Industry Alcoholic beverage Website steamwhistle.ca Founded 2000 | ||
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Production output 80000 hectolitres as of 2013 Owner Greg Taylor, Cam Heaps and Greg Cromwell (independent) Profiles |
The roundhouse visit the home of steam whistle brewing
Steam Whistle Brewing is a brewery in Toronto. The company produces a premium pilsner lager packaged in distinctive green glass bottles and a non-twist cap. They only use four natural ingredients: spring water from Caledon, Ontario; hops from Czech Republic and Germany; two-row barley; and yeast. In 2004, Steam Whistle Pilsner was voted best beer in Toronto at the Golden Tap Awards. Steam Whistle has also been voted Best Toronto Microbrewery by the readers of NOW, Eye Weekly and XPress in Ottawa.
Contents
- The roundhouse visit the home of steam whistle brewing
- Do one thing really really well the motto that steam whistle brewing lives by
- Recent awards
- Fleet
- References
The three founders are former employees of Upper Canada Brewing Company before it was bought by Sleeman's. The original name for the beer was going to be "Three Fired Guys Brewing Company" since they were all fired from Upper Canada Brewing Company when it was purchased by Sleeman; however, they chose Steam Whistle Brewing to evoke an image of steam rushing from a factory's whistle signaling the end of the work day. Embossed at the bottom of Steam Whistle bottles is "3FG" as an inside joke, referencing "Three Fired Guys".
The first batch of bottled Steam Whistle pilsner rolled off the line onto market on May 24, 2000
Steam Whistle beer is sold in Ontario at The Beer Store and the LCBO as well as at bars and restaurants. Steam Whistle is also available throughout Alberta and British Columbia at retailers, bars, and restaurants. Steam Whistle is currently in the process of packaging their beer in cans as a means of further penetrating the western Canadian market.
In April 29, 2015, Steam Whistle introduced 6 packs into the Nova Scotia market.
The brewery occupies Bays 1-14 within a building known as the John Street Roundhouse at Roundhouse Park. Built in 1929, it was previously the home of a Canadian Pacific Railway steam locomotive repair facility, and operated as such until May 13, 1988. The John Street Roundhouse is designated a National Historic Site, and is owned by the City of Toronto. It is located within walking distance of the Rogers Centre and the CN Tower. A similar roundhouse, the CNR Spadina Roundhouse, was torn down to make way for the SkyDome (now Rogers Centre).
The brewery also hosts regular tours of its facility, as well as "Steam Whistle Unsigned", a monthly concert series of local independent bands.
The company operates the annual Steam Whistle’s Roundhouse Winter Craft Beer Festival (RHCBF). In 2017, the event (February 11) celebrates its fourth year. Plans were to include over 40 Ontario craft breweries and cideries and a special selection of beers from Alberta Small Brewers.
Do one thing really really well the motto that steam whistle brewing lives by
Recent awards
Steam Whistle has won many awards, including Canada’s Best Managed Companies seven years in a row (in 2015) and has been one of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures and one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People.
Recent awards for product quality include a Silver for Steam Whistle Pilsner in the 2016 Ontario Brewing Awards (where they have received awards in four previous years too) and a Gold medal at the 2012 Canadian Brewing Awards for their Steam Whistle Pilsner.
Fleet
Steam Whistle maintains a promotions fleet used to market their products.
Large stocks of beer are shipped to the LCBO and The Beer Store (formerly Brewers Retail).