With the launch of its new Gaia blended sour beer this weekend, The Exchange Brewery is reaffirming its commitment to environmental causes just in time for Earth Day on April 22.
Whether purchased by the can from their bottle shop and retail space or enjoyed freshly poured at the Queen Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake location’s taproom, all proceeds from the smooth, fruity new brew are being donated to the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Foundation, the fundraising arm of the NPCA.
The NPCA protects and manages local watersheds throughout the region, including the Two-Mile and Woodend Conservation Areas and the Virgil Dam on Four Mile Creek in NOTL.
“We have been focused on environmental issues since we opened,” says The Exchange’s event manager Kathryn Doddington. “The brewing industry by nature utilizes many one-time-use materials, a lot of water too. We aim to counteract what we use and give back that way.”
Gaia began as a barrel blend created by the ladies of the Exchange Brewery for International Women’s Day. They settled on a mixture of saisons with raspberry, hibiscus, lemongrass, ginger and Niagara-grown pinot noir grapes.
“We do three or four charitable brews every year,” adds Doddington. “The women of The Exchange combined International Women’s Day with this new release in April specifically to deal with environmental impact. We landed on the NPCF based on the recommendation of our marketing manager, Sara Devinski.”
“We were so thrilled when Sara approached us about their Mother Earth brew,” says Sharon Pfeifer, NPCF’s development and investor relations officer. “It's such a fresh and thoughtful way to support local conservation.”
Doddington characterizes Gaia as light and easy to drink. The goal was to create something that has a fruity, spring feel.
They’ve accomplished that with Gaia. On first taste, it’s sweet, with berry notes front and centre as it hits the tongue. It’s at the back of the mouth when the sour notes hit, with no hint of bitterness. It’s a perfect mix of sweet and tart, an ideal beer to enjoy on the deck on a warm spring or summer day.
As with previous charity beers, the launch of Gaia also ties in with the anniversary, the eighth, of the opening of The Exchange Brewery this month. Doddington adds that every Women’s Day brew they do at The Exchange is given the name of a goddess.
“Gaia ties in with Mother Nature,” she explains. “On the label, we wanted to show what it means to be a Mom, to tie together Earth Day and International Women’s Day. We settled on a mother fox with a baby, animals that are indigenous to the Niagara region.”
“We thank The Exchange, for helping us plant more trees, protect more land, educate more kids and enhance access to natural spaces for people of all abilities,” adds Pfeifer. “A healthy Niagara watershed is key to our well-being and a thriving economy. We hope others might be inspired to honour nature as The Exchange has, for Earth Day or any day.”
