January 13, 2023

April 29, 2022

There are two whiteboards that sit right at eye level as you walk down the metal staircase into the brewery. The first lists the contents of the full sized brite-tanks, and six stacked serving tanks; finished beer, noted with some minor details of significance. The second isn’t made up of rows and columns in a grid as its partner is. It has a bold header: Brewski Board, vocabulary consistent with Brewmaster Dave’s laid back/feet up lifestyle. The title has managed an enviable five year lifespan for its chosen medium of dry erase marker. This second whiteboard relates to the five fermenters, and the active or conditioning beers within. 

In the lead up to our fifth anniversary that second board, the Brewski Board, managed to tell a pretty decent history of Eastbound. Backpacker Blonde, Let’s Go Exploring IPA, Basecamp Saison, The Big Five, and Hidden Lake Hefeweizen. Flagships, standards, and a celebratory offering. One, however, has seen itself on an unfortunate hiatus, met with fast paced apologies whenever you passionate fans question its return. Well - good news. Hidden Lake Hefeweizen is back on tap. 

First brewed in response to a serious lack of stylistic representation in Toronto, Hidden Lake still stands as a loving tribute to the classic German wheat beer. Driven primarily by the distinctive yeast profile, the nose plays a careful balance between banana and clove, slightly favouring the latter on the palate. A subtle note of grass folds into the bright profile that remains flavourful but never overbearing. Bolstered by the mammoth addition of wheat, the body is soft as a (*insert allusion to pillow, cloud, blanket etc*), with effervescent carbonation and a refreshingly dry finish. Come by the brewpub to celebrate the return of this Eastbound staple. 

April 22, 2022

Here I am, hunched over my laptop attempting to write another newsletter in the glow of Feastbound. Trying to rationalize how five years can, at once, stand as an impressive milestone, while having passed with a succession of short blinks. It was another exceptional night where the equilibrium between that perfect number of drinks and being comfortably full is held with remarkable ease. Hosting an indulgent gathering to celebrate Eastbound’s Fifth Anniversary was about the perfect way to capture everything that we’ve been working towards over the past five years. Delicious food and beer just doesn’t mean as much if it isn’t shared with the ones we love. Our family, friends, and the wildly assorted puzzle pieces that make up the rest of our vibrant, little community. Eastbound was designed as a place to gather, a space to be interacted with, and five years in we’re proud to keep fulfilling that promise. 

Not to be outdone by Chef Tara, Sous Chef Ash, and Cook Andrew’s dizzying spread of barbecue inspired fair, Brewmaster Dave was sure to commemorate the occasion with a very special beer release. The Big Five is a Belgian White IPA, merging two styles that have had a near constant presence on our ever-changing lineup. 

Harmonizing a bold, spice driven yeast profile with an array of tropical hop aromas, The Big Five doesn’t compromise on either of its influences. Sabro and El Dorado hops provide vibrant flavours of pineapple, and mango, finishing with coconut and lime. Kettle additions of orange and lime peel, coriander, and toasted coconut give us enough reference to a classic Belgian Wit, with plenty of room for experimentation. This balance of old world meets new is elevated with a creamy body, and sparkling carbonation. 

Enticed? Of course. The Big Five is not only pouring on tap, but is also available to-go in our Retail Shop! Under the watchful eye of Joe Rodrigues, we packaged a numerically-appropriate five brands: tasti Kolsch, Electro-Tonic Juniper Saison, The Big Five Belgian White IPA, Houndstooth Irish Red, and Midnight Cow Tipper Milk Stout. This diverse lineup has a little something for everybody, and will be moving quickly. Don’t miss out!

December 31, 2021

Apparently I need to brush up on my lowest level addition skills/algebra fundamentals, that or maybe just return to trusting the basic, linear movement of a calendar. *I hope he doesn’t talk about the passing of time again.* I’m not. Or, at least, not like that. In miscounting the days I spent my remarkably shallow reserve of sentimental material on last week’s newsletter, one assumed last hurrah for the year. Almost. Time to put on some Willie Nelson and try to wring out the final drops of the sweet stuff. 

We’re all largely accepting of a constant low level uncertainty in our lives, because - well, we kind of have to be. An accepted subtraction from our autonomy that is exchanged for all varieties of adventure, romance, and tragedy. We’re now passing through another year where that quotient of uncertainty has been higher than we want or need. And yet, up against new hurdles and an easy retreat to pessimism, we continue to overcome. 

It was another year where we were quick to define and redefine a night out with friends and family. Where rhythms were cautiously settled into. I spent a great deal of time at Eastbound this year, and saw those rhythms become set, disrupted, and reset. I watched new staff pick up relationships with well established regulars, as they forged new relationships of their own. Familiar faces went from picking up their nightly pint at retail, to the patio, to back along the bar, treating each with a sense of comfort and belonging. After a day spent lugging benches and chairs in and out of vans, weaving carefully through the brewpub, referencing old photos and foggy memories. Would anyone be excited to be back to the original layout? Would anyone really notice? Of course you did. Because you’d been here through it all, and were as excited as any of us to have it resemble the home-away-from-home of your memories. Those nights where one more drink became pluralized, and maybe just a snack turned into a coursed meal. 

If last week’s newsletter was truly from all of us at Eastbound, then let this be from me on everyone’s behalf. From someone who happily spends too much time at work, and wouldn’t trade it for anything. 

To everyone who continues to make Eastbound Brewing Co everything that it is, from regulars to drop-ins, front-of-house staff to the kitchen (and of course Brewmaster Dave). Thank you for filling these four walls with light, joy, singing, dancing, and an undying commitment to sharing the finer things with those we love. 

Cheers.

December 10, 2021

Alright - this week we’re here to save you a potential trip to some dilapidated, wood panelled travel agency that keeps asking if they can fax you an itinerary. Can we offer physical travel? No. Not technically. But this week’s lineup of fresh cans is so geographically diverse in style and influence that your tastebuds will be convinced that you’re globetrotting. 

Comfort Zone, Hazy Session IPA: You’re sat on a beach in Maine looking out at classic sailboats crash against the gently rolling waves. Scratch that. You’re on the sailboat. Sprawled out on the gleaming wooden deck, the cold glass you bring to your lips brims with fresh orange peel and lightly tropical aromas. The cloud level soft body is bursting with mango, wine gums, and mild pine and grapefruit pith on the finish. Living up to the name, the 4.4% ABV begs to be a companion in longer sessions of relaxation. 

Houndstooth, Irish Red Ale: This is the pub of your dreams. You already know the music, the clientele, and sense of familiarity that warms you to your bones. Dim lit and panelled in dark, lacquered wood, the window frames distant farmhouses and rolling hills. The mahogany pint in your hand runs rich with deep malt driven flavours of caramel and toasted brown bread. There’s a hint of warming spice and clean bitterness that follows yeast driven notes of fruit and red licorice. 

Stone Skipper, Dry Hopped Saison: Walking cobbled streets, snapping the collar of your jacket up to protect you from the wind whipping off the river. This is recognizably Belgium, but there’s a touch of edge added. Something closer to the world of In Bruges. Building on a traditional saison base, deep with old world flavours of pepper, clove and subtle fruit, the dry hop addition of Mosaic introduces some new world attitude. Mango, tangerine, and grass intertwine perfectly, finishing dry and endlessly refreshing. 

Rounding out our veritable atlas of styles is a fresh top up of tasti Kolsch, which of course hails from German lineage!

January 29, 2021

“Hey Honey. What’s new, what’s interesting?”

This is the warm greeting I’m met with from Ang first thing in the morning; before coffee, and before any of my work gets started. Ang, however, is already deep into restocking the Market with a full array of prepared meals. She’s surrounded by sheet trays, simmering pots, and a cutting board stocked with vegetables ready to join one of those ongoing projects. I’m still trying to piece together a cohesive sentence. 

The greeting is as much ritual as it is a shorthand joke. We’ve lowered the bar enough to always have something that meets the criteria of either new and/or interesting (we really let anything pass). Ang will usually regale me with stories that trace her years in the industry, almost always bookended with a lesson worth putting away somewhere. 

She’s a steady hand whose transitioned from the (egg induced) madness of brunch coverage, to an entirely more predictable routine. It may lack some of the pace that Ang is used to, but she’s always quick to remind you that any work is better than none.

“By the way, the cookies don’t have nuts today.” 

A perfect end to morning conversation is a reminder to have a homemade treat with my coffee (complete with allergy warnings).