Introducing: Beer Academy, downtown’s new brewery, education centre and tasting room for hopheads
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
After Duggan’s shuttered its downtown brewpub last year, it felt as though the wind was knocked out of the sails of the burgeoning Ontario craft beer movement (the opening of Bellwoods Brewery went some way in reversing that). Late this June, however, Beer Academy opened in the very Romanesque building that Duggan’s vacated, and their team of brewers and beer sommeliers are adamant that Ontario craft beer is here to stay. We went down to Victoria Street to take a look.
Beer Academy, run by Six Pints Specialty Beer Company (Molson’s craft beer wing), is not your typical brewpub. In fact, it’s not really a pub at all. Instead, the focus is on beer education: when people walk into the building, they enter by the tasting room, which is equipped with 10 beer taps, six of which are dedicated to Beer Academy brews. Customers can order a pint, or enjoy a flight of three six-ounce glasses (both $5.25). Each beer comes with a card that details the malts, hops, yeast, strength, bitterness and colour of the brew. “Our goal is to be as transparent as possible, because we want people to learn about beer and appreciate its complexities,” explains operations manager Aaron Bilyea. Each table is equipped with a stack of comment cards, and feedback is incorporated into the recipe for the next batch. There’s also a retail shop with 625 ml bottles ($6.50) and growlers ($16) for sale.
The back room is a spacious event space with a library of beer books, an expansive bar and a Beauty and the Beast –sized dining table perfect for large family gatherings or other big events (the Ontario Brewing Awards were held here earlier this summer). The décor leans more towards the traditional Bavarian than Duggan’s colder feel, with a few eye-catching embellishments like a bar top made of recycled beer bottles and reclaimed wood. Curious patrons are invited to take a tour of the brewery ($15), which involves a history of beer (the walls are covered with beer-related dates and facts) and a walkthrough of the beer’s three-storey journey from whole grain (second floor) to fermentation (basement) to glass (main floor). Beer Academy is also beginning to host culinary beer tours ($20), which explore the interplay between beer, food and the palate. We checked out a cheese and beer sampling led by beer sommelier Justin Lamontagne, which involved four beers, each paired with a matching cheese. When Duggan’s closed, many beer fans speculated that the space was just too big to operate as one huge bar. If that’s true, perhaps the academy has struck upon a more reliable formula.
152580 Beer Academy’s event space (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy37-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy37.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy37.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy37/ jul12beeracademy37 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152579 Recycled glass countertops (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy36-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy36.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy36.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy36/ jul12beeracademy36 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152578 Aaron Bilyea runs the show at the Beer Academy (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy35-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy35.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy35.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy35/ jul12beeracademy35 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152577 (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy34-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy34.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy34.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy34/ jul12beeracademy34 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152576 (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy33-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy33.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy33.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy33/ jul12beeracademy33 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152575 The basement, where beer is fermented (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy32-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy32.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy32.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy32/ jul12beeracademy32 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152574 The Beer Academy sells 64-ounce growlers ($16), which they fill with a counter-pressure growler filler. The bottle-recycling program has been a little compromised, however, because people like the bottles’ aesthetic so much they haven’t been returning them<br />
(Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy28-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy28.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy28.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy28/ jul12beeracademy28 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152573 Patrons can walk about with a 625 ml bottle ($6.50) or a growler ($16) (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy26-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy26.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy26.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy26/ jul12beeracademy26 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152572 The tasting room (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy25-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy25.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy25.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy25/ jul12beeracademy25 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152571 The tasting room (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy24-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy24.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy24.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy24/ jul12beeracademy24 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152570 (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy23-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy23.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy23.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy23/ jul12beeracademy23 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152569 A table filled with barley (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy22-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy22.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy22.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy22/ jul12beeracademy22 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152568 (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy21-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy21.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy21.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy21/ jul12beeracademy21 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152567 (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy20-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy20.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy20.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy20/ jul12beeracademy20 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152566 Beer bottles and cans from across the eras (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy19-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy19.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy19.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy19/ jul12beeracademy19 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152565 A large display on the history of beer (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy18-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy18.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy18.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy18/ jul12beeracademy18 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152564 The <em>Beauty and the Beast</em>–sized dining table, being used here to stamp the labels for the most recent brew (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy17-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy17.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy17.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy17/ jul12beeracademy17 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152563 A small library of beer books (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy15-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy15.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy15/ jul12beeracademy15 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152562 Beer triptych of barley, running water and hops. They wanted to include yeast, but it was too volatile (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy14-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy14.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy14/ jul12beeracademy14 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152561 Todd Fowler shows off his new toy, which infuses the beer with nitrogen as it travels through the faucet. Nitrogen is what gives Guinness its creaminess (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy13.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy13/ jul12beeracademy13 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152560 An apothecary drawer filled with bottles of the scents and tastes that one can experience while drinking a beer. Justin Lamontagne uses these to help hone beer enthusiasts’ palates. The drawers are stuffed with everything from raisins and bubble gum to coriander and cinnamon (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy12.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy12/ jul12beeracademy12 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152559 Todd Fowler, brewmaster and Justin Lamontagne, beer sommelier (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy11.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy11/ jul12beeracademy11 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152558 (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy10/ jul12beeracademy10 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152557 The cheeses we tasted were a Champfleury (paired with the kölsch); a Saint-Paulin (paired with a Creemore Springs lager); a sharp three-year old cheddar (paired with a malty IPA); and a smoked gouda (with a porter)<br />
(Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy8-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy8.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy8.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy8/ jul12beeracademy8 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152556 A flight of three beers, complete with detailed information on the malts, hops, yeast, strength, bitterness and colour of the brew ($5.25) (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy7-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy7.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy7.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy7/ jul12beeracademy7 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152555 A flight of three beers, complete with detailed information on the malts, hops, yeast, strength, bitterness and colour of the brew ($5.25) (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy6-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy6.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy6.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy6/ jul12beeracademy6 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152554 We challenged ourselves to describe the beers without using standard colour terminology. At one point, a foam cap was described as a tortilla, while the beer was described as rust-coloured (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy5-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy5.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy5.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy5/ jul12beeracademy5 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152553 Beer sommelier Justin Lamontagne (left) and brewmaster Todd Fowler (right) are serious about beer, and more than keen to share their knowledge with neophytes and home brewers alike<br />
(Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy2-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy2.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy2.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy2/ jul12beeracademy2 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152552 First off in our culinary beer tour, we’re introduced to the difference between brewing water and Toronto City water. Note the particulates in the glass on the right, while the brewing water has had all the impurities filtered out. We also learn that if you play with the hardness and softness of the water, it will affect the beer. (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy_intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy_intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy_intro.jpg 656 430 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy_intro/ jul12beeracademy_intro 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
152581 Beer Academy took over from the space that used to house Duggan’s (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Beer Academy Introducing: Beer Academy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy38a-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy38a.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12BeerAcademy38a.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-beer-academy/slide/jul12beeracademy38a/ jul12beeracademy38a 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
The Beer Academy, 75 Victoria St., beeracademy.ca, @beeracademyTO
A 625 ml bottle for $6.25 ???! The beer had better be good.
Considering you can get 946 ml of Mad Tom for $5.90.
Glad that the space has been kept as a brewery, good luck.
Will check it out after work tomorrow.
I bet they don’t do lectures on the illegal stuff the province and large brewers get away with every day. Like this location. Yay America!
This is a wolf in sheeps clothing – I would have liked to have seen a real micro-brew pub in this location, not labatt’s posing as a company that gives a crap about good beer.