Toronto Day - Polkapolooza 3 : Rise of Polk

The most difficult days for any tour of craft breweries are Monday and Tuesday. So many are closed for brewing, cleaning, taking care of outside accounts or just to have a day off. I begrudge no one a day apart from the masses and understand the economics of staffing versus sales and the need to maximize when you can be open. It was in this vein that I decided to take our traditional Toronto Day on Polkapolooza and move it to Day 2, which was Monday March 12th this year and what a day it turned out to be.
 

Starting out with a couple of Etobicoke breweries that we are big fans of and that followed in the tradition of taking way longer than I had budgeted for. Something we will visit at the end of this journey and hope to take advantage of for next years tour. Black Oak Brewing is fast approaching their 20th anniversary and as part of the original 2016 tour, we wanted to revisit and see the changes to the taproom and retail facility. Coming off a solid rebrand last year, we were interested in the return of Love Fuzz and Nox Eterna Stout as the clock passed 11 a.m. on that sunny morning. While we were chatting at the bar, Black Oak founder and Ontario legend Ken Wood came out from the brewing floor for a chat about all things crafty. Before you knew it an hour had passed and a short tour of the back with more talk of the past and future of Black Oak was had, with a sprinkling of side chats down the rabbit hole of taking on the big boys of beer in the fractured landscape of selling beer in Ontario. Saying our good byes, but not before a pic with the man himself, we grabbed a few beauties from the fridge and headed out on the road for a short drive to stop number two.

To say I spend a lot of time drinking, thinking or enjoying Great Lakes Brewery beer would be a massive understatement. One of my most visited and an original, longstanding Friend of Polk, we pulled into the parking lot to be greeted by our pal, the Ontario Beer Guy himself, Ken Pyper. he had just missed us at Black Oak and joined us at GLB and a few stops after to boot. 

Hanging at the bar, having a few samples as we pondered the latest releases from Great lakes, we were soon joined by our good friend Troy Burtch, Marketing and Communications manager at GLB and lover of all things beer. He was kind enough to break a few gems out of the cellar and we were all too eager to enjoy them with him. A 2015 Imperial Bout Imperial Coffee stout and some Ezra appeared and we chatted once again about the trip we were on, stops we should try to make and the state of the Ontario Craft beer family. It's not all roses and sunshine,  but this kind of inspired beer talk happens everyday in every place and I was so happy to spend another hour at one of my favourite breweries with some fine folks.
 

Another dozen beers found their way into our trunk and we prepared to skip across Toronto and make our way to another Original 2016 tour stop, the recently expanded and ever Friend of Polk, Muddy York Brewing. Having been here just a few weeks before to help celebrate their 3rd birthday, we knew a few delicious things were waiting in the bottle shop for us to buy and take home.
  Walking through the front door, we were greeted with the tropical warmth and familiar smell of brewing taking place. A new batch of their delicious Haberdasher Hefeweizen was in the tank and I love that scent, malted barley is the new coffee in my mind! We grabbed a few samples before loading up another 6 pack and stealing a little of Jeff's time as we talked about our trip so far and even reminisced a little about our stop 3 years prior when Muddy York was still getting up and running and where they were now. It's so hard to pull our selves out of this cozy taproom but we knew the journey must continue and we said our goodbyes with an eye to returning as soon as we could for a longer stay.
 

A short drive later we pulled down a familiar alley, parked and made our way to stop number four on the day, the rising star that is Left Field Brewery. Coming off an amazing year with a string of releases that left Ontario banging down the door and ordering online to get their fix, Left Field as another Original 2016 stop that we make part of any Toronto visit because how could you pass up such great beer and atmosphere. A couple of short samples and a glance at a busy brewery on a Monday morning and we made our way around the corner for stop five.
  As we go along, I am sure you may be asking yourself, "Why didn't they go to this brewery or that one?". Fair enough and the truth is many weren't open or didn't open until well after we had passed by. Have no fear, your intrepid travelers have noted the suggestions and consulted our handy map to make sure we can return and visit with every one of them later this year.
 

Eastbound Brewing company was where we paused for a few moments and grabbed a flight and a seat to rest up for the second half of this whirlwind day through the Big Smoke. We had visited back in November and it was good to return to a fridge with new beers and a tap list much expanded. While tempted by the scent of delicious food, we held fast for our dinner plans had crystalized and we were excited for that addition to our day.

Our 6th stop of the day was also the very first craft brewery I had visited perhaps 6 years prior but had no real recollection of as I was knee deep in the pit of darkness and over drinking at the time. Steamwhistle and the iconic Roundhouse sit in the shadow of the home of the Toronto Blue Jays and was pretty packed for a mid Monday afternoon, with tours and groups of thirsty folks filling the considerable tap room with joyous laughter, I had to get my mitts on a mug of the famous Unfiltered pilsner and was not disappointed. Fuller and tastier than the already amazing regular Steam Whistle, it's a fine excuse to spend some time sipping and marvelling at a Canadian Icon.
   Our usual plan of lunch across the street at the Amsterdam Brewhouse was curtailed by our new plans for dinner, we made a short visit to the bottle shop and were surprised with a six pack to take home. Always a pleasure to hang out and enjoy the vibe, we made a promise to ourselves to come back soon and watch the planes land while we explore the food and beer this lovely spot on the lake has to offer.
  By now, we were starving and ready for a sit down meal after two days of eating in the car on the run. Our good friend and one of my favourite writers of beer and other things, Robin LeBlanc lived not too far from our 7th stop so we were thrilled to pull up outside of her Cabbagetown walk up and have her take us to her favourite local pub for some food, drink and wide ranging catching up. The House on Parliament is a cozy pub that I wish I could transport to walking distance from our house. A good feeling from the moment we walked in was made even better by fresh Lake Effect IPA from GLB on tap and a filling meal that helped us slow down and relax during this jaunt across T.O. .
  Getting to spend some time with one of our favourite people without the maddening crowds of a beer festival or brewery event was such a joy and we will be taking Robin up on her offer to host an overnight visit this summer. Fire up the smoker, chill the beer and get ready for Polk's night out! A pleasure as always, we now would make the sprint to finish our day with full bellies and a smile in our heart. Thank you Robin.
  The final 4 stops were short and sweet due to time constraints as many closed before 10 p.m. and we didn't want to miss one. A lucky parking spot right across the street let us pop into Bellwoods brewery on Ossington with little trouble and we grabbed a few new to us beers as well as some old faves and looked longingly at the taproom and wished for more time to have a pint and some amazing fries but time waits for no man and onward we went.
 Henderson Brewing had sent a few bottles my way since our friend Erica started working there and it was a good prompting to remind me we hadn't been there in quite some time. Despite the late hour, our Instagram friends Anthony and Emma were there when we arrived and it was nice to finally say hello in person. It was another example of how we need to better plan this tour because we arrived just before closing and had to keep our chat short. A hopeful promise to hang out this summer and we made our way back to the car for two more stops.  Literally minutes down the road was another place we hadn't been in far too long and we hustled in to grab a few bottles as our time wound down in Toronto. Bandit Brewery has one of the best logos in Ontario Craft brewing and the beer has grown to match it. I was sad to say we couldn't sit for a flight or a pint but it was clear we had pushed ourselves and needed to head home for a rest...after one final stop.

  Indie Alehouse is an uncompromising leader in the Ontario Craft beer world and the beer reflects that dedication and intensity. Spying one of the best Imperial IPAs in the province, Cockpuncher, available is shortie cans, I grabbed a couple and was happy to find a Belgian IPA and a stout for Kat as well. Another great place to eat, next time we will make room to settle down and nosh a bit.

  The end comes quickly on Toronto Day and we felt lucky to have had friends meet us and spend a little time sharing our trip. The 39 breweries in the city had has actually grown by 2 in the week since we were there and that just means more trips and better planning will be necessary to make that happen next time. We've been to 30 of them and hope to complete the city before the summer hits or the 13 planned breweries open their doors and we will need a week just to explore Ontario's capital.
  The craft beer scene in Toronto is split between a few different styles and certainly reflects the diverse city housing them. From simple taprooms to restaurants and brewpubs and the huge goliaths that lead the revolution from the front, it has enough stops that any day trip could result in something new for anyone to discover. The industrial chic still holds sway but the newer breweries are trying to stamp out their own look and brand to grab the attention of a very busy and crowded market place. The local community surrounding any brewery will be vital as the shelf space and options at the LCBO prove difficult for smaller operators to navigate. Appealing to the community closest to you and then the larger craft beer world is on display full force in this city of 2 million plus people. Something we will explore at the conclusion of our trip to be sure.
  Another Toronto Day was in the books and we looked North for our next trip, 8 stops, 4 cities and over 600 kilometres on the road. I'll be back soon to tell you all about our Tuesday in Cottage country soon!


Cheers!
Polk

D.Polk in the Six - the short and sweet

1. Black Oak Brewing
Website - http://www.blackoakbeer.com/
Favourite Beer - 10 Bitter Years Imperial IPA
1st Impression - Your uncle's bar with better beer
2. Great Lakes Brewery
Website - http://www.greatlakesbeer.com/
Favourite Beer - Audrey Hopburn Belgian IPA
1st Impression - Legendary and growing
3. Muddy York Brewing
Website - http://www.muddyyorkbrewing.com/
Favourite Beer - Dereliction Double IPA
1st Impression - Pull up a seat, stay a while
4. Left Field Brewery
Website - http://www.leftfieldbrewery.ca/
Favourite Beer - Greenwood IPA
1st Impression - Go Jays...kids, dogs, moms, dads and great beer !
5. Eastbound Brewing Company
Website - http://www.eastboundbeer.com/site/
Favourite Beer - Let's go Exploring IPA
1st Impression - Queen Street Chic
6. Steam Whistle Brewing
Website - http://steamwhistle.ca/
Favourite Beer - Unfiltered Steamwhistle
1st Impression - Clean and crisp
7. Amsterdam Brewhouse
Website - http://www.amsterdambeer.com/
Favourite Beer - Double Tempest Imperial Stout
1st Impression - Scenic with beer
8. Bellwoods Brewery (Ossington)
Website - http://www.bellwoodsbrewery.com/
Favourite Beer - Jutsu Pale Ale
1st Impression - Nirvana
9. Henderson Brewing Company
Website - https://www.hendersonbrewing.com/
Favourite Beer - Rube Goldbeer
1st Impression - If DaVinci ran a brewery
10. Bandit Brewery
Website - http://banditbrewery.ca/
Favourite Beer - Juice Box Pale Ale with Ekuanot/Denali
1st Impression - That logo though...
11. Indie Alehouse
Website - https://www.indiealehouse.com/
Favourite Beer - Cockpuncher Imperial IPA
1st Impression - Uncompromising

Beer Time in The Aleyards - Polk in Toronto

From the Stockyards comes The AleYards!

  A journey to Toronto is always a wonderful thing for anyone in search of great beer. So many legendary breweries like Amsterdam, Steamwhistle and Great Lakes call the GTA home and the explosion of new and innovative smaller brewers have driven the number to a mind boggling 39 with another 17 in various stages of planning. It can be difficult to see through that many places to visit when organizing a day trip or even just an afternoon but The Aleyards is striving to make that decision a little simpler, putting 3 fantastic Ontario Craft brewers within walking distance of each other.
  Formerly the largest livestock and meat packing district in Canada, The Stockyards or Junction was a gritty, industrial neighbourhood that was also dry well into the 1980's and has seen an explosive growth in both retail, restaurant and housing as Toronto's gentrification reached north and west. Our first visit to this area came in 2016 and every time we go back it is growing, including 3 breweries sure to meet anyone's needs when it comes to styles, flavours and palate. Take a walk with us as we visit The AleYards and spend an afternoon with great craft beer.

Shacklands Brewing
Location - 100 Symes Road
Website - https://www.facebook.com/shacklands/
Hours - Monday-Tuesday Closed/Wednesday to Friday 11 to 9/Saturday 12 to 9/Sunday 12 to 6
Personal Fave Beer - Bourbon Barrel Aged Porter
  Opening just a year ago in January of 2017, Shacklands has quickly gained a reputation for it's Belgian style beers, eclectic tap room and overall positive vibes coming from the incomparable Dave Watts, who mans the front of house. Jason Tremblay was already a well regarded brewer within the community when they opened and since then has taken it to another level with some of the best brett focused, barrel aged and Belgian beers in the province. Sold exclusively in 650 ml bottles for take home, the lineup for pints and flights is constantly changing as is the music and a collection of vintage finds that floods the senses with memories long forgotten. The vibe is very chill, laid back and welcoming. You feel like its a local bar, long standing and comforting as you chat beer, life and anything else with Dave ping ponging around the bar, serving up tastes and ringing out folks at the front. Not shy about being socially aware, it feels good to visit a place where the beer matches the people and you want nothing more than to spend the afternoon listening to stories and drinking great beer.

Rainhard Brewing Company
Location - 100 Symes Road
Website - http://rainhardbrewing.com/
Hours - Monday-Tuesday Closed/Wednesday to Saturday 12 to 9/Sunday 12 to 5
Personal Fave Beer - Revolution 8 Double IPA
 The first to build in this burgeoning area of Toronto was Jordan Rainhard and since our first visit back in 2016, his reputation has grown along with his brewery. Opening in May of 2015, Rainhard Brewing has become a destination for Hop heads in search of some of the finest IPAs and Pale Ales in the province. That's not to say there isn't something for every palate as they have a great variety of amazing craft beer styles, including some fine barrel aged and sour beers to go with a taproom that is flooded with natural light and a bar that begs for an afternoon of beer and friends. An expansion is taking place and that means more great beer is coming as production ramps up and Jordan can explore the limits of his imagination. We were lucky enough to find him behind the bar on our last visit and his passion for the community is evident as we talked about the challenges and rewards of the last few years and where he wants to see his beer go next. Never content means always looking forward and demanding the very best from everything you brew and that indeed is Rainhard Brewing. The OG to The AleYards, it behooves you to make this a stop every time you make this trip.

Junction Craft Brewing
Location - 150 Symes Road
Website - https://junctioncraft.com/
Hours - Every Day 11 to 9
Personal Fave Beer - Junction Road Black Lager
  Originally opened by Doug Paterson and Doug Pengelly in 2012 down the road on Cawartha, Junction Craft moved this weekend into a building that used to house the old Toronto works incinerator and comes by the nickname "The Destructor", which may be the best named building in Ontario Craft Beer. Their original space was a cramped but cozy space that they outgrew as their LCBO available beers ramped up sales and their desire to make even more great things lept to match that rise. Moving into a larger space will allow them to expand their lineup and also help other small brewers to realise their dreams with their larger capacity to accommodate contract breweries now available. More English style focused than their 2 cousins in The AleYards, their Conductor IPA and Black Lager are but 2 examples of an impressive tap list and bottle shop. Available in growlers, 650 ml. bottles and cans, I can see the possibilities of constantly rotating styles and offerings as they get their feet under them in their new brew system. While the new facility dwarfs the old one, the feeling of a close nit pub remains. Our visit was in the late afternoon and the taproom was a collection of young people tasting and snapping pictures, families with strollers taking a respite on a beautiful day and other regular folk just chatting and enjoying the sunshine streaming through the windows. The English focused beers in our flights that included an excellent Porter, also gave us a nice Black IPA and I think we will see Junction be able to really explore new and exciting things now that they have a facility to match their vision.


  So there you have it, 3 very different breweries making distinct yet complimentary beers just steps away from each other. The Belgian, American and English influences on Craft Beer cannot be understated and on one block in Toronto you can experience them all in an afternoon. If that doesn't call for a road trip I don't know what does, so find yourself some free time and make The AleYards your next destination. Bring a friend or 5 and really explore something special with a stop at each one but make room in the trunk because you'll be bringing a lot of stuff home.


Cheers!
Polk

The Big Smoke Redux - Polkapolooza 2.1 Day 2 in Toronto

 

   Day 2 of Polkapolooza 2.1 dawned and we slept in a little after the epic 800 plus km. journey of the day before. How could we sleep in with another 8 breweries lined up on this trip? Simple, the huge amount of new craft brewers that had opened in one of my favourite cities made it easy to take our time and still hit all of them with a good chance of being home for dinner. Toronto day is a staple of any tour, but much to the dismay of many of my crafty friends, their would be no Bellwoods, as we tried to give another perspective on the trip to the Big Smoke.

  We each choose one old favourite to visit that had something for both of us and we started at a brewery we go to almost every time we hit Toronto, Muddy York Brewing. We met up with beer pal Dave Lee and had a good chat with Jeff and Susan as always. We related stories of the previous day up north and heard a few suggestions for the stops to come, it's always good to ask the folks who live in a city for tips on where to go, park and eat. Securing a resupply of great MY beer, we hit the road for a quick trip down to Godspeed, opened by Dieu du Ciel alumni Bim Fontaine.

  While we had hoped to partake in their Japanese inspired menu to pair with our beer, the kitchen didn't open until 4, so it was a quick "pickup some beer" stop and a pin was put into the dinner plans for another day. It's an open and airy setup that we promise to explore more.

  The next stop was just minutes away and once again we were faced with a beautiful space and decided to stop for a few samples before continuing on. Rorschach Brewing is a relative newcomer but their tap/bottle list is already very impressive. Kat was immediately drawn to their Systematic Desensitization, a horchata dessert lager. Bursting with notes of vanilla and cinnamon, it did taste like rice pudding and was a hit. I tried the Absolute Truth Double IPA and came away impressed at what was being done here. Balanced with a juicy and bold bitter grapefruit, orange citrus, the oats added to the smooth texture. Grabbing 4 pack to take home of a few we hadn't tried, we scooted across the city for a bit to find the most unusual stop of the day.

  Saulter Street Brewing is located down a narrow street and tucked in behind a row of townhouses in an alley. Its' bright and open doors invited us in and I was struck by how much it resembled a neighbourhood bar, perfect for the place it was situated. They have one core beer, a Pilsner brewed with some dark malts and I was pretty impressed with the pint we decided we needed to have.

They also have one rotating tap and on this day it held a Common style brew that Kat enjoyed as we talked and rested before the final sprint. As the conversation went on, we came to find that our old pal Tanner, of Brock Street brewing, had moved on and landed here at Saulter Street. A pleasant surprise and a reminder that as the business of craft beer grows, we will see such movement while the people in it find new and exciting opportunities for change and growth. Informed that our next stop was only a few blocks away, we decided to enjoy the beautiful October day and walked on down to Eastbound Brewing to see what was our 5th stop in only three and a half hours.

  A big and open space, they were busy preparing for the evenings food service when we arrived but took the time to stop and talk about not only their beer but the scene in Toronto in general. We lingered for a while sampling and chatting before making some purchases and heading back into the sunshine for the walk back to the car. It's never long enough when we are doing these trips and we can't wait to come back here to try some of their food inspired and made with their beer.
  The day was more than half over and we were moving at a good clip...for Toronto. Although this day's trip was about a quarter of the kilometres of the previous one, it was a little more draining as the traffic was intense and packed. But we kept our spirits up and enjoyed the sights of a busy city while we turned to a spot located in the middle of a bustling and proudly multi cultural market.

  Kensington Brewery has molded itself into a very unique neighbourhood and added to the community with their take on the industrial chic that other Toronto brewers have embraced. It feels airy and open and while we only had a few moments to peruse the site, the folks working there were happy and informative. Another day to spend just hanging at the shops along the way is in order, post haste. Our time in the city was at an end but there were two more stops as we turned the Fiesta toward the Hammer and Casa de Polk.

  I'm an unabashed fan of what Great Lakes Beer does and with 3 new beers in the fridge on this day, it was an easy choice as my old fave stop of the day. We made our way out of Toronto to Etobicoke and the familiar GLB tap room. We grabbed the beers we came for and while I looked longingly at a few more Audrey hopburns, we had to stick to the budget... A quick hello/goodbye sent us on our way to the final stop of the day, western legend now open in 2 different spots in the GTA, Big Rock Brewing.

  Located down The Queensway from Great lakes, it can be found at the back of a full industrial plaza featuring many different importer and exporter wholesale distributors. A massive facility made for large scale production, it was not exactly the most inviting of space and had an almost corporate feel to it. The taps were decent, but the bottle list was almost devoid of anything that sparked our interest. We bought a few we haven't had because I am always willing to explore deeper, we left with a tired but happy outlook on the overall scope of the day.
  As hard as it was to pass buy so many amazing craft breweries in Toronto, Left Field, Bellwoods and the like, it was important to us to be able to see what was going on in different corners of the city and help break the routine we find ourselves in when it comes to this city. There are so many places we didn't get to and I am making a promise to myself that we will continue to make it our mission to go to each and every one as this journey continues.
  For the record, day 2 was 7 hours on the road, 195 kilometres, 8 breweries and over 30 new beers. It was a whirlwind, as this day always is and we went to bed knowing the next day was a longer drive but to quite a different setting and environment.
  Get out of your rut and try adding a new to you brewery on your next run to Toronto, you'll be glad to you did.


Raise your glass and your standards,
One beer at a time.


Cheers!
Polk

Polkapolooza Craft Beer Tour 2017 Review - Toronto Day!

The hat says it all on Day 6 in The Six

  I don't know when my fascination with Toronto started but it's been with me as long as I can remember. Perhaps it was going to my first Maple Leafs game with my dad and the crowd on Carleton street after the game or maybe some of the school trips to the various attractions and museums around Canada's largest city. I've always dreamed of living and working downtown with the buzz of so many events every day at my fingertips. I imagined sitting in cool bars and staying out late with a morning meet-up at some hole in the wall coffee shop that served amazing brew. While moving to Toronto is not likely to happen (have you seen the prices for the tiniest of condos?) I do make sure every year for the Polkapolooza tour of Ontario to plan one entire day for the Big Smoke.

  It is perhaps possible to hit every brewery in town in one day, but we wanted to make sure we left time for each visit to be able to last as long as possible and not rush from one to the next. So many great breweries had to be left off the list that I could plan a few more trips just to hit them all and that is the plan for later this summer when I'd like to take a weekend and visit every single one.

First stop! Cameron's Brewing!



  The day started with our usual stop for some drive thru breakfast and coffee before a late addition to the trip. While reviewing the planned route I discovered that one of my favourites, Oakville's Cameron's Brewing, was open at 10 a.m and that would allow us to stop in before dropping off some Beer Saint presents to my pal Don on the way to Toronto. We've spent many evenings in the last year having a great time at Cask Nights in this now 20 year old Brewery and I was happy to grab a few of the single barrel Deviator Doppelbock from the 2016 release. A short drive up to the Beer Store where Don worked and a surprise craft beer gift for one of my favourite writers (Check out his blog, here). Long a supporter of all things craft beer, especially in Ontario, I was only too happy to drop off some of the hoppier spoils of our trip to the IPA lovin' Brew Ha Ha scribe.

Love hitting a new Brewery!

   It was now time to make the trek to the eastern end of Toronto and visit a relative newcomer to the scene in 2016. Located in Scarborough, Common Good Beer is not only a brewer of their own straight forward styled beers but also a large contract brewing space for such brands as Shillow and Lost Craft. We had a wonderful tour and visit with the team helping to make so many new beers. Huge space with plans for a proper tasting room in the future, I was glad to have finally made it here after my pals from this end of the city had been raving about it for months. They brew simple and stylistically on point beers, stop in and start your next T.O. tour doing a little good for yourself.

A tour and some beer chat!

Muddy York is always a must stop for us!

  I don't think anyone was surprised at stop 3 for the day when we pulled up to Muddy York Brewing. Long a favourite of both Kathryn and I, it is one of our most visited breweries from 2016 and not just because of the great beer they brew. Jeff and Susan are always happy to stop and talk about beer or anything else and it was a great visit as always. Work is underway on their tap room and the new, shiny tanks bring joy to my heart because that means more great Muddy York beer for all of us to enjoy. I cannot stress enough how you need to make this growing craft brewer in your next road trip, it will kick your day off right.

More Tanks means more beer!

 

All these visits and I finally remembered to get a picture with one of my favourite Ontario Craft beer people!
Thanks Jeff!

 Time was ticking for our lunch reservations and as happened so many times in the last week, we were running late. Hitting the road and heading west towards the core, we made our next stop at the ever expanding Left Field Brewery to meet up with another Instagram beer pal, Pat (Craft_Connoisseur). He had recently been hired on at the brewery as a sales rep and it was nice to add another real life friend to a growing list that craft beer has brought into my life.

Walk in and feel that left Field Vibe

  A tour of the production side and a chance to try the delectable Laser Show right off the tank as well as some craft beeer talk with the brewer of all the great Left Field beer made for an extended stop that found us leaving with some Beer Saint gifts of our own thanks to Pat. Make your way to Left Field, especially as the weather warms and the Jays return to the field. The brewpub was filled with happy beer drinkers, kids and dogs in tow and a happy vibe that will have you returning many times. Thanks again Pat for the hospitality!
 

Time for lunch!

A tradition for us on the Toronto Day of Polkapolooza was established last year as we stopped for lunch at the lakeside Amsterdam Brewhouse. Located just across from the Island Airport, it has beautiful scenery, great food, amazing service and of course, damn good beer. Settling in and catching our breathe before the all out sprint across the city that was to come, we ordered a few of the adventure brews (Stout for Mrs., Black Rye IPA for me) and a couple of pounds of delicious wings to give us the fuel we needed. Buzzing with the anticipation of that evening's St. Patrick's day party, the brew house was a great boost to our ambitious plan.

Delicious food, amazing beer and spot on service.

It is always such a wonderful place for some food and conversation and I am indebted to Amsterdam's own Heather for making sure we got a table when I forgot to make a reservation on this very busy day. She also gets her own Beer Saint status for the gift of 4 of their recently released Adventure brews for us to try at home when we finally ended the tour. The manager of the retail section, Kevin, was kind enough to grace my noggin with a new Boneshaker chapeau and we left with full bellies and happy hearts. A beauty place to stop anytime of the year, the coming summer patio season would be a great time for you to head down and get yourself acquainted with this Toronto landmark.

Craft beer, new hat and my bones are shook!

The second half of the day was a lot of short trips form stop to stop and a few visits with some folks we'd only known online. Starting on Ossington Avenue at Ontario craft Brewing darling Bellwoods Brewing. We had wanted to go to their new location, but that didn't fit into the plan...next time Hafis Rd. 

The Bell and the TTC

  I was lucky enough to score a coveted street parking spot across from the red bell and ran in to grab a few of the highly touted Milkshake IPAs, Milkshark. I promised a few to some friends and spied that they had Hellwoods, a stout for Mrs. Polk to get her very first Bellwoods beer on! Racing back to the car, we headed around the corner to the site of the inaugural Beer Saints meetup, Folly Brewpub.

Oh Folly, I missed you so much!

 I always make sure to stop at Folly whenever I am close by because I love the styles that they seem to always have a new take on. Proponents of using that funky Ontario yeast, it is also an amazing place for friends to gather and enjoy some great food to go with the wonderful beer. Time was ticking and we dove back into the car with some bottles for later research and a promise to ourselves that we would make time for a longer visit next time.

  If there is a more stolen piece of glassware than Bandit Brewing's racoon logo, I don't know what it is. I remember our first visit last year and hearing tales of people purloining the flight glasses in the time before they had glassware for purchase. We showed up a little before they opened but were happily taken to the back to meet the crew as they busily prepared for a Friday night crowd. Talking social media, new beers and of course, that iconic glassware, we once again had to move on with promises of a return when the patio opened and we could get some snacks under the warm summer sun to go with our beer.

Don't steal me!

  One of the hardest parts of this day is driving past places I desperately want to stop. I received messages from people asking why I wasn't stopping at one brewery or another. It wasn't easy but wholly necessary to cut the trip into a manageable size, regrets were many.  No doubt I will make it to the ones we had to miss during this particular T.O. run but onward we pushed as the day was coming to an end.

Another new to me Brewery!

  Next up was a unique stop that had two places in one building. Relative newcomer Shacklands Brewing and the award winning Rainhard Brewery are at opposite ends of the same industrial looking complex and we pulled into the parking lot laughing that we could hit 2 with 1 stop. Shacklands was first and it was the very personable Dave who made our visit go longer than we had anticipated. His engaging and excited enthusiasm for life and beer took us in and settled us down for a few samples. He even shared a rare barrel aged brew that was a hit with both of us. Pausing as the sun was headed down, Dave gave me that spark I sought when stepping into a brewery for the first time. Personality brings so much more to great beer and I encourage you to make this one a priority when your headed to the Junction next.

 

Too much fun at Shacklands.

Packed with so much hoppy goodness!

  Literally a minutes walk away was the very cool Rainhard Brewery that turns so many heads with their great beer and newly available 355ml cans of Unfiltered Pilsner and maybe the best pale Ale in Ontario, Armed N' Citra. Grabbing a few of each, alongside some bottles, we hopped back in the car for a short trip to a brewery that will be joining these two in this triangle of awesome later this year, Junction Craft Brewing.

  The fading daylight made our stop at Junction Brewing a short one as we had plans for later in the evening. Crammed into their current location, the new building is a huge space that will accommodate not only more beer but a lively and sure to be rocking taproom. We found a few beers for each of us and prepared to bid Toronto farewell for another year with one final stop...Great Lakes Brewing!

Feels like home to me!

  I've written a whole lot about GLB in 2017 and their celebrating 30 years of making fantastic Ontario Craft Beer. Many fun times have been had hanging out with the fine folks who work and make their living from being part of this iconic Canadian brewer and as we rolled in for the 12th and final stop of the day, I was happy with what we had accomplished. From big to small, LCBO giants to single label breweries, we had seen a wonderful cross section of what a day in Toronto can offer the craft beer fan. A pint of Canuck Pale ale and we said good bye to the penultimate day of Polkapolooza with a hoppy legend in my glass. The patio is open at Great Lakes, make the trip and sit a spell.

  One day remained and it was full of even more awesome people, beer and an evening that was a worthy finish to a week spent travelling the province...but that story will need its own telling another day.

Make your next beer run a little more epic

Break your routine and Explore everything Ontario Craft Beer has to offer.

You will be happy you did.

Cheers!

Polk

Day 6 Route : Polkapolooza 2 (Electric Polkaloo)

My love affair with this city is never ending.

Toronto.
The very word evokes dreams from my past. Growing up less than an hour away from the country's largest city always had me itching to take a road trip to explore all the amazing things that seemed to occur there, day and night. Of course, as I grew up, Toronto became the place of concerts, theatre and sporting events. My beloved Leafs, the 12 times we saw Evil Dead the Musical or when Guns and Roses rocked my world with the best concert I've ever been to; these are but a smattering of why I always turn to the Big Smoke for some of my fondest memories.
  Fast forward to the 2016 and I will honestly admit that I went to Toronto more times in that year than in my entire life. In pursuit of Craft beer in this province, it is the Mecca for all things hops and barley. A day seems hardly enough to explore and try all that this city has to offer, but for Polkapolooza, that is all I have. Far too many of my favourites will have to be left for another day and that just means I get to come back sooner and say hello all over again.

  When we awake on Friday, March 17th, it will be but a short ride and the adventure will begin. We will head to the east of the city to kick the tour off with Common Good Beer, one of the latest brewers to open and a favourite of some of our friends.

 Heading next to one of our most beloved spaces, Muddy York Brewing. It kicked off our Toronto day on the first celebration and we wouldn't miss a chance to see Jeff and Susan again. Of course, Kathryn will be overjoyed to spend time at her most favourite of breweries and it will be hard to get her back in the car as we head onward into the city proper.
  It is another new to us brewer that is stop #3. Radical Road Brewery moves us closer to the centre of the city and will be followed with a stop at the ever expanding and impressive Left Field Brewery. I'm not sure what will be in the bottle shop, but I will be bringing home one of everything.

  Time to eat and we have decided to return to Amsterdam Brewhouse on the lake to rest up for the next part of our trip. We had a great time last year, the wings were excellent, and can't wait to watch a few planes land at the airport as we sip some Boneshaker!

  The afternoon will feature a sprint across to the top of the city with a return to Bellwoods Brewery on Ossington a must.

Just around the corner is the location of the first Beer Saints meet up and Folly Brewpub has been long sought by me any time we come close.

  The sky will begin to darken but our spirits will be bright as we stop in at Bandit Brewing, home of my favourite glassware. Seriously, that racoon logo rocks.

  West Toronto is the gateway home and it wouldn't be Polkapolooza without a stop at Rainhard Brewing. The beer I get there sets new standards and I hope they have some of that Armed & Citra in the 355 ml cans left when we stop in.

Close by is one of the newest T.O. craft brewers, Shacklands, and I do love checking out new places and people. A fine way to exit the city and turn towards the Hammer. 
  Finally heading home, we will make a stop at Great Lakes Brewery. The GLB team has been a huge part of the last year for me and I want to grab a pint and reflect on the day we just had in a place that always feels like a home away from home.

  Our day ends but my love affair with the city of Toronto and all the amazing brewers contained within only grows. The ones we missed will most certainly get a Polkaroo visit before long and my fridge will surely be overflowing with some of the best beers in the country after 6 days on the road.
  One day remains and it is the grand finale when we can finally put our feet up, raise a pint with some friends and celebrate all the great things about Ontario Craft beer. That route comes tomorrow and we head southwest for the Polkapocalypse!


Raise your glass and your standards,
One Beer at a time.


Cheers!


Polk

If you made it this far, here's Tiny Drake on mini Polkaroo's shoulder