Great Lakes Brewery (Toronto)
Industry | Alcoholic beverage |
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Founded | 1987 |
Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
Area served | Ontario, Canada |
Key people | Peter Bulut Jr (President & Chief Brewing Officer), Mike Lackey (Brewer) |
Products | #FreshGLB Craft Beer |
Services | |
Website |
www |
Great Lakes Brewery is a craft beer brewery in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2013 and 2014, Great Lakes won the top honour in Canadian brewing, named Canadian Brewery of the Year.
Great Lakes Brewery was started in 1987 in an industrial unit in Brampton by Bruce Cornish and four other silent partners, the group produced two beers, an ale and a lager, using malt extract, a far cry from all grain used by craft breweries throughout North America. The beer was packaged in 1 litre plastic home brew bottles with a focus on the home retailer.[1] After four years of production, Cornish and the silent partners had run out of capital to keep the brewery functioning. A construction magnate in Etobicoke by the name Peter Bulut Sr. had been introduced to Cornish through respective business deals and plans were underway to sell the brewery to him. Bulut Sr. purchased the business in 1990, made the change from malt extract brewing to all grain and in the early months of 1991 moved the brewery to its current home at 30 Queen Elizabeth Blvd just off the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) where Cornish continued on as head brewer for a short time.
In 2009, with the health of Peter Bulut Sr. in decline, his children, Peter Bulut Jr. and his sister Anetta Jewell, took on more responsibility of the day-to-day operations. They, along with the brewing team, introduced new brands and marketing initiatives that led to increased sales through the LCBO, bars and restaurants. The brewing team experimented with flavours, named their beers weird and wacky names, and to showcase their creations with monthly Project X nights (no longer taking place). Bulut Sr. died in 2010, leaving the brewery to his family. Bulut Jr. took over the brewery, operating as President and Chief Brewing Officer.[1]
The brewery currently employs approximately 40 people. For three years in a row (2014, 2015, 2016) Great Lakes Brewery has been named the "Best Brewery in Ontario" at the Golden Tap Awards as voted on by the citizens of Ontario.
Great Lakes timeline
Highlights | Year |
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1987 |
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1990 |
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1991 |
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1991-2000 |
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2000 |
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2006 |
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2007 |
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2009 |
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2010 |
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2011 |
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2012 |
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2013 |
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2014 |
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2015 |
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2016 |
List of Great Lakes beers
Brand | Style | Year of Debut | Availability |
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Canuck Pale Ale | West Coast Style Pale Ale | 2010–present | Year-Round |
Pompous Ass | English Ale | 2014–present | Year-Round |
Devil's Pale Ale 666* | American Pale Ale | 2006 - 2015 | (Discontinued) |
Red Leaf Lager | Amber Lager | 1996–present | Year-Round |
Blonde Lager (Formerly Great Lakes Lager, Golden Horseshoe Lager) | North American Lager | 1987–present | Year-Round |
Pumpkin Ale | Pumpkin beer | 2007–present | Seasonal: Fall |
Winter Ale | Spiced Winter Warmer | 2007–present | Seasonal: Winter |
Saison Dupump | Belgian Pumpkin Saison | 2013–present | Seasonal: Fall |
RoboHop | Imperial India Pale Ale | 2013–present | Tank Ten Series |
Octopus Wants to Fight | India Pale Ale | ||
My Bitter Wife | India Pale Ale | ||
THRUST! an IPA | India Pale Ale | ||
Karma Citra | India Pale Ale | ||
No Chance with Miranda | Saison | ||
Maniacal Hopshop | India Pale Ale | 2015–present | Tank Ten Series |
Lake Effect | India Pale Ale | 2013–present | Tank Ten Series |
Harry Porter | American Porter | 2012–present | Tank Ten Series |
Audrey Hopburn | Belgian India Pale Ale | 2013–present | Tank Ten Series |
Chill Winston | Belgian Grisette | 2013–present | Tank Ten Series |
Limp Puppet | Session India Pale Ale | 2013–present | Tank Ten Series |
Johnny Simcoe | American Pale Ale | 2012–present | Tank Ten Series |
Citraddiction | XPA | ||
Miami Weiss | American Wheat Ale | 2012–present | Tank Ten Series |
Etobichoker | Double Belgian IPA | Tank Ten Series | |
Long Dong Pilsner | Pilsner | 2012–present | Tank Ten Series |
Apocalypse Later | Imperial Black IPA | 2012–present | Tank Ten Series |
Awards
Awards | Competition | Year |
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Ontario Brewery of the Year | Golden Tap Awards | 2016 |
Best Regular Produced Beer in Ontario - Canuck Pale Ale | Golden Tap Awards | 2016 |
Best Seasonal/Specialty Beer in Ontario - Karma Citra IPA | Golden Tap Awards | 2016 |
Ontario Brewery of the Year | Golden Tap Awards | 2015 |
Best Seasonal/Specialty Beer in Ontario - THRUST! an IPA | Golden Tap Awards | 2015 |
Gold Medal - Canuck Pale Ale | Ontario Brewing Awards | 2015 |
Canadian Brewery of the Year | Canadian Brewing Awards | 2014 |
Swept American Style IPA category | Canadian Brewing Awards | 2014 |
Ontario Brewery of the Year | Golden Tap Awards | 2014 |
Best Brewery for Cask Conditioned Ale in Ontario | Golden Tap Awards | 2014 |
Canadian Brewery of the Year | Canadian Brewing Awards | 2013 |
Best Brewery for Cask Conditioned Ale in Ontario | Golden Tap Awards | 2013 |
Gold Medal - Canuck Pale Ale | Canadian Brewing Awards | 2011 |
Gold Medal - Canuck Pale Ale | Canadian Brewing Awards | 2010 |
See also
References
- 1 2 "Great Lakes Brewery - Throwback Thursday - GLB History (Canadian Brewerianist Article 2012)". Great Lakes Brewery. Retrieved October 22, 2015.