Even from a brewer (some of whom rise really really early), a 9am phone call from Iain McOustra raised my eyebrows. “I’m going to the space where the brewpub will be. You can come check it out, if you want, but no pictures; it’s not ready yet.” I had been planning on heading up to Leaside after breakfast on Wednesday, to meet with Jamie Mistry, Brewmaster at Amsterdam, for a tour of the new brewery. But Iain, head brewer and maestro of their pilot system, made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. The news that Amsterdam would be opening a brewpub again was huge news around the brewing culture in Toronto. That it was going to be in Harbourfront was even better news. But, to be honest, I had no visualization of where they were going. “Next to the Radisson” was all I had to go on. I rarely get further west on the waterfront than the ferry docks; the Radisson could be in Etobicoke for all I knew.
So I kissed the wife and kids goodbye, told them not to hold lunch, and hopped in the car. Upon arriving, I realized I knew exactly where the brewpub would be, it’s on the land between the Marine Police station and Harbourfont Centre. It’s just south of the Pawsway. Read: it’s nearly in the harbour. If you are into eating steak and seafood in a somewhat kitchshy 80’s-esque mariner-themed restaurant, you probably are familiar with Pier 4 restaurant. Meet the new Amsterdam Brewpub. Sadly, the rope nets full of barrels hanging from the high open ceiling will be gone, as will the 25 year old upholstery on the banquettes. Heck, the banquettes will probably be gone too. So will the lobster tank and the wooden sailboat models (serious, they were still there on Wednesday). In fact, I presume the place will be torn back to the studs, and be reborn. Seating for up to 900 people (!). Two licensed patios that seat nearly 300 combined; about one third of the tables have sight-lines to the stage in the Harbourfront Centre. Two levels of seating inside, ranging from bar tables to intimate nooks to open spaces for large tables or standing events. Views everywhere of the harbour and islands. A retail space selling core brands as well as the variety of seasonal/one-off brews that come out of the new brewery. The brewery will be a brand new 15 hectolitre brewhouse with a focus on specialty products, especially making use of the barrel program. Just to give you an idea of the scope here, there are production breweries in Toronto who’s primary brewhouses are from 15-20 hectolitres. This is a big brewpub. There will be cask beers available, core brands, and a steady rotation of whatever piques Iain’s fancy. Expect to see me on a patio a lot through next summer.
After an hour of walking around the space, giggling with excitement for what it could become, I jumped in the car and headed up to Leaside. If you haven’t poked around Leaside recently, let me fill you in: It’s an area that was first settled around the turn of the last century. There is a lot of 40-50s vintage homes and retail space. Bayview has a lovely stretch of storefronts that feature restaurants, cafes, and stores selling everyting from antiques to women’s fashion. It’s a bit like the Beach that way. Recently added od a big-box retail space brought to you by the penguins on Laird. They at least had the decency to do up the facades somewhat, to appear slightly less like their nearly identical counter-parts in Scarborough, Etobicoke, Barrie, etc. Then there’s Leaside Village, which is a collection of new retail spaces, as well as business using some of the old existing buildings in the area. Canada Wire and Cable provided some lovely historic-looking buildings for cool new shops to occupy. Longo’s has gone in, complete with a Starbucks and Corks. And right there, on Esandar Dr (apparently named for “E. S. and R.” which are the initials of one or some Robinsons, early inhabitants of Leaside. Thanks to Jordan St. John‘s mum for the history lesson), located at number 45, is the new home of the Amsterdam Brewing Company.
Historic neighbourhood, but shiny new equipment.
If you had been in Amsterdam’s brewery at 21 Bathurst, you will probably fondly remember a somewhat dark space, in a fairly old building. While the arrangement wasn’t shabby, there was a certain “old Toronto” feel, complete with hissing steam and dripping pipes. Not so in Leaside. In a nondescript modern industrial building you will find the cleanest, shiniest brewery I’ve ever been in. Fresh tiled floors in the brewing space, white painted walls and ceilings, cleanly ordered cables and pipes; this is what a brewery looks like that is built around equipment, rather than how it looks as you grow into your space, and add equipment as you can afford it. There is a huge refrigerator towards the back that will hold hundreds of fresh kegs and bottles. An enormous space for dry storage of packaging, ingredients, etc. Packaging space with a huge new bottle washer, as well as the canning and bottling lines. Add to that a laboratory that is as big as some of the smaller breweries in Toronto, and office space that includes a boardroom, and open-concept space for marketing and sales. The retail space is huge, with a U-shaped bar that will serve samples as well as host events; a walk-in self-serve refrigerator and a glass wall looking directly into the brewhouse. It is a highly useable and engaging storefront.
This could be your view while buying 24 Boneshakers. Jamie, Kody and Morgan discussing a brew.
Part of the move to the new space, was a big bump in production capacity. Generally speaking, breweries are limited by their fermenting space. Fermenters are big and often expensive. To get really big ones, you need serious headroom (figuratively and literally). Moving from a brewery that had maybe 15′ ceilings to a proper industrial warehouse meant Amsterdam was able to add four 160 hectolitre (16 000 litres) fermenters. Word is, more are on the way.
Flanked by giants.
If you’ve been following along, you’ll know I have a real appreciation for Amsterdam’s pilot brewing program. If you were assuming that system would be added to the brewpub (as I was), you might have been startled when I mentioned the new brewhouse going there. Fear not. Tucked into a corner, visible from the retail space, is the Blichmann system that birthed Boneshaker, Tempest, and a variety of other phenomenal beers.
Like a home brewery, but 1000% cooler.
When you have as many barrels as Amsterdam, they kind of turn up everywhere.
One of the constants I heard when people came back from the Craft Brewer’s Conference in California this year, was how incredible the Green Flash Brewery was. Modern, clean, well laid-out; I got a little sick of hearing about it, to be honest. I have no idea how they actually compare, but the new Amsterdam Brewery certainly struck me as being similar. And it wasn’t even fully finished yet (despite already having brewed multiple batches of beer). When all the t’s are crossed and i’s dotted, this place will be an absolute gem, and a mark of pride for brewing in Toronto.
Even the existing brewhouse looked new in the clean white environment.
Many thanks to everybody at Amsterdam, who provided me with samples, fielded numerous emails, and let me into their new spaces, even though they were still working hard at finishing them. Special thanks to Iain McOustra and Jamie Mistry for the tours and hospitality. Thanks to Blake van Delft for helping coordinate everything and the shares/RTs. Lastly, thanks to everybody who’s been supporting Amsterdam for the past two and a half decades; this wonderful new chapter wouldn’t exist without you.
Here’s to the future!
