When you think of a beer festival, running is not the first thing that comes to mind, but it was off to the races this morning at Lansdowne.
Hundreds took part in the annual beer run that spans 5km along the Rideau Canal with proceeds going to Ottawa run charities. At the end runners made their way over to the 5th annual Ottawa Craft Beer Festival for a celebratory beverage.
“Getting a medal is finem but getting a nice cold beer after running in the sun for 15 to 30 minutes in much more rewarding,” said Tenesia Geddes, who ran in this race for the first time.
This year there were about 70 vendors sampling hundreds of styles of beer at the Aberdeen Pavilion.
Some of the craft brewed beers include a stout from Calabogie, a cider from Toronto made with Ontario apples, and even cucumber ale that comes from Burlington.
Craft been has been around for decades in Canada, but has really started to explode in Ontario’s market in the last few years.
“The growth of it has become huge because there’s choice, from my age, we all grew up with this beer, that beer, now there’s all these beers,” said Philip Dangerfield, the executive director for Ottawa Craft Beer Festival.
But with about 300 licensed craft brewing companies in the province, there is bound to be some competition.
“It all depends on how you run your business, and if you make good beer,” said Jamie Maxwell, from Calabogie Brewing Company.
Ottawa Craft Brew Fest runs Saturday until 10p.m. and Sunday until 6p.m.
