Soo Falls Brewing Co. makes a comeback in the Canal District

Article content There’s a new brewmaster in town. Liam Cameron was stocking craft beer at a grocery store when he became interested in trying different cans, and he realized he wanted to become a brewmaster. Fast forward a few years and he is leading the operations at Soo Falls Brewing Co.

, located beside The Blockhouse Pub on Huron St. After studying biology at Algoma University, the Sault Ste. Marie local completed the year-and-a-half-long brewery program at Niagara College.



He gained a year of commercial experience at Muskoka Brewery before starting at Superior Industrial Services (SIS), the company that acquired the rights to use the name Soo Falls Brewing Co. for its new operations. The name Soo Falls originally belonged to a brewery that operated in Sault Ste.

Marie from 1899 until 1960. It left behind a legacy of quality beer and the memory of an iconic downtown smokestack, now depicted in the new Soo Falls Brewing Co. logo.

“They were known for having really, really good beer,” said Cameron. “That’s what I’ve heard, so we’d like to keep that going. Just make solid quality beers that everyone can enjoy.

” Soo Falls reopened on Aug. 17 and currently offers four beers: Light Lager, Italian Pilsner, Irish Red Ale, and a Hazy IPA. A stout is also in the works, which will round out a “core five” rotation, with seasonal beers introduced throughout the year.

“I’m really excited to make a sour because there are no sours in the Sault as of now,” said Cameron, with hopes for a spring or summer debut. Cameron’s personal favorite is the Light Lager, which is also their best-seller. The Italian Pilsner and Light Lager cans are sold for take-home at the Blockhouse Pub for $3 per can.

The other venues in the canal district, The Boiler Room and The Mill Steakhouse and Wine Bar, also stock the beers, along with GFL Gardens for Greyhound games and events, The Whiskey Barrel, Esquire Club, and Uncle Gino’s Cafe & Ristorante. Cameron says they have plans to expand throughout the community, but emphasized the importance of not scaling up before they have the capacity to deliver. Kegs for sale and rent are in the works, though bottling beer is unlikely to be pursued.

“They’re inconvenient, they break, they’re heavier and cost more to produce,” said Cameron. The ingredients for the craft beers come from a main distributor in Guelph, with sources spanning Germany, the U.S.

, and Canada. The brewery can ferment six different beers at a time. Cameron has brewed 10 batches so far, each taking about two weeks to complete.

“I think I have a very good knowledge of beer,” Cameron said, adding that the focus right now isn’t on brewing anything “super crafty.” Operations have been “smooth” so far, with a “great” response from the community. While working at Muskoka Brewery, he also dabbled with at-home brewing.

“It is tricky though — it sounds like it would be a lot easier than brewing here on commercial scale, but it’s pretty difficult to make good beer at home.” He noted, however, that with large-scale operations, one small mistake could result in “a big waste and money down the drain.” The Soo Falls set-up requires batches to be made at a minimum of 1,500 litres.

“I haven’t (made a high-cost mistake) yet, and hopefully won’t,” said Cameron. “But sometimes things happen beyond your control in brewing.” Over $500,000 worth of brewery equipment has been in the canal district for the last four years, with Outspoken operating at the site briefly before returning to Queen St.

Tony Porco, President of SIS, had been trying to fill the brewmaster role for the last two years, said Cameron. While SIS runs the business side of it, Cameron is the sole operator of the brewhouse. Another employee, he says, will be hired shortly to help him with time-consuming tasks such as bottling and cleaning.

Cameron said he has been enjoying the “open” and “inclusive” atmosphere working for Porco at SIS and the surrounding businesses. “They’re very positive with anything I want to try that’s new,” he said. “They’re very encouraging.

” With the classic selection of craft beer that Soo Falls offers, Cameron thinks they have a beer for everyone. “I know a lot of people don’t think that they would like craft beer,” he said, “but if they give it a try, they will learn that some of them are really approachable for everyone.” The Local Journalism Initiative is made possible through funding from the federal government.

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