So, the Oakville-based company did something about it. Instead of waiting for the shelves to fill back up, Maverick started doing what any self-respecting whisky lover would do: going straight to the source, buying the barrels and bringing them home.

That mission has grown into BARNBURNER, Maverick’s bourbon, rye and whisky family, now seven bottles deep. It includes proper cask-strength bourbon distilled and aged in Bardstown, Ky., a Canadian-American blend that reportedly ended a small argument in the Maverick tasting room and the original 100 per cent Ontario BARNBURNER whisky that started it all.

Newest to the family: two rye whiskies fresh off the truck from Lawrenceburg, Ind., BARNBURNER Indiana Rye Whisky and BARNBURNER 21 per cent Rye Bourbon. Both were distilled and aged stateside, then hand-selected, finished and bottled by Maverick’s team in Ontario.

“We are not going to pretend the whiskey isn’t American; it is, and a very good one,” said Craig Peters, founder of Maverick Distillery. “What we bring to the bottle is everything that happens after it crosses the border: the blending, the finishing, the bottling, the jobs and admittedly a fair amount of arguing about proof points. Canadians shouldn’t have to give up great bourbon just because of what’s going on politically. So, we go get it ourselves.”

That “just go get it” attitude is a large part of Maverick’s personality. Peters started the company in Oakville in 2009 with the belief that Ontario could make spirits just as good as anywhere else in the world. He then spent the better part of two decades proving it, one category at a time.

What began as a small-batch vodka project grew into TAG No.5 Vodka, widely regarded as Ontario’s No.1 vodka, GINSLINGER Ontario Craft Gin, LUNÁTICO Tequila, CARGO Rum and the entire BARNBURNER bourbon, rye and whisky lineup. Maverick is still independently and proudly Canadian-owned and is still based in Oakville.

“Being a Canadian distillery doesn’t mean Canadians should stop enjoying great products from around the world,” Peters said. “Our job is to find exceptional whisky, bring the barrels home and put as much of the value as we can back into Ontario. Great whisky can come from anywhere. No politics, no borders, it’s just worth pouring.”

The full BARNBURNER lineup, including both new Indiana ryes, is available at select LCBO locations across Ontario and online at MaverickDirect.ca, with free shipping on orders over $150.

For Windsor, Ontario-based Bill Davidson and Jim Kiss, that lag between what’s happening in store and what suppliers can see captures the philosophy behind Spirits Wine Information Group (SWIG): take complex liquor board data and turn it into information suppliers can actually use, fast.

SWIG was established in 2008, initially to offer technical support for the Association of Canadian Distillers (ACD). At that time, the ACD managed provincial liquor board sales data and provided hard copy sales reports to its members. However, the timing was consistently a challenge. Davidson says reports were arriving long after they were useful. “You’d have access to the books a month after the period had ended,” he said.

From reports to real-time data

SWIG’s first major project was to put those reports online and significantly reduce the turnaround time, often releasing information within a day or two. The impact was immediate. Although the ACD work was essential, another issue was present: inventory data existed, but it wasn’t reaching the sales representatives and logistics team who needed it most in a way that supported everyday decision-making.

SWIG Alerts, the company’s flagship product, was initially built in 2011 to deliver inventory and product status alerts directly to sales reps. It has evolved into a cloud-based platform that encompasses inventory and sales data across multiple boards, including the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), SAQ and The Beer Store, to name a few.

The alerts are customized around each business and delivered at the product-store level. Inventory alerts, product listing changes, stagnant inventory notifications and Top 20 stock out instances all surface automatically. Behind the scenes, SWIG recalculates days of supply for each product at each store every day and even forecasts days of supply at LCBO warehouses. For companies with large portfolios, that filtering is crucial.

If it’s not on the shelf, you can’t sell it.

Bill Davidson, Spirits Wine Information Group

“Because companies with large portfolios can be inundated with data, daily alerts let them focus on the highest priority issues,” said Kiss. In Ontario, for example, the LCBO provides inventory quantities at more than 600 stores across the province daily. Agents can access their own data, but raw data alone doesn’t solve problems. “Agents can see which stores or warehouses are stocked out each morning,” said Kiss. “Almost as important, they can see which stores are low in inventory and approaching a stock out. They can take action to prevent a stock out.”

For producers who may not consider themselves data experts, SWIG keeps it simple. Clients can log in from a desktop, download the SWIG mobile app or simply rely on email, which is still one of the most popular channels.

“Every morning, after we load inventory, we send emails to our users, basically saying, ‘Here are your inventory alerts for the day,’” said Kiss. “By 6 a.m., many sales reps already know where they need to focus.”

Quantifying the cost of empty shelves

The real-world implications are tangible. For example, during the explosive growth of cider several years ago, one client found itself shipping pallets of product to stores to keep up with demand. “There was no bigger issue than keeping that product on the shelves. An empty shelf meant lost sales and lost market share,” said Kiss.

However, despite daily monitoring and co-ordination, stock outs still occurred. Using SWIG’s Stock Out Impact report, the company quantified lost unit and dollar sales by store. Armed with that data, senior management escalated the issue to the liquor board. The board agreed to increase order minimums, reducing stock outs and recovering lost sales.

As the Canadian market shifts, that kind of agility is critical. The ready-to-drink category continues to grow, appealing to younger consumers. At the same time, “people are drinking less and as a result, competition is a lot tougher,” Davidson says.

Non-alcoholic and lower-alcohol products are gaining traction. Further, recent trade changes have altered shelf mixes in many provinces, prompting more Canadians to purchase Canadian-made products. In that environment, access to real-time information strengthens the relationship between suppliers and boards. “Information is now at suppliers’ and agents’ fingertips, allowing better communication between them and the boards,” Davidson said.

“Our systems often tell clients more about their businesses than liquor board systems can provide,” Kiss said. “We deliver the most current data in business-friendly formats, on multiple platforms, using intuitive tools. We now have solutions that work with liquor boards in Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. In the coming months we will be launching a system for the B.C. market.”

The company is also exploring the use of AI. “AI has tremendous potential…. We are looking for ways in which it will benefit our clients and grow the business,” Kiss said.

As it expands, SWIG’s value proposition remains grounded: data is only powerful if it’s timely and actionable. With tighter margins, shifting consumer behaviour and increased competition, blind spots are expensive. The difference between a strong quarter and a missed target can come down to something as simple as whether a product was available when a customer reached for it.

For Davidson, the principle hasn’t changed since Day 1. “If it’s not on the shelf, you can’t sell it,” he said.

During its early years, Spirit of York’s growth was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ho says it was one of the first distilleries to switch to creating hand sanitizer. “By the end of it, though, it was tough to bounce back from,” Ho said. “Our tasting room was a large part of our endeavour. We had staff bottling hand sanitizer just to maintain our team. I don’t think it was easy for anyone.”

Matt Driscoll is the master distiller and received his master’s in brewing and distilling from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland. A creative force, often toeing the line between out-of-the-box and out-of-this-world ideas, Driscoll has inspired some wacky and wild creations like a Christmas spirit made from distilled fruitcake and a Cinnamon Toast Crunch vodka.

“It tasted like a really boozy Cinnamon Toast Crunch. It sold out, and I don’t know if we will do it again. It was a lot of Cinnamon Toast Crunch that [Driscoll] needed. At one point, there were dozens of boxes in the back …. It was a shocking amount of cereal.” Each box of cereal would pair up with roughly 10 litres of product. In the distillery’s laboratory process, there were between 15 and 20 boxes of cereal and approximately 200 bottles of the final product.

Inside the distillery

Spirit of York uses CARL Stills from Germany. “We have one large column still, one pot still and one smaller 150-litre column still in our laboratory,” Ho said. “We also have a 40-foot rectification tower that sits in a space out of our back door; it’s connected through pipes and makes for a cool showpiece. Being in a historic area, we had to find a way to fit it, so part of it ended up outside the building.”

We like what we do, but we are never only doing it for ourselves.

Simon Ho, Spirit of York Distillery

In addition to the stills, they bottle on site, using a manual bottling line and an automatic labeller. The whole process can be witnessed while browsing for the perfect product in their bottle shop. Additionally, their entire distillery’s process is also viewable from their tasting room, as it is furnished with floor-to-ceiling glass walls. “You can see everything that we do, that was one of our brand pillars,” said Ho. “That transparency in local craft is important.”

Spirit of York’s core spirits are vodka, gin, whisky and aquavit, and it offers several expressions of each spirit. It also produces seasonal products such as coffee liqueur, pink gin, harvest gin and a limoncello-like beverage.

The aquavit was developed in response to demand from Toronto’s bartender scene, leading Spirit of York to create its own, which has now become a key part of its lineup. Additionally, it produces ready-to-drink cocktails, including seltzers, only available at Spirit of York. Its whisky requires a minimum of three years of distillation.

Precision in the process

Spirit of York produces spirits a bit differently from other distilleries. Instead of a typical run, it produces a high-proof spirit that acts as the foundation for its other products. It might conduct four to six consecutive runs of gin or add water to produce vodka. The gin distillation process takes about 48 hours from charging the still to obtaining the final product.

“We try to let things rest a bit to let out the volatiles because of the way we produce, it’s a minimum of 40 days before we bottle it and get to it. Typically, it’s about a three-month timeline for mashing, stripping and distilling into grain neutral spirits, which we hold, then production carries on from there depending on the product.”

The distillery’s shortest timeline is between 11 and 12 days from grain to vodka, and gin would be roughly a day and a half on top of that timeline.

“We do have much narrower cuts than most people,” said Ho. “We cut about 15 per cent deeper, and we know numerically what we are aiming for, then taste from there to confirm it. So, it could be 14, 16, or 14 and change, but it’s always within that area from a purity and flavour standpoint. We really want to eliminate that acetate that comes off at the beginning, so [the process] of cutting deeper really enhances the drinking experience.

“The entire process is pretty enjoyable … I think it’s the collaborative nature that I enjoy most.” That collaborative nature goes beyond the distillery’s core team.

Collaboration and community

Once a year, Spirit of York offers a program called Bartender Gin. As the name suggests, bartenders from across Toronto gather at the distillery and can create their own gin. “Being able to share that experience and have them go through [the process] is pretty cool,” Ho said. “That feeling, I enjoy that – a bunch of people working together in a creative process to come up with a product for other people’s enjoyment. We like what we do, but we are never only doing it for ourselves.”

Spirit of York’s products can be purchased primarily from the distillery and online. Customers in Ontario can find its vodka, gin, aquavit and Canadian Blended Whisky at Liquor Control Board of Ontario stores. All of its products have won awards, primarily from the San Francisco Spirit Awards and the International Spirits Challenge.

“It’s not my ultimate goal to win awards. It’s nice to be recognized, but win or lose, I’m just hoping to make the best booze possible,” said Ho. “I’d much rather be recognized by people in my community right now, especially in Ontario. We want people to be proud of what we make. Farmer Joe, who we get our rye grain from, [we want him] to be proud of it and share it with his friends. That means so much more to me than a gold medal.”

Looking ahead

Spirit of York is about to start another batch of its Bartender Gin. Additionally, it intends to release more aged versions of its whisky. The distillery has also recently added a farm-to-table food program in its tasting room to complement its locality, with a focus on true seasonal food to accompany its seasonal cocktails.

Finally, Spirit of York plans to introduce a premium bartenders’ lineup while also focusing on a high-quality, less expensive spirits line.

A patchwork market, not a national one

“Every province runs on its own system [of beverage trade], with different fees, tax structures, listing requirements and even different label regulations,” said Ontario’s Laneway Distillers founder and co-CEO Jessica Chester. “This fragmented approach creates significant cost and administrative burden for suppliers.”

For beverage producers, the challenges of getting their products to local markets, let alone out-of-province ones, are frustrating. “Depending on the province, the system can be prohibitive. In many cases, customers can simply choose to order directly from another province and ignore the provincial regulation. There is no free trade of beverage alcohol in Canada, and direct-to-consumer sales across provincial borders remain highly restricted on paper,” she said.

As producers of quality spirits, including several varieties of artisanal vodka and gin, Laneway Distillers is proud to source its ingredients from across Canada. However, Chester does not hold back in expressing her frustrations upon seeing Laneway on store shelves in other provinces. “The federal government did not include alcohol and food in its push for interprovincial free trade, once again costing billions in lost domestic trade and limiting opportunities for local producers,” Chester said.

New doors, same red tape

“When the gatekeepers at the grocery stores finally relaxed the rules, that was a real opening – that grocery channel,” said Chris Warwaruk. As co-founder, co-owner and now vice-president of sales at Farmery Estate Brewing in Neepawa, Man., Warwaruk has seen many changes in the trade and the associated barriers, both within Manitoba and beyond its borders, particularly in Ontario.

With a vast selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks in its portfolio, Warwaruk and Farmery Estate Brewery have always sought to expand into markets beyond its home base. “Looking at Ontario, we saw how the [Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO)and its associated provincial liquor store retailers]’s Beer Store handcuffed themselves by limiting the sales of out-of-province products. This was before COVID-19, and we were the first craft brewery to enter the Ontario market.”

Many Ontarians and British Columbians recall the mid-2010s as the first time grocery stores were able to sell beer and wine on their shelves. Albertans saw their liquor sales move to a privatized model as early as 1993. While this brought some satisfaction to consumers in terms of new availability and accessibility, beverage producers were often confronted with new rules and regulations when moving their products into Ontario.

“If you are a smaller beverage producer in one province and have to deal with a tariff on your grain producer for the beverage itself going to another province, it will affect your decision and ability to send that product to the next province. That’s what we saw with Ontario. Saskatchewan had fewer barriers and was more of a wide-open market. These smaller rules and costs hurt provincial trade and Canada as a whole,” he said.

Warwaruk’s engagement with interprovincial regulation has given him a clear understanding of the Canadian beverage industry overall. He views it as a large economic system that has the potential to thrive more if the right opportunity arises. “It’s about easier trade. We are trying to stimulate the economy and give choices to those who like our products. Whenever you add … these interprovincial taxes and tariffs, there’s more added burden. Overall, if there was more governmental reception to interprovincial trade, there would be more trade,” he said.

The fine print of crossing provinces

Like Warwaruk, co-founder and brand director of The Craft Brand Company, Michael Laba, has kept a close eye on interprovincial barriers for the beverage trade.

While The Craft Brand Company began as an agency importing international craft beers into Ontario over a decade ago, Laba has handled many related trade issues through international product offerings and by adhering to regulatory requirements. It’s a balancing act that involves specifics, intricacies, fine print and a checklist of duties, right down to the product’s label.

It is costly and extremely slow to move product across Canada, whether by rail or truck, and each provincial liquor board operates under a different system. The lack of consistency and efficiency makes national distribution unnecessarily complex and burdensome for suppliers.

Jessica Chester, Laneway Distillers

“Any product coming in [to Ontario] needs to be label compliant,” he said. “For example, it requires English and French text, it must have an accurate ingredient or allergen list and it has to be registered and ordered by the LCBO.”

Laba emphasizes the importance of partnership in beverage logistics as a way to overcome some interprovincial trade challenges faced by Canadian beverage producers. “What we’ve seen is that [beverage producers] would also need a reliable and licensed freight partner,” Laba said. “A good freight partner with the right staff would be key to helping move your product across provinces, [getting] it in clients’ hands and [helping] you be competitively priced on the shelf.”

Beverage producers owe it to themselves to stay up to date on changes to provincial beverage regulations, new statutes and industry communications. Laba has been monitoring the regulatory changes occurring within the province that could have an impact. On April 1, the LCBO moved to a wholesale pricing model to streamline pricing for wholesale beverages. “… the hope is that it will create a competitive retail landscape without additional mark-ups to suppliers or consumers,” Laba said.

Where the lines should fall next

Some beverage producers take a firm stance on addressing Canada’s interprovincial trade barriers for their products. “Dismantle the regulations as soon as possible,” Warwaruk said. “Policy-makers need to support businesses, and if we get away from all the regulations, taxes and related obstacles, there will not only be more Canadian product options, but non-Canadian ones as well.”

Chester emphasizes the importance of easing regulatory financial burdens on smaller beverage producers and improving interprovincial liquor board relations. “It is costly and extremely slow to move product across Canada, whether by rail or truck, and each provincial liquor board operates under a different system. The lack of consistency and efficiency makes national distribution unnecessarily complex and burdensome for suppliers,” she said.

With so many localities producing prize-winning beverages, Laba says regulators and policy professionals should always keep fundamental practices and observations in mind. “Craft brewers are 10 per cent of the marketplace and employ 80 per cent of brewing jobs,” he said. “Any time a craft brewer can make more, there are more jobs and a better community economy. Reducing the barriers would be good for producers and communities all around.”

“This year, we saw trends shift in response to industry changes and a growing desire to support local, with more than 20 per cent growth in demand for Ontario products,” said Abhay Garg, vice president, merchandising, LCBO. “Customers were motivated to try something new – often from our own backyard – which is great for local producers.”

Beer, Cider and Ready-to-Drink

Both beer (up 22 per cent) and ready-to-drink (RTD) coolers (up 21 per cent) experienced a significant boost throughout the year – partly driven by their availability at more points of sale outside of the LCBO. Meanwhile, at the LCBO, the expansion of large-format beer (i.e., 12, 24 and 30-packs) across the province drove 42 per cent growth over the previous year, with the 30-pack being the most popular large-pack format.

Ontario’s craft beer and cider customers flocked to tried-and-true favourites, flavour innovation and seasonal releases from local producers. At the same time, interest in classic Belgian, German and Czech styles fueled demand for imported beer. Non-alcoholic beer and cider (up 14 per cent) continued to grow in popularity, and customers can look forward to large national brands and local craft producers launching new styles in 2026.  

Seltzer-style products, which offer a low-calorie alternative, remained the most popular RTD type. However, RTD cocktails continued to be the fastest-growing (up 31 per cent), doubling in growth since last year. Exciting new releases from local Ontario producers were popular, and this year, the LCBO more than doubled the number of products available from small Ontario RTD producers.

Wine

When it comes to wine, customers continued to seek out fresher styles, including lighter wines. With more customers choosing to consume mindfully, de-alcoholized wines continued to gain popularity (up 126 per cent). In lieu of U.S.-produced wines, Ontario wines benefited from strong customer sentiment in support of local, with VQA sales increasing by 56 per cent, led by Ontario red VQA (up 66 per cent) and Ontario white VQA (up 54 per cent). There were also notable increases in demand for wines from Canada (up 19 per cent), Australia (up 17 per cent), Italy (up 10 per cent) and France (up 18 per cent) – particularly red wines.  

Spirits

Within spirits, customers increasingly chose Canadian and Ontario alternatives. Canadian whisky led overall growth by value, but this trend extended to other spirit categories, including vodka, rum and liqueurs, where Canadian and Ontario options gained traction. While smaller categories, Asian whiskies continued to experience strong demand (up 23 per cent) and Irish whiskey (up two per cent) experienced steady growth. Meanwhile, consumers continued to favour smaller, convenient sizes, driving demand for bottles below 750 millilitres. The LCBO is expanding its assortment to meet this growing preference.

Data and information pertain to Nov. 9, 2024, to Nov. 8, 2025. For data on top selling products by category, refer to LCBO’s Quarterly Trade Updates.

“On behalf of the board, I commend [Soleas] on a distinguished career and for strategically positioning the LCBO to continue its important role in the beverage alcohol industry for decades to come,” said Carmine Nigro, chair of the board, LCBO. “Over his tenure, [Soleas] earned a reputation as an innovative, award-winning and values-based leader. His dedication, insight and expertise will leave a lasting mark on our organization.”

“It has been a true honour to lead this incredible organization, and to work alongside such talented and passionate team members across all areas of the business. I am deeply proud that, together, we’ve grown into one of the world’s leading beverage alcohol wholesalers and retailers, built on a culture of integrity, innovation and service. I want to thank our people, partners and customers, who have made this journey so rewarding. As I begin a new chapter, I will always be a champion of the LCBO and look forward to seeing its continued growth and evolution in the industry,” said Soleas.

Aaron Campbell, chief of staff and VP of corporate affairs, strategy and sustainability will assume the role of interim president and CEO on Feb. 1.

“In addition to extensive experience in public service, [Campbell] has a deep understanding of [the] LCBO’s operations and strong connections with industry stakeholders and Ontario’s local producers. [Campbell] is well-positioned to lead the agency as we work through next steps and the board thanks him for his leadership at this critical time,” Nigro said.

Since Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds took the reins as co-owners of Wrexham AFC and Wrexham Lager Beer Co. Ltd., the town’s spirit and its lager have gone global. The lager brand from Wales has seen a surge in popularity thanks to the renewed spotlight on the club and its hometown pride. Brewed using a traditional recipe that dates back to 1882, Wrexham Lager is subtly hopped and light. Now with high demand, the lager is making its way into Canadian fridges for the first time.

Wrexham Lager is now available in 92 B.C. Liquor Store locations, along with select Licensed Retail Stores (LRS) across the province. The B.C. Liquor Store locations will carry the 330 mL six-packs, while the LRS locations will carry both 330 mL and 500 mL single cans. In Ontario, Wrexham Lager’s 500 mL single can will be available through LCBO locations across the province. The Canadian launch marks the latest milestone in Wrexham Lager’s global growth, following successful expansion into the U.S., Australia, Scandinavia, Northern Ireland and additional markets.

“Bringing Wrexham Lager to Canada is another proud step in our journey and a great reminder to never underestimate something from Wrexham,” said Jon Roberts, board director and interim CEO of Wrexham Lager Beer Co. Ltd. “With our products now available in B.C. and Ontario, Canadian customers now get to experience a taste of our premium lager.”

This year, OCBC is rallying around a powerful and timely theme: Stronger Together.

“There’s a lot happening in our industry right now,” said Jeff Talmey, owner of Town Brewery and chair of this year’s OCBC education committee. “Retail is changing. Craft beer is facing challenges on a lot of fronts. The idea behind Stronger Together is recognizing that even with all these challenges, the strength of craft beer has always been in community.”

This year, the education committee’s approach to planning and content is strategic and collaborative. The education committee is made up of a small, like-minded group of diverse industry voices working together to shape the conference content. “This year, we brought in people from different roles, brewery sizes and backgrounds,” said Talmey. “That diversity adds fresh, relevant perspectives and applies the day-to-day reality of running a craft brewery to our content decisions.”

That experience will be evident in this year’s agenda, which weaves foundational regulatory content with trending industry topics and thought-provoking keynote addresses.

What’s new in 2025

A notable focus of this year’s conference is regulatory representation, including significant sessions from the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) or the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). “The LCBO is still the biggest seller of craft beer in the province, and AGCO regulations affect every brewer in Ontario,” said Talmey. “These presentations are a necessity for developing industry.”

Other hot-button issues on the 2025 docket include:

• Rebranding and brand evolution: Led by Isaac Arthur from CODO Design, this session dives into when (and when not) to refresh your brand, packaging or visual identity.
• The future of convenience store sales: With retail access expanding, the Ontario Convenience Store Association will speak about what this means for brewers.
• Direct-to-consumer experiences: As taproom sales remain vital, a new session will explore evolving and enhancing those personal customer connections.
• AI tools for social media management: Rather than focusing on content creation, this session will highlight ways AI can streamline planning, posting and engagement.
• Politics from the pint glass up: A grassroots-focused talk titled “Pints to Politics” will help breweries engage with local politicians to influence policy and support industry growth.

“We’ve had real wins with the current government,” Talmey said. “And those wins came from sustained engagement with key officials. This session teaches brewers how to broaden and extend government relationships in their own communities.”

One size doesn’t fit all

One of the perennial challenges in programming OCBC is ensuring sessions are relevant to both small start-ups and established powerhouses. This year’s committee makeup helps bridge that gap. “We’ve got committee members from tiny to medium and large-sized breweries like Great Lakes,” Talmey said. “That mix is crucial. Big or small, breweries often face similar issues – just at different scales.”

He points out that while a larger operation might be wrestling with chain distribution, a smaller brewery might be perfecting its drink-to-consumer taproom experience. Both are worth exploring. “We tried to make sure sessions touch on these shared themes while also offering specific insights depending on where you are in your journey.”

Collaboration at the core

If one word defines OCBC, it’s collaboration. From educational panels to supplier partnerships to informal hallway chats, the spirit of co-operation has always been the lifeblood of the event. In 2025, that collaborative energy is being cranked up even higher. From the committee structure itself to potential collab beers brewed by suppliers, to the return of the popular “Ask Me Anything” panels, the conference is designed to encourage idea exchange and collective problem-solving.

“We’re in a fiercely competitive era,” Talmey said. “But that doesn’t mean we have to isolate ourselves. OCBC is about asking: What can I bring to the table? What conversations can I start that help me and my peers?”

For those stepping into OCBC for the first time, Talmey has one piece of advice: talk to everyone. “The sessions are valuable, yes, but the real magic happens in conversations. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or raise new ideas and ways of thinking. Everyone here remembers being new, and they want to help,” he said. Whether it’s chatting with exhibitors on the trade show floor, connecting with a speaker after their talk or striking up a conversation over lunch, these exchanges often lead to lasting collaborations and solutions.

“Some of the smartest, most experienced people in the industry will be there, just walking around and totally open to sharing their knowledge. That’s rare. Take advantage of this opportunity to learn, develop our industry and connect,” Talmey said.

Looking ahead

“[Breweries] used to be able to succeed with just one or two strengths. Now you need everything – product quality, brand clarity, customer experience, operational efficiency. And that’s hard,” he said. “OCBC wants [the conference] to help brewers level up across the board.”

As the OCBC team finalizes programming in the coming weeks, one thing is certain: the 2025 conference is shaping up to be one of the most impactful events yet. “We’re putting together a conference that we hope will be the best one we’ve ever had, and we encourage our industry to attend and get engaged in the future of our growth,” Talmey said.

Whether a seasoned veteran or a curious newcomer, OCBC 2025 is a chance to connect, grow and be reminded that even in tough times, brewers are never alone.

Lit Pickle isn’t just another pickle-flavoured gimmick. It’s a carefully crafted vodka-based seltzer with a balance of acidity, salt, garlic and crisp cucumber flavour, creating a refreshing and savoury drinking experience. Inspired by pickle martinis enjoyed at the South-Western Bathhouse and Tea Room in Mississauga, Ont., Lit Pickle was developed through months of trial and experimentation, with the team testing different brines and ratios to land on the perfect recipe. The result? An ultimate pickle seltzer that stands on its own as a bold and refreshing beverage.

Lit Pickle’s signature lacto-rich brine comes from Bubbies Pickles, a company known for producing naturally-fermented Kosher Dill Pickles using traditional methods. The brine used in Lit Pickle was fermented in 75-gallon air drums and shipped in an unprecedented 35,000 lbs.

Craft seltzers can be a rare sight on the shelves at the LCBO, where massive beverage corporations typically dominate the seltzer category. Lit Pickle’s return marks a breakthrough for independent producers, proving that small-batch, high-quality seltzers deserve a place on the shelves. Lit Pickle’s return also comes amid a shifting landscape, where consumers are focusing on supporting local and Canadian-made brands more than ever.

For more information on Lit Pickle, visit drinklitpickle.com.

When and how did Goldenfield get started?

Ethan Chiti: The idea came into my mind right before COVID-19 at the end of summer 2019. I was thinking about it and I hadn’t even talked to anybody about it, but then COVID-19 came, so I had time to do more research. Every day, I became more interested in the craft brewery industry and started looking for the equipment. Then, I went to other breweries to see what they had online and in-person. It was my first time opening a brewery and a manufacturing business.

How did you manage to get the partners together?

EC: After I came up with the idea, I talked to my best friend and his brother. We always wanted to create a business together. They agreed to come on board and work together. Later on, we got introduced to [Canally] – actually, we kind of found each other – and we’ve been working together ever since.

Culum Canally: [Chiti’s] family in Iran owns a leather tannery and his best friend’s family owns a couple of flour mills. They had a manufacturing background, so that helps explain why he and his friends were so eager to get started in manufacturing.

“There are two different mindsets. There’s opening the brewery and the excitement of getting a project done. Then there’s running a brewery, which is the day-to-day slog of managing and growing a business.”

Culum Canally, Goldenfield Brewery

How did you choose your location?

EC: Right after we ordered our equipment, we had to start looking for a location because in order to get all the licenses we needed a location. We finally found [one] after about six months of looking.

CC: There was a concentration of breweries on the west side, and it was a lot more expensive [there], so there were fewer risks on the east side. The east side had good links to downtown and the rest of Toronto, so that was good for scaling for distribution and access to the tasting room.

What did you like about the building?

EC: One of the hardest things to find was a building with high ceilings because of the size of the tanks that we ordered. We needed at least 14 feet for the ceilings, which was not easy. The other thing about the building that I liked was I always wanted to have a standalone building. I didn’t want to get a space in something like a plaza, which is attached to [many] other units. There were offices inside the building when we started, so we had to take them out to make space for our equipment.

CC: We’re on the first floor, but it goes down into a sort of basement in the back because we’re on a bit of a hill. We’re essentially on a floating slab, where we were able to drill some holes for drainage. It can also take the load of the equipment. We have a nice loading dock out front that allows us to get easy access in and out for supplies and shipping.

What was the permitting and licensing process like?

EC: The very first permit that we had to apply for was from the AGCO (Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario), which allows us to manufacture beer. We needed to get three licenses: A manufacturing license, a boiler gas license and a retail store license. It requires many documents, but we didn’t have a hard time. The most time-consuming license was the city license, so we could open our doors to the public.

CC: To add some context, in order to get our manufacturing license, we had to get our excise license from the CRA (Canadian Revenue Agency). It’s one of those weird scenarios where you have to apply for your manufacturing license, and then they give you a provisional license to brew the beer. You then brew a beer and submit it to the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LBCO) for testing. They test it, and if they say it’s okay, you can then submit that to get your manufacturing license.

At that point, you can now apply for your excise license, which means that the CRA comes in – or in this case they do it virtually – where they measure your tanks and look at your equipment so they can have a baseline for what they’re going to tax you. This provides them with accurate information on the size and scope of your brewery. The CRA can then give you the excise license, which you can put in for the manufacturing license, and then you get your full manufacturing license.

So, it’s a bit of a back and forth. I think some of it doesn’t make much sense because you’re technically not allowed to open until you have your manufacturing license, but you need to submit a beer to LCBO for them to test it.

Did you have to open in phases because of this process?

CC: We started to phase in July 2023 when we got the taproom license, but we didn’t launch yet. We sold cans of beer, but we weren’t quite ready at that time to have a grand opening. It took a few months to plan and get our beer stock up. We also had to co-ordinate all the parts of having the grand opening, which didn’t take place until November. We had a packed house when we opened.

What sets your business apart?

EC: The first is the ownership and the second is that we are trying to introduce the craft beer industry to people that have not yet been introduced to the industry. Most of our customers who come into the brewery say it was the first time that they visited a brewery.

“When we sat down and did the marketing plan, the owners said they had a lot of friends who didn’t know about craft beer, but when they were introduced to craft beer they really liked it. They were not your traditional craft beer consumers so we came to the conclusion that this might be a growing market or an untapped market that Goldenfield is uniquely situated to target.”

Culum Canally, Goldenfield Brewery

CC: When we sat down and did the marketing plan, the owners said they had a lot of friends who didn’t know about craft beer, but when they were introduced to craft beer they really liked it. They were not your traditional craft beer consumers so we came to the conclusion that this might be a growing market or an untapped market that Goldenfield is uniquely situated to target because of the ownership coming from a non-traditional craft beer community like Iran. There are also a lot of networks within other new immigrant or first- and second-generation immigrant communities that aren’t traditional craft beer drinkers.

So, the idea was to focus on that target market first and foremost. We also wanted to develop a community that is based around our area. A lot of your market comes from within a small radius around the brewery. It just so happens that our area is fairly multicultural, so the ones who are walking by here come from all sorts of backgrounds.

What is the current beer line-up?

CC: Our beer lineup includes what we’re calling a Persian Pilsner, which is pretty much a Mexican Cerveza. But it’s with a twist of different flavours based on hops and just using hops as the flavouring. It has more grape and lime to it. We also have a solid amber ale and a solid IPA.

Strangely enough, we have a double IPA, which was an accident from our first brewing. We never really intended to brew a beer that strong, but people took to it. It was daunting to try and reproduce the same beer in the same method. We’ve gotten pretty close with our second batch and it’s selling well.

What advice do you have for someone thinking about setting up a craft brewery?

EC: The first advice from me would be that it takes longer than you think. It’s much longer and it’s a hard process. At the same time, it can be enjoyable because you will see that it’s growing.

CC: I would say there are different skills to open a brewery and to run one. I remember opening my first brewery and I realized the day after the grand opening that now we have to do this day in and day out. So, there are two different mindsets. There’s opening the brewery and the excitement of getting a project done. Then there’s running a brewery, which is the day-to-day slog of managing and growing a business.

I would also suggest creating as comprehensive a business plan as possible. That is the one thing that I think could be a game changer and forces you to think through a lot of your problems beforehand.