Folly Brewing
928 College St, Toronto, ON M6H 1A4
Monday-Thursday 2pm-10pm
Friday-Saturday 2pm-11pm
Sunday 2pm-9pm
Accepts Reservations
We came on a Friday around 3:00pm
Pub-Style, Good Beer Selection, Upscale Food, Board Games Available
Folly Brewing Entrance on the North Side of College Street
Atmosphere
Fernanda: It appears to be a place where you can hang out with your friends. It's cozy and rustic, and they have board games you can play. Folly hosts events, and it looks like the type of place that is big enough to do so. It was empty when we went there, but it did look like the kind of place that would fill up later on in the evening.
Scott: Moderately low-lit, based around a bar but with many tables, a television, and board games: everything about Folly's appearance screams pub. When we went it was empty aside from the occasional passerby who stopped to pick up a bottle at the bottle shop before leaving. A large group could fit if they got there early enough, but it's not a massive space. It's probably best for small groups. Being on a fairly busy street, I'd imagine that it could get fairly full at times, but I can't confirm that. It definitely had the feel of a nighttime place, although it was nice and quiet during the day.
Food and Service
Folly Menu, as posted in their front window
Fernanda: Even though Folly looked closed (the bartender was cleaning up while we were there), we were made to feel welcome. The bartender was tending to our needs and excitedly talking about each beer he presented. Unlike every other brewery I've been to, he made the suggestion to have the darker beers at the end, which I think is important to point out because not many people know that the order might affect the taste of the beer. Unfortunately, we did not get to try any food, since their kitchen opens at 5 and we got there around 3, but I would love to come back and check out their food menu.
Scott: The bartender was very friendly and attentive. We ordered three flights of beer (to cover everything they had on draught) and he brought them out at regular intervals so that they would still be cold and carbonated by the time we got around to them. When I bought a bottle from the bottle shop, he engaged me in brief, friendly conversation about the beers we'd tried. I definitely felt welcome here. As for food, they don't open their kitchen until 5pm (Tuesday-Saturday), and unfortunately we weren't able to stay that late, so we'll have to go back another time to try it out.
Beer
Three Flights of Beer from Folly Brewing
Fernanda: They had a wide variety of styles on tap. Their main focus seems to be tart beers. I'm not sure if this is a year-round thing or more seasonal. Either way, I was happy with the selection. They even had a dark sour. My favourite beer, though was the Great Barasway 2020 (Bourbon Barrel) Imperial Porter. I'm not sure if the weather had an influence on this since a high-percentage beer definitely warmed me up. But the taste was also rich and well-rounded. I thought the beer tasting glasses were pretty cool. It allows you to appreciate the beer more than you would with a regular sample glass.
Scott: We tried every draught beer they had available, and what stood out to me was a sense of experimentation. If you're looking for something basic and familiar, you're not going to find it here. There are no lagers, blonde ales, or stouts, and the only IPA and Amber were Farmhouse-style. There were a lot of Saisons and tart beer styles. I did enjoy their two Imperial Porters, however: Great Barasway 2020 (Wine Barrel) and Great Barasway 2020 (Bourbon Barrel), which were very different from the rest of the menu, offering a smooth and creamy alternative.
Overall
Maybe more of a nighttime place than a daytime haunt, Folly embraces its pub-style appearance, despite edging away from traditional pub-style expectations in its more experimental types of beer and slightly classy food menu. If you aren't hungry, or are willing to order in, it's not a bad place to come for a quiet spot during the day on weekdays. Walking distance from Dufferin Mall, Folly offers a nice place to stop for a drink before or after shopping. It's also fairly close to the Mod Club Theatre, if you're looking for somewhere to go before a show.
