Faces of the Danforth 2020

For our first installation of #facesofthedanforth this year, we spoke with Charles of @fermentations and discussed with him how they started out and where they are today.

They initially established their shop in 1993 on Pape ave and then by 2003 joined us here on the Danforth. This well established DIY wine/beer making lab stemmed from Charles’s own personal hobby, which he then got to turn into a living. A self proclaimed science geek from childhood, he decided this would be a great thing to try out when he saw an ad for making your own beer for 3 cents a bottle. The idea of fermenting something himself was very enticing. The rest is history!

Charles says it is a really creative process, and that each day he and his team are researching different kinds of wines or beers for different customers’ palates. With the growth of the craft beer industry, he has noticed a large number of people coming to his store, keen and eager to learn the process about what is in the beers they enjoy. Which falls in line with their mantra: to make beers or wines as good as they can be; making everyday a new adventure with the new emerging flavour portfolios. While we were there, 2 of his long time regulars, David & Lorrie, were in the midst of bottling their wine they had made. They expressed how much they enjoyed the ritual of coming routinely to make their wines and beers for their own consumption, and how they even would make gifts of them to friends and family.

On the topic of what Charles loves most about our community, he enjoys how people here seem to appreciate the artistic endeavour, more than just a product. And this is something that they work hard to achieve while helping their clients make enjoyable beverages. Charles also says that this strip is great because, while many businesses rely a lot on their local clientele, Danforth benefits from people travelling through or visiting from other parts of the city. They enjoy the charm and uniqueness of the stores & restaurants, which then allows them the potential of discovering businesses like his.

If you wish to know more about making your own wine or beer, stop in and have a chat with Charles and his staff. They will be happy to open your world to the wonders of the science & art of making your own personal batches. Also just in time for approaching Valentine’s Day - this night make for a fun gift/ date. So book a session today!