Amid the cold and rain, the men at Compass Brewing held a beer tasting at the Whitney Hop Yard in Porcupine.
The nature of the event was to engage potential business partners, those interested in home-brews, and other stakeholders in the community.
Despite the horrible weather during the Sept. 19 event, the turnout was good and those in attendance provided valuable feedback for the brewers.
"Our partners at the Whitney Hop Yard gave space to make beer onsite so people can see a miniaturized process of the industry. Hand-picked invitees got to experience the process from picking fresh hops, to making a beer from raw ingredients, then to sampling some finished home-brew," said the brewers in an online chat.
Compass Brewing is composed of Mael Girard, Corey McLister and Kevin Patriquin; the same brewers that have been featured on a previous piece in TimminsToday back in March 2015.
Since then, the men say, marketing has gone leaps and bounds and the business plan is still on track to be completed by the end of the year.
There still remains funding, setting up a location and finalizing permits with federal and provincial agencies.
Though it may be difficult to put a timeline on the progress, the brewers estimate Compass Brewing products may be available to the public in 18 months.
When asked about a mission statement for Compass Brewing, brewer Mael Girard summed it up best: “Our goal is to brew the best beer, using the best ingredients available to us and to engage the Timmins community in doing so. We aim to push the boundaries of what beer can be, and what people consider it to be. Our creation of beer will forever change while striving for continual improvement, curiosity and community participation. To us beer is not simply a beverage, but a tool to express our identities as individuals and as a community.”
Their use of locally grown hops from Whitney Hop Yard in Porcupine, and their presence on social media, Compass Brewing is holding true to their mission statement and fits in quite well with the Timmins 2020 strategic plan.
When asked about what products they have ready for the public, the brewers answered that they are constantly improving and innovating their brews.
Currently there is an India Pale Ale, a Pale Ale, and a Dry Stout in development for the public.
Side-note: the Dry Stout is especially nice on cold rainy days.
Those attending the event had the privilege of bearing witness to a manifestation of craft beer culture at its prime.
The philosophy of supporting local business and markets which helps guarantee the freshest ingredients to come up with the best tasting product.
