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HISTORY OF THE BREWERY

Mill Street Brewery is East Toronto's first commercial brewery to open in more than 100 years, producing handcrafted beers and ales in the historic Corktown area of the city.

Veteran Brewmaster Michael Duggan, along with chef Jeffery Cooper and financial analyst Steve Abrams, founded the brewery in 2002. All three partners shared the dream of reviving East Toronto’s proud brewing heritage, while joining in the neighbourhood's cultural renaissance.

Officially opened in December 2002, the brewery is housed in an original tankhouse within the historic Gooderham & Worts Distillery complex, now known as the Historic Distillery District. Built in the late 1870s, the building is a well-preserved example of classic Victorian industrial architecture. Mill Street’s 6,000-sq.-ft. space includes an open-concept brewery, sampling bar, retail store and event space. The venue features 18-ft. ceilings and four enormous skylights, and is available for private functions.

At Mill Street Brewery our aim is to produce a variety of beers to suit every taste, including small batches of seasonal brews. We currently offer Original Organic Lager (with 100% certified organic ingredients), Tankhouse Ale, Stock Ale and Balzac's Coffee Porter (featuring roasted beans from our very own neighbour, Balzac’s coffee). Come down for a tour of the brewery and a sample of our brew, or six-pack to go, and be on the lookout for Mill Street products in restaurants, pubs and select LCBO and Beer Store outlets throughout Ontario.

THE DISTILLERY HISTORIC DISTRICT

At its peak, the entire Gooderham & Worts Distillery produced 2.5 million imperial gallons of rye annually. Meanwhile, the surrounding area of East Toronto by the Don River Valley boasted no less than seven competing breweries during the 1890s. Mill Street Brewery will house a permanent exhibit paying homage to those glory days, featuring a collection of historic images and artifacts.

Visit the Distillery District website for more images and videos about the history of the site.