Going down the list, their are so many amazing choices for each category and I have no doubt that the winners in each will be worthy of their fans support. In the end, it all comes down to real people writing in the names of their favourite people and places and that is the highest honour I can think of.
Off we go...
1. Best Brewery
This one will break your heart eight times before you finally type in your answer. Serious consideration goes to your regular stops, the places you go to frequently because of proximity or sheer love. The other choices are those places you may have never actually set foot inside but you have either found their beer at an LCBO, had it delivered via Canada Post or maybe a beer saint brought you something so good, you can't get it out of your head. Choose wisely, your vote could be the one to send your favourite straight to the top. Want to help ensure a spot on the podium for your pick? Get your friends involved, launch a campaign, write a witty slogan!
2. Best Beer
You thought Best Brewery was hard? Oh man, this one almost made me cry. One beer out of the thousands we pour into our glasses each year? Dang...I'm not going to lie, I wavered back and forth over 5 or 6 different beers of various styles and even after I picked one, I felt like I was choosing my favourite child. But choose we must and this one could be a one-off, seasonal or regular release core beer. Have your say, pick a beer and encourage others to join your cause!
3. Best Beer Bar or Restaurant
As someone who infrequently goes out to eat or drink, this one was hard for me. There are a lot of really good and well curated tap and bottle lists out there that could be paired with wonderful food as well, you know where you like to go and this is your chance to get the word out about your hidden gems. The social aspect of food and beer should not be discounted as part of the overall experience of enjoying a pint, vote your heart.
4. Best Taproom/Brewpub
This is another tough choice for anyone who has spent time in most of Ontario's breweries. They each have their charms, great beer and often people who bring out the best in all of us. I have found in my travels that the people working in a brewery's taproom can be a huge part of your loving or hating a certain beer. The personality of each brewery is defined as much by what they make as by the people who pour your pint and ring up your purchases. This award reflects that as much as the ambiance, beer and visual setup of each place you visit. Love one place so much that you can't wait to get back? Get the word out and get people to Vote!
5. Food Award
While I am not a big proponent of beer and food pairings, I like my beer as a stand alone experience, there are some damn fine options when it comes to eating at Ontario Craft breweries. From full scale kitchen and dining rooms to rotating food trucks to simple dishes that bring out subtle nuances in the beer, there is a cornucopia of stuff just waiting for us when we walk out the door. Stuff your face and get the word out to Vote!
6. Marketing Award
With the growth of social media and the rise in popularity of craft beer, it makes sense to examine the marketing and communication between brewery and consumer. I like this one and as a voracious devourer and commenter on craft beer social media, I can tell you that some are way more involved and entertaining than others. Other factors such as packaging, advertising and events will weigh heavy into your decision, so pour a beer and ponder if the medium is indeed the message.
7. Retail Award
I mean, we all gotta buy beer and we love dropping in on the breweries to do it. Think about your retail experience? Is the staff engaged, organized and passionate? Or are they punching a clock, doing the bare minimum and going home? Beer matters but the retail store may be the most important contact a brewer has with a consumer.
8./9.10. New Brewery/Bar/Beer
I'll put these three together because they require a little thought from us. What was new since September of last year? What bar gave you the best selection, service, food and beer in its first year? What new Brewery stood out among the plethora of openings in the last year? And perhaps most difficult of all, what beer stood tall among the rest of all the new and shiny things from the last 12 months? Vote with your heart and head!
11. Beer Personality
Okay. I'll admit I really like this change from Best Beer Writer, even though I am the final winner, reigning Champion and Golden Tap Highlander in that category. The written blogs and reviews are not the sole form of communication anymore. Few are published writers and most of us who do write do so for the love of beer, working full time and squeezing out a few things when we have time in a busy life. The rise on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter has delivered some shining examples of great accounts and people who help promote great beer, try to fix the problems we see or just have fun with their pictures and words. Many brewery folks themselves are pretty damn engaging online and in real life and with this change, the Golden Tap awards open up the world to a whole bunch of possibilities.
Do I want to win? Umm, Vote Polk 2019!!!, Hell yeah, I love awards, they make me feel shiny! But at the end of it all, its about working together to keep this train moving forward, opening up new avenues and exposing people of all stripes to what this community can be. I have my favourite people and next week I will give you a deeper look at who they are and why I think you could vote for any one of them.
So there you go, vote and let your voice be heard...much love to Cass for all.the hard work he does making this happen!
Cheers!
Polk
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