The Wine Barrel
It is pretty hard not to immediately like Steve, Josh and Bethany Jansen, owners of both the Wine Barrel, a u-brew location, and Broers Jansen, a cozy wine pub in downtown Sault Ste. Marie. Steve and Josh are the brothers of “Broers” Jansen (Broers means brothers in Dutch) and Bethany, is married to Josh.
From the first time I met the trio at their cozy wine pub downtown, I immediately knew these were my kind of people , kind, down to earth, knowledgeable always going out of their way to make sure customers feel welcome and like family. This feature will focus on the Wine Barrel but if you haven’t visited Broers Jansen yet, I highly recommend you visit this gem as well!
I had a chance to connect with Bethany to learn a little more about what makes them unique when it comes to being a u-brew for both wine and beer. They are very proud of the fact that the wine brewed through them is as natural and organic as possible. The ingredients are grape juice, water and yeast, that’s it. Unlike the wines you get from wineries, there are no chemicals or preservatives in their “homemade” wine because unlike the wineries, they don’t have to add those things to ensure the quality.
Bethany explains that due to the lack of chemicals and preservatives added to their wines, there is a little more maintenance for your wine but nothing too onerous. For example, bottles must be stored on their side to keep the corks wet but it’s worth it as your wine matures. And the best part is, it matures notably over weeks and months, rather than years.
Anyone who follows me on my personal social media knows that I am definitely a foodie at heart, so of course, I had to ask Bethany if she has a favourite food and wine pairing from their collection of wines. Bethany pointed out how they all love wine with a variety of cheeses and meats (it’s no wonder why I like them so much). They are always trying new things which is why our readers should visit their wine pub Broers Jansen often. The pub is where they let their customers try new and exciting pairings. They change up their charcuterie boards regularly to showcase different meats and cheeses and other tasty options. In addition, you can sample some of their wines on tap before deciding on what one you might like to make.
The Wine Barrel, or the Barrel as it is affectionately known, has been a staple in downtown Sault Ste. Marie for quite a while but how the Jansens came to own it is an interesting story. Bethany’s husband Josh and his brother Steve started out making beer and cider in their cousin’s basement. They were advised to contact Dale and Miriam, the former owners of the Wine Barrel, when they wanted to step up their game. This hobby then turned into a full time thing when they bought the Wine Barrel in April of 2014. Up to that point, they never had any experience making wine, but the former owners of the Wine Barrel, Dale and Miriam, stayed on to teach them and give them tips.
Bethany then became involved when she and Josh fell in love and got together in 2016 and she started working at the Wine Barrel. Bethany loves learning about wine and enjoys making it and she explains she has never looked back. It is pretty cool that you can tell people that your job is to make wine for a living especially when you love the process as much as they do. Having experienced the process myself this past winter, it really is a breeze so not sure why you wouldn’t want to especially if you like wine, like me. It went like this — my sister and I selected a wine, I stopped in to add the yeast (which takes all of five minutes to start the batch) and they took care of the rest! They will even bottle it for you.
Depending which wine you choose, the aging process can take anywhere from five to eight weeks. Once aged, you return back to bottle, which takes around 20-25 minutes, and hopefully 15 minutes later, you are at home drinking your wine or they can bottle if for you.
So as far as personal favourites, Josh loves the Bodega port which is a dessert wine that they make. He loves all ports but says its the best he’s ever had. Most customers agree! I have had it with a touch of brandy added and I agree, it is excellent. They also serve this at Broers Jansen.
For Bethany, she can’t really narrow it down to one favourite since she loves both reds and whites and enjoys trying new wines and flavours. I’ll have to ask Steve his favourite when I am next at Broers since he is often the friendly face you will see at the Pub. It is no secret that there are wine snobs who have a preconceived notion that wine kit wine isn’t as good as the wine you buy from a winery or the liquor store. Bethany had this to say about that: “Give them a try to see for yourself.” It requires very little work on the customers part, since they do all of the work. And the savings … oh the savings. Each wine kit makes 23 litres of wine and depending on which level of wine you select, you can end up paying as little as $3.94/bottle!
Visit their website at www.wine-barrel.com to see their extensive list of starter, intermediate, mid-level, executive, senior executive and even delicious fruit wine kits with various price points attached to each level. If wine isn’t your thing they also offer beer options. They can get a variety of beer kits for home brewers and they are just on the verge of starting to carry grains, hops, and all of the ingredients for home brewers to make their own craft brews. Are you getting married? Check out the affordable options on their website as well. Let them take this task off your list!
So what’s coming up at The Wine Barrel? Wine Barrel membership, new beer options, more wine making options, a revamped in-store shopping experience for home brewers and winemakers, and a new promo that allows you to buy by the bottle without having to purchase the whole batch.
Speaking from personal experience, there is no reason to not give the Wine Barrel a try, my first wine was a lovely Cabernet and with summer coming, I plan to make a nice batch of white next. The process is easy, so cost effective, and they personally guarantee you will like your wine or they will refund you. For questions, call the Wine Barrel at 705-256-8788, or send them an e-mail at [email protected]. Currently, appointments are required for u-brew services so call or e-mail in advance and they will get back to you as soon as they can!
The Wine Barrel, where miracles are performed every day!