Holy crap this week has been insane!  Work has had me busier than I have ever been in my life.  Combine that with a heavy work out schedule and the fact that I am trying to maintain a social life and you get a guy who pretty much hasn’t slept in a week.  My project was supposed to run over the weekend, but that got pushed back.  So, I am free all weekend!  I am so pumped about this because today is going to be my Bday party.  I turned 32 on Thursday and I am meeting up with some friends tonight downtown Toronto to have too much to drink and get into some shenanigans.  One of the problems with planning any form of party like this is that you always get some people bitching about the location.  This is the one night where I really wont care about anybody else not liking the location.  I enjoy it.  There are plenty of good beers to drink. Lastly, it’s my damn bday!!!  Besides, I can pretty much guarantee that it will be fun.  I plan to drink until I can’t feel feelings.  Most of my readers are in the States, but if you happen to be in Toronto and want to come out and say hi, feel free to come to Bier Markt King West.  I will be the ridiculously handsome brown guy who is passed out on the floor.  As per usual, here is a comic that has nothing to do with anything.

As I mentioned yesterday, I went to visit a new Toronto bar on the weekend. This isn’t just some new place, but a Toronto opening of an established name. The 3 Brewers at Younge & Dundas is a micro-brewery that serves only their own beers. They have 28 locations in France and have a spot in Montreal as well, under the french version of the name Les 3 Brasseur’s. The Toronto location is actually pretty cool. They have a ton of seats available as a result of having split levels in their building. The unfortunate part of this layout is the maze you have to find your way through in order to get to the bathroom. This could be a really big problem if you have had too many of their beers. Once you figure out your route the first time nature calls, you should be alright. The menu is pretty fun and is styled like a newspaper. It’s contents are pretty diverse. Unfortunately we weren’t in the mood to try any of their specialties that evening. We did rock some of the poutine and it was fantastic! I will give them the benefit of the doubt and assume all their offerings are equally good. As for the beer…hit and miss. I loved the environment so I was happy to say I enjoyed their amber style beer. I am not sure if that will last. Having only their own brand kinda hurts. I sampled the other types they serve: blond, wheat (the shy sister) and dark (virago). I probably wouldn’t order any of the others as they just aren’t my style. The dark beer was kind of interesting though. This thing has a heavy coffee smell and taste. Maybe I could start drinking that in the morning! All in all, there is nothing that really separates the beer from what you would get at other micro-breweries. Having a quality pub with great food certainly helps to make them a place to check out. Next time you are down at Younge & Dundas you should pop in for a pint at 3 Brewers. Here is a shot of their sampler.

If you read my blog often, then you know that I enjoy a good beer. As you can see from the pics below, I have always loved giving a new brew a try. Seeing these pictures got me thinking you would enjoy finding out more about where I go to sample.

• The Bier Markt - This place is the best night spot of the group. You can get an awesome selection of beers to boot! I used this venue for my birthday party 2 years in a row and it seems to appeal to everyone. I would suggest you give Stiegl on tap.

• The Beer Bistro - Now, this is a great date place. You get to impress someone with an amazing menu, while still getting plastered on some premium lagers. I like how they have the beer menu broken down at this place. They sort the brew out by category…like Crisp, Bold or Soothing. And, if your date is eyeballing your excessive boozing closely then fear not. Some of the food items have been infused with beer as an ingredient. I am always a fan of a nice, cold Bitgurger when I show up here.

• West 50 Pourhouse - if you drink every beer on tap here then your ass will be in the POOR house. They have over 100 beers…on tap!!! That’s amazing. The only way to deal with that daunting a beer menu is to try one of their samplers. You get 6 mini beers of your choosing. Definitely a fun event to do with other alcoholics…er…I mean aficionado. The only downside is that it is located in Mississaga, a suburb of Toronto. But, it is definitely worth the trip out. Just keep some money for a cab home.

• Smokeless Joe - My favourite is what I saved for last. This is the best of them all. This is a tiny little hole when you consider some of the large bars located in the area. But, this is where the beer drinker will find heaven. Good luck trying to get through the menu of 250 beers! They constantly have new featured items. I love how the menu is sorted out. It is done by country. Seriously, you can do all the world travelling you need to without leaving your bar stool. And I am not just talking about the usual suspects like Germany or Czech Republic. You can get beers from Latvia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Everyone absolutely has to visit this place at least once in their life. Happy drinking!

That’s me drinking a Baltika. A light Russian beer. Smokeless is the only place I know that serves it.

See, most people know what the perfect gift is for me. If any of you want to buy me a beer then feel free to contact me!