Traveling Cowboys: Meeting Our Brewers and Distillers at Calgary International Beerfest Courtesy of ABF, Alberta, Canada

Our Beer

We wanted to know where our beer comes from. That is why we attended the 2017 Calgary International Beerfest courtesy of Bill Robinson from Alberta Beer Festivals.

This is not another blog post to get wax lyrical about the explosion of craft and micro brewing in Alberta. We are not going to contemplate the ever prevailing evils of big corporations or the AGLC's manipulation of the industry. We are also going to leave the hophead potshots for another time (only this time).

In this post, the Traveling Cowboys went searching for the makers. The people who brew our beer and distil our Whisky in Alberta - Our people.

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A convention and festival is an ideal opportunity for a business to exhibit its wares. It is a chance to get close to prospective and loyal customers. When we get an invitation to attend a fest we cannot contain our enthusiasm to see what's new. It is even better when a beer is involved.

Who doesn't like a road trip? We love traveling to see and meet the Brewers and Distillers of our Province. As a bonus, an event like this gives us a chance to "speed date" the newer producers and "speed taste" unique new beverage creations. We get to introduce ourselves, catch up with old friends and meet the "new babies" (With "new babies" we imply original beverage creations and concoctions from inspirational experimentations. There is no place for children in a beer hall.).

Observations

We discovered at the Calgary International Beerfest that it was crowded.

Yes, we know it is a very popular and an ever-growing event with more than forty thousand attendees over two half-days. What we mean with crowded is that we proudly saw how well represented our own Alberta producers were against the imports from other Provinces. Alberta producers are starting to carry their own weight when placed alongside the big names. We are slowly and gloriously starting to crowd out the corporations.

There was another very obvious distinction between the breweries in attendance. We like to distinguish between the "dress-ups" and the "show-ups." The "dress-ups" put effort into portraying the lifestyle. The "show-ups" are living it.

The dress-up booths have the band, the brand, the packaging and the script that hits the caramel notes, chocolate, sea breeze aromas and IBUs. The customary V-Dub bus is parked in front with the smiling Beertarts pouring drinks from its side, to complete the perfect portrayal of fake friendships, market segmented tastes, brand associations, and consumer preferences.

The show-ups brought their kegs on a wheelbarrow. The taps are in a toolbox. In the back, a bag of ice in a tin bath is chilling the beer. The brewer is the business. His personality is the brand. He pours your pint from a brew he mashed last week. To become his customer is to be counted as one of his friends. No one can recall the names of his beers, and it doesn't really matter. His passion for consistent perfection is what is important. He never disappoints. Hops grow in his beard. Everything he does and that comes with him is real and authentic.

This is how we know where our beer comes from. It comes from a brewer. Our people.

What truly sets some apart from others is the passion that comes from the maker. The authenticity of the people, their community involvement and the quality of the beer.

According to Bill Robinson, "People want to know who is responsible for what they are eating and drinking." We completely agree. It is good to know who they are.

Hendrik van Wyk

Beer Cowboy

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Photos

Here for the Beer

Where is this?

The V-Dub Bus

Coolbox Brigade

Our People

Wrong Glasses

Education is Important

Just Beautiful

Two Cowboys: Getting to Know New Beer Friends at the First Annual Alberta Craft Brewing Convention, Red Deer, Alberta

It's 'Bout Community

We gathered in Red Deer, Alberta for the first annual Alberta Craft Brewing Convention on 28 and 29 March 2017. What was planned for a 100 attendee event by Alberta's Small Brewery Association turned into a whopping 300+ attendee gathering.

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Red Deer is in the centre of Alberta. Canadians consider Alberta barley to be the heart of the brewing universe. There is a new gold-rush on the prairies, and this time it is for golden liquid gold.

Beer Gold 

It makes a lot of sense considering that the Province, and Canada in general, are late comers to craft brewing and distilling game. The country is finally discovering local beer thanks to a relaxation of regulations. It is something that stems from and still lingers due to a legacy in prohibition, controls, tariffs and a continuing governmental infatuation with "sin" taxation.

All this cannot stem the newfound enthusiasm of more than 50+ Alberta craft breweries that already made their debut recently. Judging from the attendees at the convention, more breweries are to come. Even the Alberta's Finance Minister took time out to celebrate the newly found economic optimism with a handout (rather, a partial hand back) to brewing and distilling entrepreneurs in a Province where many businesses are still languishing in the doldrums of the 2015 oil price shocks.

Alberta's infamous booze entangled history is well documented. Maybe it is finally time that beer and whisky production is recognised as a responsible business, grown-up and the economic staple of a diversified Albertan economy. Booze production may just be the next provincial cash cow. It is already on track if you listen to the folks at the convention. Then again, they were well lubricated with free fresh beer when we quizzed them about the industry's viability.

The people that pumped oil a short while ago are now boiling, mashing, fermenting and tapping. Everyone claims ambitiously and boldly to be a first in something. The first nano-brewery, first craft malting company, first sour producer, first up in the morning, first to put poetry on their cans, first on the corner and first to market with the next creative concoction dreamed up during a late night booze-fuelled brainstorming session. We'll leave the jokes about beer and beards for another time.

Observations

Experts claim that Alberta can and should produce a lot more beer. The market is nowhere near saturated with craft breweries according to Alberta's Small Brewery Association's President, Terry Rock. The question will be if there are enough drinkers for all this creativity? Will the capital that is pumped into these optimistic ventures actually return a profit?

Two things we know about beer. Like bread, you need to enjoy it is fresh. Like a good Alberta steak, it is best when you share it with friends.

Will the economics stack up around the craft brewing and distilling industries in Alberta? We don't know that yet. We have the foundation in our well-established grain and century old malting legacy. Maybe it will. There are bound to be winners and losers. What we do know is that all this enthusiasm is ensuring we get to drink fresh beer with our friends at our local. Sounds like heaven, doesn't it?

That is why we are on the Great Alberta Beer Run to get to know our breweries and brewmasters. To separate fact from fiction, and to learn who plays dress-up and who are the real community players. There is a lot of road ahead and a lot of beer to sample. As you've also probably gathered, there is also a lot of interesting stories to tell and large claims to be validated. Most of it comes with a little ridiculousness and a whole lot of fun in every glass.

What a glorious time to be in Alberta!

Enjoy our coverage of the event. See you on the road for a cold one.

Hendrik van Wyk
Craft Beer Brewer and Drinking Cowboy

Other material from the convention:

1. Speech from Hon. Joe Ceci, Minister of Finance for Alberta (Video)
2. Keynote - Tony Magee, Lagunitas (sponsored by Rahr Malting) (Video)
3. Art Froehlich Interviewed by Jim Bladon of ATB Financial (Video)

We are a content company. We earn our livelihood from producing great content about inspiring people and their stories. We use Patreon to help us earn from our work. It allows us to have a closer relationship with our collaborators and grow our audience. 

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Photos

Success!

Barrels

Delegates