Crashing in on the Cambridge brew scene

My hands shook, my head pounded and my legs wobbled, but I had a singular focus on that swanky roof top patio while I drank in the views of historic Hespeler Village.

Don't drop the phone.

I was so hungover from an epic night of brewery-hopping in Cambridge the night before that I had to take my pictures from behind the glass partition for fear that I would drop my phone if I leaned over.

Still got some great shots, but oh did my head hurt.

The occasion was the Oshawa takeover of Wave Maker Brewery in Cambridge's Preston neighbourhood, except we never made it to Wave Maker (as it was still under construction) and had to make do by drinking at five other breweries in the city, as well as a neighbourhood bar in Hespeler within walking distance of that super slick roof top patio.

Matt & Jess

It was a road trip to remember (which is good because I didn't take many notes) and a night of drinking great beer with even better friends that I won't forget.

We had started planning this trip - or at least talking about it - soon after Jessica (everyone's favourite bar manager ) - announced she was leaving Buster Rhino's and Oshawa to move to Cambridge in June.

Matt, the other half of this craft beer power couple and Durham's Brewing Mercenary, had taken a job with his pal Scott at the still under construction Wave Maker Brewery in Cambridge and he was taking Jess with him.

Hence the road trip to see them.

Five of us made the 140 kilometre trip on August 18 - Candice, Ashley, (Mayor-Elect) Adam, Brian and myself. The trip was supposed to be much bigger in scope, with enough staffers, ex-staffers and regulars from Buster's expressing interest to fill a tour bus.

But a date change and a few other complications trimmed the roster to just the five amigos, and while I am a big believer in the more the merrier - especially when it comes to beer and friends - five was fine with me.

So we all met up at lunch time on the Buster's patio, where we agreed on two vehicles (more room for the beer) and I agreed to ride shotgun for Candice, who was driving a 12-litre, 10,000 hp V-24 truck with devil horns on the front and a live dragon at the back.

We were there in seven minutes.

Candice, myself and Ashley. Beauties and the ...

Just kidding. It was a regular V-8 truck and Candice's driving skills were top-notch and the ride smooth as silk, once I got used to her lively banter - "why are you in this lane Gramps?" and "move it or lose it!" - with other drivers.

My responsibilities at the Shotgun position were nearly non-existent, as Candice had her trusty traffic app to alert us to problems, and I know I was completely comfortable with her driving style by the ride home because I slept for most of it.

That could have been because I was hungover (see the top of this blog), but whatever works, because I think we really did make the return trip in seven minutes.

Anyway, we made it to Cambridge in pretty good time for a late summer Saturday afternoon, with Barncat Artisian Ales our first stop because we had heard so many great things about them and because they closed at four.

Barncat had seven beers on tap when we arrived but with limited bottle sales, as most of their product went out the door in growlers, a trend we would discover at many of our Cambridge stops.

The gang at Rhythm & Brews

We also discovered that (almost) every brewery and bar we frequented had someone named Matt working it. At Barncat, it was owners Matt & Jeremy serving up the pints, and I went straight to the Imperial IPAs, sampling their Catland Cara Cara Orange as well as Dayz of Wayback, a west coast double. A Baby Mosaic Little IPA also made it in to a glass for me and between the five of us we managed to taste all the brews.

I left with a growler of the Cara Cara.

Matt (our Matt) was supposed to meet us at Barncat but he was running late so he caught up with us at our second stop, one of three breweries we visited on this day that opened in 2018:  Rhythm & Brews.

This place, which was just down the street from Barncat (and right across the road from a Frito-Lay potato chip factory) came highly recommended by Matt, and it was easy to see why, with its open concept design and its rock 'n roll and blues inspiration.

Live music and great beer are the hallmarks of Rhythm & Brews and we enjoyed both. One of the staffers was on stage providing the entertainment and our server, who happened to be the bar manager (and a Prudhomme Master Sommelier), provided the beer.

And yes, his name was Matt.

Lots to choose from, so we all had flights. I enjoyed NW x NE Hazy IPA, Singles Pacific Jade and Self-Titled (both American Pale Ales) and Mixtape - Apricot, one of at least a half-dozen Sours on tap.

Candice, Ashley and Adam drank the rest of the Mixtape Sours - damn near cleaned the place out, in fact - while Brian is a firm believer in the philosophy that when in a great brewery he should drink ALL THE BEERS.

He tried anyway.

I made sure to grab some NW x NE before we left to make our third stop at Jackass Brewery; yet another brand new brewery.

Co-owner Wayne was behind the bar when we arrived and it seemed he was in a partying mood. He had five beers on tap and as soon as we arrived he started dishing out flights.

Adam and I sidled up the the bar first and we quickly had a couple of samples in front of us. "I can't remember which is is #1 and which is #2, so you guys drink these and I'll just start over," he said.

My kind of bartender.

The wall at North Works. Oshawa was here!

Wayne had Sun Kiss Juicy IPA (my favourite), Honey Bee Blonde, Jack IPA, S'wheat Pineapple Heffe and Hoparillo APA and we whiled away a half-hour sampling them all.

I left with some of that delicious Sun Kiss.

North Works Brewing, veterans of the Cambridge craft beer scene - having opened more than 14 whole months ago -  was up next on our ambitious agenda. Owner-operators Mike and, um, Matt, were on hand to give us the VIP treatment.

I suppose it's possible that everyone who walked in through the doors of this nano brewery got the same stellar treatment, but I am comfortable with my delusion so I'm going with it.

Matt & Mike were engaging, we were thirsty and we even got a little tour of the place as we sampled their beers - Collision American Pale Ale was my choice - and wrote on their walls.

The Shwa was definitely here.

Most of the beer sold here comes fresher than fresh, as the boys will fill a crowler - a one-litre aluminum can - right from the tap and cap it for you on the spot.

Matt & Mike from North Works

By this time our two drivers had slowed down their consumption as we had one more stop before we could park the cars for the night: Four Fathers.

This was the first Cambridge brewery we had visited that changed the narrative from small and hands-on to big and bar-like. Because it was big. And it was a bar.

Started by four hockey dads with some deep pockets in Rockwood - 25 kilometres west - Four Fathers moved to Hespeler Village (you can see it from Matt & Jess' kick-ass roof top patio) earlier this year. So we grabbed beers and headed to the back of this cavernous room to play a few games of ping pong, because that's what drunk people do, right?

For the record, despite our rallies lasting a maximum of three seconds, I think I still won, though Matt and Ashley told me the next day they disagreed with my assessment.

In any event, we stumbled out of there at some point (me with a bunch of The Starter, an India Session Ale, in my to-go pack) and headed to a local bar a few hundred feet from the apartment called Ernie's for a nightcap.

We hoped to meet up with Jess there, as she had to work at the Tannery, a downtown Kitchener bar, until 10 or so. The Tannery was on our agenda, but you know what they say about mice and beer drinkers, so I didn't actually see Jess until the next morning.

Or, more accurately, I don't remember seeing Jessica until the next morning. She was with us when we walked from Ernie's to the apartment, but the details of this journey are somewhat sketchy in my mind.

The view from the kick-ass balcony

Ernie's is a popular craft beer restaurant in beautiful downtown Hespeler - the number of century-plus buildings preserved in this little town is astounding - and we stayed for a beer or two and a bite to eat.

I remember going for a stumble walk around the building to see where Ashley had disappeared to (she was searching for better Wi-Fi reception to video chat her boyfriend Eddie in England); which resulted in a chat with a couple of cops:

"You all right?
No worries. Thanks for asking.
"You look like you're looking for your car."
Nah. No driving tonight for this guy.

And then we all stumbled off to the apartment - Adam and Brian would later Uber to their hotel a few miles away - where some of us enjoyed a final drink up on that kick-ass patio.

Me? I was told that as soon as the apartment door opened I took a couple of steps inside and face-planted on the couch, not to be seen until the next day.

But what an awesome night.

The take-home haul

It was nearly noon before everyone assembled and we hit up Beertown, an amazing restaurant out by the highway that boasted a 30-tap selection of craft beer, for lunch and a bit of the hair of the dog.

But not before we paid a visit to that kick-ass patio and those gorgeous views of historic Hespeler - hometown of my pal Mark - and the Grand River.

I'll be back before long for another look. We'll be back.

Maybe we'll wait until Wave Maker is open first.

Cheers!