THE WAKKER WEEKLY
Issue #1608 – Posted on: 22-November-2021
We have received many inquiries from customers and even performers as to our staff vaccination status. Many customers have stated that they felt if they must be vaccinated in order to visit a restaurant, then the staff who work there should also be vaccinated. We agree with that logic. Although there is no government mandate in place requiring restaurant staff to be fully vaccinated, we are very proud of all our staff who have provided proof of full vaccination. All Bushwakker bar, serving, kitchen, brewery staff and management are fully vaccinated. We look forward to the continued recovery of the entire hospitality industry and the many other industries which were negatively affected by the pandemic. We thank you for your continued enthusiastic support.
BREWERY “HOP”PENINGS! Bushwakker Head brewer, Michael Gaetz, reports his brand new Dark Cherry & Blackberry Ale is now on tap and in our offsale! Of course we are busy filling the final bottles of our famous Blackberry Mead getting ready for its annual release on Saturday, December 4th.
Growler fills are available and we have partially resumed our customer personal keg filling services. Lager keg fills are not available at this time but all Bushwakker ales are available. Our lagers need a couple more weeks of aging time before they will be ready.
Our GUEST TAP is currently pouring a COLD PRESSED COFFEE CREAM ALE from Swift Current’s Black Bridge Brewery. Next up is a COCONUT PORTER from Pile O’ Bones Brewery. This will be followed by a DOUBLE NEW ENGLAND IPA from Black Bridge Brewery.
In addition to taking our beer home in glass bottles and 2 litre jugs direct from our pub, you can find a varying selection of 650 ml bottles of Bushwakker beer in a number of REGINA SLGA stores.
We regret to announce that we will not be presenting our annual Single Malt Scotch Tasting event for the second year in a row. The uncertainty associated with the pandemic makes it very difficult to plan for any large events. Here’s hoping we can bring our big scotch tasting back in 2022!
NOVEMBER PREMIUM WINE FEATURES. Seeing as there will be no Bushwakker scotch tasting event this month, we thought we’d offer a scotch-inspired red. It is Jacob’s Creek Double Barrel Shiraz from Australia. Finished in aged scotch whiskey barrels for added richness and complexity. The white is The Ned Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Both are $8.95 for a glass and $23.95 for a half litre.
Our Weekend Special on November 19th & 20th acknowledges the introduction of the new Saloon Series which is part of Agribition. Choose from either our PRIME RIB COWBOY BURGER for $19.95 or our 10 OZ. AAA BLACK ANGUS RIBEYE STEAK for $32.95. Our Saturday CLASSIC STEAK & A PINT SPECIAL will also be available. Our Monday and Wednesday WINGS & A PINT SPECIAL and Tuesday PIZZA & A PINT SPECIAL are also a great value deal.
Wow! Never before has so much mead sold in advance of our annual BLACKBERRY MEAD RELEASE DAY! Only two weeks to go! So many folks have been using our ONLINE ADVANCE ORDERING CURBSIDE PICKUP WEBPAGE! No more standing in line and no long waits. Just choose your pickup time, pull up to the rear of the building and you can either come in the back entrance to pick up your mead (PICKUP SERVICE) or you can choose to just pop open your trunk and we’ll load you up with your bottles of mead. Visit bushwakker.com/mead2021 to place your mead orders today!
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have clinched a home playoff game on Sunday, November 28th. We will open at noon. Come down and enjoy our gourmet CALGARY BURGER & A PINT game day special for only $21.95. Come “devour” the competition!
BUSHWAKKER “NEW NORMAL” NOTES
We are open Monday – Thursday from 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM. The kitchen closes at 9:30 PM and last call is at 10:15 PM. Fridays and Saturdays we are open from 11:00 AM until Midnight. The kitchen is open until 10:30 PM and last call is at 11:15 PM. Live music fans can enjoy our Monday Night Jazz & Blues and Wednesday Folk Night performances from 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM.
This fall the government of Saskatchewan announced that mandatory masking would return immediately to all indoor spaces. Please be sure you are wearing a mask upon entering and leaving Bushwakker and even if you just need to get up to use the washroom. Masks are not required when you are seated and are eating or drinking. If you forget to bring a mask, we can provide you with a new one. The government also recently expanded their proof of vaccination or a government recognized recent negative Covid test health order. This is now not only required for in-house dining but also for offsale beer purchases. Don’t delay and get your vaccination proof in order today!
Reservations are accepted and encouraged. We accept a limited number of reservations as late as 6:00 PM every day except Fridays. Fridays we accept reservations as late as 3:00 PM. Call us at 306-359-7276 to secure your table. We are now also able to accommodate larger groups. Our two banquet rooms are also available for private parties. Call Kelly at 306-359-7276 to book either our main floor Arizona Room or basement Clubroom.
Please continue to practice safe health measures. Remain connected to one another and to us! In addition to this weekly newsletter, we are very active on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Check-in with us often as we navigate these continually evolving times together. Try to support local businesses whenever possible. Be vigilant in your resolve to protect yourselves which in turn will protect others.
Nov. 22: Monday Night Jazz & Blues. A STORRY WITH HUGHES. Talented acoustic blues duo featuring Jeff Storry and Billy Hughes. 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM.
Nov. 24: Wednesday Night Folk. FAR FROM ANYWHERE. Acoustic multi-instrumentalists make their Bushwakker debut. 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM.
Nov 19 – 27: AGRIBITION SALOON SERIES. Five Regina venues will offer Agribition-themed food & drinks specials. Knotted Thistle Pub, Victoria’s Tavern (both Downtown & North locations,) Cathedral Social Hall and The Bushwakker Brewpub. Each “Saloon hopper” participant presents their Saloon Postcard in order to receive a stamp at each venue. If the Saloon Hopper participant collects the four pub stamps they will receive a set of Agribition playing cards. They can then fill out the form located on the back of their postcard and will be entered in a draw to win an Agribition Saloon Series grand prize. The Bushwakker Agribition Saloon Series specials will be:
Agribition Meal Features:
The Prime Rib Cowboy Burger: A huge eight-ounce prime rib patty loaded up with maple peppered bacon, sautéed mushrooms, onion rings, jalapeno jack cheese, banana peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, ancho chili BBQ sauce and chipotle mayo on a brioche bun. Served with our award-winning fries, Tossed or Caesar salad or our house-made Soup du Jour.
Black Angus Steak: A 10 ounce AAA Black Angus Ribeye steak charbroiled to your specifications and topped with sautéed button mushrooms and chimichurri sauce. Served with vegetable ratatouille your choice of western-cut fries or roasted garlic aged cheddar mashed potatoes. Starts with Tossed or Caesar salad or our house-made Soup du Jour.
Bushwakker Brewed Beer Features:
Stubblejumper Pilsener – a German-style Pilsener balanced towards bold hop character with a deep straw colour. Its name refers to a field of grain after harvest.
Sodbuster Brown Ale – a traditional Northern English Brown Ale with a toffee-like, lightly caramel character and a medium-dry hop finish.
Bushwakker Local Distillery Drink Features:
Last Mountain Distillery Single Cask Single Malt Whiskey – A brand new release!
Outlaw Trail Spirits Rum Runner – made with Rustler’s Reward spiced rum and cola with a lime twist.
Outlaw Trail Spirits Calamity Jane Ginger Pack Mule – made with ginger vodka, ginger ale and lime juice served in a copper mug.
Saskatchewan is home to some of Canada’s best craft beers. Craft breweries have revitalized Saskatchewan communities and neighbourhoods, and become a vital part of the province’s economy and culture. Plan your tour and visit one of the many breweries listed at https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/exploresask-craft-beer-flight Check in to all 13 locations and get a custom designed Little Town Apparel t-shirt.
‘Everything is delayed’: Supply chain backlog leads to issues for local breweries
REGINA – Global shipping delays and port backlogs are impacting several local Regina breweries.
Mark Heise, president and CEO of Rebellion Brewing, said supply chain issues are making it more challenging to get their beer to shelves lately.
“Whether it’s getting our packaging, whether it’s cardboard or aluminum cans, whether it’s the raw ingredients such as barley, hops or fruit. Everything is delayed,” Heise said.
As a result, Rebellion has been forced to delay several product launches this fall.
“Say we’re getting some special, exotic, tropical fruit from Asia. We would pay for it and we would know that it would be here in roughly two weeks. Well, instead, it might take three to six months (now),” he said. “That’s pretty tough to plan a beer release around.”
Furthermore, Heise said this year’s harvest was “not good at all” for barley, which is one of the main ingredients in beer.
“The suppliers that we buy from are sending us almost weekly updates, continuing to tell us that the price is going up and the quality is going down,” Heise said.
To stay ahead of the packaging material shortages, Rebellion purchased a six-month supply of cans and is warehousing them.
“So, we’re putting out a lot of cash that we don’t necessarily have and we’re paying storage fees to store cans, to make sure we don’t run out,” he said.
For Bushwakker Brewpub, it’s the same issue but with different materials.
“Getting enough glass bottles, as well as two-litre plastic bottles for our beer. So, the supply chain is kind of hit and miss and the prices are definitely going up,” said Grant Frew, bar manager at Bushwakker Brewpub.
Frew said their shortages extend into the kitchen as well.
“Produce and meats and dairy, everything is going up (in price),” Frew said. “But, the unusual thing is, things like portion cups and take-out containers, they’re very difficult to find and again those prices are going up.”
According to Jason Childs, University of Regina associate professor of economics, these supply chain issues are connected to COVID-19. Industries that shrank during the pandemic are now trying to reopen, and therefore, demanding inventory at the same time.
“We’re ramping back up, and as shipping starts to return to its normal volumes, we’re seeing this bunch try to go through at the same time. The transportation networks just don’t have the excess capacity to push all that stuff through at once,” said Childs.
Childs said he doesn’t see this ending anytime soon, so he said breweries may need to focus on sourcing what they can locally, or try other options.
“Kegs are going to become more of a popular item. You’re going to see different ways of delivering product,” he said.
Similarly to increased food costs leading to higher restaurant prices, the increased cost of packaging materials will likely be passed along to the customer, Childs said.
Heading into the holiday season, Heise said he just asks that people be understanding of the situation when shopping for their favourite items.
“Planning ahead is probably a good idea at this point,” he said. “And if products are out of stock, just please be patient with retailers and staff. We’re all really trying our best.”
TIME OUT
A man is flying a plane over the Amazon, when he suddenly crashes. But he’s ok, don’t worry. He’s staggering through the jungle when he suddenly realizes he’s surrounded by bloodthirsty savages. And he thinks, “Man, I am totally fucked.”
“No”, a voice booms out from the heavens, “You’re not fucked.”
The voice continues, “Listen to me very carefully. Grab the spear from the savage next to you, run up to the chief and stab him in the chest.”
So the man, with nothing to lose, grabs the spear from the savage next to him, runs up to the chief and stabs him in the chest.
The man, as he’s standing over the chief who’s now dying in a pool of blood, looks up at the heavens and asks, “Now what, Lord?”
And the voice booms back, “OK. Now you’re fucked.”
Transparency of craft brewery owner’s personal experience shared via product branding! Been there, done that!
