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WHAT’LL IT BE? The Best Bitter, when dry-hopped—when extra hops is added to the barrel for aroma and flavour—and served cask-conditioned (
1455 Lakeshore Rd.; 905-333-6999; pepperwood.on.ca).
GRANITE BREWERY
Toronto, Ontario
The Toronto Granite may be the offspring of the original and pioneering Halifax Granite, but it has made up in influence what it lacks in age. Owner/brewer Ron Keefe took his big brother Kevin’s good idea in the Maritimes and made it even better, serving the Best Bitter in dry-hopped and cask-conditioned form, adding in his own excellent India pale ale and developing a roasty, invigorating stout to round out the lineup.
While the 16-year-old brew pub admittedly doesn’t exude the same high-end atmosphere of some of its tonier neighbours in the Yonge and Eglinton district (owing, in part, to its rambling floor plan), the quality ale and genial, welcoming staff keep the Granite’s regulars happy and the visitors coming back.
WHAT’LL IT BE? Cask-conditioned Best Bitter “Special,” with its leafy, woodsy appeal, and the bitter, balanced IPA (
245 Eglinton Ave. E.; 416-322-0723; granitebrewery.ca).
CHEVAL BLANC
Montréal, Quebec
As Montréal’s first brew pub, established in a tavern owned and operated by three generations of the Denys family, Cheval Blanc has never lacked for history. And with its vintage formica walls, Old World ambiance and diverse, often eclectic clientele, atmosphere has never been an issue for the funky, inviting brew pub, either.
What did happen was that the city’s other brew pubs prospered all around their predecessor, leaving the venerable Cheval Blanc, for a time at least, lingering behind. But that was before a new brewer, Eloi Deit, and new attitude revitalized the Montréal brewing institution in the late ’90s, with a slightly updated décor and new beers like the sublimely raspberry-flavoured, seasonal Framboise and the spicy Saison. Today, the pioneer is back and healthier than ever.
WHAT’LL IT BE? Almost any seasonal beer, but especially the malty Bock (
809 Ontario Est; 514-522-0211; lechevalblanc.ca).
DIEU DU CIEL
Montréal, Quebec
You could walk 10 minutes in any direction from the front door of Dieu du Ciel and enter a bar that looks similar. Like the brew pub you just left, it would be an unpretentious neighbourhood local with serviceable tables and chairs, a sparse food menu and, on weekend nights (at least), a bustling atmosphere.
What it would lack is Jean-François Gravel, one of the most intuitive and innovative brewers in the country. Which is why you and everyone else who knows good beer stays put in the box-like corner bar, enjoying a wealth of brewing excellence—from the smoked malt Charbonnière to the beautifully bitter Corne du Diable IPA to seasonals like the vanilla and cocoa-flavoured L’Aphrodisiaque.
WHAT’LL IT BE? Any of Gravel’s seasonal beers, particularly the black pepper-spiced La Route des Épices or any of his strong, Belgian-style ales (
29 Laurier Ouest; 514-490-9555; dieuduciel.com).
ROGUE'S ROOST
Halifax, Nova Scotia
“Bright” and “airy” are not necessarily the first words that come to mind when describing a typical brew pub’s décor. Then again, the long, thin, split-levelled Rogue’s Roost is no ordinary brew pub.
Designed with the bar running along one wall, expansive windows along the other and the brewery nestled in at the back, Rogue’s can at times more resemble a coffee shop than a bar, particularly when the sun is shining bright.
But no java joint offers the five or six varieties of well-crafted ales that brewer Lorne Romano creates here—from the aromatic cream ale to the dry and robust oatmeal stout. The “relax and linger” appeal of a great brew pub amplifies the flavours, even if the bright light does cause you to squint now and again.
WHAT’LL IT BE? The excellent, fruity IPA (
5435 Spring Garden Rd.; 902-492-2337; roguesroost.ca).
PUMP HOUSE
Moncton, New Brunswick
From modest beginnings in downtown Moncton, the Pump House has become one of Canada’s true Maritime beer success stories, now brewing and bottling beer for Atlantic Canada and even Ontario. But owner Shaun Fraser hasn’t forgotten that, at its heart, the brew pub still remains the cornerstone of his achievements.
That much is obvious from the moment you enter the Pump House, a firehall-themed brew pub with a welcoming bar, high ceilings and cozy, almost secretive booths designed to resemble wooden beer vats. Add to this atmosphere wood-fired pizzas, “Master Brewer size” steaks and ales—from the malty, citrusy Pail Ale (get it?) to the creamy, coffee-ish stout—and you, too, will understand what makes this a stalwart in an area that, frankly, hasn’t seen a lot of longevity in its brewing operations.
WHAT’LL IT BE? The fragrant Blueberry Ale, which is unquestionably flavoured with fruit, rather than, as many are, a fruit drink masquerading as beer (
5 Orange Lane; 506-855-2337; pumphousebrewery.ca).
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