New brew pub opens its doors, but local suds aren't yet available

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This article was published 19/3/2016 (2291 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Winnipeg’s first brew pub since the long-defunct River City Brewing of the late 1990s is set to open its doors. Well, sort of.

Peg Beer Co. will open the restaurant portion of its Pacific Avenue space in the next week. The 130-seat eatery will indeed be licensed, but owing to unforeseen equipment-related delays, those thirsty for locally made brews won’t be able to taste any beer made on-site for about four to six weeks.

In the meantime, a selection of 12 beer (made elsewhere) and two wines will be available on tap, as well as a tidy selection of bottles pulled together by sales and marketing manager Colin Enquist, who will also lead the extensive training serving staff will undergo starting early next week. "We want people to talk about beer the same way they do about wine," Peg Beer Co. owner Nicole Barry explains.

Chef Aron Epp has pulled together a menu that focuses on flatbreads and other dishes for sharing. The menu will change based on seasonally available ingredients, as well as what’s brewing in the back, and eventually in the summer Epp will be able to source produce from a modest patio garden.

Speaking of patios, Peg Beer Co. has plans for one of their own, although it may end up being put on hold until construction in the area is complete — meaning not this year.

Barry anticipates once the 15-barrel brewhouse is up and running, they’ll be able to produce just under 2,000 hectolitres of beer in their first year.

uncorked@mts.netTwitter: @bensigurdson

Two commercial beers, two German-style amber ales and two Belgian brews in this week’s six-pack of malty goodness...

 Coors Banquet (Golden, Colo. — $2.74/473ml can, Liquor Marts and beer vendors)

 

Bright gold in colour and clear, this American lager brings pale grain, corn and mild melon aromas. It’s crisp and fairly clean, with the simple corn and malt flavours showing decently on the light-bodied palate. It doesn’t get too sweet and corny like some commercial lagers — an automatic leg up on most other macrobrews. No complaints, but nothing earth-shattering either. 2/5

Aflligem Blonde (Opwijk, Belgium — $2.95/300ml bottle, Liquor Marts)

 

This pale gold, slightly hazy Belgian pale ale offers yeasty, banana candy, dried fruit and malty notes on the nose. It’s medium-bodied and rich and creamy in texture, with a nice balance of sweeter dried fruit and honey notes with malty and wheat components. It’s a shade below seven per cent alcohol and it shows, although it’s balanced out with peppery and licorice notes. 3.5/5

John H. R. Molson 1908 Historic Pale Ale (Montreal — $3.41/625ml bottle, Liquor Marts and beer vendors)

Apparently this unfiltered ale is brewed from a recipe found in Molson’s archives. It’s pale copper in colour and slightly cloudy, with a modest white head. Aromatically, the 1908 first offers malty and light hops notes, with modest floral and citrus notes. On the light-plus-bodied palate the citrus and subdued hops notes show well, with dried fruit and malt undertones and almost a hint of sweetness. And while it’s nearly seven per cent alcohol, it never seems overly hot or obtrusive. Macrobrews would be better-served making more beer like this instead of buying existing craft breweries. 3.5/5

Sawdust City Brewing Ol’ Woody Alt (Gravenhust, Ont. — $3.25/473ml can, Liquor Marts)

Deep-reddish copper and clear, the Ol’ Woody bills itself as the brewery’s take "on a German amber." Toasted-nut and malt notes, as well as some yeast and a hint of toffee on the nose, are quite pleasant. There’s just some slight sweetness on the medium-bodied palate, with caramel/toffee flavours working well with the nutty, malty flavours. Ol’ Woody nails this style of beer pretty nicely. 3/5

Driftwood Brewery Crooked Coast Altbier (Victoria, B.C. — $6.50/650ml bottle, Liquor Marts)

Less copper in colour than the Sawdust City and slightly cloudy with a fine off-white head, this unfiltered take on a German altbier brings more doughy notes on the nose, with bright floral and citrus and a dash of hops. Medium-bodied and creamy, there’s great complexity on the palate here, with bright malt, citrus-rind and bread-dough notes and firm but not overly bitter hops. Impressive stuff. 4.5/5

St. Louis Premium Gueuze Lambic (Ingelmunster, Belgium — $3.40/250ml bottle, Liquor Marts)

 

Medium-gold in colour and clear, this Belgian beer is fermented with wild yeasts that deliver somewhat sour notes (green apple, grapefruit) on the nose, which work decently with the malty, yeasty aromas. On the palate, things develop a slightly artificial note, with green apple and grapefruit candy notes front and centre. Sure enough, a quick perusal of the label reveals this beer has stevia added to it. Why? 2.5/5