Whitewater Brewing Co.
78 Pembroke St, Cobden & 22 Fletcher Rd, Foresters Falls
(613) 646-0101 (613) 582 7227
Whitewater Brewing Co. was founded by three rafting guides, Chris, Chris, and James, back in 2011 and after two years of homebrewing they moved to one location, expanded to a second location, and haven’t looked back since.
It all started right by the Ottawa River, at their Riverside Brewery (open year-round), where they still brew their fantastic seasonals. Their Brew Pub, at the same location, is open seasonally (generally Spring–Fall), and is the perfect stop after an adventure through the Valley.
We met that day at their new Lakeside Brewery located in the heart of Cobden next to Muskrat Lake. After years of hard work they are excited to settle into their new Lakeside location with a much larger brewing system and a food menu for year round enjoyment.
After the slight comedic confusion of which Chris we were meeting with that day, as they are both named Chris Thompson and are known to enjoy the chaos that can ensue, we were graced with the presence of both as they joined us for a pint and some conversation. There is nothing like the chilled back vibe of a raft guide to make you feel like a hyperactive adult,I believe that this laid back attitude combined with their rafting camaraderie are what keeps things running smoothly at the brewery. In two years they’ve grown from three unpaid raft guides brewing 150L a week to managing 62 employees and a 3000L system.
The names of the brews either reflect on the rafting industry or the surrounding area. With five core brands Whistling Paddler, English Style Ale, Farmer’s Daughter Blonde Ale, Class V IPA and Midnight Oatmeal Milk Stout and about 10 seasonals under their belt including Jacked Rabbit Espresso IPA and Jack Frost Wintergreen Porter their drive and creativity show no signs of slowing down. They have also co-branded a Legion Lager in partnership with The Royal Canadian Legion, 5% of sales go towards supporting Veterans programs across Canada.
As we continued to chat I sipped away on my pint of Farmer’s Daughter blonde, it is a real delight to drink. At 5%, this blonde has a light malt bill that is infused with locally farmed hops that create a light yet flavourful beer to enjoy after any adventure. I also sampled the Class V IPA, I am a huge an of this beer because it has bitter notes yet remains nicely balanced. Sometimes it can seem to be a competition between breweries as to how bitter they can make a beer, but I love the balance in this IPA and they haven’t forgotten that malt is also apart of the show.
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