This year, the 2024 SRED Unlimited Brewery Tour visited some of our clients new and old in Toronto. Food, fun and a fabulous Friday… it was a fantastic way to connect with clients and find out more about how the SR&ED program has helped their businesses innovate. Be sure to catch Part 1 here.
Part 2: Henderson Brewing
If you’ve never been to Henderson Brewing, you may have missed how warm and welcoming they are – even if beer isn’t really your thing.
And as Mitch R from our group noted, “The server at Henderson Brewing was really kind and non-judgemental and walked us through our locally-made non-alcoholic options. You wouldn’t necessarily expect that from a place that makes beer.”
Owner Steve Himel poured us some samples then took us to tour the facility. We got an in-depth explanation of the brewing process and learned a bit more about their business.
From the beginning, Henderson has always focused on telling Toronto’s stories. Every month, they release a new beer called the “Ides”, based on something unique to our city, or inspired by a Toronto tale. From Under the Big H, Block Party and Rush Day (yes, THAT Rush…), Henderson really does capture the city.
This summer, they are also launching a new book, about their first 100 such stories, including their perhaps most famous and well-known story about their collaboration with Canadian super-band Rush.
Rush Day was over 4 years in development, but the results speak for themselves – a golden amber ale that is as unique as the band itself. As Steve said, when Rush reached out, they didn’t just want to slap their name on any old beer. They went back and forth with samples and tasting notes, finding exactly what kind of beer the band liked, but also what qualities they wanted to convey in their brew.
Unfortunately, our group didn’t get a chance to try any of it as there was none left on tap, but their take-out fridge is a lot lighter now after our purchases.
They have both indoor and patio space to accommodate any kind of crowd looking to enjoy some time connecting with friends.
One new innovative addition to their menu offering is their Solly’s Prebiotic soda. With a variety of flavours, all-natural ingredients, and 0% alcohol, Solly’s are a nice, light alternative for those cutting back on their alcohol intake. Mitch’s take: definitely tastes like cream soda, but less sugar than a regular soda. A definite positive!
When it comes to SR&ED, Steve acknowledged that “of course, SR&ED has helped us financially, but also motivated us to be a bit more experimental and try things we might not have otherwise.” All their SR&ED credits go back into new projects, like their line of non-alcoholic beers, new sodas and other experiments … that remain top secret – at least for now!
When I asked him what he would say to another brewery considering working with SRED Unlimited, he immediately answered, “It’s a no-brainer.”
Hanging out and hearing Steve’s stories was a lot of fun and the snacks were delicious. Thank you, Henderson Brewing!
After visiting Henderson Brewing, most of our team decided to stretch their legs a bit and explore the Junction district of Toronto. As a result, we stopped at a local comic and game store called Negative Zone Comics and Games. A small retail space, but with some great finds. The Collectors amongst us enjoyed chatting with the owner and finding some rare books, even purchasing some graded gems they were looking for to add to their collection. Could a game store have SR&ED-eligible projects? Probably not. But then again, innovation is unlimited!
After a brief break from beer for a little browsing around, we had some time for a quick stop at Halo Brewery. While we unfortunately missed the brewer, the small space was hopping. Tons of foot traffic and some interesting brews ensure that this is the local place to go for some chillaxing with friends. We didn’t have time to explore the place properly, but our beer-engineer did try the Knives Out Bitter 4%.
“Refreshing, very nice balance. Very sessionable. A great drinking beer.”
Stay tuned as we wrap up the SRED Unlimited Brewery Tour with Part 3!