Freeman. And finally, there is the Rockwell Pilsner, Colling- wood’s third permanent brand. As a familiar pilsner, it is by far their most approachable beer. It was intended to be their big seller, but despite all efforts, choosy Collingwood drinkers have kept it in a close second. “We wanted to get something out there that we thought might overtake Downhill. And the Pilsner is popular on tap, but the Downhill still beats it at the LCBO. It’s our lightest at 4.6% — a Czech-style Pilsner.” “We bought the building and sunk a lot of money into it before we even brewed a drop of beer.” Bearing in mind that this is a business, after all, and not just a personal brewing adventure, Freeman admits that they are wandering into the IPA world. “It has taken us a few years, and we were a little hesitant to make it because there are so many out there. Also, I wasn’t sure I would be doing anything different from the other IPAs out there. So I wanted to design something that was more in line with what I have been doing with the other beers.” He continues, “The result a nice hop aroma, but it’s not in-your- face. And admittedly, part of making this one was to balance the business side with my taste preference. IPAs tend to be craft brewers’ best sellers and I guess I have resisted for about as long as I can. So we’ll be launch-
in hops without sacrificing the body of the beer.
Freeman mentions that this drinkability was definitely by design. “Yes, we were trying to find that sweet spot where it wasn’t too light — there was a nice body going on — and the hops aren’;t dominating. They are in there with a nice hop character. So that was my real goal, to hit that right balance between all those elements and make it so you can drink a number of them in one sitting. And to this day, Downhill is our number one seller. None of the other brands have out-sold it yet.” Collingwood’s other styles available out in the retail outlets are just as approachable as the Downhill. Freeman points out that he lets his own taste buds do the thinking for him. “Honestly, in the end, we make beer that we like to drink ourselves. So when I’m designing a beer, I’m not really thinking of what’s popular in the marketplace of the moment. I’m thinking of what am I going to be able to drink a couple of personally, and then I kind of hope the market takes to it.”
Collingwood’s ESB, or Extra Special Bitter, is a well-bal- anced English-style pale ale.
“People who try it and possibly don’t expect to like it end up loving it. Out of all of our beers, it probably has the most cult-like following. People who love it really love it. But it’s not as massively popular as the Downhill,” explains
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APRIL 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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