beer festival toronto

The top 10 beer events in Toronto for spring 2016

The top beer events in Toronto for spring are a great way to embrace the warm(er) temperatures with a brew in hand. The will be plenty of opportunities in the upcoming months to celebrate the season in the most festive way possible - by getting a little tipsy indoors and out.

Here are my picks for beer events in Toronto this spring.

Brewer's Backyard: Great Friday (March 25)
Usher in the new season of beer events by heading to the Evergreen Brick Works on March 25. Brewer's Backyard promises to turn Good Friday into "Great Friday" by dolling out beers from Junction, Nita, Wellington, Whitewater and StoneHammer. If you need to sober up a little, stop by a food truck - feasTO, Heirloom and Eva's Original Chimneys will all be on site.

Canada's First All Ladies Craft Beer Festival (April 1)
Canada's first female-centric craft beer festival is hitting the Evergreen Brick Works on April 1. The Society of Beer Drinking Ladies - who are known for putting on monthly bevies for broads in Toronto - is hosting the event and promising a night of bonfires, beats and plenty of booze.

Cameron's Cask Night (April 1)
If you want to get in on Cameron's Cask Night, you'll have to make the trek to Oakville - but for craft beer lovers, the journey is well worth it. The brewery is bringing in Wellington, Black Oak, Trafalgar and Orange Snail to share their brews and serving beverages from its own casks.

Ontario Brewing Awards (April 28)
The the industry-heavy OBAs celebrate the best in the business, awarding the province's top brewers with trophies and, of course, bragging rights. The event also gives out awards for libations like wine and whisky - if your interests go beyond ales, lagers and pilsners.

North American Craft Beer Experience (May 5)
For those who want a glimpse of what's on offer outside of Ontario, head to the North American Craft Beer Experience. For one evening only it will fill Airship 37 with beverages crafted by independent breweries from across Canada and the U.S. Confirmed breweries include: Arch Brewing Co., Cheshire Valley Brewing Co., Collective Arts Brewing and Grow A Pear Cider (among others).

Brewers Plate (May 18)
The Brewers Plate is making its grand return on May 18 and bringing with it a roster of drool-worthy beers and eats. Ten chefs and ten brewers have teamed up to craft a killer menu - and good news, you've got unlimited access to it all (providing you splurge on a $95 ticket). Proceeds go to War Child Canada, so don't feel too bad about ponying up the cash.

Ontario Craft Beer Week (June 10-19)
Ontario Craft Beer Week offers countless craft brews at venues across the city over a 10-day stint. If you want to celebrate the occasion in a more festive way than throwing back a lager at a pub, head to one of the many events hosted in its honour (the schedule is still TBA).

Session Craft Beer Festival (June 11)
Appropriately, one of the city's most beloved beer events rolls into town during Ontario Craft Beer Week. The fest brings over 100 different beers, food vendors and performers to Dundas Square for an all-out bash. This year's event will have an all-ladies session, hosted by the Society of Beer Drinking Ladies, for the gals who missed out on (or couldn't get enough of) April's fest.

Toronto Craft Beer Festival (June 17-19)
TCBF happens a few mere days before the summer solstice, helping you close out the season in style. You'll get to try to sample food, ciders and beers from favourites like Cameron's Brewing and Church Key Brewing Co. Aside from food and drink, the event will have plenty of activities and live music performances.

Beach BBQ and Brews (June 17-19)
Overlapping the Toronto Craft Beer Festival is Beach BBQ and Brews, so you may want to invest in a bottle of Tylenol before the weekend kicks off. The fest, hosted by boom 97.3, will feature BBQ competitions, live entertainment and, of course, plenty of beer.

What did I miss? Add more beer events to the comments.

Photo of a previous Craft Beer Fest by Jesse Milns.


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