| Steam Whistle Brewing | |||||
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The Steam Whistle Brewing Roundhouse. |
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| Location | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | ||||
| Owner(s) | Greg Taylor, Cam Heaps and Greg Cromwell (independent) | ||||
| Year opened | 2000 | ||||
| Annual production | 32,000 hectolitres | ||||
| Active beers | |||||
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Steam Whistle Brewing is a brewery in Toronto, Ontario. The company produces a premium pilsner lager packaged in distinctive green glass bottles and a non-twist cap. They only use four natural ingredients: spring water from Caledon, Ontario; hops from Germany; two-row barley; and yeast. In 2004, Steam Whistle Pilsner was voted best beer in Toronto at the Golden Tap Awards. Steam Whistle has also been voted Best Toronto Microbrewery by the readers of NOW, Eye Weekly and XPress in Ottawa.
The three founders are former employees of Upper Canada Brewing Company before it was bought by Sleeman's. The original name for the beer was going to be "Three Fired Guys Brewing Company" since they were all fired from Upper Canada Brewing Company when it was purchased by Sleeman; however, they chose Steam Whistle Brewing to evoke an image of steam rushing from a factory's whistle signaling the end of the work day. Embossed at the bottom of Steam Whistle bottles is "3FG" as an inside joke, referencing "Three Fired Guys".
Steam Whistle beer is sold in Ontario at The Beer Store and the LCBO. Steam Whistle is also available throughout Alberta and British Columbia at retailers, bars, and restaurants. Steam Whistle is currently in the process of packaging their beer in cans as a means of further penetrating the western Canadian market.
The brewery occupies Bays 1-14 within a building known as the John Street Roundhouse. Built in 1929, it was previously the home of a Canadian Pacific Railway steam locomotive repair facility, and operated as such until May 13, 1988. The John Street Roundhouse is designated a National Historic Site, and is owned by the City of Toronto. It is located within walking distance of the Rogers Centre and the CN Tower. A similar roundhouse, the CNR Spadina Roundhouse, was torn down to make way for the SkyDome (now Rogers Centre).
The brewery also hosts regular tours of its facility, as well as "Steam Whistle Unsigned", a monthly concert series of local independent bands.
Steam Whistle maintains a promotions fleet used to market their products.
Large stocks of beer are shipped to beer stores by Brewers Retail.