Silversmith Brewing Company



 


 


 


 

GENERAL INFORMATION


Silversmith Brewing Company opened in 2012 in response to what felt as lack of local beer in the Niagara community. Regionally, there were many wineries already established but the local craft beer market was virtually untapped. Silversmith Brewing Company exhibits distinct character in the type of beers they brew as well as their scenic location. Found on Niagara Stone Road, Virgil, in an old church built around 1894, the brewing facility adds rich dimension to the existing culture in the community.


Business partners Chris Pontsioen, Matt Swan and Brewmaster Don McKinnon all agreed that "a good beer is hard to find", believing that Ontario was consistently being ignored by craft brewers, thus creating the driving motivation for Silversmith Brewing Company. The production is small scale, typical of craft breweries, which is reflected in their small staff that is responsible for all operations and onsite retail. Production began off premises, brewing limited beer styles before construction was even finished for their brewery location on Niagara Stone Road. However, their lack of a permanent location at the time did not hinder them. Very quickly Silversmith brewing Company began to experience rapid success with some of their beers, enabling them distribution opportunities throughout bars, events and restaurants around Ontario.


Located in a vine covered church, with much of the original structure still standing, and a rustic interior of exposed wooden beams and brick walls, Silversmith has created a business that effectively emulates the wine industry, as well as creates a complementing business for beverage consumers. The company also in turn has effectively made its way into the tourism industry of Niagara, by expanding the versatility of the beverage and culinary sector. At Silversmith, customers can sample and purchase the current unique craft beers on draft, as well as tour the brewery and learn about the beer making process.


Silversmith Brewing Company is diverse in the beer they brew, and because they are accomplished in many beer styles, often the choice of what to brew next comes down to what type of beer they feel like brewing at that time. However, what is consistent in all of their beer is the quality. Each batch is fresh, unfiltered, unpasteurized with no extra ingredients or preservatives. As well, following the current Niagara paradigm of using locally produced ingredients and supporting local farmers will continue to remain a main priority for their business and production.

Silversmith's award winning Black Lager is one of the first brews, and has gained the most popularity among each of their noteworthy creations. The Black lager is made from a German lager base, with choclate and caramel malts that create a final product with espresso hue, similar to that of a stout. Another Silversmith crowd pleaser is their wheat beer, crafted after the traditional Bavarian wheat style beer. This style of beer pours a cloudy golden orange and embodies a malt flavour that is sweet and fruity with a long finish.


At Silversmith Brewing Company you can experience a new taste of Niagara, with one of a kind craft beers that are continuously evolving to sure please anyone, beer drinkers or not. Here, a small group of friendly staff are always proud to share great tasting beer with as many people possible, and in turn, are further enhancing what the Niagara Region has to offer.


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