Toronto Beer Week is proud to partner with the Amsterdam Brewing Company to offer a spectacular prize to the winner of the Toronto Beer Week Homebrew Contest 2010. Not only will the winner experience the pride of being the top dog, but they’ll also experience making their beer on a larger scale under the supervision of Amsterdam’s brewmaster, Jamie Mistry, at the brewhouse. Amsterdam will then release the beer from their brewery store, with a portion of proceeds being donated to a charity of the winner’s choice.

Amsterdam have a great history of supporting homebrewers – they’ve hosted a teach a friend to homebrew day and they also won a Golden Tap award in 2009 for the doppelbock they produced in collaboration with local homebrewer and Bar Toweller, Derek Hyde. We’re excited to have them onboard and supporting the local scene. We’re also excited about drinking the winning beer once its released!

In addition to the grand prize, there will also be extra prizes for the second and third placed brewers, as well as the style category winners. The second placed entrant will experience being a brewer for the day at the Granite Brewery in Toronto, where brewmaster Ron Keefe will show you how he makes his fantastic range of ales. Individual category winners will receive a homebrewing prize pack courtesy of our sponsors, Hops Direct and Canadian Homebrew Supplies. The third placed entrant will also receive a subscription to Taps: Canada’s Beer Magazine.

The deadline for submissions is September 15th and full rules and entry form can be found by clicking here.

HMH Negotiants are happy to release the private order for Grande Cuvée Porter Baltique 2010 from Les Trois Mousquetaires Microbrasseurs of Brossard, Quebec.

This extra strong black lager has an aroma of chocolate and alcohol. Luxuriously round, its flavors span from those of mochaccino, to nuts and toffee with a hunt of cherry wood smoked malt. A mild bitterness wraps up every sip. Les Trois Mousquetaires Porter Baltique recently received the award for best Baltic Porter at the World Beer Awards 2010 and is rated amongst one of the top beers in the country!

This private order is open to all residents of Ontario and will be closing Monday, September 6th 2010.

Grande Cuvée Porter Baltique  2010
Baltic Porter (10.0%) 12x 750mL – Extra Strong Beer – $95.00 per case.

Ratebeer Rating – ratebeer.com/beer…
BeerAdvocate Rating – beeradvocate.com/…

If you are interested in placing an order, please e-mail sales@hmhnegotiants.com the following information; your name, address, phone number, e-mail address and the number of cases you would like to order. Cheers!

Toronto Beer Week is starting to look a lot more exciting now that events have begun to be posted on the website. As of right now here are a few events that beer drinkers can look forward to.

The Monk’s Table has a full slate for the week, with pairing dinners, a beer cocktail evening, and a drinking session with Bar Towel head honcho Cass where he’ll be enlightening attendees on beer and advertising. Bar Volo continues to promote exciting events, with notable entries including the launch of their very own beers and a visit from acclaimed Quebec brewery Trois Mousquetaires. Expect the following beers at the 3M launch night: Noire, S.S Sticke Alt, S.S Rauchbier, S.S Maibock, S.S Oktoberfest, G.C Doppelbock 2009, G.C Imperial Weizen 2009, G.C Baltic Porter 2009 and G.C Weizenbock 2010. Cloak and Dagger are having a Sausagefest, and I’ll resist the urge to crack a joke. C’est What will be hosting its annual fall beer festival on the Friday and Saturday and Ronnie’s Local will hold an Oktoberfest to coincide with Kensington’s pedestrian Sundays.

Look for new events at the TBW website or get the latest updates on facebook and twitter.

The Collectors of Canadian Brewery Advertising (CCBA), Canada’s national organization for collectors of brewery memorabilia, have selected Barley Days May Bock as winner of their 2009 Label of the Year award.

The announcement was made earlier this month during the 31st annual CCBA convention in Kitchener, Ontario. The award has been presented annually since 1983, and recognizes achievement in beer label design.

May Bock was launched by Barley Days Brewery of Picton as a seasonal beer in the spring of 2009. The striking label incorporates the detail of an oil painting by renowned artist Manly MacDonald (1889-1971). MacDonald grew up on a farm east of Belleville, Ontario, and gained fame for his many paintings of Prince Edward County scenes.

Out now from Greystone Books is Brew North: How Canadians Made Beer and Beer Made Canada, an illustrated look at Canada’s brewing history by Ian Coutts.

The following description of the book has been provided by the publisher:

Brew North tells the delightful story of our national beverage, from New France and the British conquest, through Prohibition and the beer parlour era, and right up to the rise of the microbreweries. Lively and informative, Brew North puts beer lovers front and centre. Whether they are cowboys quaffing India pale ale in a western saloon, flannel-shirted working stiffs swilling Cinquante from brown “stubbies” in Montreal taverns, or modern-day beer snobs sipping pints of caskbrewed bitter and commenting on its “chocolate and cigar box bass notes,” this is the story of the men—and women—who brewed, served, and drank our national beverage.

Brew North doesn’t just tell this story, it shows it. Early illustrations of rustic taverns and Victorian photographs of opulent saloons are combined with fantastic advertisements, giveaways, and gewgaws brewers have long used to market their product. It’s all here, from fussy Victoriana to fifties kitsch to today’s sophisticated ad campaigns.

Beer built Canada. Now the classic era of Canadian beer is ending; brewery giants Molson, Labatt, and Sleeman are in foreign hands. At the same time, more small brewers are producing more interesting beers. A new golden age? Brew North arrives at a key moment to chronicle where beer has been and point to where it is going.

Brew North is available now in book stores and online retailers for a suggested retail price of $24.95.

Last night at beerbistro the 2010 Golden Tap Awards were announced at a gala festival featuring over 25 Ontario craft breweries to enjoy.  The winners of the Golden Tap Awards were:

• Best Microbrewery in Ontario: Beau’s All-Natural Brewing Company
• Best Brewery for Cask-Conditioned Ale in Ontario (presented in partnership with CASK!): Granite Brewery
• Best Bar for Draught Beer Selection in Ontario: C’est What
• Best Bar for Bottled Beer Selection in Ontario: Bar Volo
• Best Brewpub or Tied House in Ontario: Granite Brewery
• Best Bar for Cask Ale in Ontario (presented in partnership with CASK!): Bar Volo
• Best Regularly-Produced Beer in Ontario: Beau’s Lug-Tread Lagered Ale
• Best Seasonal or Specialty Beer in Ontario: Black Oak Ten Bitter Years
• Best Cask Ale in Ontario (presented in partnership with CASK!): Granite Hopping Mad
• Editor’s Circle Award: Great Lakes Caskapalooza
• Editor’s Circle Award: Drinkvine
• Editor’s Circle Award: Milos Kral & Chancey Smith’s
• Editor’s Circle Award: Brian Morin & beerbistro
• Best Beer of the Festival: Church Key Black IPA

The Golden Tap Awards are a celebration of Ontario craft brewing and culture.  The weekend kicked off with a seven course dinner on Friday night featuring seven Ontario craft breweries and beers – the first Ontario craft beer dinner ever at beerbistro.  The Golden Tap Awards continued with an all-Ontario craft beer festival where the awards were handed out to winners on Saturday.  Thanks to everyone that came out to the dinner or the festival, it was a great time.

The Golden Tap Awards weekend is fast approaching and it’s shaping up to be a great celebration of Ontario beer.

Friday night brings the first-ever Ontario craft beer dinner to beerbistro.  The dinner, featuring seven of the top craft breweries in Ontario paired with delicious beerbistro cuisine, will be a great kickoff to the weekend.  Tickets to the event have sold out.

Saturday is the big day, with a combination Ontario craft beer festival and awards announcement gala, also at beerbistro.  With over 25 Ontario craft breweries attending the festival, it will be one of the best opportunities to try the diversity and quality of craft beer in the province. Breweries participating in the festival include:

• Black Oak
• Beau’s
• Denison’s
• Cheshire Valley
• Great Lakes
• Grand River
• Granite
• Cameron’s
• Muskoka
• Kichessippi
• C’est What?
• King
• Steam Whistle
• Amsterdam
• Flying Monkeys
• Railway City
• Lake of Bays
• Niagara’s Best
• County Durham
• Neustadt
• Saint Andre
• Church Key
• Wellington
• Mill Street
• Duggan’s
• Publican House

At the event you will be able to try sample-sized portions of all the beers available, plus try delicious beerbistro cuisine.  As you sample the beers you will be able to vote for the “Best of the Fest” which will win a special Golden Tap Award as well.

The Golden Tap Awards festival begins at 4pm on Saturday, August 21st.  The awards show begins at 8pm, where we will hand out all the awards that were voted upon and the Editor’s Circle selections.  Admission is free, and you can purchase food and drink tickets at the event.

Last night at midnight the voting for the 2010 Golden Tap Awards closed. Up next – announcing the winners! All winners will be announced at a special gala event at beerbistro at 18 King Street East in Toronto on Saturday, August 21st.

The Golden Tap Awards recognizes the best in beer from across Ontario, and winners will be announced in the following categories:

• Favourite craft brewery and brewery for cask-conditioned ales in Ontario
• Favourite craft regularly-produced beer, cask-conditioned ale and seasonal or speciality beer in Ontario
• Favourite craft beer bar, both for draught, bottled and cask-conditioned ale selection in Ontario
• Favourite brewpub or tied house in Ontario

At the event will be an all-Ontario craft beer festival, featuring all draught lines and a bottle station exclusively dedicated to Ontario craft beers.  During the event attendees will be able to vote in real-time for the Best Beer of the Festival which will also win a Golden Tap Award.

Doors for the event open at 4pm.  The awards are announced at 8pm.  Hope to see you there!

Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel! LCBO Microbrewery Feature

August 15th – September 11th 2010

HMH Negotiants are happy to announce that Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel! will be showcased in a LCBO microbrewery feature, which will bring five of their brands to over 25 LCBO locations across the province! The feature will begin appearing on shelves starting August 15th, 2010  and will run until September 11th, 2010. An array of Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel! brands will also be part       of several LCBO beer seasonal releases for this year.  HMH Negotiants will be planning a series of special events across Ontario to promote this feature that will be announced shortly. The following brands will be part of the microbrewery feature:

APHRODITE – COCOA VANILLA STOUT, 6.5%
$3.50 / 341mL   |   LCBO ITEM #180034

BLANCHE DU PARADIS – BELGIAN WHITE ALE, 5.0%
$2.95 / 341mL   |    LCBO ITEM #181834

CORNE DU DIABLE -  INDIA PALE ALE, 6.5%
$3.25 / 341mL   |    LCBO ITEM #132761

DERNIÈRE VOLONTÉ  -  ABBEY-STYLE BLOND ALE, 7.0%
$3.25 / 341mL   |    LCBO ITEM #181842

ROUTE DES ÉPICES  – PEPPERCORN RYE ALE, 5.3%
$2.95 / 341mL   |    LCBO ITEM #181826  |  Microbrewery Feature – Begins  August 15th 2010

The following brands will be available for seasonal LCBO Releases;

ROSÉE D’HIBISCUS  -  WHEAT BEER WITH HIBISCUS, 5.9%
$3.10 / 341mL   |   LCBO ITEM #165746  |  Summer Beers – Begins  May 24th 2010 | Available NOW!

PÉCHÉ MORTEL -  IMPERIAL COFFEE STOUT, 9.1%
$3.90 / 341mL   |    LCBO #125401  |  Autumn Ales – Begins  September 13th, 2010

RIGOR MORTIS ABT  -  QUADRUPEL, 10.5%
$3.50 / 341mL   |    LCBO #186775  |  Halloween Beers – Begins  September 20th, 2010

SOLSTICE D’HIVER – BARLEY WINE, 9.8%
$3.50 / 341mL   |    LCBO #188888  |  Winter Warmers – Begins  December 6th, 2010

Feature Website | @hmhnegotiants #ddcfeature  |  Facebook |  Beer Availability |  Press Release

As part of this year’s Golden Tap Awards, we will be hosting an all-Ontario craft beer dinner at beerbistro on Friday, August 20th. This dinner will be a seven-course tasting menu paired with some of the finest craft beers in Ontario – participating breweries include Beau’s, Granite, Grand River, Denison’s, Black Oak, Great Lakes and Mill Street.

Tickets go on sale Tuesday, August 3rd at 10am. The cost of the tickets are $48 each which is great value for a beerbistro dinner. Tickets can be reserved by calling beerbistro at 416-861-9872. The dinner begins at 6pm.

The Golden Tap Awards will be announcing the award winners alongside an all-Ontario craft beer festival at beerbistro on Saturday, August 21st, beginning at 4pm. You can still vote for the Golden Tap Awards until August 10th.