Free Issue! Try Saltscapes Magazine before you buy. Download Now

Crooked Feeder Brewing is based in Newfoundland farm country

You know what they say about the best-laid plans. In 2017, home brewers and friends Robert Sutton, Corey Wright, and Ray Brake put together a plan to open a small craft brewery in Newfoundland. This was going to be a hands-on project with Rob doing the building, Corey acting as brew master and Ray looking after the business end of things. The build was expected to be completed and the doors to open on the 23rd of November 2018.

The opening did happen, albeit a bit late—in July of 2019, Crooked Feeder Brewing Company was officially opened to visitors. “Crooked Feeder” is the name of a local stream system; the guys were looking for a name that locals could connect with and that tourists would be intrigued by.

The taproom and brewery are located in the vibrant farming community of Cormack, just a short hop off the Viking Trail, about twenty minutes from Deer Lake, and less than an hour from Corner Brook. Cormack is noteworthy as it is a newer community established after WWII, when returning soldiers happily traded tools of war for tools of farming.

Crooked Feeder is situated in a former sawmill that had been operated by Robert’s family for 25 years, and a sawblade graphic makes up part of the company’s logo. While there are any number of breweries in our region that could be called “breweries by the bay” Crooked Feeder is actually “a brewery by the hay.”

The company is also the first brewery in Newfoundland to have their brewing system fabricated right in their home province.

The brewery team pride themselves on sourcing ingredients for their brewers from the local area as much as possible; numerous local fruits and berries, as well as grains produced by a neighbouring farmer. They’re also quite forward-thinking when it comes to using their byproducts. Kettle trub (particulate matter left at the end of the brewing process) is composted to support the brewery’s experimental hop field; and since the brewery is adjacent to a cattle farm, the spent grains are donated to the farmer for livestock feed, who then provides them with products for their pub grub.

Crooked Feeder produces a wide variety of beers with a particular lean towards hoppy brews and there is something that will appeal to everyone, from the newbie to the beer aficionado. Among their lineup are pale ales, Belgian-style wheat beer, blonde ale, sours featuring those local berries, and coffee porter, just to name a few.

What goes well with brews? Pub grub, of course! There’s a great selection of foods at the brewery such as burgers, wraps and appetizers. If you’re visiting Corner Brook, you can also check out the Crooked Feeder Gastropub, where you can enjoy their full list of beers and food offerings.

The gastropub is located at 2 Harold Avenue in the Lower Millbrook Mall. Crooked Feeder Brewing Co’s brews can also be found at various restaurants across the province.

 

Other Stories You May Enjoy

The Kernel's Secret Recipe

The following article may not be suitable for all readers, as it contains fowl language. But for those who really love turkey, be "braisen" enough to read on...

Churning Desire

Summertime and ice cream go hand-in-hand. With so many ice cream machines available these days, it’s never been easier to scoop out a homemade cone of your favourite frozen dessert.

A Taste for Tomatoes

Goodbye off-season stand-ins; hello local "love apples" - and fresh ideas how to use them.