Brews News: U.S. near-beer maker wooing Canadians with trail pledge

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Are craft beer fans ready to take a hike? A brewer at the forefront of the non-alcoholic revolution is betting Canada is ready to get moving.

Athletic Brewing Co. – A U.S.-based brewer of non-alcoholic beverages – is boosting hiking in Canada with a pledge to help development, maintenance and awareness of the Trans Canada Trail.

People in St. Thomas and Elgin County know the trail. It cuts east-west through the city and county. Our household knows it; our son has hiked it, first from St. John’s, Nfld., to Saint John, N.B., and then from Saint John to Montreal.

Athletic is pledging a loonie for every kilometre logged on the Trans Canada Trail from Sept. 20 to Oct. 19. The goal is for people collectively to hike, bike, paddle or roll 30,000 kilometres during those weeks. That’s the approximate length of the trail.

That’ll make for a $30,000 donation from Athletic. The U.S.-based brewer has an ongoing program inspired by its hiking co-founder to support trails. Two for the Trails – the name comes from co-founder Bill Shufelt’s tradition of taking two beers to enjoy at summits – generates some $2 million a year for trail maintenance and development. Athletic is also an annual funder of the Trans Canada Trail.

Among Athletic’s most popular brews are those with names inspired by the outdoors such as Run Wild IPA, Free Wave Hazy IPA and Upside Dawn Golden Ale, all of which are available through Designated Drinks in London.

To register for the great Canadian hike, go to greatcanadianhike.ca.

NEW AND NOTED

Among breweries with a passion for the outdoors, Woodstock’s Upper Thames stands out. Its OG blonde ale is Backpaddle, a nod to canoeists. Take a Hike is the brewery’s fruity aroma pale ale. Its lagered ale is Backcountry, a tribute to wildness campers. Other breweries embracing the hikers include Manitoulin with its iconic label on Cup and Saucer English Ale (Cup and Saucer is a trail on Manitoulin Island) and, of course, Muskoka with its Tread Lightly four per cent alcohol lager and Windbound Campfire, a smoked lager with a label featuring a canoeist in challenging waters.

Time’s running out to catch Belgian Week at Beertown, the largest distributor of Belgian beers in Ontario. Ending Sept. 14, the Beertown week inspired by Belgian Beer Weekend in Belgium that features 50 family breweries in the open air of the city’s Grand Place, features brews such as Orval, Averbode Abbey Ale, Paranoia and everyone’s fall favourite, the Trappist dark ale Chimnay Blue. There are two Beertown locations in London and the group’s director of beer and beverage is London native Jennifer Tamse who, along with CEO Jody Palubiski, has been knighted by the Knighthood of the Brewers’ Paddle, a Belgian honour for their contributions to beer culture.

The craft beer selection at Costco continues to improve. Selection varies by location, but among those now stocking Elora Borealis, a pale ale from Wellington County’s Elora Brewing, is London North. Other craft beer in some but not all Costcos include Great Lakes, Manitoulin, Muskoka and Steam Whistle. When the dam breaks and Ontario allows Kirkland-branded beer (will it be in 2026?), who else thinks Equals in London might be brewing it?

Back at Cowbell Brewing is its popular Oatmeal Vanilla Black Lager. If you like espresso, this is a beer to try, maybe on the Blyth brewery’s outdoor space with your pooch during Dawg Days of Autumn on Sept. 28.

Sour fan? Anderson Craft Ales has Nectarine Sour brewed with nectarines grown in Southwestern Ontario. It’s a light 3.7 per cent alcohol. The zippy Resolution Organic Hibiscus and Haskap Sour is at London Brewing. Like a little sweet with your tart? Storm Stayed has a radler, London Pineapple, to help you cling to summer vibes.

Wayne Newton is a freelance journalist based in London.

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