Rubber Boot Camp – Homebrew 101
Have you been dreaming of brewing your own beer and becoming the most popular bloke on the block? If so, join us at ‘Rubber Boot Camp” at our brewery this March!
On March 4th and 18th from 12:00 to 4:00 pm, award-winning Canadian Home Brewers Ed Koren and Louis DeBourbon will be teaching you how to brew your very own batch on your kitchen stove.
The 4-hour long lessons sessions cost $20 each ($40 for both) and include pizza + beer. On March 4th Ed and Louis will lead you through brewing day using a malt-extract kit, and March 18th will focus on bottling, kegging and of course, tasting.
Spaces are limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Email TracyP@blackoakbeer.com to reserve your spot today!
Beer For Boobs Toronto – A fundraiser for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
Canada’s first annual ‘Beer For Boobs Fundraiser’ is debuting in Toronto!
On Sunday, March 25th from 2 – 8 pm, an ALL FEMALE-brewed line up of one-offs will be featured at Bar Volo. The event has a $20 cover charge which, along with raffle proceeds and the cost of beer, will be donated to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.
Toronto’s 11 female brewers will be brewing on pilot systems at Amsterdam, Great Lakes, Granite, Bar Volo, Niagara Teaching College and Black Oak this February and March. The women are also joining forces for a collaboration Sour Ale at Bar Volo’s House Ales.
Two of the women – our own Tracy Phillippi and Burger Bar’s Tamara Wise – will be brewing a Black IPA with Paul Dickey of Cheshire Valley at our brewery in March! We’re also proud to donate a raffle prize to the fundraiser.
Join Toronto’s craft beer community for this great cause in March!
Black Oak Valentine’s Day Party – featuring Chocolate-Beer floats from Chocosol!
There are two types of people in this world…
1) Those that eagerly await Valentine’s Day through the dark days of winter, and, 2) Those that are coaxed into romantic dates against their will.
No matter what type of person you are, we’ve got the Valentine’s Day Party for you! Bring your sweetie (or beer drinkin’ buddies) to Black Oak on Saturday February 18th from 5 to 9 pm. There won’t be any expensive flowers or cheesy music, but there will be plenty of craft beer and local organic food.
We’re joining forces with the Chocosol team to create BEER-CHOCOLATE floats, followed by fresh Ontario corn tortillas stuffed with Double Chocolate Cherry Stout Mole – perfect to satisfy all sorts of cravings. Wash down the goodness with one-off casks and special kegs, and a possible visit from craft-beer-cupid.
As always our parties cost $20.00 at the door – we’re accessible via the TTC or GO Bus and we’ll gladly call you a taxi at the end of the night.
Since our Winter Warmer Party was sooooo successful (250 people) we’re going to limit the number of attendees to 180 so please email TracyP@blackoakbeer.com to get your name on the guest list.
So bring your lover, your friends or fellow foodies to another great Black Oak party!
Black Oak Beer Tastings Come to You…
We’re kicking of 2012 with a series of tastings in your neighborhood. Stop by and try our Nut Brown, Pale Ale or Double Chocolate Cherry Stout at several of Toronto’s greatest speciality retail stores and LCBO’s:
- Culinarium on February 4th
Join us from 11 to 4 at Toronto’s all-Ontario grocery store for a special pairing of Double Chocolate Cherry Stout and Certified Local Sustainable cheese. We’ll be along side our friends at Local Food Plus talking about the importance of supporting local producers, all while savouring a great pairing! - Summerhill LCBO on February 11th
We’re throwing a Craft Beer and BBQ Cocktail Party at Toronto’s classiest LCBO from 11:30 to 3:30. Pair our Nut Brown and Pale Ale with organic BBQ brisket prepared by The Healthy Butcher. - Queen’s Quay and Yonge LCBO on March 8th
Here’s hopin’ that a taste of Nut Brown and Pale Ale will bring the spring weather from 4 to 8 pm on March 8th. Try and buy! - Healthy Butcher on March 17th
We’re rolling out the Nut Brown organic sausage for your tasting pleasure. Stop by the Healthy Butcher’s Eglinton location from 11 to 4 for this epic pairing. - Larid and Eglinton LCBO on April 6th
Stop by from 4 to 8 for a tasting and grab some Pale Ale for this Holiday weekend. - King West and Spadina LCBO on April 7th
We’ll be pouring samples of Nut Brown and Pale Ale from 4 to 8.
Visit our Events Calender for even more tastings, events and brewery parties. Let us know about your favourite neighborhood store and we’ll do our best to bring Black Oak tastings to you! Email TracyP@blackoakbeer.com with your ideas today. Cheers!
New Tap Handles are Under the Black Oak Christmas Tree!
Look what Santa got us for Christmas…. We must have been really, really good 
Coming to a great craft beer pub near you in 2012!
Twas da Pint Before Christmas – by Ken Woods
Twas da Pint Before Christmas Poem
(with vast apologies)
By Ken Woods
Twas da pint before Christmas, when all through the brew house
Not even a beer geek was stirring, not even their spouse.
The hoses were hung by the boiler with care,
All of our misplaced tools were scattered everywhere.
The casks were nestled all snug on their pallet,
While visions of dry hopping, just needed a mallet.
With piles of accounting looming on my desk, and I in my green tea,
Had just settled in for an undisturbed paperwork jamboree.
When out by the door there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my desk to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I cursed a foul line,
Gesticulating and pointing at the closed sign.
The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,
Could not improve the appearance of what lay below.
When, what to my horrified eyes should appear,
But a battered old car, sounding a Bronx cheer.
With a little old driver, so looking of a disheveled lynch mob,
I knew in a moment it must be a beer snob.
More rapid than bullets his questions they came,
And he shouted, statements peppered with profanities aflame!
“Now Pale Ale!, now Nut Brown!, Oaktoberfest and Nutcracker!
On Summer Saison, On Transvestites Tipple!
Where’s the 10 Bitter Years, you slacker?
Now drink away, drink away and rate them all!”
As spent grain that before the wild hurricane fly,
When met with a domestic beer, he raged to the sky.
So up the steps, he did waddle,
With a case full of empties, that beer snob did not dawdle.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard by the door
The prancing and pawing of this little boor.
As with the door unlocked I did fumble,
Into the brewery the beer snob did stumble.
He was dressed all in beer paraphernalia, from his hat to his coat,
And his clothes were all tarnished, as if half chewed by a goat.
A case of empties, he had flung under his arm,
And he looked like a beer expert, which caused me alarm.
His eyes-how they squinted! His attitude so airy!
His cheeks were so pouty, his nose all dribbly!
His droll little mouth was drawn down in a frown,
And the beard of his chin shown he’d just eaten in China Town.
The stump of a beer opener he held tight in his hand,
And by looking closely I could see it was not our brand.
He had a blank face and a big round belly,
That shook when he swore, like his liver was jelly!
He was chubby and plump, a right cantankerous old git,
And I laughed when I saw him, just to spite this twit!
A squint of his eye and a shake of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had much to dread.
He spoke a few words, What do ya got that’s new?
Nothing I said, avoiding his spew.
Cashing in his empties, he slumped to the door,
Off to seek new beers elsewhere some more.
He waddled to his jalopy, and on the fourth try did it start,
And away he did drive, his smog would soon depart.
But I had to exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good pint!”
You want me to travel where…? How to get to Black Oak 101
As our 11th B-day Party (11.11.11) creeps closer, we don’t want the distance to prevent you from celebrating with us! That’s why we’ve boiled down your transportation options to make it easier for you:
- TTC - You can get to Black Oak Brewery one of two ways via TTC… 1) Take the subway to Royal York Subway Station, connect with the 15 Evans South. Get off at Horner Ave. (about 15 minutes) and walk south (about 5 minutes) to Black Oak Brewery, 75 Horner Ave, suite #1. OR 2) Take the subway to Islington Subway Station, connect with the 110 Islington South A or B. Get off at Horner Ave and Judson St. and walk north (about 2 minutes) to Black Oak Brewery
- GO Train – If you’re joining us from downtown Toronto and want the express route, you can always take the GO Train from Union Station. Get off at Mimico Station and walk west on Judson Street until you reach Horner Ave (about 15 minutes). Walk north to 75 Horner Ave, suite #1.
- Taxi - If you fancy the door-to-door luxury, you can always take a taxi to the brewery. And, we’ll call you one at the end of the night.
We’re going to have a blast – drink great beer and dance to good tunes, but remember to drink responsibly. See you on Friday at 6:00!
11/11/11 Crazy Cask Contest….
The glorious Tahiti Treat was our last featured cask. Made with grapefruit and cranberries.
Do you lie awake at night dreaming of cask ales? Have you concocted the perfect cask recipe and just need a brewer to make it a reality? OR maybe you just want to get into Black Oak’s 11th Birthday Party for FREE!?
If you’ve answered yes to any of the above questions, we’ve got the perfect contest for you! Submit your favourite cask recipe for our “Crazy Cask Contest” and if we like your’s best, we’ll make it for our 11/11/11 party from 6 pm – 10 at the brewery! AND, if your cask recipe is chosen you and a guest will get in for free.
Here’s the rules:
- Casks must use Pale Ale or Nut Brown as the base
- Casks can use up to three additional ingredients (so not to confuse the ole taste buds)
- Recipes must be submitted on our facebook wall by Tuesday November 8th at 4:00 pm
- You must give your cask a name and be willing to pose next to it in pictures
And that’s it folks. If you want to help our brewmaster Simon make your cask, you’re more than welcome to come stop by on Thursday November 10th. If you’ve got any questions, email Tracy at tracyp@blackoakbeer.com.
We’re excited to see your ideas!
Cheers
Join us for our 11th Anniversary Party on 11/11/11!
Join us in celebrating our 11th year of brewing quality craft beer with a special anniversary party at the brewery on November 11, 2011.
It seems like only yesterday we celebrated our 10th Birthday over a glass of 10 Bitter Years. And now we are proudly celebrating 11 years of growth and success with lots of exciting new developments.
These days, we’ve got lots to be bitter-less about. Our Nut Brown and Pale Ale sales have increased from 45 to 130 thanks to the work of North American Craft, an independent sales company that represents craft brewers at the LCBO. Our Beer Store and pub sales continue to climb and Torontonians are making the trek out to Etobicoke to buy our seasonal beers from the brewery’s retail store, some even staying for a tour while sipping Oaktoberfest, Nutcracker Porter or Double Chocolate Cherry Stout.
This year we also saw Simon DaCosta step up as Black Oak’s head brewer. We’re very pleased to have Simon, who attended Harriot Watt University in Scottland, on board. Simon is supported by Jonathan Hodd, who also brews with Ralph Morana at Bar Volo’s House Ales.
Jorg Gutziet, a Toronto native, brings a cheerful sense of humor to Black Oak’s GTA deliveries, which have picked up steadily in recent months.
And finally in September Tracy Phillippi joined our team, and has been ramping up our distribution and web presence, as well as organizing upcoming events and parties.
As beer expert Troy Burtch put it in the Winter 2009 issue of TAPS Magazine, our President Ken Woods’ “dedication and persistence has built the Black Oak name into a very respected and reputable brewery that isn’t afraid to brew up a batch of beer for the beer geeks, while still wining over new beer drinkers with their Pale Ale” – A batch of beer that has given us our reputation of being Ontario’s most consistent brewery.
Brown Sabbath will hit the cask stage (left-right: Neil MacIntosh, James Taylor, Scott McCannell, Phil Miles, Nick Teehan)
So, we invite you to join the countless Black Oak Beer Nuts on Friday November 11th (that’s right 11/11/11) from 6 to 10 pm to celebrate our 11th Bitter Year.
For $20.00 per person, Black Oak Brewery will be transformed into a craft beer drinker’s paradise, with special one-off casks and kegs you’ve never seen before. The admission fee covers all your beer and food, plus live jazz and Motown music by Toronto’s Brown Sabbath.
So, put 11/11/11 in your beer drinkin’ calendar and come drink good beer, where good beer is made.
Brewing Award Winning Beer since the Last Millennium!
Inspired by the best beers in the word, our Ales are premium, handcrafted, slow brewed, and all natural. All our beers focus on quality, character, and consistency. Small batch brewing ensures that you’re getting fresh beer at the peak of its flavour. Both our delicious Pale Ale and Nut Brown Ale are gold medal winners in the national Great Canadian Brewing Awards. We also make some great award winning seasonal beers in limited quantities, each suited to the season they represent.
Look for our beers at better Restaurants & Pubs and select Beer Stores & LCBO’s from Windsor to Ottawa. As always, our beer is available from our own retail store located at the brewery.
Take a look around our new webpage, and let us know what you think.
Cheers,
Ken