May 2013
2 posts
Come Get Your Samurai On!
I think it’s safe to say that community plays a big role in the success and enjoyment of the craft beer industry. Here at Bellwoods we brew some pretty experimental and flavourful beers, and we feel lucky to be supported by so many craft beer enthusiasts who receive our ideas with open arms.
So when we were approached by Toronto Beer Week last year to see if we’d like to participate...
Canadian Scooting Awards
Hello Toronto! I hope you didn’t miss us too painfully. We’re back from our very brief but very fun trip to Victoria for the Canadian Brewing Awards and getting down to brewsness (see what I did there?) as usual. And if you’re sitting at your desk wondering why it took me until Thursday to blog about it, instead of Monday like everyone else, I say wonder not. You don’t...
April 2013
3 posts
Food For Thought
As many of you know, this past Saturday we celebrated our one year anniversary with Bring Out Your Dead (cognac barrel aged imperial stout), the first of two exclusive beer releases to commemorate the event. We were excited to feature such a labour intensive beer on draft, but we wanted to let everyone know that in addition to the delicious beer offerings in the brewpub, we’ve made some...
Happy Birthday To Us
Often times when birthdays roll around you sort of wish they didn’t, hoping instead that you could just go back to a time when they meant eating 4 pieces of cake (guilt-free) and then passing out on your tricycle.
Fortunately for us, this Saturday we only turn a year old, and at this age we don’t need to buy orthotics or expensive wrinkle cream. And because we’re feeling...
March 2013
1 post
It's Okay To Judge A Beer By Its Cover
Just when I felt ready to throw my bike into a slush filled ditch and admit defeat to mother nature (why must you torture us with more snow?!) the sun reared its beautiful lioness mane and showed us all that the icy death-grip of winter will soon be a thing of the past. Moods are looking up, the kitchen relocation is almost complete, and as I type this Luke is sprawled out on a beach somewhere...
February 2013
2 posts
Boobsclusive
With the arrival of the new bottler, the acquisition of some white wine barrels from the Niagara region, and the impending opening of our new kitchen, things have been business as usual around these parts — which is to say, busy. So when we were approached by the lovely folks from “Beer For Boobs” about perhaps doing a special beer for the annual breast cancer fundraiser, we...
On Fire
We made it through January folks! We’re past The Most Depressing Day Of The Year and we can graciously manoeuvre our way through Febrewary with the collective knowledge that warm weather and late night bike rides where your snot doesn’t freeze are definitely on the horizon! Also, at some point I will just calm down and stop using so many exclamation points. But that time hasn’t...
January 2013
3 posts
You're Gonna Wanna Read This
If I had a nickel for every time someone wandered into the brewpub and asked me if the bottle shop was open, I’d have enough nickels to fly to Abu Dhabi with a layover in Palm Springs to get my bronze on. I’d probably even have enough nickels left over to buy a life size Arnold Swarzennegger poster with a slogan like “I’ll be back, baby” or “No pain, No...
Cognac, Porter, and Bears - Oh My!
Enough about reflections and the year that was. Live in the now, seize the day — it’s the 21st of January and I haven’t worked out once. Thank God I didn’t make that my unattainable New Year’s resolution. Sorry if you did.
We’ve set our sights on more practicable goals, and I know what you’re thinking right now, is ‘practicable’ even a...
2012: A Year In Review
It was a big year for us here at Bellwoods Brewery, and although we haven’t quite been open for even 12 months yet, it feels simultaneously like it was just yesterday and also 100 years ago that we first opened our doors. We made it through the festivities of Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve — and now that we’ve choked down our kale...
December 2012
5 posts
Walking with a swagger
Holy Hannah is it Christmas morning or what?! Who needs a gameboy when you can have a Bellwoods Brewery t-shirt/sweatshirt/poster/glass/tote/growler/bottle?
And for those people on your list that defy the neatly framed demographics (Soccer-lovin’ dad, mini dog-totin’ trophy wife, computer nerd bro, etc.) outlined by lifestyle magazines, give them the gift of beer...
Let Us Be Your Ol' Saint Nick
Whether or not you’re a religious person, there’s no denying the gravitational pull this time of year towards all that is red, green, and merry. Hell, when I was at Dollarama on the first of November sheepishly looking for discounted Halloween candy, already I was being bombarded by fluffy santa beards, garish fake pine ornaments, and candy cane scented candles that actually smelled...
Tank Heaven
The tanks are here, the copper lines are soldered, and now we’re on the home stretch to christening these fermentors. What beers will we brew first? When can we expect the celebrated Lost River Baltic Porter to return on draft? And who the hell killed Colonel Mustard with the candle stick?
Patience, young grasshoppers.
Most of our old favourites will be the first to start hibernating in...
November 2012
1 post
The Start Of Something Sour
There are plenty of unglamorous jobs in a brewery. Though it’s always very rewarding to sit down at the bar and enjoy the fruits of your craft, the reality is that there are more tasks in a day than just brewing. There are, of course, the kegging days, the bottling days (we are happiest on these…), and then all the days where we clean tanks. Mike has affectionately deemed the...
October 2012
2 posts
Mass Construction
Though this plan has been in the works since we opened just under 6 months ago, we’ve only recently been able to break the news: We’re expecting!
…6 new tanks! In what is currently our retail space next door to the brewpub, we’ll be squeezing in some new tanks and tripling our brewing capacity. Our goal has always been to be a brewery first and foremost, with a...
October: Stuffed Like A Turkey
October is shaping up to be a big month, folks. Yes, we’re busy slaving away on our various slutty Witchshark costumes, but no, that’s not the excitement I’m referring to. Though much of Toronto is now lamenting the scorching summer passed, we’re actually pretty excited to work in a brewery that isn’t 9000 steamy degrees — so happy in fact, that we’ve...
September 2012
3 posts
5 tags
Farmaggedon
This past Tuesday we decided to play hooky for the first time since opening and treat ourselves to a full day of farming and eating (to excess). We met at an ungodly, early morning hour, left a quick note explaining why we’d be gone for the day, and then set out to the Kawarthas — our destination being the farm of Mark Trealout and Laura Boyd.
After a few hours on the open road,...
Your Weekend Itinerary
Though we haven’t even reached the milestone hump-day in this Toronto Beer Week, I want to talk a little bit about our weekend plans (which should be your weekend plans) so that when Friday rolls around, you won’t be the idiot asking everyone what they’re up to. Instead, you’ll get to turn to that idiot and and say, casually as if you didn’t read this on a blog,...
Florists For Hire
People often ask about our City Hops Project — namely how the crops are doing and whether or not they’ll be able to sample the fruits of our labour soon — but we really think of it as more of an experiment. Farmers we are not, but the hops have flourished surprisingly well. Cascade did well last year, but Chinook has come out on top this season. Though we couldn’t...
August 2012
4 posts
New Chef In Town
Usually we talk about beer over here at Bellwoods, but we wanted to make a quick announcement about the other side of the brewpub: food! Our menu has undergone a few changes in the months since we opened, and just recently we had a new chef takeover.
Everyone, meet Fab DeCicco. Fab, meet everyone (when they come by the brewpub to eat).
Calling upon his experience at Enoteca Sociale, Canoe,...
Last Splash
The scientist at work.
A few weeks ago Luc “Bim” Lafontaine took time away from his duties at DDC Montreal to brew an Imperial IPA with us here at Bellwoods. Focusing on the aromatic Wakatu hop from New Zealand, this bold brew is slated to come out of the fermentor in the next few days, ready for its release on the 23rd of August.
As this is Luc’s final collaborative brew...
Stubbies For Sale!
This is just a little reminder to say our retail store will be open for business on Saturday August 11th from 12-4pm. For the first (and most likely the last, dear lord do you know how hard it is to fill these little things?) we will also be selling stubbies! Yes, they look adorable and fit in the palm of your hand like a kitten but they’re a limited time affair folks. We have only...
When Life Gives You Plums...
Today Not Far From The Tree dropped by with a beautiful golden bounty: summer yellow plums! Of course, around these parts, no ingredient is overlooked as a potential addition to beer. After deliberating and tasting some of our brews still aging away in barrels, we think that the subtle sweet and tart notes of plums would go nicely with those. No concrete decisions yet, but this ripe fruit...
WatchA short film showing the production of our first set of posters! If the video is not loading on your smartphone, try this link instead: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GoN2LvzC1c
July 2012
4 posts
Evil Twin/Bellwoods Collaboration Event
If you’ve heard small rumblings through the grapevine about our upcoming brews, get ready for the mother of all collaborations! We’re excited to finally tap and enjoy our joint project with Evil Twin Brewing (brewing savant, and interestingly, brother of brewer Mikkeller) at our Beer Release and BBQ with food prepared by none other than the esteemed Daniel Burns.
The event will...
June 2012
0 posts
May 2012
2 posts
March 2012
3 posts
What's Brewing
Today: Prepping wine barrels from Tawse Winery to age a strong Belgian ale.
March 22, 2012:
We’re currently building inventory for opening dates in the first week of April. We’ve packaged off a Belgian Dubbel, American Pale Ale, two different Belgian Farmhouse Ales (Saison) and an American Imperial IPA. Our Baltic Porter is coming to the end of its primary fermentation and should...
So It Begins...
On February 6, 2012, after many months of renovations, we fired up our main brewing system and officially started production at 124 Ossington Ave. Needless to say it was a very exciting week. The next 4-6 weeks will be devoted to testing recipes and building up stock before our opening, which we anticipate will be sometime in mid March. Stay tuned for more info.
The Bellwoods Champion Clydeshounds
Behold Nash Bradley, our first official Clydeshound. More to come.
December 2011
2 posts
WatchOh Ye Brewhouse, Where Art Thou?
Our latest visual opus follows the perilous journey our brewhouse took from Escondido to Toronto in December, 2011. Watch and enjoy!
Smart phone not playing? Try this: http://youtu.be/nw4QmEsXx1A
WatchFermenter Arrival
This little ditty shows us receiving two of four 1700 liter fermenters on November 18, 2011.
Smartphone not so smart? Try here: http://youtu.be/RUGPLcHACmk
November 2011
1 post
WatchHow to Tile and Seal a Brewing Area in Under Two Minutes
Featuring Luke (The Tile King), Mike and John from Bellwoods Brewery, with a rare cameo appearance by the mysterious Witch Shark at around 40 seconds! More renovation videos coming soon. Enjoy!
Smart phone not playing this? Try here: http://youtu.be/v6ejtqaodmI
October 2011
2 posts
Garrison Creek/Lost River
Above: PA Gross’ Lithographic Bird’s Eye View of Toronto (1876), from Vanishing Point
The Garrison Creek’s influence on early brewing and the development of our downtown neighbourhoods is an often-unappreciated but highly relevant piece of Toronto’s history.
One of the many beers we’re piloting at the moment - Lost River Ale – is named after the hidden waterway that shaped our...
Renovations
October 2011
Renovations are moving along well. We’re currently in a race to prepare the floors and building systems for the arrival of our first shipment of cellar tanks in late November. Our plumbing rough in is now complete. Next up we’ll be pouring a new concrete floor for the cellar tanks, and patching the existing floor where we had to remove sections. Plenty of electrical...
August 2011
2 posts
Just Around the Corner
Bellwoods Brewery is a new Toronto microbrewery, retail store & café coming to 124 Ossington Ave.
More Info
City Hops September Update
Lots to recap and lots to look forward to. Read our September update here.
July 2011
2 posts
CIty Hops Project
Over the last week of April and first week of May, Bellwoods Brewery and volunteers planted hops in 8 different downtown locations to explore the viability of hops growing in the city, in different settings, while creating local partnerships and greening urban spaces. CONTINUE READING
