Hops & Harvest Festival

It was my wife’s idea to attend something new from Conservation Halton, the Hops & Harvest Festival. I think the idea of holding a craft beer festival in Milton is a wonderful idea. The craft beer market has been moving further and further along in the past several years. Considering Milton itself has a wonderful brewery in Orange Snail. If you haven’t tried their Rattle ‘n Nemo, I highly recommend it (and so does good friend Bill Smith). It’s the beer that made me like Red Ales again. The day itself started rather cold and under a cloudy sky but no rain in sight, so we got there just as the place was opening up. We weren’t expecting big crowds as it is the first time for the festival but as the day went on more people showed up. Which is awesome because if it’s successful, a better chance of a second year.

As members, we signed up early to get the early bird special which included cute sample glasses, two drink tokens, and lift tickets. When we got there, we beelined for the lifts to get up the escarpment. And while the fall colours are just starting to show, the view from the top remains spectacular. We also learned about the massive amount of trails at Kelso and certainly will be returning, but parking at the summit. But today was not the day to get lost in the maze of trails, so after a quick walk through the woods, we headed back down.

While Heather got the food, I headed into the beer garden. For a first event Conservation Halton managed to attract several good breweries to Kelso, Orange Snail, Shawn & Ed, Good Lot, Hogtown, Spirit Tree, and Two Blokes. Though I was surprised not to see Camerons, Badlands, and Nickelbrook. But maybe next year! But one thing I am impressed with is how well organised and price the tastings were. A drink token was good for a 2oz pour and tokens were priced at a dollar a piece. So you could easily have a good taste of all the options there for a fair price. Also, I hope there’s a bit more variety in food truck options.

Indeed, a worthwhile event and I hope it got enough attention to have it come back next year! But yes it should only be a yearly event, not twice a year, that does get a little old!