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| The new Brock Street Brewing restaurant-brewery at Brock Street and Dunlop Street in Whitby doesn't mean their Hopkins Street facility is going anywhere. The folks will operate both with Hopkins acting as their retail outlet. In fact, the brewery just got its Site Plan Approval today! |
Now 5 Paddles was a first-time stop for me and an enormously enjoyable one as I scored some really great beers and had a great talk with the dude running the retail counter.
But I had been to Brock Street Brewing once before a month earlier and quickly became a fan of the gang there. The first time I had visited them was in July with my boy after I showed Johnny the Google map of their location on Hopkins Street. I don't know Whitby all that well other than how to get to Johnny's, as well as the Beer Store and LCBO along the way. So I was hoping it wasn't too far away, like the other end of town or something. It wasn't.
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| Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Brock Street Brewing, nestled in a location less than five minutes away from my long-time friend Johnny in Whitby on Hopkins Street. Close, convenient and man, oh so very tasty beers! |
Johnny looked at the map on my phone and howled. "That's right around the corner! Big sign out front. I've passed by them a million times."
But I knew of Brock Street Brewing long before I landed in their facility. Beer Bro Glenn, who lives in nearby Oshawa ("the Shwa"), had mentioned them on numerous occasions since it opened in April 2015.
As well, this brewery is always the life of every Beer Fest it attends, including this past January's Burlington Winter Beer Festival. The young turks manning the booth, Phil and Andrew, brought a mini Ping-Pong table and were taking on all comers. They also shared with me a sample of some secret stash they had tucked away. I can't remember what it was except that it was barrel-aged and bloody tasty.
Now, as it turned out, Brock Street had an application into the Town to build a new 13,000-square-foot brewery-restaurant combo at the corner of Brock and Dunlop Streets in Whitby.
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| I was afraid I was going to lose Brock Street's Hopkins location once they moved downtown but no, they are keeping this one open. That's a good thing because server Taylor gave me about five free-flight coupons (one per visit). I haven't used them yet so free beer for me! |
When they got the go-ahead this past Summer for demolition of the old building at that spot and the construction of their new building, I was a vocal cheerleader from the far reaches of Burlington. I also jokingly assured them on Twitter that I had back-up sites in Burlington, should Whitby turn their application down. I even included a picture of Taj Mahal as a potential Burlington location, hoping they knew as little about my city (or India) as I do about Whitby. (We also have pyramids here. True story - no need to Snopes it.)
In fact, not only did Whitby give them the go-ahead, it also came with high praise from Mayor Don Mitchell who told the press, "It's a wonderful use for that corner. It's been through multiple uses over the years but nothing's really stuck. A craft brewing operation in the downtown, I think, will support exactly all the things we want to go down there." I don't usually have many positive things to say about politicians but, hey, this Don guy likes craft breweries. That's all I need to know.
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| Okay, I gotta admit that Junction Craft Brewing's new digs, slated to open sometime in late 2017, are one helluva lot sexier than their present location. As an added bonus, they are less than 30 seconds away from Rainhard Brewing. That's a win! |
But at the same time I also lamented that as much as I supported the new brewery, I tweeted that I would also miss the Hopkins Street one, assuming it would be gone. Their eagle-eyed social media person saw my sentiments and said words to the effect of "What you talkin' about, Willis? Hopkins is staying put!" It seems that while the new building, slated for late Summer 2017, will be up and running, the Hopkins Street one will continue to be their retail (and separate brewing) outlet.
Given their proximity to Johnny and Trish's house, I didn't want to lose that convenience of a quick and easy purchase from a favourite craftie when in town. That also means they are still across the street from 5 Paddles. There is no downside to this story as once again, everything's coming up Milhouse...
Okay, now let's look at a big move for Junction Craft Brewing, a brewery I visited in October with my boy, David, during a trip to Toronto for a photo shoot. (My son is a male model of Fabio-like proportions.)
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| This is a photo of Junction Craft Brewing just before they opened in October 2012. As you can see, their sign wasn't even up yet. And now the sign will be on a new building on Symes Road. |
After first visiting Great Lakes Brewing in Etobicoke and then Indie Alehouse in the Junction area of west Toronto, we drove over to their Cawthra Avenue location less than five minutes east of Indie at Keele and Dundas. Cawthra is a little back street lined with old-school industrial buildings that was much more gritty than glamorous. That said, who cares? I was there to buy some good craft beer, not high-end jewelry or mink coats. Also, as business plans go, that's an astute one. Start low-rent, build a solid clientele base (which they have done quite successfully) and then find some fancy new digs. Oh and also buy suits for the grand opening.
So it was that I described their present locale in this space and when the Junction Craft folks read my description of their turf, they reminded me that they were moving in 2017. And by reminded me, I mean informed me because I hadn't a clue. I mean, I just found this place, bought some outstanding beers from them and now they're moving?
But here's where serendipity comes into play. I found various online stories about their upcoming move to 150 Symes Road, filed it away in my brain from future reference and moved on to other things. Until a couple of weekends back when I had a Saturday off and decided to take a road trip into Toronto to Rainhard Brewing, another place I had always been eager to visit.
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| The worker bees were busy that day at Rainhard while the rest of us slackers were enjoying their fine product. That's okay. I know the feeling. When people come into my Beer Store on a Saturday, they often tell me that "I can't wait to get home and drink some beers." I smile, nod and think, "Shut the hell up. I'm at work, A-hole." |
Coworker Jay-Dawg pulled up their bottle shop listings for the weekend and quickly gave me his wish list. Since I was making a special trip in, I also checked with Rib Eye Jack's Ale House GM Steve to see what he fancied, as well as my pal Drunk Polkaroo. And off I went in my little fuel-efficient yet highly-stylish Ford Focus hatchback that makes the ladies weak in the knees. (The fuel-efficient part might possibly be true.)
So I Google-mapped Rainhard Brewing and simply wrote down the directions. My phone has some weird direction app that actually talks to me when I'm driving ("In 50 metres, you will turn left...") but I don't like taking verbal directions from my shirt pocket so I prefer just to write this stuff down. Also the app isn't programmed to say, "No, Don, your other left..." The fact is if I'm driving to any brewery, I will find it. So off I went to Rainhard at 100 Symes Road in west Toronto.
But of course, as I was driving, the thought nagged at me, "Why do I know Symes Road? Pretty sure I've never been there in my life." Back in my Toronto days, did I know someone living in that neighbourhood? Was I once arrested there? (The odds are more weighted towards the latter.)
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| It wasn't hard to find Rainhard Brewing on Symes Road in Toronto. It's pretty much the only thing on the short street. However, soon Junction Craft will be their new neighbour. One street, two breweries... |
Of course, it eventually dawned on me on the drive there that Symes was also the Junction Craft's new street. So I'd get the chance to see the refurbished exterior shell of what was once the Symes Road Incinerator, way back from its beginning in 1934 to the late-1950s because in those days, that's how cities got rid of garbage. The company rebuilding it has preserved the shell beautifully as the city long ago designated it a historical building created on the foundation that air pollution is truly awesome.
So long story short, a cool but long-derelict and boarded-up Art Deco-style building with a dubious purpose in the past is being rebuilt, refurbished and filled with vats for a much more noble and humanitarian cause - the making of great beer. Beyond that, two of Toronto's best award-winning craft breweries now share a street that's roughly two football fields in length. Once again, as it should be, everything continues to come up Milhouse.
Now I since have given a History lesson here, as well as a sneak peek into the near-future, it's time to take off the Beer Professor's Hat (it's like the Sorting Hat at Hogwarts with "Beer Professor" written in crayon on a piece of paper and stapled on it) and put on my Beer Reviewer Hat. (Same hat, actually. I just turn it around.)
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| Okay, this label is cool and spooky all at once. It looks like the Grim Reaper is coming for me and yet, he's bringing me a beer. Or maybe he just wants to enjoy a beer as he sends my soul into the abyss. |
Okay, since I have nothing new to share from either Junction Craft (I'll be back soon) or Brock Street (next visit to Whitby), let's look at what was in the Magic Beer Box from Rainhard, shall we? As per Jay-Dawg's request, I snagged him a Nosbeeratu Black IPA, a Burnout Dry-Hopped Pale Ale and a Rage & Love Dry-Hopped Sour. What did I get myself? The same three.
To shake things up, let's start with the heaviest beer and work our ways backwards, which would put the Nosbeeratu on deck. Now black IPAs are a style that are growing quickly on me, thanks in large part to Collective Arts' Collective Project Black IPA, a beer that popped up from the Hamilton brewery in the Spring and has recently resurfaced, now simply called Black IPA. The Nosbeeratu is cut from the same dark and dank cloth. The style provides all the sensations of a good IPA mixed with a darker porter or stout. The conflicting aromas of chocolate and grapefruit assails your nose in this 6%, 66 IBU (international bitterness units) glass of black magic.
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| As part of their Revolution Series - wait, what revolution? The craft beer revolution, maybe? Oh well, regardless, the Rage & Love (ever notice how those two go hand-in hand?) is a sour that gets a nice IPA-ish bitterness bump for the dry-hopping at the end of the brewing. Pretty nice beer! |
Okay, Rainhard's Burnout Dry-Hopped Pale Ale is one of the better pale ales I've had this year and I have had more than a few (he said in the understatement of the year). Aggressively dry-hopped with Nelson Sauvin and Galaxy hops, this is one of the driest pale ales I've had since... well, ever. The 5.6%, 50 IBU (nearing IPA levels) beer has some plucky citrus on the nose and while that citrus does carry to the tongue, the dry finish almost makes you think of a white wine. Almost. I mean, it's all beer. And a pretty damn good one.
Now if I had to guess, I would suggest the beer most eagerly awaited from my Rainhard trip by Jay-Dawg, Drunk Polkaroo, Rib Eye Steve and Rib Eye Jack's beer technician Kylie was probably the Rage & Love Dry-Hopped Sour.
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| Jordan Rainhard, the brewmaster and co-owner of Rainhard Brewing along with his wife Katie Armstrong, will soon have new neighbours as Junction Craft Brewing is set to open the doors of its brand new facility by the Summer of 2017. |
But I am a little pissed at myself for missing their first Revolution release - the Double Kapow Double IPA back in September. Talk about being in Donny's wheelhouse. That said, I am glad I grabbed some of the Rage & Love, especially for my friends, because it was a limited 700-bottle run and it was the first sour ever produced by Rainhard. I actually didn't know either. I just happened to drive in on the right weekend. As this was dry-hopped with Galaxy and Citra hops, its IBU is an impressive 35, putting it into the pale ale zone (I've had sours that were zero IBUs). According to the brewery, it was "soured with a culture of seven different Lactobacillus strains." So... Science that no-one except brewers understand. All citrus on the nose and lemony on the tongue, I found it more tart than sour but again, still a style I haven't fully embraced.
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| So Brock Street Brewing and 5 Paddles are remaining across the street from each other in Whitby. Junction Craft Brewing and Rainhard Brewing will soon occupy the same small street in Toronto. In craft beer circles, we pretty much have to put those in the win column... |
Of this Rainhard trio, I'm pretty much going to have to give that Nosbeeratu the blue ribbon this time around although all three certainly had their charms.
Okay, I will be back soon as I was recently #beersainted with numerous GTA-area craft bottles from Drunk Polkaroo... and some American ones from Beer Bro Glenn... and some southwest Ontario ones from coworker Marie. It's getting to be that I can't keep up and man, what a wonderful problem that is to have. When I say, "Hey, I'll drink to that!" this is one of those instances when you can take me quite literally. I find I have no choice but to imbibe... for Queen and country! (I mean the rock group, not that old lady in England.)
And as Christmas approaches, I would like to remind people that I only drink on the holidays. All 365 of them. (Since it's a leap year, I should probably say 366 but I think there was a day in March that I slept through.) But guys and doll, that's it, that's all and I am outta here! Until next time, I remain...
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