Fucking IPA Challenge is the same weekend as my fucking canoe trip
Tickets went on sale today for the 5th annual Cask Conditioned IPA Challenge at barVolo. This year, the event falls on May 4th and 5th–as luck would have it the same fucking weekend I’m scheduled to...
View ArticleGoose Island Brewery Comes to Canada, Paul Aihoshi Gets Diarrhea
If you’re a small, renowned craft brewery, the idea of being bought out by one of the big brewers is a somewhat dubious prospect. On the one hand, it means you’ll report to a big corporation who...
View ArticleGreat Lakes Brewery’s “My Bitter Wife” coming to the LCBO
Well, it ain’t Karma Citra, but it will certainly do the trick. Fans of brewer Mike Lackey’s great IPAs will be pleased to learn that Great Lakes Brewery’s IPA “My Bitter Wife” is slated for an LCBO...
View ArticleBlack Oak Brewing’s Ten Bitter Years is coming to the LCBO year round
There’s even more great news for bitter beer fans (that is fans of bitter beer, not people who drink beer who are angry at the hand they’ve been dealt in life): Black Oak Brewing Company’s...
View ArticleOld Man Johnson IPA is coming to Bryden’s
Perhaps the beer should have been called “Dork in a sweatshirt” A month ago, I contacted the folks at Great Lakes Brewery to see if I might come out to do little profile and photo spread for blogTO (a...
View ArticleThe lost barrel of “Trombsterdam”
This is actually the best picture I took of the beer. Make of my phone’s choice of focus what you will… A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be among a select group of “media influencers” chosen to...
View ArticleWin tickets to the Back Alley Beer Festival at Stout Irish Pub
Here are two things you should already know: Ontario Craft Beer Week officially kicks off on June 16th and continues until June 23rd. Stout Irish Pub on Carlton near Parliament is the best bar in...
View ArticleAaron and Allana do Toronto’s Festival of Beer
Owing to recent developments (i.e. we had a baby), I was unable to attend this year’s Toronto Festival of Beer; however, given my commitment to covering the city’s beer-related news (and the fact that...
View ArticleContest: Calling all gentlemen
I say, which way to the donkey show, lad? Do you consider yourself a gentleman? If so, I’ve got some news for you. On November 22nd, a show is coming to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre just for...
View ArticleDispatch from the Samley Cup
Monday night, seemingly by chance, I found myself at the judges’ table of Samuel Adams’ 3nd Annual service industry homebrew competition, the Samley Cup. I’m not entirely sure who dropped dead or...
View ArticleHarry Porter and the Bourbon Soaked Vanilla Bean is coming to the LCBO
Great news for fans of American porters, bourbon, vanilla, and JK Rowling-related puns: Great Lakes Brewery’s excellent “Harry Porter & the Bourbon Soaked Vanilla Bean” will soon be available at...
View ArticleBar Hop announces new “Hop Talk” series
Bar Hop bartender Matt Bod laughing at something hilarious I said Bar Hop, the craft beer destination that won the Golden Tap award in 2013 for the Best Bar for Draught Beer Selection in Ontario, has...
View ArticleFewer beers at events, please
As we enter June, we’re essentially entering prime time for summer beer events in and around Toronto (here, for example, is a handy list of ten such events) and while Session Toronto, Cask Days, The...
View ArticleContest: Win two tickets to the Roundhouse Craft Beer Festival
UPDATE: Contest closed. Thanks everyone for your interest in this contest, but I’ve chosen a winning entry. Congratulations to Vanessa Neshevich for the following winning beer and food pairing...
View ArticleContest: Win two tickets to The Beer Experience
One of the things I don’t like about beer events (and yes, I’ve mentioned a few things before) is the tendency for brewers to trot out mostly the same old beers to these things. I know it’s a bit...
View ArticleContest: Win two tickets to The Craftmas Beer Experience
CONTEST CLOSED: Congratulations to Phil for his winning comment and xmas movie and beer pairing: Die Hard paired with Maclean’s Pale Ale because Yippy Ki Ay Mother Fucker! Call me a sentimental son...
View ArticleCome enjoy beer, bourbon, and smoked meat (with me!)
A few months ago, I had an opportunity to host an event organized by the folks at Orchestra Marketing that combines the typically forced act of “networking” with the slightly more enjoyable act of...
View ArticleCONTEST: Win two tickets to Shakesbeer
Brought to you by Classical Theatre Project, Shakesbeer will transform Artscape Wychwood Barns into a pop-up theatre and beer hall for the “The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged)” on April 18,...
View ArticleSeven totally true facts about Cask Days
Now in its 11th year, Cask Days is virtually inarguably the biggest beer event in Ontario, if not Canada. Featuring hundreds of breweries pouring cask-conditioned, unfiltered, naturally carbonated...
View ArticleContest: Win two tickets to Cultivate: a food and drink festival
Have you found yourself lamenting the fact that summer is winding down and there are thus fewer and fewer opportunities to combine your love of food and beer festivals, road trips, and pie-baking...
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