Sat, Feb 3 2007 - Tour the Steamwhistle Brewery (View Original Event Details)
|  |
Upon arrival to the Roundhouse, the historical building that was once a train repair centre for CP Rail but now houses the Steam Whistle Brewery, we were greeted by the brewery staff offering us 'samples' of their beer. Sipping the famous pilsner lager as we awaited the rest of the crew, we met several new members - welcome Bryan, Faye, Kirin, Lisa and Rob!
After buying our admission to the tour (a great deal - $4 with the Winter Fest 2-for-1 coupon), we proceeded into the main hall where we were treated to the story of Steam Whistle. Founded by three friends who had worked together at the now-defunct Upper Canada Brewing Company, the company was built on the idea that making one type of beer well is better than making many mediocre types. After their departure from Upper Canada, the friends were searching for a name for their company - and settled on 'Three Fired Guys'. Needless to say, the name didn't stick, and they finally decided to call it Steam Whistle - in reference to the feeling you get at the end of the work day, when the steam whistle would blow to signal the end of a factory shift, and the feeling of sitting down after work with friends, family and a good beer.
We learned that the beer abides by the Bavarian Purity Law, which dictates that only four ingredients are allowed in the brew: pure, clean water, barley, hops, and yeast.
We toured several regions of the brewery, viewing the fermenting tanks, bottle washers, filling machines, and best of all, the steam whistle! One of the non-TOC tour patrons got the chance to pull the steam whistle - which is actually used at the end of each shift at the brewery!
After the tour, on the insistence of the tour guides, we had another 'sample', and picked up our souvenir glass or bottle opener, and headed to the Lone Star pub / restaurant on Front Street for food and drink.
All in all, it was a great idea for a frigid day, and I would recommend the tour to anyone looking for an interesting learning experience for a very decent price.
Have some photos from this event that you'd like to share in our photo album? Please forward them to Erik Sonstenes at photos@torontooutdoorclub.com. Please note that we prefer to receive the photos in approximately 640x480 or 750x500 pixels - do NOT send original high-res photos. If you have a LOT of photos, please submit up to twenty of your favorites (only) for a day event, or up to forty of your favourites for a multi-day event. Thank you.