I love beer. I love drinking beer while outside in the sun and I love nibbling on tasty morsels. So excuse me if I gush but, ‘OMG, it’s nearly Beer Fest time!’
This year, the city will see its 19th Toronto’s Festival of Beer, and this will be my fifth time in attendance. In my short Beer Fest career, I have seen it grow and improve with each year trumping the one before. Beer selection has increased as has the choice and quality of the food and food trucks that attend. Beer Fest 2012 gifted me with my first ever taste of the famous lobster roll from Rock Lobster, so you can imagine how momentous this event is for me!
If this year sees you popping your Beer Fest cherry, here’s a quick rundown on what to expect…
Expect to get your groove on…
Yes, there is live music. But not just any old music; prepare to get nostalgic with De La Soul and Spin Doctors included in the lineup!
Expect a road trip…
A road trip of beer, naturally. The World of Beer Pavilion had its debut at the festival last year. The pavilion is themed around a town, region or country and the location will change each year.
Last year, the province of Quebec was the host so we got to explore some golden nectar from their neck of the woods. This year the featured region will be West Coast North America, so expect to go trekking for hops and barley out of British Columbia, Washington State, California and Oregon.
Expect to be well fed…
When one is drinking copious amounts of beer, one needs to have one’s stomach well-lined. And here at View the Vibe, greasy pizza slices and dry hot dogs just won’t cut it for us anymore. Thank goodness someone had the sense to call in the Big Guns. Among many others, expect delicious tummy fillers from Rock Lobster, Fidel Gastro and Pizza Libretto.
Expect to be educated…
You may think you know beer. All I know about beer is that I like it. Admittedly, I am kind of a wimp and tend to stick with lagers and pilsners. The Beer Fest is the perfect opportunity to step out of your carbonated comfort zone and bring your palate for a spin. Small samples mean you can try bigger, bolder flavours without committing to a whole pint. You’ll find all kinds of weird and wonderful flavours from apple to peach, and even hemp spiked beer! Amber ales, dark ales, light ales, lagers, pilsners, stouts, ciders… there’s more than enough to keep you entertained all day long! And on that note…
Expect to drink beer…
Be safe, drink responsibly and leave the car at home! The event is easily accessible on TTC and GO Transit, or you can always opt to grab a cab.
TTC and GO transit details are available on the website. We’ll see you there!