Cheers to the Niagara College Teaching Brewery.
On April 30, the NC Teaching Brewery’s Butler’s Bitter won Gold in the Amber category at the Ontario Brewing Awards, beating eight other entries in that category. The winners were announced on April 30 at the OBA gala event held at The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto.
Based on recipes developed in the 1800s by traditional English brewers, Butler’s Bitter is a 4.4% alcohol ale well-balanced with caramel malts and English hops. It won gold at the United States Open Beer Championships last year.
Brewmaster professor Jon Downing applauded the result.
“I love the fact that it is really the students who are the winners. They brewed, monitored and packaged the beer ensuring the highest possible quality by applying what they have learned,” said Downing. “Being acknowledged by people in the industry that they will be entering is great recognition of their abilities.”
Downing also pointed out that Niagara College graduates, past and present professors, summer hires and Program Advisory Committee members were behind 36 other awards at this year’s OBAs, a testament to the strength of Niagara College’s Brewmaster program.
Acting dean of the CFWI Craig Youdale said he was very excited to learn that the Niagara College Teaching Brewery has been awarded the Gold in the Amber Ale category at the Ontario Brewing Awards.
“This honour is well deserved by our Brewmaster Jon Downing and the team of Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management students that have worked hard to create and continue to craft this outstanding beer,” he said. “My gratitude to the Ontario Brewing Awards for this honour and to the dedicated staff of the Canadian Food and Wine Institute who continue to propel the success of our students and programs through this and other exceptional accolades.”
As one of 24 Gold winners at this year’s competition, the NC Teaching Brewery received an official Gold award engraved with its winning brand, Butler’s Bitter, as well as an official Ontario Brewing Awards Winner’s Certificate. It also received a high-resolution file of the medal for use on packaging.
For 10 years, the OBAs has invited brewers to share their passion for brewing locally-made beer with the drinkers of Ontario. The OBAs are managed jointly by Beerlicious Inc. and Roger Mittag of Thirst for Knowledge.
This isn’t the first OBA win for the NC Teaching Brewery. In 2012, the NC Teaching Brewery won a Gold and a People’s Choice Award at the OBAs in the Strong Beer category for its Rudolph’s Red Nose Ale.
