Ontario Craft Brewers
Encyclopedia
The Ontario Craft Brewers (OCB) is a trade association
representing 27 small, independent breweries
in the Canadian
province of Ontario
.
. The association adopted the name Ontario Craft Brewers and launched their first marketing campaign under that brand in Spring 2005.
Craft breweries still currently control less than 5 percent of the provincial beer market. Over 89 per cent of beer in Ontario is sold by The Beer Store, which is owned by AB InBev, Molson Coors, and Sapporo. The remainder of beer in the province is sold by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario
(LCBO), a provincial crown corporation
solely responsible for the sale of liquor and spirits in Ontario, and by licensed bars and restaurants.
Trade association
A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association or sector association, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry...
representing 27 small, independent breweries
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
Origins
The OCB was originally founded in 2003 as the Ontario Small Brewers Association to work collectively on marketing and communications programs to promote local breweries and the craft beer being brewed in Ontario. The OCB is funded by member dues and grants provided by the Government of OntarioGovernment of Ontario
The Government of Ontario refers to the provincial government of the province of Ontario, Canada. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
. The association adopted the name Ontario Craft Brewers and launched their first marketing campaign under that brand in Spring 2005.
Craft Brewing Methods
As proponents of the North American craft beer movement, the Ontario Craft Brewers have published a formal OCB Brewing Philosophy mandating members to employ traditional brewing methods, including: brewing in small batches; the use of natural quality ingredients; fermentation to final gravity without dilution; and the avoidance of preservatives or additives.Market Position
Since the OCB formed and launched its marketing campaigns, there has been a reported growth in the sales of craft beer within the Ontario market.Craft breweries still currently control less than 5 percent of the provincial beer market. Over 89 per cent of beer in Ontario is sold by The Beer Store, which is owned by AB InBev, Molson Coors, and Sapporo. The remainder of beer in the province is sold by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario
Liquor Control Board of Ontario
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario is a provincial Crown corporation in Ontario, Canada established in 1927 by Lieutenant Governor William Donald Ross, on the advice of his Premier, Howard Ferguson, to sell liquor, wine, and beer through a chain of retail stores...
(LCBO), a provincial crown corporation
Crown corporations of Canada
Canadian Crown corporations are enterprises owned by the federal government of Canada , one of Canada's provincial governments or one of the territorial governments. Crown corporations have a long standing presence in the country and have been instrumental in the formation of the state...
solely responsible for the sale of liquor and spirits in Ontario, and by licensed bars and restaurants.
OCB Discovery Pack
In 2007 the Ontario Craft Brewers began selling its own branded product — the OCB Discovery Pack — in LCBO stores. The Discovery Pack is a mixed sampler containing 4 to 6 different beers from OCB member breweries. The contents, and sometimes the format, of the Discovery Pack changes with each edition. The seventh release of the Discovery Pack went on sale in November 2010.Ontario Craft Beer Week
In June 2010, the Ontario Craft Brewers initiated the first annual Ontario Craft Beer Week, a festival featuring events taking place at OCB breweries, as well as various bars and restaurants around the province.Member Breweries
The members of the Ontario Craft Brewers are:- Barley Days Brewery
- Beau's All Natural Brewing CompanyBeau's All Natural Brewing CompanyBeau's All Natural Brewing Company, also known as Beau's Brewing Company or simply Beau's, is a microbrewery located in Vankleek Hill, Ontario, 50 minutes east of Ottawa....
- Black Creek Historic Brewery
- Black Oak Brewing Company
- Cameron's Brewing CompanyCameron's Brewing CompanyCameron's Brewing Company is a craft brewery located just outside Toronto in Oakville, Ontario Canada. Founded in 1997, Cameron's produces 4 different beers, Cameron's Cream Ale, Cameron's Auburn Ale, Cameron's Lager and Cameron's Dark266....
- County Durham Brewing Company
- F&M BreweryF&M BreweryF&M Brewery is located in Guelph, Ontario and is a member of Ontario Craft Brewers Association . The brewery was established in 1995 and produces the award-winning line of Stone Hammer beers. F&M Brewery also produces several contract beers, including MacLean's Pale Ale and the Taste of...
- Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery
- Grand River Brewing
- Granite Brewery
- Great Lakes Brewery
- Heritage Brewing
- King BreweryKing BreweryKing Brewery is a microbrewery based in Nobleton, Ontario, Canada which has won a number of awards. It operates in a traditional German style, producing lagers. Owner and brewmaster Philip DiFonzo gained input from over 200 bars, pubs, taverns, and restaurants before launching in July 2002 with a...
- Lake of Bays Brewing Company
- MacLean's Ales
- Mill Street BreweryMill Street BreweryMill Street is a Canadian brewery founded in December 2002 in Toronto by Steve Abrams, Jeff Cooper and Michael Duggan. Joel Manning is currently the head brewer. The brewery has won numerous awards in its relatively short existence, including Golden Tap Awards for Best Toronto Microbrewery and...
- Muskoka Cottage Brewery
- Neustadt Springs Brewery
- Niagara's Best Brewery
- Nickel Brook Beers
- Old Credit Brewing Co. Ltd.
- Railway City Brewing
- Scotch Irish Brewing
- Skeena Brewing Company
- Stratford Brewing Company
- Trafalgar Brewing Company
- Wellington BreweryWellington BreweryWellington Brewery, Canada's oldest independently owned microbrewery, is located in Guelph, Ontario. The brewery was established in 1985 and is the first North American brewery in modern times to brew cask-conditioned Real Ale....