The California-based independent craft beer site, RateBeer, has released its 2015 international awards with Manantler Brewery winning Ontario Best New Brewer category. RateBeer began in 2000 and is known as a premium site for craft beer enthusiasts worldwide. Hundreds of thousands of participants worldwide are involved in its rating systems and forums. It is quite a prestigious award for the Bowmanville brewery start-up and SlowCity congratulates Manantler on the win.
Taste a range of brews at Manantler Saturday Jan 30
Manantler Brewery in Bowmanville is hoping you will heed the call of the hop. The crew are laying on a selection of their signature brews for a tasting extravaganza. Their Seismic Narwhal, Citra Situation, Liquid Swords, Roberta Blondar and the Dark Prince will be available. So a good time to stock up and if you're asking I would recommend the Black IPA of the Prince with its smooth, coffee tones and the brightness of the Citra Situation Pilsner. The Photogenics will provide an evening of roots Canadiana and rumours are that the band will have CDs.
Milk, eggs, bread and . . . maybe Manantler brews at your grocery store
Beer is now available in grocery stores across Ontario. So far 58 stores are carrying beer, currently however only in six-packs or individual cans. Twelve and 24s must still be purchased at the Beer Store, a retail operation owned by Labatts, Molson and Sleemans. Twenty per cent of allocated shelf space must be reserved for craft beers. Some stores are opting to carry more than the minimum for craft.
Chris Allott, president of Manantler Craft Brewing Co. in Bowmanville says having beer in stores is a positive all round.
"We think its great for the industry and the consumers alike. Initially it won't affect as much as it will when we start pushing our products out to grocery. Eventually though we hope to be right up thereon the shelf with all the other guys in the grocery stores. The way it does really affect us right now is by exposing craft to average consumers who haven't yet discovered it. Hopefully this helps to push Craft Beer more into the mainstream," he says.
Manantler brew and sell onsite but Allot says they don't anticipate any negative impact on their retail business
"I don't think it changes anything in regard to our event space, we still want to have a big space for private parties, concerts, and other events," he says.
Community Butcher in Peterborough - photo via website
Soup Season begins with new columnist Deb Thibault
As the seasons change, so do choices in our cuisine. Summer gives way to fall, and with it, the backyard barbecues turn to indoor cooking as grilled steaks turn into roasts of succulent beef or chicken. The slow cooker makes its way out from its summer hibernation becoming a semi-permanent fixture on the countertop and fertile ground for rich stews and warming chilis. Soups are another popular option around this time, and that’s the focus for my debut column at Slowcity.
With the rising cost of food, soups are a great way to feed your household a bowl of nutrition on a relatively small budget. One of the most important parts of your soup is the nourishing broth. I’m not talking about the stock found in cans, cartons or cubes you pick up at your local grocery store usually filled with added salt, sugar, gluten, artificial flavours and colour. I’m talking about an easy-to-make broth made from animal bones. This homemade concoction not only adds flavour to your soups but is a rich source of vitamins and minerals to help strengthen digestion, heal the digestive tract and sooth achy joints. Bone broth is also great to sip on when you have digestive issues or are feeling ill.
An excellent cost savings and incredibly healthy way to make your soup broth is to use leftover bones from a previous meal involving beef, chicken or lamb. Or you can choose to buy bones from an ethical source that are free of hormones and antibiotics by visiting a local butcher. One great place to buy your bones locally is at Halenda’s Meats with three locations throughout Whitby and Oshawa. For organic bones it’s worth the short drive to The Community Butcher in Peterborough – a nose to tail butcher where nothing goes to waste – and whose motto is local, ethical and affordable (picture above).
Simply toss the bones into a crockpot with 12 cups of water and one tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Once the water boils turn the crockpot to a lower temperature and simmer anywhere from 12 to 24 hours. This helps to break down the bones to release the nutrients. If you don’t have time to make the bone broth within a few days, put the bones in the freezer and take them out to use when you have time.
You can freeze the bone broth in glass jars, leaving at least once inch of space at the top of the jar to allow for expansion. Cool the jars completely without the lid and then freeze. Once the stock is frozen, screw on the lids and place back in the freezer until ready to use.
White Bean and Kale Soup
This lovely soup for cooler weather was inspired by Eco Harmony Dawn Cooking. It’s almost creamy in consistency because of the grated potato. Serves 6
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks, white part only, chopped
1 cup celery
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
6 cups bone broth
1 large potato, grated
1-19 oz can white kidney beans, about 2 cups
3 cups kale, rolled and chopped, hard stems removed
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, optional
In a large pot over medium heat, sauté the leeks, celery and garlic in the oil until vegetables are soft. Add cumin, cayenne, sea salt and pepper. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the potato and beans and simmer gently until the potato disappears into the broth – about 20 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and gently simmer another minute or two until the kale is cooked. Serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese if desired. Add extra salt and pepper to taste.
Inspirational video from Saint Archer Brewery
Sometimes a random email leads to a rad discovery. This one came via MuseBox. There's been a lot of movement in the indie world lately, movement that back in the day would have been labeled "Sellout"!! Universal has poached Arts & Crafts, Conde Nast have bought Pitchfork and Labatts took over Mill Street Brewery but its not so black and white anymore. Its more something to celebrate. Folks who do awesome things for the sake of making an awesome future for themselves can be noticed and can take things to a broader level and who is to say that its not all just a conspiracy of indies designed to takeover the Big Guys. Could be. Anyway this video reminds me why I do this and why I hope others do it their way too.