HALIBURTON, ON – The connections between craft beer and local food are often celebrated, and that connection will be especially strong for a new brewery that will soon be opening as part of a complex dedicated to promoting local and sustainable food in Haliburton County.
Haliburton Highlands Brewing is being founded by Michael and Jewelle Schiedel-Webb – he a Siebel-trained brewmaster, and she a management and operations expert. The couple is working in partnership with Abbey Gardens, a unique community-driven initiative located on a 210 acre former gravel pit that is being converted into a “world-renowned centre for community-driven sustainable innovation,” with a focus on promoting “sustainable living, local food, and renewable energy.”
“We are excited to brew handcrafted quality beer here in the Highlands, and especially to be working together with Abbey Gardens,” says Michael Schiedel-Webb in a statement. “Abbey Gardens’ objectives and operating principles and our vision and goals for Haliburton Highlands Brewing are deeply aligned. We look forward to contributing to the robust local food network in the Highlands.”
The statement also notes that Abbey Gardens will compost spent grains that result from the brewing process to augment the production of soil for the gardens, and the brewing facility will incorporate a closed-loop system to recycle the cooling water used in the production process to significantly reduce the amount of waste water produced.
Haliburton Highlands Brewing hopes to be up and running by this summer, pending licensing and approvals. Progress can be followed on the brewery’s Facebook page and Twitter feed.