EXPLORING CALEDON'S FARM BREWERIES

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WORDS BY DANI KUEPFER; PHOTOS BY CHRIS TIESSEN

IT’S MIDSUMMER, AND THE SUN IS SHINING, THE WINDOWS ARE DOWN, AND MY FARM SHARE IS PAST THE LETTUCE-ONLY STAGE. COULD IT GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS? SPOILER: IT DOES. I’M HEADED OUT TO CALEDON ON ASSIGNMENT TO CHECK OUT THREE FARM BREWERIES – ALL OF WHICH PRODUCE STAPLES FOR MY GO-TO DOWNTOWN GUELPH HAUNTS – AND I’M EXCITED TO GET MY FEET ON THE GROUND AND MY HEAD OUT OF THE CITY. SO JOIN ME – AFTER ALL, THESE RURAL GEMS DESERVE GOOD COMPANY.

BADLANDS BREWING COMPANY

13926 CHINGUACOUSY RD, CALEDON @BADLANDSBREWING

There’s something enthralling about choosing a thing to do and then getting really, really good at it. Trial and error and small wins, honing your craft while getting closer and closer to the thing you’re chasing. That’s what Badlands owners Grace, Troy, and Mike have been doing since 2017, when they started brewing on what was essentially a glorified home brew system in a retrofitted cattle barn. (Seriously, their original setup is maybe twice the size of the one that used to live in my kitchen.)

Things have certainly changed around Badlands since my last visit – the brewhouse has seen a massive glow up, the front lawn has been transformed into a sprawling all-weather beer garden, and a new barn is being built, hinting at a burgeoning barrel program. Despite Badlands' humble beginnings, one thing has always been true: the beer is killer. Indeed, Badlands has been knocking juice bombs out of the park since day one; now, they’re just making more of them. It’s such a treat to see their name on a tap list and know exactly what you’re getting into: a big silky IPA with a rush of bright, fruit-forward hops. Each brew goes down a unique path, but all are mouth-watering and audacious. Woody pine notes? Fluffy mango? Bright, peppery lime? Ya, I’m buying what they’re selling.

And, I’m buying where they’re selling. Installed onto the front lawn of the place (operated as a cattle farm by Grace’s family since the forties and dating back another century before then), the massive beer garden stretches along the country road and overlooks the neighbouring terrain. There are picnic tables in the grass, a covered patio where the brewery hosts live music, and even a greenhouse where you can enjoy a pint on colder, wetter days. The anchor of the space, though, is the massive solid wood bar. With a dozen outdoor taps and seating all around, it’s giving big Nashville energy.

And in the spirit of doing things really, really well, the Badlands folks have been busy perfecting another great thing to sink your teeth into: smash burgers. Ontario-raised beef, hand-cut fries, fresh-baked buns, and the classic toppings (lettuce, tomato, onion) grown right on the farm. (And if you’re into portobello burgers, they’ve got one of those waiting for you too.)

If you’re looking for a new place to kick back after a long week, here’s your spot. Come hang out on a Friday afternoon and talk shop (ie beer) with the brewers, have a cold pint, and live vicariously through their ‘chase your dreams and quit your day job’ story. Or, load up the kids and the dog, and drop by for a Saturday afternoon of burgers, local music, and stellar beers. Life doesn’t get much sweeter than this.

Best paired with: • leaving work early • making new friends at the bar • your go-to album for the scenic drive

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GOODLOT FARMSTEAD BREWING

18825 SHAWS CREEK RD, CALEDON @GOODLOT.BEER

When I pull up to GoodLot’s expansive farm property, the first thought that comes to mind is that there’s a lot of cool stuff going on around here. After locating a parking spot (pro tip: GoodLot gives reduced rates for beer if you arrive by foot or bike), I wander down a gravel lane past an old barn, a retrofitted shipping container, and a wall of solar panels until I come across brewery co-owner Phil Winters neck deep in one of his many projects: turning an old grain bin into the brewery’s new team office. I am learning in no time that working with what you’ve got – and turning it into something awesome – is at the heart of Goodlot. This sweet hop farm-turned-brewery-turned-weekend destination is owned by Gail and Phil, who left the city thirteen years ago to chase the homesteading dream. And they’ve been finding new ways to share it ever since.

Before Phil and I head out to explore the farm, we duck inside a retrofitted grain bin that serves as GoodLot's taproom to grab a couple pints of their crushable ‘Sesh’ IPA. To me, the place feels like summer camp for big kids. Bright yellow sails stretched overhead, with beams of sunlight dripping into the shade, define a beer garden of massive handmade tables (perfect for new friends and meet-cutes). A sweet little stage plays host to a rotating lineup of local music. A circle of yellow muskoka chairs invites folks to gather around an impressive fire pit. An on-site food truck serves up a rotating menu with produce and meats from nearby farms. And the farm features the trendiest of weekend accoutrements: cornhole boards and a disc golf course. All the good stuff you could ask for on a summer afternoon is here, along with towering rows of gorgeous draping hop vines woven against a backdrop of rolling hills.

Wandering through the fields, pints in hand, watching the sheep graze at the bottom of the hop vines (an adorable and sans-chemical method of weeding), Phil and I chat about what they’re up to at the farm. It’s fully organic, and the team is brewing with almost entirely locally-sourced ingredients – including fruits, veggies, and herbs grown and foraged from their own fields. The brewhouse is actually a century barn retrofitted as a passive house that uses super-insulation and heat recovery (and probably other technical stuff) to create near-zero emissions. Between their regenerative farming methods, sustainable energy sources, and conscious water use, GoodLot’s entire operation is on track to be carbon negative in the next couple of years. Yes, this means that the brewery and hop farm will make more green energy than they consume.

If you get as fired up as I do about people doing what they love, and doing good stuff for the world at the same time, you’re going to want to make a visit. For farm-fresh pints, live music, great food – and maybe a game of disc golf or two.

Best paired with: • a carload of your best pals • sunscreen – you’re going to want to explore the farm • an empty stomach

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SONNEN HILL BREWING

20727 HEART LAKE RD, CALEDON @SONNENHILL

A few minutes down a sleepy sideroad, a quiet black sign will greet you – and if it feels like you’re going the wrong way, then you’re very likely going the right way. The windows-down, caffeine-fuelled buzz (quick plug for Planet Bean’s ‘Espresso Tonic’) I had built up on the drive in slips off me, and I gladly immerse myself into the stillness that is Sonnen Hill.

If you spend your summer afternoons like I do mine (that is to say: daydreaming), you’ll feel right at home on the farm. The sprawling light blue barn minds its business while also being the focal point of the property. I slip in the side door and am greeted by the simple beauty of the brewhouse. Tidy stacks of glass bottles. Gleaming rows of stainless tanks. I spy a gorgeous foeder across the room (american oak, for those keeping track). Eventually I get caught ogling the space by brewer/owner Calum, who steps away from bottling to give me a quick tour.

We walk the land while Calum tells me how Sonnen Hill came to be. Although he grew up in the region, Calum drew inspiration for what he and his team are up to today from a family brewery in Germany, active for over one hundred years. It was named, appropriately enough, Sonnen Brauerei. After some time training with brewers in the UK, Calum landed back in Caledon and began planting hundreds of fruit trees on the newly-acquired family farm – intent on creating a brewing operation that would produce unique and accessible mixed fermentation beers and crisp, euro-style lagers.

Sonnen’s beer garden is simple: a dozen picnic tables and a cozy firepit spread out across a grassy plot and wrapped up in an old stacked wooden fence. It’s the kind of place that transports you somewhere else – to rosy childhood memories of picking wildflowers, or an inviting pastoral world before email and social media. Grab a pint and watch the clouds roll by. Bring your favourite people, check your gripes at the gate, and remind yourself what you love about life. Or, grab a charcuterie board (all good stuff from farms nearby) or food truck pop-up, and live your best picnic life.

My personal suggestion: fill your glass and go for a wander. There's a path that leads you through the back of the farm, past the wild apple trees used in the aptly named ‘Apple Beer’, and lands you at the top of a hill with views for miles around. It’s a special thing – to be out here in the rolling hills, sipping on something that’s been made with patience and curiosity. This is the perfect place to appreciate the beauty of what the land has to offer: ingredients grown locally, aged in oak, rested on fruits and botanicals, or left to interact with the natural microbes in the air – all of it producing some of the best beers coming out of Ontario. And the quiet. Oh, the quiet.

A quick snoop through Sonnen’s instagram and you’ll see they’re regularly collaborating with bangers like Bellwoods and Cloudwater. Despite the low profile they’re keeping out on the farm, their goods regularly appear in juicy Toronto spots like Happy Coffee + Wine and Pompette, plus your favourite local digs like The Wooly and Arabella Park. But first, I think you owe yourself a trip to the farm.

Best paired with: • your favourite person • a willingness to try something new • a desire for peace and quiet