Cask Beer in Toronto

[paulmalsh]

Just discovered this site and it seems just the site I've been looking for to get some information.
I'm visiting Toronto for the first time next month and would appreciate any guidance as to where I might find some genuine cask ale. How easy is it to find Canadian cask rather than English as I always like to try the local stuff where possible?
Any help and suggestions for decent pubs with real beer would be appreciated.

Paul

[JerCraigs]

Caffe Volo, C'est What, and Smokeless are all pretty decent places for cask beer in Toronto.

Check out the places section at www.ratebeer.com or look at the beer tours here at Bartowel for more info.

[midlife crisis]

Don't forget the Bow & Arrow and the Granite Brewery, too.

[GregClow]

The places already mentioned pretty much cover it for decent cask ale in Toronto (although if you feel like heading about an hour out of the city, The Winking Judge in Hamilton is well worth a visit).

As for this question...

How easy is it to find Canadian cask rather than English as I always like to try the local stuff where possible?

No UK cask ales here, only local stuff.

[Blankboy]

How easy is it to find Canadian cask rather than English as I always like to try the local stuff where possible?

No UK cask ales here, only local stuff.

Don't they have the Fullers on cask at Dora's?

[GregClow]

No UK cask ales here, only local stuff.

Don't they have the Fullers on cask at Dora's?

Fron what I've heard, it's a keg, but they use a tap handle that looks like a cask handle.

[Torontoblue]

If you want great cask beer then I can highly recommend the Volo on Yonge & Dundonald. Ralph is doing a great job at introducing Canadians to great cask beer, a feat that most other 'cask' pubs are failing to do. Unfortunately, the Bow & Arrow, IMHO, can't serve decent cask ale, they keep it too long and will serve it out of date and in a very poor state. Good cask is very hard to find in Toronto at the moment, but hopefully things may change. Fingers crossed anyway!!

[Josh Oakes]

No UK cask ales here, only local stuff.

Don't they have the Fullers on cask at Dora's?

Fron what I've heard, it's a keg, but they use a tap handle that looks like a cask handle.

That was confirmed by Fuller's. They do not sell cask ale in North America.

[old faithful]

Absolutely, Volo, the Bow & Arrow (both on Yonge Street) and the Granite Brewery on Mount Pleasant Avenue, those are the key places, also Dora Keough's on Danforth Avenue over the bridge. All cask ale served here is locally made and much of it is very good, e.g. the IPA at Granite. We have a variety of flavours and I believe you may even note the beginnings of a local "style" in cask beer, a certain ale taste I think we are getting. Check out the events page too on the board because possibly there will be a fest or other event when you are here. Finally, don't forget the bar at beerbistro, the downtown beer-friendly restaurant at King and Yonge Streets (on King across from the Meridean King Edward Hotel). No cask beer but they will have a terrace open by then and they carry a great selection of locally brewed draught and bottled beers. Note our local craft beers are mostly unpasteurized so even though not technically real ale they are often very good and completely different to the keg beer (e.g. Boddington's widget, Tetley's widget, Guinnesss) in the U.K. This is an intermediate category of craft beer that is not much represented in England to my knowledge. That place (if still there) on Great Portland Street in London, the place that was set-up by the people behind the orginal Mash and Air in Manchester, brew beer like this, filtered but fresh and unpasteurised, and there are a couple of places in Soho that do this too. If you know those places, this is the kind of beer I mean but made of course here in a variety of styles.

Gary

[midlife crisis]

Unfortunately, the Bow & Arrow, IMHO, can't serve decent cask ale, they keep it too long and will serve it out of date and in a very poor state

I find that the cask ale is much improved at the Bow of late, so I would take issue with this statement. And the Bow serves it the way it is meant to be served - no swan necks, no sparklers, at a decent temperature. Plus, though I agree Volo is a fine bar with a terrific range, the Bow does generally have three cask ales on to Volo's one, so someone looking to sample a range of Ontario cask beers might be better served at the Bow.

[Torontoblue]

Plus, though I agree Volo is a fine bar with a terrific range, the Bow does generally have three cask ales on to Volo's one, so someone looking to sample a range of Ontario cask beers might be better served at the Bow.

Sometimes Quality is better than Quantity! I haven't been to the Bow for about 2 months now as I was having to send every pint of cask back and change for a keg beer. Agreed, they do serve it at the correct temperature etc etc, but they just tend to keep it too long. 3 days max for a cask and no longer (usually) any longer and you may as well drink Sarson's!! I may have to re-visit the Bow to see if they have indeed gotten better with cask, but for now the Volo gets my vote as the beer is consistently in excellent nick and as soon as there is a whiff of the beer going off it is withdrawn, as it should be.

[Cass]

There is also a handpump at the Cloak & Dagger at College & Bathurst, one of my favourite pubs.

[Steve Beaumont]

The Bow now uses cask breathers. Not CAMRA pc, perhaps, but immensely reasonable in Toronto.

[Belgian]

Agreed, they do serve it at the correct temperature etc etc, but they just tend to keep it too long. 3 days max for a cask and no longer (usually)

I gather it's very important for them to run off some beer first to clear out stale beer in the line. Otherwise your pint won't taste good.

I wonder if that practice is not always applied here as in England.

[swall]

There is also a handpump at the Cloak & Dagger at College & Bathurst, one of my favourite pubs.

Agreed ~ Cloak & Dagger (aka Smoke 'n Dagger) is a gret little pub. I believe Wellington's is served there in cask. The staff/patrons are friendly and should give you a good perspective on Canadian culture. Better atmosphere than the larger chains.