Eatdrink #65 May/June 2017

40 | May/June 2017
Beer
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
Nano Brewing in Port Stanley
Last Castle Brewing Co.
By WAYNE NEWTON
Craft beer is making waves in Port
Stanley. The Lake Erie village, known
for its beaches, summer stock
theatre, and railway nostalgia, may
soon be equally famous for an innovative
brew pub which opened last year.
Last Castle Brewing Co., which focuses
on rustic farmhouse ales featuring local
ingredients, is tucked inside the New New
Age general store near Port Stanley’s main
intersection at Bridge and Colborne streets.
“We have strong family ties to the area and
were drawn to Port for its relaxed and fun
summer atmosphere,” said brewmaster Aidan
Norton. “Many make the trip to Port for its
charms, beaches and food scene and we are
excited to contribute to the beer landscape on
Lake Erie’s north shore.”
Last Castle’s flagship beer is Field Magic,
a Belgian-style saison brewed with spelt and
chamomile, made with an eye to quenching
thirsts on hot summer days. It has aromas of
spice, bubblegum and pear. If that seems like
a stretch from the light lagers often favoured
by the summer crowd, it isn’t.
“Port Stanley sees an influx of people in
the summer,” said Norton, who does double
duty by also working at a large craft brewery.
“Its seasonal ebb and flow aligns well with the
Belgian farmhouse
tradition of producing
refreshing summer
ales.”
“I take inspiration
from my
grandmother, who
immigrated to southwestern
Ontario from
Belgium. Her family
brought some of the
old world treats such
as gouda cheese, and
operated a general
store. Farmhouse ales,
being fermented with
house yeast cultures,
are not too far off.”
Last Castle draws
from medieval beermaking
practices,
thus its name, and a
passion for all things
local.
“Our team is
inspired by our native
Carolinian forest,
which provides a
backdrop and is a
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