Greg Koch of Stone Brewing on Bar Towel Radio
In this episode of Bar Towel Radio we have a beer with Greg Koch, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of Stone Brewing of San Diego, California. With special guest host Jason Fisher, Founder of Indie Alehouse, we have a wide-ranging and lively conversation with Greg about his recent visit to Toronto and the [...]
Chatting Buffalo Beer with Mike Shatzel
Last week I visited Thin Man Brewery, the great brewery and restaurant in Buffalo, New York and had a beer on Bar Towel Radio with owner Mike Shatzel. Mike, who could easily be nicknamed the "Beer King of Buffalo", oversees eight bars in the city, including the legendary Cole's, Moor Pat, Colter Bay, Allen Burger Venture [...]
Great Lakes Brewery Reflects on 30 Years of Beer
Recently I sat down for a beer and a chat for Bar Towel Radio with Peter Bulut and Mike Lackey of Great Lakes Brewery, as they celebrate the 30th anniversary this year. In this episode we chat about their favourite GLB and collaboration beers from the past and present, some memorable [...]
Talking German Craft Beer with Marc Rauschmann
In our newest episode of Bar Towel Radio, we go continental with a conversation with Marc Rauschmann, Master Brewer of BraufactuM in Frankfurt, Germany. Marc was recently in Toronto to launch a number of his beers at beerbistro, which will be available on draught in Ontario. During our chat we discussed his background [...]
Elliott Brood on Bar Towel Radio
At Toronto's Festival of Beer Spring Sessions a couple of weeks ago, I was lucky enough to have a beer with the Juno Award-winning band Elliott Brood. In this episode of Bar Towel Radio I chat with band members Casey Laforet, Mark Sasso and Stephen Pitkin about their favourite beers and breweries, some [...]
Introducing Santa Monica Yacht Club
We are thrilled to announce the launch of Santa Monica Yacht Club (SMYC), a boutique agency for the drinkers of Ontario, representing imported craft beers, wines and spirits. SMYC is a re-imagination of Bar Towel Imports, the agency brand created by The Bar Towel. SMYC is meant to be an open importing agency, one [...]
A Beer At…La Quinta Brewing Co.
The La Quinta Brewing Co., and palm trees. The Bar Towel continues our series entitled “A Beer At…”, where we feature a single bar or restaurant, have a beer or two and get a feel for what makes it special. This visit is to the La Quinta Brewing Co., located in [...]
Bar Towel Radio with Aaron Spinney
This week we sat down for a beer and a chat with Aaron Spinney, the brewer of the soon-to-open Merit Brewing in Hamilton, Ontario. Aaron is one of the many nice dudes in the Ontario beer scene, and it is exciting to see his new venture take shape alongside Tej Sandhu and (OG Bar [...]
Ontario Craft Ingredients: Barn Owl Malt
In recent years craft brewing has undergone quite the renaissance. Hundreds of new brewers, thousands of new beers and countless loyal craft beer drinkers. Behind the scenes, a second revolution is starting to take shape: The craft growers, cultivators and producers of craft beer ingredients. As part of a three-part series, [...]
Memories from the Last Days of Bar Volo
On October 1st, 2016, Bar Volo, one of Toronto's most revered beer bars, closed its doors due to a future development on the property. Bar Volo has been one of the most influential beer bars in the local beer scene, as they have hosted numerous tap takeovers, beer events and tastings [...]
A Fireside Chat with Muskoka’s Gary McMullen
Earlier this week Muskoka Brewery hosted a beer dinner at Café Belong at the Evergreen Brick Works, to promote the launch of their new winter seasonal, Shinnicked Stout. Around the outdoor campfire which concluded the dinner, I was able to have a quick chat with Gary McMullen, founder of Muskoka, about [...]
A Beer with Jim Koch
Jim Koch, Founder and Brewer of the Boston Beer Company, known for the legendary beer brand Samuel Adams, was in town last week for Toronto Beer Week. During that time I was fortunate to record a podcast with him, and it was one of the most memorable experiences of my beer drinking lifetime. Samuel [...]
2016 Golden Tap Awards Announced
Last night at beerbistro the 2016 Golden Tap Awards were handed out at a gala event featuring an all-Ontario craft beer festival. The Golden Tap Awards are Ontario's most democratic beer awards event, and have been recognizing achievements in the beer industry for fourteen years. The winners were as follows: Best [...]
Quaff & Ale with Jason Fisher of Indie Alehouse
As we approach the start of 2016's Toronto Beer Week, we are proud to present a new Quaff & Ale with Jason Fisher, owner of the Indie Alehouse. Indie was the brewer of the official beer of Toronto Beer Week, Interloper, and is hosting the West End Social on Monday, September 19th, [...]
San Diego’s Beer Paradise
San Diego is one of my favourite beer drinking cities, and generally just an amazing place to visit all-around. Recently I was able to spend a couple of days there enjoying the always delicious beer, and was fortunate to be able to chat with Jill Davidson, President of the San Diego [...]
A Torontoian Beer Lover in Los Angeles
Recently I was fortunate to spend a couple of days checking out the beer scene in Los Angeles, California. Although it's one of the largest cities in North America, the beer scene does not have a long history compared to other beer spots around the continent. But that's changing quickly, with the [...]
Golden Tap Talk with Ben Johnson and David Ort
The Golden Tap Awards voting season is upon us, and during this time beer lovers in the province get talking. And this year is no different, so Ontario beer writers Ben Johnson, David Ort and I decided to record a podcast to discuss some of the issues of the past, present and future of [...]
Golden Tap Awards 2016 Voting Launches
The Golden Tap Awards, Ontario's most democratic beer awards event, has launched its voting for 2016. Now in its fourteenth year, the Golden Tap Awards recognize the best in beer and cider in Ontario, across breweries, beers, brewpubs, cideries, bars and more. All voting is determined by the beer loving general [...]
Tapping into Some New Kegs for Ontario
For those of you who know me, I have long criticized the archaic keg importation and distribution system in Ontario. It is one that is legacy at its finest, something that favours a few select companies, has not kept up with the changing beer times and ultimately has affected the potential [...]
Warm Smiles and Cold Beers at Cruz Blanca
With so many breweries opening up nowadays (620 did in 2015 according to the Brewers Association), it is sometimes hard to get excited for a specific one to debut. But there was much excitement this summer when Cruz Blanca, the new brewery from Rick Bayless, the restaurateur behind Chicago’s Frontera Grill, [...]