Brews News: Petrolia’s Black Gold strikes gold

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There really is black gold in Canada’s Victorian town.

Petrolia – the charming Lambton County community famous for its architecture, playhouse and oil history – has a new claim to fame as a craft beer destination that now boasts Ontario’s best beer in its class.

Black Gold Brewery, occupants of an 1890s livery on Fletcher Street, captured gold in the Ontario Brewing Awards for its thick and malty Black Gold Smoked Porter, a must-try brew.

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The beer has mostly been a seasonal release since the brewery opened in 2020 during the pandemic. Last fall, they decided to enter it in the expertly judged, double-blind Ontario Brewing Awards for the first time. The annual competition is open to “Canadian-owned commercial brewers and beer brands whose products are produced and packaged in Ontario.” There are scores of entries in 38 categories.

After not being brewed in 2023 because the board was crowded with dark, malty beers that fall, the brew team made room in the tanks last fall but not before adjusting the original recipe to enhance the malt flavour, director of production Brent Gauthier said.

“Petrolia is a Victorian oil town,” Gauthier said. “The concept for Black Gold was to be the beer equivalent of crude oil. While that may not sound too appetizing, when done correctly, it’s quite good. It was designed to be dark, thick, and contain multiple layers of flavours and complexity. We achieved the colour by using a variety of heavily roasted malts added throughout the brewing process. This allowed us to add colour without harsh flavour changes. When combined with three different smoked malts and a high final gravity, it creates a wonderful layering of flavours.”

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It’s 7 per cent alcohol.

Packaged in 473 ml tall boy cans, the label is an image from the Petrolia Heritage Committee collection depicting a horse-drawn carriage loaded with crude.

Black Gold Smoked Porter is available at the brewery, but it might be offered as a seasonal at the LCBO in fall 2025.

One Black Gold Brewing beer already is available at select LCBOs and it, too, has an award pedigree after picking up a silver in the 2023 awards. Angry Redhead is an Irish-style red ale with notes of roasted barley. Think rich caramel.

In working with the LCBO, Black Gold submitted three of its beers for consideration. The provincially-owned store said no to one, leaving two options for one listing.

“Because this was our first product through the LCBO, we were only allowed to release one beer,” Gauthier said. “After much consideration, we decided the Angry Redhead had the highest chance of success despite both beers winning provincial awards.”

At the 2023 awards, Angry Redhead took silver while What the Frack, a British brown beer, received bronze.

Is it just the beginning for Black Gold? I think so. This place is a rural Ontario gem.

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LOGGER IS SMOKIN’

Back to the 2024 awards. West Elgin brewer Natterjack nabbed the bronze for Logger in the same smoked beer category won by Black Gold. The best of show went to Cloudland by Spark Beer of Ottawa. Lake of Bays from Baysville swept the low alcohol category with Sunchaser Extra Light Lime, Sparklight Extra Light Red and Low Tide IPA. For IPA fans, Juicy McHazy from Orleans Brewing won gold.

NEW AND NOTED

There are whimsical “national days” for all kinds of fun things, none more fun for fans of beer and art than national beer can appreciation day held each year on Jan. 24. London’s Storm Stayed, which has one of the nicest label designs with Perfect Ride New England IPA, celebrated the day on social media. What’s your favourite can wrap? Something weird like the astronaut on a bicycle on Railway City’s Cosmic Citrus or the nod to craft beer beards of Forked River’s Capital Blonde?

Ontario craft beer icon Charles MacLean is now listed as brewer emeritus at his namesake brewery, which used to be the highlight of Hanover. Maclean’s Ales has since decamped to the Thornbury Craft facility. Happily, MacLean’s Armchair Scotch Ale is back at the LCBO.

What Saaz you? Anderson Craft Ales of London has a new Czech-style easy-drinking lager, 10 degree Plato. It’s a balanced pale lager brewed with Saaz hops measuring four per cent alcohol. The name references a brewing measurement.

Coming soon to Paris Beer Co.: a marzan. Mill Race Marzan will be on the board in spring.

Wayne Newton is a freelance journalist based in London.

BrewsNewsTravels@gmail.com

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