Burdock

[Tapsucker]

I've been hearing good things, but haven't been. Tried to search here with no results. Anybody have any intel?

[groulxsome]

Great spot.

Last time I was there they had seven of their own beers including a fantastic West Coast Hoppy Pilsner, a Saison, a Grissett, a Hefe.. and IPA... it got a little blurry. One of the nicest brewpub systems I've ever seen. Food has always been great for me too. Plus if you're trying to track down some funky Ontario wine they've got bottles of Pearl Morissette on the bottle list. Nice patio space too and a pretty bopping concert venue that is nicely delineated from the space where you can eat and just drink some beer.

It's about the same distance from my work as Lansdown and Bellwoods, so it's quickly become a place I really enjoy visiting.

[DeMarco]

Completely forgot about this! Glad to hear good things are happening, need to make a night to walk up the street and grab a few!

[TheSevenDuffs]

Been meaning to stop by, but from what I have seen, their beer seems to have a lot of room for improvement.

[atomeyes]

Been meaning to stop by, but from what I have seen, their beer seems to have a lot of room for improvement.

curious as to why you say that.
everything i've read from guys like Jordan St John to other beer geeks say that it's one of the more solid spots in the city.
they've been open for a few months and they're impressing everyone that i know that's gone there.

i paid it a 1-pint visit today. had the hoppy pilsner. not how i'd approach the beer and not as good as L'pitoune, but it's immediately one of the better pilsners in Ontario. amazing mouth feel, great nose, great hoppiness. it can use a bit less diacetly, but it's likely fine for the style.

it's a nice but weird room. typical toronto room. long long long and narrow. brewpub's hidden in the back, as is the bottle shop. so not a fan of the layout. it's a big space (think the basement's for live music)

[Napalm Frog]

Went here last night as well, worked my way through their taps with sample pours. The pilsner was definitely astonishingly well done as mentioned above. I also really enjoyed the stout, even though it was nothing fancy. The dark saison was also really well done. Everything else to me was average or just above average. The Belgian Table Beer was the only one I disliked entirely. The buckwheat in there made it taste like a gluten free beer.

Didn't get around to trying any of the food, but the entrées seemed a bit pricey for a cheapo like me. Definitely will be coming back to sample new taps, or at least grab a bottle if I'm ever biking by.

[lister]

Been meaning to stop by, but from what I have seen, their beer seems to have a lot of room for improvement.

curious as to why you say that.
everything i've read from guys like Jordan St John to other beer geeks say that it's one of the more solid spots in the city.
they've been open for a few months and they're impressing everyone that i know that's gone there.

i paid it a 1-pint visit today. had the hoppy pilsner. not how i'd approach the beer and not as good as L'pitoune, but it's immediately one of the better pilsners in Ontario. amazing mouth feel, great nose, great hoppiness. it can use a bit less diacetly, but it's likely fine for the style.

it's a nice but weird room. typical toronto room. long long long and narrow. brewpub's hidden in the back, as is the bottle shop. so not a fan of the layout. it's a big space (think the basement's for live music)

I went about a month ago when the house beers first made their appearance. It was just four beers, the pilsner, California Common, stout and pale ale. I liked the pilsner the best followed by the pale ale, stout (which I think could of used some sort of accent flavour) and the common which I didn't like at all. Something with the flavour bothered me. I didn't eat anything there as they had flipped to a different menu from what is up on the website (grr!) and basically everything was vegetarian other than one main dish. I didn't like any of it. Glad I thought ahead to grab a slice on the way up there. I had no idea they had a bottle shop. It's possible that it wasn't in service yet when I was there but I saw no signage and certainly no staff mentioned it.

If I lived in the neighbourhood I'd be pretty ecstatic that Burdock is there. Given where I do live and work with the wealth of riches around me, that I don't find myself up in that area very often and that there wasn't anything there (beer, food, stuff to do) that screamed that I had to visit, I'm kind of meh on the place.

[atomeyes]

Been meaning to stop by, but from what I have seen, their beer seems to have a lot of room for improvement.

curious as to why you say that.
everything i've read from guys like Jordan St John to other beer geeks say that it's one of the more solid spots in the city.
they've been open for a few months and they're impressing everyone that i know that's gone there.

i paid it a 1-pint visit today. had the hoppy pilsner. not how i'd approach the beer and not as good as L'pitoune, but it's immediately one of the better pilsners in Ontario. amazing mouth feel, great nose, great hoppiness. it can use a bit less diacetly, but it's likely fine for the style.

it's a nice but weird room. typical toronto room. long long long and narrow. brewpub's hidden in the back, as is the bottle shop. so not a fan of the layout. it's a big space (think the basement's for live music)

I went about a month ago when the house beers first made their appearance. It was just four beers, the pilsner, California Common, stout and pale ale. I liked the pilsner the best followed by the pale ale, stout (which I think could of used some sort of accent flavour) and the common which I didn't like at all. Something with the flavour bothered me. I didn't eat anything there as they had flipped to a different menu from what is up on the website (grr!) and basically everything was vegetarian other than one main dish. I didn't like any of it. Glad I thought ahead to grab a slice on the way up there. I had no idea they had a bottle shop. It's possible that it wasn't in service yet when I was there but I saw no signage and certainly no staff mentioned it.

If I lived in the neighbourhood I'd be pretty ecstatic that Burdock is there. Given where I do live and work with the wealth of riches around me, that I don't find myself up in that area very often and that there wasn't anything there (beer, food, stuff to do) that screamed that I had to visit, I'm kind of meh on the place.

the menu's weird. at least the online version was. $20 plates at a brewpub? kind of ballsy. here's a secret if you want to open a brewpub. do things side dish/tapas/pintxos style. people want fries and bits and snacks. keep each item below double digits and ppl will order more. that's where Bar Volo got it right and Bar Hop also does it well.

for food, you have Brock Sandwich a block west and Buster Rhinos a few blocks east.

[napoleon]

the menu's weird. at least the online version was. $20 plates at a brewpub? kind of ballsy. here's a secret if you want to open a brewpub. do things side dish/tapas/pintxos style. people want fries and bits and snacks. keep each item below double digits and ppl will order more. that's where Bar Volo got it right and Bar Hop also does it well.

for food, you have Brock Sandwich a block west and Buster Rhinos a few blocks east.

Hmm...I haven't tried it yet. The menu does look a bit expensive for what's on offer. A $4 corn on the cob better be amazing. Bar Volo does have cheaper prices but tiny portions. You put together a charcuterie board of enough for half a meal, and I guarantee you, you'll spend more than $20.

[lister]

for food, you have Brock Sandwich a block west and Buster Rhinos a few blocks east.

Buster Rhino's is more than just a few blocks east. It's a 20 minute walk south east.

[atomeyes]

for food, you have Brock Sandwich a block west and Buster Rhinos a few blocks east.

Buster Rhino's is more than just a few blocks east. It's a 20 minute walk south east.

but most of us own cars. so a few minute drive.

[lister]

for food, you have Brock Sandwich a block west and Buster Rhinos a few blocks east.

Buster Rhino's is more than just a few blocks east. It's a 20 minute walk south east.

but most of us own cars. so a few minute drive.

So do I. I'd argue though that if you're doing that then you're doing it wrong.

[nickw]

I don't know anyone in who lives in downtown Toronto who measures time by how long it takes to drive it, especially when one is talking about anything alcohol-related. Only walk/bike/transit time. But I guess I'm friends with a bunch of poor people who don't own cars.

[atomeyes]

I don't know anyone in who lives in downtown Toronto who measures time by how long it takes to drive it, especially when one is talking about anything alcohol-related. Only walk/bike/transit time. But I guess I'm friends with a bunch of poor people who don't own cars.

fuck, this is such a dumb discussion.
how's this for you?
i went to Burdock after work. met a family member over beer. he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and he's not even 30. i had 1 pint over 90 minutes and then drove home.
didn't feel the need to drink to be drunk or tipsy. it was social.
so i drove home so i could get home in time for my 5 AM wake-up for work for the next day.
therefore, i measure distance via driving, not walking.
does this meet your approval?

[PeenSteen]

Jesus christ, this thread has it all!