Contact: Rod Jerred Phone: 905-845-3824 (ext. 5559) Fax: 905-337-5567 e-mail: rjerred@haltonsearch.com W ED N ESD A Y . .It'tV JA. 12<XU · IM ^ r 1)4 BUSINESS Cameron's beer is golden Local brewer earns accolades at Canadian Brewing Awards By Craig MacBride SPECIAL TO THK H E A V E H Owning and operating a suc cessful and growing small brew ery is reason enough to cele brate. and winning two awards at the inaugural Canadian Brewing Awards gives all the more reason to throw a party. But you won't find Cameron's Brewing owner and brew master Cameron Howe drinking away his profits any time soon: there is still work to be done. " I was pleasantly surprised." he said of the awards. "W e're not looking for an overnight suc cess; we don't really believe in it." Instead. Howe's looking to stick to the plan he's kept since leaving his job as an engineering consultant to start up his own brewery: hard work and patience. Starting as a home brewing hobbyist with a chemical engi neering degree. Howe spent 18 months developing the Cameron's Brewing business plan before purchasing any equipment or securing any loans. "W e're pacing ourselves carefully," he said as he walked through his small brewery, past several vats that process the beer. "W e want to keep captur ing the market." Winning awards makes that easier, giving the brewery expo sure and adding strength to its brand. Organized by Wine Access Magazine to complement the Canadian Wine Awards, which have been going on for three years, the Canadian Brewing Awards gives small breweries the opportunity to compete Peter C. McCusker · Oakville Heaver Cameron Howe, owner of Cameron's Brewing, holds up a glass of his Auburn Ale. which was recently awarded a gold medal at the Canadian Brew ing Awards. against the big breweries, such as Molson and Labatt. In total, there were 37 brew eries involved in the competi tion, all trying to impress the four judges in the blind test that rated flavour and appearance. One judge was from Wine Access magazine, one from Coffije and Beverage Magazine, and two were certified beer judges. " It's an opportunity for [the winners| to add some clout to their marketing," said Daryl Angier, Administrator for the Canadian Brewing Awards. "The wine industry is doing it all the time, and with the objec tive judging it really helps them make a name for themselves." Making a name for itself is important for Cameron's Brewing. Since brewing its first beer in 1997 in Etobicoke, Howe's com pany has grown steadily, getting into bars in Toronto and Ottawa, as well as over 300 beer stores. He now employs, including himself and his mother in pro duction. eight full-time staff, plus part-time and seasonal workers for the busy season. Having moved the brewery to east Oakville, just north of the Q EW . last summer. Howe is hoping to soon make headway in Oakville bars, and in LC BO stores. Gathering awards should help. "It's always good to win awards." Howe said of the two gold medals - one for his auburn ale and the other for his lager - his brewery won. "It helps distinguish you from the plethora of other beers available out there. The beers you're competing against are really good. Thev're a lot of the beers I like." Beating out those beers is a testament to the planning and moderated climb to success that Howe is going for. His confidence is also impressive, as he's already plan- FRUSTRATED? D o You Enjoy E arning 2 .5 % O n Your Deposits W h ile Your M o n e y Is Loaned O u t A t H ig h e r Rates? CareVest 'CapitalInc www.carevest.com Why Not Change Positions And Earn 10% or More? Call 905-848-7700 Toll Free 1-866-718-5193 E-m a il direct@carevest.cnm 54 V illage C entre Place M ississauga. O N 1.4X IV 9 M ississauga · C algary · Edm onton · Lethbridge · V a n co u v e r« Victoria local sport s c o v e r a g e Miracle maker. and busi ness m a t t e r s On July 24, buy a sundae and help kids be kids. All proceeds go to the Childrens Miracle Network. C h ildren's M ira clc m Network* (f) DO / s o m e t h in g DIFFERENT u M t Day MIwcl* See you on Thursday, July 24th at D airy Queen (Hays Blvd.) and from 6:30-8:30 p.m. special guests will include 2 of the T o ro n to A rg o n a u ts best linemen & chat with L in d a L e a th e rd a le and her own " Miracle Family" from the Toronto Sun about her own personal experiences. A rg o 's w ill £n/y at _L u p p e r m id d le rd . b e sig n in g a u to e ra o h s ! Oak Park Plaza ,,,ar,L m (near W alm art) 905-257-4441