By Sebastian Kanally, Times Chronicle
Oliver’s Firehall Brewery claimed “Best in Show” and two “Best in Class Awards” this past weekend at the Okanagan Fest of Ale, while Howling Moon Craft Cider also won a “Best in Class”.
Firehall stood out from the 70 plus craft breweries from all over the province in attendance at the festival and claimed the sole award for “Best in Show” for their “Mutual Aid” Imperial Stout, which also picked up the award for “Best in Class” for the Speciality Ale category.
The festival hands out 12 “Best in Class Awards” corresponding to various types of beers. Firehall, in addition to their Stout, also won for their “Stoked” Amber Ale for the Red and Brown Ale category.
Sid Ruhland, Brew Chief at Firehall Brewery explained that the Mutual Aid was a collaboration with Grant Stevely, the Master Distiller at Dubh Glas Distillery. “He saved a couple of his whiskey barrels, and we brought the stout and filled it up there.”
“When the beer was released it was a very small batch, and we immediately knew that it was something special, in terms of just flavor.” He continued to explain it has coffee, chocolate, vanilla, and caramel notes from the roasted malts and whiskey character combined together.
“It sold out almost immediately, and because I thought it was special I set aside a couple small kegs for Fest of Ale and I am glad we did.”
Ruhland explained “the bar of craft beer in BC has risen considerably in the last 10 years, with the bar going up considerably and still being able to get a leg over it is definitely a pat on the back.”
Although it is sold out now, the base beer that went into the Dubh Glas barrels was the Holy Smoke Stout. In Oliver the Holy Smoke Stout is available at Pappa’s Firehall Bistro and Desert Country Liquor Store and in Osoyoos it is available at the Owl Liquor Store and the Sage Liquor Store.
The Stoked Amber Ale can be found at Pappa’s Firehall Bistro, Desert Country Liquor Store, Venables Theatre, Kismet Estate Winery, and M&J’s Country Kitchen in Oliver. In Osoyoos it can be found at the Diamond Steakhouse, the Owl Liquor Store and the Sage Liquor Store.
Niklaus and Kate Durisek, Owners of Howling Moon Craft Cidery have won their first award at the Okanagan Fest of Ale with their Cucumber Mint cider. Contributed photo
Howling Moon Craft Cider in Oliver also won a “Best in Class” award for their Cucumber Mint Cider.
Niklaus Durisek, Owner of Howling Moon said that the cider was inspired by the classic Mojito.
He noted that they grow the cucumber and mint themselves, “one year we just grew a lot of cucumbers and we didn’t know what to do with them and my wife [Kate Durisek] is a Red Seal Chef by trade and she said why don’t we make a cider out of it.”
Durisek laughed in recalling his first reaction to be “cucumber in a cider, I don’t know that sounds kind of weird, so we tried it and thought wow that is pretty refreshing and we decided to add the mint, and some sugars inspired by the classic mojito.”
“It was kind of pure luck that we had a lot of cucumbers one year and now we make it every year.”
Durisek explained that “it’s a drier style cider. It tastes very refreshing and clean. That’s probably why it did so well at the festival there, everyone getting into the spring mood.”
He said that they have been to the Fest of Ale seven or eight times now so it feels good to finally win.
The awards were deliberated on and given out by nine professional beer judges from all over the province, who were faced with the task of giving out 16 total awards: “Best in Show”, 12 “Best in Class”, “Best Beer”, “Best Cider” and “Best Food Vendor” out of over 100 different beers from all the vendors present.
The Fest of Ale took place this past weekend on April 14 – 15 at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre which saw thousands of beer enthusiasts flock to the venue for the chance to try out beer from all over the province.
The event is also not solely about drinking beer, as there were many local food vendors there, and all the proceeds from the event go to charitable organizations within the South Okanagan-Similkameen.
