Stouts And Porters

Beer tasting

We are teaming up with bartowel.com and asking you to come over to the dark side and join us for a tasting of black beers on Wednesday March 26 at 7 p.m. The international field will be tasted "blind." There will be door prizes for those who fare well at guessing the identity of these shadowy samples.

Our tentative line-up is: C’est What Coffee Porter, Mill Street Coffee Porter, C’est What Chocolate Ale, Church-Key Chocolate Porter, Black Oak Double Chocolate Double Cherry (special edition cask), Neustadt Big Dog Extra-Aged Porter (special edition cask), Heritage Black Irish Porter, Fullers London Porter, Guinness Stout, Hockley Stout, St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout, Wellington Imperial Stout (cask).

Tickets are in available on-line in advance for $18 (all charges and taxes included)

Great Real, Get It Live

Five Star Trailer Park

Star Trailer Park is an emerging band from Toronto's vibrant independent music scene. Drawing comparison's to bands as varied as the Foo Fighters and Ryan Adams, this sextet is reputed for songs crafted with beauty and tension. With this conflict in mind Five Star has named their highly anticipated new album 'The Fight that Broke your Heart'. Five Star has a history of producing powerful live performances and is returning to the stage with a pocket-full of breathtaking new songs assembled under the watchful eyes and ears of renowned Toronto producer James Paul.

Tuesday March 18, Doors 9:00 p.m., Show time 9:30 p.m., Advance tickets are available for $6.00

Tuesday March 25, Doors 9:00 p.m., Show time 9:30 p.m., Advance tickets are available for $6.00

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Jacob Moon CD Release

When audiences first hear Jacob Moon in concert, often their first question is "Why isn't this guy famous?"To see and hear this Hamilton-based singer-songwriter in action is to be filled with wonder, and more questions, like "how does he make the guitar sound like an entire orchestra?" and "where do I get my hands on these songs?"
To answer the question of what Moon has been up to for the past few years, he's been very busy recording CDs for the Signpost label (Steve Bell's imprint), and touring all over Canada and into the United States. He has played hundreds of theatres and churches in his quest to reach new audiences with his songs and stagecraft. He has taken the grassroots approach to marketing and promotions, like his friend and mentor Steve Bell, and it has rewarded him with a following that is passionate and loyal. His CDs have been played on radio stations across the country, and have sold over 25,000 copies. The opportunity to hear and experience a Jacob Moon show is not to be missed.

Wednesday March 19, Doors 9:00pm, Show time 9:30 p.m. Advance tickets are available for $10.00

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Sonic Deli Records 3rd Annual Benefit for Epilepsy Toronto

The third annual benefit concert for Epilepsy Toronto features musicians Jim Armstrong and The Schomberg Fair.

Saturday March 29, Doors 10:00 p.m., Show time 10:30 p.m., Advance tickets are available for $10.00

Memories Of What?

Another C'est tale

Last month, in the spirit of St. Valentines Day, we shared Ian and Eleanor's first date story with you. This month we have Kevin September's recollection of Valentine's Day 1994 at C'est What.

"14 years ago, and one day after your 6th anniversary, I had a special Valentine's Day evening planned. I was to take my date, as well as my best friend and his date, to C'est What to eat, drink, and attend a performance by Jeff Buckley. There were a couple of reasons to arrive early that night. The main one being that NOW Magazine had just reported of crowds and lineups, around the block, when Jeff had played, now-defunct Queen Street club, Ultrasound. I had also recently befriended an engaging singer/songwriter, and one-man-band, named Rory McLeod. Rory was in Toronto from the UK, and had been offered the plum opening slot that night.

So, there we were, early evening, settling into our seats, front and centre... Until... Tracy LeGrand approaches in a panic, telling us that she is the only one working tonight, outside of the kitchen staff. With the crowd quickly building toward a predictable sellout, she couldn't imagine being hostess, bartender and waitress to this mob. I must add here that I would be hard-pressed to come up with a C'est What memory that Tracy didn't somehow figure into. Largely because Tracy was, for many years, a C'est What staple; who knew how to take care of people and situations. Well, everyone is entitled to their misjudgments, and on this night Tracy mistakenly saw me as her solution.

"Surely, in all the bars and clubs you've DJ'd in, you must have bartended once or twice", she said. To this point, I had poured my self draft beer on occasion and made the odd Rusty Nail or Margarita for friends and family. "I don't think I'm your best choice", I protested. Besides the fact I was on a Valentine's Day double-date, I didn't imagine I could handle finding, let alone properly pouring, some 50+ flavors of beer. Yet Tracy continued to persuade... "I will take care of your tables tab tonight, if you'll just help me out until Jeff takes the stage", she offered... Surveying our table, I agreed.

All's well that ends well, I suppose. Thankfully, I didn't end up marrying my date and neither did my best friend. Though we are both happily married. However, I did make my first zombie that night, and pour and pump many a draught. I didn't break anything, as I recall, and left with a new nickname; given to me by one Jeff Buckley as I nearly took him out with a bucket of ice -- "Hey there Ice Boy!" he snarled as I made my way between rooms/bars with a huge bucket of ice. "This isn't my gig -- I'm just helping out a friend tonight", I said. "Sure, Ice Boy!" he said.

(RIP Jeff Buckley 1966-1997)"

New On The Menu

We are on our last keg of Church-Key's Chocolate Porter after which their West-Coast Pale Ale will return. Denison's Dunkel has also returned after a brewing hiatus.

Grand River's Ploeger's Vlaams Rood will finally make its way on tap later this week along with Barley Days Sugar Bush Ale.

Get your Mild Brown Ale before it runs out, we are replacing it with a new brew - more on this in the April news.

Our complete beer list featuring forty-eight craft brews, is available online. All brews meet our uncompromising craft beer standards.

The Reif Riesling 2006 has been added to our available by the glass wine list.