This fall, take a lesson from the Canada Geese overhead and get strategic about your fall flight formation. Getting to know the 22 craft breweries of Hamilton Halton Brant’s True Brew Path is about so much more than the suds! With a wide array of cozy fall activities across the region, loading up your beer fridge with amazing autumn flavours is just a fraction of the fun!
Pumpkin Spice For Life
Looking for a really gourd time? Head to Milton and plan a stock-up stop at Orange Snail Brewers. Their delicious Hockey Mask Pumpkin Ale is brewed with freshly picked pumpkins and a signature blend of spices. From Milton, head to nearby Freelton for a visit to West Avenue Cider House. You can’t go wrong with any of their sippers, but their Legend Of The Fall is a Spanish-style sour cider that’s particularly perfect for the season. West Avenue’s onsite farm store offers cheeses, cured meats, breads, pickles and preserves for purchase, so pull up a seat at a picnic table and enjoy the view!
After fueling up, take a scenic drive west for some pumpkin picking at Brantwood Farms. If you’d prefer to leave the carving to the experts this year, stay tuned for details about Royal Botanical Gardens’ Great Pumpkin Trail, currently planned for October 23 and 24, when hundreds of jack-o-lanterns will set the garden aglow for one truly eerie evening scene or head to Pumpkins After Dark for a truly chilling and magnificent drive-thru pumpkin artisty event as thousands hand-carved pumpkins light up the sky.
Just Add Apples
Enjoy the taste of crisp autumn apples all winter long by stocking your bar fridge with some delicious Ontario ciders. Stop by Collective Arts Brewery in Hamilton for their flagship unfiltered dry cider, Nature of Things. Then, head to Howell Road Cider Company, where you can not only buy cider but also pick your own apples. They also sell incredible apple butter, apple cider donuts, apple mustards and more.
With over 22 varieties of apples, Chudleigh’s in Halton Hills is another fantastic option for an afternoon of apple picking. Puddicombe Cider House in Stoney Creek is another fun apple stop to add to your list. Guided tours are available by appointment and include a scenic train ride through the orchard that stretches out beneath the Niagara Escarpment.
Drink In Autumn Colours
Why not let the changing colours of the fall leaves inspire the shades in your beer glass this season? Stop by Bell City Brewing Company in Brantford and pick up some Eureka Amber Cream Ale. Then head to Paris to enjoy the fall colours on a scenic paddle. Grand Experience’s Fall Upper Nith River Experience is a guided canoe or kayak trip running on Saturdays in October and November. All gear is included, and your guide will help you spot wildlife along the way and share the river’s fascinating history.
No pilgrimage to celebrate fall colours would be complete without a sunflower selfie! Visit Andrews Scenic Acres, in Milton, where you can pick your own sunflowers and dahlias. From there, head to Georgetown and stop by Furnace Room Brewery to pick up some of their Wright House Red Ale.
Beer isn’t the only beverage with fall colour flair. Stock up on rich red wines like Ridge Road Winery’s Baco Noir, Cabernet Franc and Call Me a Cab, a Cabernet Franc and Merlot blend. The Stoney Creek winery offers a beautiful wine patio where you can take in the vineyard view while enjoying a glass of wine and takeout charcuterie boxes.
Turn Back The Clocks
This fall, mark the end of Daylight Savings Time on November 1 with some sips and scenery that honour the fact that all good things come in time. Visit Nickel Brook Brewery in Burlington to pick up some of their Glory & Gold. This brew celebrates the taste of time thanks to a slow two-year soak in Kentucky bourbon barrels.
Hamilton Halton Brant’s Historic sites and museums offer a great way to celebrate times gone by. Dundurn Castle and Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology are great choices just a short drive from Nickel Brook. Also nearby, The Art Gallery of Hamilton’s current The Artist’s Dream exhibit brings together an impressive collection of French Symbolism from the past.
From Hamilton, head to Steel Wheel Brewery in Brant for a farm-to-glass experience. Make a reservation for their patio and enjoy a Norwegian Oat Pale Ale, made from trade secrets that have been passed down from Norwegian brewers for generations.
Brew Up Your Own Oktoberfest
Bring a taste of Munich home this fall. Start out in Dundas at Shawn & Ed Brewing Co. to pick up some of their Oktobershed, a German-style Marzen. Next, head to Clifford Brewing Co. in Hamilton for their East Hamilton Lager, a German-style Pilsner. Then, make your way to Hamilton’s Grain and Grit for their Zigge Zagge German Wheat, another beautiful Bavarian. To stock up on some delicious sausages for your Oktoberfest festivities, plan a stop at Merit Brewing, also in Hamilton. Homemade sausages available for sale in their Bottle Shop include unique flavours like butter chicken, fennel and chili, and sticky rib. Top off your day of collecting Oktoberfest supplies with a delicious meal at Brux House. Inspired by the European beer belt, Brux House pairs their incredibly tasty food with traditional and innovative beer styles from an extensive bottle and tap list of local and imported brews.
Take A Walk On The Wild Side
In a nod to the beer’s not-so-subtle presence, Cameron’s Brewing Company’s Jurassic IPA’s name pays homage to the dinosaurs. In this beer’s case, three complementary hops are what make it hard to ignore. After visiting the brewery in Oakville, make your way to Crawford Lake Conservation Area in Milton (reservations are required at this point in time). The Lake to Longhouse Private Tour is a private, guided one-hour tour that shares secrets about the ancient creatures buried in the depths of the park’s rare meromictic lake.
