Time again for Cranky
City of Brandon rejects Brewtinerie proposal (PDF) - This one really grinds my gears. I've lived in Brandon for a decade now, and never felt like I belonged. Every opportunity I try to leave the city, I get get sucked back in. The negativity (looking at you eBrandon), the pessimism, and the NIMBY that this city faces (oh and can't forget the cliquiness) is just appalling. As you already know (or if you don't), the kickass Grant Hamilton proposed a brewpub & poutine joint in downtown Brandon called Brewtinerie. The old fire hall was for sale, and since nobody else put any tenders into the building, the Brewtinerie Co-op made an offer, but was rejected by city council. Well, I understand that it will cost a huge fortune to renovate the building to put it up to code, but we need something here in Brandon that will get people come in off the Trans Canada for a bite to eat and spend money in town. I don't necessarily agree with Grant's proposal that any cheese makes a poutine because I'm a purist, but one to each their own. However, I do think a poutine with cheese from the monastère south of Holland would be a great fit. There's always possibility that the Brewtinerie will one day end up at the fire hall, but if it doesn't, he could always go back to his original plan - a brewpub/poutinerie in the old East End water tower, or more realistically, in the old McKenzie seeds building. Two of my favourite downtown pubs are now open on Sundays for the first time, so it's a matter of time until downtown Brandon will be a hopping place to be on Sunday evenings in the summer time, but too bad there's not many places in downtown with a patio.
300 Years of Beer in Manitoba - This is a book I'm excited to purchase as a Canadian history buff and as a beer connoisseur. What people don't realize is that Manitoba once had a vibrant beer and alcohol scene. Heck, even Western Manitoba was doing pretty well off back in the prohibition era with the Seagrams' Bronfman family starting their empire in Minnedosa. Now days, you wouldn't think that Manitoba was once had a decent brewing scene, but with Half Pints, Fort Garry and soon Farmery brewing up a storm (and hopefully one day - Brewtinerie), the beer industry is really starting to take off again in the Keystone province. Purchase the book at your local book store or on Amazon.ca
Review of the Week - Harvest Moon Vulcan Ale
If you go down to Minot, North Dakota for the ND State Fair next month, or just for weekend shopping, check out Souris River Brewing, one of the newest brewpubs to come to the prairies! It's only a 3 hour drive from Brandon. Their SaisoND Farmhouse Ale sounds like a real treat, especially with a Dakota (Bison) burger. Drool!
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