At Focal Brewing in Hastings, Ont., the goal is simple: brew good beer and support the community. “Our name, Focal, is sort of a play on the phrase, ‘Focus on Local’” says Matt Filion, who co-owns the brewery with his cousin, Brandon Bickle. “It’s just a mentality that we’ve set upon ourselves.” Since opening in March of 2022, the brewery has either hired or collaborated with a total of 44 local businesses in Northumberland County, from electricians to grain farmers and everything in between. One especially sweet partnership with Dooher’s Bakery, based in Campbellford, Ont., resulted in a tasty turnout: a pastry stout made with the bakery’s very own donuts. Another collaboration with Warkworth, Ont., coffee shop K Okay Café and Roasters lead to the creation of Focal’s own custom blend of freshly roasted coffee, which they use for their Night Owl Coffee Porter. Focal also brews two house beers for McGillicafey’s Pub and Eatery, which is a five-minute drive up the road from the brewery.
The brewery’s commitment to supporting local spans province-wide too. Their Welcome to Ontario Pale Ale is made with 100 per cent Ontario ingredients, including malt from Barn Owl Malt in Belleville, Ont., and yeast from Escarpment Laboratories in Guelph, Ont.
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This year, the brewery celebrated its second birthday. Despite being relatively new to the Hastings area, Focal has quickly cemented itself as a pillar of the community. So much so that customers encouraged Matt and Brandon to expand beyond just a retail and bottle shop. Now, it’s a full-blown tap room with rotating food vendors, trivia nights, live music, and the brewery’s take on Oktoberfest: Fokal Fest. The third annual event took place this past September, and is yet another way Matt and Brandon are trying to boost community spirit: “We’re always thinking of ways to continue interacting with the locals.”
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