Remember that scene in Friends where they move the couch into Ross’ apartment and he keeps yelling at everyone to “PIVOT!”
Well, right now, pivot is the word on everyone’s lips as businesses of all sizes are attempting to adapt to this new world of ‘business unusual’. It’s certainly been a challenge but it’s also been an amazing time of innovation and resiliency and we want to celebrate that.
In the coming weeks we’ll be catching up (virtually, of course) with breweries around Ontario to try to turn social distancing into a shared experience across the entire industry.
This week we caught up with friends from some of our favorite Ottawa breweries, Flora Hall Brewing, Small Pony Barrel Works and Beau’s to hear about how they’re handling the pivots–the good, the bad and the silver linings.
FLORA HALL BREWING
Flora Hall Brewing is one of my favorite Ottawa drinking holes. The space is beautiful, the staff are friendly and the beer is delicious–it’s easy to understand why it’s a spot that people want to keep coming back to. We connected with Dave Longbottom, founder of Flora Hall Brewing, to chat about how self-isolation has impacted the business.
The thing you miss most about having the brewery running as usual?
I miss standing at the horseshoe bar, on a busy Friday after work, chatting with regulars, greeting new customers, and listening to the beautiful sounds of a roomful of happy patrons chattering away.
Any quarantine silver linings?
It compelled the creation of an online store — something that had been on the list, but was repeatedly pushed down the road as our other channels were more than we could handle.
Any TV/Netflix/streaming recommendations?
Sunderland ‘Til I Die — it puts self-isolation miseries in their place. And any show at all that features scenes of people meeting, eating and drinking in a bustling bar.
What song best represents your quarantine state of mind?
Anything by Lucinda Williams, but in particular, “Are you Alright?” Soulful, compassionate, and resilient.
Biggest “business unusual” triumph?
Flora Hall team chemistry and spirit. We pivoted quickly, canned everything in sight, added online store, home delivery and takeout food options! I retained all staff who were willing and able to work and we are almost enjoying this crazy period.
Biggest “business unusual” challenge?
Stick-handling a 70% drop in revenue with a smile. Prior to COVID, our revenues were dominated by taproom and restaurant sales with small retail and licensee components. We pivoted to add the online store, home delivery and takeout food, and it’s going great, but this simply can’t make up the difference.
Advice you’d give yourself 6 months from now?
Stop lamenting when (or whether) the bars will open again.
Favorite quarantine beer?
From Flora, it has to be the English Ordinary Bitter. Sessionable beyond belief at 3.5% ABV, with tons of body and flavour, what better beer could there be when all you want to do somedays is drink?
A beer we all need to try from your brewery?
From our core offerings, it’s the North East IPA, but from the periodic beers something from our Sherbet sour series – say the Blackberry Sherbet Sour!
SMALL PONY BARREL WORKS
If you love sours you’ve likely heard of Small Pony. These guys are an amazing all barrel-aged sour beer brewery. As one review on their Facebook page aptly puts it, “No kettle sours here, they are barrel-aged! Only disappointment is a distinct lack of actual ponies.”
We caught up with Sean McVeigh, owner and brewer, to hear what self-isolation has been like.
The thing you miss most about having the brewery running as usual?
I miss having conversations with customers, enjoying drinks with them & hearing feedback. I also of course miss hanging out with the brewery staff, most of whom are staying home to socially distance.
Any quarantine silver linings?
Shipping beer costs a lot of money, so I’ve always wanted to be able to offer some sort of delivery option locally. Unfortunately, unlike a package from Amazon, alcohol can’t be left unattended on a porch, so you can only deliver when people are at home, which sounds like a nightmare to schedule in more normal times, but as it turns out, everyone is home now, so this has finally come together!
Any TV/Netflix/streaming recommendations?
The Midnight Gospel – Pendelton Ward’s (Adventure Time) new show.. so unique, creative, and confusing. I’ve had to watch a bunch of it a 2nd or 3rd time already. And of course Tiger King… I couldn’t look away and had to binge it all in one night!
What song best represents your quarantine state of mind?
I’m a big shoegaze fan, so anything in that genre works well for me right now to try and keep calm.
Biggest “business unusual” triumph?
Hmm.. the focus right now is definitely on keeping things moving along.. focusing on that one main outlet — home delivery — is actually a nice change from having to juggle restaurants, LCBO, tasting room & events, festivals, etc. It’s kind of refreshing to just take things one day or week at a time. the focus really narrows, which is good.. and helpful, since all of those other things are just right out of your control.
Biggest “business unusual” challenge?
The biggest challenge right now is probably balancing work & home life.. working 7 days a week and not being able to see the family much is not sustainable.
Advice you’d give yourself 6 months from now?
Find a way to get your weekends back (even if it’s Monday & Tuesday)!
Favorite quarantine beer?
Oh man.. I haven’t had much time to stop and see what beers are out there now! I never really get to the store, and usually rely on friends or colleagues to drop by with new beers. Anyone who knows me would probably say Diet Pepsi 😛
A beer we all need to try from your brewery?
Since we don’t really re-create too many of our beers, one mainstay is Half Remembered Dream, which you can find at a few LCBOs. and of course, Jam Hands, which is our raspberry number, and it’s back on our shelves as of May 1st 😊
BEAU’S ALL NATURAL BREWING COMPANY
Having grown up in Ottawa, Beau’s will always have a special place in my heart as one of the OG local breweries that introduced me to craft beer. The first time I took a trip out to the Vankleek Hill taproom, back in 2012, was a real eye-opener — turns out beer can taste way, way better than Coors Light!
We caught up with Rachel Carluccio, Social Media & Digital Specialist at Beau’s, to hear about her self-isolation experience as one of the newest members of the internal marketing team.
The thing you miss most about having the brewery running as usual?
Gathering!
Any quarantine silver linings?
It’s sometimes hard to keep quarantine silver linings top of mind when you’re feeling stuck, restless and a sense of COVID-19 fatigue. Each day it seems like an uphill weather-dependent battle to stay positive. There are a couple of silver linings I like to remind myself to maintain my optimism. Firstly, being proudly Canadian, and realizing we are all in this together. We’ve come together to make society as safe as possible for everyone and choose to fight together. Another silver lining I try to focus on is gratitude, for the small stuff. The things I once took for granted, like enjoying a beer with friends at a local bar. I now reminisce on with gratitude for being able to once do that. Now I have a new sense of gratitude for the little things, I’ve never been so grateful to see a package waiting for me in my life. Lastly, a huge silver lining for me is taking time to connect with people in new ways. Finding a new normal when it comes to connecting with friends and family in an attempt to stay together while we are far apart.
Any TV/Netflix/streaming recommendations?
I’m a huge documentary fiend! This quarantine I’ve been watching documentaries both new and old. Netflix has kept me busy with Hillary, Crip Camp, Cheer, Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond, Knock Down the House, Paris is Burning, and many many more!
What song best represents your quarantine state of mind?
That’s a funny one, my partner and I have been listening to “Just The Two of Us” on repeat by Grover Washington. This is our attempt to make light of the fact that it is literally just the two of us. We try to laugh at ourselves as much as we can!
Favorite quarantine beer?
My favorite quarantine beer is hands down, Beau’s Wag the Wolf. This is our hazy white I.P.A. I can’t get enough of the fruity delicious taste. The bitterness is firm but not overwhelming and the beer is bright and balanced. When I smell Wag the Wolf I am transported into a summery place with bursts of citrusy lemon and grapefruit. Wag the Wolf is my secret escape from reality, in my mind, it transports me to somewhere warm filled with lemon squares.
A beer we all need to try from your brewery?
Country Vibes (amber lagered ale)! It’s a must. If this beer came out before quarantine started It would hold the spot of favourite quarantine beer. Country Vibes is new to the Beau’s family, and is amazing! From the can design to the rich colour and toasty sweetness. It’s balanced by clean, crisp hops and a cold-aged lager finish. Country Vibes shares Lug Tread’s clean, crisp character of a lagered ale, while offering deeper toasty maltiness balanced with a more robust hop bitterness. It’s a must-try the next time you’re adding beer to your cart at the LCBO, TBS, or online at the Beau’s Store. Country Vibes is a new staple in my fridge!
