Dan Silva, The Glassman

Matt Tompkins & Adam Shier, True History Brewing

Some places earn their reputation one pint at a time, and True History Brewing on St. Clair West (Toronto) is exactly that kind of place. Co-founders Matt Tompkins and Adam Shier have quietly built one of the most singular brewery experiences in the city - rooted in German and Czech lager tradition, housed in a soaring former 1920s cinema and designed around one simple idea: make you want to stay for the “whole shift.” No gimmicks, no province-wide retail push. Just beautifully made pilsners, Helles, and lagers, and a space worth settling into.  In this one, Troy sits down with Matt and Adam for their first in-person meeting and gets into the full story - from high school friends to contract brewing at Junction Brewery, to building a taproom they designed themselves, wallpaper and all. They cover their lager philosophy, the glassware obsession, the evolution of their kitchen, and their honest take on what it actually takes to build something genuinely special in this city.   What's in this episode:  * How Matt went from film to beer via a Belgian brewing documentary, and how Adam quit private equity to home brew "Breaking Bad style"  * The contract brewing years at Junction Craft — what worked, what didn't, and why they eventually had to find their own space  * Finding the St. Clair West location, the hidden 20-foot ceiling discovery, and designing the space themselves  * Why Germany changed everything for Adam and how that shaped True History's identity  * Their lager philosophy — the diversity of styles, the obsession with quality, and why they think there's more variation in lager than IPA  * The glassware program and why they're not changing it anytime soon  * Handing off the kitchen and what Beisel's Viennese bistro food program has become  * Their candid take on the LCBO, expansion, and what's next for True History   Thank you for tuning into the #BetweenTwoFermenters podcast. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on whichever platform you get your podcasts at and be sure to follow GreatLakesBeer [http://instagram.com/greatlakesbeer] on all social channels. greatlakesbeer.com. [http://greatlakesbeer.com/] Supporting local never tasted soooo good!   Hosted by Troy Burtch [https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-burtch/], Between Two Fermenters, a podcast brought to you by Toronto's Great Lakes Brewery [http://greatlakesbeer.com/] where craft beer and conversation collide - straight from the tanks to your ears.

Tash Sundup, Bryden’s on Bloor

Tash Sundup has been quietly running one of Toronto's best craft beer pubs for over 25 years, and nobody's ever really told his story. The visor-wearing, sandal-loving, pug-admiring owner of Bryden's on Bloor sits down with Troy to talk about how a philosophy major from York University accidentally became one of the most respected licensees in Ontario's craft beer community.   From macro taps and Moosehead-loyal regulars to 17 taps of rotating Ontario craft, Tash walks us through what it takes to build a true neighbourhood third place. They dig into managing beer reps, the craft beer transition from the licensee side, the infamous Saloon League road rash incident, the decor and vibe at the pub, and why GLB Premium Lager will always be "Horseshoe" at Bryden's.  What's in this episode:  * How a retired fireman convinced Tash to take over the pub  * The craft pivot: from Keith's, Coors, and Stella to 17 taps of local Ontario craft  * Tap selection philosophy, rep management, and why Guinness had to go  * What a couch meant to some regulars  * The importance of regulars and creating a place where people want to go  * Shared history with GLB: Lackey, industry holiday parties, and a lot of Sunnyside  Thank you for tuning into the #BetweenTwoFermenters podcast. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on whichever platform you get your podcasts at and be sure to follow GreatLakesBeer [http://instagram.com/greatlakesbeer] on all social channels. greatlakesbeer.com. [http://greatlakesbeer.com/] Supporting local never tasted soooo good! Hosted by Troy Burtch [https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-burtch/], Between Two Fermenters, a podcast brought to you by Toronto's Great Lakes Brewery [http://greatlakesbeer.com/] where craft beer and conversation collide - straight from the tanks to your ears.

Dan Silva, The Glassman

Most people never think twice about the glass in their hand, or the one they're "taking" from their local pub. Dan Silva does - and then he shows up unannounced with 24 custom ones to prove it. In this episode of B2F, Troy sits down with Dan Silva, Co-Owner and VP of Sales & Procurement at Zenan Glass - Canada's largest glassware and ceramics decorator for the beverage and food service industry. Dan came up through nearly 11 years at PepsiCo before landing at Zenan in 2021, and the CPG discipline he brought with him shows. But what's really driven Zenan's growth under his watch isn't systems or scale - it's showing up. At trade shows, at taprooms, at anniversary parties and beer launches - just because - building relationships one pint at a time. Turning a supplier relationship into something breweries actually enjoy. It's the kind of unreasonable hospitality that sticks with you. Just ask Troy and the GLB team. What's in this episode: * How Dan and his partner Luke transformed Zenan from a simple transactional vendor to true industry partner * Why showing up - literally - has been their biggest growth driver * The full ordering experience: what happens when a brewery calls, from first conversation to finished glass * Serving everyone from multinational brewers to a two-person startup - and why small accounts are more fun * What breweries get wrong about glassware (and what the good ones get very right) * Glassware as a brand touchpoint: why the glass in a customer's hand is part of your marketing budget Thank you for tuning into the #BetweenTwoFermenters podcast. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on whichever platform you get your podcasts at and be sure to follow GreatLakesBeer [http://instagram.com/greatlakesbeer] on all social channels. greatlakesbeer.com. [http://greatlakesbeer.com/] Supporting local never tasted soooo good!   Hosted by Troy Burtch [https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-burtch/], Between Two Fermenters, a podcast brought to you by Toronto's Great Lakes Brewery [http://greatlakesbeer.com/] where craft beer and conversation collide - straight from the tanks to your ears.

Mike Laba & Chris Goddard, The Long Game

In this episode, Troy sits down with Mike Laba and Chris Goddard - co-founders of Craft Brand Co., and the new owners of Blackburn Beer Company in Niagara Falls. Two of Ontario craft beer's most restless minds, Mike and Chris have spent the better part of two decades putting together two of the more interesting careers in the Canadian beer industry.  They get into their origin stories on opposite ends of the Ontario craft scene, the back-of-napkin business plan that became Craft Brand Co., the legendary Michigan road trip that made it real, and the Brunswick Bierworks chapter that helped reshape what co-production could look like in this province. And they talk about what's next - Blackburn Beer Company in Niagara Falls, and a vision that goes well beyond just making great beer.  What's in this episode:  * Mike and Chris's origin stories - from the taproom at Brick Brewery (Mike) and the Prince of Wales Theatre (Chris) to the forefront of Ontario craft  * How Craft Brand Co. was born, and the Michigan road trip that made it real  * The brands that worked, the ones that didn't, and what they learned from both  * Brunswick Bierworks - how it grew and why they moved on  * The leap to Blackburn Beer Company and the vision behind it  * What nearly 20 years of partnership actually looks like in practice

Chris Conway, From Here to There

In this episode, Troy sits down with Chris Conway, General Manager of Old Credit Brewing Co. in Port Credit, a guy who traded in a PhD for a one-barrel brew system in a gastropub kitchen and never looked back. With stints co-founding Folly Brewpub in Toronto and building Landwash Brewery into one of Newfoundland’s fastest growing craft breweries, Chris is a builder and an operator. Someone who understands the romanticism of craft beer but also the hard math of making it work. And he's landed at exactly the kind of place where that blend of skills is needed most.  They get into Chris's unconventional path from St. John's to U of T to the tap handles of Port Credit, what it actually looked like to build a brewery from scratch in Newfoundland before the craft wave hit, and what drew him to a 32-year-old brewery that was quietly doing the craft thing before craft was cool.   What's in this episode:  * Chris's origin story - from St. John's homebrew obsession to Toronto's emerging craft scene  * The Folly Brewpub chapter and everything farmhouse-style  * Why he left Toronto to co-found Landwash Brewery in Newfoundland - and how he saw the craft explosion coming  * Building Landwash into one of Atlantic Canada's most respected independent operations  * What he walked into at Old Credit, and the philosophy behind "thoughtful modernization"  * The history of Old Credit — 30+ years, one family, and a lot of beer  Thank you for tuning into the #BetweenTwoFermenters podcast. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on whichever platform you get your podcasts at and be sure to follow GreatLakesBeer [http://instagram.com/greatlakesbeer] on all social channels. greatlakesbeer.com. [http://greatlakesbeer.com/] Supporting local never tasted soooo good!   Hosted by Troy Burtch [https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-burtch/], Between Two Fermenters, a podcast brought to you by Toronto's Great Lakes Brewery [http://greatlakesbeer.com/] where craft beer and conversation collide - straight from the tanks to your ears.