Henderson Brewing Co

When he closes his eyes, Steve Himel can still see where the trampolines use to be. Before it became the home of Henderson Brewing, this stretch of Sterling Road used to house a gymnastics academy where he would bring his daughters to practice. And before that, it was an industrial and somewhat derelict stretch of land. When the academy's lease came up, Steve jumped at the opportunity to transform the space and the neighbourhood while simultaneously creating both great beer and a gathering point. After securing a few business partners and finalizing his business plan, Steve not only became president and GM of the Henderson Brewing Company, but since its opening in early 2016, he is also now running one of the most beloved shops in the Junction Triangle.

The vibe is industrial but it feels anything but. The spacious, bright and welcoming tasting room features a Rube Goldberg machine, aka the "Pour-o-Matic" on the wall. You can't miss it. Decorative, yes, but Steve plans to make it functional one day too by developing a special beer called the Rube Goldbeer that will be the only beer poured by the contraption. The cozy space will make you feel great while the beer may make you stay a while. Steve uses filtered Toronto city water and produces up to eight beers at a time onsite, all of which are meant to reflect the city itself.