Published by Leonardo Calcagno
May 24-25-26, 2024 | Windsor Station and Rio Tinto Courtyard, a magnificent historical building in downtown Montreal
festivalmondialbiere.qc.ca
festivalmondialbiere.qc.ca
How long have you been brewing beer and what are the core values of your brewery?
Great Lakes Brewery was established in 1987, making us one of the oldest independently owned-operated craft breweries in all of Canada. Located in Etobicoke (Toronto), GLB employs approximately 55 people across and recently opened a second location (GLB Brewpub) in downtown Toronto. GLB is Ontario’s local brewery, getting beer out to all corners of the province as fresh as possible. We value fun, and teamwork, and believe in being approachable, accountable, and community-oriented in all we do.
What are the main types of beer you brew?
While known for our IPAs and American Pale Ales, we produce a variety of styles across the board. Our year-round line-up of beers include an American Lager, English Ale, New England IPA, American Pale Ales, and more. We have two one-off series of beers that we produce – Tank Ten and 7 Barrels – the former is meant for producing some of our more sought-after IPAs on a larger scale than a pilot system and are distributed across the province and the latter is for smaller, rarer one-off creations like our German lagers, barrel-aged offerings, and experimental beers.
What makes your beer unique? (explain) and are you bringing any special beer at the Mundial that we should try? if yes, what is it and what can you tell us about it?
We like to say that you can taste the passion and the team morale in our beers. We take those extra steps required to produce exceptional beer that everyone from the most seasoned beer drinker to someone just getting into beer can enjoy. Our team of brewers is very experienced and determined, focusing on quality every step of the way. They, and we, are very proud of the beers we produce and we take great pride in our ability to brew so many different styles so well.
For Mondial, we have two special beers in our portfolio at the show:
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Old Dusseldorf Altbier – This delicious Altbier, a top-fermented ale, matured over three weeks in cooler temperatures to produce a very refreshing (crisp), clean, and complex beer. Bordering on dark copper into mahogany in color, this Altbier produces enticing aromas of bready malts (pretzel), nuttiness (hazelnut), and sweetness of caramel and marshmallow. The Tanish head is pillowy-puffy and offers a creaminess with each sip. Flavours of raisin, cereal malts, more marshmallows, and a slightly spicy peppery note derived from the noble hops used in the production of this beer. It finishes quite dry with a pleasant grassy bitterness.
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Vienna Lager – Vienna Lager pours a clear amber with a brilliant tan cap. It features clean aromas of lightly toasted malts and subtle wood characters. Naturally carbonated, this medium-bodied beer features the right touch of roasted malts alongside a gentle hop presence. The creamy mouthfeel finishes dry, yet crisp.
What are the plans for the future?
Great Lakes has its eye on the future, but only in its home province of Ontario. We firmly believe that fresh beer is the best beer, and we like to ensure customers experience our brands in the best way possible. GLB will continue to offer Ontario beer drinkers a plethora of choices (styles) to choose from, and all at affordable prices, and innovation will continue to play a crucial role in this development.