Best Toronto beer event to date?

atomeyes · Post by **atomeyes** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 7:14 pm

Just curious to see your favourite (or top 3) Toronto beer events.

My short list would be:

Cider take-over at Volo 2014 (will call it a "beer" event just 'cuz)
New Year's Eve, Volo 2012
Cask Days 2012
The Only's Belgian night 2014(?)
Trou du Diable takeover at The Only

Bobsy · Post by **Bobsy** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 8:17 pm

Toronto Beer Week, obviously!

The first DDC tap takeover at Volo was simply epic. I've been to a lot of great events, but nothing has come close to it in terms of quality and a damn good time. Everything just aligned - good friends, DDC's first appearance in Toronto, a small and close craft scene and an event that was head and shoulders above everything else going on at the time.

Two beer dinners come close - Brewdog at BeerBistro in TBW 2010 married awesome food with beers I still talk about despite not being the best (we finished with a 32% and 40% beer). Great Lakes at Morgans is up there too - the food at this place is seriously good and GLB is a simply amazing brewery. Disappointed we couldn't get a sitter for Monday's edition.

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 8:59 pm

Zwanze 2013, for the Volo cellar at reasonable prices more than anything else.

Cask Days 2011 and 2013.

There have been lots of high points outside of these. But you just can't top multiple Cantillon offerings or hundreds of casks.

atomeyes · Post by **atomeyes** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:16 pm

squeaky wrote:
There have been lots of high points outside of these. But you just can't top multiple Cantillon offerings or hundreds of casks.

that's why the Only's event was up there in epicness. $2 Cantillon pours. I kid not.
also, $2 De Molen Old Rasputin pours.

Bobsy wrote:

The first DDC tap takeover at Volo was simply epic. I've been to a lot of great events, but nothing has come close to it in terms of quality and a damn good time. Everything just aligned - good friends, DDC's first appearance in Toronto, a small and close craft scene and an event that was head and shoulders above everything else going on at the time.
.

that was the first "wow..." event i went to. insane line to get in and to get drinks. it was a good time, but, for example, the last DdC takeover at Volo was even more chill with more room to breathe and an even better tap list.

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:50 pm

atomeyes wrote:
squeaky wrote:
There have been lots of high points outside of these. But you just can't top multiple Cantillon offerings or hundreds of casks.
that's why the Only's event was up there in epicness. $2 Cantillon pours. I kid not.
also, $2 De Molen Old Rasputin pours.

Bobsy wrote:

The first DDC tap takeover at Volo was simply epic. I've been to a lot of great events, but nothing has come close to it in terms of quality and a damn good time. Everything just aligned - good friends, DDC's first appearance in Toronto, a small and close craft scene and an event that was head and shoulders above everything else going on at the time.
.
that was the first "wow..." event i went to. insane line to get in and to get drinks. it was a good time, but, for example, the last DdC takeover at Volo was even more chill with more room to breathe and an even better tap list.

Seriously? In 2014? How the heck did I miss that?

atomeyes · Post by **atomeyes** » Thu Sep 11, 2014 11:35 pm

squeaky wrote:
atomeyes wrote:
squeaky wrote:
There have been lots of high points outside of these. But you just can't top multiple Cantillon offerings or hundreds of casks.
that's why the Only's event was up there in epicness. $2 Cantillon pours. I kid not.
also, $2 De Molen Old Rasputin pours.

Bobsy wrote:

The first DDC tap takeover at Volo was simply epic. I've been to a lot of great events, but nothing has come close to it in terms of quality and a damn good time. Everything just aligned - good friends, DDC's first appearance in Toronto, a small and close craft scene and an event that was head and shoulders above everything else going on at the time.
.
that was the first "wow..." event i went to. insane line to get in and to get drinks. it was a good time, but, for example, the last DdC takeover at Volo was even more chill with more room to breathe and an even better tap list.
Seriously? In 2014? How the heck did I miss that?

either late 2013 or early 2014. we drank inside but the beer tables were outside. not really publicized. i knew a few people there. not much. the Volo boys were there as well. those of us there were going wild. drinking $2 pours that were 3-4 oz, i think. so bloody great.

liamt07 · Post by **liamt07** » Fri Sep 12, 2014 12:01 am

Any of those Great Lakes / Amsterdam takeovers at Volo back in the day (and in recent days).
The DDC takeovers at Volo and WVRST in past years.
Anything Bellwoods/Great Lakes/Amsterdam at Bar Hop.

I dunno.

icemachine · Post by **icemachine** » Fri Sep 12, 2014 7:17 am

The first Funk night at Volo, August 2012? That was a great night.

grub · Post by **grub** » Fri Sep 12, 2014 8:09 am

so many awesome events to pick from... i can go back to the first cask days and find amazing moments at so many events. that's really what got the ball rolling. tap takeovers, funk nights, casks, collabs... the list goes on - and a bunch more that i missed and wish i'd been able to check out! This is when i really feel not being in toronto anymore... can't come to a ton of TBW events that look awesome, but I'll make the best of the ones I am hitting.

skaghevn · Post by **skaghevn** » Fri Sep 12, 2014 2:31 pm

I've always had a good time at the Funk Nights & Cask Fests, but the Unibroue dinner @ the Academy of Spherical Arts back in '04 still stands out for me. It was always a good time when you could round off the night with a bottle of 10.

mistermurphy · Post by **mistermurphy** » Sat Sep 13, 2014 7:13 am

Bobsy wrote:

Two beer dinners come close - Brewdog at BeerBistro in TBW 2010 married awesome food with beers I still talk about despite not being the best (we finished with a 32% and 40% beer). Great Lakes at Morgans is up there too - the food at this place is seriously good and GLB is a simply amazing brewery. Disappointed we couldn't get a sitter for Monday's edition.

That Brew Dog dinner was incredible. Wasn't horse or something like that on the menu that night? I remember the dinner costing around $100 and it definitely being worth it.

austin · Post by **austin** » Sat Sep 13, 2014 8:25 am

The first Cask Days at Volo in '05 meeting all the beer geeks and the 15 - 20 cask ales which seemed amazing at that time. The Stones night at Volo in Feb./10 was crazy good. Drinking anything Stones makes you appreciate a good mild. The day after both events I'm still trying to forget.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Sat Sep 13, 2014 8:19 pm

Trou du Diable takeover at The Only - my timing showing up there was completely chance, and besides taps there were bottle samplings of TDD's I may never see again.

Bar Volo events like DDC Tap Takeover & Cask Days - plus the 'aftermath' days of helping the place finish off the goodies.

^ Photo finish for these. Such events do not specifically promote the beers on offer because they mostly won't be available (!) so these are a labour of love in tribute to the breweries and beer styles.

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Wed Sep 24, 2014 11:59 am

Reminiscing on some beer events in the past with Zack from Toronto Brewing last night and we chatted about the Lost Abbey tasting that Matt Tweedy & I did at beerbistro at the first TBW.

Having Carnevale, Red Barn, Avant Garde, Lost and Found plus Port Old Viscosity Older Viscosity was pretty badass.

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Wed Sep 24, 2014 3:19 pm

austin wrote:The first Cask Days at Volo in '05 meeting all the beer geeks and the 15 - 20 cask ales which seemed amazing at that time. The Stones night at Volo in Feb./10 was crazy good. Drinking anything Stones makes you appreciate a good mild. The day after both events I'm still trying to forget.

Yes! That Stone event was great. February 7, 2010. Also memorable because it coincided with a great Super Bowl -- Saints over Colts, 31-17 -- and the event ended in time to catch the second half.