Walk down the craft beer section of your local liquor store, and you’ll be met by a wall of beautiful designs and bright colours. But if you spot a Shillow beer, something might catch your eye: the certified logo of the Kosher Council of Canada. Being kosher-certified is an extra expense, but it was a necessary one for Ben and Jamie Shillow, the modern Orthodox couple behind Shillow Beer.
This summer, they opened their first retail store on Cyrville Road in Ottawa, in a new brewery built during the pandemic. It’s not open on Shabbat, of course, but their product is sold in LCBOs across Ontario, and on Shopify, and the Shillows might even deliver cases personally. Jewish organizations and communities across the province are taking notice—and placing orders.
The Shillows join today to discuss their journey, the brewing process and how the community has responded.
What we talked about:
- Learn more about Shillow Beer at shillowbeer.com
- See a full list of their kosher-certified brews at cor.ca
- Visit the One Family Fund website at onefamilyfund.ca
The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Victoria Redden is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network; find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.
