Best of Ottawa 2020: Local brewers and distillers

 ?After over 20-years writing about life in Ottawa, we think we have a pretty good idea of the best of what this city has to offer. In this weekly series, we share our picks with you — our top hotels, live music venues, local brews, bands and more. Check, share and discuss

Beer Connoisseurs’ favourite non-alcoholic beers are available online in Ontario

 Thirsty Canadians can now enjoy the pleasure of a great craft beer without the alcohol. Quebec Microbrewery BockAle’s renowned non-alcoholic beers are now available Canada-wide and with the purchase of any 12-pack there is free shipping across Canada — it's time to give it a try! The Drummondville (QC), Microbrewery BockAle

CRAFT Is for Beer Lovers—and Everyone Else

 Photos by Chris Chase Welcome to Lansdowne Lowdown, a series of reviews showcasing the delicious restaurant options at Lansdowne Park. CRAFT Beer Market is by far the largest restaurant in the Lansdowne sports and entertainment complex. It has 132 beer taps, a giant bar with super-cool industrial pipelines overhead that zip

Ottawa’s Hidden Gig

 OLM covers a lot of events — gigs, fests, bashes, shin digs — but we have a solemn duty to tell you when a night is actually fantastic. You already know Clocktower Brew Pub and their sensational list of in house craft beer, but did you know they start serving

Stray Dog Brewing Company: A Homegrown Success Even Before Opening

 Photos by Alan Viau There are line-ups outside their doors. People anxiously waiting for the opportunity to taste the latest products from Orleans's only craft brewery. The Stray Dog Brewing Company is about to official open – yet it has already built a great buzz in the City. This is

Window of Hopportunity: Ottawa Brewers’ Best Beer Names

 With the recent explosion of craft beers in the market, local brewers will do everything to make their specialty ale stand out from the rest of the (six) pack. Naming brews allows the maker to showcase their creativity and pun proficiency, and while some made us cringe with disabrewvement, we

You Drink It – We’ll Deliver

 On my fridge there is a magnet that reminds me: “so many wines, so little time.” The truth is that we are creatures of habit and despite so many options, it’s often easier to simply reach for a bottle of wine that we know. A friend called me recently and asked me to

San Diego Baby

 For this year’s winter escape, get a hit of culture, history and, of course, warmth, by heading to the birthplace of California: San Diego. Despite the fact that it has roughly 3.2 million people milling about, the city has a chill pace to it. San Diego is both relaxed and

Sharing the Good Things in Life

 All photos courtesy of Savvy Company At Savvy Company, we specialize in creative social experiences by discovering the world of wine, craft beer & artisan cheese with our Sommeliers. Looking for a fun night out?  Join us at an upcoming Savvy Event where we’ll introduce to the people who make the wine,

Let’s Get Crafty

 Patio season is upon us. There’s no better way to enjoy it than with a cold one from a local craft beer maker. The craft beer industry is incredibly trendy right now, and for good reason. Ontario breweries are creating a diverse marketplace of flavours to savour. There are currently

Now what to do with those growlers?

 By Katy Watts I have a love/hate relationship with growlers. Superficially I love the idea – a 1.89 litre jug of fresh beer, usually something special, bought direct from the source. But, when I look deeper, or when I’m stuck with an aging growler on a Wednesday, it may not be

Winter cheer with craft beer

 2015 is the year to drink more locally-made beer. With more than 12 craft breweries in the area where you can drop in and try the latest concoctions, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. You’ll find many more beers than at your local pub, on the shelves of the LCBO or even

Raise a glass – it’s the holidays!

 However you deck the halls, here are someholidays tips & recipes that will make everything brighter. Pop those corks! It’s always a nice touch to serve bubbly when your guests arrive. We do this at every Savvy Event. The sound of popping corks sets the mood and the rush of bubbly

Food Frenzy in the Capital

 When the average Canadian thinks of Ottawa, they think of the national hub of power and politics. However, our great city is more than just that. Don Chow and Jennifer Lim’s new book Ottawa Food: A Hungry Capital is a feast for your eyes. In it, they explore all things

Making the Most of Fall and Winter: 2014/15 Ottawa Event Guide

 “I’m bored! What should we do?” This familiar question far too often doesn’t have an answer. Stop right there! Look no further! OLM’s Fall and Winter Event Guide is here to relieve your boredom. With the turning of the seasons comes many new activities to kick the fall and winter blues

Looking for a Career in the Wine, Craft Beer and Spirits Business?

 Since I began working in the wine industry over 10 years ago, there are two questions I am constantly asked: “I was away on holidays in ‘wherever’ and discovered 'X' wine that isn’t at the LCBO. How can I get it shipped into Ontario?” and “I want to get a job

Crafty beer makers brewing up something different in Ottawa

 Ottawa, this ain’t your grandfather’s beer. That’s the message the surging craft brewing industry in the capital is sending to beer drinkers as they turn heads and flip taste buds. The days of automatically ordering traditional beer from big brewers like Molson or Coors are gone as more local choices