In 1988, John Attridge opened the Halton Brewing Company in Burlington. After only one year, he couldn’t make it a success, and it closed. The early days of you-brew and microbreweries were filled with groundbreaking successes and failures. Gone are the days of bringing home cases of you-brew in green plastic bottles with sediment at the bottom, thankfully.
Now Halton is home to six quality craft breweries, and by all accounts they are all going to be with us for quite some time yet!
Here are some of the craft breweries and their exciting lineup of beverages you will find in Halton, and likely around Ontario at the LCBO.
CAMERON’S BREWING COMPANY
Cameron’s Brewing Company, a family-run brewery headquartered in Oakville, has been brewing the suds since 1997. With over 200 awards presented to their brewmasters, they are recognized as a leading producer in Ontario. Their six year-round brews consist of 2 IPA’s, 2 lagers, a red ale and a cream ale. We’re partial to the 12-Mile IPL which is a lager with an IPA fruity flavour.
They offer free contactless delivery across Ontario, and are open for pickup and brewery tours (call ahead for tour reservations)
Visit the Cameron’s Brewing listing
FURNACE ROOM BREWERY
At home by the Georgetown train station, perhaps the Furnace Room is referring to the old coal fired locomotives. Whatever the origin of the name, we’re really pleased with the selection of craft beers FRB presents. The core four beers are Chicken Man Pale Ale (named after a local Georgetown resident who used to cycle around with a chicken), the Dynamo Cream Lager, Beardmore Kolsh, and Wrighthouse Red – all with names that have a local story behind them. In addition, Furnace Room Brewery consistently produces exciting seasonal and one-off beers.
There is a recognizable, flawless finish on all their beers. This is due to healthy strong and fermentation methods, and close regulation of temperature. The use of liquid yeasts also strengthens each beer type made, resulting in new and special flavor characteristics. This creative approach has established a loyal and passionate customer base.
Furnace Room Brewery has been heavily involved in the neighborhood since its inception. They were the flagship brewery at the Head For The Hills Craft Beer Festival. They have also raised and contributed funds to local charities such as The Darling Home for Kids, Georgetown’s Trek for Tourette’s Syndrome, Jesse’s Journey, Isaac’s Trek for Treats, and Food 4 Kids, Halton.
SKELETON CREW BREWING COMPANY
Skeleton Crew Brewing company is a unique brewery located in Oakville, Ontario. They produce beers for those who admire the unconventional and vehemently condemn the status quo. Skeleton Crew is dedicated to brewing outstanding, unique beers while maintaining an unwavering commitment to the true art of brewing.
The Knuckle Bone IPA and The Evil Genius Session IPA are the major year-round brews they have. However, they keep working on something new. Skeleton Crew beer is available at the LCBO and online.
They have smooth and crisp beers that will make you thirst for more. The Skeleton Crew are very good at what they do. They do not brew for the masses but for those who share their passion and dare to be different. The beers come at a reasonable price – well below the average price of local craft beer.
ORANGE SNAIL BREWERIES
Orange Snail Breweries is a small brewery, relatively new to the craft brewing business. Damian and Kevin are university buddies with a passion for beer. They are proud of their Milton heritage and brew each batch knowing their neighbor will be the ultimate judge. Orange Snail team seeks to encourage local business as much as possible, using local ingredients as much as possible throughout the brewing process and donating all of their spent grain to a farmer down the road. You can try their Iron Pig Pale Ale: an earth-based beer with delicate herbal hops and biscuit and toasted grain flavors.
So, look no farther than Orange Snail Breweries, whether you are new to the craft brew scene or hoping to find a new brew to enjoy. They have innovative and delicious products and a wide range of flavors that affords everyone the chance to find something that suits their taste.
NICKEL BROOK BREWERY
Nickelbrook produces some ‘Wickedly Awesome’ IPAs for the ‘Naughty Neighbour’ who is ‘Lost in Orbit’. Keeping with the tradition of naming craft beer with unusual but catchy names, Nickelbrook has a wide range of off-beat IPAs, blonde lagers, and some very special stouts, one of which is a vintage, aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels. Since its establishment in 2005, Nickel Brook has been one of the leading participants in the Ontario Craft Beer revolution. These brewers mix quality ingredients, DIY ingenuity, and a level of technical knowledge to make world-class beers, following their mantra ‘Beer, Down to a Science.’ They have some award-winning core brands such as Cause & Effect Blonde, Naughty Neighbor APA, and Head Stock IPA that continue to develop as some of the most popular craft beers in Ontario.
They converted their original Burlington brewery into the Funk Lab in 2016, a laboratory primarily devoted to small-batch funk and sour beers. This lab is the first of its kind in Canada. The rationale behind this was to be world pioneers in discovering how particular strains of yeast and bacteria can raise craft beer to new taste heights. They also boast a substantial barreling program, storing beer in over 400 whiskeys, rum, gin, and tequila barrels, depicting more scope and sophistication. Via these platforms and channels, Nickel Brook has made a name as one of the country’s most exciting breweries.
They are dedicated to crafting beers that are tasty, creative, and all-natural. Their Tap Room offers fresh beer, local cuisine, and a welcoming environment where visitors can discover what makes their beers so unique.
THIRD MOON BREWING COMPANY
Third Moon Brewing Company, a very recent brewery in Milton, and has some scary beer on brew. With names like Conjuration (an IPA with 7.1 ABV), Bone Tree, and Dead Don’t Die, we’re slightly nervous of the aftereffects of drinking these. After reading the ingredients though which include coffee, cocoa, coconut, and maple syrup, we’re convinced the taste will be amazing. They also have fun and exploratory sour beers on their list.
New beers are usually announced every week, and they are available for sale on Thursdays at noon. On random Sundays, they do a “Sunday Funday” of shipping mixed packs. The Third Moon brewing team has a goal of turning each of their beers into an incredible and unforgettable experience.
