Tap Handle #790: Lake of the Woods - Forgotten Lake Blueberry Ale

July 28, 2022

Tap Handle #790: Lake of the Woods - Forgotten Lake Blueberry Ale

Tap size: 12.25"

Rarity: 10 or less seen, import, hand-made

Mounting: 3/8" ferrule on 5/16" anchor bolt

Forgotten Lake Blueberry Ale is the first tap I am profiling from Lake of the Woods (there are 2 others that will follow later). I loved this one from the moment I first saw it, with a globe-like depiction of Forgotten Lake and a Sea Plane on top of it. Below the woodland lake scene is a sculpted sign with part of the name of the beer in white letters on a red background. Down the shaft of the tap is sculpted lettering in white with the rest of the beer name, on a blue background that presumably signifies that blueberries are involved. At the base is a red colored section (separated from the shaft by a sculpted white border) with even more sculpted white lettering with the name of the brewery. Since the base has the same appearance on each side, I did reduce the number of photos taken of the base. The layout of the tap design is consistent with the design of the rest of their taps: 3 sides with lots of sculpted lettering and a feature of interest on the top. The sea plane on top of this tap very much resembles the graphics found on the Forgotten Lake can. Overall the tap is quite beautiful and I was happy to get it. It's hard to say what the value of this tap is since it doesn't appear on the secondary often, and when it does it sells for close to $200 or more. However, you can get one for a lot less directly from the brewery.

Photo of Lake of the Woods courtesy of https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/lake-of-the-woods

Lake of the Woods serves as a watery border between Canada and the United States and is the sixth largest body of freshwater in the U.S. after the five Great Lakes. It is 85 miles long and 56 miles wide at its widest point, and has an area of 1,727 miles. There are 14,522 islands in Lake of the Woods, which provide a nesting habitat for the piping plover and large numbers of American white pelicans. There are also several hundred nesting pairs of bald eagles in the area. Lake of the Woods is home to walleye, northern pike, perch, sauger, crappie, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, lake trout, lake sturgeon, whitefish, suckers, and muskellunge.

Lake of the Woods Brewing Company was founded in 2009 in Kenora, Ontario, Canada by Taras and Audrey Manzie. Taras worked at a credit union, and the couple also ran the Southview Inn in Keewatin. As Taras was driving home from work one day, he caught a news report that said the City of Kenora was listing its main fire hall, a century-old heritage building, as surplus property. A request for proposals (RFP) process would be launched to find viable suitors for its redevelopment. Taras and Audrey had recently evaluated their hectic working lives, and were exploring the possibilities of new business ideas or avenues of growth. The craft brewing industry was booming and Audrey recalled that Kenora once had its own local brewer, Lake of the Woods Brewing.

The original Lake of the Woods Brewing Company was founded in 1898 by entrepreneur Abraham Kingdon in downtown Kenora. The brewery closed during prohibition but was re-opened by Stanley Drewery in 1927. Unable to compete with the emergence of large national breweries, the brewery finally shut down for good in 1954. The Manzies were able to secure the name of the historic brewery, created a business plan, and presented it to the city. In 2010, the city accepted the Manzies proposal for redevelopment of the property. Working with a local architect and a local contractor, the old fire station was completely renovated. Everything had to be redone - wiring, plumbing, HVAC, structural repairs - while maintaining the structure's Ontario Heritage status. The fire engine bays were converted into a restaurant and tap room with the second floor a lounge and games room for private gatherings and social events.

Finally, after almost 3 years of renovations and brewery installation, the brewery and taproom opened in 2013. Due to continuing construction, the brewery equipment was still in storage, but the Manzies were able to open to a packed house, using guest brews from other breweries to serve customers. The opening was a smash hit, with a line down the street waiting to get in. From that day forward, business continued to boom. They brewed over 100 different brew styles since opening, often using local ingredients like blueberries or spruce tips. In 2019, Lake of the Woods Brewing took a big step towards expansion by opening another brewery in Warroad, Minnesota (which is on the south shore of the lake), as well as in Winnipeg, Manitoba (Manitoba also touches the west shores of the lake). Eric and Lindsay Nerland, along with Brittany Peterson, pitched a partnership to open the Warroad location and extend the Lake of the Woods brand into the U.S. The Manzies agreed to the proposal.

Like the brewery in Kenora, the Warroad brewery is located in a refurbished fire hall and situated right on the river that runs alongside Warroad’s downtown area. The building’s open floor plan, high ceilings, in-floor drains, and garage door made it an ideal location for a brewery, although a few renovations were needed, including installing an improved cement slab floor. Other changes were largely aesthetic: adorning the walls with sheets of galvanized steel and shades of gray, black, and white. New windows, created by local window manufacturer Marvin Windows and Doors, provided floor-to-ceiling views of the river. The Warroad site operates using a custom-made 15 barrel brew system. The taproom seats roughly 80 people and has a modern, industrial feel that’s tempered by an outdoorsy vibe courtesy of the wood-trim exterior, picnic tables, and a deck outfitted with red Adirondack chairs. There are even a few spaces to dock your boat or park an ATV or snowmobile right next to the brewery.

In Winnipeg, the company expanded its footprint in Manitoba as part of True North Square, which is adjacent to the MTS Centre and RBC Convention Centre in downtown Winnipeg. The beer at that location is made on-site by a dedicated nano-brewery. Also in 2019, Lake of the Woods began work on a new production brewery to increase brewing capacity, as they had outgrown their production capability and their canning line was too small. However, the pandemic derailed their plans. With no bar or restaurant occupancy for extended periods or at only reduced hours due to staffing issues, it had a major impact to the bottom line. Take-home beer sales flourished, but the hospitality side of the business completely crashed. From the pre-pandemic days of employing 150 full and part-timers during the height of summer, Lake of the Woods Brewing was forced to make its share of painful staff cuts, a move they still struggle with today on the rehiring front as the economy gradually reopens. The pandemic did force them to step back and take a harder look at how to manage growth.

Currently they’re concentrating on familiar markets in nearby Manitoba, examining the market potential of northeastern Ontario, and steering clear of crowded craft brewing markets in Ottawa and Toronto. They also make sure they are able to support the local community. Through their Charity Pints Program, a portion of beer sales is donated toward non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations, the brewery hosts fundraisers for women’s shelters in the markets they serve, and they host other supportive charitable efforts and in-kind contributions for community trails, sports teams, and with their annual tree planting day. To support regional agriculture, Lake of the Woods Brewing donates their spent grain - a minimum of 25 tons during the shoulder seasons - to farmers for livestock feed, something that was particularly appreciated by beef producers in the Rainy River district during recent drought-stricken summers.

In 2021, Lake of the Woods Brewing Company won Company of the Year, in the 51+ employee category, from the Northern Ontario Business Awards. The company is a big community supporter, contributing more than $300,000 in sponsorships and in-kind donations throughout northwestern Ontario and Manitoba. The brewery also offers events such as Tuesday Trivia Takeover, growler painting, live music, and board games. A party room called the Livewell is available to rent for private events and catering is available through local vendors. The brewery hosts food trucks onsite over the weekends and encourages patrons to order food from area restaurants.

Lake of the Woods Forgotten Lake Blueberry Ale is brewed with actual blueberries. About 45 minutes north of Kenora, you'll find a small off-the-beaten-path lake (which is the namesake for this beer), as well as patches of berries usually reserved for black bears and moose. This area at Forgotten Lake was once a secret blueberry picking spot for one of the owners. The rocky landscape is perfect for low-lying blueberry bushes, but a word of warning - where there are blueberries, there are black bears. Stay alert and remember, you don't have to outrun the bear, you just have to outrun your friends! The addition of blueberries in this strong ale adds a refreshing fruit element. The beer has a light purple amber color with a light foamy head. Aromas show clean sweet malt, tree fruit and herbal notes with a subtle blueberry background. It has a medium body, with bready malt and citrus flavors that are enhanced by a delicate blueberry sweetness on finish. Like a black bear or a moose, this beer will sneak up on you if you're not careful! Forgotten Lake is brewed with 100% real blueberries, which are added to the aging tank. If the berries were added during the boil, the beer would end up being too sweet. The beer is so good, Heartbeat Hot Sauce Company created a special addition of their Red Habanero that is loaded with real blueberries and a little Forgotten Lake Blueberry Ale.