National Capital Region Beer News

[Lakeofthewood]

Originally Posted by Proof Sheet

It's only day 2 of the sales but I'm guessing it will be the 'big boys' (Labatts and Molson) who will dominate shelf space and according to this article it won't be sold any cheaper. Swill will prevail I think.

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/buying-booze-m...convenience-comes-with-a-price-1.7027060

There is a lot of hand wringing and pearl clutching about this increased ability to purchase. However, almost the rest of the entire world sells it this way and the sky hasn't fallen yet

I don't think the hand wringing and pearl clutching is about providing it in convenience stores, it's about the cost to do it now, when so many other things are problematic in the province.

[Williamoforange]

Originally Posted by Lakeofthewood

I don't think the hand wringing and pearl clutching is about providing it in convenience stores, it's about the cost to do it now, when so many other things are problematic in the province.

Stated one comment after someone hanging wringing about access....(and price)...also the star/global has been running non-stop complaints about increased access or increased costs.

But, Yeah it wasn't worth the cost, but happy the prudes didn't win and the changes have been made.

There was a LCBO within meters of my highschool growing up, the same as many other small towns, the rural areas had LCBO/Beer stores in Gas stations for decades. It was just auto-centric cities that had restricted access to alcohol. Also, FYI, if your decrying access what do you think access would be in a 15 minutes neighbourhood.....

[Lakeofthewood]

Originally Posted by Williamoforange

Stated one comment after someone hanging wringing about access....(and price)...also the star/global has been running non-stop complaints about increased access or increased costs.

But, Yeah it wasn't worth the cost, but happy the prudes didn't win and the changes have been made.

There was a LCBO within meters of my highschool growing up, the same as many other small towns, the rural areas had LCBO/Beer stores in Gas stations for decades. It was just auto-centric cities that had restricted access to alcohol. Also, FYI, if your decrying access what do you think access would be in a 15 minutes neighbourhood.....

Never even thought about this part of it haha

There was a liquor store less than 200m from my school growing up. Don't think we ever saw undesirables around because of it. It's a crazy thing to worry about to be honest.

[Uhuniau]

I do not understand the hand-wringing about convenience store beer, and would strongly encourage the remnants of the Ontario Christian Temperance Union to maybe open a cold one and chill out.

[Admiral Nelson]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

I do not understand the hand-wringing about convenience store beer, and would strongly encourage the remnants of the Ontario Christian Temperance Union to maybe open a cold one and chill out.

I'd echo Lakeofthewood's comment above - I don't think there's much opposition in principle. It's just why spend $250M to break the agreement when it expires next year? Given the state of health care in this province, it's scandalously wasteful.

Originally Posted by Lakeofthewood

I don't think the hand wringing and pearl clutching is about providing it in convenience stores, it's about the cost to do it now, when so many other things are problematic in the province.

[rocketphish]

Beyond the Pale to open taproom, events space at former Courtyard Restaurant building
Chef Rich Wilson of Beckta Group to join the new eatery

Mia Jensen, OBJ
September 18, 2024 3:12 PM ET

The former location of the Courtyard Restaurant is no longer sitting empty as work begins to transform the space into a taproom and event space that will retain the charm of the historic property.

Beyond the Pale Brewing Co., which has been brewing beers in Ottawa since 2012, has signed a lease with the National Capital Commission and last week began the process of restoring the space.

“We’re lucky in a way that everybody else has treated it as a heritage building in their construction,” co-owner and brewmaster Shane Clark told OBJ during a tour of the property. “They haven’t made giant holes in the brick. They haven’t cut into any of that structure. It’s been maintained. So really, for us, it’s just removing the years of buildup and cables and layers and layers of drywall and flooring.”

Beyond the Pale currently runs a taproom in the City Centre complex. The new space in the ByWard Market, which will be the company’s second location, will also feature a restaurant and an event space for parties and weddings.

The construction team, which has only been at work for about seven days, is currently in the process of removing the more dated elements, like the old bars and fireplaces, and exposing all the old bricks and wooden beams.

Clark said the goal is to capture the old tavern feel of the space.

Menu testing begins next week but Clark declined to share any sneak peeks. He said they’ve brought in chef Rich Wilson of Beckta Group to run the show.

“He’s coming over as our head chef here and he’s a rock star,” Clark said. “He’s not going to be doing fine dining – that’s not Beyond the Pale’s MO. We’ll be doing a little more stripped-down, casual fare. We’re trying to hit a price point that’s not really available in this section of the Market and have food that pairs well with beer.”

He added that the plan is to keep the restaurant open for both lunch and dinner, as well as late-night service.

The previous tenants left behind plenty of items that Clark plans to continue using, from furniture to cookware and kitchen equipment.

There were also some “wonderful gems” that will be displayed around the property to honour the building’s more than 100-year heritage, he said.

“We found a big filing cabinet full of old permit drawings from many of the buildings around here as they were altered throughout the years,” he said. “All sorts of fun things, along with photographs and negatives from York Street and Sussex (Drive), all through the early 1900s. There’s a lot of history that we’re pulling out of this place.”

The historic building has been sitting empty since the end of February when the French-inspired Courtyard Restaurant called it quits after 40 years in its ByWard Market location.

Beyond the Pale has partnered with Anish Mehra, owner of East India Company Restaurants, and his brothers on the management of the operation.

According to Clark, conversations about leasing the space started a week after the Courtyard Restaurant announced its closure.

“We’ve been looking for another location,” he said. “We really wanted something that could be our landmark location. It was actually the guys from the East India Company who brought this to us and we committed to it pretty quickly. We fell in love the second we walked in.”

Clark said they originally hoped to open over the summer, but negotiating a lease with the NCC took longer than expected. Now, they’re hoping to be operational sometime in November.

The taproom isn’t the only new restaurant in the area. Just across the courtyard, a new establishment called Dark Fork will open its doors this fall, promising to give diners “a chance not only to sample the establishment’s extensive menu but also to experience a taste — literally — of life as a visually impaired person,” said the owners in a news release.

There are also plans for Live Nation to build a new music venue in the old Chapters building across the street, which Clark said he hopes puts the ByWard Market on the upswing.

“We’re excited for the Market to turn around again,” said Clark. “There’s a lot of good things down here and I think it’s just a matter of getting people out again, giving people an option that’s not too expensive. We’re hoping to kind of start to draw people, not just from the Market area who live down here, but have people bother to come downtown and have some fun with us.”

The Courtyard Restaurant served dinner for the final time on Feb. 27 following a hasty closing announcement that left many wedding plans in the lurch.

“It has been a pleasure being of service to all of you throughout the years,” the restaurant said in an Instagram post at the time. “To our loyal guests, thank you for your years of support.”

https://obj.ca/beyond-the-pale-taproom-former-courtyard-restaurant/

[AuxTown]

Great to hear! That space is so nice for events/weddings and my wife and I went there for dinner many times over the years. It's a shame they won't have the quality of cuisine there anymore, but beer is good too

[phil235]

Originally Posted by AuxTown

Great to hear! That space is so nice for events/weddings and my wife and I went there for dinner many times over the years. It's a shame they won't have the quality of cuisine there anymore, but beer is good too

Yeah, huge get for the NCC. Those spaces didn’t sit empty for long, which is a good sign.

With the new concert venue and this, that part of the Market is going to be outstanding.

[rocketphish]

Ontario to increase beer fee, hitting Beer Store, private retail, bars, restaurants
LCBO to slap 4.4% increase on 'cost of service' levy on all beer, domestic or imported, sold at all outlets

Mike Crawley · CBC News
Posted: Feb 25, 2025 2:16 PM EST | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

Ontario's liquor agency is increasing a fee it charges brewers, a move that would boost the cost of beer for all retailers, restaurants and bars in the province.

The move by the LCBO comes just days before the provincial election on Thursday.

The LCBO posted information about the fee increase on its website Monday within hours of Ontario PC Leader Doug Ford unveiling a new campaign promise to scrap the province's mandatory minimum prices for alcohol.

The increase is set to take effect on April 1.

It amounts to a 4.4 per cent jump in what the LCBO calls "cost of service," a levy that applies to all beer products — whether imported or domestic — sold at retail outlets such as The Beer Store, supermarkets, convenience stores and brewery retail outlets, as well as on beer distributed to bars and restaurants.

<more>

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-beer-fee-cost-of-service-increase-lcbo-1.7467916

[J.OT13]

I'm shocked! Usually Doug likes to make Alcoholism cheaper and more convenient.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

I'm shocked! Usually Doug likes to make Alcoholism cheaper and more convenient.

It is odd timing, Announcing it just days ahead of the election.

[FrostyMug]

Originally Posted by LeadingEdgeBoomer

It is odd timing, Announcing it just days ahead of the election.

Could it be that Ford wanted this out before the election so he could claim he would cancel the increase thereby appearing to be the everyman saviour of cheap booze that he portends to be?

[Kitchissippi]

Conspiracy Theory in Bells Corners is now shut down. I quite liked their beers and I enjoyed their patio. It was one of the pre pubs that had decent food, too.

[Proof Sheet]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

Conspiracy Theory in Bells Corners is now shut down. I quite liked their beers and I enjoyed their patio. It was one of the pre pubs that had decent food, too.

I tried 2 or 3 times to get beer to go from there and they were hopelessly disorganised and their labelling of the beers was amateurish. The staff were nowhere to be seen a lot of the time. The hamburgers were pretty good and the beers were OK.

I've also heard that Brew Revolution in Stittsville is up for sale. Honestly, there are probably too many breweries/brew pubs in Ottawa. My favourites are Spark and Brasserie du Bas-Canada in Gatineau and 5E Baron in Aylmer. For beer selection and atmosphere the Cheshire Cat can't be beat.

I think people are drinking less although probably more unique beers. US in your face beers are probably declining in popularity (PBR, Bud, Coors, Miller and the rest of cold, wet and yellow drinks)

[harls]

I stopped at the LCBO in Hawkesbury the other day and saw their beer selection. Pretty much the same price as QC. 16 bucks for 4 Guinness cans. That is the same at my local IGA. How sad.

Quebec used to be far more cheaper.

[rocketphish]

Ontario grocers could avoid taking beer and wine empties under new deal
Consumers could return empties to Beer Store locations to collect deposit

Allison Jones · The Canadian Press
Posted: Nov 26, 2025 2:51 PM EST | Last Updated: November 26

Ontario grocers and the Beer Store have reached an agreement-in-principle on alcohol recycling that will allow the retailers to avoid collecting empties at their stores and gives a renewed role to the brewers, The Canadian Press has learned.

The deal averts a potential death knell for the Ontario Deposit Return Program, as some grocers warned they would refuse to accept empties as required starting Jan. 1, the same day the Beer Store is allowed to close an unlimited number of locations.

Details are still being worked out, but the broad strokes of the agreement mean that consumers will continue to exchange empties for their deposits at Beer Store locations, with grocers footing the bill and the brewers committing to ensuring there is a point of recycling available within 10 kilometres for the vast majority of the population.

<more>

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/o...d-collecting-beer-wine-empties-9.6993472

[rocketphish]

Kichesippi Beer Co. shutting its doors in March
In a statement on the brewery's website, owner Paul Meek said the brewery was operating at a loss and had been "for some time."

By Paula Tran, Ottawa Citizen
Published Feb 28, 2026 | Last updated 25 minutes ago

Kichesippi Beer Co., a local Ottawa brewery that opened in 2010, will be shutting its doors for good next month due to financial constraints.

In a statement posted on the brewery’s website, owner Paul Meek said the brewery was operating at a loss, and had been “for some time.”

He also said he’d explored multiple options, such as borrowing money, taking on new shareholders, selling the entire company and merging with other breweries, to keep Kichesippi Beer Co. afloat and his staff employed, but had not been able to “secure long-term viability and profitability” for the brand.

The final day of service for the brewery, which is located on Robertson Road, will be March 6.

“We are in the awkward position of not having enough money to brew more beer, which results in not having enough beer to make more money,” the statement read.

“It is hard to properly summarize a proper thank you to everyone in this community who has supported our family business since 2010. I am beyond grateful for everything up to this point, and I know our staff are as well.”

Kichesippi Beer Co.’s closure comes less than a month after Small Pony Barrel Works, another local brewery, shut down operations.

Sean McVeigh, owner of Small Pony Barrel Works, wrote in a statement on the brewery’s website that he wanted to focus more of his time on things that brought him joy, like his families and hobbies, for the first time in nine years.

That brewery released its final beers on Jan. 31.

“As the years working at home passed, and shipping companies closed, ingredient prices raced upwards, some restaurants stopped paying bills, supply chains were in flux, and demand was shifting to more time-intensive beers like the SMÜV series — while great to see, despite the downward price pressure from LCBO — was taking an increasing toll on my time and energy,” McVeigh wrote.

“The tragic loss of our friend Justin from the newly-opened Base Camp Brewery was an emotional hit, and, while the rally from both the community and other brewers was inspiring, this was also another time for introspection.”

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/kichesippi-beer-co-closure-march-6

[Kitchissippi]

Went to Kichesippi yesterday with a bunch and shared memories of good times there. It was like going to an Irish wake.

[J.OT13]

Didn't they recently open a pub on Sparks?

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Didn't they recently open a pub on Sparks?

How does this affect The Commons on Sparks Street?

The only thing that will change at The Commons, is there will soon be less Kichesippi products on the shelves and on the taps at this location. This location will continue to provide our customers with a selection of locally roasted coffee, Ontario Craft Beer and our curated wine selection.

https://www.kbeer.ca/pages/thank-you-and-sorry