Gravenhurst was built on sawdust. Long before the steamships carried tourists, sawmills lined this shore and lumber built the town — and Sawdust City Brewing Co., founded in July 2014, wears that working past proudly in its name. Inside its Gravenhurst brewery and taproom, though, the motto is anything but traditional: “there are no rules.”
Brewmaster Sam Corbeil and his team brew traditional styles with untraditional flavours — five year-round core brands anchored by the Lone Pine IPA, Gateway Kölsch and Skinny Dippin’ Stout, plus a rotating cast of seasonal, limited-batch, barrel-aged and experimental brews that keeps regulars guessing. The taproom pours it all alongside cider and wine, with a full kitchen serving pub fare that earns its own following — the Sawdust Burger, Nashville chicken sandwich and duck wings among the favourites.
It’s a social hub as much as a brewery: a dog-friendly patio (four-legged guests get their own water dishes), live music and events, and a renovated two-floor event space with a mezzanine that seats up to 200 for weddings and parties. In the gateway to Muskoka, Sawdust City is where the town’s rough-and-tumble history meets a very modern pint.