https://nowtoronto.com/food-and-drink/toronto-beer-breweries I have no real arguments with their list. IMHO, Godspeed is the best in the city, if not the province. I am not sure I would have put Henderson on the list as a runnerup, but maybe on experience and "Toronto-ness" but I have always found the beer mediocre. Also not sure about Most Innovative for Left Field. I love LF but they aren't even the most innovative within a 3km radius. Rorschach is making smoothies and cocktail beers, and 15 different stout variants, a dozen barreled Saison variants. The beer is hit and miss, but hard to argue they are innovative. What does everyone else thing?
Agree on most points. Godspeed has never made a bad beer. In fact almost everything is very good to great. I can’t say that about anyone else. I don’t get the Henderson mention either. Other than a better than average stout I remember having, the beer is mediocre as you say. I have no real quibbles with the rest of it. I’ve not been a fan of Shacklands, but I can’t say the beer is bad at all. I don t know Rohrshach well enough to comment on you suggestion @onezendad , but I’d say Muddy York is more experimental, or even Folly than Left Field. I mean Folly did a Keptinis and Muddy York has done some stuff with smoke, historical recreations, etc. Even Burdock might get my vote for their wine fixation. I think Tooth and Nail is very good. I might have went with someone else there too though. I’m just glad the duds weren’t mentioned at all (Common Good, Radical Road, the 6ix...) Or the real duds in the 905 (Falcon, Brock Street, All or Nothing).
I have to say I find the Tooth and Nail choice baffling, especially from Stephen Beaumont. They do make a few nice beers, but they have been stagnant and riding on their laurels for the past few years. I know there are other breweries in Ottawa that are taking more risks, let alone Ontario. It's just not warranted in my opinion, and I'd suspect that most Ottawa BAs would agree.
Great points. On the Tooth and Nail, that Vim and Vigor is very very popular with the expert set in TO right now. It's an Instagram fave. For better or worse.I think that one beer is pushing the love for the brewery. Honestly, it's not my favourite, but I am not one of the experts Personally I love what Dominion City is doing. Sunsplit is amazing and consistent and their stouts are great too. The Earnscliffe brown ale is outstanding as well.
