This just in from the crew at Spearhead Brewing. You’ve probably heard of them, at this point. It was about this time last year that I met Dimitri and heard about his plans. A few weeks ago I got to try the Hawaiian Pale Ale, and you will be able to soon, as well!
TORONTO – May 30, 2011 – Something new is brewing in Toronto: Beer Without Boundaries™. Unique, all-natural, unfiltered beer brought to you by Spearhead Brewing Company. On June 17, 2011, this local, family-run, craft brewery begins pouring its first pints at more than 30 establishments in Toronto, Guelph, London and Muskoka.
Spearhead Brewing Company was founded by Dimitri van Kampen, a Toronto-born beer geek and foodie who wanted to create bold, distinctive beer that would get people thinking differently about the world’s most popular alcoholic beverage. Like fine wine, great beer should be savoured, not sucked back in the bottle. Great beer can complement and contrast the finest foods and turn an ordinary meal into a feast. “At Spearhead,” said van Kampen, “we want to create exciting beer that challenges traditional style categories and people’s perceptions of beer.”
A lawyer by trade, van Kampen’s true passion is craft beer and, in particular, the extreme brewing movement that has taken the United States by storm over the last decade. A few years ago, he discovered home brewing and started dreaming up beer recipes using non-traditional ingredients like fruit and spices to create beer with complex, unanticipated flavours. “When making our beer,” said van Kampen, “we don’t want to fit in. We want to stand out. We don’t want to conform to expectations. We will always test our imagination and the imagination of our customers.”
Also, unlike some breweries that filter their beer and carbonate it using CO2, Spearhead Brewing Company brews “real beer” meaning that it is unfiltered, non-pasteurized and naturally carbonated so that all of the beer’s flavour remains where it’s supposed to be—in your glass.
To make his dream a reality, van Kampen enlisted Tom Schmidt, a brewmaster with over 30 years’ experience. “For our first beer,” said van Kampen, “I wanted to come out with an aromatic, hoppy West Coast pale ale and brew it Hawaiian style—with pineapple. After numerous test batches, Tom perfected our Hawaiian Style Pale Ale. It’s just the way I imagined: bold, hoppy and refreshing, with notes of citrus and zest. It’s like aloha in a bottle.”
On Thursday, June 16 at 7 p.m., the public is invited to join van Kampen and the rest of the Spearhead team for the first taste of Hawaiian Style Pale Ale at Bar Volo (587 Yonge Street), one of Toronto’s premier beer establishments.
Spearhead joins the ranks of Ontario craft breweries that are spiking sales with their delicious hand-crafted beer. According to the LCBO, Ontario craft beer is the fastest growing beer segment with a 46 per cent increase last year compared to overall beer sales that rose only 4 per cent.
Ask for a Spearhead at your local. As of June 17th, we’re in more than 30 fine establishments including Allen’s, Betty’s, C’est What?, Bar Volo, The Rhino, Cloak and Dagger, La Palette, The Victory Café, Castro’s Lounge, The Burger Bar & Tequila Tavern, Smokeless Joe’s, Bryden’s, The Dizzy Gastro Sports Pub, The Rebel House, Gambrinus Bistro & Café in London, The Griffin Gastropub in Bracebridge, The Local in Barrie and North Restaurant in Gravenhurst.
About Spearhead Brewing Company
Founded by Dimitri van Kampen in 2011, Spearhead Brewing Company was born out of a passion for real beer and a dedication to brewing Beer Without Boundaries™. At Spearhead Brewing Company, we refuse to adhere to the limitations set by traditional style definitions. We strive to transcend the perceived boundaries of beer and explore beer’s unlimited potential. Using non-traditional ingredients and brewing methods, we make all-natural craft beer that is so distinctive and delicious it cannot be judged by ordinary standards. Spearhead beer is currently available on draft at fine establishments. We hope you enjoy drinking our beer as much as we love dreaming it up and making it for you.
To find out more about Spearhead, visit spearheadbeer.com
or follow us on Twitter: @SpearheadBeer
or on Facebook: Spearhead Brewing Company
