Magnificent, frothy pints of beer. Whether it's a blistering July afternoon or a cool February evening, I can't refuse a full glass of home-brew. Fortunately, I live just around the corner from one of the best independent brew-pubs in the city.

The Granite Brewery is my local bastion of beer, a pub that takes pride in brewing its own ales, bitters, and stouts served amidst a comforting decor of red burnished tables and shelves of books. Yes, books in a drinking establishment! Though the selection shows a curious predilection toward Soviet-topical books such as the Bay of Pigs and fat tomes of Khrushchev's memoirs, I'm excited every time I enter and get a whff of those glorious beers.

The pub, at Eglinton and Mt. Pleasant, is run by Ron Keefe, one of a pair of brew-master siblings; there's a sister Granite Brewery in Halifax run by brother Kevin Keefe. They serve a fine variety of home-made beers, among them the light India Pale Ale, the brawny Keefe's Irish Stout (a great Canadian competitor to Guinness), and the seasonable Summer Ale.

Traditional pub fare such as beer-battered fish and chips is served alongside wings and ribs. The food is decent and well-portioned but it's the beer that is the signature calling card of any brewpub worth its hops. A personal favourite of mine is the Old Peculiar, a dark ale that goes down like ambrosia and which gets me buzzing after only two white-topped pints.

An interesting offer is the "growler", a 1.9 litre bottle that can be filled with your favourite brew and taken home. After the $4 bottle deposit it's only $11.50 (tax included!) to fill the bottle and there's no extra charge when using it as a conversation starter at your next party.

So, if you're in the neighbourhood (perhaps visiting the nearby Mt. Pleasant Theatre) I encourage you to stop in at the Granite Brewery, park yourself on a stool, take in the Jeff Buckley tunes and have a pint of goodness. And don't forget to tilt your glass in the direction of Laurel and Hardy (you'll see).

The Granite Brewery is located at 245 Eglinton Ave. E, on the corner of Mt. Pleasant and Eglinton.
416-322-0723 Free underground parking located off of Mt.Pleasant!