Sunday, August 19, 2007

2007 Golden Tap Awards


A table of Bier Gods & Goddesses enjoying their tastings.
(from left to right: Eric, Hilary, Chris, Michiho & Mark)

Once again Beer Bistro hosted the annual Golden Tap Awards on Saturday August 18. This event celebrates and honours the beer makers and beer establishments in Ontario. It was the fifth year of this event and it was packed with beer enthusiasts. Hosted by Cass Enright, the moderator of the Bar Towel website, it brings together brewers and their beers to one afternoon of casual fun and opportunity to sample, sample, sample. At $2 a tasting, it's easy to try a wide variety of beer or something from the table of finger foods.

One of the bonuses of attending is that many breweries bring one-off batches that you can try. These special brews are often only available at the event and you might not ever have a chance to taste ever again. Some at this year's event were Black Oak's Transvestites Tipple and Scotch Irish's Fire In The Hole.


Cass Enright who emceed the awards ceremony.


Michael Hancock, brewer and owner of Denison's, accepting his Editor's Circle Award for his outstanding brewing.


Adrian and Ken of Black Oak Brewing company who won the Best Beer of the Festival.

The 2007 Golden Tap winners:

Best microbrewery in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) - Mill Street
Best microbrewery in Ontario (outside of the GTA) - Church-Key
Best beer brewed in the GTA - Mill Street Tankhouse
Best beer brewed in Ontario (outside of the GTA) - Beau's Lug-Tread Lagered Ale
Best bar in the GTA in terms of draught beer selection - C'est What
Best bar in the GTA in terms of bottled beer selection - beerbistro
Best bar in Ontario (outside of the GTA) - Winking Judge
Best brewpub or tied house in Ontario (including the GTA) - Mill Street Brewpub
Best beer of the festival - Black Oak Transvestite's Tipple

New this year were Editor's Circle awards, to recognize unique and significant achievements in the Ontario beer industry. Four were handed out:

Michael Hancock
Great Lakes Brewing
Roland + Russell
Volo Cask Days

(For past winners see http://goldentap.ca/winners.html)