THE WAKKER WEEKLY
Issue #1640 – Posted on: 04-July-2022
Editor’s note: Seeing as this Friday is a holiday, we thought we should release our weekly newsletter a day early. Wouldn’t want you to miss out on our big July 1st Summer Mead Release/First Firkin Friday event!
BREWERY “HOPP”ENINGS: Bushwakker Head brewer, Michael Gaetz, reports his brand new PASSION-BERRY (Passion Fruit & Raspberry) fruit beer is now on tap, in our offsale and available for growler fills too! Our long-awaited tank of KAI’S MUNICH HELLES is also currently available. A batch of SUMMER WHEAT is working its way through the 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.
This Friday we’ll release a limited number of BLACKBERRY MEAD bottles to kick off another Saskatchewan summer! July 1st also happens to be FIRST FIRKIN FRIDAY. We’ll pipe-in and tap a very special extra fruity firkin of blackberry mead, passion fruit and raspberry ale at 5:30! And yes, Blackberry Mead Cheesecake will be available!
This Weekend’s July 1st & 2nd Special Dining Feature is a MONTREAL BURGER & A PINT for $22.95. 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 great value deals.
Our SASK CRAFT GUEST TAP is currently pouring the COSMIC CELEBRATION HAZY IPA from Pile O’ Bones Brewing. Next up is the TANGERINE IPA from Black Bridge Brewing.
JULY PREMIUM WINE FEATURES This month’s wine features are summer-inspired lighter offerings. From Canada – JACKSON TRIGG’S LIGHT (8.0% ABV) WINES. The red is a Light CABERNET SAUVIGNON and the white is a Light PINOT GRIGIO. Both are available at the lighter price of only $6.95 for a glass and $19.95 for a half litre.
Summer in Saskatchewan means we often keep our “eyes on the skies.” Much thanks to local photographer, Jeff Hamon, for this beautiful image of a storm cell embracing the Strathdee Building last week. The original building which sat where your Bushwakker now stands was completely destroyed by the Regina Cyclone on June 30, 1912.
The Regina HOP CIRCUIT is back for a third year running from the May Long Weekend until the Labour Day Long Weekend. Check out the 2022 Hop Circuit video at Hop Circuit 2022_v5 (vimeo.com) Grab a map and visit all six participating breweries and receive a 2022 commemorative beer glass. Download the free app at Hop Circuit « Tourism Regina to make your experience even slicker!
July 2: RIDERS VS ALOUETTES. Team Green will be looking for their second home game win! Kickoff is at 5:00 PM. Be sure to stop by before or after the game and enjoy our game day gourmet MONTREAL BURGER & A PINT Special. Come “devour” the competition!
July 4: Monday Night Jazz & Blues. THE ROBERTO DONALDO TRIO. Classic and modern jazz tunes from this new group making their Bushwakker debut. 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM.
July 6: Wednesday Folk Night. DARA SCHINDELKA. Described as possessing, “the voice of an angel with the power of a freight train.” Don’t miss her Bushwakker debut! 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM.
July 8: RIDERS VS REDBLACKS. The first regular season home game! Kickoff is at 7:30 PM. Be sure to stop by before or after the game and enjoy our gourmet OTTAWA BURGER & A PINT SPECIAL. Come “devour” the competition! What a Saturday night this will be!
CURRENT HOURS OF OPERATION AND RESERVATIONS NOTES
We are open Monday – Thursday from 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM. The kitchen closes at 9:00 PM and last call is at 9:15 PM. Fridays and Saturdays we are open from 11:00 AM until 11:00 PM. The kitchen is open until 10:00 PM and last call is at 10:15 PM.
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. Our two banquet rooms are also available for private party rentals. Call Kelly at 306-359-7276 to book either our main floor Arizona Room or basement Clubroom.
Saskatchewan Auditor Says Quality Assurance Needs to be Increased
from Brewer’s Journal Canada
Provincial auditor Tara Clemett says Saskatchewan’s quality assurance needs a closer look. Some permits have expired along with sales information needs a closer inspection and the Liquor and Gaming Authority isn’t paying close enough attention.
Clemett released a report earlier this month and the first part of her 2022 annual report states that sales of craft alcohol have nearly doubled from 2017-18 to 2020-21. As of November, 64 craft alcohol producers had permits in Saskatchewan.
Clemett found quality assurance to be lacking. SLGA requires producers’ certificates of analysis or lab test reports displaying product safety every two years. The audit found that 43 of 83 product lines needed updated certificates.
It found producers had missed deadlines and the SLGA did not follow up. The audit found some certificates were nine months past the required deadline.
“Effective regulation of craft alcohol production reduces the risk of the public consuming unsafe alcohol or alcohol inconsistent with labelling,” Clemett said.
The report also found that the SLGA did not “use a risk-based approach” to inspections of producers and “high-risk manufacturing areas.”
According to the audit, there are 64 permitted producers, but the SLGA did 10 inspections and 24 pre-permit inspections and had not inspected one producer in the past three years.
“Receiving regular lab test reports and regularly inspecting high-risk areas specific to craft alcohol helps protect the public,” Clemett said.
“Producer permits expire after three years; four craft alcohol producers operated without a valid permit during our audit period,” the report said.
“Without the information, how do you know if there may be issues?” her report said.
Production levies collected by the authority increased from $360,000 in 2016-17 to $2 million in 2020-21, according to the report.
“As a growing industry, it’s important for producers to comply with policies and submit accurate reports,” Clemett said.
It is important that government authorities do their part to keep the industry in line and on top of things, in order for consumers to feel confident about supporting local businesses, the MLA for Regina University added.
“I am perhaps too well known for my enthusiastic support of some of our wonderful craft brewers in the province,” she said.
“I think what we see is a burgeoning and dynamic industry and with that comes added oversight…. But it’s also important for this government to take a do-no-harm approach.”
“Government doesn’t always keep pace with industry. So I think that’s more than a valid comment that the auditor had to make,” said Mark Heise, the president of Rebellion Brewing in Regina, regarding how the sector is growing so quickly.
“Clearly the SLGA … has not been able to keep up with their inspections and all that sort of stuff,” said Heise.
“It doesn’t mean they’re bad, that people are just lazy. They’re short staffed. They maybe don’t have the right skill sets needed to properly regulate manufacturing of alcohol,” he said.
“So there’s definitely room for improvement.”
TIME OUT
The Mother Superior of a very strict convent tells the two newest nuns that they have to paint their room themselves but to do so without a single drop of paint on their clothes. If they get paint on their clothes they will have to stay on kitchen duty for a full month.
So the one nun says to the other, “Hey, let’s take all our clothes off, fold them up, and lock the door.” So they do this, and begin painting their room.
Soon they hear a knock at the door. They ask, “Who is it?” “Blind man!” The nuns look at each other, then one nun says, “He’s blind, he can’t see. What could it hurt.” They let him in. The blind man walks in and says, “Hey, very impressive ladies but where do you want me to hang the blinds?”
