This week, we will be releasing our second tandem distance collab since COVID started. This isn’t a new idea to me; I’ve been playing around with brewing the same beer as another brewery for a while. The first example of this being our annual Barncat collab, Pulp. We also recently did something similar with the tandem release of Ohh LaLa and Ahh OuiOui in collaboration with Counterpoint. This one had an added twist, though: it was actually three beers released, not two... if you were brave enough to try some home blending. Honestly, I just think this is fun shit to do as a brewer.
Our fresh release this Wednesday is FoamSlayer Pale Ale, a tandem beer release with Dominion City in Ottawa. Dominion is a brewery worth paying attention to in Ontario Craft Beer, taking leadership in showing a positive and open-minded path through a rapidly changing beer scene. The name of and the reason for the collab came out of a surprise beer order that Kat did for me. My surprise Dominion beer came with a sweet shirt that said Stay Home. Slay Foam. Immediately, my brain shouted FoamSlayer! So, I emailed head brewer Scott and pitched my tandem beer release idea… called FoamSlayer. This time, the beers should be fairly close to each other. For once, I’m not gonna do what everyone thinks I am gonna do and flip out!
The malt bill was simple Canadian 2R, Spelt and Chit Malt. Hops used (majority in Dry Hop) were Motueka and Lemondrop. If you are not familiar with Motueka, it is a New Zealand hop variety that came out of Belgian Saaz. Known to be lightly citrusy, it is a dual purpose hop that can obviously be used in IPAs and Pale Ales, but is often used in Saisons and Wit style beers as well. I thought, with the name being FoamSlayer, that this needed to be a hoppy but crushable beer. Motueka is much softer and less punchy than traditional American IPA hops (IMO). Lemondrop is the other hop used in this, and one that I am quite fond of. Again, not as punchy and in your face as Citra, but a softer pleasant lemon with a light herbal quality. The hope for this beer was to create a hop-forward Pale Ale that was extremely well balanced and therefore a summer crusher.
Dominion City released their version on Friday, July 31st. Get your hands on it. As I mentioned, ours is releasing this Wednesday. We didn’t quite pull off the same-day release we had planned for (sorry, Scott!). I said “let's shoot for the August long weekend for a release day” and then in my head thought it was the second weekend in August… even though it's always the first one. Anyways, needless to say, I didn’t have the labels ready in time. My bad.
You will be able to try both versions of the beer on tap at these three spots in Ontario:
KW - Arabella Park
Ottawa - Bar Lupulus
Toronto - Bierra Volo
Please be safe out there. Things have loosened up as we are all in Phase 3 and local businesses need your support now more than ever. Please visit or otherwise support bars, restaurants, and brewery patios safely. I think a healthy mentality is still Dominion’s Stay Home. Slay Foam. This is the very reason why I wrestle with a homemade canning machine every week for you. With that in mind, this Friday only, we’ll once again be doing KW Red Truck Deliveries with a $20 beer purchase. Get yourself some FoamSlayer without ever leaving the house.
Life is short.
Rob