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We Are Ontario Beer2021-12-09T23:22:45-04:00

2019 Golden Tap Award Winners Announced

Last night alongside the Ontario Brewing Awards, the 2019 Golden Tap Awards were announced. The winners were as follows: Favourite Bar in Ontario: Bar Hop Favourite Brewery Taproom or Brewpub in Ontario: Bellwoods Favourite Food in Ontario: Indie Alehouse Favourite Brewery Retail Store in Ontario: Bellwoods Favourite New Brewery in Ontario: [...]

September 13, 2019|Categories: Beer Events, Feature, Golden Tap Awards|

Voting for 2019 Golden Tap Awards Open

Voting is now open for the 2019 Golden Tap Awards, Ontario's most democratic beer awards event. The Golden Tap Awards are the leading awards event recognizing favourite craft beer achievements in Ontario, as decided by beer lovers themselves. Now in their seventeenth year, the Golden Tap Awards is Ontario’s most democratic awards event, [...]

August 15, 2019|Categories: Feature, Golden Tap Awards|

The Winning Beers of Brad Clifford

Brad Clifford (with Bruce Phillips), winning numerous medals at the 2012 Canadian Amateur Brewers Association awards. In our latest episode of Bar Towel Radio, we have a chat with long-time beer friend Brad Clifford, founder of Clifford Brewing. Clifford was recently awarded Canadian Brewery of the Year at the [...]

May 15, 2019|Categories: Bar Towel Radio, Feature|

A Deep Dive into London’s Beer Scene

A few months ago I visited London, Ontario and was fortunate to have a round-table chat with Dave Reed of Forked River Brewing Company, Gavin Anderson of Anderson Craft Ales and award-winning beer writer Ben Johnson about the local beer and brewing scene. Recorded at Forked River, we discussed their backgrounds [...]

April 28, 2019|Categories: Bar Towel Radio, Feature|

A Visit to Blyth’s Impressive Cowbell Brewing

I had heard amongst the beer community that the Cowbell Brewery in Blyth, Ontario (a small village in Huron County) had to be seen to believed. And when I visited for the first time at the end of the summer, I realized that the early architectural illustrations and photos I had [...]

November 10, 2018|Categories: Bar Towel Radio, Feature|

2018 Golden Tap Awards Announced

Last night alongside the Ontario Brewing Awards, the 2018 Golden Tap Awards were announced. Now in it its 16th year, the Golden Tap Awards are Ontario's most democratic beer awards event and recognize the best in beer, as decided by the beer lovers of the province. The winners were: Best brewery: [...]

September 14, 2018|Categories: Feature, Golden Tap Awards|

The Past and Present of Beer with Stephen Beaumont

In this episode of Bar Towel Radio we share a few beers and many beer memories with acclaimed beer writer Stephen Beaumont. Catching up at Toronto beer hall WVRST, we chat about how Stephen got into beer, the past and present state of the beer industry, his beer travel adventures crossing [...]

August 26, 2018|Categories: Bar Towel Radio, Feature|

Vote for the 2018 Golden Tap Awards

The Golden Tap Awards, Ontario's most democratic beer awards event, is back for 2018. From now until September 6th, 2018 you can vote for this year's awards, which recognizes your favourite beers, breweries, bars and more. The Golden Tap Awards have been recognizing the best in beer in Ontario since 2003. [...]

August 22, 2018|Categories: Feature, Golden Tap Awards|

Enjoying some Liquid Art with Ryan Morrow

In this episode of Bar Towel Radio we have a chat with Ryan Morrow, the award-winning head brewer of both Collective Arts Brewing and Nickel Brook Brewing. We share a beer at Collective Arts' recent Liquid Arts Fest, the new festival in Hamilton which featured a remarkable slate of beers from [...]

July 5, 2018|Categories: Bar Towel Radio, Feature|

Making a Connection with Red Thread

In this episode of Bar Towel Radio, recorded at our recent Collingwood Brewer's Backyard, we have a chat with longtime friend Carl Milroy, founder and partner of the Red Thread Brewing Co. We share a beer and discuss how Red Thread came to be, and what it's like to launch in Ontario [...]

June 10, 2018|Categories: Bar Towel Radio, Feature|

Wheat Beers and More with Michael Hancock

In this episode of Bar Towel Radio we have a beer and a chat with an good long-time friend of The Bar Towel, Michael Hancock. Michael was the brewer and owner at the legendary Denison's Brewing Company in Toronto, and has been for the past number of years the founding brewer and [...]

June 9, 2018|Categories: Bar Towel Radio, Feature|

Having a Pint with Pete Brown

Earlier in the year I was fortunate to have a beer and record this special podcast with famed beer writer Pete Brown. Pete and I met at the Camden Town Brewery in London, England and had a great chat about his background in marketing and beer, his latest book Miracle Brew, the Beer [...]

May 8, 2018|Categories: Bar Towel Radio, Feature|

Drink like it’s 1870 with Amsterdam and Gary Gillman’s AK

In this episode of Bar Towel Radio we have a chat with beer historian Gary Gillman and brewer Cody Noland about Amsterdam's 1870 AK Bitter, a special collaboration beer between Gary and Amsterdam that was a recreation of an historical recipe from nearly 150 years ago. Chatting at the Amsterdam Brewery [...]

May 2, 2018|Categories: Bar Towel Radio, Feature|

Legendary Microbrewery Upper Canada Returns with Repatriation

Cass Enright, Oliver Dawson & Steve Himel We're thrilled to take a walk down beer memory lane with our newest episode of Bar Towel Radio. This special episode was recorded live at the launch of Upper Canada Repatriation, a recreation of the original Rebellion Lager by the famed Upper [...]

March 28, 2018|Categories: Bar Towel Radio, Feature|

Golden Tap Awards 2017 Announced

Yesterday at a gala event at beerbistro, the 2017 Golden Tap Awards were announced. The Golden Tap Awards are Ontario's most democratic beer awards event, with all winners determined by public vote. The winners were as follows: Best brewery: Beau's All Natural Best bar for draught beer selection: Bar Hop Best [...]

September 21, 2017|Categories: Beer Events, Feature, Golden Tap Awards|

The Barrel Beer Festival That Rules Them All

Barrel-aging beer is a bit of a mystical science - there’s something alluring about putting beer into a barrel and let the wood infusion generate a result. One never quite knows what the flavour is going to be like when a beer is put into a barrel, which is all part [...]

September 18, 2017|Categories: Feature, On The Road Reports|

Kensington Brewing Company Comes Alive

A couple of weeks ago, just before the public taproom opening of the new Kensington Brewing Company, we recorded the latest episode of Bar Towel Radio with Mike Gurr, VP Operations and Johnny Briggs, KBC's Head Brewer. In this episode we chat about KBC's history and challenges in opening, their beers [...]

September 14, 2017|Categories: Bar Towel Radio, Feature|

Toronto Beer Week Begins Tomorrow!

Toronto Beer Week, a 10 day celebration of beer in the city, begins its 2017 edition tomorrow, September 15th. With 200+ events across 60+ venues and 30+ breweries, it truly is an amazing way to experience "The Best Beer City in Canada". The Bar Towel (a founding member of Toronto Beer [...]

September 14, 2017|Categories: Beer Awards, Beer Events, Feature, Golden Tap Awards|

Vote Now for the 2017 Golden Tap Awards

Voting for the 2017 Golden Tap Awards is now open, and you should vote now. The Golden Tap Awards, now in their fifteenth year, are Ontario's most democratic beer awards event, as all winners are determined by the drinkers and beer fans in the province. You can vote in as many of [...]

August 29, 2017|Categories: Feature, Golden Tap Awards|

A Visit To The New Goose Island Toronto Brewhouse

In our latest episode of Bar Towel Radio we visit the new Goose Island Toronto Brewhouse and have a chat with Head Brewer Bernard Priest and Assistant Brewer Marc Mammoliti. We have a great discussion about their backgrounds in the beer industry, all about the brewery and the beers they've developed for [...]

August 28, 2017|Categories: Bar Towel Radio, Feature|
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