Mark Hutchison is the bar manager at C’est What (67 Front East, at Church, 416-867-9499, cestwhat.ca), Toronto’s premier destination for cask beer lovers. It’s Hutchison’s job to select, care for and tap the kegs containing the still fermenting, unfiltered, fresh beer that feeds C’est What’s five cask lines. He describes cask beer as “having a lower level of carbonation that doesn’t mask the beer’s flavour. It’s more full-bodied, with more stuff going on.” To experience that “stuff,” visit C’est What or any of the Toronto pump houses listed below.
Bar Volo
587 Yonge, at Gloucester, 416-928-0008, barvolo.com
The Morana family plan to expand their selection from three to six taps, some of which will feature their House Ales, making a serious play for cask supremacy. BV also curates Canada’s largest cask festival at the Brick Works in October.
Photos by Stefania Yarhi
Brydens
2455 Bloor West, at Jane, 416-760-8069
A place with a great local neighbourhood feel and a serious beer list. The cask tap stays busy with lots of Great Lakes and alternatives like House Ales offerings.
Burger Bar
319 Augusta, at College, 416-922-7423, theburgerbar.ca
Not surprisingly, Brock Shepherd serves up a lot of Kensington Brewing Co’s Augusta Ale – it’s his beer.
Castro’s Lounge
2116 Queen East, at Hammersmith, 416-699-8272
More like Caskro’s, with its impressive four cask lines. Beachers’ appetite for English-style ale is catered to by, among others, Great Lakes, Granite and F&M.
Photos by Stefania Yarhi
Dominion on Queen
500 Queen East, at Sumach, 416-368-6893, dominiononqueen.com
Let’s go to the hop with Dominion’s rockabilly Sunday brunch and a cask tap where, according to bartender Holly, “IPAs are popular. It’s ‘hop’ this and ‘hop’ that.”
Ceili Cottage
1301 Queen East, at Alton, 416-406-1301, ceilicottage.com
Cask-wise, Ceili leaves it up to brewer Bruce Halstead at County Durham: “He just sends us whatever he’s got. During the summer it’s usually the lighter stuff.”
Photo by Steven Davey
Cloak and Dagger
394 College, at Borden, 416-921-8308, cloakanddaggerpub.com
It’s no mystery why people come to the Cloak. Beer selection is always excellent, including a popular cask tap featuring Beau’s, Wellington, Lake of Bays and more. Check out their caskfest in August.
Dominion on Queen
500 Queen East, at Sumach, 416-368-6893, dominiononqueen.com
Let’s go to the hop with Dominion’s rockabilly Sunday brunch and a cask tap where, according to bartender Holly, “IPAs are popular. It’s ‘hop’ this and ‘hop’ that.”
Dora Keogh
141 Danforth, at Broadview, 416-778-1804, allens.to/dora
Don’t tell the Irish, but Dora’s pouring a lot of British or Brit-inspired cask ale, like England’s Fuller’s London Porter and Pickering’s County Durham ESB.
The Feathers
962 Kingston, at Scarborough, 416-694-0443, thefeatherspub.ca
Can you really call yourself an English-style pub without a hand pump? The one cask line here features locals like Black Oak and the occasional British ale.
Granite Brewery
245 Eglinton East, at Mt. Pleasant, 416-322-0723, granitebrewery.ca
Even though it supplies cask ales for many outlets of the city, the Granite saves a few for itself. You can always get Special Bitter and Hopping Mad as well as special one-offs.
Grapefruit Moon
968 Bathurst, at Follis, 416-534-9056, grapefruitmoon.ca
Because it’s only a grapefruit moon. Offerings like Great Lakes Deliverance and Granite’s Hopping Mad flow through the cask line at this groovy little Annex venue.
Photos by Stefania Yarhi
The Only Café
972 Danforth, at Donlands, 416-463-7843, theonlycafe.com
Cellar man supreme Fabian Skidmore cares for the Only’s only cask tap, where IPAs like House Ales Tu-Hop get pumped up.
Photos by Stefania Yarhi
Stout
221 Carlton, at Berkeley, 647-344-7676, stoutirishpub.ca
The vibe is Irish, but the cask beer is strictly local. Kegs of Great Lakes Canucklehead get consumed with Celtic enthusiasm.
Photos by Stefania Yarhi
Harbord House
150 Harbord, at Brunswick, 647-430-7365, harbordhouse.ca
Keeping it real (ale) in the south Annex. The rotating cask tap is supplied by a full contingent of the Ontario Craft Brewers association.
Monk’s Kettle
3073 Bloor West, at Brentwood 647-348-4848, themonkskettle.com
Another Bloor West destination for cask ale, but to keep things fresh, literally, it’s only served Thursday to Saturday. Nickle Brook Headstock Ale makes frequent appearances.
The Oxley
121 Yorkville at Hazelton, 647-348-1300, theoxley.com
Yorkville’s squires and scullery maids alike flock to this elegant offshoot of the Queen and Beaver for cask pints, featuring County Durham and exclusive offerings from Beau’s.
The Rhino
1249 Queen West, at Gwynne, 416-535-8089, therhino.ca
They may be pouring cask or they may not. If they are, they should be able to tell you what it is. Maybe Cameron’s? Maybe Great Lakes?
The Sister
1554 Queen West, at Sorauren, 416-532-2570, thesister.ca
Mitzi has left the building, but the focus is still on beer at this Parkdale hang. The cask tap rotates through locals, with regular appearances by County Durham.
Smokeless Joe’s
488 College, at Markham, 416-966-5050
A multitude of local breweries take turns dropping off a 20-litre keg that sits on the bar until it’s empty. If this doesn’t happen by Tuesday, in the name of freshness it’s game over until next Sunday. See the cask, drink the cask.
Twisted Kilt
1954 Yonge, at Davisville, 416-489-3500, thetwistedkilt.ca
The Kilt offers a rare foray into the uptown for cask lovers. One line in the summer, three in the winter, with locals like Great Lakes and imports like Fuller’s. Not to be confused with the gross-looking U.S. Tilted Kilt chain.
Victory Café
581 Markham, at Lennox, 416-516-5787, victorycafe.ca
One of the town’s most yanked cask taps sees an ever-rotating lineup ,with hoppy local favourites like County Durham Hop Head and Flying Monkeys Smashbomb foaming forth.
Photo by David Hawe
Queen and Beaver
35 Elm, at Yonge, 647-347-2712, queenandbeaverpub.ca
I don’t know which one’s for the Queen and which one’s for the beaver, but this downtown super-pub’s got two cask lines pouring County Durham and Wellington ales.
Photo by Michael Watier
