The Ottawa craft beer scene is a pretty tight-knit community, and it’s growing quickly. As a result, you’ve probably heard of Dominion City Brewing Co. But would you believe they’ve only been around for a year? I didn’t. When head brewer Josh McJannett told me that August was their one-year anniversary, I almost didn’t believe it.
This just goes to show how well the company has built their brand over a short period of time. It seems like any restaurant in the city serving local beer carries Dominion City, and it’s certainly a name you hear often.
Like most breweries, Dominion City started from a love of brewing. McJannett began home brewing during his spare time. When many of his friends started visiting him on Sunday to try the weekly brew, he thought it might be time to turn this into a business. He got together with two other business partners and started Dominion City.
As the business began to grow, and more customers began stopping by to try the latest brew, McJannett and his team wanted to give customers a unique tasting experience. They turned to Kickstarter, and raised the funds to build the bottleshop and tasting bar. This project proved well worth it. The tasting bar is absolutely beautiful!
The room is lined with unique wood paneling from an old barn. And the bar itself is made from wood found at the bottom of the Ottawa river! That’s right. Ottawa’s rich logging history gives this city many unique traits. One of which is the fact that water-logged wood lines the bottom of the river. Dominion City made this history a part of its infrastructure, and it is stunning!
Dominion City strives to be a contributing member of the community. Staff spend countless hours giving back to the neighbourhood in which the brewery is located: Beacon Hill. They even named one of their soon-to-be-released brews after the neighbourhood, which you can try at their 1 Year Anniversary party on August 15.
Supporting local is a priority for McJannett and his brewing team. They brew their beer with 70% Ontario hops, and maintain close relationships with the farmers who grow their ingredients. Ontario-grown hops are pretty hard to come by, so making this a priority is a serious commitment from a business perspective.
Speaking with Josh and getting to know the team, it was hard not to see the passion they all feel for brewing great beer with local ingredients. This kind of passion makes buying their beer very easy. The fact that it’s delicious also doesn’t hurt.
For those of you looking for the good stuff (beer), here’s a quick look of the mainstays on Dominion City’s menu:
- Town & Country Blonde Ale; citrusy, rustic and bright
- Two Flags IPA; hoppy, burnt sugar and tropical fruit
- Earl Grey Marmalade Saison; tangy, floral and tart
They also have a number of speciality brews that rotate on tap, if you’re in the mood for a little something different.
So, if you’re looking to support a local business, using local ingredients and giving back to their own community, stop by Dominion City Brewing Co. for a tasting. Better yet, check out their 1 Year Anniversary party on August 15. If it’s anything like their Dominion Day, it will be a huge success!
Crafted in the Capital 