The Golden Tap Awards (GTAs) is an annual beer awards event held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The awards are sponsored and presented by The Bar Towel, a website and forum dedicated to the discussion and promotion of Toronto's craft and microbrew beer scene.
The GTAs were launched in 2003 as a way to recognise the achievements of craft brewers and bar owners in the Greater Toronto Area, hence the "GTA" acronym. In 2006, the scope of the awards was expanded to include brewers and bars throughout the province of Ontario. Winners of the awards are selected via online voting. In 2003 and 2004, the event took place at The Academy of Spherical Arts. In 2005, the event was moved to beerbistro where each event has featured an all-Ontario craft beer festival to coincide with the awards.
In 2009 the Golden Tap Awards consolidated all awards to recognize winners from across the province, instead of segmenting as GTA and outside of the GTA. The Golden Tap Awards will also recognize brewers who produce cask-conditioned beers for the first time.
The 2010 Golden Tap Awards were announced on August 21, 2010 at beerbistro, with a special Ontario Craft Brewers dinner taking place on Friday, August 20 as a part of the celebrations.
2009
Best micro or craft brewery in Ontario: Beau's All Natural Brewing Company, Vankleek HillBest brewery for cask-conditioned ale in Ontario: Granite BreweryBest bar for draught beer selection in Ontario: C'est WhatBest bar for bottled beer selection in Ontario: Bar VoloBest bar for cask-conditioned ale in Ontario: Bar VoloBest brewpub or tied house in Ontario: Mill Street BrewpubBest regularly produced craft beer in Ontario: Beau's All Natural Brewing Company Lug-Tread Lagered AleBest seasonal or specialty craft beer in Ontario: Black Oak Summer SaisonBest cask-conditioned ale in Ontario: County Durham Hop HeadBest of the festival: Beau's All Natural Brewing Company Lug-Tread Lagered Ale, Vankleek HillEditor's Circle: Cask Ale CrawlEditor's Circle: Rob Creighton & Grand River BrewingEditor's Circle: Derek Hyde & Amsterdam BrewingEditor's Circle: Jim Brickman2008
Best Microbrewery in the GTA: Mill Street BreweryBest Microbrewery in Ontario (non-GTA): Beau's All Natural Brewing Company, Vankleek HillBest Beer Brewed in the GTA: Steam WhistleBest Beer Brewed in Ontario (non-GTA): Beau's All Natural Brewing Company Lug-Tread Lagered Ale, Vankleek HillBest GTA Beer Bar (Draught Selection): C'est WhatBest GTA Beer Bar (Bottled Selection): beerbistroBest Ontario (non-GTA) Beer Bar: The Manx, OttawaBest Ontario (including GTA) Brewpub or Tied House: Mill Street Brewpub, TorontoBest Beer of the Fest: Grand River Bumbleberry Wheat, CambridgePlus four Editor's Choice Awards, as determined by a panel of Bar Towel members and associates:
St Veronus, Belgian bistro in PeterboroughCameron's Cask Nights, a cask tasting event seriesDogfish Head Beer Dinner hosted by beerbistroSteve Peters, speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario2007
Best Microbrewery in the GTA: Mill Street BreweryBest Microbrewery in Ontario (non-GTA): Church-Key Brewing Company, CampbellfordBest Beer Brewed in the GTA: Mill Street Tankhouse AleBest Beer Brewed in Ontario (non-GTA): Beau's All Natural Brewing Company Lug-Tread Lagered Ale, Vankleek HillBest GTA Beer Bar (Draught Selection): C'est WhatBest GTA Beer Bar (Bottled Selection): beerbistroBest Ontario (non-GTA) Beer Bar: Augusta's Winking Judge, HamiltonBest Ontario (including GTA) Brewpub or Tied House: Mill Street Brewpub, TorontoBest Beer of the Fest: Black Oak Transvestite's Tipple, OakvillePlus four Editor's Choice Awards, as determined by a panel of Bar Towel members and associates:
Great Lakes Brewery, brewers of Devil's Pale Ale, Orange Peel Ale and othersMichael Hancock, brewer of Denison's Weissbier and DunkelRoland + Russel, beer importersVolo Cask Days, an event organized by Bar Volo in Toronto2006
Best Ontario (non-GTA) Beer Bar: Augusta's Winking Judge, HamiltonBest GTA Beer Bar (Bottled Selection): VoloBest GTA Beer Bar (Draught Selection): C'est WhatBest Ontario (including GTA) Brewpub or Tied House: Granite Brewery, TorontoBest Ontario (non-GTA) Microbrewery: Wellington Brewery, GuelphBest GTA Microbrewery: Mill Street BreweryBest Ontario (non-GTA) Beer: Scotch-Irish Sgt. Major's IPA, OttawaBest GTA Beer: Mill Street Tankhouse AleBest Beer of the Fest: Beau's All Natural Brewing Company Lug Tread Lagered Ale "Kolsch-Bock"2005
Best Beer Bar (Bottled Selection): Smokeless JoeBest Beer Bar (Draught Selection): C'est WhatBest New Beer Bar: beerbistroBest Microbrewery: Mill Street BreweryBest Beer: Mill Street Tankhouse Pale AleBest New Beer: Cameron's Dark 266Best Beer of the Fest: Black Oak Hop Bomb2004
Best Beer Bar (Bottled Selection): Smokeless JoeBest Beer Bar (Draught Selection): C'est WhatBest Microbrewery: Mill Street BreweryBest Beer: (tie) Mill Street Tankhouse Pale Ale and Steam Whistle Pilsner2003
Best Beer Bar (Bottled Selection): Smokeless JoeBest Beer Bar (Draught Selection): C'est WhatBest Microbrewery: Black Oak BrewingBest Brewpub: Granite BreweryBest Beer: Granite Best Bitter Special