It’s kick off time at the NC Teaching Brewery.
The Teaching Brewery rolled out a “Nations on Tap” series with a lineup of small-batch brews inspired by countries competing at the World Cup.
Brews were created for various nations, crafted by an international roster of Brewmaster students, staff and alumni as well as other School of Hospitality and Tourism NC staff, who worked with the brewery to bring their vision to life.
“I thought it would be cool,” said Brewmaster Professor Jon Downing. “We have an incredible network of students and alumni from all over the world and this series was a perfect way to showcase their talent while celebrating the World Cup.”
Brad Tandy, Events and Marketing Coordinator for the NC Learning Enterprises Corp., noted that the brews have been popular.
“I think it’s a great to bring together such great talent at and from Niagara College to build on the tremendous energy around the World Cup’s first North American tournament,” said Tandy. “It shows a little national pride, while celebrating our diverse community.”
Some alumni returned to campus in person to brew their creations at the Teaching Brewery, while others sent instructions for staff and students to create.
Arroz con Sele, a 5.4% ABV Pastry Rice Lager representing Panama was a collaboration between graduate Juan Carlos Escala, Head of Brewing Operations at Niagara Falls Brewing Co.) and 2026 graduate Alonso Castro, Lab Technician at Bench Brewing Company. The brew was inspired by the traditional Latin American rice dessert Arroz con Leche, featuring notes of cinnamon, vanilla and clove.
“Working on this collaboration project was especially enjoyable,” said Castro. “It gave me the opportunity to celebrate Latin American culture through brewing while creating something fun and unique to share with others.”
For School of Hospitality Professor Kristina Inman, her Crna Pantara (Black Panther), a Walnut Black Lager for Croatia was a heartfelt homage to her grandfather. Vladamir Simunic, a professional Croation goalkeeper who represented his country in 1942. His soccer career saved his life during the Second World War when he was recognized and pulled from a conscription line, allowing his family to later emigrate to Canada.
“I never really got to know him, as he remained in Croatia the rest of his life,” said Inman. “When he used to play soccer, he would dress all in black and when he would leap for the ball, he looked just like a panther, hence his nickname.”
The legacy continues with Inman’s 13-year-old son, Westley, now a goalkeeper for Club Roma.
“Years ago when his coach saw him first leap for the net, he asked me where he learned to jump like that,” she said. “I mentioned my grandfather. The coach said, without a doubt in his eye, ‘it’s in his blood.'”
Nations on Tap
Beers in the lineup include:
Australia: Experimental IPA by graduate Mark Horsley, owner of Barrelheart Brewery in Dundas.
Brazil: Catharina Sour by graduate Apoena Endayara De Souza Baker.
Canada: Patersbier, brewed by Adam Marshall, graduate and Lead Brewer at the Teaching Brewery.
Croatia: Black Panther by School of Hospitality and Tourism Professor Kristina Inman.
England: Jordan ‘Pint’ford Lager by graduate James Crook, Brewer at Bandit.
France: Biere Blanche by Caroline Chabert Delio, Associate Dean, Hospitality and Tourism.
Germany: Kollectivespiel Bock by graduate Michael Kessler, Brewer at Counterpoint.
Ghana: Black Star Amber by graduate John Yaw Adusah
Japan: Golden Goalsch by graduate Shsuke Satomura, brewer at Lock Street
U.S.A. Gooooooolden Ale by graduate Evan Flury, Head Brewery at Spotted Octopus Buffalo.
Mexico: Zapata by student Hector Hernandez, a clean crisp Mexican Lager built for warm weather viewing.
Panama: Pastry Lager, by graduate Juan Carolos Escala, Head of Brewing Operations, Niagara Falls Brewing Co., who collaborated with 2026 graduate Alonso Castro from Peru
Scotland: Old Firm Ale by 2026 graduate Lachlan Robertson, and Scottish Heavy by 2026 graduate Johnathan Brown
South Korea: Red Devils Rice Lager, by student Sungyeon Kim, an India Pale Rice Lager with bright IPA hops.
Switzerland: Breno Chestnut Beer (Ol Manorat) by graduate Thomas Mornezoni, featuring nutty toasty notes and Hallertau Blanc hops, as a homage to his hometown.
Where to buy
Nations on Tap brews are available on tap and in cans while supplies last at the NC Craft Beverage Centre (formerly the Wine Visitor + Education Centre). While most beers in the lineup has been released, a final few will be available soon.
The NC Craft Beverage Centre is located at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Don’t miss “Beer vs. Beer” matchups
To add to the tournament excitement, the series features several head-to-head “Beer vs. Beer” match days where two NC crafted brews face off on the day their respective countries play on the pitch. Upcoming highlights include:
U.S.A. vs. Australia on June 19
England vs. Ghana on June 23
Panama vs. Croatia on June 23
Switzerland vs. Canada on June 24
Scotland vs. Brazil on June 24
Panama vs. England on June 27
Croatia vs. Ghana on June 27
Stories from the brewers
Croatia
Here’s what Professor Kristina Inman had to say:
My grandfather “Dida,” Vladimir Šimunic was a professional Goalkeeper in Croatia, even representing the country nationally in 1942.
Soccer saved his life; he was pulled out of the conscription line in WWII because he was recognized as a public figure.
The only reason my mother made it to Canada was through her father’s soccer career; he travelled to Toronto in the 1970s [to manage the National Soccer League] and he was allowed to bring his daughter. Croatia was part of the communist-run Yugoslavia, and she was very lucky to then remain in Canada.
Without him and his career, my mother never would have met my father here in Canada, and so perhaps soccer also saved my life.
I never really got to know him, as he remained in Croatia the rest of his life. However, I’m the only one in the family who inherited his thick, ebony-dark hair. When he used to play soccer, he would dress all in black and when he would leap for the ball, he looked just like a black panther, hence his nickname.
The beautiful thing is, I feel his presence so often, as my 13-year-old son Westley is the Goalkeeper for Club Roma [iModel U14]. Years ago when his coach saw him first leap for the net, he asked me where he learned to jump like that. I had no answer but mentioned my grandfather. His coach said, without a doubt in his eye, “it’s in his blood”.
This beer is an homage to my Dida Vladimir, the “Crna Pantera” (Black Panther). Dark, ebony in colour and brewed with walnuts, a staple in our Croatian diet.
United States of America
Evan Flury (Class of 2023) is the Head Brewer for Spotted Octopus Brewing, the Treasurer for the Western New York Brewers Guild, and a private brewery consultant based out of Buffalo, NY. Industry minded and small-business focused, Evan has worked in many sectors of the beverage industry, from retail beer and spirits sales and craft beer distribution to running the cellars of distribution breweries and helping scale up businesses from single-location nano-brewery facilities to multi-location brewpub businesses.
Goooooooalden ale is a North American twist on a classic British Pub Ale that blends a nutty and toasty malt character with a light touch of citrusy Cascade and earthy-sweet Brewers Gold hops in an easy-drinking, low-alcohol body. Pour yourself a pint, sing your favourite chants, and make sure not to soak your neighbour after that goal in extra time!
Switzerland
Here’s what Thomas Mornezoni had to say:
My beer is an homage to my hometown in Switzerland, which is called Breno (now part of the Alto Malcantone). Back in time, Breno was known for its abundance of chestnut trees, thus chestnuts, and its flag used to be a Chestnut Tree.
I decided to call this beer “Ol Maronat” which is a local Swiss-Italian dialect term used to define someone that roasts chestnuts on an open flame, usually working on streets, and it may be considered a street food, usually eaten accompanied with a “boccalino” (a ceramic glass) of red or white wine.
With this beer I wanted to achieve a clean lager-style profile, low IBU content, some nutty toasty notes and some fruity-white-wine aromas given by the hallertau blanc hops.
Panama
Juan Carlos Escala is the Head of Brewing Operations at Niagara Brewing Company. His industry journey began in 2013 by founding the International Beerfest Panama, running the landmark festival for seven years. To master the craft, he earned advanced brewing credentials in Colombia and Spain before launching a microbrewery, Insolentes Brewing Company, in 2017.
Later relocating to Canada to advance his education at Niagara College, he also worked as a Brew Technician. He then spent four years at Shawn & Ed Brewing Company–serving the last two as Head Brewer–developing hundreds of commercial recipes that remain on the market today.
Now leading operations at Niagara Brewing Company, he leverages over a decade of global expertise to drive technical excellence and introduce new audiences to high-quality craft beer.
Alonso Castro (Peru) has a Bachelor’s degree in Gastronomy and Restaurant Management, which helped him develop a passion for food, beverages, and flavours that eventually led me to Niagara College’s Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program. After graduating from Niagara College, he joined Bench Brewing Company as their Lab Technician, where I focused on quality control, microbiological testing, yeast management, sensory evaluation, and analytical testing to help ensure the consistency and quality of our products.
“I really enjoy combining brewing science with creativity to develop unique beers inspired by different cultures, ingredients, and traditions, which is why working on this World Cup collaboration project was especially enjoyable,” he said. “It gave me the opportunity to celebrate Latin American culture through brewing while creating something fun and unique to share with others.”
How they describe their beer:
Arroz con Sele is a unique craft beer that re-imagines Panama’s beloved rice pudding dessert in a refreshing lager format. Created to celebrate Panamanian culture on the world football stage, this experimental Pastry Rice Lager combines tradition, innovation, and national pride.
Arroz con Sele is more than a beer; it is the comforting embrace of a Panamanian grandmother transformed into the roar of a nation celebrating a goal. Crafted for the World Cup, this Pastry Rice Lager captures the creamy essence of traditional arroz con leche in a refreshing beer that proudly showcases Panama’s heritage on the global stage.
