Beau's All Natural Brewing Company

A glass of Beau's Lug Tread lagered ale

Beau's All Natural Brewing Company, also known as Beau's Brewing Company or simply Beau's, is a brewery in Vankleek Hill, Ontario, 50 minutes east of Ottawa.^[2]

It was launched on July 1, 2006,^[3] and is known for its "regionally famous" Lug Tread lagered ale,^[4] as well as a number of seasonal beers. Beau's beers are available throughout Eastern Ontario on tap as well as at LCBO liquor stores.^[5] In February 2015, the brewery has also begun selling its products in Quebec.^[6]

History

Beau's was started by father and son Tim and Steve Beauchesne.^[7] After having informally discussed the idea, they left their previous employment (Tim having run a textile company for 17 years, and Steve having worked for the Ontario government and running Go! Go! Go! Records) and opened Beau's on Canada Day (July 1) 2006.^[7]

Beau's has been successful since opening, having sold its entire first batch of 3,000 litres (5,300 pints) to nine Ottawa-area bars and restaurants before the official opening date.^[8] Though it originally expected to supply Lug Tread to local LCBOs and Beer Stores in 2006, Lug Tread first appeared in Ottawa LCBOs in early 2008, by which time it had expanded to over 90 establishments in the Ottawa area.^[9]

As of July 2009, over 200 Eastern Ontario establishments featured Beau's Lug Tread on tap.^[10] "Just about every LCBO in the region" sells Lug Tread, and 300 cases of 12 jugs (each containing 750 ml) are shipped each week. By late 2009, Beau's was supplying a number of bars and LCBOs in the Greater Toronto Area.^[11]

On January 13, 2014, it was announced by Beau's that, in March of the same year, its beer would be available for the first time in New York State, marking the first time the company's beer is available internationally.^[12][13]

Beers

Beau's flagship beer is Lug Tread, a Kölsch-style lagered ale that is produced year-round.

The brewery also produces four seasonal beers on a quarterly basis: Beaver River I.P. Eh? (an India Pale Ale (IPA) with a "citrusy punch") in spring; Festivale (an Altbier-style ale) in summer; Night•Märzen (an Oktoberfest-style amber lager) in fall; and Bogwater (a "Strong & Spicy Dirty-Brown Ale") in winter. Other limited and one-off beers are released periodically under the Wild Oats Series, Greener Futures Barrel-Aged Series, and Pro-Am Series.^[14]

On November 1, 2013, Beau's released The Tom Green Beer, a milk stout made in collaboration with actor and comedian Tom Green.^[15] When Green was a guest on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, he brought the beer on-air and drank it with the host.^[12]

All of Beau's beers use only organic ingredients, and the brewery itself has now been certified as an organic brewery by Pro-Cert Inc.^[10] Beau's also emphasizes local ingredients, maintaining membership in the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, and is currently developing local hops to replace imports from Germany.

Reception and awards

Beau's beers have been very well received, having "earned a reputation for quality and clean taste with beer drinkers who want more than just a cheap buzz,"^[9] and Lug Tread having become a "fast favourite."^[7]

In its debut year, Lug Tread won "Best Beer of the Fest" at the 2006 Golden Tap Awards in Toronto.^[16] Lug Tread went on to win "Best beer brewed in Ontario (outside of the GTA)" at the 2007 and 2008 Golden Tap Awards,^[16] and "Best regularly-produced craft beer brewed in Ontario" and "Best of the Fest" at the 2009 awards.^[17] The brewery itself also won "Best microbrewery in Ontario (outside of the GTA)" and "Best micro/craft brewery in Ontario" in 2008 and 2009, respectively.^[16][17]

At the 2009 National Organic Brewing Challenge awards, Lug Tread won 2nd place, while seasonal Night•Märzen placed 3rd.^[18] Another Beau's seasonal beer, Festivale, won gold medal at the 2009 Mondial de la Bière in Strasbourg.^[19]

Bottles

Beau's sells their product in both 600ml glass bottles available at the LCBO and in 1.89L ceramic jugs at their brewery. The ceramic jugs were formerly available at the LCBO but were not part of the bottle return program at The Beer Store. The jugs are still available at the Beau's brewery, are imported from Germany and cost the company $3 each.^[10] Previously Beau's was not allowed to pick up the bottles from local Beer Stores, and The Beer Store would ship all Beau's bottles to Toronto for reprocessing, along with conventional bottles. As of 2014 this is no longer the case and Beau's can be found at several The Beer Store locations for purchase in the region and the empty bottles can be returned at The Beer Store.^[7]

Beau's has instead set up a bottle-return process in a partnership with Operation Come Home, an Ottawa youth program.^[20] Beau's operates six bottle return locations, from which homeless youths are hired to collect and sort the jugs.^[20] The program provides the youth with job experience and income, while providing Beau's with savings through the reuse of the jugs.^[7] As of May 2009, six youths have graduated the program to work in full-time jobs elsewhere.^[7]

See also

• Beer in Canada

References

Coordinates: 45°31′01″N 74°38′14″W / 45.5169°N 74.6372°W / 45.5169; -74.6372