THE WAKKER WEEKLY
Issue #1657 – Posted on: 31-October-2022
BREWERY “HOPP”ENINGS: Bushwakker Head brewer, Michael Gaetz, reports that our seasonally available HARVEST OKTOBERFEST LAGER, PONCE DE LEON BLACKBERRY RASPBERRY WHEAT and SUMMER WHEAT are currently available on tap, in our offsale and for growler fills too. There are batches of THREE DOWN PILSNER, BLACKBERRY MEAD, PICKARD’S OATMEAL CREAM STOUT and “MISSILE”TOW ALE working their way through the brewery. In addition to taking our beer home in glass bottles and 2 litre jugs direct from our brewpub, you can find a varying selection of 650 ml bottles of Bushwakker beer in a number of REGINA SLGA stores.
NEW WEEKEND HOURS OF OPERATION! Fridays and Saturdays we are open from 11:00 AM until midnight. The kitchen is open until 11:00 PM and last call is at 11:15 PM.
This Weekend’s October 28th & 29th Special Dining Feature starting at 5:00 PM on Friday is Chef Mike’s famous low and slow oven-roasted PRIME RIB served with JUMBO YORKSHIRE PUDDING. We plan to make our prime rib dinners available every weekend into the new year. 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 ICEBERG TONKA DUNKELWEIZEN from Regina’s Malty National Brewing. Next up in an SPACE CADET IPA from Pile O’ Bones Brewing.
OCTOBER PREMIUM WINE FEATURES This month’s wine features are the organic HERITAGE ROAD WINES from Australia. The red is the Bloodstone Shiraz and the white is the Moonstone Pinot Grigio. Both are $7.95 for a glass and $21.95 for a half-litre.
WE ARE HIRING! The busy fall and winter season is here! We need full and part-time cooks, a host/hostess and a part time sound tech. Stop by with your resume today!
Now on SaskTel maxTV Local on Demand! The Bushwakker Brewpub was recently featured on “Behind The Menu!” This 25 minute finely crafted video tells the story of how the national award-winning brewer, Bev Robertson, carved his own path—whether he was “bushwacking” on cross-country skis, or paving the way to help legalize brewpubs in Saskatchewan. His legacy of fine food, beer, and service lives on through The Bushwakker and many other Saskatchewan brewpubs alike.
You can now also view this video on YouTube by visiting https://youtu.be/58dqbNmDb4U
FINAL WEEKEND! The 2022 edition of the Regina HOP CIRCUIT has seen its most successful year to date! Due to all those smiles the Hop Circuit season will be extended until the end of October. You still have a chance to earn a commemorative Hop Circuit glass or even pick up another one. Grab a map and visit all six participating breweries at your leisure. Download the free Hop Circuit app to make your experience even slicker!
Oct. 29: ANNUAL SCOTCH TASTING TICKETS GO ON SALE TODAY! Tickets to the 32nd Bushwakker Single Malt Scotch Tasting event will be available for purchase starting at 11:00 AM. The event will take place on Saturday, November 26th. Experience six special order Scottish delights complete with commentary from the masters of ceremonies. Entertainment includes a Highland dancing demonstration as well as a performance from the Regina Police Services Pipes & Drums. Plenty of fine door prizes too. One of our biggest events of the entire year! Long overdue after a pandemic-induced three-year hiatus.
Oct. 31: Monday Night Jazz & Blues. THE MINISTRY OF GROOVE. 1970’s jazz funk and more. Great horn section! 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM.
Nov. 2: 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 encore performance! 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Nov. 2: MONTHLY ALES CLUB MEETING. If you are interested in delving into the world of homebrewing or are just looking to brush up on your brewing skills then the ALES Club is for you! The November meeting topics will be Big Brew Day Tasting and Imperial Stout. Come to the Bushwakker basement clubroom at 7:00 PM and discover what the ALES Club can offer you. New members are always welcome!
Nov. 4: FIRST FIRKIN FRIDAY. Enjoy the pomp and circumstance of this longstanding Bushwakker monthly tradition! A piper from The Regina Police Services Pipes & Drums leads a keg (the firkin) of special ale throughout the pub in a procession. A guest volunteer tapper is selected to wield the handmade wooden maul affectionately named, The Mighty Firkin Wakker, and attempts to tap the keg in one mighty blow! This month’s special firkin offering will be a VANILLA CHOCOLATE PORTER! The suds-soaking spectacular takes place at 5:30 PM
Nov. 5: BUSHWAKKER WRITER’S CORNER FIFTH EDITION READING EVENT. Join us for this annual event where we celebrate the talents of local authors; Donna Gartshore, Gail Bowen, Brian Bowman, Pam Bustin and Tara Gereaux in readings of their work. Enjoy our award-winning pub cuisine and in-house brewed beers as well as a special “writer-inspired” commemorative dessert while making yourself cozy in the year-round Writer’s Corner found near the back of the brewpub. 3:00 PM.
Call for submissions! About the Bushwakker’s Writers Corner: Bushwakker’s is seeking donations of recent publications (2020-22 publication dates) from Saskatchewan authors in all genres to help expand their library within the Writer’s Corner. The books will be available for patrons to read and are to remain in the brewpub at all times.To be considered for the library, books must be a minimum of 40 pages and professionally bound. Please drop off a copy of your recently published book (along with purchasing information which can be shared with brewpub patrons) to Grant Frew at bar@bushwakker.com.
Nov. 14: Monday Night Jazz & Blues – Special Edition. PRODIGALS QUARTET. Presented in conjunction with The Regina Jazz Society. One of the biggest Bushwakker live music events of the year! Prodigals Quartet is a brand new Quartet to Regina. They are new because this will be the first time this group has been put together in this configuration. Three of the players are outstanding Saskatchewan musicians. Donny Kennedy is originally from Regina and has just recently returned this fall to Regina after a 25+ year career as a professor at McGill University attaining a Master’s Degree in jazz performance with high distinction in jazz saxophone. Donny is active as a performer playing in versions of his own quintet and sextet and with many others including a list of the “who’s who” in jazz. Also originally from Regina, Derek Friesen, studied at McGill University as the top graduate selection for the Ray Hnatyshyn – Oscar Peterson scholarship for top graduating high school musicians. Derek also graduated from The Berklee College of Music in Boston on a full tuition scholarship and has received a Master’s Degree from the New England Conservatory with high honours. Additionally, Derek has performed in over 65 countries playing with the best of the best in jazz. In 2020 Derek graduated from the James Cook University in Australia with a degree in Dentistry and currently practices alongside his father at Landmark Dental in Regina. After touring and playing throughout Canada early in his career, Chris Wallace moved to Scotland to teach as the head tutor at Stevenson College in Edinburgh. From there Chris toured and played on five continents with every imaginable genre of music and all the best players on the jazz scene including a stint in New York with such outstanding drummers as Joe Farnsworth and Willie Jones III. After the better part of a decade in Toronto and once again recording with anyone and everyone of significant status, Chris has returned to Saskatchewan where he teaches while living in Fort Qu’Appelle. The final quartet member is Josh Rager who is a keyboardist, arranger and composer teaching jazz studies at Concordia University in Montreal. Josh has played and toured all over North America and Europe including recording with Nikki Yanoffsky at Carnegie Hall. Josh is one of the new breeds of Quebec musicians offering up a sweet, smoky, fast-paced brand of fusion and up-tempo jazz.
This is Regina’s newest, hippest and swingiest group to open Regina Jazz Society’s 2022 – 23 annual regular jazz programming. Tickets are $20 each and are available at The Bushwakker Brewpub or by visiting www.jazzregina.ca. Rush seating only. Plan to arrive early for dinner and to get a good seat! Note the earlier start time. 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM.
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.
NEW WEEKEND HOURS! Fridays and Saturdays we are open from 11:00 AM until midnight. The kitchen is open until 11:00 PM and last call is at 11:15 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.
Grey Cup Ticket Resales Ticking up, but Local Businesses Still Eager to See Fans
By Gillian Massie 980 CJME Regina
The Grey Cup. (Logan Stein/980 CJME file photo)
With less than one month to go until the Grey Cup, fans’ hopes of the Saskatchewan Roughriders playing in the CFL final at their own stadium are drying up.
As of Friday morning, the sold out Grey Cup game — set for Nov. 20 at Regina’s Mosaic Stadium — now has around 1,000 tickets up for resale, and 32 seats were available on Ticketmaster.
Many of the tickets’ resale prices range from $266 to $1,208.
Gary Stettner bought tickets to the Grey Cup, but has put them up for sale on Facebook Marketplace.
“I’m a big Rider fan, and there’s no hope in hell of them making the playoffs, (for reasons ranging) from the coaching right down to the players,” Stettner said. “So I have no interest in attending.”
The Roughriders have a 6-10-0 record entering this week, the same as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Saskatchewan can only reach the post-season by crossing over into the East Division and to do so, it must finish the regular season with more wins than the third-place team in the East.
The Grey Cup Festival is to run from Nov. 15 to Nov. 20, with family-friendly events and other activities. Many local business owners are excited to host the legions of fans who will be travelling to Regina.
Grant Frew, the bar manager at the Bushwakker Brewpub, said he isn’t worried that people reselling their tickets will take away from his business.
“Obviously with the Roughriders doing as poorly as they are, that takes the wind out of our sails a little bit,” said Frew. “But we still have to remember that it is the most-watched CFL game of the entire year.”
Frew has worked “crazy” Grey Cup after-parties in Regina in the past and said people will be eager to go out after the game is over. With a special Grey Cup week menu and specialty football-themed beer release, Frew is eager to host fans at his establishment.
“People are going to go to the game, and then head out to see what the city has to offer,” said Frew.
Frew said it might be a little bit quieter with just the locals leading up to the festival, but hopes for full tables as plane loads of people begin arriving.
“I’m expecting there is going to be a good turnout this year, so despite the fact that the Riders aren’t doing very well, Regina is still hosting the Grey Cup,” he said.
Regina originally was to play host to the Grey Cup in 2020, but the CFL cancelled that season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Frew said it’s a win for Regina to be able to host the game this year.
TIME OUT
Three vampires went into a bar and sat down. The barmaid came over to take their orders. “And what would you, er, gentlemen like tonight?”
The first vampire said, “I’ll have a mug of blood.” The second vampire said, “I’ll have a mug of blood.” The third vampire shook his head at his companions and said, “I’ll have a glass of plasma.”
The barmaid wrote down each order, went to the bar and called to the bartender, “Two bloods and a blood light”.
