Golden Tap Awards
The Golden Tap Awards (GTAs) is an annual beer awards event held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The awards are sponsored and presented by The Bar Towel, a website and forum dedicated to the discussion and promotion of Toronto's craft and microbrew beer scene.
The GTAs were launched in 2003 as a way to recognise the achievements of craft brewers and bar owners in the Greater Toronto Area, hence the "GTA" acronym. In 2006, the scope of the awards was expanded to include brewers and bars throughout the province of Ontario. Winners of the awards are selected via online voting which is open to the general public.
In 2003 and 2004, the event took place at The Academy of Spherical Arts. In 2005, it was moved to beerbistro, where it became a mini beer festival, featuring several dozen craft beers from Toronto (and in 2006, Ontario) on tap and in bottles. The beerbistro events have also had a "Best Beer of the Fest" award given to the beer that receives the most votes from event attendees.
Past Winners
2006
- Best Ontario (non-GTA) Beer Bar: Augusta's Winking Judge, Hamilton
- Best GTA Beer Bar (Bottled Selection): Volo
- Best GTA Beer Bar (Draught Selection): C'est What
- Best Ontario (including GTA) Brewpub or Tied House: Granite Brewery, Toronto
- Best Ontario (non-GTA) Microbrewery: Wellington Brewery, Guelph
- Best GTA Microbrewery: Mill Street Brewery
- Best Ontario (non-GTA) Beer: Scotch-Irish Sgt. Major's IPA, Ottawa
- Best GTA Beer: Mill Street Tankhouse Ale
- Best Beer of the Fest: Beau's Lug Tread Lagered Ale "Kolsch-Bock"
2005
- Best Beer Bar (Bottled Selection): Smokeless Joe
- Best Beer Bar (Draught Selection): C'est What
- Best New Beer Bar: beerbistro
- Best Microbrewery: Mill Street Brewery
- Best Beer: Mill Street Tankhouse Pale Ale
- Best New Beer: Cameron's Dark 266
- Best Beer of the Fest: Black Oak Hop Bomb
2004
- Best Beer Bar (Bottled Selection): Smokeless Joe
- Best Beer Bar (Draught Selection): C'est What
- Best Microbrewery: Mill Street Brewery
- Best Beer: (tie) Mill Street Tankhouse Pale Ale and Steam Whistle Pilsner
2003
- Best Beer Bar (Bottled Selection): Smokeless Joe
- Best Beer Bar (Draught Selection): C'est What
- Best Microbrewery: Black Oak Brewing
- Best Brewpub: Granite Brewery
- Best Beer: Granite Best Bitter Special