If you’re anything like Derek & I, finding cool breweries in unique places is a fun way to spend an afternoon. I’ve started this list of the best small town Ontario breweries to keep track of breweries we love and to help you explore them as well. I always feel like visiting a brewery is a very local thing to do which I obviously love. Enjoy this Ontario breweries guide and let me know if there are breweries we need to visit.
ONTARIO BREWERIES
Sawdust City Brewing Co.
If you’re in the Muskoka area and looking to try some great locally brewed craft beer, you definitely need to check out Sawdust City Brewing Co. based in one of my favourite small towns in Ontario, Gravenhurst.
Sawdust City Brewing Co. is named after the nickname given to Gravenhurst back when lumberyards in the area were thriving and Gravenhurst was a popular hub in the lumber industry.
They have over 15 beers on tap and you can also grab some cans to go if you don’t have time to stop and enjoy a pint yourself. Their retail store has a mix of local products, beer merch and of course, craft beer. You could easily find an amazing gift for the beer lover in your life. We ended up stocking up on some of our favourite beers before we left.
They’ve recently added a full menu and outdoor patio which is perfect for enjoying a delicious meal, a tasty beer and those perfect summer nights.
We tried the quesadilla and sawdust burger with fancy fries and thoroughly enjoyed both of them. We definitely recommend staying in to eat while enjoying your beer. Next up on our list to try from the menu are the Nashville fried chicken sandwich and the pretzel pillows.
Along with a few other events throughout the week like bingo and trivia, they have live music every Saturday night from 8pm to 10pm.
They entire vibe of this craft beer bar can be summed up in three words – casual, friendly and delicious. We definitely recommend adding this small town Ontario brewery to your next weekend activity list. Cheers!
If you’re looking to do a little shopping, head towards the wharf to The Shipyards Muskoka Marketplace. They feature hundreds of Canadian artists and makers. It’s a great place to do some shopping. Or, check out my other guide for things to do in Gravenhurst, ON.
Neustadt Springs Brewery
Next up on our list of small town Ontario breweries you need to visit is Neustadt Springs Brewery. This brewery has the most unique history and has been active since 1859 with a few different owners along the way. It is located in the small but mighty community of Neustadt, Ontario with a population of approximately 500 people.
After we ordered our beers, we headed outside to sit on their cool patio and enjoy them. I love that they have the super small beer size for me. They do have a food menu where you can order snacks like soft pretzels or wood fired pizzas. We’ll definitely be coming back to enjoy dinner & drinks.
The patio at the Neustadt Brewery is definitely more our style but the inside has a nostalgic, comfy vibe to it. If I’m being honest, it almost feels like you’re at your Grandma’s house, in the best way possible. As mentioned above, this brewery has been active since 1859 so the building is old and has history to it. We absolutely love that. They do offer tours of the brewery on weekends if you’d like to learn more about the history of the building & brewery, see their underground caverns and more. If you happen to be a beer loving history buff, this small town Ontario brewery is a must-see.
Creemore Springs Brewery
The Creemore Springs Brewery is very high on our list of small town Ontario breweries that we recommend. They host live music nights and other events so you can plan your visit around these or you might just get lucky on your visit. It’s really a great spot and the actual brewery is way bigger than we expected. Such a cool spot!
If you visit in the summer months, which we highly recommend, they have the best patio to sit and enjoy your beer and the patio is dog-friendly! I ordered a lavender infused beer and loved it. They also have beer flights you can order and try a variety of different beers.
If you’re looking to do some shopping, check out these local Creemore stores.
Side Launch Brewing Company
We’ve driven past Side Launch Brewing Company in Collingwood, Ontario so many times but finally stopped in to check it out. It’s a big building with huge walls of windows so it definitely has a bright, inviting space. They also have a large patio area outside with corn hole games, fire pits and muskoka chairs.
We just happened to go on a night where they had live music inside and were about to start trivia night. The live music was incredible and such a great way to enjoy a beer. Make sure you check their website for future events or take a chance and you might get lucky.
This brewery felt like it was full of locals who hang out there often and we loved that. People seemed to know each other or at least were friendly with people at their neighbouring tables and it felt very family-like. We also noticed that they didn’t offer food inside but seemed to let people bring in outside food. So you could order a pizza and have it delivered to Side Launch. I thought that was pretty cool. From March to October there’s also a food truck outside in the patio area.
Thornbury Craft Co.
Thornbury is high on my list of best small towns in Ontario so it’s a major bonus that they have a great cider and brewery to visit as well. On our most recent visit Derek ordered a craft beer flight called ‘Pigs On A Plane’ and I ordered the fruitiest thing on the menu, the wild blueberry elderflower cider which was delicious and so refreshing. We weren’t hungry for this visit but there’s a wide selection of food available and the nachos we saw go by looked incredible.
As you can see in the picture below, they also have a great patio with muskoka chairs and lots of outdoor seating. They also have a full roster of live music and events. You can check them out on Thornbury Craft website.
I’m excited to keep exploring and adding to this list of best small town Ontario breweries.
Slate Island Brewing Company
If you travel way north along the Trans-Canada highway 17 to the town of Terrace Bay Ontario (13 hours from Toronto towards Thunder Bay), you’ll find Slate Island Brewing Company. Having lived in the area for five years, this brewery was a very welcomed addition to the small town of Terrace Bay. It’s a great place to grab a pint, catch up with friends, play darts, take a break from your road trip, or chat with a local.
If you’re continuing your trip to Thunder Bay, don’t forget to stop in Rossport, Ontario!
I’m excited to keep exploring and adding to this list of best small town Ontario breweries.
