KEARNEY — You can now toast to Kearney’s 100th anniversary with a special centennial-inspired tipple.
As part of the town’s year-long centennial celebrations, special commemorative wine and beer are now available around the area.
“We’ve sold lots already,” said Laurie Miller, an employee at the LCBO in Kearney and one of the people who spearheaded the project.
Already available at the store are two wines, one red and one white. Each bottle is fastened with a specially-created Kearney label, depicting a graphic of the Kearney House.
The hotel, once a bustling business in the ‘Biggest Little Town’, actually sat on the site of the present-day LCBO, Miller explained. The hotel burned down and was replaced by a garage, which eventually became the site for the liquor store.
The labels also feature text acknowledging the town’s anniversary, as well as the town logo.
The white wine is a chardonnay and is described as dry, with tropical fruit notes, subtle oak and a crisp finish. The red, a merlot, is dry, smooth and medium-bodied, with black currant tones and a soft oak.
Both wines are from Sawmill Creek.
The company has a program that allows custom labels to be attached to their products for special occasions.
Miller said she was familiar with Sawmill Creek’s program, and approached a representative from the company, as well as Mayor Jeff Johnston, who were happy to partake in the program.
Miller’s daughter, a graphic artist, designed the labels.
Sawmill Creeks paid for the label.
“It was their way of supporting it,” Miller said.
The wine is available through the Kearney LCBO. The chardonnay is $8.75 and the merlot is $9.45 for a 750 ml bottle.
The centennial-themed beer also features a custom label.
The beer is provided by Heritage Brewing, an eastern Ontario-based micro-brewery.
The beer is normally marketed as Heritage Premium Lager, described by the brewery as having a “full nose, velvety mouth feel and a pleasant hop finish. This is our own Canadian interpretation of the pale lager style.”
The beer was introduced at the Kearney Dog Sled Races, held early in February, to great success.
The Kearney-themed beer won’t be available in the LCBO until May, Miller said.
It will be available at the Kearney outlet as well as others in the area, she explained. “Burk’s Falls, Huntsville, Sundridge and South River all said they’d take some six-packs.”
Miller said they plan on having lots of the themed beer and wines available throughout the centennial year.
The drinks have been getting lots of buzz around town already.
“Kearney’s so supportive of everything,” Miller said.
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