All my Polk's in Niagara - Polkapolooza Day 4

 

  Heading round the Golden Horseshoe and driving south east lies the Niagara Region, home to wine, The Falls and a burgeoning craft beer scene. We ventured this way to check in on many breweries we had visited before, but not for quite some time. The changes we encountered were at times admirable and applauded and in a one instance, just not worth the time and money we spent on our stop there. Focusing on the positives is what we try to do for the most part, but those of us who share our beer and the resulting adventures in it shouldn't shy away from when things aren't quite right. The exceptions to what we find as good experiences are not overshadowed by a few poor ones, but we have a duty to our friends and the truth to uphold at all times. Niagara Day begins with pints shared among friends and finishes with a surprise extra stop in a small town ready for it's own spot in the Ontario Craft beer spotlight.
  We were happy to be able to sleep in a bit as this day started at Brimstone Brewing around noon and we took advantage to enjoy a leisurely morning slowly recovering from the 600 plus kilometres we travelled the previous day. This day was going to prove to be much shorter but with the added bonus of my 'work daughter' Shyann, who is a student at a nearby college, joining us on our jaunt around the region. We wanted to show her what craft beer could be and were looking forward to sharing a few stops with her after our first one.

  Pulling up at Brimstone, we were struck by the huge glass and steel enclosure covering a part of their patio that wasn't there when we last visited. On a chilly March day, it was warm and inviting the moment we stepped inside and that was doubled when our pals Preston and Len were already hanging out waiting form our arrival. As good of an excuse as any, I grabbed a pint of the delicious Belgian IPA on tap and we sat down for a much longer visit than anticipated. Trading stories about fave beers, trips and festivals, we lingered a while as the brightly lit cube gave us a warm and happy place to hang out. Brimstone is located in Ridgeway and it is also the home of the annual Albino Rhino Beer Fest, put on by the legendary beer YouTube beer reviewer of the same name  and at which all proceeds go to Ronald McDonald House. We went for the first time in 2017 and would love to repeat that appearance again, as many of our favourite brewers and plain old beer nerds like us converge to enjoy and do some good at the same time. Parting is such sweet sorrow but we had a member of our extended family to pick up and show around, so we trundled off into the day with a smile and some beer for further examination.
 

Grabbing Shyann after her classes for the day were done, we headed next to Fonthill and Kame and Kettle Beer Works in a new and improved space. As soon as we entered, we were greeted warmly and grabbed a couple of flights to try out everything on the tap list. Walking Shyann through how we try to work our way through the beer, I had her start with the kolsch and cider/beer hybrid to ease her into the larger flavour profiles. We encouraged her to try everything and then let her finish whichever ones she enjoyed the most. Not easy for a 20 year old to learn moderation but a skill much needed at any age. The beer was much improved from our visit of over a year ago and while they still have a ways to go, it serves the community well and that is exactly what matters as they grow and mature as a brewery. Nothing stood out but we also enjoyed the atmosphere which enhances any visit to a brewery and can play a large part in repeat business. We had many more stops to make and we bid farewell to Kame and Kettle to head to one of Canada's premier tourist attractions at Niagara Falls proper and the brewery staged on its' busiest street, Clifton Hill.
 

We had been to the Niagara Brewing Company once before in January of 2017 and wanted to come back primarily to see what had changed as the beer had been serviceable if not decent with the Ice Wine beer being our most sought after repeat. A busy joint on a Wednesday as it was March Break, harried parents looking for a break, excited kids and a bright and airy taproom with food, live music and the brew house taking center stage at the far end. We grabbed a table and order a flight with one of every beer on tap, even paying the extra for that premium Ice Wine beer just because. The service was quick and friendly and we were quite happy despite many warnings from beer friends to avoid this obvious tourist destination. That all changed once we had our fist sips of the beer put before us. Kat noticed it first on the Ice wine beer and commented that it tasted buttery, a sure sign of the off flavour diacetyl and a big no no when it comes to any brewery we've visited. Taking a sip, I noticed it as well and found myself trying to keep a happy demeanour as we explained what we found to Shyann and why it was so rare. I'll share what I posted on Instagram when I had some time to calm down and truly think about what we had experienced as I think I captured our reaction bang on :
  "Family flights Niagara Brewing Company on Clifton Hill. Taking my work daughter for her first mini tour of Ontario and I wanted her to see all sides of craft beer. While I'm not one to say an unkind word, my $28 flight had some issues with diacetyl or buttery flavours and that was unfortunate. I don't want to be an asshole but it was supremely disappointing to spend that kind of money of 8 samples that would run maybe $20 in most craft breweries. I'm not mad so much as upset, but let's face it, I'm not the target audience anyway...that's what the unsuspecting tourists and novice drinkers are for.
I appreciate seeing craft beer in one of Canada's premier travel destinations but shudder to think international or Canadian tourists will view this as indicative of our craft beer scene. It isn't our best foot forward and I know it can be better. If you know me you know how hard I struggle when I don't like something or feel misled by a Brewery but this tour is about the truth through exploration and someone else shouldn't have to experience this kind of off flavoured and over priced beer. I'm sad to say we won't be back anytime soon, there are just too many options and they deserve our dollars and our support. Hopefully one day I can return and report back wonderful things, but I highly doubt that. This is the first time I've come away saddened by my experience on a beer tour. Hope lies within our next stops and that drives me on."
 

At this point we needed some food and because I had never stopped in there before, despite us spending many nights in The Falls, we hit up Taps on Queen and grabbed some grub to fuel the rest of our day. Not fancy at all, but with the feel of a neighbourhood bar, we arrived on 20 cent wing night and that was just fine by me. Traditional bar wings are kind of my jam and these were right in that wheelhouse. Not gourmet but rather reminiscent of my old time hangouts, the ladies grabbed a burger each and I settled in for a flight and a few dozen wings. The beer is brewed in house and is fine to passable with the IPA being the most true to style and easily my favourite of the bunch. Our stops had been wholly uninspired so far and our next one was where true redemption of Niagara was to begin.
 

The Exchange Brewery is located smack in the middle of downtown Niagara on the Lake, one of Ontario's prettiest towns and we wandered in looking for some true innovation and adventure to give our young friend. We were not disappointed as they delivered some tasty beer that had us smiling and finally enjoying what was in our flights. A Peach pie and then a cherry beer made the biggest splashes with us and we marvelled at the sleek and lovely taproom that has the feel of a high end bar with fantastic beer. This was a solid choice for showcasing what wine country and craft beer makers can come together with and we left with a better feeling than we arrived.
 

For all the time we spent at less than stellar breweries earlier, we missed our chance to visit Oast House brewers just up the road and sadly drove past cursing our luck on this midweek winter trip. We will return in the summer no doubt for another go at the Strawberry Rhubarb Ale if it returns. Such a delightful beer it was...
 

What was supposed to be our final stop, but was ultimately the penultimate one, Virgil's own Silversmith Brewing was the very first Ontario Craft brewery I wrote about on this blog 2 years ago and I was stoked because I had a pint waiting for me on their "Buy Someone a Pint Wall" and who doesn't love that! Grabbing a glass of The Black Lager...yes it is indeed The Black Lager in my humble opinion...we settled in for our last stop as the ladies shared a flight of some one offs that were on tap that night. This former church now houses a beautifully appointed brewery that is in the process of a massive expansion to keep up with the demand for their on point beers. A community hub and tourist destination, I have always been partial to visiting here for both the beer and atmosphere where all things feel a little more like home. We dawdled a bit as after this stop we would be returning Shyann to her dorm before heading home, making plans for a summer trip around Hamilton now that she had the bug about trying all the styles and flavours craft beer had to offer. It has been my pleasure on more than one occasion to help someone discover this amazing scene and all it has in it and when its someone who has become part of your extended family, that's pure gold.

  Our tale should have ended here but for the Ontario Bev Net Map (found here) that popped up when I tried to plot our way home. I am a fan of this website and their map, having shared it many times and extolling it's virtues to anyone who is looking to do a road trip in Ontario. Just 15 minutes from the college, in the small town of Port Colborne lies Breakwall Brewing, opened less than a month at that point and we headed up the road laughing at ourselves because this is what we do now. Let the fates take us where they may and hope for some good beer at the end of the road.
 

Walking into this sleepy burg we were struck by the full and lively Wednesday night crowd at Breakwall. Still feeling the vibe of opening, the locals were buzzing with excitement over both food and beer while we stopped to try a sample of one or two of their beers before heading home. Again we were wrong, as the friendly conversation with founder Fred Davies turned into a full tasting and a preview of their next version of the 9 O'clock Whistle IPA (deliciously hazy and citrusy I might add) on this mid week capper to a very odd day. They are taking recipes from the original Port Colborne brewery and bringing them back to life as well and the honey ale was simply beautiful. Reinforcing the growing narrative of all beer being local once again, it was evident that this town had not only embraced Breakwall but damn near took all the beer in the fridge! Lucky for us, some of their Sailor Saison was still available in tall boys and we grabbed a few to take home. We left with the promise to return for dinner sometime soon so we could get the whole experience of what they were trying to bring to the community they live in and love so much.
  To say the least, Niagara is a dichotomy of clashing styles, goals and cultures when it comes to beer. The solid wine tourism industry is a good model for what can happen in this area, albeit with a little more blue collar crowd and a whole lot more collaboration between the breweries. We saw some of the finest examples of what good beer is and some of the worst. Craft beer has a long way to go in some aspects and it is up to us to help hold that mirror up and call out things that are less than stellar. If a beer does what the brewer tells you it will, that's all you can ask for. When it falls short or your experience is just not right, we have obligation as members of the community to ask questions or let our friends and family know when things aren't on the level. Never talking about things that aren't pleasant not only brings the whole industry low, it allows for creeping mediocrity to take hold and that is something I am passionate about not letting happen. We will be back to revisit most of these places, but our dollars must go to supporting those who value quality over everything.
  Next up was our annual overnight trip and this time we headed southwest to visit a town coming into it's own when it comes to Ontario Craft beer.


Cheers!
Polk




Niagara in a Snapshot!


1. Brimstone Brewing
Website - http://www.brimstonebrewing.ca/
1st Impression - sunny and bright
Favourite Beer - A Mountie and a Buffalo Walk into a Bar Belgian IPA
2. Kame and Kettle Beer Works
Website - http://www.kameandkettle.ca/
1st Impression - Improving
Favourite Beer - Schwarzbier
3. Niagara Brewing Company
Website - https://niagarabrewingcompany.com/
1st Impression - Nope
Favourite Beer - Water
4. Taps on Queen
Website - http://tapsbeer.ca/
1st Impression - Norm!
Favourite beer - IPA
5. The Exchange Brewery
Website - http://exchangebrewery.com/
1st Impression - Fancy
Favourite beer - Belgian IPA
6. Oast House Brewers
Website - https://oasthousebrewers.com/
1st Impression - Big Red!
Favourite Beer - Grandma's Strawberry Rhubarb Ale
7. Silversmith Brewing
Website - http://www.silversmithbrewing.com/
1st Impression - Beer Church
Favourite Beer - The Black Lager
8. Breakwall Brewing
Website - http://www.breakwallbrewery.com/
1st Impression - Rocking!
Favourite Beer - 9 O'clock Whistle IPA

Day One - Polkapolooza 3 : Rise of Polk

Any time we hit the road in search of great craft beer, we are always on the lookout for the new and interesting. We seek a taproom with personality and the stories we find when we stop and take a seat at the table. We want to talk beer with the people who make make it and those who drink it. We are not purveyors of a fine lifestyle, but rather your regular working folk who do some things with a little more enthusiasm than your average person would require. Live large and explore isn't just something we say, we live it everyday and Polkapolooza is that special time of year when we shed the coils of work and home to celebrate Ontario Craft beer.
 

This year's tour kicked off on Sunday March 11th with an early morning 230 kilometre drive to the northeast of Toronto and the beautiful town of Bowmanville. Manantler Brewing was our destination and we arrived just as the doors opened to sidle up for a flight to kick things of for the week. Often we stop in and grab some bottles to try at home, sometimes a few samples to split and others, like this one, we are joined by distant old friends and new ones we just haven't met yet. First through the door was Josh, a young guy who is quickly building a name for himself in both the craft beer and woodworking worlds with his beautiful creations. Our old pal Glenn was next to show up as we were close to his hometown and it was a welcome sight to see a fellow beer writer settle in across from me. Jen and Shannon were last to arrive but would remain with us all day as we raced the clock of early closings to make all of our stops on Day 1 of Rise of Polk 2018.
  We ordered our flights and that's when Manantler's own beer saint Matt showed up and the bottles started to appear from behind a magic wall. Samples of past, present and future creations were doled out and the chat turned from where Manantler was, to where they are going in the context of a burgeoning scene in the region. Finding your voice and keeping the ball going forward is never easy in any business but when it comes to craft beer, the fickle nature of humanity is in full play.
 The taproom has grown since our visit last year and you can feel the vision becoming a vibe as Manantler grows to fill and respond to the needs of their community. Laughing and joking while discussing his own journey, Matt was the epitome of a good host as we reluctantly said our good byes after what was supposed to have been a half hour stop gone on 4 times that long. A common theme this week and one we will be addressing at the conclusion of these look backs. I'm not one to stop a good time so we threw the timetable out the window for the sake of just that.
 

Ringing up a solid amount of beers to go with some lovely gifts, we turned next to a brew pub beneath one of my favourite smokehouse restaurants in the province. Sir Monty's Brewing is located underneath Stuttering John's Smokehouse in Courtice, Ontario and has an English pub like feel to it as you descend the stairs. Jen, Shannon and Josh made the trip with us and as we walked in I was greeted by a couple of other beer loving pals we had met briefly a few weeks before at Left Field in Toronto. Out for a bite and a pint, they wanted to say hello and welcome me to their region as the tour kicked of on day one. I loved being able to chat with people who love great beer as much as me and was greeted warmly as we headed for our table by another fellow beer lover who was following along on social media. Extolling the virtues of both the food and drink, he was an example of something that became a theme more and more as we travelled. People are proud of their local craft brewery and want nothing more than to share that with you. Local is quickly becoming a watchword and something we will encounter as we look back and then forward on this week.
  Feeling the press of time, we split a few flights and found that the beer was promising with the Irish Red being the standout for both Kat and I. Only growler fills available, so we left with nothing but memories of meeting great people and a new brewery we will revisit when we can to see what changes as they grow.
 

Saying goodbye to Josh at this stop, we next made our way to two breweries in Whitby that we had spent considerable time in last year on the Beer Saints tour with our friends from all over Ontario. Brock Street Brewing is still awaiting their new downtown location as construction continues with it's usual delays and complications but their original location was full and rocking for a Sunday afternoon and we grabbed a few more cans to add to a generous gift Josh had delivered on their behalf earlier.
 

A short drive down the road led us to 5 Paddles Brewing and we once again stayed a little longer than planned as a few samples of their recent wares were tasted and discussed along with the purchase of some very anticipated IPAs and stouts. They have increased the space in the taproom by putting some retro movie seating and couches into the brewery proper and it was buzzing with folks enjoying an afternoon among the bright tanks and fermenters.
 

We next made our way to Whitby's newest addition and a big space with lots of possibilities. Little Beast Brewing has some very cool label art that incorporates their beast logo and will help them to stand out from the crowded sea of beer popping up in Ontario. Talking about the challenges of getting people out and visiting, we were soon joined by 3 more beer friends from the Society of Beer Drinking ladies on their way back from Ottawa and the room filled with excited chatter and raised glasses. Always good to get to see our friend Erica, however briefly, and we soon had to head out, with some tasty saisons to boot, and try to keep the day on track.
   

Town Brewing makes it 4 craft breweries in this town of 130,000 people and showcases the different philosophies and styles that help each stand out in the beer world. Known already for their fine beers, Town's sours and IPAs keep grabbing everyones' attention, and we took a seat to experience some samples of the beer and a much needed snack. The taproom was filled with people of all ages and the conversations were boisterous and happy as Sunday moved towards its closing. A place that would be at home in any city, we lingered to enjoy some tart treats and plan for the final leg of a 400 plus kilometre opening day.
 

Heading east toward home, we made an all too brief stop at Ajax's only craft brewery, the just turned one year old Falcon Brewing. Located in a strip mall like you'd find in any city, it had the feel of a neighbourhood bar with a bright, airy feel and a nice tap list. We grabbed a few bottles and made our apologies that we couldn't stay longer but our goal was in sight and the early closing times on Sundays made it impossible to sit and chat at every stop. So many people pop in and out of breweries every day and that is part of the larger story we will tell as the week goes on.

 

Jen and Shannon had beat us to our final destination and when we arrived at the 8th and final brewery, it was a bittersweet moment because we only had a little time left with these two who had stayed with us all day. Located in Markham, home to 329.000, Rouge River Brewing has quickly built a reputation for making great beer and pushing the envelope when it came to flavour. The Imperial Stout with coconuts was like drinking a chocolate bar through that tropical fruit and was outstanding and of course, the IPAs were spot on and deserved further reflection at home. The sun drew low in the sky and we knew the day was drawing to a close but we lingered a little at the bar having a little chat about beer and brewing with the guys from Rouge.
  Hugs and promises of future trip around Lake Ontario were exchanged as our young friends headed home and we did the same. It always feels heavy when Day1 is done because you realise how much is out there and how little we can actually do with the time we are given to explore. It was a great way to kick off Polkapolooza and this growing region will be a hot spot for people looking outside the typical Toronto centric view we too often have.
  Having said that, Monday would find us heading for the Big Smoke itself as I am not immune to the pull of Toronto and the 35+ craft breweries contained within. That story will come in good time but below I'll give you a snapshot of each stop and our impressions of each. Keep in mind, some of these were less than 15 minutes, while others stretched in an hour or more. Look all of them up next time you're out that way and experience it for yourself.

Cheers!
Polk

Polkapolooza Day 1 - Something Polk this way comes...the short and sweet

1. Manantler Brewing
Website - https://www.manantler.com/
Favourite Beer - Siesmic Narwhale Imperial IPA
1st Impression - Hanging out in a pal's rec room, but with better beer.
2. Sir Monty's Brewing
Website - https://www.sirmontys.com/
Favourite Beer - Irish Red Ale
1st Impression - A Fool and Flagon but less British
3. Brock Street Brewing
Website - http://www.brockstreetbrewing.com/
Favourite Beer - Black IPA from All Ontario Hops Competition
1st Impression - Bursting at the seems. Cramped and busy.
4. 5 Paddles Brewing
Website - https://www.5paddlesbrewing.ca/
Favourite Beer - In Your Face IPA
1st Impression - That punk bar you went to when you were cooler.
5. Little Beasts Brewing
Website - https://www.facebook.com/LittleBeastsBrewCo/
Favourite Beer - Dark Saison
1st Impression - Spacious and anxious.
6. Town Brewery
Website - http://townbrewery.ca/
Favourite Beer - Superfluos Sour Ale
1st Impression - If I had an older sister, this is where we would hang out
7. Falcon Brewing
Website - https://www.falconbrewingcompany.com/
Favourite Beer - Too soon to tell...
1st Impression - Your neighbourhood burger bar.
8. Rouge River Brewing
Website - https://www.rougeriverbrewingcompany.com/
Favourite Beer - Summer Pale Ale
1st Impression - Where the cool kids from high school ended up.

Polkapolooza 3 : Rise of Polk



On the Road again!



  I live my life out in the open, large and loud with no filter except the ones on my pictures to clean up my days. I proudly enjoy my beer and shout from the rooftops my undying love for those who make it. Rescued from a fate surely locked in to an early grave, my journey from macro pounder to appreciator of the finer things in malted barley has been one of joy and exploration. For the third year in a row, we are taking that gratitude on the road in a week long road tripping, beer running trek of Ontario Craft Beer.

  Polkapolooza was conceived in March of 2016 to celebrate Ontario craft beer and what it had come to mean to me. I conveniently selected my birthday week and we made 22 stops at breweries over 5 days and 1200 kilometres as we tentatively put our toes in the water when it came to beer road trips. Many day jaunts followed and we fell in love with time spent in a tap room, often surrounded by new and old friends talking about beers past, present and future. 


Our first Charcuterie at Barnstormer's (2016)

  2017 saw us take Polkapolooza to another level with the 2nd annual tour being dubbed "Electric Polkaloo", encompassing 2500 kilometres, 7 days and a point of pride, for me anyway, 50 Ontario Craft Breweries from Ottawa to London. It was a pretty epic journey that included a few snowstorms, some luck and a whole lot of great people we met along the way. We found our friends waiting for us at many stops and that was a hell of a thing to discover. Heading out with no expectations and being blown away by the kindness and friendship we discovered was truly a blessing we are eternally grateful for.



Always together! From 2017 Polkapolooza tour

  Polkapolooza 3 : Rise of Polk commences Sunday March 11th and will go 7 days again this year, sending us east and west in a joyous exploration and pursuit of our next favourite beer, taproom and hopefully some new friends. I have pushed the limit to 61 Ontario Craft breweries and well over 2200 kilometres as we once again want to use this week to showcase so many of our gratitude and love for all this community has meant to us. It's about the people, the beer and what we can do to help spread the gospel of a better way of life and drinking.

Meeting friends we didn't know we had in 2017!

  I chose Rise of Polk because I still feel like we have only scratched the surface for what we can become. a market share that hasn't yet surpassed 10% and so many people we can help see the light means our work has just begun. I join with my fellow beer lovers who share their pictures, stories, videos and reviews in wanting to make sure the next beer you have is one that may alter the course of your life. I do this because I am utterly convinced that craft beer not only saved my life, it changed it and me for the better. It helped me to come to terms with a life lived in the shadows, learn to express myself in a way I thought I had lost and helped me connect with who I truly want to be. That work isn't done yet either and as my 45th birthday rushes toward me near the end of the trip, I can hope the backend of my life will be filled with more happiness and positive experiences than I thought possible.
  Follow along on Twitter (@DrunkPolkaroo ) and Instagram (Drunk Polkaroo) as we start my favourite road trip of the year. The stops for this year's tour are posted below, with any luck we will be able to make them all. I hope to see some of you as we pass by your town, come out and say hello, I've always got time for friends I just haven't met yet!




Cheers!

Day 1 (Sun Mar 11th) -
Something Polk this way comes (326 km)
1. Manantler Brewing
2. Sir Monty's Brewing
3. Little Beasts Brewing
4. Brock Street Brewing
5. 5 Paddles Brewing
6. Town Brewery
7. Falcon Brewing
8. Rouge River Brewing

Day 2 (Mon Mar 12th) -
D.Polk in the 6ix (169 km)
1. Black Oak Brewing
2. Great Lakes Brewery
3. Muddy York Brewing
4. Left Field Brewery
5. Eastbound Brewery
6. Steamwhistle Brewing
7. Amsterdam Brewhouse
8. Bellwoods Brewery
9. Henderson Brewing
10. Indie Alehouse

Day 3 (Tue Mar 13th) -
Polk goes North (575 km)
1. Muskoka Brewery
2. Sawdust City Brewing
3. Flying Monkey's Brewery
4. Barnstormer Brewing
5. Redline Brewhouse
6. Side Launch Brewing
7. Northwinds Brewhouse

Day 4 (Wed Mar 14th) -
Niagara Polks and Rec (256 km)
1. Brimstone Brewing
2. Niagara Brewing Company
3. Taps on Queen Brewhouse
4. The Exchange Brewery
5. Niagara Oast House Brewers
6. Silversmith Brewing
7. Lock Street Brewing
8. Kame and Kettle Brewing

Day 5 (Thur Mar 15th) -
Westward Polk (343 km)
1. Sons of Kent Brewing
2. Frank Brewing
3. Sandwich Brewing
4. Brew Microbrewery
5. Midian Brewing
6. Walkerville Brewing
7. Chapter 2 Brewing
8. Motor Craft Ales

Day 6 (Fri Mar 16th) (Also Polk's actual B-Day!!) -
Take the long Polk Home (478 km)
1. Refined Fool Brewing
2. Rusty Wrench Brewing
3. Strathroy Brewing
4. Storm Stayed Brewing
5. Toboggan Brewing
6. London Co-op Brewing
7. Anderson Craft Ales
8. Forked River Brewing
9. Railway City Brewing
10. New Limburg Brewing
11. Concession Road Brewing

Day 7 (Sat Mar 17th) -
Home Sweet Polk (102 km)
1. Cameron's Brewing
2. Nickel Brook Brewing
3. Shawn and Ed's Brewing
4. Fairweather Brewing
5. Grain and Grit Brewing
6. Merit Brewing
7. Rust City Brewery
8. Collective Arts Brewing
9. Clifford Brewing

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

Polkapolooza Craft Beer Tour 2017 Review - Day 1 in Ottawa

Lady Polk and her Drunk kick Polkapolooza off with a trip to Ottawa!

This year's Polkapolooza tour started on a beautiful Sunday morning as the sun crept into the day. Up and on the road before it crested the dawn, we loaded up for the first leg of the journey, which would encompass almost half of our drive for the week. The purpose of everywhere we went in the next seven days was to meet up with fellow Ontario Craft beer supporters and highlight different regions to encourage people to step outside their normal beer routine and explore all there is to offer in this beautiful province. My mantra has always been "Drink Local" and while it is always best to support your local brewer, it does you a world of good to see all the amazing things and meet the awesome people that make up the larger craft beer community.
  Trying to decide what breweries to visit and which to skip was probably the hardest part of planning this epic odyssey but rest assured that the places we missed will stay on my radar until I visit them in the future. Heading east to begin, today's post will be all about our day in Ottawa...

  Driving down the highway towards our goal that was 5 hours distant, Kat and I enjoyed the changing winter scene, the peace of being on vacation and of course, the rather eclectic music choices of local radio stations ( I now know all the words to Ed Sheerhan's Shape of You?!?) (Don't judge, it's a good song). Stopping as little as possible, we rolled into the Nation's Capital almost on time and our first stop, Beyond the Pale Brewing.

Polk's in the window

  While we had hoped to meet up with some enthusiasts like ourselves at some point on the tour, Ottawa represented right off the bat when we arrived. Online friends Kevin, Lorie, Mikey and soon after we walked in the door, Nathan, made us feel at home even before our first beer. What a happy surprise to have some local, and not so local, friends to join us for our trip around the beer scene in this quickly growing craft region. Brewer and owner Shane joined us and we sampled our way through their offerings. He pulled out a rare bottle of their Pink Funk and it was a universal hit with all of us. Talking about BTP's move to a larger facility in the coming months, Shane also extolled the burgeoning scene in Ottawa and gave us some ideas on our stops as the day went on. Nathan had to say his goodbye's but put 4 beers from Kichesippi Brewing in my hands as he left to make him the first beer saint of the tour. 

Shane from BTP and the Polkapolooza Ottawa Crew

A delicious and surprising treat from Shane!

  Mike, Lorie and Kevin stayed with us as we made our way just around the corner for stop 2, Tooth and Nail Brewing. Long held by many people I know as the best Ottawa brewery, their 355 ml. cans are a hit with everyone, not to mention the delicious beer contained within. 

Stop 2/50 at Tooth and Nail. Sweet storefront.

When we arrived at this chic craft beer store front, we were greeted by even more virtual friends turned real life drinking companions. The Crafty Couple and Brad from Brew Donkey sat down as we got a flight and a bite in the very cool pub setting and kept the conversation full with stories from the scene in their town. It was a pleasant surprise to receive even more beer saint gifts as we parted ways, the community continues to shock even me with it's generosity.  As we were heading out the door, I stopped to buy some beer and with all of their choices I was wondering if I could by any one I wanted or if they only sold in 4's or 6's, like some other breweries do. I was told that I could buy one of anything, no requirement to by multiples at all. Not only a great beer, but a solid business plan to allow us to buy what we like, in the quantities we want. Cheers to Tooth and Nail for their decision to allow freedom of choice in this area...also, amazing beer to boot.

Hanging with the Ottawa crew at Brew Donkey!

A quick walk across the street to the Brew Donkey storefront and Brad did likewise with a few beers from his stash and we talked about the future of his very fine Beer tour company. I made a promise that next time we head east we will reach out ahead of time so he can join us and make our trip even better. Thanks to Brad and the Crafty couple for making the second stop of our tour so memorable.



Getting moving at Bicycle Craft. Stop 3!

   A trip across town found us at one of the newer craft breweries in town, Bicycle Craft. An IPA heavy board made me smile and think of all my hop head friends back in the west. Instagram friend Bughee and his lady joined us for this stop and we flighted up and talked of our experiences so far. This bright and airy location seemed like a cool place to hang for a bit and the beer was solid.

   A young brewery, its offerings were fresh and hoppy. The Velocepide IPA made its way into my hands thanks to Beer Saint Kevin and we left for the last stop our friends would be making with us.

Nice lineup. Grabbed a sample of everything and a howler of DIPA to go!



Flights on flights...on bicycles.

A renovation underway and a great place for a pint!

   Dominion City brewing had been a strong recommendation from everyone we met and while our company had dwindled to just Kevin, Lorie, Kat and I (Mikey had to head out), we were still full of excitement over a great day. The taproom at the brewery was under some construction, but the service was beauty. Trying a flight and some delicious snacks, I was struck by how every brewery was putting its own spin on Ottawa beer while bringing a small town local feel to the room. The east coast IPA, sadly only on tap, was a huge hit with Kevin and I, while the porter was making Mrs. Polk smile. Saying our goodbyes with promises of future adventures as the year goes on, we made our way to the hotel to freshen up before our final stop in town and dinner with some of Kat's family, who happened to be in town on vacation at the same time.

Can you see the haze in number 3? Beauty!

   It was a pleasant surprise to find Kat's sister Jenn, brother in law Cam and the kids in Ottawa, so we made plans to meet at Big Rig Kitchen Brewery for a pint and some dinner. A fan of their offerings already in the LCBO, I looked forward to trying the food and perhaps a few beers not available elsewhere.

heading into Ottawa Senators territory! Good food and beer to come!

   I recommended Cam get a flight so he could figure out which beer best suited his palate and he went with their solid and crushable Brown ale after trying a little of everything. Kat went with the Midnight Kissed the Cow stout and I couldn't help but order the Alpha Bomb to kick off this final stop.

Starting with a pint of Alpha Bomb, a hoppy gem

Baltic Porter and Shepherd's Pie was a great combo

  Dinner was delicious, with the Shepherd's Pie going down with a relish into my belly. We even took a shot at the intriguing beer cocktail flight on the menu. Not usually a huge fan of mixing beer with anything but other beer, I must admit I enjoyed the citrus vodka/IPA mix, as well as the Hefe/Gin concoction. Kat really liked the combo of a stout and Amaretto, two of her favourite libations in one glass. Give it a shot, but maybe share with a friend, that's a lot of ABV in one flight.

Not sure about the beer cocktails before but was sold on the IPA with citrus vodka and the Hefe with gin .

Good portion sizes, quick and friendly service and once again, excellent beer, make this Ottawa institution a fine way to end our day. Besides, we had the longest and most distant drive the next day. Sleep was a precious commodity this week and we knew when it was time to say goodnight.

Solid Tap list with something for everyone

   It was a real eye opener to the scene in Ottawa and while it isn't a day trip for most, it would be a great way to spend a weekend. We missed quite a few breweries due to them being closed and the fact that I didn't think we would be spending so much time at each stop. I did not expect to have people show up and want to hang out with us and that was the biggest surprise of all. We will make our way back here in the summer to revisit a few of these spots and also to hit up so many of the ones we missed. Thank you to everyone who made the kickoff to Polkapolooza 2 such a great day.
  The goal of exploring Ontario Craft beer was off to a rousing start and day 2 was going to prove to be an eventful one as well. More on that 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