RENFREW COUNTY (Pembroke) — The Tap and Cork Route, a new tourism initiative highlighting craft alcohol locations in the Ottawa Valley and Pontiac Regions was recently announced at the Ottawa Valley Craft Beer and Spirits Festival in Pembroke.
A collaborative effort between the SADC Pontiac, Ottawa Valley Tourist Association and MRC Pontiac, the self-guided tour showcases the region’s best craft breweries, wineries, cideries and distilleries along both sides of the Ottawa River.
Visitors exploring the route will be able to sip and savour the region’s best craft beers, wines, ciders and spirits, while meeting the creators and witnessing the passion for their craft first hand. From brewery tours to grape harvesting to learning how to press cider, each location offers its own unique experience.
More than a dozen locations are on the Tap and Cork Route that stretches from Pakenham and Quyon in the East to Petawawa and Allumettes Island in the West, including eight craft breweries, two wineries, two cideries and a distillery.
“The idea of developing an interprovincial tourism route came naturally,” says Brittany Morin, Business Advisor with the SADC Pontiac. “When I approached the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association and MRC Pontiac about working on the project together, they were immediately on board and enthusiastic. The end result is great and we hope it inspires further collaboration between businesses in both regions.”
“We have an incredible collection of craft alcohol creators in the Ottawa Valley and Pontiac Regions,” says Melissa Marquardt, Tourism Development Officer with the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association. “Working with our tourism partners in the Pontiac is a natural fit. With two bridges and a seasonal ferry crossing over the Ottawa River, visitors exploring the route can easily hop from location to location while taking in the scenic countryside.”
“Creating this route is like having your neighbour over for a drink,” says Chantal Lair, Tourism Officer with the MRC Pontiac. “The Pontiac and the Ottawa Valley have always been great neighbours. We share history, culture and now a new tourism route.”
