Our cofounder Greg & beer rep Jeremy couldn’t agree more.

And with the upcoming Game Day on February 5th, we all have another excuse to throw a party.

Here are some party tips to help you out:

Get creative with snack trays.

And we mean, REALLY creative. Check out these food trays for inspiration.

Source: InFlexWeTrust, HolyTaco, & 9Gag.

For something more, DYI – how about serving food in a football helmet? Just flip one over, secure it and put smaller bowls of dip inside.

Beer delivered right to your door.

What’s game day without beer?  There’s nothing like  fresh beer and better yet being able to pour your own pint,  just remember to drink responsibly. As American ball parks and stadiums are beginning to stock craft beer, we invite football fans to call Steam Whistle Home Delivery hotline. Keep it local!

Good Beer Folks promise to take good care of you.

Food and beer.

Food is key to any party, after all it goes hand in hand with beer so why not combine the two? The big game calls for delicious recipes, like Moose Brewski Chili, Caboose Chili and more beer chili. And bacon wrapped poppers.

 

Football sweets.

 In theme, Kraft has a neat recipe for some football jigglers.

Decor.

It’s not all about food and beer (although it’s a pretty significant part). This is your chance to also get creative with the decor.  Jerseys, streamers, face paint… just make sure your guests are in the know so you don’t end up the only one with  face paint.

Friendly competition.

You can also make it fun and create some friendly competition by recording everyone’s game predictions before kick-off, offering a door prize for the best guess.

Last but not least: Buffalo Chicken Wing Cupcakes.

As suggested by @KempOnMute ….


Recipe can be found here.

What does your perfect game day Sunday include?

Happy planning!

Raina Douris is a former on-air personality & Indie Online curator for 102.1 the Edge. She currently hosts her show Rain’s World, where she has bands come to her house, drink, talk music and occasionally make some crafts. It doesn’t get more personal than that. Former guests include Tokyo Police Club, The Elwins, & Unsigned alumni The Darcys (photo below).

She describes Rain’s World as…

I have bands come visit my basement apartment, where we do fun things like make arts & crafts and talk about feelings. Often, we laugh. Sometimes, we cry. Usually… we drink.

It’s an interview that’s not an interview! It’s an apartment that looks like a burrito take-out place! It’s uncomfortably revealing! It’s Rain’s World!

The Good Beer Folks and Raina became friends immediately upon our first meeting, bonding over our love for indie music, arts and the colour green (see Raina’s wallpaint).

Good beer folks had the pleasure to chat with Raina about her ultimate dream of interviewing bands in her basement apartment, her knack for trivia, failed dreams of running a burrito place and of course, music.

Good Beer Folk Marina: For those who don’t know, who is Raina?

Raina:  I’m a small town girl who came to the big city with a dream: to interview bands in my basement bachelor apartment and put those interviews online. And, already, here in my mid-twenties, I have achieved said dream! I guess you could say… I’m a dreamcatcher. That’s what a dreamcatcher does, right? Sure.

I love music. I love art. I love trivia and I can defeat you easily in Jeopardy. I can quote Billy Madison from start to finish. I have a tattoo on my ankle that says “Internet” that a lot of people think is really stupid but I think is really, really awesome.

Also, I’m a cat person. Not a cat LADY. A cat PERSON. What I’m trying to say here is: I like cats? And also pizza.

Good Beer Folk Marina: How did you first get started?

Raina: When I first moved into my apartment- which is painted bright yellow and green, my friends immediately said “Hey! This looks like a burrito joint! Let’s open one!”

Turns out, you need a ‘license’ to open a restaurant. And ‘safety standards.’ And ‘cooking ability.’ So I decided it would be easier to just have my friends over for beer instead… and film it. Through my previous job at 102.1 the Edge, my group of friends included lots of musicians – so it just made sense to start this video series. Plus, Raina almost rhymes with Wayne. Y’know, if you take the A off. Rain’s World was born!

Good Beer Folk Marina: What’s the best part about Rain’s World?

Raina: Getting interesting people into my apartment and having them do things they wouldn’t normally do in an interview, like lie on the ground and do puppet shows.

Good Beer Folk Marina: Any bands you recommend for us to check out?

Raina: This question is impossible. Two of my big Toronto favourites are Hollerado and Zeus- but there are so many. I’d use up this site’s whole bandwidth if I were going to list them… but I’ll try. Some bands to watch are The Darcys, The Elwins, Topanga, Dirty Mags, Dinosaur Bones… seriously. There are too many. The last band I got REALLY into was JEFF the Brotherhood. They’re from Nashville, and eventually I hope to lure them into my basement. In the most non-creepy way possible.

Favourite…..

Interview:

There’s this great interview were David Byrne (of the Talking Heads) interviews himself. Pure gold… and anything that Nardwuar does.

Venue:

Dakota Tavern- even though it has no cellphone service. The Horseshoe & Sneaky Dees … but really, my ideal concert would be outside in the sun, in a park, in the summer.

Band:

Talking Heads is my all time favourite.

Concert:

LCD Soundsystem at Sasquatch Music Festival in 2010. They were playing “All My Friends” and the sun was setting over this giant gorge and it started to rain. I cried. I CRIED. It was amazing.

Hobby:

Drawing- pen & ink. Here’s a sample.

Check out the latest episode of Rain’s World, ft. The Darcys below:

Remember folks: Support your local band, and beer
Cheers!

Last night, we hosted a “Staff & Friends Charity Art Show”  to celebrate Toronto Humane Society’s birthday with a charity art show.  Over $4000 was raised for the THS from the art donated by  Steam Whistle Brewing Staff, and the Humane Society Staff and volunteers. Beer was flowing, bands were entertaining, art was selling, and everyone was making friends for a great cause (even the four legged attendees!)

As someone on Twitter put it….

And it was a win-win night!

It all started with a $2 donation 125 years ago. Today, THS is a not for profit organization committed to promoting  humane care and protection of all animals preventing cruelty and suffering. They provide high quality care to the animals who are surrendered to the shelter and find them forever homes.

The THS charity art show was organized by our very own Nicole George from the Creative Team.

Awesome job, Nicole!!

Her inspiration for the show?

“A friend of mine (Jenny Moore) works at the humane Society with ‘In-Takes. When she told a few stories about day to day services and costs it blow my mind that one of their main sources of funding are yard sales. I thought that it would be a great opportunity for the folks at SW to get involved – especially since there are soooo many animals lovers on staff.

Funny enough, because there was such a large amount of art donations there was no room for my own piece!”

Not a bad problem to have as an organizer! The art is currently on display until end of January, come by to see some of these amazing works.

The number of four legged friends in attendance was also amazing. Below is the THS CEO Dr. Jacques Messier with the ever friendly Beagle (who is currently up for adoption if you’re interested!) and Darryl with her Dachshund.

Thanks again to all who came out and helped make the event a success.

Stay tuned for details on our February art show. It’s bound to be another great night of art, beer and music!

Cheers,

Marina.

Cheers to that!

Recently, the line up for Edgefest 2012 was announced and we were ecstatic to see some familiar names who have performed at our brewery. Can you spot them?

Congratulations to Steam Whistle UNSIGNED ALUMNI performing at Edgefest ’12:

The Balconies
The Coppertone
The Darcys
Whale Tooth

Edgefest is an annual outdoor concert put on by one of our partner stations Edge102. The festival started as a way to promote Canadian rock music in 1987 as a thank-you gesture to Edge listeners and as a birthday party for our nation. Today over 300 bands have been seen by over 500,000 attendees.

(Source: masey.com.au)

Go Canada!

Take a look at these videos of 4 Steam Whistle UNSIGNED alumni getting their start in our beer hall:

THE DARCYS – The Mountains Make Way from Mitch Fillion (southernsouls.ca) on Vimeo.

THE COPPERTONE Live at Steam Whistle from Mitch Fillion (southernsouls.ca) on Vimeo.

WHALE TOOTH Live at Steam Whistle from Mitch Fillion (southernsouls.ca) on Vimeo.

THE BALCONIES Live at Steam Whistle from Mitch Fillion (southernsouls.ca) on Vimeo.

Looking forward to seeing the UNSIGNED alumni and more of Canada’s amazing talent on July 14th 2012 at Downsview Park. 

And, heads up to all you West Coasters!

On January 26th, we’re bringing  our first ever UNSIGNED to Vancouver in supporting more Canadian independent talent. The Vancouver show will be held at Biltmore Cabaret and will feature Sidney York, The Ruffled Feathers, and Treelines. Doors open at 8pm and tickets are only $5 at the door with 100% of proceeds going back to the community through Music BC.

See you for a night of true Canadian music and beer

(Source: kmpblog.com)

In 2012, expand your love and knowlege of craft beer by adding one of these resolutions to your list:

 1. Introduce someone to craft beer.
Ask your server for a craft brew, buy someone a craft beer at a bar, do your part in helping the Ontario Craft Brewers!

2. Educate others about craft beer.
Wine often has a reputation for being a more sophisticated choice for a dinner party but that is not necessarily true, as you may have read in our Cheese & Beer and Breaking Beer Myths blogs. Do your part in educating others about the delicious beverage and break the myths that can be associated with beer.

3. Try different craft beers.  
Experiment with variety of excellent brews from our friends in the Ontario Craft Brewers Association. Just don’t forget to come back to your beloved Canadian Czech style Pilsner.  We will be waiting!

4. Participate in Ontario Craft Beer Week. 
This event kicks off Father’s Day and will include a variety of events around craft beer education and tastings. Not to be missed!

5. Cook with craft beer and experiment with a variety of pairings.
To help you get started we have a variety of recipes on our website (over 150 to be exact!) for every occasion. Check them out here. Drunken shrimp anyone?

6. Give craft beer or merchandise as a present.
We found a solution to regifting and terrible gifts. I mean, who doesn’t love the gift of beer?! For instance, we have a brewery store and an e-store where a variety of items like our wall mounted openers and boots that can be purchased, as well as our holiday packs with a To&From tag for easy wrapping. Explore some craft brewers and what they have to offer!

7. Read up on history of craft.
Start with some Craft Beer 101 from Ontario Brewers Association.

8. Explore your own craft beer history.
We recommend the Old Toronto Beer Tour that takes you on a walking and tasting tour of Toronto’s beer history. Explore what your town has to offer.

9. Bring craft beer to a party.
And don’t forget to tell the beer’s story!

10. Visit a craft brewery.
See the process of how your favourite brew is made and meet the people that help to make it happen. We hope you come visit us for a taste of brewery fresh beers and see what’s brewing in our kitchen:

Support local & Canadian beer folks!

P.S. This guy might have a good excuse…

Last week, we posted the following question on our Facebook and Twitter:

If you could ask a Steam Whistle beer sales rep anything, what would it be?

To answer your questions, meet Brendan – Steam Whistle Sales

Brendan is a University of Western Ontario graduate who is a full time beer sales rep and part time musician of a well known local band Nights & Weekends. Starting out at Steam Whistle working in retail & events to support his night gig of playing in a band, Brendan proved himself to be a natural and was quickly promoted to a Steam Whistle sales rep who lives the brand every minute of the day.

Read on folks….

Being a beer drinker. Fortunately the two are very closely related.

It’s awesome as a rep to know that we’re supported by Steam Whistle’s Team Clean. When a customer decides to include our beer in their selection, we do our best to take ownership of that draught line to ensure our beer is always at its best. God bless Team Clean.

Our focus is, and always will be, solely committed to our pilsner. But when you hang out in as many bars as we do, questions about “the next Steam Whistle style” are inevitable. The best part about this question is that it almost always comes from someone who’s already a Steam Whistle drinker so I’m happy to be asked by every single person I see.

The great thing about Steam Whistle is that there are so many different avenues from which people become part of our family – sales is just one of the departments. Everyone’s story is different.

I moved to Toronto 5 years ago and fortunately lived right up the street from Steam Whistle (one of my fav’s even before I worked here…no joke). It wasn’t long before I was giving brewery tours and working events to support a nightlife playing in a band. In time, I was able to learn about Steam Whistle as a brand, the culture of the brewery, and the place we continue to carve out for ourselves in the Canadian beer market. After a while, I was fortunate enough to have my excitement for Steam Whistle turn into an opportunity in sales. And until they fire me for one day drinking more beer than I’m selling, I’m pumped to be doing my part.

A foot in the door is simply a starting point from which you can earn (or drink) your way into a role best suited for you. No matter what company you may choose. (Though I will admit a strong bias for the craft beer industry).

Ah yes, how does one drink beer all the time while maintaining a midsection that’s a little more six-pack and a little less party keg.

I love beer and I drink it all the time. While I’m certainly not the pinnacle of health, I do try and keep a few things in mind.

Firstly, beer isn’t as bad for us as myth would have it. It’s packed full of vitamins and minerals that our body can use. (I included some info below that you may find interesting). Second, the assortment of deep-fried deliciousness I inevitably pair with my beer has a lot to with the notches I occasionally add to my belt than the beer itself.

The solution? Have beer alone as a meal more often.

**Here’s a little additional info that always helps add some fuel to my beer-drinking justification:

Steam Whistle bottle: 150 calories (13g carbs)
Vodka and cranberry:172 calories,  (18g carbs)
Daiquiri: 314 calories, (49g carbs).

Well there’s 52 Friday’s in a year, 52 Saturday’s, most Thursday nights in the summer, throw in a couple Sunday Fundays, add the fact that there are 162 Blue Jays games a year (always calls for a Steam Whistle at my place), periodic beer dinner presentations, a couple days a month spent enjoying beer with staff members from our licensees…..carry the one….umm….I lost count. Sorry.

It sure is a lot of fun. But like any job, it’s not without challenges. There are hundreds of beer brands available in Canada, and they’re all competing for a limited number of draught taps or cooler space that may or may not be available in a particular establishment. So creating and maintaining new relationships in a way that is both authentic and sustainable can seem taxing at times. Fortunately, I can walk in with confidence in Steam Whistle as a quality craft beer as well as an innovative, fun, community-minded brand. It may not always be the easiest job, but in my opinion it’s the best.

…and our staff parties are a serious added bonus.

 Speaking as a self-proclaimed beer groupie, we’re a very pleasant bunch. I love beer and I drink it a lot. And, I’ve long operated under a simple code. The simple act of opening and drinking a beer, of any variety, is one of the beautiful things in life. Do it often. If that beer is made locally, independently and with the care of a craft brewer, do it more often.

Now, if you’re asking more about stories from the trade, I’m a firm believer that those are best shared in person over a beer. So, Doug Lounsbury, I suggest you send an e-mail to Marina and she’ll put us in touch. I’d be happy to meet you at the brewery, buy you a beer, and share a few tales.

Thanks for drinking Steam Whistle.

Cheers folks!
Marina

P.S. You might also like “Q&A with Steam Whistle Brewer Colin”.  

First up: Beer and Cheese.

Did you know that beer is actually a better match for cheese than wine?

We don’t mean to burst the wine bubble but here’s what a study from UCLA by Dr. Hildegard Heymann stated:

“Wine and cheese are incompatible since cheese dulls the taste of red wine making it difficult to discern different flavours…. after eating cheese, wine tasters could not tell the difference between expensive wine and cheap plonk.”

So what’s the alternative ? BEER!

Janet Fletcher (San Francisco Chronicle) tackled the subject:

“After several weeks of ‘research,’ including two marathon tastings, I’m convinced that beer as a partner for cheese rarely stumbles. With wine, you are almost always working just with contrasts. That’s not as satisfying as combining beer and cheese where you are also working in some flavour harmonies.”
 

Ahh… the bitter hops. the sweet bread, the carbonation. It all compliments the savoury, salty cheeses so well.

Give it a shot yourself and try some of these delicious recipes at your next party:

Steam Whistle Poached Peach with Goat Cheese & Vanilla Cream (pictured above)
Steam Whistle Cheese Fondue
Steam Whistle Cheese Dip
Baby Arugula and goat cheese salad with Steam Whistle vinaigrette 

But cheese isn’t the only food that goes well with beer.

Watch our Vancouver reps Kiraly & James cook up a beer chilli.

Beer deserves a place at the table and in many cases is an easier match to foods.

There are three ways that a beer can be paired:

1. Cut – Breaking through spicy foods and refreshing the palate.
2. Complement – Quite literally complementing one another in the pairing.
3. Contrast – Pairing different flavours of food and beers.

Think about these concepts next time you sample beer with your food!

Here’s a few dishes you might enjoy:

The ultimate comfort food, winter beef & Pilsner pie.

Steam Whistle Chilli with Pilsner cornbread
Steam Whistle Turkey Stuffing
Steam Whistle Beer Bread
Beer & Onion Soup

The recipes above are meant to compliment Steam Whistle; however, next time you have beer at your dinner table, try to see if your dish cuts, compliments or contrasts.

Cooking not your thing?

And if you’re really not the one to cook at home but enjoy a nice dinner out… shout out to our friends at Duke Pubs who make sure to give you jolly good fun. Literally!

One of their dishes is the Steam Whistle battered Fish & Chips. Highly recommended next time you pay them a visit:

Delicious!

Holidays can easily be the best time of the year but it’s your surroundings that make them special. Cheers to all our friends!

The Folks at Steam Whistle

And whether hosting or attending a party, one gift that all hosts love to receive is the gift of beer.

Pictured: Good Beer Folk Deidre.

Yet at times, the delicious brew still can get a bad rep from party hosts (women in particular!) Whether shunned by those trying to watch their holiday weight or replaced at the dinner table by wine….

It breaks the hearts of fellow beer lovers everywhere, am I right folks?

So here we go – this December we invite all your party people to raise a glass of our national beverage myth & guilt free!

Myth #1: Beer has more calories than a box of chocolate truffles.

There might be no denying that any alcoholic beverage isn’t calorie or carbohydrate free but to put this in perspective, one regular 12 ounce bottle of beer contains on average 13 grams of carbs and 150 calories. One vodka and cranberry: 18 grams of carbs, 172 calories. One daiquiri, made at home with a mix: 49 grams of carbs, 314 calories. And, with calories per ounce half that of wine, beer offers a fairly generous portion with some of the lowest calories of any alcoholic beverage.

Myth #2: Beer is not as sophisticated as wine or spirits.

Beer can be as nuanced and delicate as a subdued rosé or as bold as a robust red.  The quality of ingredients is important. The same way that a good grape harvest makes for better wine, a good barley harvest makes for better beer. And let’s not forget about the hops – the spice of beer in the form of a clover-like bud responsible for the bitterness.  Paired with imaginations of  different brew masters, you can find an incredible offering of beers for any taste buds.

Myth #3: Beer doesn’t have a place at the dining table.

Some of the most interesting cuisine in the world that insprie Canada’s fusion cooking is traditionally served with beer. Just think of all the Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Indian and Mexican dishes. Pilsners specifically are great for cutting the heat on spicy food, quenching your thirst after savory foods, and cleansing your palate after fatty foods while getting your mouth ready to taste again. But we won’t bore you with words, try some recipes out for yourself You might just get something like this:

We think that it’s safe to say:  invite beer to your party this holiday season.

Happy Holidays from the folks at Steam Whistle!!!!

So what would you say if Steam Whistle showed up at your work place on Friday at 5pm?

Your responses were similar to what Centre for Social Innovation did when Steam Whistle showed up to their offices with some “Quitting Time” beer!

So what exactly is “Quitting Time”? Simply put, it’s the Good Beer Folks rewarding fellow Good Beer Folks with some fresh brews at the end of the day.

A while back, Sheena from CareerMash wrote in to us sharing her story:

“I work for an inspiring non-profit worthy of being rewarded by Steam Whistle. The Canadian Coalition for Tomorrow’s ICT Skills was created to change the way people in Canada see technology and IT careers – starting with high school students. We’re truly a dedicated and hard-working team with a passion for education and technology. I feel so fortunate to be a part of it.

The CSI building is a great place to work! I have met so many people doing such influential and inspirational things. It has actually changed my life.”

A great story that just had to be rewarded!

“Quitting Time” provides a reward at the end of your day with a surprise visit from Steam Whistle after a long week to celebrate your work. So far, we have surprised some of our friends at CSI, Hot Docs, Princess Margaret Hospital, Free the Children, and Bullfrog Power. All of these people have done tremendous work in raising awareness for each of their causes and we’re honoured to partner with them.

But we don’t only reward organizations.

If you want to share a story about yourself, a friend, a family member or your workplaces and what you do really, really well – we’d love to hear it! You might just be the next person who gets rewarded with Quitting Time! Email marina@steamwhistle.ca

You never know, you might just get the next surprise:

Thanks to My City Lives for the photos & the video!

Cheers folks!

Not to worry – Steam Whistle to the rescue!

We have 3 pairs of these stylish Steam Whistle toques and scarves to give away:

 
Chris & Emily, Retail

Tell us below – how do you keep warm with Steam Whistle in the winter?

We will randomly pick three names from the comments on Monday November 28th.

Cheers,
Marina.