The Beer Lovers' Tour Company Celebrates 10 Years

2008 marks the 10th anniversary of The Beer Lovers' Tour Company, the folks behind the Old Toronto Beer Tour and other beer travel events. Below is the press release announcing their plans for 2008, including trips to the Creemore Copper Kettle Festival and the Chambly Beer Festival, as well as a Fall Colours Country Beer Tour to several breweries in south-western Ontario.

THINK GLOBALLY, DRINK LOCALLY
The Beer Lovers’ Tour Company
Celebrates 10 Years And With It Expands To 18 Tour Dates
From May 10 until October 4, 2008

(Toronto – May 5, 2008) Due to a growing thirst for tours combining beer appreciation and travel, The Beer Lovers' Tour Company has expanded and offers 18 tour dates on the 2008 Old Toronto Beer Tour this year: starting May 10th and going strong till Oct 4th!

The Old Toronto Beer Tour (Sat May 10 - check for other dates at www.beerloverstour.com) is a city tour unlike any other. Featuring four outstanding local breweries (Steam Whistle, Amsterdam, Mill Street and the Granite), this day-trip blends the experience of Toronto's rich brewing history with a celebration of Toronto's world-class lagers and ales. Complimentary lunch, VIP tours, tutored tastings, a historic walking tour and pub visit as well as a four-course gourmet beer dinner are among the many delights to be enjoyed on this splendid day in the city. Prices range from $99-$149 per person, including transport, taxes and gratuities.

Since 1998, the Beer Lovers' Tour Company, led by craft-beer industry veteran and company president Oliver Dawson, has been hosting specialty tours designed for the culturally-minded beer enthusiast. "Today's beer drinker is much more open-minded than even ten years ago," muses Dawson. "The out-dated perception that only the best beers come from Europe has been neutralized given the quality and style-selection offered by many Ontario producers. The continued expansion of world-class Ontario Craft Breweries has intensified demand for tours featuring local producers, and we’re happy to expand The Old Toronto Beer Tour to fill the demand.”

Whether you are a visitor to Toronto or a long-time resident, The Old Toronto Beer Tour will show you the city, and its fine brews in a new light, you will discover things about Toronto you never knew. The Old Toronto Beer Tour also makes a unique gift, and Special group rates make it an even more affordable event for friends to spend the day together.

The tour is hosted by beer ambassadors Oliver Dawson and Mirella Amato, both seasoned tour-guides and qualified beer experts:

Beer Lovers' Tour Company president Oliver Dawson is a long-time veteran of the craft-beer industry. Following fourteen years with the original Upper Canada Brewing Company, he decided to follow his passion for beer, travel and culture and founded The Beer Lovers' Tour Company. An authority on the beer industry and professional public speaker, Oliver has also led beer appreciation courses at George Brown College, appeared often on radio and television and has been a contributor to such publications as Food and Drink magazine.

Mirella Amato is an established beer writer whose extensive knowledge is exceeded only by her passion for great beer. She is a regular host on Legourmet.tv online, where she interviews. Mirella has sat on the panel of many beer competitions in Canada as well as abroad and recently completed the Beer Judge Certification Exam. She has taken various courses and seminars on beer appreciation, including an advanced brewing certificate from Maska Laboratories.

If something farther afield strikes your fancy, there are three out-of-town trips planned for the 2008 season:

Creemore Copper Kettle Festival Tour: On Saturday August 23rd we help the town of Creemore celebrate their annual Copper Kettle Festival. With the street closed off to traffic and a VIP pass to the Creemore Springs Brewery and local events, guests will have time to relax and enjoy the antics of the afternoon at leisure. But getting to Creemore will be half the fun. A scenic back road drive, including a special visit to the Hockley Valley Brewing Company will make the journey both interesting and informative. A dinner is also planned with all-inclusive pricing at $150 per person including the meal.

Chambly Beer Festival Tour: if you really want to get away, join us over the Labour Day Weekend (August 29, 30) to experience the legendary Chambly Beer Festival just outside of Montreal. Featuring local artisan producers of beer and cheese as well as imported brewery exotica not easily found in Ontario, this festival is one of the great ones to attend. Local Brewery visits will include internationally recognized McAuslans and Unibroue. A Montreal city tour, a special brewery meal, a guided pub crawl and lots of leisure time should make this Montreal visit a memorable one. To keep costs down this tour will not include transport to and from Montreal. However, a special beer lovers' trip-tych will be offered for the DIY travelers. Check for final details soon!

Fall Colours Country Beer Tour: Saturday, October 18th is the first Fall Tour that takes in the colours, the scenery and the local beer culture of Wellington, Waterloo and Grey counties. Planned VIP visits to Ontario Craft Brewery (OCB) facilities, Wellington County, Brick and Neustadt Springs will highlight a day featuring scenic country drives, visits to antique markets and historic towns. Being a full day, tour meal stops will be part of the days events.

For more information about the the Old Toronto Beer Tour, and Beer Lovers’ Tour 2008 season, visit www.beerloverstour.com or call 905 850-9570.

The Beer Lovers' Tour Co.
beerloverstour.com@sympatico.ca

Great Lakes Brewery Events

Etobicoke's Great Lakes Brewery have two fun events coming up:

Great Lakes Brewery Orange Peel Ale Release Party
Thursday May 15th @ The Victory Cafe

Join us as we celebrate the launch of Orange Peel Ale for another year! Available on draught since early April, it will be hitting LCBO shelves province-wide in late May.

The festivities run from 6-10 (and perhaps beyond...) upstairs at the Victory Cafe. There will be a selection of Great Lakes beers, a live band, and lots of orange-themed food to keep everyone going. To get a free ticket or your name on the guest list, email us at info@greatlakesbeer.com

Great Lakes 5th Annual Charity BBQ
Saturday, May 24th @ Great Lakes Brewery

Join us for our annual kick off to summer BBQ from 12 noon to 6 PM. Bring your friends and family for a fun day and help to raise funds and awareness for "The Gatehouse". There will be plenty of entertainment and refreshments.

REMINDER: Southern Tier IPA Launch Events

Just a reminder about the two Southern Tier launch events taking place this weekend. There are still tickets available for the dinner, and the Volo event is now free (except for the beer, which you'll have to buy). Hope to see you there!

The Bar Towel is pleased to announce that we're teaming up with import agency Roland + Russell, and Toronto's premier food & drink website, Taste T.O., to co-present a pair of tasting events on Friday, April 25th and Saturday, April 26th marking the arrival of Southern Tier IPA at the LCBO.

Southern Tier is a relatively new brewery from Lakewood in western New York State, but in the four short years they've been in business, they've attracted a ton of acclaim from beer geeks on both sides of the border, so the addition of their IPA to the LCBO general list is quite a coup for Ontario's craft beer lovers. To help celebrate the occasion, Southern Tier co-founder Phin DeMink as well as his brewmaster will be coming to Toronto for special events at two of the city's best beer destinations.

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Friday, April 25th, 2008
Southern Tier Beer Dinner
The Academy of Spherical Arts, 1 Snooker Street (formerly 38 Hanna Avenue)
6:00 PM
$75 (including all taxes and gratuities)
call 416-532-2782 to reserve

Dinner & Beer Pairing Menu:

Butternut Squash, roasted pear and cheddar soup
served with Phin & Matt's Extraordinary Ale

Baked black cod with sweet potato, rapini and a walnut butter sauce
served with Southern Tier Porter

Spicy chicken panang with scented rice, crisp garlic and onions
served with Southern Tier IPA

Bitter Chocolate mousse with fresh raspberries and sauce
served with Southern Tier Raspberry Wheat Beer

The dinner will be hosted by Cass Enright (The Bar Towel) and Greg Clow (Taste T.O.), with Phin and his brewmaster also saying a few words. After dinner, all are welcome to stay to enjoy more libations and shoot some stick on the Academy's renowned pool tables.

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Saturday, April 26th, 2008
Southern Tier Beer Tasting
Volo, 587 Yonge Street
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
free admission

A casual meet & greet event with Phin and his brewmaster, with Southern Tier's Hoppe, Big Red, Un*Earthly, and IPA available for tasting.

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Cameron's Cask Night for April

Cameron's Brewing have announced the details of their "Let's Drink The Cask" Night for April:

Following last month's infamous Dark Cherry Lager Cask, this month's Cameron's 'Let's Drink the Cask Night' will be on Thursday April 24th, from 6:00 - 8:00pm

Cameron's Cask Nights are a casual and intimate monthly event at the brewery. The guestlist only event is free of charge and mainly a chance for us to share a glass of our latest creation with our friends, supporters and our local community.

For those who have not been to the brewery before, this is a great chance to meet the folks behind the scenes and to tour our facility. As well, it's a great time to pick up some brewery fresh Cameron's beer.

We will be tapping the Cask at approximately 6:15pm.

Whole Foods Markets have graciously donated some delicious food for the event. The food will be available at 6pm.

As always, the event is capped at 60 people to keep it intimate and to ensure everyone gets a taste of the cask. RSVPs always come flooding in, so confirm your attendance as quickly as possible.

Due to the good weather and overall cheer at the brewery, we encourage everyone to invite a guest (or a few) to join them this month. Just indicate how many people will be coming with you on your RSVP.

For any questions or to RSVP (if you haven't already), email mike@cameronsbrewing.com

For more information or to get directions, visit the Cameron’s website.

Cameron’s Brewing is only a short jaunt from the Oakville GO Station, so feel free to make the trip that way as well.

Upcoming Beer Events

Here's a handy guide to what's coming up on the beer scene in Toronto and surrounding areas in the coming weeks and months.

Events in Toronto:

Sat Apr 19 2008 - Canadian Brewery Collectibles Show & Sale - Amsterdam Brewing
Sat Apr 19 2008 - McAuslan Beer Dinner - Local 4
Sun Apr 20 2008 - Volo 20th Anniversary - Volo
Fri Apr 25 2008 - Southern Tier Beer Dinner - Academy of Spherical Arts
Sat Apr 26 2008 - Southern Tier Meet & Greet - Volo
Wed May 28 2008 - Dogfish Head Beer Dinner - beerbistro
Thu Aug 7 to Sun Aug 10 2008 - Toronto's Festival of Beer - Fort York
Sat Sep 6 and Sun Sep 7 2008 - Black Creek Brews Fest - Black Creek Pioneer Village

Events further afield:

Sat May 3 2008 - Church-Key Spring Revival - Church-Key Brewery, Campbellford
Fri May 16 & Sat May 17 2008 - 13th Annual World Expo of Beer - Heritage Park, Frankenmuth, MI
Wed May 28 to Sun Jun 1 2008 - Mondial de la Bière - Windsor Station & Courtyard, Montreal
Fri Jul 4 to Sun Jul 6 2008 - Barrie Brews and BBQ Festival - Centennial Beach, Barrie
Fri Jul 11 2008 - Empire State Brewing & Music Festival - Clinton Square, Syracuse, NY
Thu Jul 17 to Sat Jul 19 2008 - Downtown London Beer Festival - King and Clarence Street, London
Fri Jul 18 to Sun Jul 20 2008 - Downtown Kitchener Ribfest & Craft Beer Show - Victoria Park, Kitchener
Fri Jul 18 and Sat Jul 19 2008 - Fiesta Buckhorn: A Celebration of Fine Wine, Beer & Cuisine - Buckhorn Community Centre, Buckhorn
Fri Jul 25 and Sat Jul 26 2008 - Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival - Ypsilanti, MI
Fri Aug 1 to Sun Aug 3 2008 - Belgium Comes to Cooperstown - Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY
Fri Aug 18 - Flour City Brewers' Fest - Frontier Field, Rochester, NY

Volo 20th Anniversary Party

This month marks 20 years since Ralph Morana bought Volo (587 Yonge St.), and to mark the occasion, they'll be opening on Sunday April 20th from 12 noon to 10:00 PM for a casual celebration.

Admission will be free (but the beer won't be!), and there will be a half-dozen casks tapped on the patio, as well as a special draught line-up featuring a number of special brews:

Casks
Black Oak Double Chocolate Cherry Stout
Grand River Mild/Plowman's Ale Blend
Cameron's Pomegranate Cream Ale
Amsterdam Framboise
Church Key West Coast Pale Ale Oaked
Durham ESB

Taps
Church Key Grains of Wrath DIPA
King Pilsbock Unfiltered
Nickelbrook Cuvee 07 Strong Spiced Ale
Great Lakes Chocolate Orange Peel Ale
Stratford Common Steam Lager
Barley Days Sugar Shack Ale
Granite Gin Lane Barley Wine
Neustadt Big Dog Porter
Durham Hop Addict IPA Hop Infused
Grand River Ploegers Vlaams Rood
Denison's Weissbier
Koningshoeven Dubbel

Deliciously Dutch Dinner at Esplanade Bier Markt

Originally planned to be a single event on April 9th, the Deliciously Dutch dinner at Bier Markt has now been extended to a promotion running April 9th to 18th.

All dishes can be ordered a la carte or as a 4-course prix fixe ($50), and the suggested beer pairings are available an an additional cost.

ENTRÉES

CHILLED SOUP SHOOTERS $8
Yukon vichyssoise, spicy gazpacho, vodka cucumber
Bier Pairing: Koningshoeven Dubbel Trappistenbier, 6.5% ABV, 330 ml. bottle, $9.27

TORCHON OF LAC BROME FOIE GRAS $12
Koningshoeven Witte-infused moulard foie gras, toasted brioche, sweet shallot jam, Halon Mon sea salt
Bier Pairing: Koningshoeven Dubbel Trappistenbier, 6.5% ABV, 330 ml. bottle, $9.27

~INTERMEZZO OF KONINGSHOEVEN GRANITA~ $5

PLATS

PAN SEARED CERVENA VENISON $28
seared mid-rare, crisp beet risotto arrancini, tri-coloured carrots, Koningshoeven & wild blueberry reduction
Bier Pairing: Koningshoeven Tripel Trappistenbier, 8% ABV, 13 oz, $7.11

TRIPEL BRAISED SHORT RIB $26
caramelized pork belly, Cookstown thumbelina root vegetables, reblochon potato, Koningshoeven Tripel reduction
Bier Pairing: Koningshoeven Tripel Trappistenbier, 8% ABV, 13 oz, $7.11

FIN

ARTISANAL CHEESES $9
selection of bold procured Dutch cheeses, macerated fruit compotes, organic grain crisp, artisanal baguette
Bier Pairing: Koningshoeven Quadrupel Trappistenbier, 10% ABV, 13 oz, $7.33

Koningshoeven Dinner at Vineyards in Ottawa

On Thursday, April 17th, Vineyards Bistro (54 York Street, Ottawa) will be presenting a Brew Masters Dinner featuring three courses paired with the beers of Dutch Trappist brewery Koningshoeven.

Tickets are $60 - call 613-241-4270 to reserve.

Appetizer

Fresh P.E.I. Mussels Steamed with Garlic, Vegetables and Koningshoeven Triple Beer

Entrée

Choice of:
Fresh Atlantic Salmon Fillet Served with a Creamy Lemon Pepper Sauce, Multi-Grain Rice and Honeyed Carrots and Parsnips
Or
Chicken Breast Stuffed with Brie and Topped with a Mushroom Dubbel Sauce Served with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes and Stir Fried Vegetable Medley
Or
10 oz Striploin Steak With a Cracked Three Peppercorn Quadrupel Sauce Served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Honeyed Carrots and Parsnips

Dessert

Fresh Strawberry Crepes with Whipped Cream and a Maple Syrup Sauce

Koningshoeven Beers

1. The worlds first and only Trappist White Beer 5.5%
2. Koningshoeven Dubbel 7%
3. Koningshoeven Tripel 8%
4. Koningshoeven Quadrupel 10%

Bavaria/Koningshoeven Beer Dinner at The Abbot on the Hill

On Tuesday, April 15th, Premier Brands and The Abbot on the Hill (1276 Yonge Street) present a dinner to launch two beers in Canada:

Bavaria
Holland’s Premium beer, and largest family owned brewery.
Available for the first time on draught in Canada.

Koningshoeven Trappist Bock
The only Trappist Bock in the world and the first time in the Western Hemisphere.
There is only one keg in Canada and we have it!!

Tickets are $60, with seatings at 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM. Call (416) 920-9074 to reserve.

Menu:
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Bavaria

soft shirred quail egg
ceviche tuna
homemade pumpernickel toast

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Koningshoeven Trappist Bock

oven roasted venison tenderloin
stuffed with apple – wild rice
candied juniper berry demi glace
roast shallot whipped white turnip
buttered brussel sprouts
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Koningshoven Trappist Quadruple

sugar fried brie wedge
homemade beer sorbet

Brewery Collectibles Show & Sale - April 19th

The Golden Horseshoe Breweriana Collectors and the Trillium Can Collectors present their annual show & sale of Canadian brewery memorabilia - bottles, cans, labels, openers, coasters, etc. - from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday April 19, 2008.

The show will take place at Amsterdam Brewing, 21 Bathurst Street (south of Front). Free parking will be available.

For more information, contact Larry at (416) 465-3386.

Beer Dinners: Southern Tier, Dogfish Head & Bavaria/La Trappe

Details are starting to leak out about three beer dinners set to take place in the next couple of months:

Friday, April 25th
Southern Tier Beer Dinner
The Academy of Spherical Arts, One Snooker Street
ticket info t.b.a.
Roland & Russell presents a dinner with Southern Tier’s Phin DeMink to celebrate the arrival of Southern Tier IPA at the LCBO. There will also be a more casual “meet & greet” with Phin on Saturday, April 26th at Volo.

April (date t.b.a.)
Bavaria/La Trappe Beer Dinner
Abbot On The Hill, 1276 Yonge Street
ticket info t.b.a.
Premier Brands presents a three-course dinner to mark the arrival of Bavaria on draught for the first time in Canada, and La Trappe (Koningshoeven) Bock for the first time in the Western Hemisphere.

Wednesday, May 28th
Dogfish Head Beer Dinner
beerbistro, 18 King Street East
$100 - tickets on sale May 1st
A dinner with Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head, featuring the beer cuisine of beerbistro chef Brian Morin paired with a number of DFH beers, some available for the first time in Ontario.

With these being added to the list of previously announced Het Anker & Brunehaut and Fuller's beer dinners, as well as the Brewers Table local food & beer event, it looks like fans of beer and food pairings have a lot to look forward to in the coming weeks and months.

Line-Up Announced for Stouts & Porters Tasting

The beer line-up has been announced for the Stouts & Porters tasting being presented by The Bar Towel next Wednesday, March 26th at C'est What. The beers to be featured for this "blind" tasting event are:

C’est What Coffee Porter
Mill Street Coffee Porter
C’est What Chocolate Ale
Church-Key Chocolate Porter
Black Oak Double Chocolate Double Cherry (special edition cask)
Neustadt Big Dog Extra-Aged Porter (special edition cask)
Heritage Black Irish Porter
Fullers London Porter
Guinness Stout
Hockley Stout
Amsterdam Two-Fisted Stout
Durham Blak Katt Stout
St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout
Wellington Imperial Stout (cask)
Nickel Brook Maple Porter

Tickets are available now via the C'est What website.

Cameron’s Let’s Drink the Cask Night for March

Cameron's Brewing have announced the details of their "Let's Drink The Cask" Night for March in a posting on their recently launched blog:

Following last month’s infamous Cask 19 Plato, this month’s Cameron’s ‘Let’s Drink the Cask Night’ will be on Thursday March 27th, from 6:00 - 8:00pm

Cameron’s Cask Nights are a casual and intimate monthly event at the brewery. The guestlist only event is free of charge and mainly a chance for us to share a glass of our latest creation with our friends, supporters and our local community.

For those who have not been to the brewery before, this is a great chance to meet the folks behind the scenes and to tour our facility. As well, it’s a great time to pick up some brewery fresh Cameron’s beer.

We will be tapping the Cask at approximately 6:15pm.

Whole Foods Markets have graciously donated some delicious food for the event. The food will be available at 6pm.

The event is capped at 60 people to keep it intimate and to ensure everyone gets a taste of the cask. RSVP’s always come flooding in, so confirm your attendance as quickly as possible.

For any questions or to RSVP (if you haven’t already), email mike@cameronsbrewing.com
For more information or to get directions, visit the Cameron’s website.

Cameron’s Brewing is only a short jaunt from the Oakville GO Station, so feel free to make the trip that way as well.

Note: The times in this announcement are correct as they may vary from the times on the website.

Easter Dinner at The Abbot On The Hill

The Abbot on The Hill (1276 Yonge Street) is presenting a special dinner on Easter Monday, March 24th, pairing beers from Belgium's Het Anker and Brunehaut breweries with five delicious food courses.

There will be seatings at 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM, and the cost is $65. Call (416) 920-9074 to reserve.

Menu for the dinner:

Margriet
Brewed to honour two powerful founding women from the town of Mechelen.

Seared sea scallops
Frissee salad
Lime chilli dressing
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St Martin Blonde
The epitome of true abbey ale.

Smoked salmon stuffed cucumber
Gazpacho drizzle
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St Martin Brune
The darker more mature sibling to the St Martin Blonde

Gorgonzola and brie cheesecake
Prosciutto
Raisin puree
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Gouden Carolus Easter Beer
Bold lemony, with a rich and creamy head. Only 2000 cases are made a year.

Rabbit fricassee
Apricot preserves
Spiced pecans
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Boscoulis
Exclusive to Abbot on the Hill. Fruity and jammy with the perfect combination of sweet and tart attributes.

Battered banana & homemade cider ice cream

Fuller's Dinner with John Keeling

Premier Brands and The Duke Pubs present
AN EVENING WITH JOHN KEELING
Brewing Director, Fuller's Brewery, Chiswick, London, UK

featuring
Fuller's London Pride Ale
Fuller's ESB
Fuller's London Porter
Fuller's Organic Honey Dew Ale

Tuesday, April 8th, 2008
5:00 PM
Duke of Westminster, First Canadian Place, 77 Adelaide St. W.

Taste these fine beers and enjoy a dinner prepared by our chefs.

Tickets: $45 - contact Mark, Elizabeth or Alex at (416) 368-2761 to reserve.

John Keeling, 47, was educated at Herriot Watt University where he got a degree in brewing. Prior to that, he started his career aged 17, at Wilson's Brewery in his hometown of Manchester. Over 22 years ago, he moved to Fuller's Brewery in Chiswick, West London, where he moved up the ranks to Brewing Director with responsibility for the whole brewing process. Fuller's has won five CAMRA Overall Champion Beer of Britain awards during his time at the brewery. He believes that brewing great beer needs real pride and passion.

The Duke Pubs are proud to offer a full selection of Fuller's beer. With over 250 years of experience behind them, Fuller's is recognized as one of the finest breweries around the world. They have won many of the top brewing awards from around the world including CAMRA Overall Champion Beer of Britain and Supreme Champion at the International Beer Competition. Fuller's exceptional range of beers will ensure that even the most discerning drinker goes away satisfied.

The Brewers Plate

Green Enterprise Toronto, Local Food Plus and Slow Food Toronto present
The Brewers Plate

A Local, Sustainable Spring Feast Celebrating
Independent Brewers, Chefs and Food Artisans

What does a great local feast look like in early April in southern Ontario? Artisanal cheeses, breads, and sausages, roasts and stews of wild game and root vegetables, local greenhouse produce, pickles and preserves of every description, fruit pies, and of course, libations from our great local breweries.

Featuring finely crafted beers from Mill Street, Cameron's, Wellington, Church Key, Steam Whistle and Black Oak to compliment dishes from Jamie Kennedy Kitchens, La Palette, Veritas, Cowbell, the Gladstone, and Rebel House, as well as variety of individual food artisans, oysters from Oyster Boy, and live jazz bands.

$150.00+GST per ticket. We expect a sellout crowd of 300.
To reserve tickets with VISA/MC call Leslie Domenico at 416-644-1012

This first annual event celebrates slow food, local-sustainable food and farming, and import substitution in the winter/spring season in the Toronto region. The event also supports the work of Green Enterprise Toronto.

Steam Whistle St. Patrick's Day Bash

All are invited to join The Good Beer Folks at the Steam Whistle Brewery (255 Bremner Blvd.) on Saturday March 15th for their annual St Paddy’s Day celebrations.

Partiers can expect delicious Irish stew and the entertaining Irish St Paddy’s Day dancers to lead the festivities starting at 3pm. There won’t be advance tickets for sale, so this year get there early to avoid line ups.

Proceeds from the event go to the St Patrick’s Day Parade Society, and be sure to get your up close and personal view of Steam Whistle's vintage vehicles as they join the parade Sunday March 16th.

Upcoming Beer Events

Here's a handy guide to what's coming up on the beer scene in Toronto and surrounding areas in the coming weeks and months.

Events in Toronto:

Wed Mar 26 2008 - Stout & Porter Tasting - C'est What
Thu Aug 7 to Sun Aug 10 2008 - Toronto's Festival of Beer - Fort York
Sat Sep 6 and Sun Sep 7 2008 - Black Creek Brews Fest - Black Creek Pioneer Village
2008 (date t.b.a.) - Dogfish Head Beer Dinner with Sam Calagione - beerbistro

Events further afield:

Fri May 16 & Sat May 17 2008 - 13th Annual World Expo of Beer - Heritage Park, Frankenmuth, MI
Wed May 28 to Sun Jun 1 2008 - Mondial de la Bière - Windsor Station & Courtyard, Montreal
Fri Jul 25 and Sat Jul 26 2008 - Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival - Ypsilanti, MI
Fri Aug 1 to Sun Aug 3 2008 - Belgium Comes to Cooperstown - Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY

Blind Stouts & Porters Tasting at C'est What

Bar Towel and C'est What are pleased to present a Stout & Porter Tasting event on Wednesday, March 26th at 7:00 PM.

The tasting will be done in a "blind" format, with an international line-up of at least 10 different stouts and porters being sampled. There will also be door prizes for those who correctly guess the identity of the most beers.

Tickets are available now via the C'est What website. Past events of this sort at C'est What have sold out, so don't be disappointed, get your tickets today!

Cameron's Cask Night for February

Cameron's Brewing have announced the details of their February Cask Night:

This month’s Cameron’s Cask Night will be on Thursday February 28th, from 6:00 - 8:00pm.

Cameron’s Cask Nights are a casual and intimate monthly event at the brewery. The guest list only event is mainly a chance for us to share a glass of our latest creation with our friends, supporters and our local community.

For those who have not been to the brewery before, this is a great chance to meet the folks behind the scenes and to tour our facility. As always, you are welcome to show up between 5pm and 6pm if you’d like a free tour of the brewery.

We will be tapping the Cask between 6pm and 6:15pm. Some people asked for a BIG beer at the last cask night…this one should be BIG.

We will bring in some local food to enjoy as well. The food will be available at 6pm.

The event is capped at 60 people to keep it intimate and to ensure everyone gets a taste of the cask. We have already had some people pre-RSVP, so confirm your attendance as quickly as possible.

For any questions or to RSVP (if you haven’t already), email mike@cameronsbrewing.com

C'est What 20th Anniversary

One of Toronto's most venerable craft beer destinations, C'est What (67 Front Street West), will be marking their 20th anniversary with a party tomorrow night. Here are the full details from their latest newsletter:

To celebrate the occasion of our twentieth anniversary, we are throwing a big bash on Wednesday February 13, 2008.

There will be no Miami Vice re-runs but there will be 1988 pricing in effect on food and selected beverages, special one-off brews, and swag give-aways every hour.

Since this all happens the day before cupid has his way, the music is following a "What's Brewing In Your Heart" theme with some of C'est What's favourite musicians, both past and present, playing songs of love and heartache throughout the evening.

Confirmed performers include: Arlene Bishop, Adam Baillie (Club Treehouse), No 0ry Man, Sarah Burton, The Flints, Laura Repo, Cyrus Sundar Singh, Noah Zacharin, and Adam Faux with The Exploding Band (and guests from the various bands he is in/has been in).

The fun starts at five and continues through until past midnight. No cover, pick up your invite at C'est What.

Gouden Carolus Dinner at Abbot On The Hill

Abbot On The Hill (1276 Yonge Street) are holding a special beer dinner on Friday, February 22nd and Saturday, February 23rd to mark the birthday of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.

This notorious and colourful ruler influenced the world of beer with his unusual preference for beer over wine, uncommon for a medieval aristocrat. The Het Anker Brewery of Belgium has commemorated his life with the Gouden Carolus series of beers.

To mark the Emperor's birthday (February 24th, 1500), Abbot On The Hill will be offering a 3-course Belgian prix fixe menu for $40.00, served with your choice of Gouden Carolus, Gouden Carolus Tripel or Gouden Carolus Ambrio.

Also - exclusive to the Abbot on the Hill is the grand daddy of all the Gouden Carolus beers, Cuvee Van De Keizer, which is brewed once a year on Charles the V birthday. Supplies of this beer are limited.

For more information or to make a reservation (required for the prix fixe menu), call (416) 920-9074.

Hart House Academy of Beer

HART HOUSE PRESENTS AN EVENING OF CRAFT BEER TASTING HOSTED BY MIRELLA AMATO

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST, 2008, 7-10PM
THE MUSIC ROOM AT HART HOUSE, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, 7 HART HOUSE CIRCLE

Included in each $45.00 ticket is a tasting of 9 speciality craft beers along with a generous portion of gastro-pub nibbles.

TO JOIN US AT THIS EXCLUSIVE EVENT PLEASE CONTACT WWW.UOFTTIX.CA OR CALL 416.978.8849, MONDAY TO FRIDAY 11AM-5PM

Mirella Amato is a proud descendant of the first person ever to brew beer in Canada, Louis Hébert. She likes to think that she is genetically predisposed to champion craft beer. She does this through freelance work in the beer industry, with a focus on public speaking and education. Her work includes guiding a six-hour tour on the brewing history of Toronto, as well as public beer tasting for The Beer Lover's Tour Company. She also prepares and hosts the beer segments for www.Legourmet.tv. In addition to these collaborations, Mirella enjoys organizing tutored beer-tasting sessions privately.

Upcoming Beer Events

Here's a handy guide to what's coming up on the beer scene in Toronto and surrounding areas. We'll edit this entry and push it to the top of the news feed every once in a while so you won't miss anything.

Events in Toronto & area:

Fri Jan 25 and Sat Jan 26 2008 - Robbie Burns Night - Granite Brewery
Sat Sep 6 and Sun Sep 7 2008 - Black Creek Brews Fest - Black Creek Pioneer Village
2008 (date t.b.a.) - Dogfish Head Beer Dinner with Sam Calagione - beerbistro

Events further afield:

Sat Feb 6 2008 - Central New York Brewfest - Empire Expo Center, Syracuse, NY
Sat Feb 16 2008 - Cole's Barley Wine Festival - Cole's, Buffalo, NY
Sat Feb 23 2008 - Michigan Brewers Guild Winter Beer Festival - Fifth Third Ballpark, Comstock, MI
Sun Feb 24 2008 - Pepperwood Beer Festival - Pepperwood Bistro, Burlington
Wed May 28 to Sun Jun 1 2008 - Mondial de la Bière - Windsor Station & Courtyard, Montreal

BJCP Study Group

For anyone interested in becoming a BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) certified judge, the Canadian Amateur Brewers Association is holding a study group to help you understand what it takes to do well on the exam.

Developed with the BJCP and a Grand Master judge, the nights will be broken down into: Style Presentation, Style Sampling, Brewing Presentation and Discussion. This is an excellent chance to learn more about beer styles and the brewing process.

Monday Nights Jan 7th to March 3rd 2008 (9 sessions)
Meeting at: The Rhino Bar & Grill 1249 Queen St W Toronto
Time: 6:30 - 9:30 pm

Cost: CABA Members $125 Non-members $135

For more information contact Mirella Amato at bjcp@homebrewers.ca

New Year's Eve Beer Dinners & Events

If you're looking for a beer-friendly way to spend your New Year's Eve, there are a few options available.

Read on for details about NYE happenings at Abbot On The Hill, beerbistro, C'est What, Esplanade Bier Markt, Granite Brewery and Volo.

Abbot On The Hill
1276 Yonge St.
(416) 920-9074

This New Year's we're celebrating Hogmany, the oldest New Year's Eve Tradition in the world, with a five-course tasting menu featuring traditional Scottish fare paired with five Scottish ales.

All proceeds from the dinner will go to six of the young ladies from the Women's Olympic Hockey Team and one of the eight-man rowing teams. Doors open at 7pm and dinner starts promptly at 8pm. Tickets are $150.00 and include dinner and everything you drink for the rest of the night.

arugula wrapped in a Scottish smoked salmon
parsnip pancake
black currant vinaigrette
paired with Fraoch Heather Ale

marinated pheasant
red rose petal and red wine reduction
rosemary tatties
paired with Grozet Gooseberry Wheat Ale

cullen skink potpie
chive biscuit crust
paired with Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale

grilled venison
highland cheese and red wine sauce
paired with Innis and Gunn Oak-Aged Ale

Scottish duo bread pudding
paired with Alba Scots Pine Ale

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beerbistro
18 King St. E.
(416) 861-9872

Celebrate New Year’s Eve in true beerbistro fashion by booking a table for the New Year’s Eve Prix-Fixe Beer Dinner. We’ve carefully planned each course with a truly unique beer pairing. Please see the menu below for further details.

The first seating will be from 5pm – 7:30pm at a cost of $70 per person. The second seating will be from 8pm – 9:30pm at a cost of $90 per person. Please note that dinner prices do include beer, but do not include taxes and gratuities. The second seating will feature live jazz with our resident-Saturday band, The Gene Poolboys and New Year’s festivities.

Please call us to book your reservation, seating is limited and it tends to fill up fast!

NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION BEER DINNER 2007-2008

FIRST PLATE

Hors D’Oeuvre Sampler
paired with DeKoninck

CHOICE OF SECOND PLATES

Warm Foie Gras and Chicken Liver Mousse
roasted pear chutney, winter greens
paired with Cochonette

Wild Mushroom Soup
X.O. and black truffle cream
paired with Fuller’s Limited Edition

Cider Smoked Trout
potato crisp, red onion celery root salad, horseradish crème fraiche
paired with Saison Dupont

Mâche & Frisée Salad
oyster mushroom, parmesan, enoki crisps, walnut, brown ale vinaigrette
paired with Bell’s Cherry Stout

CHOICE OF THIRD PLATES

Pan Seared Black Cod
lobster risotto, arugula, blistered tomatoes
paired with Fin du Monde

Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin
pommery mustard béarnaise, cambonzola whipped potatoes
paired with Fuller’s London Porter

Butternut Squash & Goat Cheese Gnocchi
morels, roasted shallots, garlic, thyme, nut brown cream
paired with Denison’s Dunkel

Berkshire Bacon-Wrapped Partridge
stuffed with B.C. chanterelles, braised pork belly, savoy cabbage polenta & nut brown jus
paired with Cooper’s Sparkling Ale

DESSERT

Midnight Dessert Sampler
paired with Rochefort 8

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C'est What
67 Front St.
(416) 867-9499

Serving regular menu - no reservations required.

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Esplanade Bier Markt
58 The Esplanade
(416) 862-7575

Four course dinner
Early seatings (4PM-7PM) - $69
7:30PM, 8PM, 8:30PM, & 9PM seatings - $99
With bier pairings - $129

BRANDIED LOBSTER BISQUE
cream quenelle, organic grain crisp, white truffle oil
Bier pairing: Stella Artois Lager, Belgium, 5.2% alc/vol, 19 oz
or
SALADE MAISON
apple & cider vinaigrette
Bier pairing: Strongbow Cider, England, 5% alc/vol, 20 oz
or
TARTAR OF ALBERTA BISON
quail egg, cornichons, shallots, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic reduction
Bier Pairing: Affligem Blond Abbey Ale, 6% alc/vol, 17 oz

DEUS CHAMPAGNE ALE & CITRUS GRANITA

BERKSHIRE BACON WRAPPED BEEF TENDERLOIN
served medium rare, Yukon potato charlotte, Cookstown baby vegetables, Leffe Brune demi
Bier Pairing: Leffe Brune Ale, Belgium, 6.5% alc/vol, 18 oz.
or
GRILLED RED SPRING ORGANIC SALMON
dijon crust, braised beluga lentils, caramelized fennel & baby arugula, crème frâiche, extra virgin olive oil
Bier pairing: Leffe Blonde Ale, Belgium, 6.6% alc/vol, 14 oz.
or
FREE RANGE CHICKEN
chicken roulade with wild mushroom & Saint Maure goat’s cheese stuffing, crisp wild rice cake,
Cookstown baby vegetables, pan jus
Bier pairing: Stiegl Lager, Austria, 4.9% alc/vol, 20 oz.
or
FIVE MUSHROOM PAPPARDELLE
porcini, black trumpet, wood ear, chanterelle, & lobster mushrooms,
shaved parmesan, Alba winter truffle infused cream
Bier pairing: Affligem Blond Abbey Ale, Belgium, 6% alc/vol, 17 oz.

BELGIAN CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE
Früli chocolate ganache, macerated berries, Früli coulis
Bier pairing: Früli Strawberry Wheat, Belgium, 4.1% alc/vol, 11 oz.

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Granite Brewery
245 Eglinton Ave E.
(416) 322-0723

All you can eat Prime Rib Buffet!

Bread Rolls, Garden Salad, Caesar Salad, Pasta Salad, Roasted Potatoes, Vegetables,

Penne Primavera, Roasted Chicken, Prime Rib

Assorted Cakes and Fruit Salad, Coffee or Tea

6 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

$19.95

Regular menu also available

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Volo
587 Yonge St.
(416) 928-0008

Serving regular menu - no reservations required.

Koningshoeven Launch & Dinner at beerbistro

Koningshoeven Launch and Trappist Beer Dinner
Tuesday, November 27, 2007 5pm-10pm

beerbistro brings you another ground-breaking beer event. Come join us in celebrating the official launch of the Koningshoeven (aka La Trappe) Trappist Ales on draught in Canada.

Tuesday November 27th, from 5 pm to 10 pm, we invite you to come and enjoy all five incredible Trappist beers: the Witte - the world’s first and only Trappist white beer; the Blond - which carries a fresh fruity taste with delicate bitterness; the Dubbel - with a ruby colour and touch of sweetness; the Tripel - a powerful dark blond bittersweet ale; and the Quadrupel - a unique and full bodied beer aged for years in the cellars of the abbey.

While it was intended to serve all five beers on draught, the kegs of the Blond and Dubbel will not be arriving in time, so they will be served from bottles. The other three - Witte, Tripel and Quadrupel - will be on tap for the event.

The evening will also feature a Prix-Fixe Beer Dinner that will showcase all five of the Koningshoeven Trappist Ales. Details of the dinner are still to be confirmed, but it is expected that tickets will be around $60 (plus tax and tip) for four courses, an amuse-bouche, and all five beers.

Call beerbistro at 416-861-9872 if you would like to reserve a table for the evening, or stop by after 5pm for a sample or five!

CABA AGM and Bus Tour

The Canadian Amateur Brewers Association have announced the details of their Annual General Meeting and associated bus tour:

CABA AGM Bus Tour
Nov 17th 2007
Meeting at: The Rhino Bar & Grill 1249 Queen St W Toronto

We are going west. We had such a great time last year, we decided to explore the wild west yet again.

The tour will start at the Rhino with coffee and doughnuts to get our energy up. Then off to Grand River Brewing for a tour and samples of thier newest beers. After that we are off to the Woolwich Arms for the AGM and Homebrew awards (Lunch is not included but can be purchased). Back on the bus to Great Lakes Brewery for more insight into beer and brewing, perhaps a sample or two. Last but not least Cool Brewing has a brand new facility that they would love to show us.

Three breweries, the AGM, homebrew awards a busload of great people and maybe some surprises. Only $45 for members $55 for non-members (which includes a membership).

Registration forms and more information are available on the CABA website.

Cameron's Let's Drink The Cask Day

When Cameron's brewed a cask of their Hopburn Ale (a hopped-up version of their Auburn) for Volo's Cask Days, they held back a second cask for a "to be determined special occasion".

That occasion has now been set for Thursday November 8th at the brewery, where they'll be celebrating "Let's Drink The Cask Day". The cask will be tapped in the late afternoon, and local food will be served as well.

For more information or to reserve a spot at the party, contact info@cameronsbrewing.com.

Scotiabank Nuit Blanche Liquor Extensions

Scotiabank Nuit Blanche, the all-night art festival is taking place this Saturday, September 29th. As it is considered an event of cultural significance (like the Film Festival), certain bars have been granted 4am liquor license extensions. So you can drink well into the morning at these establishments:

Sammy's Student Exchange (Hart House)
Jamie Kennedy At The Gardiner
Its Not A Deli
Gladstone Hotel
Drake Hotel
Hart House Gallery Club
360 Restaurant

Toast to Michael Jackson at beerbistro

On Sunday, September 30th, bars and pubs across North America will be commemorating the life of Michael Jackson with a toast in his honour. In addition to marking the passing of the great man, the events will also be raising funds for the National Parkinson Foundation, an organisation that helps people who live with Parkinson's Disease, as Michael did.

Here in Toronto, the first establishment to come on board for the event is beerbistro. Here is the official announcement for their contribution to the cause:

Michael Jackson, the English writer who taught millions that beer is “a noble and complex drink”, died in London on August 30, 2007. If you know his writing, you’ll understand what a loss this is to the beer world. If you are now enjoying a range of diverse, beautifully-made beers, it is because of his life-work. Please come raise a glass to his memory, and raise funds for the National Parkinson Foundation, to help people who--as Michael did--live with Parkinson Disease.

In honour of Michael Jackson, beerbistro will be featuring three Dogfish Head beers as toast beers for the evening: ‘Raison d’Etre’--a beautifully complex, deep mahogany artisanal ale brewed with raisins; 60-Minute IPA--a session IPA with prominent citrusy-hop character, and Indian Brown Ale--a cross between a Scotch Ale, an IPA, and an American Brown.

These are world-class beers for a world class individual. All proceeds from the sale of our toast beers will go to support the National Parkinson Foundation.

Sunday, September 30, 2007 9pm EST

To raise even more money for the NPF, beerbistro is also raffling off a Private Tutored Beer Tasting for eight people, which will be hosted in the restaurant's back room by Stephen Beaumont. Tickets are $10 each, or three for $25, and may be purchased in person from beerbistro leading up to and during the event. The draw will take place following the Michael Jackson Memorial Toast at 9pm on September 30.

Volo Cask Days - Announcement and Ticket Info

Volo have officially announced the dates and times for this year's edition of Cask Days, as well as the unique ticket details for the event:

Cask Days At Volo

Cask Days is our homage to cask conditioned beer and the brewers that keep this age old tradition alive. We've asked a few to create something special for the occasion.

This year's event is spread over two days, with two sessions on Saturday and one on Sunday. We've added a special one hour preview before session 1 that includes a breakfast with the brewers.

Tickets are on sale for one afternoon only (sorry but it's the only way we can manage it). Can't say just yet, but we will be doing a little something that afternoon. Yes it involves a cask.

Event Schedule

Saturday Oct 20 Session 1 with Preview: 11a-4p
Saturday Oct 20 Session 1: 12p-4p
Saturday Oct 20 Session 2: 6p-10p
Sunday Oct 21 Session 3: 1p-5p

Ticket Details

Tickets available at Volo on Sunday September 30, 11p-2.30p
25 tickets available for Session 1 with Preview @ $45
75 tickets available for Session 1 @ $25
100 tickets available for Session 2 @ $25
100 tickets available for Session 3 @ $25
Limit six tickets per person

Independent Boast & Toast Series

UPDATE: Several participating breweries have been confirmed for this event since the announcement was originally posted in July. They have been added to the end of the announcement.

Industry S.O.S., a consultancy group with the goal to "encourage and assist the profitability of Toronto's independent and locally-owned bars & restaurants", will be holding a series of beer tasting events starting this fall under the banner name Independent Boast & Toast Series.

Members of the Ontario Craft Brewers and other independent brewers will appear at various pubs around the city, to offer samples and discuss the qualities and quirks of their particular brew. Hence, a Boast from the brewers and a Toast to the host pub.

The first event will take place on October 14, 2007 at Rowers Pub (150 Harbord Street). Attendees will enjoy a custom brew-paired tasting menu, a commemorative glass, and the chance to meet and discuss the brewing industry & process with some of Ontario's hardest working and knowledgeable brewing professionals. Of course, the brewers will be offering samples of their beers throughout the event.

Tickets for the inaugural Independent Boast & Toast are $40, and will be available soon at Rower's. The breweries in attendance at the event will include Denisons, Great Lakes, Wellington, Trafalgar and Nickel Brook.

Black Creek Brews Fest - Event Announcement & Ticket Giveaway

The Black Creek Brews Fest, a celebration of Ontario's rich brewing heritage and today's craft brewers, will take place at Black Creek Pioneer Village on August 25th and 26th, 2007. Some of Ontario's finest microbreweries - including Church-Key, Great Lakes, Robert Simpson and more - will be on hand to share their wares and their passion for the craft.

The Brews Fest will provide visitors with an opportunity to learn about the art and history of beer making, sample different varieties of beer from the people who brew it, and enjoy a full day of food and live music in a beautiful historic setting. Black Creek Pioneer Village will be open throughout the event making this a family-friendly outing for visitors of all ages.

The Fest will offer two packed days of beer tasting, presentations, and demonstrations, including a re-enactment of a Temperance Rally against the "evils of drink" as seen from an 1860s perspective. Live music will include the brilliant vocal harmonies of Tanglefoot and the raucous alt country sound of Elliott Brood.

The first annual Black Creek Brews Fest runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, August 25 and Sunday, August 26, 2007 at Black Creek Pioneer Village, 1000 Murray Ross Parkway, Toronto (one block east of Jane St., south off Steeles Avenue, right next to York University). Admission to the Brews Fest is free with regular admission to the Village ($13 for adults, $12 for seniors and students, and $9 for children 5-14). For more information call Black Creek Pioneer Village at 416-736-1733 or visit www.blackcreek.ca.

Black Creek Pioneer Village has generously provided The Bar Towel with five family passes, good for admission for two adults plus children on either Saturday or Sunday. If you would like to chance to attend this one-of-a-kind event for free, email news@bartowel.com to enter. Winners will be selected at random and contacted on Friday, and their names will be listed at the gate on the weekend.

LCBO Premium Beer Festival

The LCBO Premium Beer Festival will be taking place on Thursday, July 26th to Saturday, July 28th at the Summerhill LCBO (10 Scrivener Square, just south of Summerhill subway station).

The fest will feature 46 different beers - including 19 Ontario brews - being poured over the course of the three days. Attendees will be given 8 tickets, each good for a 1 oz sample.

Here’s a full list of the beers that will be on offer each day:

Thursday (4pm to 8pm)
Tuborg Pilsner, Tuborg Gold, Chimay Premiere, Chimay White Cap, Black Oak Pale Ale, Black Oak Nut Brown, DAB Original, Radeberger Pilsner, Bombardier Ale, Old Speckled Hen, Trafalgar Elora Grand Lager, Trafalgar Elora Irish Ale, Pilsner Urquell, Wolfgang’s German Style Beer, Great Lakes Golden Horseshoe, Great Lakes Red Leaf

Friday (4pm to 8pm)
Heritage Traditional Dark Lager, Scotch-Irish Sgt. Major IPA, Singha Lager, Duvel, Mort Subite Framboise, Innis & Gunn Oak Aged Beer, Tyskie, Hockley Dark, Czechvar Premium Lager, Zlatorog, Brooklyn Lager, Steelback (Cold-Filtered) Draught, Steelback Red Lager, Kilkenny, Red Stripe

Saturday (2pm to 6pm)
Steam Whistle Premium Pilsner, König Pilsener, Steinlager, Castlemaine XXXX, Mill Street Tankhouse Ale, Mill Street Original Organic Lager, Big Rock Grasshopper Wheat, Big Rock Traditional Ale, Brahma, Alexander Keith’s Red Amber Ale, Nickel Brook Ale, Nickel Brook Green Apple, Svyturys “Ekstra”, Fruli, Marston’s Pedigree

The King St. Crawl

This Thursday July 26th, the folks behind Toronto’s Festival of Beer are presenting The King Street Crawl, a beer sampling event scattered across 11 different bars and restaurants on King Street West between Spadina and Bathurst, including Venice Resto-Bar, Shoeless Joe’s, Crush, Brassaii, Fionn MacCool’s, 2Cats, 577 Lounge, Bar Wellington, KiWe Kitchen, The Banknote Bar & Supergrill and The Wheat Sheaf.

Each location will be pouring complimentary beer samples between 6pm and 10pm, followed by an after-party at KiWe Kitchen until 2am. Attendees will receive a free "passport" during the crawl, and after collecting at least 5 stamps from 5 of the participating locations, the completed ballot can be taken to the after-party at KiWe Kitchen (587 King St. W.) to be entered for a chance to win a "king-sized trip for two", including roundtrip airfare and 7 nights accommodation, courtesy of itravel2000.com and Beerlicious Inc.

Cameron's 10th Anniversary Party

Cameron's Brewing Company are marking their 10th anniversary this year, and they're inviting everyone to help them celebrate with a bash at the brewery on Saturday, July 28th. Here's how they describe the agenda for the day:

Our doors will open at 12 noon for brewery tours, some grub and chit chat with the Cameron's crew.

Local band Run With The Kittens will go on stage at 4:30-ish and will play two great sets.

There will be a psychedelic bus picking people up at the Cameron House (408 Queen Street West near Spadina) at 3pm and returning at 7:30 for $10.00. The bus ticket is redeemable for 2 beers at the brewery. Tickets for the bus are first come, first serve.

For questions or to reserve a spot on the bus, or to RSVP your attendance, please email events@cameronsbrewing.com or call us at the brewery at 905.849.8282

Beer To The Extreme with Stephen Beaumont

As part of their Tasting Club series of food & drink events, the new Leslieville arts & events facility Coupe Space (998 Queen Street East) will be presenting a unique beer tasting hosted by Stephen Beaumont.

Dubbed "Beer To The Extreme", the event will take place on Monday July 9th from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, and is described in the Coupe Space schedule as follows:

Think beer is just ice cold lager or draught pale ale? Think again. Stephen Beaumont has spent nearly two decades exploring the world of beer and sampling the weirdest, wildest and most outrageous brews out there. Now he's bringing the Extreme Beer Experience to Toronto. Expect the unexpected!

In a separate email, Stephen promised that "the majority will not be from the ranks of the LCBO" and that some special and unexpected beers may make an appearance.

Tickets for "Beer To The Extreme" are $75, and can be reserved by contacting Sacha at space@coupe-mag.com or 416.469.9656. In addition to the beer, the ticket price includes substantial pre-tasting nibbles and tasting notes.

Spring Festival of Craft Brewers & ESB x 3

Next weekend features two great events for local beer lovers.

On Friday, May 25th, C'est What (67 Front St. E.) presents their annual Spring Festival Of Craft Brewers, featuring 35 beers from 22 Ontario & Quebec craft breweries being served for $1 per 3 oz sample. It runs from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and as always, it's expected to be a full house, so arrive early if you can.

And then on Sunday, May 27th, Ralph will be opening the doors at Volo (587 Yonge St.) for a rare Sunday afternoon event, ESB x 3, featuring cask-conditioned ESBs from Fuller's, County Durham and Mill Street. The event runs from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM, although if the last time Fuller's ESB showed up on cask is any indication, then there's a good chance the brews will run out well before the end of the day.

Brewery Collectibles Show & Sale

The Golden Horseshoe Breweriana Collectors and the Trillium Can Collectors are teaming up to present their first joint show & sale of Canadian brewery memorabilia - bottles, cans, labels, openers, coasters, etc.

The show will be taking place on Saturday April 21, 2007, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Amsterdam Brewing, 21 Bathurst Street (south of Front) in Toronto. Admission and parking are free. For ore information, contact Larry at (416) 465-3386.

Unibroue/Sleeman Beer Dinner at Safari

Safari Bar & Grill (1749 Avenue Rd. north of Lawrence) are teaming up with Unibroue/Sleeman for a beer dinner on Wednesday, April 18th. The dinner will be hosted by Roger Mittag, and will feature the following food/beer pairings:

Pre-dinner beer:
John Sleeman Presents IPA

Appetizer:
Seafood Trio with jumbo shrimp, scallop and mussels in a beer broth, paired with Blanche de Chambly

Main:
14oz veal chop in a reduced beer demi-glaze, paired with Raftman

Dessert:
Baked Apple stuffed with Mascarpone with maple englais, paired with Maudite

Cost is $69 per person (plus applicable taxes and gratuity), and reservations can be made at 416.787.6584.

Discuss this topic in the Bar Towel Forum

St. George's Day Beer Dinner at The Granite

The Granite Brewery (245 Eglinton Ave E.) will be celebrating St. George's Day - the feast day for the patron saint of England - with a gourmet beer dinner on Saturday, April 21 at 6:30 PM.

The event will feature a four course dinner with beer pairings, and will be hosted by beer writer Robert Hughey. The night will also include auctions and door prizes, with proceeds going to the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Ontario.

Tickets for the dinner are $65 (a partial charitable tax receipt will be issued), and can be reserved at 416-462-3788 or robert.hughey@sympatico.ca

McAuslan Beer Dinner at Fuzion

On Wednesday, February 28th, Fuzion Resto-Lounge (580 Church St.) will be presenting a special tasting menu featuring pairings with a variety of McAuslan beers. The menu for the evening is available as a PDF file.

The evening will start at 6:30 with a cocktail reception, followed by dinner at 7:30. Tickets are $65 including all taxes and gratuity. Call 416.944.9888 for further details.

Brooklyn Brewery Dinner at beerbistro

On Tuesday, February 27th, beerbistro and Fine Beers Agency will be presenting a special dinner marking the recent arrival of the beers of Brooklyn Brewery in Ontario. In attendance will be brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery and author of The Brewmaster's Table, Garrett Oliver, and Brooklyn Brewery general manager, Eric Ottaway. Tickets are $75 (plus tax and gratuity) and are available now at beerbistro.

Discuss this topic in the Bar Towel Forum

IPA Challenge & Valentine's Dinner at Volo

The following announcement was posted to the Volo website earlier this week:

Ontario brewers have been busy since our last IPA challenge. Two new IPAs have been introduced since then and we now have a respectable local representation of the west-coast style. Who says Ontario isn’t ready for hoppy ales. The next challenge will be a blind taste competition featuring six local IPAs. Attendees will be asked to rate their favourite. The Winner will name all six correctly and not only receive a prize (TBA) but earn instant bragging rights, and celebrity amongst their awestruck peers. So, you think you know your IPAs ?, we’ll see about that. Brewers are encouraged to participate too, that could be interesting. The event is scheduled March 3+4, 12p-5p. $12 will get you a slot. Sign Up: info@barvolo.com. Good luck.

A follow-up phone call revealed that each day's session will be split into ten 30-minute slots, with 3-5 people in each slot, and there will be six 5 oz. samples to taste and rate. And of course, attendees are welcome to hang out before and/or after their tasting slot. If you have a preferred time slot, please mention it in your email, and Ralph & co. will do their best to accommodate you.

Volo will also be hosting a four-course Valentine's Dinner for $36, with a trio of beer or wine pairings available for an extra $12. Seatings are at 6:30 and 9:30, and reservations are required. As an added bonus - or for those without a date on this most romantic of days - they'll also be serving oysters and stouts at the bar, including Black Oak's cask conditioned Chocolate Cherry Stout.

Discuss this topic in the Bar Towel Forum

Winter Warmers Tasting at C'est What

On Wednesday, February 21st at 7 PM, The Bar Towel and C'est What will be co-presenting a Winter Warmers beer tasting.

Eight to ten local seasonal brews will be served in a blind tasting format, and afterwards a draw from among those that have submitted their scores will be held to award a "pool party" to a lucky beer lover and eleven friends. The prize will include two hours of pool at two tables as well as appetizers for all. An additional entry in the draw will be made for each correct guess at the name of each sample.

Tickets for the event are $15 and can be ordered now via the C'est What website.

Discuss this event in the Bar Towel Forum

Paper Brewery Memorabilia Show & Sale

The Golden Horseshoe Breweriana Collectors are presenting a show and sale of paper brewery memorabilia (coasters, labels, letterhead, invoices, etc.) from 1:00 to 4:00 PM on Saturday February 24, 2007 at The Granite Brewery & Restaurant (245 Eglinton Ave. E.). For more information, contact Larry at (416) 465-3386.

Discuss this topic in the Bar Towel Forum

Roger Mittag's Beer School

Beer expert & consultant Roger Mittag will soon be launching The Beer School, a series of four 3-hour courses on various aspects of beer and beer culture.

Presented at various breweries throughout Ontario beginning in February, the themes of the courses will include The Art of Brewing, The Beer Market, The History of Beer and Beer & Food.

Details on each course, including locations and pricing, can be found at the Beer School website.

Discuss this topic in the Bar Towel Forum

New Year's Eve Events

If you're looking for a craft beer friendly way to spend your New Year's Eve this year, here are the details on how a few of Toronto's top beer destinations will be ringing in 2007:

beerbistro
18 King St. E. - (416) 861-9872
Four Course Dinner (two seatings) with live jazz
$90 with beer pairings/$70 without per person

C'est What
67 Front St. E. - (416) 867-9499
Regular menu & prices
No Cover

Esplanade Bier Markt
58 The Esplanade - (416) 862-7575
Four Course Dinner (two seatings - 6:30 & 8:00), followed by entertainment from the Eric Summers Band & DJ Freshstone, hors d’oeuvres, party favours & champagne at midnight
dinner & party: $129 with beer pairings/$99 without per person
party only: $49 per person

Granite Brewery
245 Eglinton Ave E. - (416) 322-0723
All You Can Eat buffet from 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM featuring prime rib, roast chicken, salads & vegetables, desserts, coffee & tea
$19.95 per person - one child under 12 eats free from the Kid’s Menu with each buffet ordered

Local 4
4 Dundonald St. - (416) 915-0113
Prix Fixe Menu starting at 6 PM, party at 10 PM with DJ Victron, party favours & champagne at midnight
No Cover

Mill Street Brewpub
55 Mill St. Building 63 - (416) 681-0388
Three Course Dinner (seating at 8:30) with live entertainment from the Dick Felix Quartet, party favours, snacks & champagne at midnight
$69.99 per person

Steam Whistle Brewery
255 Bremner Blvd. - (416) 362-2337
"New Year's Eve 007": a Bond-themed bash starting at 9 PM with dancing, complimentary appetizers, a casino & cigar lounge, and cash bar (one drink tickets included with admission)
$50 per person

Volo
587 Yonge St. - (416) 928-0008
Closed Dec 24th-26th, Dec 31st & Jan 1st

Discuss these events in the Bar Towel Forum

The 12 Beers of Christmas

The folks behind Toronto's Festival of Beer have announced the details for a special holiday themed tasting event they are presenting later this month:

The 12 Beers of Christmas
Thursday December 14th
5-8pm
Casey's (123 Front St @ York St)
Capacity is limited so don't wait to RSVP!
UPDATE: The RSVP list for this event is now full.

Sip, savour and celebrate the season at "The 12 Beers of Christmas" beer-tasting event at Casey's on Thursday December 14th, from 5-9pm. The Beer Store would like you to "Get to know beer!", and so our favourite brewery retailer, as well as LibationNation.ca and Toronto's Festival of Beer invite Libation Nation subscribers to attend this "one of a kind" tasting event-and we'll pick up the $20 ticket! And we do mean "one of a kind"! You'll have the opportunity to sample products brewed specially for the season such as Black Oak's Nutcraker and Creemore's UrBock. When the snow is gone, so are they! As well as other festive favourites to complement the many popular holiday activities and occasions. Serving roast beef? Try Wellington's Iron Duke! Hosting the Boss for dinner? Impress with Stella Artois, and then serve Fruili Strawberry beer for dessert. Carolling with the neighbours? Keep a Harp handy, and afterward, warm-up with a Cameron's Cream Ale fireside. Or take a 12-pack of Steam Whistle in festival packaging to the next cocktail party! Casey's appetizers will be offered, and you will have a chance to win "The Ultimate Beer Experience" with the Professor of Beer, Roger Mittag! 19+ and please celebrate responsibly.

Discuss this event in the Bar Towel Forum

Beer & Mussel Thursdays at Esplanade Bier Markt

Esplanade Bier Markt is offering a complimentary mussel bar and beer sampling on Thursdays between 5:00 and 7:00 PM. Here are the beers to be featured this month:

Thursday December 7th & 14th: McClelland Premium Imports presents Affligem Blond Abbey Ale

Thursday December 21st: Fine Beers presents Sinha Stout

Discuss this event in the Bar Towel Forum

Wine/Cheese/Beer Mash-Up at Volo

Volo will be holding their second Wine/Cheese/Beer Mash-Up on Sunday, November 26th from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. The event will feature wine, cheese & beer tasting trios selected by cheese specialist Tonia Wilson, sommelier Julia Rogers (both from Cheese Culture), and beer expert Robert Hughey.

At time of writing, 11 tickets remain available. They cost $50 each and can be reserved by contacting Volo at 416.928.0008.

Canadian Amateur Brewers Association AGM and Brewery Tour

The Canadian Amateur Brewers Association will be holding their AGM and Brewery Tour on Saturday, November 18th. The bus will be leaving Yorkdale Mall at 9:30 AM and heading west for visits to Cool Brewing, the Woolwich Arms, and F&M Brewery.

Tickets are $40 for CABA members, $50 for non-members (which includes a new membership), and are available at the CABA webstore.

Discuss this event in the Bar Towel Forum

McAuslan Beer Dinner at Local 4

McAuslan Brewing and Local 4 Restaurant are teaming up for a beer dinner on Thursday November 16th at 7 PM.

Chef Nancy Gilmour will be creating a 4 course menu that will be friendly to both veggies and carnivores alike, and each course will be paired with a different McAuslan brew, including a couple of things very rarely seen before in Ontario.

Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the door. To reserve tickets, Contact Local 4.

Steam Whistle Halloween Party

Steam Whistle Brewing have announced the details for this year's edition of their annual Halloween bash:

The Legendary Steam Whistle Halloween Extravaganza!

Get Freaky, Frightened and Funked-Up on Saturday October 28th for the 6th Annual Halloween Party.

Get your tickets before they sell out!
(WARING! THE PARTY HAS SOULED OUT IN ADVANCE FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS!)

The Good Beer Folks are mixing up a classic cauldron of freaky beats and wicked tunes, a costume contest with awesome prizes and supernatural surprises.

Get your groove on with costume partiers in three spooky and supernaturally sexy rooms: The Chamber, The Haunted Hall and The Outdoor Inferno (Smoking Lounge).

Questions? Email halloween@steamwhistle.ca, if you dare!

Click here to purchase tickets online

Beer Dinner at Marienbad & Chaucer’s

Marienbad Rastaurant & Chaucer’s Pub (122 Carling St., London) have announced the details for the next event in their recently launched Beer Dinner series:

Fall in Southwestern Ontario Beer Dinner

Monday, November 20th 7:00 PM
$51.95 – includes dinner, beer samples, taxes & gratuity
Seating is limited. Call to purchase your tickets
519-679-9940

In cooperation with Better Bitters Brewing

Nickel Brook Ale
Roasted Pumpkin soup
With walnut cheddar dumplings

Nickel Brook Green Apple Pilsner
Lasagna of free range organic chicken
With wild mushrooms, roasted corn pancakes
Topped with a green apple beer hollandaise.

Nickel Brook Pilsner
Pan seared venison loin
With a sour cherry & roasted beet sauce
On a celery root and potato puree

Nickel Brook Light
Warm apple caramel brioche bread pudding

Discuss this event in the Bar Towel Forum

Volo Cask Day Sold Out

Ralph at Volo has asked us to pass along word that tickets for the upcoming Volo Cask Day on Saturday, October 21st are sold out. He thanks everyone for their support, and looks forward to seeing those who managed to get tickets at the event.

Discuss this event in the Bar Towel Forum

London Beer Festival Postponed

The Downtown London Beer Festival originally planned to be held this coming weekend has been postponed. It will now be taking place next summer during a weekend t.b.a.

Volo Cask Day Ticket Info

Tickets are now on sale for Volo Cask Day, taking place on Saturday, October 21st at Volo. Here's the official announcement from their website:

Tickets are now on sale. Contact Ralph @ 416 828-0887. Session 1 [11 AM to 4 PM] - 107 tickets remaining. Session 2 [6 PM to 11 PM] - 118 tickets remaining. Sunday & Monday - All remaining casks will be available for $4/pint.

Discuss this event in the Bar Towel Forum

Winking Judge Fall Festival

After skipping the Spring, 2006 session, Hamilton's Winking Judge pub is bringing back their renowned Winking Judge Beer Fest this Fall.

It will be taking place on Saturday, October 7th from 2:00 to 6:00 PM, and tickets will be on sale next week for $40. This event always sells out in advance, so if you're interested in attending, you should grab a ticket as soon as they're on sale.

Volo Cask Day 2006

For those who enjoyed last autumn's Volo Cask Days 2005 or this past spring's Cask Situation, here's the news you've been waiting for straight from Volo's website:

Volo Cask Day
Saturday, October 21st. Two sessions - 11am to 4pm & 6pm to 11pm. More details to come.

Discuss this event in the Bar Towel Forum

Event Reminder: Toronto's Festival Of Beer

Just a reminder that Toronto's Festival of Beer will be taking place this weekend at Fort York. Saturday is now sold out, but tickets are still available for Friday, August 11th (2 to 10 PM) and Sunday, August 13th (12 noon to 8 PM) for $20 in advance or $25 at the gate - see the tickets page on the Festival website for more information.

Upcoming Events At The Granite

The Granite Brewery has announced two upcoming events in their latest newsletter.

First, they'll be marking their 15th Anniversary with a Customer Appreciation Night on Tuesday, September 19th starting at 6 PM. (Their anniversary officially falls on August 12, but they decided to postpone the celebration for a month since it's tough to get people together over the summer.) They also ask that any of the over 300 people who have worked there over the years please get in touch, as they would like to make the night a Granite reunion of sorts as well.

They will also celebrate their 2nd annual Oktoberfest party on Saturday October 21st at 7 PM. Entertainment will be provided by a live German band, and there will be lots of food, beer and music to carry on the tradition.

TFOB Exhibitors List

The exhibitors list has been announced for this year's edition Toronto's Festival of Beer which takes place at Fort York on August 11-13. Click here for the PDF version, or read on for a text version:

Alliance Brands - Brew Alliance
Alberta’s Best Beer
Poppers Hard Ice
Poppers Pink

Amsterdam Brewing Co.
Natural Blonde Lager
Dutch Amber
Framboise

Better Bitters Brewing Company
Nickel Brook Ale
Nickel Brook Lager
Nickel Brook Pilsner
Nickel Brook Green Apple Pilsner

Black Oak Brewing Co.
Pale Ale
Nut Brown Ale
Summer Saison
Friday only: Hop Bomb Pale Ale Cask Conditioned

Brick Brewery
JR Brickman Pilsner
JR Brickman Amber
JR Brickman Honey Red
Waterloo Dark

Cameron’s Brewing Company
Cameron’s Cream Ale
Cameron’s Auburn Ale
Cameron’s Lager
Cameron’s Dark 266

Carlsberg Breweries
Carlsberg
Carlsberg Light
Carlsberg Red

Cool Beer Brewing Co.
Cool Blonde Lager
Cool Buzz Beer

Esprit Agencies - Beers of the World
Duvel
Chimay
Mort Subite Framboise
St. Peter’s Organic English Ale

Great Lakes Brewery
Golden Horseshoe Premium Lager
Red Leaf Smooth Red Lager
Black Jack Black Lager

Heritage Brewing/Scotch Irish Brewing Co.
Session Ale
Black Irish Porter
Sgt. Major’s IPA
Corporal Punishment
Tsarina Katarina Imperial Stout
Major Misconduct
Captain Cascade
Ginger’s Ale
Vanilla Bean Porter
Heritage Premium Lager
Heritage Traditional Dark
Heritage Passion Brew

Inbev
Brahma
Stella Artois
Leffe Blonde
Belle-Vue Kriek
Hoegaarden

Kawartha Lakes
Raspberry Wheat
Cream Ale
Nut Brown Ale

Labatt Breweries of Canada
Labatt Blue
Budweiser
Bud Light
Kokanee
Alexander Keith’s

Lakeport Brewing
Lakeport Honey Lager
Lakeport Light
Lakeport Pilsener
Lakeport Strong
Lakeport Ice
Brava
Wee Willy

Magnotta Brewery
True North Wunder Weisse
True North Lager
True North Strong Ale
True North Cream Ale
Magnotta Traditional Altbier
Magnotta Classic India Pale Ale

Mark Anthony Brewing Co. (mike’s hard malt beverages)
mike-arita
mike’s hard FROZEN lemonade

McAuslan Brewing
St Ambroise Pale Ale
St Ambroise Oatmeal Stout
Griffon Extra Pale Ale
Griffon Red
McAuslan Apricot Wheat Ale
McAuslan Cream Ale

Molson Canada
Molson Canadian
Coors Light
Rickard’s Red
Rickard’s Honey Brown
MGD
Foster’s
Negra Modelo

Neustadt Springs Brewery
Neustadt Lager
Neustadt Scottish ale
Neustadt 10w30 brown ale
Bruce County Premium Lager

Niagara Brewing Company
Niagara Honey Brown Maple Wheat
Niagara Pale Ale
Olde Jack
Niagara Gritstone Premium Ale
Niagara Millstone Premium Lager

Niagara’s Best Beer Ltd.
Niagara’s Best Blonde Premium Ale
Niagara’s Best Lager

Old Credit Brewing Co.
Old Credit Amber Ale
Old Credit Pale Pilsner

Premium Beer Company
Tuborg Gold
Tuborg Pilsner
Moosehead Lager
Moosehead Light
Tetley’s English Ale
Caledonian 80/- Ale
Double Diamond Burton Ale
Magners Original Irish Cider

Robert Simpson Brewing Co.
Confederation Ale

Sleeman Breweries Ltd.
Sleeman Cream Ale
Sleeman Honey Brown Lager
Sleeman Clear
Upper Canada Red
Upper Canada Lager
Blanche de Chambly

Smirnoff
Smirnoff Ice
Smirnoff Caesar

Steelback Brewery
Steelback Silver Premium Canadian Lager
Steelback Link Light
Tiverton Bear Honey Brown Lager
Tiverton Bear Dark Lager

Trafalgar Ales and Meads
Critical Mass Strong Beer
Korruptor Strong Beer
Raspberry Mead
Black Currant Mead

Walkerville Brewing Company
Walkerville Lager
Premium Blonde
Superior Light

Wellington County Brewery
Arkell Best Bitter
County Ale
Special Pale Ale
Iron Duke
Imperial Russian Stout
Trailhead Lager

Plus...
Castle Lager
Church-Key Brewing
Creemore Springs Brewery
Glenora Springs Brewery
Granite Brewery
Innis & Gunn Oak Aged Beer
Lakes of Muskoka Cottage Brewery
Mill St. Brewery
Mott’s Clamato Red Eye
Multiculture BEVCO
Pilsner Urquell
Premier Brands
President’s Choice Beer
Red Stripe
Saint Andre
Steam Whistle Brewing

Event Reminder: LCBO Summerhill Ontario Craft Beer Festival

Here's a quick reminder about a great beer event taking place at the Summerhill LCBO in Toronto this weeknd:

LCBO SUMMERHILL ONTARIO CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL

Friday, July 28 | 4:00 - 8:00 pm
Saturday, July 29 | 2:00 - 6:00 pm
Sunday, July 30 | 1:00 - 5:00 pm

Join us over three days to sample some great beers from the Ontario Craft Brewers. The following brewers will be in attendance: Amsterdam Brewery, Better Bitters Brewing Company, Black Oak Brewing Company, Brick Brewing Co. Limited, Cameron’s Brewing Company, Cool Beer Brewing, Great Lakes Brewery, Heritage Brewing, King Brewery, Lakes of Muskoka Cottage Brewery, Mill Street Brewery, Niagara’s Best Beer, Skeena Brewing Co., Trafalgar Brewing, Walkerville Brewing, and Wellington Brewery.

Discuss this event in the Bar Towel Forum

Brewery Memorabilia Show & Sale

The Canadian Brewerianist Society presents their annual show & sale of Canadian brewery memorabilia from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 12, 2006. Collectors from across Canada will be on hand to showcase bottles, cans, labels, openers, coasters and more. Breweriana experts will be on-hand to appraise brewery "treasures".

This event will take place in the York Room at Crowne Plaza Don Valley Hotel, 1250 Eglinton Avenue East (just east of the Don Valley Parkway). Admission is $2.00. For more information, contact Larry at (416) 465-3386.

The King Street Crawl - July 13th

On Thursday, July 13th, Toronto's Festival of Beer presents The King Street Crawl, a beer-sampling event taking place at various bars and restaurants along the King Street West strip. From 6 PM to 10 PM, visit Crush, Brassaii, 8 Below, Touch, 2 Cats, Bar Wellington, Club 606, The Wheat Sheaf and The Banknote to sample some brews, and have your crawl "passport" (available at all locations) stamped at five or more spots for a chance to win a trip for two to London, England to see INXS live in concert. If you're still in the mood to drink after the crawl is complete, head to The Banknote for an after party from 10 PM until closing.

St. Lawrence Market Craft Beer Show Cancelled

Perry Mason of Scotch Irish Brewing has mentioned in a thread on the Bar Towel forum that the St. Lawrence Market Craft Beer Show scheduled for July 15th & 16th has been cancelled. The organisers hope to reschedule the event for September.

LCBO Summerhill Ontario Craft Beer Festival - July 28-30

While it's mentioned in the full LCBO events listing posted previously, we thought that this event deserved the extra attention of its own post. This is the largest craft beer event ever presented by the LCBO, and hopefully it will be the first of many full-scale Ontario Craft Brewers events to be held at Summerhill and other LCBO locations:

Friday, July 28 | 4:00 - 8:00 pm
Saturday, July 29 | 2:00 - 6:00 pm
Sunday, July 30 | 1:00 - 5:00 pm
LCBO SUMMERHILL ONTARIO CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL
Join us over three days to sample some great beers from the Ontario Craft Brewers. The following brewers will be in attendance: Amsterdam Brewery, Better Bitters Brewing Company, Black Oak Brewing Company, Brick Brewing Co. Limited, Cameron’s Brewing Company, Cool Beer Brewing, Great Lakes Brewery, Heritage Brewing, King Brewery, Lakes of Muskoka Cottage Brewery, Mill Street Brewery, Niagara’s Best Beer, Skeena Brewing Co., Trafalgar Brewing, Walkerville Brewing, and Wellington Brewery.

Discuss this event in the Bar Towel Forum

LCBO Beer Events for July & August

Here's a list of beer tastings & events taking place at LCBO locations throughout the province in July & August. These events provide a good opportunity to discover some beers you haven't tried yet, or rediscover some old favourites. Admission is free unless otherwise noted, although there may be a nominal charge for samples. Note that paid events require advance registration, and events may be cancelled or postponed, so you should contact your local location to confirm details.

LCBO Summerhill | 10 Scrivener Square, Toronto | 416 922-0403

Friday, July 21 | 4:00 - 8:00 pm
GREAT BARBECUE BEERS
Join us in the Events Kitchen to sample two great beers, perfect for your barbecue dinner this weekend. Try Cool Lager, with its golden amber colour, toasted malt aromas and clean finish. Next, try Cameron's Cream Ale. It has a floral/fruity aroma with a touch of buckwheat honey, is mildly sweet and has a slightly smoky flavour.

Friday, July 21 | 4:00 - 8:00 pm
HOLSTEN
Indugle in a German beer today. Come in to the Events Kitchen and sample Holsten Maibock and Holsten Festbock. The Maibock is straw yellow in colour, medium- to full-bodied with a sweet, malty mid-palate and pleasant bitter finish. It’s great with some traditional German schnitzel and sauage. The Festbook has a deep amber colour and sweet roasted malt and coffee aromas with a long finish. Try it with stews or some good old baked beans.

Saturday, July 22 | 12:00 - 4:00 pm
STEAM WHISTLE INDIE SPOTLIGHT AT THE LCBO
Want to see a live band on your next visit to the LCBO? Mark the date and make sure you don’t miss “The Suits XL” live in the Events Kitchen. Steam Whistle will be sampling its Pilsner; while Ellen McKinney from Food TV’s Fresh and Wild show will be cooking and singing with beer.

Friday, July 28 | 4:00 - 8:00 pm
Saturday, July 29 | 2:00 - 6:00 pm
Sunday, July 30 | 1:00 - 5:00 pm
LCBO SUMMERHILL ONTARIO CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL
Join us over three days to sample some great beers from the Ontario Craft Brewers. The following brewers will be in attendance: Amsterdam Brewery, Better Bitters Brewing Company, Black Oak Brewing Company, Brick Brewing Co. Limited, Cameron’s Brewing Company, Cool Beer Brewing, Great Lakes Brewery, Heritage Brewing, King Brewery, Lakes of Muskoka Cottage Brewery, Mill Street Brewery, Niagara’s Best Beer, Skeena Brewing Co., Trafalgar Brewing, Walkerville Brewing, and Wellington Brewery.

LCBO The Kingsway | 2946 Bloor Street West, Toronto | 416 239-3066

Friday, July 21 | 4:00 - 8:00 pm
Saturday, July 22 | 1:00 - 5:00 pm
NICKEL BROOK
Burlington’s micro brewery invites you to sample their ale in the Events Kitchen today. Unlike most traditional ales, Better Bitters Brewing Co. uses three different malted barleys creating a medium-bodied amberish ale. They then select European hops and yeast, naturally carbonating and aging the beer for almost four weeks. This produces incredibly smooth ale. Try it in the Events Kitchen with portobello Mushrooms in Nickel Brook Ale.

Friday, July 28 | 4:00 - 8:00 pm
Saturday, July 29 | 1:00 - 5:00 pm
WEST COAST BEER
Join us to sample this tasty beer from the West Coast. Kokanee is pale gold in colour with flowery hop aromas, very light on the palate with a smooth, refreshing finish. It’s a perfect match for salted nuts, chicken wings and ribs with hot sauce.

LCBO Bayview Village | 2901 Bayview Avenue, North York | 416 222-7658

Friday, July 21 | 4:00 - 8:00 pm
Saturday, July 22 | 1:00 - 5:00 pm
NICKEL BROOK
Burlington’s micro brewery invites you to sample their ale in the Events Kitchen today. Unlike most traditional ales, Better Bitters Brewing Co. uses three different malted barleys creating a medium-bodied amberish ale. They then select European hops and yeast, naturally carbonating and aging the beer for almost four weeks. This produces incredibly smooth ale. Try it in the Events Kitchen with pate and garlic toast with sausage cooked in ale.

Friday, July 28 | 4:00 - 8:00 pm
Saturday, July 29 | 1:00 - 5:00 pm
MILL STREET
Looking to try something new? Sample two beers from an Ontario Craft Brewer today. Mill Street brings you its Coffee Porter and Stock Ale. The Porter is made with coffee beans supplied by the Distillery District’s Balzac's Coffee, and offers a rich, full and unique flavour. Currently, there are no other coffee-flavoured beers in the Ontario market. The Stock Ale is a golden export-style ale made from only malt and hops – no fillers or adjuncts. There’ll be a cooking demonstration with these beers so you can enjoy them fully.

LCBO Maple | 2943 Major Mackenzie Drive, Maple | 905 832-1367

Wednesday, August 9 | 7:00 - 8:00 pm
ONTARIO CRAFT BREWERS | $25
Tonight, we will explore the craft of brewing and discover the wonderful diversity of beer. Join us for an exciting and educational tasting of beer styles from our own Ontario Craft Brewers. The glorious days of patio