Toronto’s Festival of Beer, Toronto, ON

Toronto's Festival of Beer is happening this weekend at Exhibition Place.

When Gord and I got there about 5:30pm, there was a line-up to get in (the gate opened at 4:30pm).

Gord and I had media passes so we were able to bypass the line-up by going in a different entrance.

We were escorted to the media tent where we could  hang out.

There were complementary chips from Neal Brothers.

We had two samples in the media tent ... I liked the Moroccan Brown Ale and the Somersby Citrus Cider.

Casey O'Neill was painting.

We bought some tokens ... samples started at one token ($1).

We wondered around ... there was a lot of fun energy!

Brews from the Canadian and U.S east coast were served at the World of Beer Pavilion and that's where we headed first (I'm originally from Nova Scotia).

Pump House's Blueberry Ale (from New Brunswick) was my festival fav

There's Gord with an IPA from Samuel Adams

Gord bought a couple of lobster tacos from Rock Lobster ... he said they were delicious.

We had a beer from one of my fav breweries, Alexander Keith's (it's from Nova Scotia).

There were a lot of people (they are expecting 30,000 people over the weekend) but it never seemed crowded. Tonight and tomorrow are sold out.

You could get a hat made by Steam Whistle Brewing ... and many did.

Descendants is a new brewery out of Wellesley... so new that they aren't even open yet.

Lee, one of the owners

I tried the Reynard the Fox, a light rye ale

Gord and Melissa

I had a blonde ale from Brimstone ... to me, it tasted more like a wheat ale.

I had a beer from Creemore Springs.

I ended my night with cider from the Cider House.

There was an area in the middle with local craft beer.

There was a line-up for the port-a-potties that moved pretty quickly.

There was entertainment in the bandshell.  The Planet Smashers were excellent!

K-OS came on later.

George Kash drank a couple beer standing on his head ... that's something you don't see every day!

This guy may have had one too many stickers!

I ran into my cousin Janine's daughter, Shannon, who works for one of the breweries.

And here are Gord and I at the end of the night ...

It was a fun time and I'm looking forward to going again next year!