Some called it “Snowmageddon” or “Snowpocalypse”. At Steam Whistle, we called it “sNOw problem”.

That is to say my ever-supportive girlfriend said it would be “sNOw problem” delivering kegs during this crazy day. And for the most part, she was right.

One thing I noticed, during my time on the road that day, was the absence of other brewery trucks. Now, I’m not one to knock our competition (cough, cough) but it really wasn’t THAT bad out there. And with a Maple Leafs/Canadiens game the next day there would be a lot of thirsty patrons at local establishments. So what’s 30cm of snow??? I mean, I only got stuck…one, two, three…seven times.

Photo by HD customer, Chris Humphry.

Doing Home Delivery requires me to go off the beaten path (by “beaten path” I mean “snow-plowed path”) and I went down many small residential streets in my Dodge Sprinter (loaded with kegs). I had to dig myself out every time I parked. But that’s okay, that’s sNOw problem. Believe me, concerned/thirsty citizens were more than willing to help dig out a beer truck. I must have given away dozens of tour vouchers as a way of saying thanks. 

Now, the driving is only ONE aspect of doing a Steam Whistle Home Delivery. I still have to get the kegs and draught equipment into the people’s homes. That meant carrying/dragging kegs and equipment (including, somewhat ironically, bags of ice) from the truck to their front door. Everyone’s reaction was pretty priceless. One customer was blown away by the fact that we even showed up. “You mean…I’m still getting my keg delivered?!?!?! I assumed no sane person would be out in this!” Right you are. The biggest challenge was not bailing and dropping anything. Actually, the biggest challenge was getting a 50 litre keg over a nipple-high snowbank on Richmond Street. I know it was nipple-high because I measured. Brrrr. My approach? A running double drop-kick THROUGH the snowbank to make a path, followed by an adrenaline-assisted fireman carry through the tunnel. “No beer left behind” was my motto for that day. A real “character-building” experience, as my old man would say.

HD customer, Chris Humphry, happy about receiving his keg!

After all that, a day in which everyone got their beer, I was pretty thirsty myself. I headed back to The Roundhouse where the other drivers and I felt pretty proud of ourselves. As I’ve said before, we were all soldiers making sure no snow storm stops us and we won this battle.