by Matthew Medland
Scarborough has its own Brewery! A real Brewery. Not a brew pub and Not a place that gets its beer brewed elsewhere under license. A real brewery. In fact, Common Good, usually have ten or more taps of their own brews going at the same time, with a wide variety of beer. Any beer, currently on tap, can be put into one of two sizes of growlers, 32 or 64 ounces.
It’s been four years since Common Good started brewing and selling their own brews, but it wasn’t until 2016, that they opened the brewery on Ellesmere. Under their own name, they make and sell superb beer. Although eighty percent of their brews now are made for other South Ontario brewers, under license. They already have both the talent and a fantastic facility, so it was a natural fit to expand by producing
unique recipes for pubs and other small businesses. The team at Common Good are proud of the relationships they have with their clients, who appreciate the quality and expertise that comes along with working with them.
I sat down with Jamie Mistry, their Master Brewer, a few weeks back. Sharing a glass of their spring Bock #13, we talked about brewing beer, what they do best. Jamie, a Master Brewer, originally studied in Edinborough, but has been working his magic here in Ontario for more than twenty-five years. Honestly, I made the trek to taste what they make. In other words, I wanted to see what Scarborough has to offer
in this age of craft and micro breweries.
One of the reasons I love going direct to the brewery to pick up some beer is that I can sample, and possibly buy, brews I have not yet tried. They do not serve food, but they do encourage visitors to bring in their own lunch to eat at one of their indoor picnic tables – of course, while enjoying a sample! While Jamie and I chatted, and I sampled, many patrons dropped in. They’ve created a welcoming place, and the BYOL (bring-your-own-lunch) idea seems to be working like a charm.
It isn’t yet easy to find Common Good beer in retail locations, but the distribution in Ontario improving. Their signature, and most popular beer, The Sociable Pilsner is available at a limited number of LCBO locations. It is a German-Style pilsner: exceptionally crisp, clean and very drinkable. I can see why it is their most popular brew. It is flavourful and rich, but still clean-tasting and refreshing to drink.
The spring Bock #13 and the Sociable Pilsner, are by far not the limit of fine products they brew. At any given time, you’ll find another eight or nine beers on tap. And, although I did not try them all – it was only 11:00 am after all, I did sample a few. the Sociable Pilsner, and their rich Russian Stout. I’ll leave their IPA’s (Indiana-style Pale Ales), and other Ales for my next visit.
I encourage you to stop in for a visit. Enjoy a taste of their fine brews and decide for yourself. I think it could be Scarborough’s finest! At the very least head to your local bar, or LCBO to support your local brewer. Appreciate a glass of Common Good’s finest in familiar surroundings. Best yet, join us on Friday April 27th - Raise a Glass generously donated to help us raise some funds for Variety Village. See page 3 for all the details.
Common Good beer is available at Brewer’s Retail stores, at a few LCBO stores across the GTA, at the Wickson Social, downtown Toronto, and of course, directly at 475 Ellesmere Road. Watch for It to arrive in more bars and LCBO stores around the City.