Toronto’s five best microbrews
Local microbreweries are experimenting with bold flavours, creating surprising and original beers. Here, the best pints and where to enjoy them.
Big Wheel Deluxe Amber, Amsterdam Brewery
Brewed on Bathurst, this Rubenesque Bavarian-style doppelbock (as fun to say as it is to drink) sports the vibrant orange hue of an Oompa Loompa and the yeasty aroma of Maltesers. $6.25. Watusi.
Hop Addict, County Durham Brewing Co.
This Pickering-brewed, clear, golden ale is hoppier than a bullfrog on a hot plate. The ale’s easy-drinking style is best appreciated in the late afternoon or during a heated game of euchre. Pair a pint with smoked salmon. $6.10. The Ceili Cottage.
Amber Passion, The Three Brewers
Do you know what passion tastes like? It tastes like beer, apparently. There is, indeed, a fresh maltiness and even a hint of ripe raspberry in this aromatic ale. Enjoy a pint with homemade flammenkuche (that’s sauceless pizza to you and me). $5.50. The Three Brewers.
Stratford Pilsner, Stratford Brewing Co.
The golden hue, creamy head and peppered apricot flavours of this unpasteurized beer are almost sonnet worthy. It even has enviro-cred: mash left over from the brewing process is donated as feed for local farm animals. $6. Three Speed.
Arkell Best Bitter, Wellington Brewery
This cask beer undergoes a secondary in-cask fermentation that results in a very light, naturally carbonated tipple. With a subtle sour cream flavour and an aroma that’s reminiscent of miso paste and grapefruit, the Arkell is an advanced beer for the serious imbiber. $7. The Queen and Beaver.
I don’t understand. In an article about Toronto’s best microbrews, you hat tip beers from breweries in Pickering, Guelph and Stratford but neglect to mention Great Lakes Brewery, which is actually IN the GTA and is amazing.
Tragic.
Not to mention the ignoring of Mill Street, or Duggan’s Brewery (Duggan’s #9 IPA is one of the best new beers to launch in Ontario in ages), or Black Oak, or Denison’s…
I understand that taste is relative, and one person’s favourite will be hated by others. But seriously, if you’re going to pick TORONTO’S best beer, how about sticking with TORONTO breweries? Sheesh.
A beer lover didn’t write this column – just look at all that flowery drivel that passes as copy.
TO Life standards are low and this kind of article is to be expected. For accurate, insightful beer writing, there’s ratebeer.ca and the CABA website.
Or Black Creek or Steamwhistle (I know, I know, some say a Pilsner shouldn’t be put up against ales)… A poor excuse for a pour article.
Pickering = not Toronto
Stratford = Not Toronto
Guelph = Not Toronto
But then they conveniently list a restaurant where you can get one of these beers. Must be a kickback co-op we’ll-talk-about-your-beer-and-we’ll-talk-about-your-restaurant-if-you-both-advertise-in-Toronto-Life-or-pay-us-$$$ thing disguised as a real review.
Toronto Life is such a joke.
Um, this is quite possibly the worst ” Best of Toronto” beer list I’ve ever encountered.
I recommend the author stick to something they actually know something about.
How come Toronto Life never responds to any of these comments?
No explanation of their criteria, no defense of their choices.
The magazine should change it’s name to GTA LIFE.
Yeah, a real shame Toronto microbrews are getting ignored here. Wonder if the author lives outside Toronto?
where can we find the best[local] beeer in Toronto , cause i plan to go there in early summer , & the best PUB to.
I would agree, the author made some terrible choices in picking the Best of Toronto’s beer. Mike Duggans and Mill Street should be on this list. Stratford Pils isn’t even that good. Learn to appreciate good beer, author.
By the way, RICKale, some of the best beer pubs in Toronto are C’est what and Cafe Volo.