Cool beer on a hot day? Yes please. With their typical September Indian summers, Torontonians were revelling in patio weather until the very last second when we dropped by recently. Beer Hall is the latest but perhaps greatest in the patio and craft beer arenas. With 75 craft beers, female friendly beer schnapps – in the form of a Frambozen Martini – plus an exclusive seasonal Chardonnay beer brewed locally, Toronto’s Beer Hall is ticking a lot of boxes. There are also lots of shiny things to look at, mainly stainless steel vats, pipes, and taps.
Attached to their popular big sister, the Mill Street Brewery, this 300+ seat hall boasts a classy set up in the city’s popular Distillery District (fun fact about this area: it helped Al Capone with his booze business throughout prohibition). Speaking with Vera behind the bar – who is an encyclopaedia of hops, yeast, and brewing knowledge – I would never have guessed I’d be interested in asking so many beer related questions, whilst enjoying that Chardonnay beer. And of course she naturally pulls a mean pint.
Beer Hall is casual and welcoming with their environment, but serious about their beer (of course, they quite literally have a brewery in their backyard), and it’s that combination that makes them a great spot to enjoy casual encounters for all types of beer enthusiasts.
Photography © Jason Lee,
unless otherwise stated.
