Craft Heads Brewing Company
89 University Ave W Windsor, ON
(226) 246-3925
As I took my first 7 steps descending down the stairs into Craft Heads Brewing Company, I had so many things running through my mind, but by the time I left I was utterly speechless. Whoever coined the phrase "bigger is better" had clearly never set foot in Craft Heads Brewing Company because here, small is beautiful.
When it comes to craft beer, brewing on a tiny system can yield some huge advantages. In an industry where space is tight, equipment is pricey, and being "local" is a major selling point, these guys have an ideal set up. As I picked my chin up off the floor in awe after seeing they had 30 taps of their own creations, Bryan, co-owner, promptly took us to the 400 sq ft brewery room (roughly the size of a 1 car garage) stopped and said proudly, “This is the operation.” I stood staring at their 1/2 barrel homebrew system (they brew a keg worth of beer each brew) and 6- 3 barrel unitanks and 2- 2 barrel unitanks. The brewer is back there brewing 6 days a week and 4 batches a day to keep their taps stocked.
To these brewers, small batch means they can be adventurous with their brews, brew with more variety more often, and, of course, ensure the beer is as fresh as can be. The beer is good, really good, and it comes in many styles; from hopped-up IPAs and imperial blondes, to fruit themed beers and witbiers, they are talented game-changers who have proved that the best things in life can come in little packages, or at least be brewed in them.
As we returned to our long table and grabbed a seat next to our colourful flights of beer, we started to chat…
Bryan & Steve were handed the keys to this basement beauty in 2014 and opened the doors in 2015. They were inspired to brew all the different styles of beer that you wouldn’t usually find in Windsor, perhaps taking some inspiration from their innovative northern neighbours in Michigan. They wanted to create a welcoming space where people could hang out and enjoy a beer or a coffee from their Coffee Bar, and that is exactly what they have achieved, it feels so warm and welcoming from the moment you step inside.
Bryan is also a man of many interests, along with beer he has an obvious love for adventure & travel. He was quick to ask me one of my favourite questions to ask others, “What is one of the most memorable beer experiences you’ve had?” I spoke about an experience I had waiting in line for 2 hours for a case of Heady Topper early one morning in Vermont and one of dancing on a bar in China (a story i’m happy to share any time), then it was his turn to answer the question. He told me a story of an adventure he had in home brewing with some new friends in Brazil. As we exchanged stories of travel & life we sipped our way through our flights of beer. The standouts for me that night were the “Blues” berry Blonde, Turbulant Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter, and the Salted Caramel & Feather Hat Guy-PA - it is named after a local man with a majestic feather in his hat who actually happened to be sat next to us that night. To be honest, I tasted all 8 beers and I haven’t got a single bad words to share, I was seriously impressed and became a fan girl almost instantly. If visiting I would suggest trying something you have never heard of because no-one knows when they will brew it again, and there is more than enough variety in their selection that you are sure to find a handful that interest you.
Their impressive portfolio of small batch beers are available to view on their website “live menu”, so you can tease yourself with what you may be missing if you don’t hurry over.
While you may have to travel all the way to the source to sample their suds, they are now selling their well crafted creations in bottles that can be enjoyed at home or shared with friends. There is also glassware and clothing in the retail section.
Nestled in the taproom you will also find Craft Heads Coffee Bar, it’s the perfect place to start your morning after a late night of drinking their brews. They open at 10am to accommodate the morning coffee loving crowd, with beans freshly ground for every cup served. From the community vibe, language class nights, fun events, catered pizza, and delicious beer, I can’t wait to walk down those stairs over and over again...
Website: http://www.craftheads.ca/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/craftheadsbrew
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/craftheadsbrew/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CraftHeadsBrew
Hours:
M-Th 10a–1a
Fr 10a–2a
Sa 11a–2a
Su 12p–10p