The 'Pub Guy' marks a milestone
Canada’s “Pub Guy” Bill Perrie has a dream job that allows him to travel around the country in search of bars to drink his favourite brew.
Perrie, 53, of Stouffville, was nursing a cold one at one of his favourite Toronto watering holes, The Firkin on King, on Thursday to mark his 2,500 bar visit.
He was accompanied by friends and fellow beer aficionados who openly profess their love for suds.
“It has been a labour of love,” said Perrie, who has written seven books on Canadian pubs. “The people is what makes a good pub great.”
Perrie said Toronto has many world-class pubs and bars that cater to everyone.
“There is such a diversity here that it all depends on what you feel like,” he said. “I am a great believer in local pubs.”
Perrie, who has an Internet radio show and is a columnist for Pub Magazine, has been travelling the country since 1999 checking out pubs. He has racked up thousands of kilometres in search of “hidden gems.”
“I did not set out to visit as many pubs as I could,” Perrie said. “I am always on a quest to find great local and hidden gems.”
He interest in pubs date back to his days in Scotland, where “bars were like a community centre that people attended everyday after work to catch up with friends.
There are many pubs that are a pleasure to visit, he said.
“The local pub is the true hub of the community and a great place to unwind with friends and neighbours,” Perrie said.
Firkin general manager Dan Targonsky said Perrie could have gone to any the GTA’s 2,500 pubs to mark his milestone visit.
“We are honoured to have him here,” Targonsky said. “He is working to spread the word about the many great pubs out there.”
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