LCBO Food and Drink Autumn 2016

TRENDS  LOCAL AUTHORITY

STEVE INNOCENTE INNOCENTE BREWING COMPANY Waterloo, Ont., innocente.ca

then requests from local craft brew­ ers to share his expertise in yeast management, with one such con- sultation resulting in an offer to brew one of his beers under con- tract at a local craft operation. And so the scientist began his transfor- mation to professional brewer.    Returning to his native Canada, Steve set up Innocente Brewing in Waterloo in 2014, establishing it as a truly family affair with his par- ents, wife and brother all involved. He still produces that first award- winning brew, which has morphed into his flagship Bystander Pale Ale, and he takes great pride as well in his northern German style pilsner, Pils-Sinner, and Charcoal Porter, originally produced as a seasonal release but now brewed year-round. Together, the trio pro- vide ample evidence of the brew- er’s stated fondness for “really well-made, simple beer.”

You might think that having done a postdoctoral fellowship in the study of brewing yeasts would give Steve Innocente a bit of an advan- tage over his fellow Ontario craft brewers. But according to him, about all it afforded him was the confidence to be unintimidated by yeasts and other micro-organisms.    That he took said fellowship at the University of Edinburgh, on the other hand, is a large part of the reason he is a brewery owner today.    The father of one when he and his wife first landed in Scotland, Steve before long had a family of six, which the PhD brewer says rather severely curtailed his ability to visit the local pubs. Instead, he took to homebrewing, rapidly rais- ing his skill set to the point that he won Best in Show at a local pro-am brewing competition. Subsequent competition victories followed, and

While based in Edinburgh, Steve Innocente indulged his interest in brewing by travelling through Europe as much as possible.

Innocente Charcoal Porter  LCBO 443416, 500 mL, $4.35 This deep mahogany ale might appear intimidating, but is in actual fact quite approachable. It has a gently roasty aroma of coffee and dark chocolate with a hint of blueberry, and a creamy mouth feel that carries notes of dark fruit and mocha, finishing off-dry and slightly bit- ter. A delicious complement to braised red meats or the Sunday pot roast.

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