Named after the legendary Sultana Gold Mine on Lake of the Woods (show me on a map!). The mine, located on Sultana Island, prospered for over a decade and eventually flooded in 1902. The gold may not have panned out, but this clean, crisp, sessionable ale certainly did. Stake your claim to a true northern beer and bring home the gold.
SULTANA GOLD BLONDE ALE
BEER STYLE: Blonde Ale; COLOUR: Bright gold, brilliantly clear; AROMA: Bread, biscuit, mild fruit; HEAD: White, medium retention; MOUTHFEEL: Medium body, medium carbonation; TASTE: Low to medium bitterness, low to medium malt flavour with bready, grainy, light sweet flavour; VITAL STATS: ABV: 5% | IBU: 15 | SRM: 3
So how did we land on the name Sultana Gold?
The Sultana Gold Mine was a historical gold mine located on Sultana Island on Lake of the Woods, accessible by boat from Kenora. The Sultana Gold Mine was one of the region’s most famous during the late 19th-century gold rush, producing nearly 16,000 ounces of gold before closing its operations in the mid-20th century.
Lake of the Woods has a rich history, and few stories capture it quite like the Sultana Mine. Back in November 1888, Henry Bulmer staked the original claim on a 27-acre plot of land. He later sold it to a group of fifteen men who called themselves the Ontario Mining Company. Mining operations officially kicked off in the summer of 1892 when three small veins of gold were discovered in the rock.
During the 1880s and 1890s, the area experienced its golden moment, becoming one of Canada’s richest gold fields. By 1899, local mines – including the Regina, Mikado, and Sultana – were producing 55% of Ontario’s gold, with Sultana standing out as the chief mine on the Western gold fields.
The Sultana Mine, located on Sultana Island, operated from 1892 to 1906. At its peak, it employed 85 workers and featured a main shaft that plunged 545 feet deep. But by 1905, production started to decline. Disagreements among the operators and severe flooding ultimately led to the mine’s permanent closure. Today, the island is privately owned, though curious visitors occasionally stop by to catch a glimpse of its storied past.
Fast forward more than a century, and we brought the gold home… Literally. In 2014, we introduced Sultana Gold Blonde Ale, the first beer we offered in cans. EVER! It’s easy drinking yet full of flavour, light to medium bodied with bready and biscuit notes and a smooth finish. It’s a beer that’s ready to become your fridge’s favourite, a toast to both history and great taste.
