1

Early inhabitants of Toronto, or York as it was known before 1834, had travelled long distances to settle in the burgeoning community. Resourcefulness was a necessity. Residents confronted significant challenges as they cleared land, built buildings, established governance structures and created commercial establishments to address both the necessities and comforts of life. Beer-making was one activity that addressed community wants and needs. As one would imagine, breweries were relatively small in the early days of Toronto, but by the second half of the 19th century, large-scale breweries were established to serve the growing markets for this alchoholic beverage.

This section contains images of the breweries, some of the personalities behind the breweries, as well as labels and other ephemera from the brewing establishments.

2

York's First Brewery
1800 - 1856
Duchess St (now Richmond St) and Caroline St (now Sherbourne St), Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Image: from "Landmarks of Toronto", by John Ross Robertson, V. 1, p. 495

3

Bloor's Brewery, 1830-1864
19th century, 1830 - 1864
Bloor and Sherbourne Streets, Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Image source: "Landmarks of Toronto", John Ross Robertson, v. 5, p. 535
see Bowering, Ian, "The Art and Mystery of Brewing in Ontario", Burnstown, ON; General Store Publishing, 1988

4

Bloor's Brewery, 1830-1864
19th Century, 1830 - 1864
Bloor and Sherbourne Streets, Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Image: in Robertson, John Ross, "Landmarks of Toronto", vol 5, p. 535
Bowering, Ian, "The Art and Mystery of Brewing in Ontario", Burnstown, ON; General Store Publishing, 1988

5

According to Wikipedia, beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from cereals - the most common of which is malted barley, although wheat, corn, and rice are also widely used. Most beer is flavoured with hops, which add bitterness and act as a natural preservative, though other flavourings such as herbs or fruit may occasionally be included

6

Farr's Brewery
1817-1890
Queen Street West, just west of Bellwoods Ave, Toronto, Canada


Credits:
"Landmarks of Toronto", by John Ross Robertson, volume 1, p.202

7

Farr's Brewery - another view
1817-1890
Queen Street West, just west of Bellwoods Ave, Toronto, Canada


Credits:
"Landmarks of Toronto", by John Ross Robertson, Vol. 1 1894, p. 204

8

Plan of Enoch Turner's Property
19 September 1854
Parliament St. and King St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Plan by John G. Howard, collection: Toronto Reference Library, plan #825

9

Enoch Turner, Brewer (1792 - 1866)
1960s
Parliament St. and King St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Photo: courtesy of Enoch Turner Schoolhouse Museum, Toronto, Canada

10

Doel Homestead and Brewery, 1827-1847
mid-19th century
Bay St. and Adelaide St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Illustration: Robertson, JR, "Landmarks of Toronto", vol 1, p. 54

11

John Doel
mid 19th century
Bay St. and Adelaide St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
"Landmarks of Toronto", John Ross Robertson, vol 1, p. 52

12

Severn's Brewery
1835 - 1886
east side of Yonge St, just north of Davenport Rd, Toronto, Canada


Credits:
"Landmarks of Toronto", by John Ross Robertson, 1894, Volume 1, p 212

13

Severn's Yorkville Brewery, 1835-1886
about 1870
east side of Yonge St, just north of Davenport Rd, Toronto, Canada


Credits:
from "The Art and Mystery of Brewing in Ontario", by Ian Bowering, 1988, p. 95 (original in Toronto Reference Library, E:4-79B)

14

Helliwell Brewery
early to mid 19th century
Upper Don Valley, Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Illustration: in "Landmarks of Toronto", by John Ross Robertson, 1894, vol 1, p. 427

15

Helliwell Brothers - William and Joseph
about 1880
Todmorden, Upper Don Valley, Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Photo: collection of City of Toronto Archives, Toronto

16

Copland's East Toronto Brewery, 1832-1946
1832 - 1946
Parliament St. and King St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Image: "Illustrated Toronto: Past and Present", J. Timperlake, plate 35
Bowering, Ian, "The Art and Mystery of Brewing in Ontario", Burnstown, General Store Publishing,1888

17

Toronto Brewing and Malting, 1881
1850s - 1967
William St.(no longer there), north of Dundas Street, one block west of University Ave, Toronto Canada


Credits:
"Illustrated Toronto: Past and Present", by J. Timperlake, Toronto: Paul Gross, 1876, p. 267

18

Don Brewery, 1844-1907
mid to late 19th century
North-east corner King St. East, and River St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Timperlake, J., "Illustrated Toronto: Past and Present", Toronto: Peter Gross, 1877, p. 270

19

Copland Brewery invoice, 1895
3 August 1895
Parliament St. and King St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto
Photo: Douglas Worts

20

Copland Brewing label, c. 1900
Late 19th Century
Parliament St. and King St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

21

Cosgrave Brewery invoice, 1879
4 October 1879
Niagara St and Queen St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto

22

Cosgrave Brewery, label for Pale Ale, c. 1900
c. 1900
Niagara St and Queen St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto

23

Don Brewery 2 - Thos Davies & Bros
mid 19th century to early 20th century
North-east corner King St. East, and River St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
J. Timperlake, "Illustrated Toronto: Past and Present", published in Toronto by Peter Gross, 1877, p. 296

24

Don Brewery, 1889
15 July 1889
North-east corner King St. East, and River St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

25

Don Brewery - Ad Notice
1866-69
North-east corner King St. East, and River St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
from "The Art and Magic of Brewing in Ontario", by Ian Bowering, Burnstown,ON: General Store Publishing, 1988, p. 101

26

Davies Brewing and Malting Co., envelope
c. 1890
North-east corner King St. East, and River St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

27

Don Brewery Invoice, 1890
7 February 1890
North-east corner King St. East, and River St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

28

Davies Brewing and Malting Co., invoice, 1893
13 April 1893
North-east corner King St. East, and River St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

29

Davies Brewing label, XXX Porter
late 19th century
North-east corner King St. East, and River St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

30

Dominion Brewery, invoice, 1896
22 October 1896
Queen St East (north side, between Sumach and Sackville Sts), Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto. Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

31

Robert Davies, (1849 - 1916)
early 20th century
Queen Street East, Toronto, Canada


Credits:
collection: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

32

Dominion Brewery, label, Club Ale
c. 1900
Queen St East (north side, between Sumach and Sackville Sts), Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

33

Dominion Brewery, curling scoreboard
early 20th century
Queen St East (north side, between Sumach and Sackville Sts), Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

34

Dominion Brewery Poster, c. 1900
c. 1900
Queen St East (north side, between Sumach and Sackville Sts), Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

35

Dominion Brewery, postcard for White Label Ale
c. 1900
Queen St East (north side, between Sumach and Sackville Sts), Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

36

Toronto Brewing & Malting Co, advertising poster
late 19th century
Simcoe St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

37

O'Keefe Brewery, Toronto
1840-1934
11-17 Gould Street (near Yonge and Dundas), Toronto, Canada


Credits:
in Ian Bowering, "The Art and Mystery of Brewing in Ontario", Burnstown, ON: General Store Publishing, 1988, p. 95 (original in Ontario Archives, S15450)

38

O'Keefe Brewery, letterhead
Late 19th century
Dundas St., one block east of Yonge St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

39

O'Keefe Brewery, postcard, c. 1900
late 19th century
11-17 Gould Street (near Yonge and Dundas), Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

40

Ontario Brewing and Malting, invoice, 1900
26 April 1900
South side of King Street East, at Ontario Street, Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

41

Reinhardt & Co Brewery, invoice, 1897
19 October 1897
2 - 22 Mark St., (east of River St, just south of Dundas St. East), Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

42

Reinhardt Co Brewery, calendar, 1897
1897
2 - 22 Mark St., (east of River St, just south of Dundas St. East), Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

43

Reinhardt & Co Brewery, label, Pale Extra, c. 1900
c. 1900
Mark Street, (east of River St and just south of Dundas St.) Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

44

Toronto Brewing & Malting Co., invoice, 1876
17 June 1876
Simcoe St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada

45

Toronto Brewing & Malting Co, label
c. 1900
Simcoe St., Toronto, Canada


Credits:
Collection: Larry Sherk, Toronto, Canada
Photo: Douglas Worts, Toronto, Canada