Beer FAQs
What types of beers do you brew?
We brew from scratch, which means no limits. We regularly brew almost every style of beer. Lagers, pilsners, ales and porters, stouts and bocks; we have something to please every beer craving. And those are just our 'run of the mill' beers! Ask about our seasonal and specialty brews like hefeweissens, winter ales, and fruity yum-yums.
How big is a batch?
Each batch is 48 liters. That’s approximately 12 dozen standard (341ml) bottles, 96 bigger (500ml) bottles or 48 large (1 liter) bottles.
How much does it cost?
That depends on the beer. Light lagers will cost less than a beefy stout or honey brown ale. The least expensive beer we brew is around $125 and the most expensive is close to $210. The price of an average batch (what most people like to drink) is about $150.
How long does it take to brew a batch?
If you come in to brew it yourself, be prepared to spend an hour and a half in-store cooking up the batch and pitching the yeast. Don't be scared, we will guide you through every step!
Can you make it for me?
We can cook up the batch for you (the 1.5 hour part), but you must come in to add the yeast. This is called a "wort production" and it costs you an extra $10. That's where we brew the beer and you just come in later and add the yeast to it.
Legally, we cannot make the batch and pitch the yeast for you. That would violate our licensing. Sorry!
I drink (insert your favourite commercial beer here). Can you make that for me?
Possibly. Call us and let’s chat about it. If you want a popular commercial beer, we may already have a recipe for it!
If not, we can often figure out recipes. Bring us a bottle or two of whatever you'd like us to "clone" for you. We'll see what we can do. But honestly, ours are often better.
What ingredients go in the beer?
For most beers, only malt, hops and filtered water. Some beers may have unique ingredients like honey or orange zest but we never add any preservatives or chemicals of any kind. What you taste is what you get, with no additives.
Can I customize my beer?
We can generally customize a beer. If you like a highly carbonated beer, we can do that. More hops? We can do that. More malt? Yeah, sure. Depending on the extra ingredients (especially hops), we may have to adjust the pricing.
What's the best way to store my beer?
Some place cool and dark is best. A fridge is ideal. No beer fridge? Try a nice cool, dim room. Garages are notoriously bad for beer storage because of temperature fluctuations. With good storage, your beer should last 3 months and longer. And remember, better storage = longer shelf life.
How long before I can bottle my batch of beer?
That depends on the type of beer you make. Most of our beers have a 3 week fermentation and conditioning time. However, some can be 4 weeks or longer.
Do I have to age it?
When you've bottled it, it is ready to drink.
Will it have sediment?
Not unless you want it! We have a fantastic filtration and carbonation system that takes every trace of sediment out of your beer. Nothing left in there but flavour!
Can I bottle-condition my beer?
Some traditional styles of beer can and should be bottle conditioned. Ask us about it.
Why do I have to book an appointment to bottle?
We have 4 beer bottling stations for plastic bottles and 1 for glass bottles. They fill very quickly, especially the glass machine.
How annoying would it be to fight traffic and bring your bottles all the way across town only to find that all the machines are tied up? Booking your appointment guarantees that you have a time slot reserved.
We ask that you give us 24-48 hours notice for booking appointments. Again, we fill up fast. Most of our customers book their appointments while they are brewing their beers!
Do you have a bottle washer?
Yes, we do. It holds 24 bottles and costs $1 per load.
Can I split my batch between glass and plastic bottles?
Sorry but no. We have 5 bottling machines only. If you start with one type of bottle, you have to finish with that type.
Do you sell bottles? What sizes?
Yes, we do sell bottles! We have plastic and glass. We usually stock 341ml glass bottles in green and brown, 500 ml browns, as well as 650ml "flip-top" brown glass bottles. Our plastic bottles come in 500ml (green and brown) and 1 liter sizes.
What's this I hear about a hop crisis?
Yup, you heard right. Worldwide hop crops came up short in 2008 and the market is STILL feeling the effects. Hop prices went up as much as 1000% last year, and have yet to come down. The good news is that we are still able to source all of our varieties. Our beer prices have already been adjusted (this past september) and will not go up any further in the forseeable future.
What about beer on tap?
We have a portable tap system that you can rent for special occassions. Or if you want to set up the ultimate bar in your recroom, Jim is a whizz at assembling custom set ups. Give us a call or come on down and talk to us about it.
What are "Rewards Points"? How do I use them?
Every batch of beer you brew has a "point value". Every time you make a purchase, our computer automatically adds up your points. You can then trade your points for beer or wine merchandise. Good deal!
