P.E.I. breweries nab 4 silver, 1 bronze at Canadian Brewing Awards

Prince Edward Island breweries won big at the 2020 Canadian Brewing Awards, winning five awards total three of which belong to the Montague area.

"There must be something in the water in Montague," says David McGuire, owner ofBogside Brewing.

This is the first time Bogside, which is one of two breweries in Montague, has submittedbeer to the Canadian Brewing Awards.The awardswere held virtually on Sept. 14.

The Lighthorse Lagered Ale won silver in the German style klsch category.

"It's one of the beers we are most proud of," McGuire said, adding the brew is "light and approachable."

He said that beer was developed with input from Island veterans and was named after the P.E.I. Regiment. Lighthorse was the name of the cavalry unit before the name switched over to the P.E.I. Regiment.

McGuire said he has heard from some of the Island vets who helped come up with the concept for the brew.

"This is a beer we launched in October, and in November it won gold at the Atlantic Canada Brewing Awards. So this has been a well-received beer for us."

Bogside also won silver for its Wheat Kings County beer in the German style wheat beer category.

"It was pretty amazing, to be fair. On a national competition just being a little brewery from a little town and a little province, it was kind of neat to see your name called out and on the screen," he said.

Copper Bottom 'really really proud'

Copper Bottom Brewing is another Montague-based brewery and its Parkman Ave beer won silver in the American style imperial India pale ale category.

"I was with all of our staff having a staff appreciation night on Saturday when I found out. And I threw my cup it was a plastic cup, mind you but I threw it up in the air in excitement," said Ken Spears, owner and head brewer at Copper Bottom.

"It's just a fantastic feeling, it's a beer that's a local favourite here and we are just really really proud of it."

Parkman Ave is named after the road the brewing company is on. Spears said he is so proud of the beer because before winning silver at the national beer awards it won gold at the Atlantic Brewing Awards and the Fredericton Craft Beer Festival.

The P.E.I. Brewing Company also took some awards back to the province.

It won silver with its Beach Chair Lager in the North American style premium lager category and was the first time the beer was submitted to the national awards,said Jeff Squires, president of the P.E.I. Brewing Company.

"It was nice to win a silver, maybe we can continue to push for a gold," he said, adding he plans to resubmit the beer to the awards.

The brewing company also won bronze for its Setting Day brew in the session ale category. Squires said the beer was named to recognize the start of the spring lobster fishing season on the Island.

Squires also saidSetting Day won a gold at the same awards in 2016.

The 2020 wins mark 18 Canadian Brewing Awards for P.E.I. Brewing Company who have taken home wins in various categories.

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