The Best Breweries in Windsor, Ontario: Your Guide to Windsor's Brewery Scene

If you’re looking for great beer in Windsor, then you’re in luck. I run through the best breweries in Windsor and note which beers should be on your radar from each brewery. Spoiler alert - Windsor has some solid breweries!

Sandwich Brewing Co. in the historic Sandwich neighbourhood in Windsor.

I’ve always loved the chance to explore a city through its brewery scene. And yes, of course I enjoy beer itself, but it’s always been about more than that for me. I’ve said this many times before, but I’ve yet to meet a brewery owner who doesn’t have a good story to tell about how they got into brewing, and how they eventually decided to make the leap into starting a brewery.

Not only that, but brewing is an intensely personal and creative process. Not unlike an artist or chef, a brewmaster is putting their own flare in the beer, and that flare is often affected by the local surroundings and ingredients available.

Finally, in today’s world, we’re yearning more than ever for community hubs, and “the brewery,” as an institution, has been invaluable for that - not to mention the community pride it invokes.

All that to say, I thoroughly enjoy the chance to do some brewery hopping, and that’s precisely what I did in Windsor to ensure I could put together an article for you that is as useful as possible for you. Let’s get to it, shall we?

What Are Windsor’s Best Breweries?

I should mention, first off, that for a city its size, Windsor does hit above its weight in terms of its brewery scene. If you’re into breweries, or what I’ve come to call “brewourism,” this is a solid city in Ontario to go for it, not unlike London as well.

As always, just make sure that you’re taking Ubers or have a designated driver if you plan to really pad your Untappd profile while you’re there. The Windsor breweries won’t be listed in any hierarchical order below, by the way, as that’s not my style. They’re all worthy of a visit in their own right, and I’ll explain why below.

Sandwich Brewing Co.

Sandwich is a historic area in Windsor that is situated along the Detroit River. It contains no shortage of 19th (and even 18th) century landmarks. Sandwich Brewing has hopped into a historic old building in the neighbourhood and have noted that their “love of old buildings is eclipsed only by our love of exceptional beer. Putting it all on the line to create something special at the confluence of the two.”

This is my new favourite brewery in Windsor, to be blunt. I parked my bike out back by the picnic tables, and I was able to chat with both the owners and the brewmaster about their brewery. It’s quite clear they care a tremendous amount about both beer and community.

I loved their White Bronco IPA which somehow managed to be both remarkably full-flavoured, but also incredibly refreshing after I’d done some cycling. Expect some delicious Ontario yeast and heavy hints of stone and citrus.

I’m not usually overly taken with wheat beers, but I did very much appreciate their Prarie Sunshine, which they’re noted for brewing even outside the summer months. Most any beer drinker could find some happiness in this pour, but there was also a complexity here for any big time craft beer drinkers.

The All That Razz is a pinkish brew made with fresh raspberries that packs a lot of flavour but still manages to go down easy, and it’s a saison if you happen to be keen on that style. It was a hot day, so I was veering on the lighter side of beers, but I do know that they’re noted for their South of the Border Porter and Hash Brown oatmeal stout as well.

Craft Heads Brewing Company

If you’re looking for adventurous beers in Windsor, this is your spot. Located in the heart of downtown Windsor, this is a place where it’s not uncommon to see up to 30 taps in use, all with their own beers.

I was intrigued by the Paczki - Mexican Chocolate Donut brew, and would recommend giving that a whirl, and also liked their ‘Blues’Berry Blonde, a beer which lives up rather nicely to its title. The Peach Juicy Boi is less my style but, generally speaking, this is the sort of establishment where you should come with an open mind and try out a flight that you wouldn’t find elsewhere.

You likely won’t love everything you try, but in my humble opinion, that’s not the point at an establishment like this. They push brewing boundaries, and in return, we push our own beer boundaries when we visit. I, for example, didn’t think I’d ever be recommending a Mexicano chocolate donut beer, but here we are!

Walkerville Brewery

What was on tap at Walkerville when I popped in.

If you’re visiting Windsor, then you need to spend some time in the Walkerville neighbourhood, and if you’re spending time in the Walkerville neighbourhood, then you need to pop into Walkerville Brewery.

They’re all about unique, handcrafted beers brewed in small batches. Naturally, they brew in larger quantities for their flagship beers, but generally speaking, you can expect some unique and interesting beers on tap each time you visit. Having had the chance to talk to the brewers and staff, it’s easy to see they like to be playful in their offerings.

They’ve got some staples - the Honest Lager, the Easy Stout, the Geronimo IPA, the Purity Pilsener, the Waterfront Wit, and Rob Roy Scotch Ale. At breweries, I always start with the lager because you can taste the brewing process quite clearly since there aren’t any fruits etc. added, so I’d recommend the Honest Lager. Plus, it’s quite good. To me, the star was the Purity Pilsener, though.

Their craft cider is also worth trying if you’re into cider and particularly their Argyle Apple Craft Cider.

BREW Microbrewery

My brother and I popped on over here not so long ago during our weekend visiting both Windsor and Detroit. They’re a true microbrewery that’s interested in creating smooth, flavourful and drinkable beers.

Their most popular beer, by a country mile, is their Maple Beer, and that’s the beer to try if you’re keen on smooth, sweet, malty ales. Their Proper Lager is their “flagship beer,” and it’s quite easy drinking. If I was visiting in the fall, I’d definitely get their “The Walking Red” American amber, which tastes like it’s got a heavy backend of fall spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg.

They don’t brew that many beers, seeing as they’re a microbrewery and all, but they know what they do well and focus on that.

Chapter Two Brewing Company

Located right between Walkerville and Ford City is Chapter Two Brewing Company. Since 2018, they’ve become recognized as a brewery that’s producing quality beers, led by their Certified Cicerone® brewer Michael Beaudoin.

Despite being a relatively new brewery, the all brick decor manages to take you back to a historic time, so it fits rather well with the surrounding neighbourhoods.

I’m annoyingly particular about cream ales, but I thought the Ford City Cream Ale struck a perfect balance with a sweet intro and a dry finish. Every brewery needs a classic West-Coast IPA, and the Danger Bird IPA is just that for Chapter Two. It’s got all the floral and citrus undertones that you’re looking for.

While the Ford City Cream Ale had the carbonation amplified to give it a bit of a pop, you’ll find the reverse with the Zug Island Porter, and that means it’s going to go down smooth, smooth, smooth. It’s toasty, but balanced with some caramel sweetness on the tail-end of the sip.

I’m curious to see what they come up with next, to be honest. This is a brewery on the list that I’d like to visit again soon and get another flight rolling.

Frank Brewing Co.

Frank Brewing Co. is situated a fair ways east of central Windsor, with some even saying it’s located in Tecumseh, but however you want to define it geographically, it’s a spot worth having on your radar. For starters, they’ve got a nice outdoor patio area out front, but the interior was also lovely to hang out in.

I didn’t personally eat here, but I wanted to mention that I saw a few pizzas being strolled on out and they looked delicious. You can check out the menu here, if you’re curious.

In terms of beer, their Sunshine IPA was exceptional, and you could really taste the notes of mango on the backend. If it’s warm, I wouldn’t hesitate to follow that up with a Sombrero Cerveza - a beer that intensely refreshing, especially with a squeeze of lime.

I’d love to go back and try a few more beers the next time I’m in town. I’ve got my eye on the Hoperator pale ale and Honey Habanero herbed beer, in particular.

That’s a Wrap on Windsors’ Breweries

What I like in particular about the list above is that the breweries are scattered around Windsor in a way that means you can visit a brewery, then use it as an excuse to explore the surrounding neighbourhood. Ideally, a visit to these breweries will provide the impetus for people to better to get to know Walkerville, Sandwich, the City Centre, and Tecumseh.

However you approach things, be kind to the person pouring your beer, and take a moment to realize that, for many brewery owners, a brewery is the manifestation of a lifelong dream in action. So if you like a particular beer, don’t be scared to tell your server, the owner, of a brewmaster.

Cheers!

We want to humbly thank Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island for hosting us as media. All opinions are completely our own.

If you appreciated this article, you’ll love our newsletter, as well as our Facebook group! Feel free to join, all are welcome. If you’ve got any questions or comments, add them below, and I’ll be sure to get back to you.