TORONTO, Ontario -- First, understand the main distinction: Great Lakes Brewing Co. and Great Lakes Brewery are not the same thing. They're not even in the same country.

The former is in Cleveland. The latter is in Toronto. And the difference is pointed out every time someone Tweets a story I write about the craft brewery in Ohio City. Invariably, someone from the brewery that sits on the western fringe of Canada's largest city is apt to pipe up: "Hey! Wrong Great Lakes! We're the one in Canada, eh?"

As owner Peter Bulut notes, "more breweries from Ontario are coming into the States." And as much as he said he would "absolutely" love to consider distribution here, capacity is a concern.

"We're big for Ontario but small for craft brewers in the U.S.," he said.

Toronto's Great Lakes Brewery produces about 15,000 barrels annually, Bulut said, which is about a tenth the size of its Cleveland counterpart.

While the names are close, each has a distinct personality. And it's worth noting the two have a variety of similarities and differences. Here's a quick, side-by-side comparison:

History

GLBC in Cleveland: Founded in 1988, first craft brewer in Ohio.

GLB in Toronto: Founded in 1987, it's the oldest independent craft brewer in Toronto.

Size

GLBC in Cleveland: The 200-employee brewery distributes in more than a dozen states and Washington, D.C.

GLB in Toronto: The 26-employee brewery distributes primarily in Ontario.

Tastes

GLBC in Cleveland: Samplers are available in the brewpub.

GLB in Toronto: Sample-size pours are available. On a recent trip I enjoyed Crazy Canuck (strong but not over-the-top in hops, with a nice long finish), Devil's Pale Ale 666 (wonderfully smooth dark ale) and Johnny Simcoe Pale Ale (brewed with 100 percent Simcoe hops, allowing you to discern the specific hop varietal, and only 5 percent alcohol).

On the water

GLBC in Cleveland: Lake Erie is a few blocks to the north.

GLB in Toronto: Lake Ontario is a few blocks to the southeast.

Flagship brews

GLBC in Cleveland: Dortmunder Gold, a lager at 5.8 percent alcohol.

GLB in Toronto: Crazy Canuck, an India Pale Ale at 5.2 percent alcohol.

Importance of craft beer

GLBC in Cleveland: Beer? In Cleveland? Yeah, it's kind of a big thing.

GLB in Toronto: "There isn't a huge microbrewing culture here, but it's getting better," says Tomas Baldasaro of the brewery's sales department.

Logos

GLBC in Cleveland: Three wavy water lines represent a financial bottom line, social engagement in the community and ecology.

GLB in Toronto: The logo has gone through several incarnations, Bulut says. "It's similar (in meaning). We had first put five for the five Great Lakes. It was too cluttered so we dropped it down to three. ... It's because there's three generations of Peter Buluts - my dad, me, and my son. We were called Pete, Repeat, and Threepeat."

Punny names

GLBC in Cleveland: Rye of the Tiger IPA, Berlot, The Stein Bock, Tripel Dog Dare, Wit Til Next Year.

GLB in Toronto: Miami Weiss Wheat, Robohop Imperial IPA, Audrey Hopburn, No Chance With Miranda Saison, Harry Porter.

Brewing creativity

GLBC in Cleveland: The brewer doesn't shy from trying different styles, from Belgian ales, a variety of wheat ales, imperial stouts and many others.

GLB in Toronto: Mainly smooth pale ales and lagers in the core group, but an occasional oddball or seasonal is thrown in, like Orange Peel Ale, Pumpkin Ale, Green Tea Ale and others.

Happy holidays!

GLBC in Cleveland: Christmas Ale, with honey, ginger and cinnamon at 7.5 percent alcohol.

GLB in Toronto: Winter Ale, with honey, ginger, cinnamon and orange peel at 6.2 percent alcohol. (The cinnamon lingers nicely, but tastes very little like the Cleveland seasonal, which is a bit more full-bodied.)

Awards

GLBC in Cleveland: Eight beers have won 12 Great American Beer Festival awards since 1990, according to the GABF.

GLB in Toronto: Canadian Brewery of the Year in 2013 at Canadian Brewing Awards, plus it has a handful of awards in the province and country for several of its beers.

What else is there?

GLBC in Cleveland: Full restaurant, tours and beer classes are all available. Owners Pat and Dan Conway are eyeing expansion.

GLB in Toronto: Uh, not much else. "We're a bit of a destination, location-wise," Baldasaro says. The brewery is located on a frontage road by a major highway.

Events

GLBC in Cleveland: Burning River Fest.

GLB in Toronto: Eggs & Kegs.

Wheels

GLBC in Cleveland: The famous Fatty wagon, which runs on vegetable oil, shuttles sports fans to Progressive Field.

GLB in Toronto: A hearse! How cool is that? Flames flick along the side of the ominous black vehicle, touting Devil's Pale Ale 666, a dark ale that tastes a bit like a porter and is a moderate 6 percent alcohol.

Growlers?

GLBC in Cleveland: Yes!

GLB in Toronto: Yes!

Gift shop

GLBC in Cleveland: Adjacent to the brewpub, you can buy beer, books, clothes and a lot more.

GLB in Toronto: In the small first-floor foyer area of the brewery's offices, you can buy beer from a cooler. A couple of shelves hold shirts, mustard, vinegar, winter vests, toques (it's Canada, remember) and - of all things - cell-phone skins.

And for the record ...

GLBC in Cleveland: @GLBC_Cleveland

GLB in Toronto: