THE WAKKER WEEKLY
Issue #1518 – Posted on: 2-March-2020
BUSHWAKKER NEWS
NEWS FROM THE BREWERY! Head brewer, Michael Gaetz, reports our seasonally available DOUBLE HONEY IMPERIAL IRISH RED ALE, SASKADIAN BLACK IPA, ARCTIC DARK MUNICH DUNKEL and RASPBERRY BLONDE ALE are currently on tap. There are also batches of TWO SON’S MILK STOUT, SWEET TART CHERRY DRY STOUT, PREMIUM PALE ALE and BARON BOCK working their way through the brewery.
Our March Premium Wine Features are from the PONDVIEW ESTATE WINERY in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. The red is a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot and the white is their Dragonfly Pinot Grigio. Both are $8.50 for a glass and $23.95 for a half litre.
Our GUEST TAP is currently pouring a DOUBLE IPA from Swift Current’s Black Bridge Brewing. Next up is a RASPEBERRY KIWI SOUR IPA from Malty National Brewing in Regina. This will be followed by a CHOCOLATE STRONG ALE collaboration involving Rafter R Brewing in Maple Creek and Black Bridge Brewing.
THE BUSHWAKKER GOODNESS IS SPREADING! ALL SIX REGINA SLGA stores offer a varied selection of Bushwakker beers in 650 ml bottles. Regina’s Metro Liquor also offers a selection of our bottled beers.
BUSHWAKKER EVENTS
Feb. 29: SATURDAY AFTERNOON BLUES SHOWCASE. Presented in conjunction with The Regina Delta Blues Association and The Mid-Winter Blues Festival Week, our Saturday afternoon showcase is a great way to warm up for the festival finale later that evening. Enjoy two exciting blues bands beginning at 1:30 PM including: The Treefellers as well as Billy Hughes & the Instigators who will deliver a special tribute to the Plains Hotel famous Saturday jams. Hosted by Jeff “Redbeard” Corbett of 91.3FM CJTR. Be sure to try a slice of Redbeard’s signature chocolate cheesecake too! We will also be presenting live blues music at 8:00 PM on the Monday and Wednesday evening earlier that week.
Mar. 2: Monday Night Jazz & Blues. THE JAZZ BAND-ITS. The largest band to grace our stage delivers big band, jazz and swing. 8:00 PM.
Mar. 4: Wednesday Folk Night. EARLY SPRING SINGER/ SONGWRITER SHOWCASE. Featuring; Trent Leggott, Regan Hinchcliffe, Albert Strange Man, William John Stewart, John Deschamps, Nathan Davis, Cecil Armistead & Neil Child. 8:00 PM.
Mar. 4: MONTHLY ALES MEETING. Come sit in on a meeting with some of the most passionate home brewers in the city! If you are toying with the idea of getting into homebrewing or would like to improve your skills, then the ALES Club is for you. New members are always welcome. This month’s presentation topic is SOURS. 8:00 PM in the Bushwakker Clubroom.
Mar. 6: FIRST FIRKIN FRIDAY. A decades old monthly tradition where a firkin (small keg) of fresh ale is paraded throughout the pub led by a piper from the Regina Police Services Pipes & Drums band. A volunteer is then selected to tap the firkin. A suds-soaking spectacle normally ensues and the volunteer and all those in the immediate proximity receive a beer bath! This month’s firkin offering is a CHOCOLATE MILK STOUT. 5:30 PM.
Mar. 9: Monday Night Jazz & Blues. ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT. Veteran Regina act delivers great standards and adult contemporary tunes. 8:00 PM.
Mar. 11: Wednesday Folk Night. SUN ZOOM SPARX deliver a potent mixture of rock, funk, jazz fusion and psychedelia, peppered with monster riffs, Krautrock grooves, mid-70s ambience and left field curveballs. 8:00 PM.
Mar. 16: Monday Night Jazz & Blues. TDC INC. Great rock, funk, blues and jazz! 8:00 PM.
Mar. 17: ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARTY. The big event falls on a Tuesday this year! Bushwakker head brewer, Michael Gaetz, will create a delicious firkin of our extremely popular Irish Coffee Stout to kick off the celebration at 5:30. Guinness will take on O’Hara’s Irish Stout in a rematch. The bartender’s fingers will be stained green from pouring pints of Shamrock Ale. Magner’s Cloudy Lemon Apple Cider, Paddy’s Irish Whiskey and Writer’s Tears Red Head Single Malt Irish Whiskey will be available. Traditional Irish food features include: Creamy Irish Leek & Potato Soup, Irish Corn Beef Reuben on house-made bread, Guinness Irish Lamb Stew with Beer Bread and Irish Whiskey Apple Cake. Enjoy fine traditional Irish dancing from The Prairie Gael School of Irish Dance as well as pipes and drums from The Regina Police Services Pipes & Drums. Regina’s most danceable Celtic act, The Tilted Kilts will also grace the Bushwakker stage that evening. And don’t miss the world premiere of the Tilted Kilt shooter! $5 cover charge.
Mar. 18: Wednesday Folk Night. HOLLY POP with Brad Papp. Young singer/songwriter in her first Bushwakker headlining performance. Dear old dad will have his work cut out for him tonight! 8:00 PM.
Mar. 19: HEALTH SCIENCE PUB – “Taming the Queue, or What’s Up With Wait-lists?” Our wildly popular Science Pub Series has returned for an eighth incredible season! Enjoy lectures on scientific topics of general interest in our Arizona Room over fine craft beer and award-winning pub cuisine. The room opens at 5:00 PM. Avoid disappointment and come down early for dinner and a pint before the presentation which begins at 7:00 PM. This month’s lecture will be presented by Dr. Tom McIntosh, Professor, Politics and International Studies at the University of Regina.
Mar. 23: Monday Night Jazz & Blues. THE U OF R JAZZ BAND. Come hear Regina’s future jazz stars. 8:00 PM.
Mar. 25: Wednesday Folk Night. JON BROOKS BAND. Multiple Canadian Folk Music Awards nominee returns. 8:00 PM.
Mar. 29: BUSHWAKKER MONTHLY SUNDAY BOOK SIGNING SERIES. Celebrating Saskatchewan Authors. Join us for a brief presentation by our featured authors and an opportunity to buy an autographed copy! The January edition will feature local published writers, Barbara Morrison/Ed Risling and Alison Lohans. 3:00 PM.
Mar. 30: Monday Night Jazz & Blues. AZARIAH. Four-piece blues act lays down some traditional, soulful, rockin’ blues. 8:00 PM. 8:00 PM.
Craft Beer Definition Heats up in Calgary
By the Brewers Journal Canada
It all started with the best of intentions, but now it’s turning into a nasty divorce, which is bringing home to all craft brewers around the world – what is craft beer and who can call their beer “craft”?
A tightly-knit group of craft brewers in Calgary’s Manchester area started referring to themselves as the “Barley Belt” brewers. According to CBC News and other sources, this was to drum up interest in the area and create a destination for Alberta’s craft beer fans.
The term caught on well enough that in 2018, Branded Peak Brewing applied to register the trademark Barley Belt in Canada as part of a cooperative marketing effort among the small-scale craft brewers in the area including Banded Peak, Cabin Brewing, Annex Ale, Born Colorado, Confluence, Establishment, Legend 7, O.T., Paddy’s and Village Brewery, states JDSupra.
By registering the trademark, it would offer protection against other breweries or companies from using it as well. While the trademark was with Branded Peak Brewing, it would apply to all.
But then last month Branded Peak was bought by Labatt, a subsidiary of global giant Anheuser-Bush InBev, which claims in its 2018 annual report that it is the “number one craft brewer around the world,” owning companies such as Goose Island.
With Labatt now owning lock, stock and barrel Branded Peak, it also owns the Barley Belt trademark. Needless to say, the other breweries are not happy with this development, who believe that Labatt does not have the best interest of local craft breweries at heart.
Most craft brewers went into the business as a way of combatting Big Beer and Big Beer’s believed lack of love for the product, putting profits over passion and quality. The majority of the Barley Belt brewers want no association with Labatt.
According to an emailed statement sent to CBC News, Labatt Breweries of Canada says although it’s has assumed the trademark temporarily, Banded Peak is actively working with the other
Barley Belt breweries to create a Barley Belt association.
“Once created, Banded Peak and Labatt will transfer ownership of the trademark and relinquish all rights to the association,” said a statement on behalf of Rob Legate, head of craft for Labatt Breweries of Canada, and Alex Horner, head brewer and co-founder of Banded Peak Brewing.
Although on Branded Peak’s webpage there is no mention of the buyout, it is mentioned on its Facebook page.
“We have some exciting news to share today – we’ve officially teamed up with Labatt Breweries of Canada so we can continue to grow Banded and get our beer in the hands of more Albertans! We’re proud of what we’ve built over the past four years and we look forward to continuing to bring you our awesome lineup of beers proudly crafted for adventure, right here in Calgary!
“We wouldn’t be where we are today without the support from our amazing team, wicked customers, great friends and family, and the unreal craft beer scene in the Barley Belt and beyond. Thanks to everyone who’s supported us along the way. We’re excited to continue the adventure with you all.”
The story is far from being over in Calgary and elsewhere. So far when the whole question of what is craft beer has gone to court, the courts have sided with Big Beer. In the most famous of these cases, MillerCoors was sued four-years ago over its calling its Blue Moon beer “craft”.
MillerCoors won the dismissal of the class action lawsuit by a self-described beer lover who said MillerCoors tricked consumers into paying premium prices for Blue Moon by falsely portraying it as “craft beer.”
US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel in San Diego said the plaintiff, Evan Parent, did not show MillerCoors affirmatively misrepresented the origins of Blue Moon, a Belgian-style wheat beer, such as by suggesting it is brewed in small tanks and produced in a small brick building run by “The SandLot Guys.”
“At best, these advertisements contain generalized, vague and unspecified assertions that amount to mere puffery upon which a reasonable consumer could not rely,” Curiel wrote in a decision.
TIME OUT
The teacher asked little Johnny, “What’s two and two?” He counted 1-2-3-4 on his fingers and said, “Four, teacher? She said, “Yes, that’s right, but you counted on your fingers.”
Put your hands behind your back and tell me what’s three and three.” He put his hands behind his back, fumbled around, and answered, “Six, teacher?” She said, “Yes, that’s right, but you’re still counting on your fingers.”
“Put your hands in your pockets and tell me what’s five and five.” He put his hands in his pockets, fumbled around, and replied, “Eleven, teacher?”
Our February 28th – March 1st Weekend Special Dining Feature is Prime Rib Shepherd’s Pie w/ House-Made Beer Bread. $18.95
Soup & Sandwich Special is $13.95. All hot specials are $16.95, except where noted, & include a serving of soup du jour, house, or Caesar salad.
Friday February 28 – 2020
Soup – Washington Chowder
Sandwich – Hot Brown
Hot Special – Five Alarm Chili w/ Cornbread
Beer Pairing – Stubblejumper Pilsner
Saturday February 29 & Sunday March 1 – 2020
Soup – Bushwakker
Sandwich – Chicken Caesar Wrap
Hot Special – Steak & a Pint. $21.95
Monday March 2 – 2020
Soup – Cream of Tomato
Sandwich – BBQ Beef Melt
Hot Special – Bacon Mac & Cheese
Beer Pairing – Arctic Dark Munich Dunkel
Evening Feature – Wings & a Pint Night
Tuesday March 3 – 2020
Soup – French Onion
Pizza Feature – Loaded Baked Potato Pizza
Hot Special – Chicken Roulade
Beer Pairing – Regina Pale Ale
Evening Feature – Pizza & a Pint Night
Wednesday March 4 – 2020
Soup – Korean BBQ Chicken
Sandwich – Bulgogi Pork Sandwich
Hot Special – Sesame Beef Tenderloin
Beer Pairing – Palliser Porter
Evening Feature – Wings & a Pint Night
Thursday March 5 – 2020
Soup – Mango Pork
Sandwich – Picadillo Meatballs
Hot Special – Jerk Chicken Burger
Beer Pairing – Chico IPA
Friday March 6 – 2020
Soup – Lancashire
Sandwich – Turkey Ciabatta
Hot Special – Pork Schnitzel
Beer Pairing – Sodbuster Brown Ale
Saturday March 7 & Sunday March 8 – 2020
Soup – Bushwakker
Sandwich – Avocado Grilled Cheese
Hot Special – Steak & a Pint. $21.95
We strive to ensure all weekly specials and soups are made available. Product shortages or unforeseen circumstances may result in modification or even substitution of certain featured menu items.
