Taking the Old Toronto Beer Tour with Oliver Dawson is as enjoyable and informative for lifelong residents of Toronto, as it is for tourists visiting Ontario's capital from abroad.
In the course of a seven hour Saturday tour of four downtown Toronto breweries and historic Old Fort York, Dawson imparts a fascinating and rarely if ever told story of the history of Toronto set against the backdrop of the development of Canadian breweries and beer.
And for only $99 (2012 price), including lunch, learning and all the brew the body can button, what a bargain.
Why Oliver Dawson for an Old Toronto Beer Tour Dawson is as interesting and entertaining a personality with whom one could ever hope to spend a day, beer or no beer; unrivalled in his knowledge of the history of Toronto as it relates to brewing and breweries.
Dawson's in-depth knowledge of beer began almost three decades ago while on a yearlong study program in Germany.
After his return to Ontario he began working at one of the nation's first craft beer operations, the Upper Canada Brewing Company, as a tour host and sales representative.
He eventually parlayed his ingenuity and expertise by creating innovative events with a view to providing the brewery with a higher profile.
After becoming Upper Canada's Director of Marketing Development he returned to Europe for a year, opening up new markets for the micro-brewery.
Upon his return he inaugurated one of Canada's first organized beer tours, The Beer Lovers' Tour of Europe.
The brew maestro hasn't looked back since, in 1998 leaving traditional employment and beginning his own company, Beer Lovers' Tour Company, offering both domestic and international beer tours and related activities.
For over a decade Dawson has been leading the Old Toronto Beer Tour, while continuing to arrange international tours.
He also conducts corporate and private beer tasting events and is a sales and marketing consultant to the brewing and hospitality industries.
For several years he taught the Beer Appreciation course at George Brown College.
Dawson regularly appears on TV and radio when an expert on Canadian beer and brewing is sought.
A Saturday Toronto Beer & Historical Tour of Downtown Micro-Breweries & Landmark Sites Twenty-six beer aficionados gather on a sunny Saturday of a late summer morning, outside Steam Whistle Brewery, anxiously awaiting the brewery's 11 a.
m.
opening and Dawson's arrival.
The steam whistle blows on the hour, and the group is ushered to the upstairs level of the unique historical building nestled between Lake Ontario and the Rogers Centre.
Dawson gives a brief introductory session, explaining his background and how the day will unfold.
Each of us sits attentively, listening while sipping on a bottle of the brewery's European-style Pilsner.
Brewery tour guide Gracie walks us through the facility, explaining its history, the acquisition of the building formerly owned by Canadian Pacific Railway, and of course providing a detailed description of how the beer is made, bottled and marketed.
Steam Whistle's unique position in the Canadian brewing trade is expounded; and it thoroughly impresses in terms of purity and quality of product, and in being an exemplary green industry.
Before leaving the brewery to board the old orange school bus for historic Fort York, Dawson offers an impressive buffet luncheon spread of cold cuts, cheeses, marinated peppers and eggplant, breads and rolls.
He encourages us to pack an extra sandwich for later in the day, assuring that it will be welcomed at some point during an afternoon of brew sampling.
Our visit to Fort York is brief, but the historic connection to brewing is nevertheless important.
Our walk through part of the Canada Heritage Site with its expansive green lawns, cannons and barracks, set against Toronto's waterfront, burgeoning condo construction and CN Tower piercing the blue sky, is remarkable, even to those anxiously awaiting the next brewery.
We begin our lesson about the beginnings of brewing in Ontario dating to the 1700s, including the importance of Irish immigration for the industry.
British military policy at the time decreed that six pints of beer be a part of soldiers' salaries.
John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, thus encouraged local brewers to get cracking.
And so the race to open breweries began.
Dawson mixes up the day well.
Next stop Amsterdam Brewery, with samples of several styles of beer including fruit infused, wheat, traditional lagers, dark ales and more.
Amsterdam scratches the itch of the few impatient for the next fix.
A little more history, as we learn of the politics of regulation, and the importance of Molson and Carling for the growth of the industry.
We travel from the casual and unceremonious gathering at Amsterdam, to a formal tasting at the Six Pints Specialty Beer Co.
& Beer Academy.
This micro-brewery in the heart of Toronto's financial district is also a teaching centre, retail store and tasting bar.
We're here to taste three brews released the day before, under Nick's tutelage.
"We're all about styles, not brands," he advises.
We sample a Hefeweisen with half wheat half caramel malt, revealing tones of citrus, banana and spice, a session beer you would be comfortable drinking over the course of a few hours; then a Belgian Brown, the perfect fall beer with notes of nutmeg, clove, plum and raisin; and finally a midnight black Smoked Porter, meaty and bacon-y, campfire style.
The initial taste of the Hefeweisen dramatically changes after drinking the Belgian or Porter.
Nick asks: "What's your favourite; would your answer be the same if you had to drink it all evening?" We next visit Corktown, an area noteworthy for in its heyday having the highest concentration of breweries and distilleries in Canada.
The exercise portion of the day is well in swing as we walk through a number of quaint streets and back alleys, as well as the site of the old Dominion Brewery.
The history of Toronto comes alive; its connection to brewing is by now crystal clear.
Dawson has achieved his goal.
Old Toronto Beer Tour Concludes in Distillery District, then Optional Dinner The final stop for most of us is the revitalized section of Toronto's Distillery District, a series cobblestone pedestrian walkways lined with 19th century brownstone buildings now housing high-end shops, restaurants and galleries, and yes, watering holes.
It's been more than 40 minutes since we've last imbibed, so the Mill St.
Brewery, located in the heart of the District, gets the call.
The diversity of product to which we've until now exposed continues.
It's late Saturday afternoon, and so there are several other beer buffs milling about, sampling different draughts.
Periodically a barrel empties; we wait upwards of a minute to refill our cups.
Most in the group then disperse, to window shop and then head home or to the hotel before dinner.
However the bus awaits a handful of those who have arranged to attend dinner with Dawson.
They will dine uptown at the Granite Brewery, to indulge in a four-course meal with each dish infused with a different brew.
Next time I take Oliver Dawson's Old Toronto Beer Tour, it'll surely include dinner.