Amsterdam BrewHouse on Toronto’s Harbourfront

Toronto is going craft brew crazy and I love it. The bigger boys at Mill Street, Steamwhistle and now Amsterdam BrewHouse have paved the way for Toronto’s craft brewery scene.

I was beyond elated several months ago when I received an email announcing Amsterdam’s new BrewHouse which would be opening in first week of July smack dab on Lake Ontario.

I arrived on a Friday at 6pm and my jaw dropped while on a tour of the facility by the restaurants GM. The space is massive and offers two beer bars at the entrance and in front of the kitchen (we’ll call that the back, closest to the lake).

A second floor also wraps around the space. It seems as though any seat you sit offers stunning views of the surrounding yachts, motor boats and Islands. The patio here is epic and will surely be the destination this summer for sud swigging tan fans. A few Muskoka chairs face south allowing guests to watch a team of kayakers zipping along the shore while quenching with an ice cold pint. It’s easy to quickly forget that you are in a city and not on some dock in Port Carling, Huntsville or Bracebridge. Cottage country is alive in Toronto!

I was on assignment with Fodor’s to check out Amsterdam’s new culinary tourism offerings and was elated to meet Iain, Amsterdam’s Brewmaster who took me on a tour of the properties beer production space. These tanks are visible to every guest when they walk in the front door. It as if they intentionally put them on show, gleaming steel which help guests connect on site production to the beer centric offerings on tap and in the kitchen. Ian promises regular beer tasting events throughout the year and several brewery tours will be available each day for tourists and local beer enthusiasts with a focus on comparing and contrasting his favourite brews.

After our tour we were seated at a table overlooking the Harbourfront Centre and spent the next two hours sipping through several pints and noshing on some of the kitchens signature dishes. Highlights included a cold pint of Maverick & Gose, warm pretzel with beer infused mustards, scotch egg and a towering smoke house burger. The kitchen is decked out with an imported Italian wood burning oven so be sure to sample their thin crust offerings a perfect opportunity to share a few slices with friends while watching the sailboats zoom across the crimson sunset.

The Feast:

Maverick & Gose

Natural Blonde

Raspberry Wheat

Oranje Weisse

Amsterdam Pretzel

flaked sea salt, Natural Blonde red currant mustard, spicy Big Wheel dijon, wort reduction

Scotch Egg

house beerwurst sausage, jicama remoulade, Nut Brown grainy mustard, cumin infused oil

Poached Pear and Bruleed Goat Cheese

baby spinach, heirloom greens, sliced poached pear, poppyseed-pear vinaigrette, toasted almond

Big Wheel Braised Chicken Papardelle