beerbistro Announces Bail Out Plan

beerbistro (18 King St. East) is offering guests their own “Economic Stimulus Package”: each day of the week, at least one table of guests will be randomly selected to receive a “bail out”, meaning that beerbistro will buy them their drinks and meal.

“Everyone is feeling the economic crunch these days and this is just our way of trying to help out our community and loyal customers,” says Brian Morin, owner and chef of beerbistro. “This is a lighthearted, optimistic gesture that we hope will bring a smile to people’s faces during these trying times.”

At least once a day, a table of guests will receive, instead of a check, a card announcing that they have been ‘bailed out’ and that their bill is on the house.

beerbistro has also launched a new winter menu featuring many old favourites such as Maudite Beef Stew, Fancy Shmancy Lobster Mussels, Duck Confit Corn Dogs and the famous Pulled Pork Primanti sandwich, along with some new features like the Peruvian-style Grilled Chicharrón Sandwich, Chickpea Tikka Masala and in-house Smoked Chicken Pizza.

Castle on King Closing

Sad news for fans of good beer in Kitchener-Waterloo and surrounding area, as the Castle On King (1508 King Street East, Kitchener) will be closing on Friday, December 12th.

Owners Harold & Deanna had been attempting to buy the building from the owner, but failed to reach a deal, and can no longer afford to pay the monthly lease on the space.

As Rob Creighton from Grand River Brewing notes in his announcement of the closure on the Bar Towel Forum, "This is a huge blow to good beer in this area and leaves Kitchener without a single even decent tap house."

beerbistro to Reopen Next Week

After several weeks of repairs stemming from the explosion of a sprinkler head and subsequent flood on September 14th, beerbistro will be reopening on Thursday, October 9th (updated from the originally announced date of Tuesday, October 7th).

The full newsletter announcing the reopening, as well as their plans for the next few months, appears behind the cut below.

beerbistro Newsletter October 2008

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you most sincerely for your support and kind words during our time of rebuilding. No one would like to re-open more than we do and have been working diligently to re-open our restaurant. The process has taken longer than we had expected but we are very happy to inform you that we plan on being open by Tuesday October 7th (!!) and will notify you of any possible changes as they occur.

On September 14th, 2008 a sprinkler head in our drop-ceiling exploded and flooded the restaurant. Guests were quickly escorted to safety and no one was injured (Thankfully, the beer remained safe!). As many of you know, as result of this accident, the restaurant was closed for three and a half weeks of extensive repairs and renovations. We hope to be able to restore the restaurant to its original elegance and have taken the opportunity to make a few changes and updates along the way.

We are looking forward to our new Fall Menu that will include old favorites (such as the infamous Pulled Pork Primanti) as well as some new items inspired by seasonal and local fare. We are currently working with some of the top craft breweries in the United States and Belgium to bring you an even more diverse and unique selection for the fall and winter season.

Upon our re-opening we will leap right into Oktoberfest celebrations. Until October 25th we will be featuring German ales and lagers including the Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest that will be available in large German Steins.

The Holiday Season

Before you know it, the holiday season will be upon us. On the first of December we plan to launch our annual 12 Beers of Christmas list featuring some of the worlds’ best dark, strong and Christmas ales – a perfect way to end a meal, wind down after holiday shopping or spend holiday time with friends.

This New Year’s Eve we plan to continue our ‘ring in the new year with beer’ tradition and will be offering a multi-course prix-fixe menu with optional beer pairings. As always we will be featuring the Gene Pool Boys – our house jazz band for a little added entertainment and spirit. Tickets will go on sale in December. Please plan in advance as this event always sells out very early.

Other special events to look forward to in the new year include Winterlicious (January 30th to February 12th), and our ever-popular MusselFest, beginning in February. We will provide you with more information about these exciting events in the new year.

Beer…for breakfast?

Absolutely! beerbistro continues its success with weekend brunches. Come sample our freshly baked breads and pastries, blueberry raspberry buttermilk pancakes served with barley wine maple butter or a selection of creative benedict dishes. Enjoy a beer mimosa, a perfect alternative to the traditional variety with an artisanal wheat beer blended with fresh-squeezed orange juice. We are open for brunch Saturday and Sunday from 10:30am to 4pm.

Once again, thank you for your patience and patronage. We are all very excited to welcome you back home once we open our doors for business once again.

Come and let us change the way you think about beer!

Sincerely,
your friends at beerbistro

beerbistro Temporarily Closed

beerbistro has been closed temporarily due to a sprinkler system collapse from the ceiling which caused damage and flooding.

Repairs are underway, and when we get word on the planned reopening date, we'll post an update here.

Craft Beers of the World at Fionn MacCool’s

From September 8th to November 30th, all locations of Fionn MacCool’s and other Prime Pubs across Ontario are running a special "Craft Beers of the World" promotion, featuring the following four beers and one cider (all info, including descriptions, taken from a Prime Pubs press release):

Brooklyn Lager, Brooklyn, New York: Created by a former journalist and banker, this lager started out being sold from the back of a truck. A Vienna-style lager with an amber gold colour and a floral aroma. (16 oz/ABV 5.2%)

Anchor Steam Ale, San Francisco, California: In business since 1896, the Anchor Brewing Co introduced their ale in 1975. A dry-hopped ale with medium bitterness and a subtle flavour of caramel. (12oz/ABV 4.9%)

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware: This IPA heralds from Delaware’s first brewpub. An East Coast beer known for its citrus hop character. (12oz/ABV 6%)

Bulmer’s Dry English Cider, Hereford, England: In 1887, a family recipe and family apple orchard resulted in the birth of traditional cider. Bulmer’s is stone pressed and delivers a crisp, clean flavour. (19oz/ABV 4.5%)

Fischer Tradition Ale, Schiltigheim, France: Renowned for their brewing tradition since 1821, Fishcer Brewery makes traditional ale characterized by a rich head, round flavour and fruity aroma. (22oz/ABV 6%)

Bier Markt King West

Prime Restaurants, the company behind Esplanade Bier Markt, Fionn MacCool’s and numerous other pubs and restaurants, will soon be opening their newest location, Bier Markt King West.

As with the original Esplanade location, Bier Markt King West will feature European-inspired cuisine with a strong Belgian influence, including mussels, flatbreads, fondues, steak and seafood. They will also offer a selection of over 100 brands of beer from over 24 countries.

In addition to a nightly dinner service (4:00 PM to close), Bier Markt King West will offer a weekday breakfast (Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM) and lunch (11:00 AM to 4:00 PM), and weekend brunch (Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM).

Bier Markt King West will open on Monday, August 4th, and is located at 600 King St. W. in the former location of the Amsterdam Brewery.

New Beers and Local Wine Festival at C'est What

Here's an excerpt from the latest newsletter from C'est What (67 Front St. E.) mentioning some changes to their beer line-up:

Nickel Brook Ice Bock is a completely new selection while Black Oak Pale Ale returns along with Wellington SPA. In cask we have added F&M Stonehammer Dark and have a couple of firkins of Wellington Imperial Russian Stout left to enjoy. After the stout is finished we will be getting a few casks of Neustadt Double Fuggled.

Also, those who are drinkers of wine as well as beer may be interested in attending C'est What's first ever Festival Of Local Wineries on Wednesday June 25 from 5 to 10 pm. The event will have a similar format to their popular Festival of Small Breweries: Free admission, with 30 mL samples selling for $1.50 each or eight for $10. Wineries to be represented in the line-up will include Calamus, Dan Aykroyd, EastDell, Harbour Estates, Henry Of Pelham, Hillebrand, Reif, Silver Peak, and Vineland.

New Beers at C'est What

Just in time for their Spring Festival of Small Brewers next Friday, C'est What have announced a few changes to their tap and bottle line-up:

The Granite Best Bitter has moved to cask and returning the our list are Church-Key Cranberry Wheat, Ephemere Pomme (Unibroue), and Great Lakes Orange Peel Ale. Nickelbrook Cuvée, a tasty strong golden ale, is new to our taps.

The Unibroue bottled collection has arrived. We are now carrying Blanche de Chambly, Don de Dieu, Chambly Noir, Maudite, La Fin du Monde, and Trois Pistoles.

A new C'est What brew, Sierra's Excellent Ale, has arrived. Truth be told, it is a summer ale, but we didn't want it confused with the Sierra's Summer Ale from a couple of years ago as the recipe has been completely re-built. The new brew is designed for warm weather quaffing at 4.0% alcohol, is nitrogen-dispensed, and has a refreshing hint of bitter in the finish at 25 IBU.

Volo Holiday Hours

Those in town for the holidays may be interested in the following announcement from Volo:

Volo will be closed December 25th and January 1st. We'll be open informally with bar service only and a cold kitchen menu on Sun Dec 23, Mon Dec 24 and Sun Dec 30 from 2pm til 10 pm. We're on for New Years Eve! Reservations not required. Pint night Mondays resume Jan 7.

On a related note, watch for a full round-up of craft beer-friendly New Year's Eve dinners & events to be posted here in the next couple of days.

C'est What Beer List Update

C'est What have announced a few updates to their extensive beer list:

Since the last e-news we have seen Amsterdam Oktoberfest and Grand River Galt Knife Lager come and go and now have the Grand River Jubilation Spiced Ale, Neustadt Big Dog Porter, Nickelbrook Maple Porter, Black Oak Nutcracker Porter, and Great Lakes Winter Ale taking a turn. A special one-off Neustadt Decade Cask Bitter is just about finished and will make way for Wellington Imperial Stout on cask in the next couple of days.

We are on the second batch of our Caraway Rye to which a little more caraway has been added and an altered hop schedule has given it a cleaner finish. Look for a new batch of our Hazelnut Chocolate Ale in a week or so. It has been tweaked to give it a little more backbone behind the luxurious dark chocolate flavour.

C'est What News

C'est What (67 Front St. E.) have made a few changes to their draught line-up. New and returning beers include Church-Key West Coast Pale Ale, Unibroue Maudite, Mill Street Oktoberfest, Durham Hop Head (cask), Black Irish Porter (cask), Black Oak Nut Brown Ale (cask), Great Lakes Double Pumpkin Ale, and St. Ambroise Pale Ale.

They've also announced the tasting results from last month's Fall Festival Of Craft Breweries, and County Durham was the big winner with their Durham Hop Head, C'est What Caraway Rye, and Durham Hop Addict tying for first place in the voting. Full results have been posted to the C'est What website.

And for those with a sweet tooth and a sense of adventure, the dessert menu now includes Beer Floats: "Hazelnut Chocolate Ale, Coffee Porter, or Oatmeal Stout topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and a bright red cherry".

Toronto Film Festival Liquor Extension Bars

Since the Toronto International Film Festival is an event of tremendous cultural significance, the AGCO (Alcohol & Gaming Commission of Ontario) approves certain bars and restaurants each year to extend their drinking hours until 4am. They've significantly expanded the number of bars and restaurants this year, so you can find places to drink late all over downtown.

We've got the complete list here - click "Continue" to see it!

Amber
(The) Bovine Club
Branthouse Restaurant
Century
Cheval Night Club Bar
Club V
Coca Commissary Corp.
(The) Court House
Czehoski Bar
(The) Drake Hotel
Empire Restaurant & Lounge
Filet of Sole
Flow Restaurant and Lounge
Four Seasons Hotel
(The) Hideout
L'Atelier Restaurant
Lobby Lounge and Restaurant
Manyata Courtyard Café
Maro
Metropolitan Hotel
Muzik
One
Park Hyatt
Peridot Resto-Bar-Lounge
Reposado Bar and Lounge
Revival Restaurant-Bar
Rosewater Supper Club
Senses Restaurant
(The) Spoke Club
(The) Social
1032 Queen
Toronto Inter-Continental Hotel
Urban Restaurant
Vogue Bar
Windsor Arms Hotel
Y-Not Lounge

beerbistro Spring News

beerbistro's newsletter for Spring 2007 was recently sent out, and it features information about a ton of upcoming events, as well as recent changes at the restaurant. The full newsletter can be found on the Events page at their website, but for those with short attention spans, here's a point-form condensed version:

• Stephen Beaumont will be teaching Beer School on Tuesday May 8th ("Wild About Wheats!") and Tuesday May 15th ("Hooray for Hops!").
• They will be hosting a Bourbon Dinner on Friday May 11th in conjunction with the Spirit of Toronto whiskey gala taking place the following evening at Roy Thomson Hall.
• They are now open for brunch starting at 10:30 AM on Sundays, and are also staying open later - until 11:00 PM - on Sunday nights.
• The American Beer & Barbeque Fest will be running from July 4th to 29th, featuring beers from Bell’s Brewery, Lost Abbey Brewery, Jolly Pumpkin, New Holland Brewing Co., Brooklyn Brewery, Sierra Nevada and Anchor paired with tasty barbeque specialties. The highlight of the fest will be a dinner on July 10th hosted by American beer & food author Lucy Saunders.
• On October 15th, Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head will be hosting a special beer dinner. More info to be announced soon.

And while it's not mentioned in the newsletter, you'll probably also want to know that the 5th Annual Golden Tap Awards will be taking place at beerbistro on Saturday, August 18th. Save the date!

C'est What News

C'est What have announced some new & returning beers to their draught line-up. Available now are King Pilsbock, Walkerville Lager, Neustadt 10W30 & F&M Stonehammer Dark (cask), and coming next week are Great Lakes Orange Peel Ale & Nickelbrook Apple Pilsner.

Also announced in their latest newsletter is the date of the 3rd Annual Spring Festival Of Craft Breweries: Friday May 25, 2007. More details on the event will be announced in their May newsletter.

Upcoming at Volo

Our friends at Volo have a few treats in store, as noted in these announcements from their website:

Lateral Tasting: Chocolate Cherry Stout
Ever thought to yourself: "Self, I'd be interested in comparing Black Oak's Chocolate Cherry Stout on tap with the bottle and cask version, and while we're at it, perhaps say, the original 2005 brew?" Guess what, Ken found a keg from 2005 at the brewery. We'll have all four on Fri Mar 23.

Fuller's ESB cask-conditioned
Fuller's ESB cask-conditioned will be served on Tue Mar 27th @ 6pm. This is a first for Toronto's real ale drinkers.

Nutcracker Porter on tap
Last keg of Black Oak's Nutcracker Porter will be tapped on Fri Mar 30th.

New Beers at C'est What

C'est What (67 Front St. E., Toronto) are celebrating the holiday season with some new beers on their tap list.

Available now are Heritage Blackcurrant Rye, Granite Best Bitter, Great Lakes Winter Ale, MacLean's Scotch Ale (cask), Wellington Iron Duke (cask), Black Oak Nutcracker Porter and Trafalgar Celtic Ale. They've also done a seasonal batch of their own Hazelnut Coffee Porter which was a big hit at their Festival of Small Breweries back in the fall.

C'est What will be closed Dec 24 and 25 and will be open for business as usual with no special plans (or prices) on New Year's Eve.

Discuss this topic in the Bar Towel Forum

Bar & Pub News Bites

Here are a few assorted bar & pub news items that have come our way recently:

• A couple of hours west of Toronto in the small town of Elora, The Shepherd's Pub has recently been taken over by new publicans Jad Crawford and Grant Farrell who are devoting their tap line-up almost exclusively to Ontario microbrews. Available now are brews from F&M, Neustadt, Wellington & Brick, as well as Fullers London Porter and a couple of other imports.

• The Duke of Kent, one of the oldest supporters of cask ale in Toronto, has sadly stopped offering their old stand-by, Wellington Arkell, on handpump. According to bar staff, the casks weren't selling quick enough, leading to a lot of spoilage. There is no word on if or when the handpump will be reactivated, so for now, the closest thing they have to cask ale is Fuller's London Pride being served from a keg without additional carbonation.

• The infamous strong ale Delirium Tremens has recently been spotted on tap at King East bistro Le Petit Dejeuner, where it can be enjoyed at a very reasonable $5.50/330ml. While they are best known for their popular Sunday brunch, the restaurant serves up authentic Belgian & French cuisine for lunch and dinner as well.
  

Cask Ale at The Rhino

Good news for beer lovers in Parkdale and other points west: The Rhino has added a cask engine to their already impressive tap selection, and even more impressive line-up of 200+ bottles.

Your friendly neighbourhood news editor hasn't had a chance to check it out for himself, but the word seems to be that County Durham will be the exclusive supplier of cask ale for the establishment. If we find out more, we'll let you know.

Discuss this topic in the Bar Towel Forum

C'est What Fest Results & Beer Update

The results of the beer ratings gathered at C'est What's 18th Annual Festival Of Small Breweries on Friday, September 29th were announced this week. The favourite beer of the festival was Durham Hop Addict, with a median score of 42.5 out of 50. Runners-up were McAuslan Raspberry Ale and C'est What Hazelnut Coffee Porter, both clocking in with average scores of 40 out of 50. Full results can be found here.

Their monthly newsletter also announces some changes to their cask cellaring system:

One of our renovation projects over the summer was a completely new cellaring system for the five cask ales that we offer. Our "real" ales are refrigerated at a cool cellar temperature of about eight degrees from cask to tap including the piston of each "beer engine". We have also installed an aspirating valve (also known as a "cask breather") so that the space at the top of each cask that is evacuated when beer is dispensed is filled with a mixture of 75% nitrogen and 25% carbon dioxide (the same mixture that pushes "nitro" tap beers like Coffee Porter and St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout). This prevents the beer from coming into contact with air and oxidizing. The 75/25 gas mix has a low enough carbon dioxide level to prevent it from carbonating the beer. By comparison, the mixture that is used for our more conventionally dispensed brews is 40% nitrogen and 60% carbon dioxide. These products need more carbon dioxide to maintain their higher level of "fizz".

West 50 Pour House Opening Next Week

After several delays, West 50 Pour House & Grille at Mississauga's Sussex Centre (50 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W.) will be opening next Monday, November 13th.

In addition to a large & varied food menu, they will be featuring 102 different draught beers on 115 taps, which they boast as being the largest selection of draught beer in Canada. Read on the full list of beers that will be available...

Affligem Abbey Beer, Belgium
Alexander Keiths India Pale Ale, Nova Scotia
Amsterdam Blonde Lager, Toronto Ontario
Amsterdam Nut Brown Ale, Toronto Ontario
Arkell Best Bitter, Guelph Ontario
Bass Pale Ale, England
Beck’s Lager, Germany
Belhaven Original Best Cream Ale, Scotland
Belle Vue Kriek Cherry Lambic Ale, Belgium
Big Rock Traditional Ale, Alberta
Black Jack Lager, Toronto Ontario
Blackthorn Cider, England
Blanche de Chambly White Ale, Quebec
Blue Light Pilsner, London Ontario
Blue Pilsner, London Ontario
Boddingtons Pub Ale, England
Bud Light Lager, United States
Budweiser Lager, United States
Caffreys Irish Ale, Ireland
Caledonia 80/- Ale, Scotland
Cameron’s Auburn Ale, Oakville Ontario
Cameron’s Cream Ale, Oakville Ontario
Canadian Lager, Toronto Ontario
Carlsberg Lager, Denmark
Carlsberg Light Lager, Denmark
Clancy’s Amber Ale, New Brunswick
Cool Beer Lager, Brampton Ontario
Coors Light Lager, United States
Creemore Lager, Creemore Springs Ontario
De Koninck Amber Ale, Belgium
Delerium Tremens, Belgium
Double Diamond Burton Ale, England
Erdinger Dunkel, Germany
Erdinger Weissbeir, Germany
Export Ale, Toronto Ontario
Fosters Lager, Australia
Fruli Strawberry Wheat Lager, Belgium
Fullers ESB Pale Ale, England
Fullers London Pride Pale Ale, England
Golden Horseshoe Premium Lager, Toronto Ontario
Grasshopper Wheat Ale, Alberta
Guinness Irish Stout, Ireland
Hacker~Pschorr Edelhell Munich Lager, Germany
Hacker~Pschorr Weiss Bier, Germany
Harp Lager, Ireland
Headstrong Pale Ale, Toronto Ontario
Heineken Pale Lager, Holland
Hoegarrden Wheat Ale, Belgium
Holy Smoke Scotch Ale, Campbellford Ontario
Kilkenny Irish Ale, Ireland
King Dark Lager, Nobleton Ontario
King Pilsner, Nobleton Ontario
KLB Raspberry Wheat Ale, Ontario
Kokanee Lager, British Columbia
Kronenburg Lager, France
Labatt 50Ale, Toronto Ontario
Leffe Blonde Abbey Ale, Belgium
Leffe Brun Abbey Ale, Belgium
Maudite Strong Red Ale, Quebec
McAuslan Apricot Wheat, Quebec
Mill St. Coffee Porter, Toronto Ontario
Mill St. Organic Lager, Toronto Ontario
Mill St. Tankhouse Ale, Toronto Ontario
Moosehead Lager, Nova Scotia
Muskoka Lakes Hefe Weissbier, Ontario
Muskoka Lakes Red Cream Ale, Ontario
Neustadt 10W30 Brown Ale, Neustadt Ontario
Neustadt Scottish Ale, Neustadt Ontario
Newcastle Brown Ale, Scotland
Niagara’s Best Blonde Ale, St. Catherines Ontario
Nicklebrook Green Apple, Burlington Ontario
Old Credit Amber Ale, Port Credit Ontario
Old Speckled Hen Strong Ale, England
Red Baron Blonde Lager, Waterloo Ontario
Red Cap Ale, Waterloo Ontario
Red Leaf Lager, Toronto Ontario
Rickards Honey Brown Ale, Toronto Ontario
Rickards Red Ale, Toronto Ontario
Robert Simpson Confederation Ale, Barrie Ontario
Route 666 Devils Pale Ale, Toronto Ontario
Sleeman Cream Ale, Guelph Ontario
Sleeman Honey Brown Lager, Guelph Ontario
Sleeman Original Draught, Guelph Ontario
Smithwicks Ale, Ireland
St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout, Quebec
Steam Whistle Pilsner, Toronto Ontario
Stella Artois Lager, Belgium
Sterling Lager, Toronto Ontario
Stiegl Lager, Austria
Taps Red Cream Ale, Niagara On The Lake Ontario
Tennents Lager, Scotland
Tetleys English Ale, England
Trailhead Lager, Guelph Ontario
Tuborg Amber Lager, Denmark
Upper Canada Dark Ale, Guelph Ontario
Walkerville Blonde Lager, Windsor Ontario
Walkerville Superior Light, Windsor Ontario
Warsteiner Pilsner, Germany
Waterloo Dark Ale, Waterloo Ontario
Wellington Special Pale Ale, Guelph Ontario

Neustadt Big Dog Porter at The King Edward

The Kind Edward Restaurant & Pub in Ilderton (near London) will soon be tapping a cask of Neustadt Big Dog Porter, one of only four casks of this seasonal release being produced this year. It's bound to go quickly, so if you're in the area and would like to stop in for a pint, you might want to contact them to check on availability.

West 50 Pourhouse & Grille

Opening in October at Mississauga's Sussex Centre (50 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W.) will be West 50 Pour House & Grille, a casual dining restaurant with 100 taps, the largest draught selection in Canada. Watch their website for details on their impending opening.

Upcoming Events at The Granite

The Granite has announced details for three upcoming events:

15th Anniversary Open House
On Tuesday, September 19 from 6 to 9 PM, the Granite will be celebrating their 15th anniversary with a BBQ on the courtyard with live music in the restaurant from two Granite regulars - jazz saxophonist Alex Dean and guitarist Brian McIntyre. Everyone is invited to drop in and join the party.

Alzheimer's Coffee Break Day
Thursday, September 21 is World Alzheimer's Day. As part of their Alzheimer Coffee Break program if you stop by the Granite on Thursday, make sure you order a coffee as all coffee sales for the day will be donated to the Alzheimer Society.

Oktoberfest Brewers' Banquet
On Saturday, October 21, 2006 at 7 PM, the Granite will celebrate Oktoberfest with a night of German food, beer and music. Tickets are $45 including all taxes and service, and seating is limited. Call 416-322-0723 for reservations.

New & Returning Beers at beerbistro

In their latest newsletter, beerbistro annouces that they've got some new and returning beers now available:

In our never-ending quest to bring in rare quality beers to the restaurant, we are proud to announce these newest additions. Direct from one of America’s most highly regarded craft brewers -- Southern California’s Sierra Nevada -- comes three beers that are virtually impossible to find in this province: Sierra’s Porter is a smooth and roasty medium-bodied black beer. Their Stout is a creamy and intensely-flavoured interpretation of the dry Irish original, and the 7-time GABF gold medal award-winning Pale Ale is perhaps one of the finest of the style brewed anywhere in the world.

Additionally, we are pleased to bring back four of Unibroue’s harder to find beers: Don de Dieu has been described as a ‘Belgian white beer on steroids’, Eau Bénite is an award-winning tribute to the ‘tripel’ style pioneered by Belgium’s Trappist monks, and Fringante is a 10% alcohol, spicy powerhouse that is becoming more and more difficult to find outside of Québec. Finally, Quelque Chose is a spiced cherry ale that we mix into the most refreshing sangria you’ve ever tasted.

Renovations at C'est What

Renovations are currently underway in the west room at C'est What, and they are expected to run until at least the end of August. As a result, the tap selection is roughly halved, as only the lines in the east room are operational, and only one cask ale is available (currently Al's Cask Ale).

New Arrivals at Volo

Now available at Volo are several hard-to-find (in Ontario, at least) beers from Unibroue, including Don De Dieu, Eau Benite, Terrible and Quelque Chose. Also in is a single case of the fantastic Black Toque India Dark Ale from Victoria's Phillips Brewing.

Panil Barriquée at Volo

The world-renowned Italian beer Panil Barriquée is now available at Volo. This is the first time this fantastic sour ale has been available in Toronto, and as with other beers that Volo has brought in on private order in the past, it's unlikely to be appearing anywhere else in town any time soon.

UW Grad House Goes (Almost) Micro-Only

According to a recent post on the University of Waterloo student info blog uwstudent.org, the Grad House bar is dropping all Molson & Labatt products in favour of Ontario craft brews:

The pub run by the Graduate Student Association will continue to serve Guinness Stout made by Guinness and Co. from Ireland, but that will be its only major brewery offering.

Otherwise it will only serve beers from local breweries like Wellington Brewery in Guelph, Steam Whistle Brewing in Toronto, Mill St. Brewery also in Toronto, and Brick Brewing Company on King Street in Waterloo.

GSA President Marek Ratajczak said of the change, "it fits better with the culture of the Grad House."

The Fat Belgian

Those saddened by the recent closure of Café Brussel may find a bit of solace at The Fat Belgian (115 John St.), a recently opened restaurant and bar located just a few steps from longtime Bar Towel favourite Smokeless Joe. While their food and beer are not exclusively Belgian, they do offer the ubiquitous mussels & frites, and rumours of an InBev-dominated beer line-up have proven false, with the current tap list including Delerium Tremens, Erdinger Weissbier, De Koninck and Fruli.

Discuss this topic in the Bar Towel Forum

M.E. & Suzie's in Port Stanley

Fans of craft beer and fine food in Southwestern Ontario should pay a visit to M.E. & Suzie's, a recently opened restaurant in Port Stanley, a village on the shore of Lake Erie. Their beer list features 30 brews from Ontario Craft Brewers, including two beers - Earl’s Elgin County Auburn Ale and Suzies Light Lakeside Lager - brewed for them exclusively by Better Bitters in Burlington. The kitchen focusses heavily on locally sourced products, and also incorporates beer into many food items including Earl's Ale & Cheddar Soup, Neustadt 10W30 Beer Bread Dough for their pizzas, Magnotta IPA batter for their fish, and for dessert, the very decadent sounding Mill Street Coffee Porter & Vanilla Ice Cream Float.

Real Ale at The King Edward in Ilderton

The King Edward pub in Ilderton (north of London) has recently added a handpump to their bar selection, complimenting their 6 keg lines and 20+ bottled beers plus extensive wine list. They are currently cycling the casks through Wellington County Ale, Wellington Arkell Best Bitter and F&M MacLeans Pale Ale, and are talking to another brewery to add another beer or two to the rotation. In the fall and winter they plan to bring in some darker ales. Owners Rich and Deborah Hunter and their friendly staff invite all real ale lovers to pay them a visit soon.

Discuss this topic in the Bar Towel Forum

New Arrivals at Volo

Not only will Volo have six mystery casks tapped this weekend (Sat May 27 to Mon May 29) for their Spring Cask Situation, but they've also got a slew of other new/returning beers available or coming soon...

New/Returning on Tap
Church Key Pale Ale
Church Key Riot Act Imperial Stout
Scotch Irish Black Irish Plain Porter
Mill Street Bock
Heritage Bush Maple Lager
F&M Stonehammer Dark Ale
Delirium Tremens

New/Returning in Bottles
Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout
Great Divide Titan IPA
Great Divide Old Ruffian Barleywine

Coming Soon in Bottles
Bear Republic Big Black Bear Stout
Yukon Midnight Sun Espresso Stout
Unibroue Quelque Chose
Southern Tier Unearthly Imperial IPA
Panil Barriquée Sour Ale
Alley Kat Olde Deuteronomy Barley Wine
Verhaeghe Duchesse De Bourgogne

Discuss this topic in the Bar Towel Forum

Cafe Brussel Closing

We've received the sad news that Toronto's original Belgian eatery Café Brussel (124 Danforth Ave.) will be closing their doors for the final time on Saturday, May 27th. Café Brussel was one of the first restaurants in the city to feature Belgian beers, bringing them in as private imports before they were available via LCBO and import agents. They continue to offer many Belgian beers - not to mention hundreds of fine wines - to compliment their mussels, steak frites and other traditional bistro dishes.

A loving tribute to Café Brussel has been posted by local blogger Steve Munro - you can read it here. They will most definately be missed.

Michelle's Beach House

Recently opened at 1955 Queen St. E. in The Beach neighbourhood is the fittingly named Michelle's Beach House. Owned by the same Michelle who is behind Michelle's Brasserie, the Beach House offers a similar beer list, with the tap line-up currently featuring Church Key Riot Act, Delirium Tremens, Denisons Dunkel and Weiss, Fruli, Black Oak Pale Ale and more.

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New at C'est What for April

In their April e-newsletter, C'est What (67 Front St. E., Toronto) let's us know that they have added some new beers to their tap list. Available now are Scotch Irish Black Irish Porter (which will be followed by Corporal Punishment), Heritage Traditional Dark, Durham Hop Addict, and a dry-hopped cask version of F&M Stonehammer Dark. Depending on availability, one of their other handpumps will be alternating dry-hopped versions of Black Oak Pale Ale and Granite Bitter.

And lest we forget that they also sell beer in bottles - they are now up to 36 bottled selections to complement their 35 taps, with the latest addition being Scotch Irish Tsarina Katarina Stout.

Southern Tier Jah-va at Volo

Another new addition to the beer menu at Volo - Southern Tier Jah-va Imperial Coffee Stout. This well-reviewed stout checks in at 11% alcohol and is available now in 650 ml bottles.

Phillips at Volo

Now available at Volo (587 Yonge St.) are three beers from Phillips Brewing of Victoria, BC. Joining the previously available Amnesiac Double IPA are Original IPA and the unique Black Toque India Dark Ale.

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Cask Ale coming soon at Victory Cafe

After several months of planning, the Victory Cafe (581 Markham St.) will soon be adding cask conditioned ale to their already excellent tap line-up. The engine is due to be installed by the end of the March, and the first real ale on offer will be Maclean's Pale Ale (dry-hopped). Watch this space for an announcement regarding the official launch party.

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New On Tap at C'est What for March

In their March e-newsletter, C'est What (67 Front St. E., Toronto) let's us know that they have added 5 new beers to their tap list - Muskoka Honey Brown Lager, Stratford Porter, Trafalgar Celtic Ale, Walkerville Lager, and a casked & dry-hopped version of their own Mild Brown Ale. (Presumably they have dropped 5 beers to make room for these, but they don't mention which ones.)

Hair Of The Dog at Volo

Now available at Volo (587 Yonge St., Toronto) is the long-awaited shipment four beers from the renowned US brewery Hair of the Dog - Fred, Adam, Rose and Ruth. It's been quite some time since any HOTD products were available in Ontario, and Volo is the only place in the city (if not the province) where they are currently available.

The Embassy Bar

Located along the increasingly popular Augusta Ave. strip in Kensington Market, The Embassy Bar (223 Augusta Ave.) is a friendly neighbourhood pub owned by a couple of British ex-pats. The food is sourced primarily from vensors in the Market, and the draught list is focussed on Ontario & Quebec micros, with occassional appearances by good quality imports. Currently on tap:

Denisons Weissbier
McAuslan Cream Ale
McAuslan Oatmeal Stout
King Pilsner
Church Key Holy Smoke
Wellington County Ale
Headstrong Pale Ale
De Koninck

They're also building a solid bottle list, with the latest additions being the Mort Subite line-up. It's well worth a visit if you're in the area and thirsty for a quality brew.

New Beer List at The Rhino

When it opened 15 years ago, The Rhino Bar & Grill (1249 Queen St. W.) was pretty much the only place in Parkdale to get a decent pint. Over the last few years, a lot of competition has come along to challenge the beer supremacy of this west end watering hole - first The Academy of Spherical Arts, followed closely by Ciro's, Cadillac Lounge, Mitzi's Sister, and most recently, The Wroxeter.

But as part of their ongoing renovations & rejuvenations, The Rhino has kicked things up a notch with the launch of a new beer list that features 12 draught lines - including such local micro faves as Mill St. Tankhouse Ale, Denison's Dunkel and Wellington County Ale - and a very impressive menu of 200+ bottles.

The bottled selection focusses heavily on Ontario micros - with most of them priced in the $3.00 to $3.50 range - plus a well chosen assortment of imports, including many fine Belgians, also at very reasonable prices. Improvements are also planned for their food menu and decor, so it probably won't be long before one of Parkdale's favourite hangouts becomes a hot destination for people from the other side of the tracks as well.

beerbistro February Newsletter

The latest e-newsletter from beerbistro has hit inboxes, and includes information about their Valentine’s beer-lover’s dinner, their February Beer School series, their Belgian & Mussels Fest, and a sneak peek at March's spotlight on stouts & porters.

To receive future editions via email, send a blank email to beerbistro@rogers.com with the word "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject line.

beerbistro e-Newsletter February 2006

The holidays are behind us, but we’ve got plenty of reason to celebrate with various events the restaurant will be holding over the next couple of months. Venture in and see what’s new!

A Very Quick Reminder of The Valentine’s Day Beer-Lover’s Dinner
Tuesday February 14th, 2006
Space is filling up fast but don’t miss your chance to treat that special beer-lover in your life to a fantastic beer dinner experience. Something out of the ordinary and fun, the Beer Dinner for Two is designed to be shared between two people…
(but the more the merrier really)

HORS d’OEUVRES TRIO:

Oysters on the Half Shell with Lobster and Fennel Salad
Smoked Trout with Spiced Apple Crêpe
Sweet Potato Chips with Caviar Crème Fraiche
paired with Delirium

SECOND & THIRD PLATES:

LOVER ONE
Cauliflower Whitebeer Soup
foie gras shavings & toasted almonds
paired with De Koninck
&
Grilled Atlantic Salmon
poached egg, blue crab mashed potatoes, weissbier jus
paired with Denison’s Weissbier

LOVER TWO
Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
charred onions and truffle honey
paired with Paulaner Salvator
&
Roasted Beef Tenderloin
bone marrow fritter, dijon peppercorn sauce
paired with Petrus oud Bruin

DESSERT FOR TWO:

Molten Chocolate Cake
caramelized banana ice cream
espresso stout sauce
paired with a warm Quelque Chose

FEBRUARY BEER SCHOOL:
Our recently announced series of lessons have produced massive interest, and have sold out quite quickly. We have begun a waiting list for the next Beer School Series, possibly beginning in March. If you are interested, please call us to have your name added and stay tuned for more information.

Here is a brief overview of what the classes this month offered:

February 6th: Beer Styles
A comprehensive overview of the world of beer, beer styles, and an introduction to beer and food pairing.

February 13th: Cooking with Beer
Chef Brian Morin shares the secrets of beer as a versatile ingredient in pairing and cooking.

February 20th: Dessert and Beer--The Final Frontier
Discover the latest trend in food and beer pairings and taste the wide array of beers that pair exceptionally well with desserts.

February 27th: Beer and Cheese
Learn the secret that sommeliers have known for years: beer pairs better with cheese than wine -- through a tasting of several Canadian artisanal, monastic, and beer-washed rind cheeses.

THE THIRD ANNUAL BELGIAN MONTH AND MUSSEL FEST:
Our annual celebration of all things Belgium will begin this year following the conclusion of Winterlicious in the second week of February. We’re bringing in hard-to-find Belgian beers and pairing them up with a feature mussels menu offering baked platters and beer-steamed varieties. Final preparations are underway in order to celebrate the national dish and drink of this fabulous culinary nation. And along with all the food and beer will be a Belgian-Beer glass and stemware giveaway, so clear some space on your shelves before your visit!

THIS MONTH’S RECIPE IS MOULES AU PETIT DEJEUNER – 1 lb.
The beerbistro kitchen truly believes in the versatility of beer as an ingredient in good food, and rather than hold on to all the secrets ourselves, we want everyone to share in the beer cuisine phenomenon. Try this one out--straight from the culinary library of Brian Morin:

MOULES AU PETIT DEJEUNER ~ 1 lb.
We call these breakfast mussels, it’s a little tongue in cheek because of the use of the hearty Oatmeal stout These are best served when mussels are fresh (not in warmer summer months) and with a crusty loaf of bread by your side to enjoy dipping in the broth.

1 tsp. ~ Garlic (diced)
2 tbsp. ~ Butter
1 lb. ~ Mussels
1/4 cup. ~ Tomatoes – (diced with seed removed)
1/4 cup ~ Oatmeal Stout
3 tbsp. ~ Goat Cheese
1/4 cup. ~ Watercress, chopped
Garnish w/ lots of Chopped Basil

Procedure
Heat pan at high heat until very hot. Add first two ingredients and sauté quickly until garlic becomes fragrant. Add mussels and diced fresh tomatoes to the pan – stir and sauté I minute. Pour in oatmeal stout, and lay goat cheese and chopped watercress on top of mussels to steam. Cover with lid. Approx 3 ½ - 5 minutes latter remove lid. When it appears all mussels are all open, toss. Add freshly chopped basil and boil for 60 seconds more. Spoon mussels into serving bowls. Ladle broth over mussels and serve

Serves 2 for appetizer, 1 for main dish

LOOKING FORWARD TO MARCH:
In honour of St. Patrick’s Day, all of the month of March we’ll be celebrating stouts and porters and featuring a multitude of varieties for you to come in and sample. Imperials, Oysters, Oatmeals, draughts, imported, local, you name it – it’ll be the place to be to find the world’s best (available) beers of that style. On Friday, March 17th we’re holding a celebration of Ireland with cuisine of the land, and of course, stouts and porters as far as the eye can see. For a taste of Irish national pride, visit us on St. Patrick’s Day and all March to and come join the party.

beerbistro
18 King St. E, just east of Yonge St.
Call 416.861.9872 to book a reservation or ask for information

Chaucer's Pub in London

BarTowellers in the southwestern part of the province have a new beer destination in the form of Chaucer's Pub (122 Carling St., London - next to Marienbad Restaurant). Manager Milos Kral has taken an interest in building a solid beer list featuring some of the finest imports available in Ontario, and currently has a strong selection of Belgians and other European beers, including the following:

Duvel
Mort Subite Framboise
Achel Bruin
Cuvee des Trolls
La Choulette Ambree
Rochefort 6
Rochefort 8
Saison Dupont
Pink Killer
Westmalle Tripel
Maredsous 8
Maredsous 10
Traquair House Jacobite Ale

Milos sends out email bulletins regarding the pub's ever expanding beer list. To subscribe to the list, send him a note at miloskral@hotmail.com.

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The Strand severs ties with Amsterdam

Word has come out that The Strand - the bistro-style restaurant that opened a couple of years ago in the former Denison's location at 75 Victoria St. - have severed their ties with Amsterdam Brewing and are awaiting the arrival of a new liquor license as they had to change from a brewpub designation to a regular restaurant. When the restaurant originally opened, it was announced that Amsterdam would be using the on-site brewing equipment to brew beers especially for the Strand, but this never happened. It is unknown if any of the regular Amsterdam beers will remain on tap under the new license, of if they will be changed to match the Strand's more mainstream line-up of bottled beers which includes Heineken, Stella Artois, Corona & Coors Light.

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New On Tap at C'est What for February

In their February e-newsletter, C'est What (67 Front St. E., Toronto) mentions that they have added Niagara's Best Blonde, Trafalgar Downrigger Bock, and Black Oak Pale Ale (dry-hopped cask version) to their draught list. No word on which beers were replaced by these new selections, but based on the tap list on their website, it looks like the Black Oak has taken over from the Neustadt Springs Porter.

Vote! And Then Drink!

Aside from the infamous "beer & popcorn" quote, the topic of beer was not a major issue in the just-finished federal election campaign. Therefore, The Bar Towel cannot officially endorse any of the candidates. But we still encourage everyone to get out and vote!

And once you've done your civic duty, why not reward yourself with a tasty beverage or two? While most bars will likely have their televisions tuned to the election results (well, after the Leafs-Sens game is over, at least), some places are throwing full-on election night bashes.

Dora Keogh (141 Danforth Ave.) is hosting their first ever Election Night Fun Party. Owner John Maxwell will be serving complimentary ash sandwiches (Wonder Bread with margarine and ash) or caviar sandwiches depending on who wins. According to Maxwell, the caviar will be offered only if Monday's result is "a rejection of the candidate of darkness." Which candidate he is referring to is unclear, so you'll just have to show up if you want to find out.

Smokeless Joe (125 John St.) is also hosting an election party, with a television brought in especially for watching the coverage, four beers designated for the parties, and complimentary snacks.

Meanwhile, out in Oakville, Trafalgar Ales & Meads will be holding an election-ending event at their Tied House Pub (1156 Speers Road, between 3rd and 4th Line, Oakville). In addition to watching the results of the real election, they will also be announcing the final tally in their successful Political Party Pack promotion, which saw them rebrand four of their beers for each of the major parties - Lib Red Lager, Old Tory Lager, Worker’s Brown Ale, Sovereign Ale - and then track the sales of each at their brewery store and pub. As of last week, the sales were running quite close to the national election polls, although it's possible that the lack of a Green "candidate" may be skewing the numbers. Might we suggest the addition of an Organic Ale for the next election? And maybe a Hemp Ale for the Marijuana Party?

Magpie & The Portland Beer House

The next time you're heading out for a pint or two, consider checking out a couple of Toronto bars that have recently re-launched as homes to good beer.

Magpie at 831 Dundas W. recently changed hands and now features a small but impressive tap list including Church-Key Holy Smoke, Stratford Pilsner, St. Andre, Cameron's Auburn, and St. Ambroise Stout. New owner & bartender Graeme has created a cozy and relaxed vibe in a formerly cold space.

Discuss Magpie in the Bar Towel Forum

The Portland Beer House has taken over the recently vacated Amsterdam Brewing location(*) at 600 King St. W., and they have 14 taps to choose from. The current selections include Wellington Trailhead Lager & Imperial Stout, Amsterdam Framboise, Amber & Nut Brown, Niagara Falls Gritstone & Honey Brown, Mill St. Tankhouse & Stock Ale, Steam Whistle & Creemore alongside a few macro offerings. While they are currently using the same floor space as the old Amsterdam bar, they'll soon be expanding into the area previously occupied by the Amsterdam brewing equipment.

Discuss The Portland Beer House in the Bar Towel Forum

(*) For those who hadn't heard - Amsterdam is now located at 21 Bathurst St. near Front. The new location does not have a bar, but the retail store is open for business.

beerbistro Winter Newsletter

Here is the latest events and information newsletter from beerbistro. To receive future editions via email, send a blank email to beerbistro@rogers.com with the word "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject line.

-----

Sharing our passion for great beer and fresh market beer cuisine!

1. February Beer School
2. New Winter Menu
3. Winterlicious

1. February Beer School

Every Monday in February we will be holding progressive lessons in BEER 101: A Guide to Beers of the World and Their Enjoyment with Food. Come sign up for these fun evenings of beer, food, and the wisdom to expand your pleasure of the two. Each evening will focus on a different topic, and will include tasting of cuisine and beer from around the world. Each evening is $35, or purchase all four as a gift for $100 and get your beer-adoring loved one an official beerbistro 'beer certification' certificate for completing the entire course!

February 6th: Beer Styles - a comprehensive overview of the world of beer, beer styles, and an introduction to beer and food pairing.

February 13th: Cooking with Beer - Chef Brian Morin shares the secrets of beer as a versatile ingredient in pairing and cooking.

February 20th: Dessert and Beer - The Final Frontier. Discover the latest trend in food and beer pairing and taste the wide array of beers that pair exceptionally well with dessert.

Februrary 27th: Beer and Cheese - learn the secret that sommeliers have known for years: beer pairs better with cheese than wine --through a tasting of several Canadian artisanal, monastic, and beer-washed rind cheeses.

2. New Winter Menu

Our Kitchen proudly offers new items on a regular basis, and this winter is no exception. Come out to the restuarant to enjoy some of our new selections. We're particularly fond of our Abbey Ale-Braised Veal Cheeks served with potato truffle ravioli. Also, two new mussel preparations are gracing our menu. Just ask your server for the Fancy Shmancy style to partake of a decadent bowl of mussels and lobster steamed in a blonde ale shellfish bisque. There's too much to mention, but take a look at our menu posted on the website.

Our beer menu will be expanding over the month of December, so be sure to join us and try the unique and hard-to-find beers we will be offering. Already, we have readied our taps for the cold winter months by including Black Oak's Christmas Nutcracker, an exceptional local porter spiced with cinnamon, and Fuller's London Porter, possible the finest example of the style available on draft anywhere.

Saturdays at beerbistro have quickly become a satisfying weekend event for many of our guests. All through December we will be continuing live jazz performed by the Gene Poolboys (starting at 8:30pm), as well as featuring our exceptional Roast Suckling Pig, the product of a 3-day preparation mentioned in the Toronto Star as a "succulent" dish.

3. Winterlicious

A Toronto mainstay, Winterlicious is a festival dedicated to the foodie in all of us. From January 27th to February 9th, you and your friends can come down to beerbistro to partake of a three-course table d'hote for only $15 at lunchtime and $25 for dinner (beverages, taxes and gratuity not included).

BEERBISTRO
18 King Street East (at Yonge Street)
Toronto, Ontario
M5C 1C4
Tel: 416.861.9872
Fax: 416.861.9251
Email: beerbistro@rogers.com

HOURS OF OPERATION
Mon – Wed 11:30 am – 1:00 am
Thur – Fri 11:30 am – 2:00 am
Sat 4:00 pm – 2:00 am

Full menu available until one hour before closing

Beerbistro Information Page Launched

We are proud to announce the launch of an exclusive page dedicated to Toronto's new beer cuisine restaurant, beerbistro on The Bar Towel.

On the new page you can learn about the beerbistro, download a PDF of their full beer menu, and find out about their upcoming "Beer School" tastings. Check out the page here.

Beerbistro and Blue Meaney Now Open

As originally reported on the Bar Towel here, both the Beerbistro and the Blue Meaney are now open. It is great to see two new Toronto establishments with a strong beer focus come onto the scene.

You can read some impressions from the Bar Towel's forum members on the Beerbistro here and the Blue Meaney here.

New Toronto beer bars on the horizon

Things are heating up on the Toronto beer bar scene this fall.

The beerbistro, a beer cuisine restaurant concept that originally attempted to get off the ground in 2002, is back and officially on. It is being led by chef Brian Morin, formerly of the Esplanade Bier Markt, and Stephen Beaumont, well-known Canadian beer writer. To be located at the old Zoom restaurant at 18 King Street East, the beerbistro will feature 18-20 taps and 80-100 bottles. Their anticipated opening is mid-November. Stay tuned to the Bar Towel for more information as it develops. According to Stephen Beaumont, the beerbistro's aim is to "help further develop the beer scene in the city, in harmony with other great purveyors of good beer."

Also opening shortly is The Blue Meaney, a new pub owned by Keiron Meaney, ex of the Bow and Arrow. Named a "Microbrew Freehouse", the Meaney will feature about 15 Canadian microbrewed taps. The Blue Meaney should be opening by November 20th at 2140 Yonge St. Again, we'll have more information as it becomes available.

Definitely a great time to for the Toronto beer scene, with two new establishments opening up. Should be a fine fall and winter for beer fans in the city.

New French and Belgian beers arrive

A selection of new French and Belgian beers have arrived in select Toronto bars and restaurants courtesy Esprit Agencies. Remember that these are not available for purchase at the LCBO.

Smokeless Joe now offers from La Choulette: Ambree, Blonde, Peche, Framboise, Brune, Biere des Sans Culottes and Tour d'Ostrevant; from Achel: 8 and Bruin; from Floreffe: Double and La Meilleure; Newton Apple Beer and from the U.K., Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout. Many of these beers are exclusive to Smokless Joe, so they won't last long.

A number of other establishments in Toronto received some of these beers as well.

The Esplanade Bier Markt now offers La Choulette Ambree and Blonde, Floreffe Double, Sam Smith's Oatmeal Stout and Achel 8.

The Riverside Cafe on Queen St. East and Gamelle on College St. West now offer La Choullette Ambree and Blonde.

And finally, La Palette on Augusta in Kensington Market also now offers La Choulette Ambree and Blonde, Achel 8 and Bruin and Floreffe Double.