Duggans Brewery "Pop Up"on Queen Street

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 1:43 pm

Heard some rumblings that it wasn't going to happen...guess those rumblings were accurate.

El Pinguino · Post by **El Pinguino** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 1:50 pm

I'm really looking forward to seeing what menu eventually comes out at Duggans. Being close by, if there are some good food options to complement the beer, it could easily be a regular spot for me. I'm not a big fan of Grand Electric...finally went recently....crowded, slow service...felt rushed eating my tacos. And I ahve started to give up on the Rhino.

saints_gambit · Post by **saints_gambit** » Wed Oct 01, 2014 11:23 am

I'm not sure that it would have been a good fit.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Wed Oct 01, 2014 12:13 pm

El Pinguino wrote:I'm not a big fan of Grand Electric...finally went recently....crowded, slow service...felt rushed eating my tacos. And I ahve started to give up on the Rhino.

Area has its charms, but can definitely use some improvements - the market is there for it.

My own Rhino phase ran out in 2012 when I just felt vaguely 'bleh' about the place's food quality, service attitude and, well, dirt & grime.

El Pinguino · Post by **El Pinguino** » Wed Oct 01, 2014 2:16 pm

Ya, I'll get wings at the Rhino if anything....and pretty much just go for the patio experience and a pint now...get depressed if I consider the bottle list, knowing stuff won't be available.

lister · Post by **lister** » Wed Oct 01, 2014 2:46 pm

El Pinguino wrote:I'm really looking forward to seeing what menu eventually comes out at Duggans. Being close by, if there are some good food options to complement the beer, it could easily be a regular spot for me. I'm not a big fan of Grand Electric...finally went recently....crowded, slow service...felt rushed eating my tacos. And I ahve started to give up on the Rhino.

Have you tried Electric Mud? "Southern-ish" BBQ by the same people. Similar concept except for mostly rock music. I prefer it over GE.

My one and only Rhino visit (not planned) while waiting for GE to open resulted in the worst serving of Grand River Jubilation I've ever had. A wonderful lively bright beer that was a muted mess. I like dive bars (I frequent Thirsty & Miserable) but Rhino is a shit hole IMO.

El Pinguino · Post by **El Pinguino** » Wed Oct 01, 2014 9:13 pm

I have not gone to Electric Mudd yet....I am certain I'd like it more than Grand Electric, but just haven't hit it up yet.

I know Duggans has plans to eventually open up that whoel Brock St side as a patio, plus do something with their basement space...so that little strip of Brock could be fun with Electric Mudd and Duggans.

atomeyes · Post by **atomeyes** » Sat Oct 04, 2014 2:54 pm

call me a cynic, but i felt like Duggan's place was destined to fail with JK involved and it is still destined to fail w/o JK at the helm.

guessing he'll still be brewing everything en masse out of Cool?

El Pinguino · Post by **El Pinguino** » Sun Oct 05, 2014 1:41 pm

I think they've chosen a smart location and the vibe when I visited was friendly and open, so I think it will succeed.

From what I recall, they will have a small-scale operation on-site for fun, one-off type beers.

cratez · Post by **cratez** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 4:12 pm

Yeah, not sure where all the hate for Duggan comes from but I personally enjoyed the old location and will definitely be visiting the new one. IMHO the beers at the former brewpub ranged from good to great, the food was tasty, there was always a solid range of styles on offer, and the only real downside to the place was the inconsistent service. But we had some very memorable experiences there, so I'm looking forward to this new venture.

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 4:35 pm

cratez wrote:Yeah, not sure where all the hate for Duggan comes from but I personally enjoyed the old location and will definitely be visiting the new one. IMHO the beers at the former brewpub ranged from good to great, the food was tasty, there was always a solid range of styles on offer, and the only real downside to the place was the inconsistent service. But we had some very memorable experiences there, so I'm looking forward to this new venture.

I think it was the porter I really liked at their old spot. A porter and either the pulled pork or duck confit poutine was pretty much my usual there. At the time, #9 was a fine IPA too, though I think it's been eclipsed by the better stuff Great Lakes has done since.

cratez · Post by **cratez** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 8:40 pm

Craig wrote: I think it was the porter I really liked at their old spot. A porter and either the pulled pork or duck confit poutine was pretty much my usual there. At the time, #9 was a fine IPA too, though I think it's been eclipsed by the better stuff Great Lakes has done since.

Yep, the porter, Czech and German pilsners, stout, and IPA were all doozies in my books. Never tried the poutines. Agreed that GLB has mastered hoppy beers better than Duggan ever did, but the breadth of traditional styles that he brewed really well during the brewpub's brief stint was impressive.

atomeyes · Post by **atomeyes** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 9:42 pm

cratez wrote:
Craig wrote: I think it was the porter I really liked at their old spot. A porter and either the pulled pork or duck confit poutine was pretty much my usual there. At the time, #9 was a fine IPA too, though I think it's been eclipsed by the better stuff Great Lakes has done since.
Yep, the porter, Czech and German pilsners, stout, and IPA were all doozies in my books. Never tried the poutines. Agreed that GLB has mastered hoppy beers better than Duggan ever did, but the breadth of traditional styles that he brewed really well during the brewpub's brief stint was impressive.

he was important 4-5 years ago. but every dog has its day.
i also don't expect an IPA produced in large quantities off site to have amazing freshness. that stuff will sit and sit for months and months.

paint me a cynic

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:03 pm

atomeyes wrote:
cratez wrote:
Craig wrote: I think it was the porter I really liked at their old spot. A porter and either the pulled pork or duck confit poutine was pretty much my usual there. At the time, #9 was a fine IPA too, though I think it's been eclipsed by the better stuff Great Lakes has done since.
Yep, the porter, Czech and German pilsners, stout, and IPA were all doozies in my books. Never tried the poutines. Agreed that GLB has mastered hoppy beers better than Duggan ever did, but the breadth of traditional styles that he brewed really well during the brewpub's brief stint was impressive.
he was important 4-5 years ago. but every dog has its day.
i also don't expect an IPA produced in large quantities off site to have amazing freshness. that stuff will sit and sit for months and months.

paint me a cynic

I'm pretty sure the stuff sold in the brewpub was brewed in the brewpub. I agree that they had a hard time getting #9 on LCBO shelves in a good state, but I found it usually pretty fresh on tap.

It is interesting how a guy like Mike Duggan can go from being a huge player in the local beer scene to a fringe guy so quickly. Wasn't he the guy behind Tankhouse? It seemed to me at the time that him leaving Mill Street was the turning point for them going from makers of interesting beer to making mostly stuff aimed at casual drinkers like Lemon Tea and their basically flavourless organic beer.

Fast forward a few years and he's contract brewing unremakable beers out of Cool, doing localvore stuff to mixed reviews and taking a second crack at a brewpub. Not that I'm really down on his stuff, he's just dropped off from the frontier of the Ontario craft market.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Wed Oct 08, 2014 11:07 pm

cratez wrote:Yeah, not sure where all the hate for Duggan comes from but I personally enjoyed the old location and will definitely be visiting the new one. IMHO the beers at the former brewpub ranged from good to great, the food was tasty...

Agreed on those points. You have to see the glass as half full whenever it is.