With the Victoria Day Long weekend behind us and summer just around the corner, our thoughts turn to patios and a cold beverage to wrap up a work day. With so many craft breweries, cideries and wineries popping up these days, there is never a shortage of options, and Simcoe County is no different! Simcoe County breweries in particular are numerous and calling out for a visit.
Simcoe County Breweries
Simcoe County breweries definitely outnumber cideries, and the like, offering many options in the heart of Barrie and beyond. With so many located within such close proximity to each other, and some even offering food, it really is worth doing your own brewery tour! You’ll get to taste your LCBO favourites like Creemore Springs or Side Launch, as well as mix in a few you may not have tried like a Barrie staple, Flying Monkeys.
Redline Brewhouse -Barrie
Flying Monkeys – Barrie
Barnstormer Brewing Company – Barrie
The Collingwood Brewery – Collingwood
Northwinds Brewhouse Ltd. – Collingwood
Creemore Springs – Creemore
Side Launch Brewing Company – Collingwood
Muskoka Brewery – Bracebridge
If you want to have a beer tasting experience with all the pre-planning involved, Free Spirit Tours provides a brewery tour, giving you a hassle-free way to explore Collingwood’s three micro breweries. They share with you what goes into craft beer, the process of making it, and finally letting you sample a flight.
Simcoe County Cideries
Cider is still a fast growing market, following closely behind craft beer with many Ontario producers honing in! Three local cideries are in the area, with Beaver Valley Orchard & Cidery and Coffin Ridge offering tours and tasting on-site.
Beaver Valley Orchard & Cidery
Simcoe County Wineries
With a distinctly different growing climate in Simcoe County, local wineries have started offering wines reminiscent of Northern European locations, such as Seyval Blanc and Maréchal Foch. Both local wineries offering wine tasting experiences and vistas overlooking the vines.
Simcoe County Distilleries
Distilleries are definitely a new and upcoming addition to Simcoe County’s offerings! They are also a highly successful new part of the Canadian spirit world, with Georgian Bay Spirit Co. vodka winning double gold at the 2016 San Fransisco Spirits Competition and their gin winning silver. Currently the local distilleries only offer their products at the LCBO and select establishments (see their websites for specifics), however, Beattie’s Distillery Inc. is in the process of opening a craft distillery in Alliston, so keep your eyes peeled!
For the sake of research (*wink, wink, nudge, nudge*) we purchased Simcoe County’s own Georgian Bay Spirit Co’s gin this weekend and were pleasantly surprised. Next on the list, Beattie’s potato vodka! All for research, we promise!
Get out and visit the Simcoe County breweries, cideries and wineries and don’t forget to let us know what you try!