Kensington Brewing Company turns to crowdfunding for help with its new storefront and bar

Following the example of restaurants like Glory Hole Doughnuts and The Real Jerk, Kensington Brewing Company is asking Toronto beer lovers to help fund the construction of its new Augusta Avenue bar and retail shop. Instead of using Indiegogo or Kickstarter, however, Kensington has adopted a model they call “Community Supported Beer.” The allusion to Community Supported Agriculture is more than just lip service, since each level of support—ranging from Keg Washer at $50 to Brew Master at $1,200—actually involves the advance purchase of beer (the lower tiers even receive gift cards worth more than the contribution). Kensington owner Brock Shepherd told The Grid that he needs $500,000 to open his new brewery, and that he’s hoping $50,000–$100,000 of that will come from the CSB—which means he’ll probably need to entice at least a couple hundred people to sign up. [Kensington Brewing Company]