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2008 marks the 10th anniversary of The Beer Lovers’ Tour Company, the folks behind the Old Toronto Beer Tour and other beer travel events. Below is the press release announcing their plans for 2008, including trips to the Creemore Copper Kettle Festival and the Chambly Beer Festival, as well as a Fall Colours Country Beer Tour to several breweries in south-western Ontario.
THINK GLOBALLY, DRINK LOCALLY
The Beer Lovers Tour Company
Celebrates 10 Years And With It Expands To 18 Tour Dates
From May 10 until October 4, 2008
(Toronto May 5, 2008) Due to a growing thirst for tours combining beer appreciation and travel, The Beer Lovers’ Tour Company has expanded and offers 18 tour dates on the 2008 Old Toronto Beer Tour this year: starting May 10th and going strong till Oct 4th!
The Old Toronto Beer Tour (Sat May 10 – check for other dates at www.beerloverstour.com) is a city tour unlike any other. Featuring four outstanding local breweries (Steam Whistle, Amsterdam, Mill Street and the Granite), this day-trip blends the experience of Toronto’s rich brewing history with a celebration of Toronto’s world-class lagers and ales. Complimentary lunch, VIP tours, tutored tastings, a historic walking tour and pub visit as well as a four-course gourmet beer dinner are among the many delights to be enjoyed on this splendid day in the city. Prices range from $99-$149 per person, including transport, taxes and gratuities.
Since 1998, the Beer Lovers’ Tour Company, led by craft-beer industry veteran and company president Oliver Dawson, has been hosting specialty tours designed for the culturally-minded beer enthusiast. “Today’s beer drinker is much more open-minded than even ten years ago,” muses Dawson. “The out-dated perception that only the best beers come from Europe has been neutralized given the quality and style-selection offered by many Ontario producers. The continued expansion of world-class Ontario Craft Breweries has intensified demand for tours featuring local producers, and were happy to expand The Old Toronto Beer Tour to fill the demand.
Whether you are a visitor to Toronto or a long-time resident, The Old Toronto Beer Tour will show you the city, and its fine brews in a new light, you will discover things about Toronto you never knew. The Old Toronto Beer Tour also makes a unique gift, and Special group rates make it an even more affordable event for friends to spend the day together.
The tour is hosted by beer ambassadors Oliver Dawson and Mirella Amato, both seasoned tour-guides and qualified beer experts:
Beer Lovers’ Tour Company president Oliver Dawson is a long-time veteran of the craft-beer industry. Following fourteen years with the original Upper Canada Brewing Company, he decided to follow his passion for beer, travel and culture and founded The Beer Lovers’ Tour Company. An authority on the beer industry and professional public speaker, Oliver has also led beer appreciation courses at George Brown College, appeared often on radio and television and has been a contributor to such publications as Food and Drink magazine.
Mirella Amato is an established beer writer whose extensive knowledge is exceeded only by her passion for great beer. She is a regular host on Legourmet.tv online, where she interviews. Mirella has sat on the panel of many beer competitions in Canada as well as abroad and recently completed the Beer Judge Certification Exam. She has taken various courses and seminars on beer appreciation, including an advanced brewing certificate from Maska Laboratories.
If something farther afield strikes your fancy, there are three out-of-town trips planned for the 2008 season:
Creemore Copper Kettle Festival Tour: On Saturday August 23rd we help the town of Creemore celebrate their annual Copper Kettle Festival. With the street closed off to traffic and a VIP pass to the Creemore Springs Brewery and local events, guests will have time to relax and enjoy the antics of the afternoon at leisure. But getting to Creemore will be half the fun. A scenic back road drive, including a special visit to the Hockley Valley Brewing Company will make the journey both interesting and informative. A dinner is also planned with all-inclusive pricing at $150 per person including the meal.
Chambly Beer Festival Tour: if you really want to get away, join us over the Labour Day Weekend (August 29, 30) to experience the legendary Chambly Beer Festival just outside of Montreal. Featuring local artisan producers of beer and cheese as well as imported brewery exotica not easily found in Ontario, this festival is one of the great ones to attend. Local Brewery visits will include internationally recognized McAuslans and Unibroue. A Montreal city tour, a special brewery meal, a guided pub crawl and lots of leisure time should make this Montreal visit a memorable one. To keep costs down this tour will not include transport to and from Montreal. However, a special beer lovers’ trip-tych will be offered for the DIY travelers. Check for final details soon!
Fall Colours Country Beer Tour: Saturday, October 18th is the first Fall Tour that takes in the colours, the scenery and the local beer culture of Wellington, Waterloo and Grey counties. Planned VIP visits to Ontario Craft Brewery (OCB) facilities, Wellington County, Brick and Neustadt Springs will highlight a day featuring scenic country drives, visits to antique markets and historic towns. Being a full day, tour meal stops will be part of the days events.
For more information about the the Old Toronto Beer Tour, and Beer Lovers Tour 2008 season, visit www.beerloverstour.com or call 905 850-9570.
The Beer Lovers’ Tour Co.
beerloverstour.com@sympatico.ca
