TORONTO, ON – After several months of rumours and rumbling within Toronto’s craft brewing community, Amsterdam Brewery confirmed today that it will be moving from its current location in downtown Toronto to a new and larger facility in the midtown Leaside neighbourhood. More surprising, however, was the additional news that the company will be returning to its roots with the subsequent opening of a large restaurant and brewpub on Toronto’s waterfront.
The new production brewery is currently under construction at 45 Esandar Drive near the Leaside Village retail development, and will open in November 2012. In addition to a larger brewing capacity which will allow for larger production runs of Amsterdam’s more experimental beers, the new facility will include an improved retail outlet with a glass wall looking into the brewhouse, daily tours and tastings, and a 2000 square foot hospitality and events space for hosting beer dinners, workshops and seminars, cask events, corporate bookings and more. Full details of the new brewery and scheduled events will be announced in October.
Following in May 2013 will be the new Amsterdam Brew Pub at 245 Queens Quay West, adjacent to Harbourfront Centre. This waterfront location will house an on-site brewery focussed on experimental and one-off brews, a 900 seat restaurant with a 300 seat patio on the lake, and a retail store selling the full Amsterdam line-up of flagship, seasonal and one-off beers in all available formats. This marks a return of sorts to Amsterdam’s earliest days, when it was opened in 1986 as the Amsterdam Brasserie and Brew Pub on Toronto’s John Street.
More details on both projects will be revealed on Amsterdam’s website, Facebook page and Twitter feed as work and plans progress in coming weeks.