Between Two Fermenters, a podcast by Great Lakes Brewery

In this episode of Between Two Fermenters, Troy cracks a cold one with Kristin MacDonald, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Muskoka Brewery, to hear her incredible journey from Summer Brand Rep in 2010 to executive leadership. They dive into the history of Muskoka Brewery, from its humble beginnings in a Bracebridge granary in 1996 to becoming a cornerstone of Ontario craft beer and a community landmark in the heart of cotta...

You know the name. You’ve heard about the beer. Big Rock Brewery has been a pillar of Canadian craft brewing since 1985, founded by Ed McNally, a Calgary-based lawyer, farmer, and visionary who was fed up with boring mass-produced lagers and decided to do something about it (attaboy, Ed). From just three original beers Traditional Ale (TRAD), Porter, and Bitter to trailblazing brews like Grasshopper Wheat Ale, Big Rock helped kicks...

We’ve got a special episode for you today - shorter, but packed with flavour, just like the beer we’re celebrating. We’re taking you lakeside, where sunshine, hops, and good vibes come together in a can of pure refreshment. This one’s all about Sunnyside Session IPA and our province-wide celebration, SUNNY DAY. 

We’ll take you behind the scenes, diving into the history of Sunnyside, its rise to fame, and the story of the cheerful li...

In this episode of Between Two Fermenters, Troy sits down with one of Canada’s most serious, passionate, and proud brewers - Matt Tweedy, co-owner and Brewing Director at Ottawa’s Tooth and Nail Brewery. 

Matt’s dedication to the craft is second to none. From honing his skills at legendary breweries like Cantillon in Belgium, Lost Abbey in the US, and Fullers in the UK, to flourishing in Ontario’s beer scene at King Brewery, Beau’s...

If you’ve ever browsed the beer section at your local bookstore, chances are you’ve seen the name Stephen Beaumont. Stephen is the author of an astounding 15 beer books, and his work has graced the pages of The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Whisky Advocate, Esquire, Wine Enthusiast, and even Playboy. He’s also contributed to legendary beer publications likeAll About Beer, The Celebrator, Ale Street News, and TAPS Beer Magazine. 

Wit...

Ever had a flat, foamy, or off-tasting pint? Chances are that the problem wasn’t the beer... it was the draught system. On this episode of Between Two Fermenters, we’re pulling back the tap handle and diving deep into the world of draught quality with Paddy Treacy, Founder of Northern Lines, a Toronto-based company specializing in draught line cleaning, repair, and installation. 

Paddy has been ensuring top-notch beer quality for Gr...

The guest on this episode is nothing short of a legend. Some call him the Godfather of beer in Ontario, while others simply call him Ralph. Ralph Morana is the visionary behind Bar Volo, Cask Days, Birreria Volo, and so much more—a man who has shaped craft beer culture in Toronto, across Ontario, and beyond. 

From transforming an Italian café on a corner of Yonge Street into one of North America's most influential beer spots to pion...

Welcome to Between Two Fermenters, the podcast where we dive deep into the stories shaping the craft beer industry. In this episode, Troy sits down with Natasha Fritzley, President of Cowbell Brewery, to explore her incredible journey through various leadership roles since joining the company before its doors opened in August 2017. 

We’ll discuss the story of Cowbell, often referred to as Canada’s Destination Brewery. Natasha sha...

"I loved brewing when I first started doing it in my early 20s" - In this episode, we sit down with Michael Lackey—better known as Lackey—a legendary figure at Great Lakes Brewery (GLB) and the brewery’s Brewing Operations Manager. You might recognize him from the very first episode of Between Two Fermenters: The Stories We Could Tell, where he joined Peter Bulut, GLB’s Owner and President, to celebrate 37 years of brewing excellen...

In this episode, we sit down with Christine Comeau, the Executive Director of the Canadian Craft Brewers Association (CCBA) - the voice of Canadian craft beer. Representing nearly 1,200 small and independent craft breweries, brewpubs, and supplier partners across the country, the CCBA plays a pivotal role behind the scenes here in the country. 
Join us as we delve into Christine's insights on some of the most pressing topics for Ca...

Welcome to another episode of Between Two Fermenters, a podcast brought to you by Toronto’s Great Lakes Brewery, where we dive deep into the world of craft beer and the passionate people behind it. Today, it’s our pleasure to welcome one of our own, Nick Perry, to the show for the first time! 

Nick is the Production Supervisor at GLB and has been part of the team since 2016. Over the past eight years, Nick, who started with the com...

"My beers are the portfolio of my life.”  In this episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Luc ‘Bim’ Lafontaine, the mastermind behind Godspeed Brewery, a "neighbourhood brewpub with an international reputation”, located at 242 Coxwell Avenue in Toronto. Bim’s reputation as a world-renowned brewer precedes him, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with industry icons like Garrett Oliver, Yvan De Baets, Jan Van Roy, Sam Calagione, and others who...

In this episode, we sit down with Michael Hancock himself, a legend in Canadian brewing with four decades of stories, innovations, and inspirations.  

Step back to 1976, when a young Hancock arrived in Canada for what he thought would be a brief engineering role at Molson’s. But a decade later, Michael’s passion for the craft of brewing sparked a new path. After studying at the prestigious Siebel Institute and an inspiring encounte...

In this episode, we dive deep into the 38-year brewing journey of one of the provinces beer pioneers, Mr. Paul Dickey, Ontario’s Iron Brewer. Since starting in 1986, Paul has made an enduring mark on the craft beer scene, from co-founding the Canadian Amateur Brewers Association (CABA), serving as a Grand Master Level I Beer Judge, and creating the Iron Brewer competitions.  

From his apprenticeship at Denison’s Brewing in the '80...

On October 15, news broke about two Ontario breweries joining forces. That information garnered a lot of attention, and the industry was a buzz with the news, so like a one-off beer, we had to record a special episode to get all the juicy details. Yes, Lake of Bays Brewing Co and Merit Brewing shared the news that they were merging their two breweries, eliciting a lot of congratulatory messages and questions like “what does this me...

Aaron Protho, the Founder and CEO of Mascot Brewery, joins the show for the first of what will likely be multiple appearances on the pod. He’s as passionate as they come in this industry, from both a brewing and entrepreneurial perspective, and he’s created something very special with his company.  

Through Aaron, Mascot was Canada’s first Black owned and operated brewery when he opened the doors back in 2015, something that he is ...

In this episode, Troy sits down with Jen Reinhardt, the Senior Sales Manager with Great Lakes Brewery and one of the driving forces behind the brand, to discuss her journey in the craft beer industry.  

Jen has been with GLB for almost six years, but her journey with us started way back in 2014. After getting her feet wet in the beer industry while still working in publishing, Jen realized how thrilling this world was and moved on ...

Jeff Talmey, one of the founders of Town Brewery in Whitby, ON, made his way to Etobicoke to tell us about the history of the seven-year-old brewery, how he got into the beer industry, discusses social media and their recent rebrand, his work with the Ontario Craft Brewers Conference, and much more.  

Town was founded with a simple goal in mind; to make better beer and build a stronger community, something that Jeff and co have wor...

Steve Hukari, one of the founders of Southern Ontario Beer Boys, a group of Beer lovin' buddies from, you guessed it, Southern Ontario, joins the pod for the first time. Steve, and the SO Beer Boys, as they are frequently referred to, are said to be “ready and willing to conquer all beers while doing their part to make the world a better place,” and indeed they do. 

What started out as an Instagram account, documenting what they we...