Ottawa and area help

[spinrsx]

I'd like to add "town" on elgin street into the mix. They have 3 different Bellwoods beers available and a few StoneCity beers as well

[rejtable]

Yeah, I like Town for sure.

[El Pinguino]

Thanks guys,
I'll stick to the Gatineau / Quebec side for food and jut hop over for bottle picks ups on the way home.
I'll do a longer trip one day in the winter and focus more on Ottawa. I'll check out all the QC reco's and decide from there.
Cheers!

[cratez]

I'd like to add "town" on elgin street into the mix. They have 3 different Bellwoods beers available and a few Stone City beers as well

Yeah, I like Town for sure.

Thanks for the heads up. Will be sure to check this place out next time I'm in Ottawa.

[rejtable]

I think we've been putting the Upstate NY stuff that isn't Syracuse in here...?

Man, there isn't much around Cornwall on the other side for bottles!
- CJ's was absolutely gross, the IPAs were ancient, the store is full of sketchy people returning bottles.
- The Potsdam IGA is mostly a waste of time. Old Lagunitas or SN products, not much to choose from.

I did go to the Barking Dog Saloon outside Potsdam, and man what a great find! I think literally in a junk yard, but the place was great. Kid friendly, great food, awesome selection of beers (had a Sloop Juice Bomb and a FW Luponic).

The Ogdensburg Price Chopper was pretty solid (at least compared to the rest around!!). Nothing worth driving an hour to get, but if you are in the area worth stopping in.

[spinrsx]

The potsdam iga used to be decent. Their beer guy left though.

I think we've been putting the Upstate NY
stuff that isn't Syracuse in here...?

Man, there isn't much around Cornwall on the other side for bottles!
- CJ's was absolutely gross, the IPAs were ancient, the store is full of sketchy people returning bottles.
- The Potsdam IGA is mostly a waste of time. Old Lagunitas or SN products, not much to choose from.

I did go to the Barking Dog Saloon outside Potsdam, and man what a great find! I think literally in a junk yard, but the place was great. Kid friendly, great food, awesome selection of beers (had a Sloop Juice Bomb and a FW Luponic).

The Ogdensburg Price Chopper was pretty solid (at least compared to the rest around!!). Nothing worth driving an hour to get, but if you are in the area worth stopping in.

[boney]

I'm in Ottawa for a few days for some work related things, but I only have one night to myself for exploring beer.

Given that I'm interested in trying local beers that I don't generally have access to in Toronto, if you could choose only one of each in the categories below, what would you recommend?

-Beer bar with the best local selection
-Brewery/brewpub, open past 6 on a Saturday
-Restaurant with great food and a decent local beer selection

[Provost Drunk]

I'm in Ottawa for a few days for some work related things, but I only have one night to myself for exploring beer.

Given that I'm interested in trying local beers that I don't generally have access to in Toronto, if you could choose only one of each in the categories below, what would you recommend?

-Beer bar with the best local selection
-Brewery/brewpub, open past 6 on a Saturday
-Restaurant with great food and a decent local beer selection

I'll preface my response by noting that I don't live in Ottawa so I'll let someone who does jump in if they have a different view, but I did visit about a year ago and would recommend Brothers Beer Bistro for a beer bar and Tooth and Nail for a brewpub. Truthfully, many of the beers pouring at Brothers at any given time will probably also be available in Toronto, but their menu should still offer a few novel Ottawa based offerings. I will defer on the restaurant recommendation.

If you're willing to venture over the bridge into Gatineau, you are more likely to find beers that aren't available in Toronto.

[rejtable]

Problem with Bros is that they aren't that locally focused. Lots of Bellwoods and Great lakes and stuff you'd see in Toronto. Wellington Gastro Pub is likely your better bet for local/regional beer. Hell, even CRAFT likely has more local/regional than Bros on most nights.

For brewery drinking hard to beat Tooth and Nail.

Next, depends on how Uber-adventurous you want to get and where you are staying, I'll put a recommendation in for Dominion City in the East End. Harder to get to, but their newly renovated tap room is a great spot to grab a glass and they have been really killing it lately with variations on IPA/PA with the hazy/juice angle. Not sure what'll be on when you are there, but from what I've had coming out of there lately any of their hazy/juice IPA have been REALLY good.

Beyond the Pale just opened their new retail space, not sure if they allow full glass pours now. If they do, might be worth checking out and just a hop from Tooth. Vimy just opened in that neighborhood as well, with the classic 1999 launch lineup of a blonde, amber and stout (or something like that). Likely not worth checking out, but if you are pub crawling in that area...

Otherwise, yeah, Gainsbourg and Brasseurs du Temps on the Gatineau side will have lots of beer that you can't get in Toronto. I prefer the experience at Gainsbourg, but BdT has a larger range of beers.

And can't talk about Ottawa beer without mentioning Cheshire Cat. WAY far out, but awesome spot. Mix of local/national/US.

[boney]

Thanks guys. Sounds like Tooth and Nail will likely be my number one spot to hit tomorrow, maybe with a jog over to Gatineau if time permits to check out Gainsbourg. I've been to BTD a few times times about 4 years ago, or so might skip that. I'd really like to check out Dominion, but probably wont have an opportunity.

Found out my hotel is relatively close to Bicycle, so will probably check it out just based on proximity before moving on.

[cfrancis]

Just to at to the above post. Call ahead at Dominion City and see what they have. Yes they have been killing it with IPA's but they are going fast, you might end up out there with their regular lineup, which is fairly pedestrian.

BTP does have their pouring license now so you can go there for a pint.

[boney]

Didn't make it out to Dominion City. Did get to Bicycle and Tooth and Nail. Tooth and Nail was later in the day and everyone was bagged, but I enjoyed what I had. Vim & Vigor is boss and probably the best pils is the best pils in the province, so even though it's available in TO, was still happy to revisit. Some of the funkier things were better than average.

Was pleasanly suprised by Bicycle. Their standard lineup was ho-hum, but God damn, Mr. Templetons Wee Heavy and Feral Funk were outstanding. Growler only take away was a bummer, but it's somewhere I'd definitely visit again.

[boney]

Didn't make it out to Dominion City. Did get to Bicycle and Tooth and Nail. Tooth and Nail was later in the day and everyone was bagged, but I enjoyed what I had. Vim & Vigor is boss and probably the best pils is the best pils in the province, so even though it's available in TO, was still happy to revisit. Some of the funkier things were better than average.

Was pleasanly suprised by Bicycle. Their standard lineup was ho-hum, but God damn, Mr. Templetons Wee Heavy and Feral Funk were outstanding. Growler only take away was a bummer, but it's somewhere I'd definitely visit again.

[rejtable]

Pretty dead around here lately, but just thought I'm mention I was into Lupulus last weekend. Really nice spot. Beer list was unsurprisingly well done.

My only disappointment, although again not a surprise, is that it is very food focused. Definitely not a place you want to go to argue about the hockey game last night.

So food focused that even the bar seats had little place settings set up. That's odd, and something that would be a huge turnoff to me for just popping in for a beers. Shows a clear expectation on the bar's behalf that they expect you to order something to eat.

Anyway, bottom line it's a better looking Bros. That's not really a bad thing, but I was hoping we'd get something different not more of the same.

[midlife crisis]

A little bump to this thread to ask if there is anything new and noteworthy? May have part of an evening, and perhaps a Saturday afternoon, free in Ottawa, likely the west end. I notice that some of the top places, such as Lupulus and Wellington, don't even seem to be open on Saturday afternoons! Odd. Anyway, all advice welcome.