Could Toronto ever be the so called craft beer capital of the world? That's the question that's been raised recently thanks to a joint proposal put forward by two city councillors who, conceivably, have recognized craft beer's potential to draw tourism and create jobs in the city (a similar realization has led to the Music City initiative) .
While the idea is a noble one, in order to determine if that's even possible, it's probably worthwhile to see how we stack up as a craft beer city right now. The recent boom in craft beer here and the gratuitous coverage it receives from hop fiend fan boy bloggers might make it seem that there are new craft breweries opening here every day, but how many do we actually have?
The website Ontario Beer Network, which handily tracks such things, says the city currently has 18 open breweries, nano breweries, or brewpubs, and that number jumps to 36 if you also include the slew of companies that contract brew their beer and call Toronto home.
By all accounts, that's a pretty decent number, especially when you consider that Ontario Beer Network also lists an additional 16 breweries in the "planning" stages (don't too excited though, some of those will likely never make it past that crucial "planning" stage.")
If you factor in a more telling statistic, however, namely breweries per capita, we're really not all that impressive. Toronto has a current population of 2.5 million, which means that every brewery we have in the area is tasked with servicing over 138,000 people. You don't have to be a beer nerd to know that few of them are actually up to the task of making that much beer.
By this same measure, Montreal, whom the website Beer Advocate tells us has 23 open breweries, enjoys a brewery for every 70,000 Habitants and the Greater Vancouver area has a brewery for every 51,000 residents, thanks to the 43 breweries listed on Beer Me BC.
Of course, if we're looking to name the Craft Beer Capital of the World, we are sadly not likely to find it anywhere in Canada. No, that distinction almost certainly falls to a city in the United States where craft beer has been steadily gaining momentum since arguably the mid-1970s.
And among the places where craft beer is thriving the most, few might reasonably lay claim to the title of Craft Beer Capital over Portland, Oregon, which was fittingly the site of this year's Craft Brewers Conference.
Not only does Portland have 53 breweries--more than any other city on earth--meaning there is a brewery for every 11,000 Portlanders, but the people there support the scene. Every pub and every corner store has at least a modest selection of local and craft beer, and even the barbershops and strip clubs serve craft beer.
46% of all retail sales in Portland are craft beer and, amazingly, 53% of all of the draught poured in the state of Oregon are Oregon-made beers.
So what's the secret?
Well, as you might suspect, the places where craft brewers thrive are places where the rules and legislation allow them too. In the United States, for example, the interest in any beer that was different than the usual likely started largely as a result of "H.R. 1337," an amendment signed by Jimmy Carter in 1978 that created an exemption from taxation for beer brewed at home for personal or family use.
Once these home brewers started making something worth sharing with people who might pay for it, in Portland and the rest of Oregon, H.R. 1337 was shortly followed by the passage of the 1985 "brewpub law" which allowed for the brewing and dispensing of beer on the same premises--something previously not legal.
Then in, 1995, Oregon State University started a Fermentation Science program, which began formally training people for careers in brewing. As a not-indirect result, according to the Oregon Brewers Guild, the economic impact of the brewing industry in 2012 was $2.83 billion, and employed 29,000 people.
In short, craft beer thrives where influential people see its potential and make changes in order to let the industry thrive. Portland's beer scene is thriving because they have historically fostered an environment that supports their beer scene.
Vancouver's beer scene is growing thanks to Vancouver bylaw changes and relaxation of provincial liquor laws a few years ago that allowed brewers to run tasting lounges serving food and drink onsite, and the proliferation of craft brewers in Quebec over the last few years is probably due at least in some small part to the fact that brewers don't have to squabble about paying their way into a monopoly just to sell their beer and can move their products directly through corner stores.
So can Toronto ever be the "craft beer capital of the world?" That really remains to be seen, but with provincial politicians enacting changes to try to improve the province's craft beer scene and local councillors making public declarations that they want to help too, we're certainly headed in the right direction.
Ben Johnson also writes about beer over on Ben's Beer Blog. Follow him on twitter @Ben_T_Johnson.
Free events in Toronto this week will have you dancing 'til dawn. There is a Canadiana folk-rock night at Bier Markt, a hip-hop freestyle at Round, and an anniversary party at Parts & Labour promising to play your favourite Nicki and Omarion jams. 
Party and event rentals and supplies might be just what you need to make your Toronto wedding, dinner party or blowout bash a roaring success. You might not have a 200-person tent, five dozen Ghost chairs, or a striking-yet-rustic barnwood table lying around, but for a fee, you can make your party as grand as your heart desires.
This fashion shop at Queen and Niagara opened in 2001 and has witnessed some major changes in the neighbourhood. And now it's the store's turn to do some changing. After almost 15 years as HUH, a recent renovation and rebrand has expanded the lines of clothing on offer and bulked up the men's section.
Today in Toronto it's time to get amped for Kensington's Beer & Ball Festival. If you're into pinball, now's the time to showcase your skills and snag some sweet local prizes. Not into retro games? You can spend your Monday night dancing to the sounds of Secret Meeting's Tiki Hut, free of charge. If that's not your thing, head to Comedy Bar for some Gilmore Girls-themed improv.
Toronto's downtown bike lane network, long lacking a major east/west corridor to shuttle cyclists across the city, is 
Cherry blossom fever has gripped Toronto for the last few days, which led to huge crowds to flock to High Park to take in the beautiful sight. This weekend was an absolute zoo, but some folks did manage to get tranquil-looking photographs of the the trees. Few things are more highly photographed in Toronto than these cherry blossoms, which become even more popular each year. Below are some of the best submissions from our Instagram followers, but big gallery is chock full of gorgeous images as well. 
Dessert on a first date in Toronto need not be the romantic finale - a dessert-centric meet up can be a great way to break the ice without committing to more than a couple hours of awkward conversation. 
The best yoga studios in Toronto are not only places to work on your head stand or crow pose, they're community hubs where fellow yogis gather to find peace and stillness amidst the hustle and bustle of modern urban living. From simple no-fuss settings to spa-like sanctuaries, these studios will help you increase your strength and flexibility while balancing your mind, body, and spirit. 
Fried chicken might just be the menu darling of 2015. I've already hit up new establishments serve the stuff Southern-style, Northern-style, Korean-style, and now Taiwanese-style. This new Cabbagetown joint makes its delicious fried poultry the star on the menu, though you'll find accompaniments like tater slaw, fried rice and kung-pao cauliflower will seal the deal.
Toronto is finally getting its very own museum. Well, "Myseum," actually. It won't have a physical space (initially, at least,) but the group of private citizens at the core of the organization hope the city will embrace the idea of a mobile, partly digital initiative.
Business is booming in both the Beaches and Upper Beaches in Toronto. From greasy spoons to gift shops to delectable baked goods, the retail scene along Queen St. East and Kingston Road is on the rise. 
Poor, hopeless Captain John's "floating" restaurant is finally going to hit the scrapheap later this month, PortsToronto says. A federal court judge authorized yet another the sale of the rapidly disintegrating former floating restaurant to Marine Recycling Corp., specialist wreckers based out of Port Colborne, Ont. earlier this afternoon. 
Forget affogatos, cold brew coffee floats are the latest way to combine caffeine and ice cream. While not an entirely new concoction, the coffee float has yet to really have its time in the sun, something that one suspects will be rectified now that the summer-like weather has arrived in Toronto and our collective appetite 
Today in Toronto it's time to get fashionable at #FAJOsocial 2015. Dress to the nines and get ready to mingle with Canada's fashion elite at The Spring Soiree. If you'd rather save than spend, head to The Drake for a night of short films, cost free. 
This week on DineSafe a couple of pizza joints were slapped with conditional passes. Bitondo's (say it ain't so) earned a yellow card for issues related to pest control, while Pizza Park just escaped a red card even after a whopping 11 infractions.
The cold-pressed juice bar craze shows no signs of slowing down. The latest entrant into the fold is a juice bar and raw food spot that opened its first location in Leslieville and has now expanded to a grab-and-go spot with salads, burritos and dessert in the Financial District.
Got plans for noon today? Cancel them. 
