Old Fort Erie will open its gates after hours later this month for a new craft beer tasting night that pairs War of 1812 history with Niagara College beer.
Niagara Parks will stage "History on Tap" in partnership with Niagara College on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 7 to 10 p.m., according to Fort Erie Radio.
Costumed interpreters will be on hand inside the former battleground to tell stories of War of 1812 beer rations, giving visitors a taste of what soldiers of the era drank.
Beer with a back story
The centrepiece of the evening is Butler's Bitter, an ale first released in 2012 by Niagara College's teaching brewery in Niagara-on-the-Lake to mark the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. For this event only, the ale's cans will carry the original 2012 commemorative label.
Food will match the theme. Niagara Parks' culinary team will prepare a historically inspired dish to accompany each drink, including a Three Sisters stew of corn, beans and squash.
Amanda Baldinelli, Niagara College's hospitality and events manager, said in a news release that the evening gives the college's students more practical experience working with guests.
Black powder and Celtic rock
Beyond the beer and food, guests will see black-powder demonstrations and hear live music from Celtic rock band The O'Deadly's.
Tickets cost $90 and are available at niagaraparks.com. The event is restricted to guests 19 and older.
The evening is a second attempt at the format. Niagara Parks had scheduled a similar event at Old Fort Erie in August called "A Shot of History," but cancelled it just days before it was to take place.
Old Fort Erie, on the Niagara River in Fort Erie, was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the War of 1812 and is operated by Niagara Parks as a heritage attraction.
