Last Call at Gambrinus
by Brian Thomson
Any time one receives strange news on April 1st, it should be most certainly taken with a grain of salt. It was on April Fools of this year, a rumour began circulating which to me certainly seemed unbelievable. Alas, it was no joke.
Upon first hearing rumblings of the sale and closing of Gambrinus Bistro & Café, in London, ON, a very small part of me froze - then I remembered it what day it was. “Bollocks!” I thought… but I also told myself to wait and see what comes tomorrow. April 2nd dawned, and on Facebook I came upon two posts that confirmed said rumour, burst many a bubble, and broke the hearts of many beer geeks, including mine. This was, after all, my bar. For 3 years, it had been a place of celebration, of joy, sometimes refuge, and sometimes quiet contemplation over a delicious pint. A place where they knew me, and I knew them. Not to mention the hands-down best beer selection in London. And now, due to a business decision, gone. Bollocks.
The transformation from Chancey Smith’s (a restaurant of average beer selection) to Gambrinus Bistro & Cafe (the #3 ranked beer bar in Ontario) began with the arrival of Milos Kral. Formerly of Chaucers Pub (which was formerly the best place to go for beer in London), Milos took the GM’s helm, and with passion and dedication built a place that would stand proudly next to almost any beer bar in Canada. 18 rotating taps featuring Ontario craft breweries, along with some excellent offerings from the rest of Canada and beyond, fresh cask ale, and a bottle list that for a time boasted a dozen Mikkellers, Sam Adams Utopias, Brewdog Tactical Nuclear Penguin, and Westvleteren 12. All at the same time. Add in the beer dinners (featuring notable breweries such as Brewdog and Black Oak), numerous Meet & Greets (showcasing their unwavering support of the Ontario Craft beer scene), and let’s not forget the Flying Monkeys Tap Takeover (for more on that, check out the BrewforThought blog from Feb 6 - “The Monkeys have taken over!”), which was one of my favourite nights spent there. For beer geeks in London and the surrounding area, this was the place to go.
Milos has a passion for beer, but the truly important thing to him is beer as a social lubricant. It was the gatherings, the friendship, the camaraderie that mattered. I had more than a few solo pints there, and on more than a few occasions he would pull up a seat and join me. And it was not just Milos, but the whole crew there that made the place so welcoming.
On April 2nd, the word quickly spread of a mere two weeks left before Gambrinus closed its doors. If anyone had doubt of the local beer community’s support, all such ludicrous ideas were put to rest in those final two weeks. Of the 5 nights (including the last 3) I was there, it was packed every night. With a significant sale on bottles, $4 pints and $10 pitchers, that certainly was motivation, but it was more so a chance to savour being there again, and to say goodbye. And on the final night I was there with a friend, and despite the frenzy of activity, Milos found time to grab a beer and sidle up with us for a good half an hour. In that conversation was revealed a man enjoying something truly bittersweet - the closing of a place he helped create, and at the same time witnessing such an outpouring of love and support, and a celebration of that which he had worked so hard for.
From that conversation, and that night overall, the silver lining was seen - Milos (who was contemplating time off, until witnessing the aforementioned outpouring of support) was inspired, and right away the whisperings began that he was seeking for “the new place”. That was welcome news to all. And truly, it is not the walls and ceiling nor the bar that make such a place - it is the passion and love of the people there that make it so. For this beer geek’s money, I would bet my bottom dollar as soon as there is another bar with Milos Kral behind it, the beer will reappear, the warmth will be rekindled, and London’s beer geeks will have a home once more. Until then, we wait, and until then, Cheers!
For any of you wishing to support, follow up, and keep tabs on Milos’ next moves, you can join the army on Facebook.
