Toronto brewery shares emotional farewell as it prepares to close for good

Jun 18 2025, 3:50 pm

A local Toronto brewery that was a neighbourhood staple just announced that it’ll soon be closing down for good.

The first time I was brought to Riverside’s Saulter Street Brewery, I was fairly certain that the friend who invited me was attempting to kidnap me.

Located down an alley off Queen Street East, through a parking lot and down another alley, I don’t think my concerns were entirely baseless, but upon entering the cozy space, bedecked with barrels and fermenters, boardgames and a surprisingly large number of patrons for a Tuesday afternoon, I knew it was something special.

I’m not the only person who feels that way about Saulter Street Brewery. Over the past eight years, they’ve become a neighbourhood beacon, both for those in the know and the brave souls willing to follow a single sidewalk sandwich board pointing down the alley.

All of their brews, which range from ales to howlers, are made in-house and are also stocked on the shelves at the LCBO, but, if you ask me, they’ve always tasted the best within the confines of the casual, cottagey taproom.

Unfortunately, the end of an era is in sight for Saulter, as the brewery recently took to its Instagram account to announce that, after eight years, it’ll be “closing its red doors for the last time on June 30, 2025.”

“We opened this brewery with the simple hope of making great beer and sharing it with our community,” the Saulter Street team writes in the post. “What we didn’t expect was how much heart would grow within these walls.”

They go on to explain that, over its near-decade in business, the brewery was home to everything from birthdays to weddings, chill afternoons to raucous weekends while the team watched their regulars grow into lifelong friends.

“It’s been a beautiful chapter, and we’re so thankful you wrote it with us,” they add.

It’s not the end for Saulter Street Brewery quite yet, though, and the brewery is encouraging everyone to stop by for one last glass (or two, or three) before the brewery is gone for good.

The brewery officially closes after its last service on Monday, June 30, but they’ll be open for regular hours, Monday through Sunday, until then, so whether you’re a seasoned regular or have had Saulter Street Brewery on your “must-try” list all this time, you’ve got a few more chances to visit.

Saulter Street Brewery

Address:Ā 1-31 Saulter St., Toronto

Phone:Ā 416-463-9379

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