along with secondary biscuit and malt notes, low bitterness and a modest finish (it’s five per cent alcohol). Fans of sweeter stouts take note. 3/5

Kilter Brewing Co. Vintage Irish Stout ($3.99)

This Irish stout from Kilter’s Vintage range is deep cola brown in colour, with rich roasted malt, dark chocolate, vanilla bean and slightly floral notes. It’s mainly dry and medium-bodied with a slightly creamy texture, bringing classic roasted malt, chocolate-covered coffee bean, flaked oat and subtle vanilla flavours, a hint of bitterness and a medium-length finish (it’s five per cent alcohol). A classic-style stout — great for the price. 4/5

Good Neighbour Brewing Co. Irish Cream Coffee Stout ($4.60, brewery, beer vendors)

Dark brown in colour, this newly returned stout is steeped with coffee from Little Sister as well as Madagascar vanilla and milk sugar and then conditioned on oak chips soaked in Jameson’s whiskey. The vanilla and coffee show nicely aromatically, with that whiskey note lurking beneath along with dark roasted malt. It’s medium-plus bodied, medium-sweet and a touch creamy in texture, with the vanilla and coffee notes working very nicely with the roasted malt and underlying but punchy, woody whiskey note, which persists on the slightly boozy, 6.5 per cent alcohol finish. Try with a nanaimo bar or enjoy on its own. Dangerously delicious. 4.5/5

 

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