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Reunion 1st Solera Vintage
By Stephen Rich
It started as an idea on a chalkboard in late 2015, during the early days of Cowbell Brewing. We were in the late planning stages for the architecture and equipment at Canada’s Destination Brewery, as well as planning the first beer launch. There was a lot going on. In the middle of all the...
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Hop Selection - Part Three, Selection
By Stephen Rich
Wine Making is agricultural, and Brewing is production. This often-referenced comparison of Brewing and Wine Making is accurate in a certain perspective. Wine makers spend immense effort on growing and projecting their grapes, then processing them in a way to reduce intervention and allow the...
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HOP SELECTION - PART TWO, PROCESSING
By Stephen Rich
They call it Hop Country. In the thousands of acres in Yakima Washington, hop fields stand tall, supporting a growing industry of breweries all across the globe. To the average brewer, standing there in the middle of one of these fields is a great feeling – you appreciate the amount of work...
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Help Give more to Your Local Children’s Hospital with Givesome
At Cowbell, our team strives to ‘Do the Right Thing’ every day. We live this motto in every aspect of our business, and the Greener Pastures Community Fund is one of the ways we are sharing the journey with our Community. From the very first pint sold in May 2016, Cowbell has been donating 5...
Hop Selection - Part One, Harvest
By Stephen Rich
You can smell it before you see it - the bright aroma of green in the air. Then the fields appear, and the unmistakable scent of fresh hops fills the air. It’s late September and hop harvest is underway in Yakima Washington, where brewers from all over the globe come to choose the best hops...
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Italian Culinary Adventure
By Dale Dolson and Rob McGregor
Last summer took us away on a six week holiday on our boat with a very loose itinerary, lots of time to rest and lots of opportunities to see new places. The only stipulation was that we would end up in Kincardine, Ontario, where we had grown up. You see, once every 10 years this lakeshore...
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A Head Above the Rest
By Jeremy Moore
There is something magical about pouring a beer into a clean glass. The initial crack of the can, the pop of the bottle cap, or perhaps the opening of a draught faucet. From the moment the beer hits your glass, the CO2 escapes solution, aromas begin to fill your nostrils with juicy hops or...
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Bottle Conditioning
By Stephen Rich
In modern breweries, packaging beer is as much about science as it is engineering. Temperatures, pressures, speeds and flow rate all mix together with tanks, equipment, brewers and beer to create that perfect bottle or a can of beer, carbonated precisely and without oxygen added. This may be the...
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Growler Quality
By Simon Glassier
A growler may simply be described as an air-tight vessel that is used to transport draught beer without degrading its quality. Although the overall concept may seem simple, it takes an immense amount of time and intentional effort to ensure the quality of the final product is perfect.
At...
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Almanac 2019 Imperial Stout
By Stephen Rich
It was a hot, sunny day on August 4th 2018, as Cowbell celebrated our 1st Anniversary and released a Barleywine to represent all the success and excitement of that first year. On the same day and the following day, we brewed Almanac 2019, our second anniversary beer, an Imperial Stout.
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Anniversary Weekend
By Steven Sparling
At Cowbell, we are celebrating our 2nd Anniversary at the Farm.
I dedicate this celebration to my parents, Grant and Mildred Sparling, who moved to Blyth independently, married, created a life together and grew businesses, from nothing to something pretty remarkable. It was a privilege for the...
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Absent Landlord Pot Roast
By Dale Dolson and Rob McGregor There are so many great things happening at Cowbell Brewing, it’s hard to believe that we are in our second year of operation. With our Greener Pastures Community Fund nearing a milestone of $250,000, and celebrating Flagship February with our first beer, Absent Landlord, our culinary...
McNall's Mission Barbecue Sauce
By Dale Dolson and Rob McGregor The holiday season is over and 2019 has been welcomed in with the usual pomp and circumstance. Now, February is upon us, and with that can come the usual let down from a far too exciting holiday season. Even the weather doesn’t know how to act...warm, cold, rain, snow, wet, dry, sunny,...
People Matter. Absolutely.
By Steven Sparling
We are a grateful family. And we appreciate the response to our earnest commitment to build a family-friendly and verified-accessible destination brewery, something we believe is unlike anything else in Canada. This is an inclusive place, authentic to who we are and specific to where we are....
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10 cent December
The Greener Pastures Community Fund is Cowbell Brewing Co.’s commitment to the community. From the very first pint sold in May 2016, Cowbell has been donating 5 cents per can and pint sold to our Greener Pastures Community Fund. The Fund provides support for life-enhancing programs to improve...
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Tech in the Brewhouse
By Jeremy Moore What a time to be alive. In the past few years we have seen advances in technology that science fiction writers of bygone days would be proud of: electric cars that can drive themselves, 3D printing, and lightning fast internet in our phones. The latter is something that we are taking advantage...
McMaster Children's Hospital takes a step outside
October 16, 2018, was a very proud day for everyone at Cowbell Brewing Co. Along with other donors, we celebrated the opening of the Wellness Courtyard within the pediatric mental health unit at McMaster Children’s Hospital.
Mental health challenges affect one in five Canadian children....
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Gravel Run
Cowbell Brewing Co. proudly announces the release of the second beer in our Session Series.
Joining hugely popular Shindig Huron County Lager in Cowbell’s Session Series, is a delicious India Pale Ale, called Gravel Run Session IPA.
Gravel Run Session IPA is a collaboration with Jack Astor’s...
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How Windows Can Help Improve Beer Quality
By Stephen Rich
From Day One (last August :) ) we have been implementing leading technology and best practices and a variety of innovations to help make better beer with less water, less energy, and less waste. We are excited about this challenge, and the opportunities we are given to find new ways to refine...
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Saving Millions of litres of Water - by Design
By Steven Sparling
Brewing can be a very wasteful process. Lots of energy. Lots of water. And the latter means lots of effluent, or wastewater, too. At Cowbell, we hold ourselves accountable to the Four Pillars on which this business is being built:
Quality. Integrity. Community. Social Responsibility.
Every...
Rectify!
By Jeremy Moore
Two of the biggest concerns with brewing are water usage and power consumption. Here at Cowbell Brewing Co., these important factors were taken into consideration when building our brewhouse - not only for cost savings, but for environmental impact.
Enter the Rectifier! This beautiful innovation...
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Storyteller: Cheryl Peach
Born and raised in London, Ontario, Cheryl came to Huron County 30 years ago to develop a new program for children with visual impairments for the local Board of Education. Over her career in education, she served as administrator of several area schools, System Principal of Special Education,...
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Grant Sparling Presented with Rural Ontario Leadership Award
By Steven Sparling
Grant Sparling, Chief Development Officer at Cowbell Brewing Co., is recipient of the first ever Rural Ontario Leadership Award for Youth (defined as 25-years and under). Grant was recognized for Outstanding Leadership in the area of Rural Economic Development.
Grant led the design and...
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Brewers Blog: What’s in a Date Code
By Stephen Rich
A can of beer is so much more than just a can of beer.
At Cowbell Brewing, it’s a representation of who we are, what we believe in, and the type of experience we want to share with our Friends of Cowbell. On the bottom of every can of Cowbell beer, you’ll find an important message from us....
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Storyteller: Floyd Herman
Hello all.
I’ve had an interesting working life (School Principal, Wedding Officiant, Organist and Choir Conductor, Huron County Correspondent for “Ontario Morning” on CBC Radio), but I’ve never had a better title than the one at Cowbell Brewing – “Chief Storyteller.”
Phil, Cheryl...
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Storyteller: Phil Main
Introducing Phil Main, a Chief Storyteller at Cowbell Brewing Co. in Blyth, Ontario.
Phil is a Huron County boy. Though born in the Niagara Peninsula, Phil’s family moved to Goderich when he was five and he will always consider home to be somewhere in Huron County. After a couple of brief...
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What is in a Word?
By Steven Sparling
During construction of the Grand Old Barn, home of Cowbell Brewing Co., we asked Cowbell Team members to describe Cowbell in a single word. No rules. Simply a word to describe how we feel about the Team, the business, brand, culture or whatever else is of value, meaning or significance to us and...
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The Anatomy of Doc Perdue’s Boxing Bruin
By Stephen Rich
INDIA PALE ALE
India Pale Ale, also known as IPA, is without a doubt the style that helped advance craft beer into the future and into hearts and minds of those who love it. Since the dawn of craft beer in the mid 1980s, hop-forward IPAs have steered the craze for more flavour in beer. The IPA...
Gift cards are NOW available!
We have received many requests for Cowbell Gift Cards. Gift Cards have been available at the Cowbell General Store in Blyth, and we are pleased to announce Cowbell Gift Cards are NOW available for purchase through our Cowbell Online Store as well!
Online shopping in Canada will not replace a...
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Accessibility Matters
For many years travelling North America and beyond with a family member who was visually impaired, it became a family game to identify restaurants, washroom facilities, community events or businesses with accessibility infractions. My husband was an adventurous soul, trusting his young daughters...
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Cowbell is giving back
Cowbell Brewing Co. is doubling its contribution, during the month of December 2017, to Ontario’s four children’s hospitals through its Greener Pastures Community Fund.
From the first pint sold in May 2016, Cowbell Brewing Co. has been donating 5 cents per can and pint sold to its Greener...
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Meat Lasagna
Cowbell’s latest menu features the comfort food of comfort foods - lasagna! Made in a three layered style, our meat lasagna is both scrumptious and beautiful. I hope you try this recipe at home, or we invite you to the Cowbell Farm so we may make this dish for you and your family or friends.
The Anatomy of Shindig
By Stephen Rich
HURON COUNTY LAGER
Golden rays of sunshine beaming through rolling hills and cornfields. Gentle scents of country flowers and grains. Good friends, family, and community gathered for time-honoured traditions and celebrations. These narratives describe Shindig Huron County Lager as well as Huron...
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Vegan Pot au Feu
Guests dining at Cowbell are enjoying the fresh, local vegetables and tasty tomato curry coconut sauce slowly baked in a cast iron casserole. We call it our Vegan Pot au Feu - and the feedback from Guests is amazing! This healthy, comfort food is perfect on a cold day.
Try this recipe at home, or...
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100 Days of “Holy Mackinaw!”
By Grant Sparling
100 DAYS OF “HOLY MACKINAW!”
November 15 marks the 100th day since we opened the doors to the world at The Cowbell Farm. It has been 100 days of “Holy Mackinaw!” We say it every day around here – we are grateful for the support for the Cowbell story, our delicious beer, our truly...
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Cowbell Beer & Cowbell Gear
High-quality craft beer deserves high-quality apparel. In the Cowbell General Store, we have Cowbell beer and Cowbell gear. You will find something for everyone!
As cold weather is arriving, so is the ‘cool’ Cowbell apparel! From our quilted Stormtech jackets and thermal vests, to our...
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Chicken Supreme Recipe
Chicken Supreme is a new and popular menu item at Cowbell Kitchen. It is crispy, moist and so tasty. Enjoy this perfect autumn dish at the Cowbell Farm, or make it in the comfort of your own home. Be sure to share your pictures with us on Facebook and Instagram!
At Cowbell, we use fresh, local...
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Working Together. Winning Together.
By Steven Sparling
Like most people, I am hometown-proud. My family and I live and work in a village of 1005 people. It is a remarkable place. And aside from moving to Michigan to attend university, Blyth, Ontario has been my home of choice for a lifetime. This resilient place, smack dab in beautiful, rural Huron...
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Thirty Days. A Lifetime of Gratitude.
By Steven Sparling
Cowbell opened its doors to the village of Blyth on August 5, to Friends & Family on August 6, and “to the world” as they say, on August 7. Thirty days and twenty-five thousand Guests later, this is a month we will long remember.
From the bottom of our hearts, "Thank You" for your...
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The Countdown Begins
By Grant Sparling
One week today, we open our doors!
We are building a unique, beautiful destination craft brewery tailoring the 111-acre space to the vision and values of this craft brewery. Guests will be greeted with enthusiasm in authentic, rural Grand Old Barn architecture and will experience a...
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Kelly’s Contraption: New World Hefeweizen
By Stephen Rich
It starts with a hazy straw-gold pour with a thick, white foam that clings to the glass. The aroma is elegant and appetizing, up front with bruised banana and clove abound, delicate vanilla and bubblegum notes. Tickled with the bright fruity finish of pineapple, white grape, mandarin...
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The Science of Yeast
By Simon Glassier
Good beer and good science go hand in hand. Each step of the brewing process requires the individual and/or collective manipulation of four ingredients: malt, hops, yeast and water. It is the role of the brewer to meticulously combine water, malt and hops to create wort, then allow the yeast to...
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A Humble Brand of Leadership
At Cowbell Brewing Co., we are often asked, "Whose idea was Cowbell? Where did the idea come from? Why Blyth? Why now?"
The answer to all of these questions is the same: the Sparling family and more specifically, Steven Sparling.
Grant and Mildred Sparling raised their family of four in the...
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COWBELL Brewhouse Factory Acceptance Test
By Stephen Rich
The building part of building a brewery is one of the quicker activities involved in the process from start to finish. The Cowbell brewing team has spent over a year with a crew of engineers, architects, experienced brewers, suppliers and installers designing our custom, four vessel 50HL
Spring Cleaning
By Jeremy Moore
Spring has sprung! That means most of us are busy with spring cleaning around the home. Since you may already have cleaning on the mind, and you may be enjoying a cold beverage, it is an ideal time to discuss the importance of clean draught lines and clean beer glasses.
CLEAN DRAUGHT LINES...
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Storytelling at Cowbell
By Floyd Herman
Every community has a history, and within that history are colourful stories of the people and events there. That’s how we came up with the names of the craft beer in our first series, the Founders' Series, where each beer is named after a memorable figure in Blyth’s history, beginning...
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Earth Day: Closed-Loop Brewing System
Earth day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970. It is a date that is used to raise awareness and demonstrate support for environmental protection. That being said, this date is significant to Cowbell because we support protecting the environment. Cowbell will have the first “Closed-Loop...
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Cowbell Build Photo Contest
By Grant Sparling
AND THE WINNER IS...
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Cowbell build photo contest and for your interest in Cowbell Brewing Co. We received hundreds of creative guesses for each posted photo.
The lucky winner is Joan Greathead Watt. Congratulations Joan!
Hope you enjoy your...
Cowbell Absent Landlord French Onion Soup Recipe
By Dale Dolson and Rob McGregor
At Cowbell, we know that a good recipe doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious.
This week’s culinary experience with Cowbell’s craft beer is again inspired by the cold, crisp weather, when we want to experience warm and comforting recipes. Everyone has one of those favourite,...
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Hops, Part 2: Different Types of Hops and the Evolution of Beer
By Stephen Rich
As beer has evolved across the world over the past 7000 years, cultures and regions have developed their own specific brewing techniques, drinking rituals, and favourite ingredients that have all helped to define the beers we identify with those cultures or regions. Think about the Czech...
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The Difference Between Craft Beer and Micro-Brewed Beer
By Stephen Rich
Interest in locally brewed craft beer is on the rise, and as people are learning more about beer and discovering new favourites, the terms “craft beer” and “micro-brewed beer” are often used interchangeably. However, a craft brewery is not always a micro-brewery, and a micro-brewery is...
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Better Craft Beer Battered Fish Recipe
By Dale Dolson and Rob McGregor
"OH BRITANNIA!" — You'll Wish You Had Cowbell!
This week's culinary adventure takes the Cowbell Food and Beverage team across the pond. What do we all think of when discussing the food of "jolly old" England? Beer battered fish and chips, of course!
You don’t need to travel across the...
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Hops, Part 1: How Hops are Used in Brewing Beer
By Stephen Rich
In the 5000+ year history of beer, hops are a relative newcomer to the brewer’s toolkit. Hops were first commercially used in England only 600 years ago, in 1412, and were not widely used until the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516 (the Reinheitsgebot) decreed that beer must include hops. And it was...
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Cowbell Brewing Co: A Simple Retirement Project…
By Steven Sparling
Blyth Cowbell Brewing Co. began as a simple retirement project, with the emphasis on retirement. Something we would do to allow my family to be part of the economic resurgence in our hometown and one more part of the destination vision being crafted in Huron County. And it must be fun. We...
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Cowbell's Craft Beer and Cheese Soup Recipe
By Dale Dolson and Rob McGregor
On a cold winter day, there’s nothing better than coming home to a crackling fireplace, a cozy knitted wool throw, homemade bread, and of course, a steaming hot bowl of soup.
But what kind of soup should we make? Soups take on all styles and textures, but on a cold day like this, we think a...
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Our Carbon-Neutral Brewery: Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts
By Grant Sparling
Our Cowbell team is fortunate to build a beautiful, unique, destination craft brewery from the ground up - tailoring the space to our vision and our values. This opportunity allows us to incorporate a variety of energy-efficient technologies. When combined into a single structure, these...
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A Craft Brewery In Progress
By Stephen Rich
Building a brewery and brewing beer are closely related on many levels. When you sit down to consider a recipe for a new craft beer, the brewer will contemplate a myriad of factors: flavours, intensity, bitterness, colour, ingredients, mashing profile, yeasts, ageing, temperatures, package...
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Our Plan to Support Ontario’s Four Children’s Hospital Foundations
As we progress through many exciting happenings at Cowbell Brewing Co., there’s one that holds significant importance to all of our team members, especially during the holiday season: our Greener Pastures Community Fund. We announced on December 13th that we have officially launched a long...
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Building the World's First Closed-Loop Brewery
By Grant Sparling
Do the Right Thing
This has been our unofficial mandate at Cowbell Brewing Co. since day one. Rather than a more conventional start-up routine that would mean days of discussion about mission, vision and values, we simply got to work doing the right thing. It is an organic and true commitment...
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Doc Perdue's Bobcat Beef Stew
By Dale Dolson and Rob McGregor
“Oh the weather outside is frightful, but this stew is so delightful!”
The Cowbell Food and Beverage team gets together once again to put our Cowbell brew to the creative test.
This time, Julia Child, the famous American Chef who is credited with bringing the art of French cooking to...
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The Anatomy of Doc Perdue's Bobcat West Coast Red Ale
By Stephen Rich
When the craft beer revolution broke out in the US, the loudest and most progressive beers were being brewed along America's West Coast. American Pale Ales brimming with big citrus zest and piney aromas showed us all a new light in in the world of beer — and we've held on tight. Now along...
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Cowbell Craft Beer Chili
The Cowbell Food and Beverage team are back in the kitchen this week with another culinary experiment. This time, the inspiration comes from the chilling weather. It's that time of year when we all look for that favourite dish that is hearty and warming to the soul. Here at Cowbell, we think...
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The Beer Colour Spectrum
By Stephen Rich
The colour of a beer is inevitably the first thing that shapes your perception of that beer. For most people, colour tends to indicate richness and seasonality. Craft brewers say that a beer’s appearance can be deceiving, and that the aroma is a far more telling and powerful indicator of the...
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A Pizza & Cowbell Craft Beer Recipe - That’s Amore!
By Dale Dolson and Rob McGregor
It’s a perfect match. What could possibly go better with pizza than an ice cold beer? Nothing sets off a spicy chorizo sausage or a sharp Huron County cheddar cheese like a smooth, gently-bitter, or fruity Cowbell craft beer. You must try this pizza recipe!
The foodies have arrived at Cowbell...
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Craft Beer that Dares to be Bold!
By Stephen Rich
This November, Blyth Cowbell Brewing Co. is excited to announce the launch of our RENEGADE SERIES! These beers have no predisposition to what anyone thinks beer should be. They shout loud, play aggressive, and live for the moment. A new, limited-production, daught-only RENEGADE beer will be...
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The secret ingredient? Just add beer!
By Dale Dolson and Rob McGregor
As former faculty at Fanshawe College and owners of Robindale's Fine Dining Ltd., Rob and I are veterans of the hospitality industry. We have over 40 years of experience and were finally enjoying retirement! When we were asked by Steven Sparling to spearhead the food and beverage service at...
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It’s All About the Experience
Although we work as a team, my primary role at Cowbell is to develop and promote our 26,000 square foot craft brewery as a beer, food and tourist destination situated on 111 acres of beautiful countryside.I’m often asked what I do at Cowbell. “What does the title, ‘Director of Country...
Designing a Brewery - A Grand Old Barn
By Grant Sparling
Century-old barns are a testament to the craftsmanship and timelessness of quality, natural materials. For the Cowbell Farm, our starting point was simple: build a state-of-the-art facility that is true to who we are and where we are. Being in Huron County, surrounded by some of the most...
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Cowbell Hops to Yakima, Washington!
By Stephen Rich
It was a beautiful, sunny morning as we drove into the town of Yakima, Washington. The town is located about 230 km southeast of Seattle and is the home of Hopsteiner, one of the largest hop growing, trading, breeding, and processing firms in the world. With over 170 years of hop farming...
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What’s a Territory Manager?
By Bobby Wagland
From being stopped in parking lots by curious strangers to giving police officers the thumbs up as they shout “More Cowbell” while passing me on the highway, being a Territory Manager for a new Ontario craft brewery is a ton of fun. Here’s an idea of what a day in my shoes looks like.
Do The Right Thing – Greener Pastures
By Dave Clarke
My friends think I have the best job in the world. Honestly, it’s hard to disagree with them. If you chat with anybody from sales in the craft brewing industry, they’ll likely mention the great people they work with and share stories about fun events they’ve enjoyed along the way. You’ll...
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Beer Terms, Defined
By Stephen Rich
Beer has been both praised and criticized for its perceived simplicity. It’s a casual drink for anyone, often second to wine on the dinner table. Beer is much more complex and respected today, as it is represented in every segment of the market by a record number of breweries and brands in...
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Ring in World Ozone Day with Cowbell Brewing Co.
By Grant Sparling
World Ozone Day is celebrated around the world annually on September 16th, marking the day in 1987 when the Montreal Protocol was signed. It has been celebrated since 1994 and is meant to spread awareness about the depletion of the ozone layer and promote activities to preserve it.
At Cowbell, we...
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The Team. The Passion. The Community.
On our journey at Cowbell, we often speak of the economic impact, the environmental sustainability, making a difference, giving back to the community, the love of Blyth and Huron County, Doing the Right Thing, and, of course, the delicious beer! But one thing that is always talked about during...
Craft Beer that Rings True
By Dave Clarke
These are heady days for the craft beer industry and, for lovers of great quality beers, things have never been so good! This is especially true in Ontario – with over 230 breweries of all shapes and sizes currently in operation (and an estimated 85 more in the planning stages), consumers...
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The Anatomy of Absent Landlord
By Stephen Rich
Country Kolsch
In Germany, a Kölsch is a relatively modern hybrid beer – meaning that it is fermented with an Ale yeast that typically does its job in warm temperatures, but is instead fermented cold as a Lager would be. The style is easy, simple, refreshing and supremely “sessionable.”...
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We Are Home
By Grant Sparling
Blyth is home.
My Grandpa moved to Blyth after serving in the army in World War II. It was 1950 and he was a young accountant with the Imperial Bank of Commerce. He arrived in the village with two black suits and five white shirts, and while in Blyth, he became attached to the community. After...
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