GTA Beer Tour in a day

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 6:50 pm

I've got some west coast relatives coming over in a couple weeks, wanting to see how the beer scene has improved since they went west some 15 years ago. It'll be midweek but we have a full day. Any ideas on best way to pack in as much as possible?

velovampire · Post by **velovampire** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:26 pm

I'd say start off the day at the Granite for lunch, then take transit down to the Distillery district, walk around there for a bit, pop into Mill St. for a pint or two, then walk along the Esplanade to C'est What for dinner. Can't go wrong.

tuqueboy · Post by **tuqueboy** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:35 pm

velovampire wrote:I'd say start off the day at the Granite for lunch, then take transit down to the Distillery district, walk around there for a bit, pop into Mill St. for a pint or two, then walk along the Esplanade to C'est What for dinner. Can't go wrong.

er, no volo or beerbistro??

mjohnston · Post by **mjohnston** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:39 pm

I can't really recommend C'est What for dinner. Lunch maybe. I've really found the food to be hit or miss, and most of the time a miss. The beer is fantastic. As well, being in the basement, it's really best for late night, rainy days, or winter.

If your guests are food tourists as well as beer, I'd suggest hitting some non-beer spots for your meals. Toronto has some great restaurants; limiting yourselves to places that have awesome beer selection will exclude some really good options.

You should also contact the places ahead of time to see if there are any events going on. You don't want to accidentally miss a cask fest or something

As well, you can always call a day ahead to see what will be available that day, and you can plan your trip somewhat around what you want to try. Selection changes frequently at a lot of places, and some days are better than others.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 10:07 pm

I was thinking lunch at the Granite as well... the back patio is great (as well as their hopping mad & stout).

It's nice to stroll around the Distillery District, though it is a little 'gentrified', and I just can't say no to Soma's chocolates & gelato.

SteamWhistler Brewery tour? I've never done it, but it's on my to-do list.

BierBistro would be great for dinner, and you could finish the night off at C'est What, a short stroll away. But then Volo is great as well?

I love the food at C'est What. It's a serious step up from your usual pub grub... but if I was doing lunch at Granite, I'd probably prefer BB or Volo for dinner.

tuqueboy · Post by **tuqueboy** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 10:10 pm

Derek wrote: I love the food at C'est What. It's a serious step up from your usual pub grub... but if I was doing lunch at Granite, I'd probably prefer BB or Volo for dinner.

I've always found C'est What's food pretty average, and their service is wildly inconsistent. That said, they've got a great draft list. However, I believe the original poster was looking to show their friends how t.o.'s beer scene has changed in the past 15 years. given that c'est what has been around for longer that, perhaps it's skippable?

tupalev · Post by **tupalev** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 10:36 pm

If you are talking about changes in the last 15 years, then Volo, Beer Bistro, Mill St., and even Victory are must stops. I'd suggest Ceili Cottage for a night cap, as I think it is a very unique bar in T.O (and it has good beer).

wittaker · Post by **wittaker** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 11:02 pm

I'd take Granite over Mill Street. I love the Mill Street location and beer, but food and service are generally lacking.

tupalev · Post by **tupalev** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 11:09 pm

Hey I love Granite, I am just trying to think of "new" solid locations and Mill St fits the bill (almost every tap would be a new beer to these folks). How long has Granite been around? Maybe it is new too!

Agreed on Mill St's food - but sit at the bar and enjoy the beer and you'll be fine (I've had fine service when I have been lately btw).

hopdevil · Post by **hopdevil** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 9:14 am

Here's a 5 or 6 stop tour, easily done with a TTC Day Pass.
Start at C'est What, walk up to Beer Bistro.
TTC to Rebel House, Victory, & Volo.
Possible finish at the 3 Brewers ( since it is very new )

TJ · Post by TJ » Fri Jul 17, 2009 11:08 am

I think if they're trying to pack as much into one day as possible, I'd keep it all centralized downtown. They'll miss out on a lot of great places, sure, but that's their own fault for not staying longer.

After a hearty breakfast, I'd start bright and early at the Distillery District, grab a coffee at Balzacs, walk around a bit. It's an amazing example of Victorian industrial architecture and well worth checking out.

While there buy some Soma chocolate, pop into some shops, etc and then head in to Mill Street's pub. Check out the store for quick minute. Maybe buy a souvenir T-shirt or whatever. Then sidle on up to to the bar for a pint or two. I had a bad experience with their cask set up so I'd recommend something on draught. They're pretty good for letting you sample so try a bunch before you commmit. I'm partial to their ESB myself.

Then I'd head on up to C'est What for lunch. I'm not big on their food, but if other people seem to not mind it, then who am I to argue? This tour is about beer, not food anyway, right?

Then I'd zig south a little to the Esplanade Bier Markt. I know, I know, it's not my favorite place either, but it should be tolerable during the day midweek, and it wasn't around 15 years ago. Plus they have a good amount of Belgian beers and a solid draught selection.

Then I'd nip over to Smokeless Joe for a quick pint.

Then, if it's around dinner time, I'd head to Beer Bistro for some good food and good beer.

After that then, yeah, maybe grab a quick pint at 3 Brewers, just because its new and it's kind of novel to have a brewpub downtown. This one's entirely skippable though.

Then I'd head north to Volo. And, assuming you're like me and never want to leave Volo, I'd stay there for the night. But if you're feeling ambitious, maybe hop a quick cab over to Victory Cafe for a nightcap.

Anyway, as I said, they'll miss a lot of stuff but I think this is a pretty good plan for packing in a lot in one day and it might even be overly ambitious. If so, all I can say is, drink faster.

I have no idea if this link will work, but I tried to map them all out here for you: beer map

As for Granite, yeah, it's a great place but it's a little isolated and out of the way, in my opinion. And besides, didn't it open in the early '90s? So it's not really a factor on the changing Toronto beer scene in the last 15 years is it?

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 11:44 am

TJ wrote: ]I think if they're trying to pack as much into one day as possible, I'd keep it all centralized downtown. They'll miss out on a lot of great places, sure, but that's their own fault for not staying longer.

Yeah don't spend the whole day traveling, when the point may be to relax and enjoy the locales and ambiance for another beer or two if and when the mood strikes.

Forget the Hit List. It's not important.

I would base the trip loosely around locale + vibe + beer first, THEN food... the point may be as much to enjoy Toronto and your time together as the actual destinations.

For Vibe I really like Volo, Beerbistro downtown and recently the Rhino farther west - why not spring for one little cab ride so they can gaze out the window & appreciate all of Queen West, which is becoming a very different area. They might also want to get out and walk some other parts of Queen W with you.

So that's a few 'downtown' suggestions plus one which has a more 'East Village' vibe (since we Toronto folk are always referencing NYC.) A feasible day which covers a range of places and more than enough beer.

Have fun!

Tapsucker · Post by **Tapsucker** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 6:39 pm

Granite
Mill St.
Beer Bistro
Volo
Rhino
Victory

and then the Beer Store or LCBO to show them that nothing has really changed after all...