2012: OBN’s Year in Review
We already know that 2012 was the landmark year for craft beer in Ontario – so let’s recap:
Breweries
Numerous breweries began operations this year including:
- Bellwoods Brewery (Toronto)
- Beyond the Pale Brewing (Hintonburgh)
- Cassel Brewery (Casselman)
- Double Trouble Brewing (Guelph)
- Gateway Brewing (Trenton)
- Get Well Nano Brewery
- Heady Brewing (Toronto)
- Indie Alehouse (Toronto)
- Junction Craft Brewery (Toronto)
- Kilannan Brewing (Owen Sound)
- Niagara Oast House Brewers (NOTL)
- Ramblin’ Road Brewery Farm (Norfolk County)
- Silversmith Brewing (NOTL)
- Six Pints Beer Academby (Toronto)
- Sleeping Giant Brewery (Thunder Bay)
- Snowman Brewing (Toronto)
- Stack Brewing (Sudbury)
- Walkerville Brewery (Windsor)
In addition to the breweries that launched this year, more announced plans to enter production in 2013:
- Five Paddles Brewing (Durham)
- Lake of the Woods Brewing (Kenora)
- Liberty Village Brewing (Toronto)
- Radical Road Brewing (Toronto)
- Shacklands Brewery (Toronto)
- Sidelaunch Brewing (Collingwood)
Brewery Updates
Amsterdam Brewery moved from its historic Bathurst St. location to Leaside in Toronto, and announced plans to open a waterfront patio seating 350. Beau’s All Natural Brewing announced a $2.5-million expansion of its Vankleek Hill facility would quadruple its beer-brewing capacity. Mill Street opened a brewpub at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. Flying Monkeys increased capacity by adding three 90 hectolitre fermenters. Creemore spun off a specialty brand called Mad & Noisy. Countless breweries released new standard, one-off, and seasonal beers.
Beer Events
New events popped up this year, including The Rhino’s Summer Beer Festival to support Adrenoleukodystrophy. Brauhaus TO celebrated Ontario homebrewers. The Ontario Craft Brewers hosted their first Industry Choice Awards. The first Roundhouse Craft Beer Festival was hosted by Steam Whistle. Great Lakes took over 23 taps at Milos’ Craft Beer Emporium in London. Ottawa was home to the first National Capital Craft Beer Week. Cask Days has its most successful run ever, held over 3 days at Evergreen Brick Works selling out out and running out of beer.
Bars & Pubs
For beer drinker, 2012 was also a benchmark year for new bars and pubs. Get Well opened on Dundas St. in Toronto, alongside Tall Boys on Bloor St., Bar Hop on King St., Sauce on the Danforth, Monk’s Kettle on Bloor St., Bellwoods on Ossington, and Indie Alehouse and 3030 in The Junction. Mill St. opened a brewpub in Pearson International Airport. Etobicoke was home the the fourth location of the Bier Markt. Kitchener-Waterloo got Imbibe Food & Drink, and London is now home to Milos‘ Craft Beer Emporium.
In addition to the onslaught on bar-openings, many existing establishments expanded dramatically to begin offering Ontario craft beer in-house. Cask beer consumption is now at an all time high.
Addenda
Mirella Amato become the first person in Canada to hold the prestigeous Master Cicerone title. PC party leader Tim Hudak pushed for privatization of alcohol sales in Ontario. Dalton McGuinty’s resignation stalled Bill 117 which aimed to allow inter-provincial importation of beer by individuals. A Canadian study found that beer is more popular than milk. Another study illustrated how the shape of your glass affects drinking speed.
See you in 2013!
Related Posts:
2016: OBN’s Year in Review →
2015: Fun Facts for Ontario’s Year in Beer →
Year in review from Ontario Craft Brewers 2014 →
