Be more than a beer drinker—be a beer doer. Here are this fall’s top events for Toronto’s most discriminating beer hounds.
Best place to critique the critics:
The Monk’s Table (Toronto Beer Week event), Sept. 14, 5 p.m.
Sample seven types of one-off barrel-aged beers in this event, which sees teams of beer writers and brewmasters squaring off against each other in a contest to make the best barrel-aged brew.
1276 Yonge St., 416-920-9074. $30 gets you a branded glass, nibbles, and brew samples. No advance tickets, so arrive early to secure your spot.
Best for learning about beer while drinking it:
Eat My Schwarz (Toronto Beer Week event), Sept. 17, 5-7 p.m.
Brewmaster Victor North will be unveiling the first ever lager brewed at this ale-loving brewpub—“Eat My Schwarz” is a mild, nutty, and cocoa-tastic black lager (or schwarzbier). Drink along with the brewmasters as they explain how they made this beer, along with four of their signature ales, and ask lots of questions!
3 Brewers, 275 Yonge St., 647-347-6286. $15 entrance fee includes four 6 oz. traditional beer samples, half-pint of Eat My Schwarz, and appetizers.
Best for hobnobbing with brewmasters:
10th Annual Golden Tap Awards (Toronto Beer Week event)
Sept. 22, doors at 4p.m., show starts at 8 p.m.
Brewers love winning a Golden Tap, the people’s choice award for the best provincial craft beers, bars, and brewpubs. At the intimate awards party to be held at Beer Bistro, you can sidle up to one and ask for homebrew tips. The best beer nominees will be showcased on tap. Vote for your favourites before Sept. 17 at goldentap.com.
Beer Bistro, 18 King St. E., 416-861-9872. Free admission.
Best Beer Garden:
Brewer’s Backyard, Sept. 23, 12 p.m.-4 p.m.
Not only will this family-friendly event be one of your last chances to drink beer while the late summer sun shines, it’s also a great opportunity to sample brews from Toronto’s hottest new breweries: Bellwoods and the soon-to-be-open Indie Alehouse in the Junction. Shameless plug: A “Grid” beer featuring sumac, birch, honey, and other ingredients from Toronto’s backyards will be on tap, courtesy of the folks at Indie Alehouse.
Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Ave., 416-596-7670. Free admission, beer $6 per glass.
