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Suds up! Beers get crafty at the Northern Ontario Microbrew Festival

Caruso Club the place to be for all beer connoisseurs as they host fourth annual Microbrew festival

When the Northern Ontario Microbrew Festival launched four years ago, the organizers could not fathom the response they had received. This weekend, Sudbury beer enthusiasts will have a chance to once again sample craft beers as they enjoy live performances at the popular Sudbury event. 

“Originally we started off as a one-day event but realized that we were selling out quickly, so we extended it to two days,” Ashley Mccarvell, event co-ordinator of the microbrew festival, said. “This year we also decided to continue the party on Saturday, we have lots of performances coming up in the evening followed by another party at Townehouse.”

In the festival’s fourth run, it is showcasing brews from breweries in North Bay, Parry Sound, Manitoulin and even as far as Thunder Bay.  

Brian Wilson, brewmaster and founder of Highlander Brewing Company, has been a regular at the microbrew festival mainly due to the camaraderie he finds at the event.

“I think it is important to realize that stuff north of 416 does happen and I think when you get a group of brewers together who are all like-minded and are trying to grow our business in Northern Ontario that’s worth showcasing,” Wilson said. 

Apart from the fan favourite Scottish Ale and Blacksmith Smoked Porter, Wilson also brought along a unique aged brew, Labrador Tea Wintergreen Ale to mark the fourth anniversary of the microbrew festival. 

“Craft beer has grown, and people are coming out to try new things, as the event keeps growing,” Wilson said. 

Wilson’s brotherhood sentiments echoed across every microbrewery present at Caruso Club. 

As for the response, Joet Dhatt, partner at Manitoulin Brewing Company, said, “Right from the moment the door opened, I didn’t expect so many people. So many people are interested in learning about our beers and brewing process. It's great.”

Saturday's event was broken into two sessions – one starting at 1 p.m. till 4 p.m. which focused heavily on interaction with the breweries and learning more about them. The second session will be running from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and will imitate a live club event before ending the night at Townehouse with more live performances. 

If you missed out on the chance to try some craft beer, check out our jealousy-inducing photo gallery. Or check back with us later as Sudbury.com does some tasting themselves.


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Gia Patil

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