Cask ale—unfiltered, unpasteurized, and served with minimal fuss—is a rare indulgence in Canada. You’d think that a country made up of former British colonies would have proper ale flowing from coast to coast, yet the average pint in a Canadian pub is a pale imitation of its London counterpart. The irony? The entire craft beer revolution owes its spark to a British movement for real ale, CAMRA.
This article was inspired by a friend from the UK who was looking for a cask ale pub in Ottawa. I figured I could quickly tap into my local contacts and rattle off a few options in 5 minutes, but I quickly realized there weren’t that many options.
Soon, I was scanning Toronto for alternatives, only to discover that cask ale, while gaining a niche following, remains surprisingly scarce in Ontario. Across the Ottawa River, the same story plays out in Quebec. A few spots, such as the unforgettable Saint-Albion brewery, serve cask ale on tap regularly—but those are rare and treasured exceptions.
Here is where you can find cask ale in Ontario
Where to Find a Cask Ale In Toronto
Toronto might be better known for hazy IPAs and trendy taprooms, but a handful of bars and brewpubs still carry the torch for real cask ale. If you’re looking for a proper pint pulled from a hand pump—served cool, not cold, and naturally carbonated—these are the places to go. Some are old-school institutions, others are modern craft havens that respect tradition.
Granite Brewery
Granite is probably your best spot in all of Ontario for anything cask ale : An institution since 1991, Granite Brewery is Ontario’s cask ale standard-bearer, with 7 cask ales and 1 gravity ale on at all times.
It’s the only venue in Canada with a Cask Marque accreditation, meaning its pints meet rigorous British quality benchmarks. Their hand pumps always have these two beers on tap:
- C’est What Durham Brewery Al’s Cask Ale: a customer favourite, easy-drinking English style bitter.
- Granite Brewery Galactic Pale Ale: generously hopped with Cascade and Galaxy hops
Pro tip: Ask about upcoming seasonal casks—Granite often rotates milds, porters, and ESB variants depending on the time of year.
Bar Volo
Toronto’s temple of all things fermented and funky, Bar Volo also happens to be a hidden gem for cask ale lovers. The brewery has six traditional hand pumps at all times, typically pouring five house-brewed cask ales under their Volo Bier label and one guest cask from a local brewery.
Here’s a closer look at the cask ale menu at Bar Volo:
- Punters Gold – A clean, easy-drinking golden ale with floral hops and a touch of honeyed malt.
- Luna – An English-style pale ale with biscuity malt and earthy, tea-like hop character.
- Piccola – A dark mild under 4% ABV, light-bodied but rich in toasted grain and subtle cocoa notes.
- Bruna – A nutty brown ale with hints of caramel and roast—simple but soul-warming.
- Gus – A robust porter with a chewy body, dark chocolate bitterness, and a touch of smoke.
The casks rotate frequently, and each batch is naturally conditioned for service. Volo also occasionally offers cask-in-a-box formats—mini-kegs to go—though availability varies.
C’Est What
Tucked beneath a heritage building on Front Street, C’est What is a cozy, brick-lined cellar pub with decades of cask tradition. They’ve been pouring hand-pulled ales since the early 1990s, and today you’ll still find two to three rotating cask offerings on tap, usually from Ontario breweries.
C’est What Cask Ale Tap Menu
- Al’s Cask Ale · C’est What Durham — Best Bitter · 4.3% ABV
- Hop Addict · C’est What Durham — American IPA · 6.2% ABV
- Juniors Mild Ale · Left Field — Mild Ale · 3.3% ABV
- Every Six Minutes · Granite — IPA · 6.9% ABV
- Galactic · Granite — Pale Ale · 5.0% ABV
C’est What pairs its cask ale focus with a relaxed, artsy crowd and a kitchen that goes beyond standard pub fare. Think lamb curry, elk burgers, and maple bread pudding. Add in board games, open mics, and jazz nights, and you’ve got a proper basement retreat for the ale-inclined.
Where to Find a Cask Ale in Ottawa
Ottawa’s beer scene might be smaller than Toronto’s, but there’s still room for real ale. A few select venues—some downtown, others in the outskirts—keep the cask tradition alive, either with in-house conditioning or rotating guest casks from local brewers.
Flora Hall Brewing
A sleek, bustling brewpub located just south of downtown in Centretown, Flora Hall regularly features one cask-conditioned ale at a time, usually available until it kicks. The cask selection changes frequently and is often a twist on a core beer.
Past examples include:
- English Pale Ale (on cask) – dry-hopped or with added specialty malts.
- Porter on cask – richer and softer than the keg version, often served on Fridays.
- Cask ESB – when available, it’s as close to a British pint as you’ll get in the city.
The cask ale is served via hand pump right at the bar, and the bartenders are always game to talk about what’s pouring. Flora Hall’s atmosphere blends industrial design with warm wood finishes, and it’s usually buzzing with locals—especially when the cask goes on.
Insider tip: Follow their Instagram; they announce each new cask drop in their stories.
The Cheshire Cat Pub (Carp, just outside Ottawa)
A true British-style country pub, The Cheshire Cat is worth the 30-minute drive west of the city for cask ale enthusiasts. They’ve long championed cask ale and often feature real ales from Ashton Brewing Company, just down the road.
The brewery has two gravity-fed rotating cask lines. They are stocked by local brewers from Big Rig, Beyond The Pale, Bond Brewing and Flora Hall though we are always open to others who are willing to cask their beer. The casks are expertly stored in the historic basement, where the 1886 stone foundation provides naturally cool conditions. With dedicated glycol-chilled lines maintaining the perfect 14 degrees Celsius right to your glass, every pint is served at proper cellar temperature—just as tradition demands.
Kitchener
The Bent Elbow
Tucked into a strip mall just off Ottawa Street, The Bent Elbow might not look like much from the outside—but inside, it’s a beer geek’s paradise. This cozy, wood-accented gastropub is known for its carefully curated beer list, which often includes one or two rotating cask ales.
The cask options are typically from top-tier Ontario brewers like:
- Wellington Brewery – Arkell Best Bitter or County Brown
- Nickel Brook – ESB or porter variants
- Sawdust City – known to send firkins of Lone Pine IPA
Staff are knowledgeable and happy to guide you through the list, and the food is designed with pairings in mind—think beer-braised meats, pretzels with mustard, and thick-cut fries. A true hidden gem.
Kingston
Kingston Brewing Company
Billing itself as Ontario’s oldest brewpub, Kingston Brewing Co. (aka the Brew Pub) is part tavern, part museum, and fully committed to tradition. The décor is a charming clutter of vintage beer gear, British memorabilia, and local history.
Cask ale is available intermittently, with the mandatory Dragon’s Breath Ale on cask, their malty amber flagship, with mild fruit and caramel tones.
While the cask lineup isn’t constant, the staff are proud of the house brews, and the pub fare—burgers, pies, and poutine—makes for a satisfying match. Bonus: their patio is a sun trap in summer and perfect for a mellow pint.
Guelph
The Wooly
Formally known as The Woolwich Arrow, this warm and inviting Guelph pub is tightly connected to Wellington Brewery, one of the pioneers of cask ale in Ontario. You can usually count on at least one real ale on tap, poured via hand pump.
Common appearances:
- Arkell Best Bitter – a dry, slightly floral bitter that’s built for cask.
- S.P.A. (Special Pale Ale) – easy-drinking with a touch of citrus and malt sweetness.
- Seasonal porters, stouts, or even milds make an appearance on cask depending on the season.
The Wooly is more than a pub—it’s a community hub that takes pride in supporting local farms, brewers, and artists. It’s one of the most consistent cask-friendly spots west of Toronto.
How to Spot Real Cask Ale (And Not Get Fooled)
Cask ale isn’t just “beer from a keg”—it’s a living beer, conditioned in the vessel it’s served from, typically without force carbonation or filtration. Here’s how to know you’re getting the real thing:
🔹 Look for a hand pump.
The iconic beer engine, often with a long curved handle, is the classic sign. The bartender pulls it to draw beer from a cask in the cellar—no CO₂ pressure involved.
🔹 Ask about the cask.
Don’t be shy—ask your server what’s on cask today. If they say “we don’t have cask, but we have a nitro tap,” that’s not the same thing.
🔹 Check the clarity (or don’t).
Cask ale is usually unfiltered, so it might look hazy or even cloudy. That’s fine. What matters is the flavour—rounded, soft, and alive with delicate carbonation.
🔹 Temperature matters.
Cask ale is served cool, not cold—typically around 10–13°C (50–55°F). If it comes ice-cold, you’ve either been given the wrong thing or the cask hasn’t been properly cellared.
🔹 One cask at a time is normal.
Don’t be disappointed if your favourite bar only has one on at a time. Cask beer is perishable—once it’s tapped, it only lasts a few days. Quality over quantity is key.
Final tip: if you see the word “firkin” on the menu (a 9-gallon cask), you’re in the right place.
Final Thoughts: Keep the Cask Alive
Cask ale may never be the next big thing—and that’s exactly why it matters. In a beer world dominated by haze, hops, and hype, cask offers something different: balance, tradition, and the quiet pleasure of a well-pulled pint. It’s beer in its most natural, unfiltered state—alive, fleeting, and profoundly satisfying when done right.
Ontario’s cask scene might be small, but it’s held together by people who care: brewers who take the time to condition properly, publicans who train their staff to serve it well, and drinkers who know that carbonation isn’t everything.
So whether you’re a longtime lover of real ale or just curious to try something different, these venues are where you’ll find the good stuff. Support them. Ask for cask. And when you find that perfect pint—cool, creamy, softly carbonated, and bursting with subtle nuance—raise your glass to the folks keeping the tradition alive, one firkin at a time.
Cheers 🍻
Mikael Labonté Routhier is a freelance translator, consultant, and proofreader. In his spare time, he amasses stacks of books on the craziest episodes in history, and occasionally, over a beer, he writes in his famously incisive style about the worst ideas in history.
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