The Queen is not Amused...but I am.

whyilovetoronto:

Why I Love Toronto Reason #313

Mill St. Brewery on Tank House Lane in the Distillery District

Well you all know that I just love the Distillery District in general and I love bars so it was only logical that I would do a bar in a district that used to make booze.  The brewery opened in 2002 but the brew pub opened on October 2006. Both the brewery and pub were opened in what was the original brewery of the Gooderham and Worts Distillery Tank House.

Now when Dasha’s cousin from Europe came to visit last year I suggested that we take her to the Distillery District for I had never been before and I had heard it was a tourist destination. Anyways we decided to walk around and go for a drink and I suggested the Mill St. Brew Pub for it is the most well known pub in the area. The pub is really nice with a beautiful brick exterior which contrasts from the inside in which a majority of it is wood. The Mill St. sign has become a staple in the area and the inside apparently has 18 foot ceilings (I didn’t even think they were that high, but then I have bad time and height perception) as well as four skylights letting in natural light. The patio was very lack luster nothing special about it, however it is really small and intimate if you’re on a date fitting only, if I remember, 6 table maybe. The building Mill St. occupies is 6000 square feet and has an open concept brewery, sampling bar, event space and retail store.   

When I went there with Dasha and her Cousin we ordered the beer sampler tray. Now I couldn’t find the sampler menu on the website of what was actually on it but basically you get 4 small samples of Mill Street Beer. We ordered 3 sampler trays meaning we got 12 mini beers to try (some the same). The ones I remember having include Tankhouse Pale Ale, Original Organic Lager, Stock Ale, Balzac’s Coffee Porter (and an interesting fact about this is that it is made with coffee beans from the Balzac Coffee in the district – but alas beer and coffee should not go together), Mill St. Wit Beer, Mill St. Fruit Beer and Lemon Tea. Those were the ones I remember having on one of the three platters, however there could have been some of the other Mill beers including: Mill Street Organic Helles Bock, Cooblestone Stout, Mill Street Pilsner, Mill St. Extra Special Bitter or the Mill St. India Pale Ale.

I also like how they have a late menu because after drinking a plate of samplers it’s always nice to be able to eat something. Furthermore, if you go on their website to the “our beers” section some of their beers have suggested foods that would be a good pairing. For example the Balzac Coffee you may want to eat stews, roasted meats or oysters. So if you are ever planning a party and have one of these beers, but have no clue what to serve you now have an idea.  

All in all I love Mill St. beer, I love the atmosphere in which the pub is placed in as well as the feel of the building it occupies and it is definitely my go to watering hole when in the Distillery District.

That Is Why I Love Toronto.