HogsBack Brewing Company

Go HOG Wild ! It all started over a beer

No really! One of the guys said, “...you know, we could do this!” And so it began. Philemon was quite the entrepreneur.

We are a group of old friends who had worked together for many years, were having a beer in a brew pub and were tired from a hard day’s work...no really! We looked around and saw the fun and enjoyment that the brew-pub patrons were experiencing and, frankly, the beer was great too. After several months of market research, beer tasting, financial assessments, brewpub visiting and several bottles of

Aspirin, we decided that we could make a go of it...but what to call the brewery? In looking for a name, and since the beer would be craft brewed and local, we decided that we needed to find a name that represented the local region and was easily recognizable. One day one of the guys walked in and presented a picture of a pig...well, not really a pig, more like a picture of a prize-winning hog. We all agreed that no matter what we called the brewery, we had to have the hog. In a stroke of genius...no really, it happens when you’re drinking beer...someone said “...how about Hogsback?” So began the HogsBack Brewing Company. But there’s more to the story...

After liking this name, we looked back in Ottawa’s history for where it came from. All the way back, in fact, to Philemon Wright, who is credited as being the first permanent settler in the Ottawa area (I know, we all said, “who would name their kid Philemon” ...but keep reading, it’s a good story). Within a few years of his arrival in 1800, the new settlement apparently had mills to make flour, cut lumber, process hemp and make potash. Philemon would later branch into mining and cement-making and become a justice of the peace, a road builder and a hotelier. Continuing the history lesson, the name “Hog’s Back” was first coined to describe a section of the Rideau River where a ridge of limestone was cresting the river, looking like the backbone of a hog. This area of the river became a critical location in the building of the Rideau Canal for canal builder Colonel John By, who identified in 1827 the need to build a large dam to raise the river water and create what is now Mooney’s Bay. The main story at Hog’s Back became the building of the dam, and the contract to build this dam was awarded to, who else, Philemon Wright and Sons, by now lumber barons. Building the dam at Hog’s Back was a tremendous engineering challenge, which was critical to the completion of the Rideau Canal and resulted in what is now Hog’s Back Falls. So, just what is the beer connection to Hog’s Back Falls and Philemon Wright? Well, we have it on very good authority that when kicking back after a long day building dams at Hog’s Back Falls, Philemon enjoyed a good beer, having also established the very first brewery in the Ottawa Valley. It is also reputed that he sold hops to a young John Molson back in the day...now there’s a connection to beer! The HogsBack Brewing Company salutes the entrepreneurship of Philemon Wright and the challenges he overcame. We plan to embody that spirit as we launch our own brewing establishment to bring back a traditional approach to hand-crafted beer in the Ottawa Valley. The HogsBack Brewing Company offers a traditionally brewed craft beer alternative to the standard industrial beer from who knows where. And, most importantly, the HogsBack Brewing Company is owned and operated by four local guys - Frank, Jerry, Mark and Paige, with a goal to provide the finest-flavoured beer using all-natural ingredients and traditional small-batch brewing. Give us a try and let us know what you think. Cheers!

11/01/2018

A special message from HogsBack Brewing Company

Cheers
… used as a toast to wish everyone happiness
… used as an informal way to say “thank you”
… used as an informal way to say “goodbye”

A great word ....conveys so much meaning to us

After reveling in delight over our most recent victory at the Ontario Brewing Awards, we reflected back on our past 8 years in the craft beer industry.

Hard to believe it was over 8 years ago when four friends Jerry, Mark, Frank and Paige started HogsBack Brewing Company with really only one goal - to make a beer that they’d enjoy drinking when they got together

When HogsBack started we were one of only a handful of craft brewers in the Ottawa region, now there are over 35 and growing every day

In 2012, over 6 years ago, we were the first craft brewer in the Ottawa region to make the move from bottles to 473ml tall boy cans ... and only one of a handful in Ontario to do so. We felt that cans were the most environmentally friendly means of packaging and shipping beer and most importantly the best vessel for preserving the true flavour of our beer. Nowadays craft beer in a tall boy has become the norm

Enjoyed releasing many limited seasonal styles like Kilty Bastard Scotch Ale, AloHog Coconut Pale Ale, Sonofa Beach Kristal Wheat, Ontario Pale Ale and more. But of all the special beers we created – one stands out. We dreamt, experimented and in 2013 created the first beer brewed using actual real bacon - the wildly popular Aporkalypse Now Oatmeal Bacon Stout. Although it was only a limited run seasonal style last brewed in 2015 we still get asked about it every day.

So many great things over the years -
The first Ottawa based beer to be sold in Newfoundland and New Brunswick, making cameo appearances in the movies ‘Jurassic Shark’ and ‘Brain Freeze’, enjoying great times with our friends George Wendt (Norm from Cheers) and Shaun Majumder ( This Hour Has 22 Minutes) at Oktoberfest Ottawa, honoured to have appeared on one of the most popular (and frequently rerun) episodes of CBC's Dragons' Den, being part of Ottawa’s very first The Brewery Market event & collaborating with our friends at HINTONBURGER creating a one of a kind burger with a patty seasoned with Vintage Lager, then topped with back bacon braised in Vintage Lager and slathered with a Vintage Lager BBQ sauce, being the official beer of the award winning Q+Brew Competition BBQ team, countless other events, beer festivals ... not to mention all the love we’ve had from the brewing community earning us GOLD at 2017 Canadian Brewing Awards, GOLD at 2014 Ontario Brewing Awards, GOLD at 2012 Ontario Brewing Awards, People's Choice at 2012 Ontario Brewing Awards & Newcomer of the Year at the 2012 Ontario Brewing Awards.

Recently we were questioned if we would be doing ‘Buck A Beer’ ... pleased that we as craft brewers in Ontario held firmly together in our beliefs that our quality and craftsmanship is worth more and that we wouldn’t devalue our products. We’re very proud of this!!

We’ve seen the craft brewing industry in Ottawa and throughout Ontario sprout, blossom and bloom into what it is today

Which brings us to today…

We set out with one goal - we feel we accomplished that ....and much more than we imagined over 8 years ago.
So now ...maybe it’s a good time for us to take a break, step away for a bit, relax and recharge.

With that, we at HogsBack Brewing Company have decided to stop brewing.

Sure this is a shock, for our families, friends, loyal followers and supporters ... but at this time, the four of us agree that this decision is the right one for us.

Does this mean HogsBack is done? The end?
Not sure - Hopefully not, but who knows what the future holds.

So if you’re at an LCBO or The Beer Store and see a few cans of our award winning Vintage Lager, grab a can or two, savour & enjoy cause what’s on the shelves is all there is ... when it’s gone it’s gone. Maybe hang on to a can as a collectors item.

We encourage you to reach out and support our fellow craft brewers, new or established, especially our friends who helped us along the way ... Clocktower Brew Pub, Ashton Brewing Company, Broadhead Brewing Company Ltd., Cool Beer Brewing Company, Wellington Brewery and BIG RIG Brewery - we appreciate all you did for us!!

Big thanks to our staff & crew who helped at all our events over the years.

We thank YOU for 8 incredible years of your loyalty, praise and support.

We won’t say goodbye, let’s just say .... Cheers

09/14/2018

HogsBack wins again Best Craft Lager at the Ontario Brewing Awards

05/23/2018

A nice read.Thanks for the support
Cheers

Is anyone still drinking lagers? Only Drunk Polkaroo would have the balls to pose for a photo like this in an Ontario Winter. And by gawd, there he is, mimicking the lab...

05/21/2018

Congrats to Q+Brew on a great showing at the Salt City BBQ Festival this weekend - Cheers

05/17/2018

Best of luck to our Q+Brew competition BBQ team as they head to Syracuse, New York this weekend for the Salt City BBQ Festival - Go smoke them!!!! Cheers

04/11/2018

This weekend marks the 8th birthday of our award winning Vintage Lager - celebrate by grabbing a pint at CRAFT Beer Market Ottawa or a tall boy at any LCBO , The Beer Store or at Heart & Crown - Barrhaven

04/09/2018

Looking good guys

We are back on track after a successful practice cook this weekend! Ready to rock the 2018 season thanks to HogsBack Brewing Company and

Looking forward to Syracuse in May!

Photos from HogsBack Brewing Company's post

03/07/2018

Proud to once again sponsor Ottawa's own Q+Brew for another season or competition BBQ.

Last year the crew got a few calls and pulled in a few awards. We're hoping this year is bigger & better! Best of luck this season guys ...Smoke the competition! Cheers

02/18/2018

Hurry hard - HogsBack’s award winning Vintage Lager at the Lac Rheaume Curling Bonspiel. Cheers

02/02/2018

From one Hog to another - Let's have an early spring ok?
Cheers & Happy

01/24/2018

Today we celebrate Beer Can Appreciation Day - recognizing the first day when beer was sold in cans back in 1935.

Hard to believe that it’s now been almost 6 years since HogsBack made the groundbreaking move to become the first craft beer in the Ottawa / National Capital region in modern times to move from bottles be packaged & sold in 473ml tallboy cans. A choice based both on quality preservation and environmental concerns.

Over that time craft beer drinkers throughout Ontario & worldwide have come to embrace cans fervently, dispelling all prior reservations about quality, leading more and more craft brewers to follow the HogsBack lead to package beer in cans.

So today, for all those who appreciate beer in cans, we raise a tallboy of our award winning Vintage Lager & say - CHEERS

Ontario Craft Brewers

11/27/2017

We're Rock'n again!
That's right Newfoundland and Labrador - you can once again enjoy the taste of our award winning Vintage Lager - now on the shelves at your nearest NLC Liquor Store

So grab a few cans & post a pic to show us where on The Rock you're drinking - Cheers

Locate us here:
http://www.nlliquor.com/products/14986/HogsBack%20Vintage%20Lager%20473ml%20Can

Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism Newfoundland

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Ottawa, ON

HogsBack Brewing Company

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