The Questionnaire: Three indie brewers on getting their beers into convenience stores

Jason Fisher

Owner, Indie Alehouse

Dream job as a kid: “I wanted to be a hockey player. That or a detective, because I liked figuring things out.” Celebrity doppelgänger: “Brendan Fraser.” Favourite non-beer drink: “If it’s well made—red wine, scotch, bourbon—I’m good with all of it.” Lager or IPA: “IPA. It’s the foundation of the craft brew revolution.” Hangover cure: “Don’t drink too much. Have some water. Eat some bread.” Best beer pairing: “Good goes with good. Can you have barley wine with spicy chicken? Yes, you can.” Unsung Toronto brewing pioneer: “Ron Keefe, owner of Granite Brewery. He’s been around longer than anyone.” There’s something special in Lake Ontario water. Yea or nay? “Nay. The flavour of beer has nothing to do with our terroir.” Favourite Toronto bar that isn’t yours: “Let me cheat and give three. Eataly in Yorkville, Bryden’s in Bloor West Village and Bar Volo off Yonge.” How many brewpubs can Toronto handle? “I worry about the hype. Some pubs will go under, but mostly because of bad business choices or bad luck.” Say something nice about the big brewers: “They’re not the enemy. There are some great mass-produced beers out there.” The end of the Beer Store’s monopoly is… “About time.”

Mandie Murphy

Co-founder, Left Field Brewery

Dream job as a kid: “My dad says I wanted to be ‘the boss,’ so I guess I got my wish! I also wanted to be a princess.” Celebrity doppelgänger: “Growing up, Shirley Temple, because of my curly hair.” Lager or IPA: “If it’s an occasion, an IPA, since it has more flavour. If it’s a hot day, a lager.” Best beer pairing: “Ginger cookies and stout.” Unsung Toronto brewing pioneer: “Granite Brewery’s Ron Keefe. He’s been making English ales since 1991.” There’s something special in Lake Ontario water. Yea or nay? “Nay. Most brewers change the makeup of the water with minerals. This completely changes its flavour.” Favourite Toronto bar that isn’t yours: “The Wren, my local on Danforth. It’s cozy, with great comfort food and an excellent beer list.” How many brewpubs can Toronto handle? “There are about 50 in the city today. If we had a similar number per capita as other great beer cities, there’d be more than 1,000.” Say something nice about the big brewers: “Their beer tastes the same every time.” The end of the Beer Store’s monopoly is… “Good for craft beer. Our community has been stagnant.”

Troy Burtch

Senior manager, Great Lakes Brewery

Dream job as a kid: “Police officer, until I started working for a brewery.” Celebrity doppelgänger: “Former Blue Jay Roberto Osuna.” Favourite non-beer drink: “An Americano, no milk, no sugar. It makes my life less stressful.” Lager or IPA: “As I get older, I love lagers more. They’re good in all situations.” Hangover cure: “Lots of coconut water and a good pillow.” Best beer pairing: “An American-style IPA and a fresh piece of carrot cake with cream cheese icing. Or a good hot dog with a nice cold lager.” Unsung Toronto brewing pioneer: “Ron Keefe. He’s one of my role models, and I’m friends with his kids.” Favourite Toronto bar that isn’t yours: “The Only Cafe on Danforth. It’s like drinking in a garage—in the best way!” How many brewpubs can Toronto handle? “Ontario is one of the least represented regions in terms of breweries per capita. We can handle way more.” Beer in convenience stores is a good thing. Agree or disagree? “I’m glad there are going to be more options to find our products. This could be the biggest shift in beer since the end of Prohibition.” Say something nice about the big brewers: “They enjoy drinking craft beer as much as our customers do.”