Craft beer is undeniably a community endeavour. We buy the beer to support our neighbours who are on a quest to make the beer they (and we) like to drink. Building a community also means supporting those who fall on hard times—doubly so around the holidays. Here are just a few of the Ontario craft breweries who have set up special charitable programming for December 2019.

Great Lakes

The popular brewery in South Etobicoke is once again running a special fundraising campaign for the holidays. They released their Hops for Hunger white eggnog stout and will be sending a dollar from each can and glass they sell at the brewery to the Daily Bread Food Bank. They are also giving a free five-ounce sample to anyone who donates non-perishable food, baby food or diapers to the yellow bin located on site.

Left Field

Toronto’s baseball-themed brewery goes above and beyond with a month of events in support of Red Door Family Shelter.  That includes the Draughts & Crafts holiday makers’ market on Dec. 8 and a meet and greet with Santa on Dec. 15. Plus, they’re accepting donations at the brewery and sending $1 from every full size pour to support this worthy cause.

Dominion City

At their annual Christmas night market, Dominion City is collecting donations for the Gloucester Emergency Food Cupboard.

Black Lab Brewery

These guys stayed on-theme with a canine-related fundraiser for the holidays. Their swag shop has Zoe dog treat advent calendars ($15) and all proceeds go to support the OSPCA.

Beau’s Brewery

Technically, the festivities wrapped up on November 30, but you can still donate to a team that was part of the #Beaus4Mos challenge. The eastern Ontario brewery set (and exceeded) an ambitious $30,000 fundraising target this year.

Whitewater

At their Lakeside brewpub, this eastern Ontario brewery, is holding a donation drive with a seasonal theme. Each day in December has a different suggested donation item, advent-calendar-style but in reverse. Everything collected goes to support the Cobden Food Bank. Bring two items or more and they’ll buy you one of their stout brownies.

Rorschach

Between Dec. 1 – 19, Rorschach will match each non-perishable food item that you donate with a dollar off one of their beers. (If you bring three items, you’ll have to spread the discount over three separate beers.) Donations go to the Eastview Neighbourhood Community Centre.

Update: The Whitewater and Rorschach items were added after this post was first published. Let us know of any others we’ve missed and we’ll be happy to add them.