Finding good craft beer in Toronto

[Snuffy]

I used to be a big fan of Duggan's Nine. I haven't found anything like it since it disappeared from store shelves.

Apparently there's mythical, fantastic beers not found at the LCBO in this city. Anyone have any suggestions on where to find? I tend to like beers with lots of taste. So Tankhouse over Creemores.

 

[mitsuko souma]

This stuff is sooo good it should be illegal.
And I never thought I'd love a fruity beer, ever.
I don't think you can get it here but if you're
ever in Vancouver, you've gotta try it.

 

[The Truth]

Cask Days® 2013 // 9th Cask-Conditioned Craft Beer Festival

 

[tobywan]

This stuff is sooo good it should be illegal.
And I never thought I'd love a fruity beer, ever.
I don't think you can get it here but if you're
ever in Vancouver, you've gotta try it.

this is my personal favorite from granville island...so tasty.

And for the gta, I find that great lakes brewery has great seasonal selections (currently for the fall, pumpkin ale)

 

[Tyler Durden]

Granville should be available in Ontario as Creemore bought them out. And Granville Island Winter Lager is by far their best! Such a great beer!!!

 

[Bernnie Federko]

Lcbo carries some Granville, just not the red.

 

[Snuffy]

I've had Granville a number a times. It's ok, but I'd put it in the same boat as Sleemans, Steamwhistle or Creemores. Safe, but rather mundane.

Here's an example of a beer that I've loved, which I've only been able to find at The Rhino:

Struise Pannepot Grand Reserva | World Beer Collection

Where can one pick up a six pack of this kind of stuff? And this ain't the only type of beer that I can't find at the LCBO. Check out this top 250 list from The Beer Advocate:

Top 250 Beers - BeerAdvocate

 

[derek]

granville and creemore are owned by molson. fortunately molson lets them run ops as is and haven't ruin both brands.

there's already a pretty good thread

http://www.tribemagazine.com/board/guys-stuff-forum/139609-beer.html

summerhill and queens quay lcbos are the best for craft selection (new lcbo on the danforth is quite good as well)

if you really into it

Cask Days® 2013 // 9th Cask-Conditioned Craft Beer Festival

 

[mudbunny]

Local

Black Creek Historic Brewery

Excellent seasonal brews

La Fin Du Monde
http://www.unibroue.com/en/beers/15

Magnifique ... we are heading to Mont Ste Anne in 2 weeks... can't wait

 

[janiecakes]

Where can one pick up a six pack of this kind of stuff? And this ain't the only type of beer that I can't find at the LCBO.

Indie Ale House and Bellwoods Brewery both have retail shops.

Bottle Shop |

Beer Store | Indie Alehouse Brewing Co.

 

[Blysspluss]

Leifmann's Fruitesse is a much better fruit beer than the Granville Island.

Anyone know if the Junction Brewery sells takeaway? Their Conductor Ale is excellent and worth buying if so.

Hell...here we beg the Board stores to carry things. There's not much for microbrew/craft. We've had okay luck so far.

 

[janiecakes]

You can get the Junction Brewery's Conductor Ale at the LCBO now. But yes they have a bottle shop: JUNCTION CRAFT BREWING – TAP ROOM / BOTTLE SHOP

 

[Illuminati]

Loads of good stuff happening with local brewers these days. Not sure why people are so confused on how to get their hands on local craft beer. It's quite easy, just go straight to the source.

www.bellwoodsbrewery.com

Junction Craft Brewing : All Aboard !

 

[derek]

conductor's ale is in quite a few lcbos.

 

[MoFo]

The Only Cafe

 

[Mr. Magyar]

La Fin Du Monde
http://www.unibroue.com/en/beers/15

Magnifique ... we are heading to Mont Ste Anne in 2 weeks... can't wait

Unibroue is owned by Sapporo. Hardly a microbrew anymore. They completely ruined a good thing.

 

[[- FuNKtiOn -]]

I used to be a big fan of Duggan's Nine. I haven't found anything like it since it disappeared from store shelves.

Duggans 9 is still readily available in a lot of LCBOs.
INVENTORY POSITION

favourite craft beers to come to the LCBO this year:
Kensington Brewing's Fish Eye PA
Junction Brewing's Conductors Ale

most disappointing:
Hogtown Ale

 

[Snuffy]

duggans 9 is still readily available in a lot of lcbos.
inventory position

omfg!

 

[Snuffy]

And for the record, that was a capitalized "OMFG" that the board for some reason stripped out.

 

[Blysspluss]

Hmph. Well Junction Conductor hasn't made it out here...and special ordering is prohibitively expensive. Like a $75 surcharge for special ordering expensive.

Too bad we still follow prohibition-day law when it comes to booze...and I can't just order it straight from the source and have it shipped.

 

[sianspherica]

Bellwoods Brewery is the best craft brewer in Toronto, by a wide margin IMO.

Only downside is their stuff is only available at their brewery. They have small restaurant/pub and a shop that sells bottles.

If you like IPA's, their single IPA, Roman Candle and their DIPA (double IPA) Witchshark are both very very very good.

IMO, Witchshark is bar none the best beer produced in Toronto.

Stuff like Mill St, Amsterdam, Steamwhistle, 416 don't even rank compared to the stuff Bellwoods makes.

 

[sianspherica]

Granville Island's Heffeweizen is great too, but not a Toronto brew.

You can find tons of great craft beers at the LC, specially at Summerhill or Cooper St location.

 

[Rage]

Cask Days® 2013 // 9th Cask-Conditioned Craft Beer Festival

I can't WAIT for this!!! Saturday afternoon session baby! Apparently, if you have tix to Sunday it allows you to stay for the Sunday night "leftovers" session.

I've found recently that the King & Spadina LCBO has been pretty good w/their Crafts along with Summerhill (the best) and Queens Quay. The Bayview Village LCBO isn't too bad either.

I'm sorry but Granville is the West Coasts Coors Light.

For a bar, hands down, this is the best bar in the city - barVolo | Craft Beer & Brown Liquor