The Top 10 beer bars in Canada

cratez · Post by **cratez** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 10:40 am

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/06/19/to ... -in-canada

Ontario picks include barVolo, Bar Hop, Milos' Craft Beer Emporium, and Wellington Gastropub.

Thoughts?

rejtable · Post by **rejtable** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 12:45 pm

I find it hard to think of Wellington as a "beer bar". Their tap list is ok and all, but not in the class of a Volo. My issue is just I can't really feel comfortable going there for "a beer". It's just not a comfy place to enjoy a pint, what with everyone around you putting down $60 worth of food every hour.

Bytowner · Post by **Bytowner** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 2:47 pm

rejtable wrote:I find it hard to think of Wellington as a "beer bar". Their tap list is ok and all, but not in the class of a Volo. My issue is just I can't really feel comfortable going there for "a beer". It's just not a comfy place to enjoy a pint, what with everyone around you putting down $60 worth of food every hour.

I'm pretty much with you on that, but if you are looking for something interesting on tap in Ottawa, the Wellington really is your best bet.

cfrancis · Post by **cfrancis** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:13 pm

Totally agree with Welly. If that's in the top 10 in Canada, we suck so bad.

And yes we do suck so bad. I gotta think they were looking at geographical distribution and said "We need SOMETHING from Ottawa.

atomeyes · Post by **atomeyes** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:24 pm

It's an all-encompassing canadian list. hence, shitholes like Luxalune being on there. it's the best Wpg has to offer.

Bytowner · Post by **Bytowner** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:26 pm

cfrancis wrote:Totally agree with Welly. If that's in the top 10 in Canada, we suck so bad.

And yes we do suck so bad. I gotta think they were looking at geographical distribution and said "We need SOMETHING from Ottawa.

Whoa there. There's no doubt that the bottom half of a top 10 Canadian beer bars list would generally stink compared to the US or UK, but the Wellington deserves a bit more love than that. A dozen rotating taps dedicated exclusively to local seasonals and one-offs, another dozen well-chosen bottles from the LCBO and locals, a beer engine, and their own line of quality stove-top brews isn't something to sneeze at. Quantity isn't what you'd expect from a dedicated beer bar, but the quality is definitely there.

cfrancis · Post by **cfrancis** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 4:11 pm

Bytowner wrote:
cfrancis wrote:Totally agree with Welly. If that's in the top 10 in Canada, we suck so bad.

And yes we do suck so bad. I gotta think they were looking at geographical distribution and said "We need SOMETHING from Ottawa.
Whoa there. There's no doubt that the bottom half of a top 10 Canadian beer bars list would generally stink compared to the US or UK, but the Wellington deserves a bit more love than that. A dozen rotating taps dedicated exclusively to local seasonals and one-offs, another dozen well-chosen bottles from the LCBO and locals, a beer engine, and their own line of quality stove-top brews isn't something to sneeze at. Quantity isn't what you'd expect from a dedicated beer bar, but the quality is definitely there.

I was just in Alibi Room in Vancouver last week. 50 taps of great craft beer. Bottle list out the wazzoo. Bar Volo with what 30 taps and a great bottle list.

I'm not saying Wellington is a shithole, I'm saying one of these things are not like the other, one of these things does not belong.

If that's the falloff of beer bars in Canada??? That says a lot about the state of craft beer in Canada.

Welly should make a top ten list of beer bars in Ottawa, no doubt, it's embarrassing that it makes the list of top 10 in Canada.

nickw · Post by **nickw** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 4:13 pm

atomeyes wrote:It's an all-encompassing canadian list. hence, shitholes like Luxalune being on there. it's the best Wpg has to offer.

yup

http://www.luxalune.com/uploads/Beer_Menu_-_Website.pdf

"Let's throw all the world's generic lagers -- that you can otherwise find in-store in the province's MLCCs -- on to a beer list and call it a day!"

nickw · Post by **nickw** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 4:15 pm

(Though, I suppose that -- if a Winnipeg bar has to be there -- Barley Brothers should probably get a nod ahead of Luxalune)[/i]

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Tue Jun 24, 2014 11:18 am

I think it's a solid list. Obviously some semblance of geographic representation was required. Personally, I would like to find a way to add Spinnakers in Victoria and The Bent Elbow in Kitchener, but there are no obvious candidates to knock off (I haven't been to Wellington so won't enter that debate).

Great to see Stillwell on there, taking over the Maritime spot (presumably from Hart & Thistle). I haven't been to Stillwell yet but hope to get there at the end of the summer.

rejtable · Post by **rejtable** » Tue Jun 24, 2014 7:19 pm

midlife crisis wrote: Great to see Stillwell on there, taking over the Maritime spot (presumably from Hart & Thistle). I haven't been to Stillwell yet but hope to get there at the end of the summer.

Even pre-Stillwell I would never have put Hart & Thistle as my Atlantic rep. The Garrison alehouse (now King St Alehouse) in Fredericton was way better. H&T had the one or two Nash taps, but the rest was pretty uninspired. I'd put Tom's ahead of H&T for sure.

Laundromat in Moncton gets my non-Stillwell vote.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Wed Jun 25, 2014 2:41 am

Funny, over the NYC weekend I went by d.b.a. bar, Blind Tiger, Ginger Man and Rattle 'n' Hum. The d.b.a. which I once thought was cool now was almost literally a shithole by most Toronto standards. Comparing back home our beloved Bar Hop stood well and proud next to the other three (ok Ginger has a towering tap list, but the commitment is really there in Bar Hop.)

So I'm thinking I'm proud of what's going on here, we have an extremely classy scene developing in Toronto with craft beer and brew pubs (even prosaic old Kingston is starting to warm to the trend, not just with local heroes Beau's brews either.)

And I fully support Vices et Versa without hesitation, plus beer in Montreal is well-priced.

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Wed Jun 25, 2014 9:23 am

Belgian wrote:Funny, over the NYC weekend I went by d.b.a. bar, Blind Tiger, Ginger Man and Rattle 'n' Hum. The d.b.a. which I once thought was cool now was almost literally a shithole by most Toronto standards. Comparing back home our beloved Bar Hop stood well and proud next to the other three (ok Ginger has a towering tap list, but the commitment is really there in Bar Hop.)

So I'm thinking I'm proud of what's going on here, we have an extremely classy scene developing in Toronto with craft beer and brew pubs (even prosaic old Kingston is starting to warm to the trend, not just with local heroes Beau's brews either.)

And I fully support Vices et Versa without hesitation, plus beer in Montreal is well-priced.

Places like Bar Hop (and others) are completely deserving to be held in the same light as those kind of places in the U.S. The commitment to great beer is there, the space, the vibe, etc.

My biggest issue is until the LCBO-imposed lock-down on keg distribution remains, bars in Ontario can only get so far compared to U.S. counterparts.

midlife crisis · Post by **midlife crisis** » Wed Jun 25, 2014 2:51 pm

rejtable wrote:
midlife crisis wrote: Great to see Stillwell on there, taking over the Maritime spot (presumably from Hart & Thistle). I haven't been to Stillwell yet but hope to get there at the end of the summer.
Even pre-Stillwell I would never have put Hart & Thistle as my Atlantic rep. The Garrison alehouse (now King St Alehouse) in Fredericton was way better. H&T had the one or two Nash taps, but the rest was pretty uninspired. I'd put Tom's ahead of H&T for sure. Laundromat in Moncton gets my non-Stillwell vote.

I like Tom's Little Havana a lot, great vibe, good food, but there's only one good beer to drink (Garrison IIPA). It's been a couple of years since I've been there, perhaps I am out of date. Thanks for the tips on those places in Fredericton and Moncton, haven't been to either. I don't really get much of an opportunity to go to N.B., but maybe there will be a chance when I'm out in Halifax. If so will be sure to check them out.

lister · Post by **lister** » Wed Jun 25, 2014 3:17 pm

Belgian wrote:Funny, over the NYC weekend I went by d.b.a. bar, Blind Tiger, Ginger Man and Rattle 'n' Hum. The d.b.a. which I once thought was cool now was almost literally a shithole by most Toronto standards. Comparing back home our beloved Bar Hop stood well and proud next to the other three (ok Ginger has a towering tap list, but the commitment is really there in Bar Hop.)

So I'm thinking I'm proud of what's going on here, we have an extremely classy scene developing in Toronto with craft beer and brew pubs (even prosaic old Kingston is starting to warm to the trend, not just with local heroes Beau's brews either.)

And I fully support Vices et Versa without hesitation, plus beer in Montreal is well-priced.

I've said it before here that Bar Hop could be dropped into NYC and it would fit in nicely. I am very pleased with Bar Hop as my local. They've made some tweaks (for the better) since opening. Adding in even more taps and a second cask, putting some attention on brown liquor, adding well made cocktails, upping the food and doing frequent collaborations (almost as good as a nanobrewery on site.) At this point any issues I have are preference nit-picks like some food tweaks, music tweaks, etc. Bar Hop is the first place I recommend to anyone then go through the rest of the usual suspects.

Every trip to NYC Rattle & Hum is on the itinerary though we avoid live music nights as they suffer the usual crank the volume to 11 and "YOU MUST LISTEN TO US!!!!!!" problem. *sigh* Otherwise I love R&H. We've done one trip to Gingerman on a busy Friday or Saturday night and didn't really like the experience. We'll likely try again on a less popular night since GM and R&H are so close to each other and we've found a hotel we like nearby in mid-town. We've been to Spitzer's Corner several times and are quite happy with it.

I need another trip to Vices et Versa. The one trip there wasn't the best experience overall, mostly due to external forces at work and didn't really have anything to do with VetV.