The first time I met Matt Polowyk, Head Brewer and Co-owner of Samara Brewing Co. I wasn’t looking for an interview, or even a pint. I’d never been to Samara, and only stumbled in looking for cans (which at the time weren’t available.) “Well,” I thought to myself. “Since I walked all the way here, I may as well have a beer.” I asked Matt for a beer recommendation, and his answer shocked me to my core — “Try our Red Ale.”
Red Ale? Dear reader, when was the last time you had a Red (Amber) Ale? Lemme guess — did you pull a Rickard’s Red out of your Dad’s beer fridge? I racked my brain for another Toronto craft brewery that offers this style of beer. Because this isn’t a cute one-off nod to an iconic Dad beer — as Matt told me it’s one of their flagship, always-on-tap offerings.
Then I took a sip and everything made sense. It was delicious. And it underscores the audacity that defines the West End’s newest brewery.
“I’m an artist and a scientist… maybe leaning more toward the scientific side,” Matt told me, underscoring his thorough approach to brewing. “I know what I want it to look like in the glass, and I build the recipe based on that—flavour, mouthfeel, the whole experience.”
Matt came by brewing honestly. It was a family tradition, and artifacts from these roots still influence his beer today.
“My grandparents used to brew their own beer and wine in their basement. One of the first things I’d do as a kid was run into a scary basement to see what was bubbling. That was my first experience with fermentation,” Matt said. “I still use my grandfather’s hydrometer to measure alcohol.”
But it’s not just the fact they keep a Red Ale on their lineup. Samara’s very existence is audacious. They took over their space from the well-loved, gone-too-soon People’s Pint Brewery, that like many other craft breweries felt the squeeze of a contracting industry. Why would Samara succeed in the exact same off-the-beaten path location in the exact same industry where People’s Pint could not?
“I knew there were built-in people who wanted this place to succeed,” Matt said, referring to the People’s Pint loyalists who now frequent Samara. “And it’s being shown every day.”
“People are finding us, and it’s great to have that community back. They’re excited to have something local in the neighborhood.”
The neighbourhood itself is changing rapidly. Located on Cawthra Ave, tucked behind a now-demolished rubber factory, it hasn’t typically been a happening space — until recently. Hip cafe’s, a distillery and — of course — Samara are drawing crowds and their wallets.
“This street is turning into the next Geary Avenue, Matt said. “It’s all starting to come together.”
“People walk in and say, ‘Holy shit, I didn’t think this was in here. Once they get in, they feel comfortable. There’s a good energy in this building.”
So there’s the Red Ale, there’s the location, there’s the brewing beer in the same place as a failed brewery during a craft beer recession — how else could Samara push the envelope? With their branding of course! Matt and team have ofted for a soft, organic, distinctly UN-masculine aesthetic, completely at odds with brewery stereotypes. Even their name tips a cap to this organic whistfullness.
“Samara is the scientific name for a winged seed, like a maple key. It brings people back to childhood,” Matt explained. “The Samara seed has everything you need—it can grow roots, but it also represents community and spreading outward.”
On their brand identity Matt continued:
“I wanted it to be softer—everyone markets to the same 25-to-35-year-old guy. I wanted this to be for everyone.”
So now I’ll encourage you to be audacious. Head on down to 90 Cawthra Ave, past the piles of rubble that still smell like rubber, past the European-style cheese manufacturer, and grab a pint of Red Ale at Samara Brewing Co. Prepare to be delighted.
The Brilliant Audacity of Samara Brewing Co.