Toronto Beer Week Guide 2013: nine days, 55 bars and enough local brews to get you good and buzzed
The fourth annual Toronto Beer Week brings together more than 30 local breweries for nine days of enthusiastic citywide pint appreciation. Over 50 events, including multiple tap takeovers, food and beer pairings, and a night devoted to experimental homebrews, turn the city into a beer geek’s dream. Here, our top six picks.
We Live for the Funk at Bar Volo
Bar Volo’s annual celebration of funky music and sour beer has a special twist this year: a single keg of Zwanze 2013, a one-off sour beer imported from the famed Cantillon brewery in Brussels (Bar Volo was one of only 46 bars in the world selected to serve the highly coveted brew). Tickets for the official Zwanze tasting are sold out, but any leftovers will be poured after 7 p.m., along with samples of 30 different sour brews from Ontario and Quebec breweries like Amsterdam, Bellwoods, Indie Ale House, Hopfenstark and Les Trois Mousquetaires. Sept. 14, 7 p.m., Bar Volo, 587 Yonge St., guestlistapp.com
Brewer’s Backyard Septembière at the Evergreen Brick Works
The Brick Works’ backyard beer garden hosts a Québecois-themed party to celebrate the LCBO’s new lineup of French Canadian brews. Guests can sample beers from breweries like Charlevoix, Dieu du Ciel, Dunham, Hopfenstark, Les Trois Mousquetaires and Le Trou du Diable, and snack on food from Jamie Kennedy and Pascal Poilbout. Sept. 15, 12 p.m.–4 p.m., Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Ave., brewersbackyard.com
Great Lakes Brewery of the Year Party
This year’s Canadian Brewery of the Year takes over 15 taps at the recently revamped Loose Moose on Front Street. Along with samples of rare and one-off brews, there’s free appetizers and a complimentary pint glass for the first 100 guests. Sept. 16, 6 p.m.–2 a.m., Loose Moose, 146 Front St. W., 416-977-8840
Indie Ale House Homebrew Tap Takeover
Junction brewery Indie Ale House turns their taps over to 12 highly skilled homebrewers, each selected to brew a signature beer using the brewery’s pilot system. Some truly wild brews are on tap—like a carrot cake beer flavoured with nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Sept. 17, 5 p.m.–2 a.m., Indie Ale House, 2876 Dundas St. W., 416-760-9691
Eleventh Annual Golden Tap Awards at Beerbistro
Beerbistro on King West hosts this year’s gala for Ontario’s only democratic craft beer awards (tallied by public online vote), including prizes for Best Seasonal Brew, Best Brewpub, Best Brewery and more. General admission is free, but $25 buys a six-course tasting menu with sample pairings from Bellwoods, Amsterdam, Great Lakes, Indie Alehouse, Black Oak and Muskoka. Sept. 18, 5 p.m.–12 a.m., Beerbistro, 18 King St. E., goldentapawards.com
Great Lakes and Bellwoods Tap Takeover at Bar Hop
The breweries take over eight taps each at Bar Hop on King West, but the highlight is a special one-off collaboration: an American-style pale ale brewed with citrusy Galaxy and Mosaic hops and funky Brettanomyces yeast. Sept. 19, 5 p.m.–2 a.m., Bar Hop, 391 King St. W., 647-352-7476
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The fourth annual Toronto Beer Week brings together more than 30 local breweries for nine days of enthusiastic citywide pint appreciation. Over 50 events, including multiple tap takeovers, food and beer pairings, and a night devoted to experimental homebrews, turn the city into a beer geek’s dream. Here, our top six picks.
We Live for the Funk at Bar Volo
Bar Volo’s annual celebration of funky music and sour beer has a special twist this year: a single keg of Zwanze 2013, a one-off sour beer imported from the famed Cantillon brewery in Brussels (Bar Volo was one of only 46 bars in the world selected to serve the highly coveted brew). Tickets for the official Zwanze tasting are sold out, but any leftovers will be poured after 7 p.m., along with samples of 30 different sour brews from Ontario and Quebec breweries like Amsterdam, Bellwoods, Indie Ale House, Hopfenstark and Les Trois Mousquetaires. Sept. 14, 7 p.m., Bar Volo, 587 Yonge St., guestlistapp.com
Brewer’s Backyard Septembière at the Evergreen Brick Works
The Brick Works’ backyard beer garden hosts a Québecois-themed party to celebrate the LCBO’s new lineup of French Canadian brews. Guests can sample beers from breweries like Charlevoix, Dieu du Ciel, Dunham, Hopfenstark, Les Trois Mousquetaires and Le Trou du Diable, and snack on food from Jamie Kennedy and Pascal Poilbout. Sept. 15, 12 p.m.–4 p.m., Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Ave., brewersbackyard.com
Great Lakes Brewery of the Year Party
This year’s Canadian Brewery of the Year takes over 15 taps at the recently revamped Loose Moose on Front Street. Along with samples of rare and one-off brews, there’s free appetizers and a complimentary pint glass for the first 100 guests. Sept. 16, 6 p.m.–2 a.m., Loose Moose, 146 Front St. W., 416-977-8840
Indie Ale House Homebrew Tap Takeover
Junction brewery Indie Ale House turns their taps over to 12 highly skilled homebrewers, each selected to brew a signature beer using the brewery’s pilot system. Some truly wild brews are on tap—like a carrot cake beer flavoured with nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Sept. 17, 5 p.m.–2 a.m., Indie Ale House, 2876 Dundas St. W., 416-760-9691
Eleventh Annual Golden Tap Awards at Beerbistro
Beerbistro on King West hosts this year’s gala for Ontario’s only democratic craft beer awards (tallied by public online vote), including prizes for Best Seasonal Brew, Best Brewpub, Best Brewery and more. General admission is free, but $25 buys a six-course tasting menu with sample pairings from Bellwoods, Amsterdam, Great Lakes, Indie Alehouse, Black Oak and Muskoka. Sept. 18, 5 p.m.–12 a.m., Beerbistro, 18 King St. E., goldentapawards.com
Great Lakes and Bellwoods Tap Takeover at Bar Hop
The breweries take over eight taps each at Bar Hop on King West, but the highlight is a special one-off collaboration: an American-style pale ale brewed with citrusy Galaxy and Mosaic hops and funky Brettanomyces yeast. Sept. 19, 5 p.m.–2 a.m., Bar Hop, 391 King St. W., 647-352-7476){kind=link}
Where can I purchase some Bellwoods beers? I’m into craft beer and heard some good things!
At the brewery store – http://bellwoodsbrewery.com/bottleshop