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BC’s Craft Beer Revolution: An Interview with Joe Wiebe, The Thirsty Writer

If you’re in the BC craft beer industry and haven’t heard the name Joe Wiebe (aka The Thirsty Writer) yet, you’ve definitely been missing out. Not just because he’s a great guy to have a chat about craft beer with, but also because he’s one of the biggest supporters and promoters of the industry in the province.

Joe’s love affair with beer started early on and solidified over the course of the last 30 years. He thanks his brother, Pete, and a few good friends for lighting the spark that ignited what would become the craft beer revolution in Joe’s own life. And he thanks the growth of the industry and the connections he’s made within it for continuing to fan those flames.

The makings of The Thirsty Writer

Joe moved from Ontario to BC in 1991, just as the craft beer boom was gaining ground. As the scene slowly grew, so did his interest in it. Since the move west, Joe has spent over two decades living in Vancouver and Victoria, visiting the breweries and pubs that made up the industry in the province. Wanting to explore more of BC and its craft beer scene, he planned an epic adventure across the province to see what laid beyond the two cities he was already familiar with.

Calling it his Craft Beer Odyssey, Joe drove 2,364km in a clockwise loop around BC, visiting as many breweries as he could. These breweries became the basis for the first edition of the The Craft Beer Revolution: The Insider’s Guide to B.C. Breweries, published in May of 2013. 

The second edition was basically a must as, within a year of publishing, the BC craft beer scene had exploded, doubling in breweries. With 40 new breweries to visit and write about, the second edition of the book came out in the spring of 2015. 

The province now boasts over 120 breweries, the third largest craft beer industry in Canada after Ontario and Quebec, and Joe’s hinted at the possibility of a third edition of the book (and beyond) in the future.

After publishing the Craft Beer Revolution and countless articles in magazines, newspapers, and various websites, Joe seems just as infatuated with craft beer as he describes himself being in those early days. What’s more, the passion he has for this industry is evident in the way he talks about it while sipping on a new brew at a local craft beer parlour.

As someone who has been an active observer and participant in the industry for so many years, Joe is a seemingly bottomless well of knowledge. We were lucky enough to chat with him over a pint to get some of his insights, hopes, and plans for BC’s craft beer industry.

Changes in BC’s craft beer industry

First up was an overview of the changes he’s noticed throughout the boom. There are three major aspects he points to: the impact of bottle shops on the industry, the endorsement of lounge licensing by the BC government, and the way that the consumption of beer has evolved over the years.

Private liquor stores have changed the game

“The industry has changed so considerably and so remarkably in the last 25 years since I’ve moved out here from Ontario. A major change would be the growth of the private liquor stores in parallel to the government stores. I think that was really important along the way because, here in BC, that meant that those liquor stores could evolve into what we have now which is basically these bottle shops that stock lots of interesting beers from all over the place. They also provide an alternate distribution model for breweries. Up until just a few years ago, most breweries had to open with their whole model based on selling to government stores and selling kegs to restaurants and bars. That was very limiting in terms of how much money they made, with kegs in particular because of wholesale price. And on the government store side, they had to produce a lot of each beer to serve it throughout the whole province. So it meant that you had to work on a very specific model where you could only have a few core brands that you put out a lot of - a high quantity of each of those.

But since the bottle shops evolved, most of the breweries that have opened, especially in the last three years in BC, don’t even use the government stores. They just simply use the bottle shops and that’s a huge difference because they can produce small batches; they can produce new beers all the time and there’s a market for that. So I think that’s a huge change.”

Lounge licensing for breweries

“Lounge licenses are another big change. There are a lot of breweries now that operate totally with this retail storefront focused model and that’s a huge difference as well. Again, it’s a better price point for them to sell their beers so it’s easier for them to start off that way. They don’t have to package their beer if they don’t want to, they don’t have to even keg it for it to go outside the building.

And it’s different too because you’re talking about that connection, the direct connection with your customer. You are handling every aspect of how that beer is arriving to your customer. It’s not like the old days where a brewery would package their beer and ship it off and it was ‘see ya later’. They had nothing else to do with it anymore. It’s a big difference. It means that customers have a much tighter connection with you and you can make sure that the beer they’re tasting is perfect, exactly the way you want it to taste. That’s really exciting and I think that’s one of the reasons why things have exploded so much in the last couple of years. A lot more people have gotten into beer because of that tasting room model.”

Craft brewing revolutionised how people drink beer

“And that’s the other thing that’s really changed - the way that we consume beer. In the ‘90s, I’d go to Swans and we’d order a pitcher. We might order pints if everybody didn’t want to drink the same thing, but pitchers were pretty much the cheapest way to drink beer. You’d get 2 or 3 pitchers of beer over the course of the night.

Now it’s often about ordering little sample flights or a few different glasses. I always point out that you can come [to places like the Drake] and have 8 different beers - two sample flights - over the course of a few hours. Get a little charcuterie tray, try some different beers and have a great time. You spend $30 or $40, but you’re not drinking 5 pints of the same beer. It’s a healthier way of consuming beer and it means more people are going to be interested in it.

It means that people who used to gravitate towards wine or spirits or cocktails are more interested in beer now. And I see it as a shift from being a quantity focused thing where you’re drinking a large quantity of beer in an evening to more of a quality focused thing. It’s not about pounding all of these pints of the same beer. It’s about sampling a wide range of beers and that’s also a huge change. I think that opens it up demographically to a whole bunch of different people - more women, more wine lovers, foodies, people that didn’t necessarily like that old beer culture that was all about drinking jugs or pounding pints.

And, of course, the other big change is that there is so much available. The baseline quality of beer in a brewery in BC is just so high now. There is an amazing variety of styles and flavours that breweries are putting out. It used to be that a brewery might have four or five beers that they brewed, but now most breweries put out anywhere between a dozen to twenty beers in a year - all kinds of different styles and that’s really exciting and enticing to more people.”

One of the interesting things about the craft beer industry is this sort of symbiotic relationship between breweries and beer drinkers. The more breweries there are, the more styles and flavours of beer are brewed. The more variety in beer, the more appealing the beverage is to different people. The more people drinking beer, the higher the likelihood of more craft breweries succeeding.

However, no one can look into the future and see what it has in store. The industry is currently still growing at a rapid rate, but Joe is often asked whether he thinks the revolution will ever end. Will the market every be too saturated with craft breweries? Although he thinks that’s not the case, he does see some potential changes coming.

The future of craft beer in BC

“There is still lots of room for growth so I think we’re going to continue to see new breweries opening in BC in the next 5 years at a similar pace to what we have now.

In terms of changes, differences, I think we’ll see a few more specialised breweries. For instance, in Portland, you have breweries that just brew sours beers. They don’t do anything else. And we don’t really have that here. We have breweries that make sour beers on top of everything else they do, but it’s not like they do it down there. But I could see that type of model happening here - places like Dageraad, for example, that focus on a really specific range of styles. I could see more of that, for sure.

The other thing might be more of the farm-based brewery model. We don’t really have too many of those, but there’s Crannog Ales that does it. Something like that would be interesting to see more of.

Other changes that could happen are on the legislation side. There are rumours that the government might get out of the public stores. I don’t think that will happen and I’m not sure how it would change things because we already have the parallel private store system. But changes to legislation and making it easier for breweries to open and succeed would be great to see.”

While it may be business as usual for the foreseeable future, there are still challenges that the industry needs to overcome.

Challenges facing BC’s craft beer scene

“The major challenge right now has to be the government side of things because it’s really inconsistent. If you go from municipality to municipality, there are different rules regarding where a brewery can be based on the zoning laws. So obviously it would be good if the provincial and municipal governments could find a way to streamline these regulations. On the flipside of that though, the government has done a few things to help the industry grow as well. When they announced the lounge licensing change in 2013, that was a huge boom which obviously fueled the recent expansion considerably. And, as I understand it, most of the rules applied to the lounge endorsements were basically drafted by the breweries themselves. They sat down with the city of Vancouver and said ‘This is what we think you should do.’ and the city said ‘Great, let’s do it!’. So in some ways the government has opened things up, but they’ve also screwed up some things along the way too. I personally would like to see growler fills in a private liquor store. I’ve seen it in Oregon and Washington and it seems to work fine to me. The government so far hasn’t allowed it and some breweries don’t like the idea of it, but I think they’re just being a little conservative about it. They’re worried about how the beer will be presented, but I think a good bottle shop that has a really strong craft beer focus could handle that really well. That would be really exciting, especially if they could bring in beers that aren’t available otherwise. Beers that aren’t being packaged, but the store could get a keg directly from a brewery over on the mainland and sell it here, that would be pretty cool.”

As BC’s craft beer industry continues to go through the growing pains, the dynamic in the community will also be affected. Even so, Joe thinks that the friendliness and collaborative spirit that exists will still remain as an inherent part of it.

How further growth will affect BC’s craft beer community

“I don’t think [the industry] will change fundamentally because that kind of camaraderie and collegial atmosphere is working so well right now. I don’t see why that would change. What I see is that the people behind the breweries are authentically like that. They love working with each other, they’re good friends, they hang out together. During Victoria Beer Week if you come down to The Drake, you’ll see a row of Vancouver owners and brewers sitting at the bar because they love coming over here for the festival and they love hanging out together. The core group of the community is genuinely like that.

Sure, there are some that maybe focus more on selling the most beer or securing tap lines at a bar; they’re more interested in making money. And we’ve also lost a few breweries in the last few years which isn’t that well known. There have been 3 closures in the last 2 years. It’s not all success stories, although it’s been mostly success stories. There is a competition aspect to it because it is still a business. But I think it’s going to continue being mostly that kind of idea of a friendly atmosphere. I can’t really see that disappearing. It doesn’t make sense for brewers to be trying to kill each other. It makes sense for them to be working together to grow the industry and the interest in it.”

Although the craft beer industry is still not something that makes headlines often in BC, the impact that it has had on the economy is evident. Of course, there is the economic and financial impact of the breweries themselves, opening up and creating jobs. But it goes beyond just the breweries.

The impact of the craft beer industry in BC

The roughly 120 breweries in the province have had a positive impact for development in the industry itself, but they are also boosting other domains like agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, and even tech. (Craftt is a prime example of a tech company that was created to service the craft beer industry.) 

Joe gave us a quick overview of some of the other sectors that have been impacted by the craft beer revolution.

“Hop farms are a huge thing. There’s been a big resurgence in hop growing which was once a major crop here in BC back in the ‘50s and ‘60s and it all but disappeared in the ‘70s. And barley as well. Matt Phillips built his maltworks at the brewery and he’s commissioned a lot of farmers to grow barley for him.

There are brewery tours that are also capitalizing on the industry like West Coast Brewery Tours here in Victoria or Vine&hops and Vancouver Brewery Tours over on the mainland. These are businesses that operate year-round and create full-time jobs for people. The Pedaler has a bike tour here in Victoria.

There are so many connected businesses that exist because of the industry. Places like The Drake or Garrick’s Head or The Churchill feature so many of the local breweries. For those businesses to run well, the quality of the product is paramount. They have to make sure that their draught lines are perfectly clean and functioning properly. So there’s a company here in town called Draught Wise that does all of that maintenance for bars and restaurants. There is a law firm in Vancouver that’s totally focused on helping and working with breweries. And then there’s designers that have specialised in craft brewery labels like Hired Guns up in Nanaimo. Equipment manufacturers are connected as well; we have four or five different brewery equipment manufacturers in BC. So there are all these different businesses that have developed because of the craft beer boom in the province and it’s a big part of the growth of the industry.”

Next to all of these businesses, there are countless events that showcase craft beer as well. Often, these events focus on educating attendees about the industry, the styles, and the process of making beer. Some music festivals or community events partner with local breweries, offering an added bonus to attendees that are there to support local initiatives. All of the events do have one thing in common; they encourage more people to give craft beer a try. And that’s one of Joe’s main goals as well - to raise the profile of the industry to reach more people.

Raising awareness

“What I’d like to see is more of an awareness from the government of the impact that this industry is having. If you look at the wine industry, they’ve really done that. BC wine is a big part of the government’s tourism portfolio and, through that, the wine industry has so much free publicity. Any kind of marketing campaign is going to have an Okanagan vineyard in it and that’s not really the case with craft beer yet.

That’s part of the reason why I really wanted to get the BC Ale Trail project going. It’s, in part, to raise awareness to tourists, but I also want to raise awareness within BC to the government itself and to BC’s residents. Here we have a major part of the fabric of BC and it needs to be acknowledged as that and celebrated.”

Joe’s mission with the BC Ale Trail is to increase the awareness of this thriving sector of our province, while also ensuring that it becomes a sector that receives the recognition it deserves. Launching in October, the BC Ale Trail will work to raise the profiles of some of the province’s most prominent beer regions. The hope is to expand the project to become the most comprehensive guide to the world of BC beer.

The BC Ale Trail: Combining beer with exploring BC

“The way the project evolved is Destination BC, which is the overall tourism marketing body for BC, announced a funding program last year where different tourism sectors in British Columbia could apply and the organisation would match the funds. The problem was that craft beer is not considered a sector by the government the way that other things like wine or skiing or agricultural tourism are. So to get the project going, we had to cobble together all of these different regions called DMOs, destination marketing organisations, and get the breweries themselves and everyone else involved to put money in. Then, if our application was approved, Destination BC would match those funds. Last fall we scrambled around and managed to get 7 local regions and all, or at least most, of the breweries within those regions to sign on to the project. Then we got approval from Destination BC in February. 

It’s a multi-year project with the goal of bringing all of BC into it. The 7 regions to start are Victoria, Nanaimo, and the Comox Valley on the Island and then the Sunshine Coast, Whistler, Kootenay/Rockies, and the city of Port Moody. It’s not going to be the whole province at launch, but it will be a significant portion of it.

So we’ve been building it all year and we’ve sent video and camera crews to all the regions to shoot good footage. I’ve been writing profiles about the breweries and the regions for the website. The idea is that it’ll be an opportunity for a visitor or a resident of BC to plan a trip around beer - either a trip in their own area or somewhere else that they want to go to. We’ll have self-guided itineraries they can do themselves, ranging from multi-day driving trips in the Kootenay mountains to walking Murray St. in Port Moody to a biking route up in the Comox Valley or the Sunshine Coast - lots of different opportunities to enjoy beer. We also will feature activities that you can do around the beer locations like hiking, biking, kayaking, or skiing.

There will be a complete database of all the breweries in BC as well, with all the different offerings they have. We’re going to have a blog component too. We’re hoping to turn it into the most comprehensive place to go for BC’s craft beer scene. And, if all goes well, we’ll expand to cover the rest of the province to have all the regions represented and hopefully raise awareness about BC craft beer outside of the province, as well as within.”

Adding BC to the world’s beer bucket list

“You think about places around the world that are seen as a beer destination like Portland or San Diego or Colorado or Munich or Belgium. These are places that people have on their beer bucket list and, ultimately, we want BC to be on everybody’s beer bucket list too. That’s the goal.

When I first got into writing my book, part of the appeal was that I got to go on this big huge road trip to visit as many breweries as I could around the province. With the BC Ale Trail, I get to combine that love of exploring BC with my love for great beer so it’s really an ideal project for me.”

Joe’s interest and infatuation with BC’s craft beer community is evident in the way he talks about it. It’s also evident in the things he dedicates his time to, playing a central role in the production of Victoria Beer Week and other beer-related events throughout the year, as well as taking every opportunity to write about and teach people about craft beer.

The Thirsty Writer’s favourite thing about the BC craft beer community

“My favourite thing has always been meeting the people behind the beers. In a lot of breweries, they are such interesting, creative people and I make such a strong connection with them. That’s really the thing that drew me to writing about beer. I used to like beer and I liked visiting breweries and I kept thinking ‘Wow, these people are so cool and there are such great stories here’. It took me a while to figure out that, as a writer, I should be writing about these breweries and their stories. It took a while for the awareness of craft beer to be big enough that I could go to a magazine editor and have them say ‘Yeah, that’s a cool idea for an article’.

So that’s still one of my favourite things about it - meeting these cool, interesting people that are behind some of these amazing breweries. You know, we celebrate chefs of fine restaurants for their creativity and their entrepreneurial approach. We treat them like artists. And I think a lot of these brewmasters are like artists, they’re like chefs. They’re really creative individuals and it’s really exciting to connect with them and make friends with them.”

If you’re a BC beer lover, Joe is definitely a great resource to expand your horizons. Besides getting the Craft Beer Revolution and staying updated on what’s happening in the scene thanks to his various articles and blogs, you can also catch Joe at beer events in and around Victoria! First up is the Fresh to Death fresh-hopped beer fest happening this Saturday (October 1st) in Victoria’s Centennial Square. Next is the Oktoberfest-inspired Stein and Dine event taking place on October 22nd at the Victoria Public Market. And finally, be sure to check out the Victoria Beer Week next March for a deeper dive into BC’s craft beer scene.

Thanks so much to Joe for being a leader in the revolution and for all his work promoting this innovative industry! We look forward to seeing how it all continues to develop alongside him. And, as Joe says, Viva La Revolution!

[becraftt]

Great Canadian Beer Fest’s top 15(ish) beers

The Great Canadian Beer Festival wrapped up over the weekend in Victoria and we can attest to this year’s festival being a truly great one! Sunny weather, over 60 phenomenal Canadian craft breweries and cideries, and a whole lot of craft beverage lovers made the event a success.

We were thrilled to contribute by building the official GCBF app which garnered nearly 1,200 unique users over the two day event. Thanks to these users, we were able to come up with a top beers list, based on the beers that were “favourited” most often in the app.

And so, without further ado, here is the top 15 list of beers from this year’s Great Canadian Beer Festival chosen by you, the beer drinkers!

#          Brewery                                              Beer

1          Brasserie Dunham                              Berliner Mango Weisse

2          33 Acres                                             33 Acres of Euphoria

3          Four Winds Brewing                           Nectarous Westcoast Sour

4          Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks Ltd.     Bean Me Up Espresso Stout

5          Dead Frog Brewery                             Blueberry Blast Kettle Sour

6          Crannog Ales                                      Backhand of God Stout

7          Strange Fellows Brewing                    Coup de Foudre Sour

8          Yellow Dog Brewing                            Ginger Lime Gose

8          Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks Ltd.     The Last Strawberry Wit

9          Axe & Barrel                                        Raspberry Sour

10        Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks Ltd.     Rei Boysenberry Sour

10        Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks Ltd.     Pineapple Destiny IPA

10        Swans Brewery                                   5 Bells Kelp Bourbon Scotch Ale

10        Bridge Brewing Company                   Bourbon Blood Orange Wheat Ale

11        Deep Cove Brewers                            Kriek

12        33 Acres                                             33 Acres of Sunshine

12        Faculty Brewing Co.                           107 Blonde Ale

13        Lighthouse Brewing                            Coffee Lager

13        Tin Whistle                                          Peach Cream Ale

13        Dead Frog Brewery                            Tropic Vice Tropical Fruit Ale

14        Four Winds Brewing                           Mango Juxtapose Wild IPA

15        Central City Brewing                           Sour #2 Cherry

Out of the nearly 250 beers available at this year’s beer fest, the most favourited beer was Brasserie Dunham’s Berliner Mango Weisse, coming all the way from Quebec. Notably, all four of Fuggles & Warlock’s brews at the GCBF made the top 10.

We’re so excited to have participated in this fun-tastic event and are looking forward to another fabulous year of craft beer and good cheer in 2017!

[becraftt]

Craftt makes mobile app for Great Canadian Beer Festival

The Great Canadian Beer Festival is this weekend! Are you ready for two days of great beer, great food, and great times? If not, there’s still some time to do your homework. And to help, we’ve built a mobile app for the festival that includes all the info you need and more!

The GCBF app, downloadable via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, has brewery and beer info, handy “want”, “tried”, and “favourites” lists that you can save and adjust as you go through your to-drink list, and other useful details to help you make the most out of the event.

Built by the Craftt team in record time, the GCBF app features the 60+ breweries that will be attending this year’s festival, providing brief descriptions of each, along with the details of the brews they will be pouring. A “Get Home Safe” section will also direct users to BC Transit routes or easy access to taxi services to ensure that they can enjoy the festival responsibly.

The Great Canadian Beer Festival takes place in Victoria at Royal Athletic Park this Friday and Saturday (September 9th and 10th). The festival runs from 3-8pm on Friday and 12-5pm on Saturday. Tickets can be purchased online via the website or through the app and drink tokens will be available at the event.

More than 60 breweries will be in attendance from across the country, including from BC, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and the Yukon. 2 cideries will also be attending. The festival draws over 8,000 people and sees more than 20,000 litres of craft beer being poured every year.

We hope you’ll download the app on iOS or Android to make the most of your festival experience and we can’t wait to see you at this year’s Great Canadian Beer Fest!

[becraftt]

Bites, Brews, and Bands on the Barge - Last Chance!

If you haven’t checked out the Bites, Brews, and Bands on the Barge event this summer, you’ve got two chances left! Friday, September 2nd (tomorrow!) and Friday, September 9th will be the last of the recurring events that have run every Friday at Ogden Point in Victoria since June 3rd.

Starting at 3pm and running until 9pm, attendees can find the free event at 201- 199 Dallas Rd, on the Breakwater Barge. Live local bands will be playing, craft beverages from local breweries Phillips, Hoyne, and Driftwood, as well as Seacider ciders and Mark Anthony Artisan Wine will be served, and there will be multiple food trucks to choose from for a bite to eat.

This is a great family-friendly opportunity to take advantage of the last few weeks of summer! And don’t forget to get a snapshot with the Craftt picture frame to share the fun with your friends!

[becraftt]

Meet Dogwood Brewing’s Brewmaster, Claire Wilson

Dogwood Brewing in Vancouver, BC is the city’s first organic brewery. Founded by Claire and Brendan Wilson, Dogwood has made it a priority to be as sustainable and waste-free as possible, with a special focus on locally-sourced organic ingredients.

Claire has been working as a professional brewer for the last 15 years. After completing a Brewing and Distilling degree at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, she went on to run numerous breweries around the UK and Europe.

Moving to Vancouver 8 years ago and witnessing the craft beer boom happening in BC, Claire was inspired to found her own brewery. Roughly 4 years ago, the plans for what would become Dogwood Brewery began to form, with the brewery officially opening its doors in March, 2015.

Dogwood represents the ultimate in “drink local”. Named after British Columbia’s official flower, the brewery is committed to supporting the craft beer industry and economy here at home. Buying the best, freshest ingredients from local maltsters and hop growers, Claire makes beer that is truly local, sustainable, certified organic, and, best of all, delicious.

We had the chance to chat with Claire about her brewery and her passion for both the environment and great beer.

The vision behind Dogwood Brewing

After visiting Vancouver and falling in love with the city (and her now-husband, Brendan, who co-owns Dogwood), Claire moved to BC in pursuit of her passion.

“I watched everyone talking about opening their own brewery and, coming from Europe where breweries are so established, so traditional, it seemed so alien for me that people would just open a brewery. I thought, ‘you can’t just open a brewery! Breweries have been around for hundreds of years. You don’t just make your own new one.’ But you do and people did and it was wonderful.

So in 2012 I left the job I was working at and started working on Dogwood full-time.”

Why organic?

A conscious decision to go organic was made in the earliest days, in large part due to the inspiration and support that Claire received from Brian and Rebecca of Crannóg Ales.

“I had the same obstacles in my mind that most brewers do. Is it going to be so much more expensive, am I going to be able to do it? But they really helped me with it all, sharing their list of suppliers and helping me fill out the paperwork.

They’ve been a real inspiration and such a support. When I get distracted by business, the city, and marketing, all these things that you have to deal with all the time, it’s great to talk to them. They live on the farm and they only brew what their land can support. They’re not trying to expand. They just want to make great beer and it’s great to be reminded of that.”

Claire has joined Brian and Rebecca in being a strong advocate of great organic beer made sustainably using local ingredients.

“We buy certified organic ingredients. Everything we make is certified organic. It’s hard to get organic and so a lot of older organic breweries have to ship their ingredients from all over the world in order to get the certified stuff. But we’re lucky because we have great ingredients locally.

Gambrinus Malting in Armstrong, BC, did an expansion a year or so before we opened and they make great organic products. And lots of organic hop growers came online after 2008 when there was a hops shortage in Europe because of the weather. Lots of hops growers started planting so there is quite a bit of organic acreage now, so it was perfect timing for us.

All of our hops come from HOOH in Lillooet. They’re called Harvesters of Organic Hops, which is a kind of collective where they encourage organic growers who are growing other organic things to also grow some hops. Then they harvest all of these hops, process them, and pelletize them for sale.

We were looking for organic ingredients that we were able to get locally and then we decided that we would make that part of our beer and brand.”

Supporting the local economy, sparing the environment

And it is a distinctive part of Dogwood’s beers. Making certified organic beer with integrity is a tenet of the brewery, focusing on sustainability and reducing their environmental footprint whenever possible. Everything that can be reused, like spent grains that are sent to local farmers for compost or animal feed, is reused. Everything that can be recycled, like the boxes and cans that Dogwood’s beers are packaged in, is recycled. And the brewery is making a serious effort to reduce what can’t be reused or recycled, aiming for a 100% waste-free facility by 2017.

“Other breweries focus on shipping in the best ingredients from all over the world, like unique malts from little maltsters in Belgium and fancy New Zealand hops, and they will make you a beer that you could only drink on the other side of the world from where you are.

We wanted to make the best beer in the world with the ingredients that are actually grown locally. That keeps the jobs and the money in British Columbia and it contributes to the province’s sustainability. We have strong maltsters, we have strong hop growers that are growing with our developing industry.

We want to keep using great beer to tell the story about excellent producers in our province, to support the raw organic honey, to support that knowledge about pesticides and support salmon-safe rivers. Our beers are salmon-safe because our hops are grown salmon-safe, there are no pesticides and no fertilizers going back into the rivers to damage the salmon run.”

A shift in global consciousness to more eco-friendly, sustainable products has also helped Claire’s resolve and dedication.

“Consumers are very savvy and they want their local stuff. They want to buy things that they can get behind and they can believe in. They want to know that they’re spending their money on something made by a company that is responsible, that’s not doing terrible things. And that’s what we want to do. If we’re going to be spending thousands and thousands of dollars a month on stuff, let’s buy the best stuff that’s actually the best stuff.

Organic growers are independently audited every year. You know they’re doing it right, following all the processes, so you have that peace of mind. And it’s also just protecting the sovereignty of the health of the people who live in the province, the health of the farmland, the soil, the animals, the biodiversity, the insects, the rivers. We’re reaching peak damage to the earth; it’s going to get too far and there’s going to be a tipping point. It’s important to act radically now. We can’t sit back any longer and wait for governments to make decisions and policies to come through. Individual people need to make decisions and move forward.”

For Claire, a large part of the vision for Dogwood is to contribute to trying to save the world, one beer at a time.

“We decided not to use the plastic rings around our cans. We’ve cut all plastic that we can out of our production and everything that we can’t cut out, we recycle. We don’t use any, we don’t buy any to send to customers - we don’t do it.

There’s still that dichotomy where people want something great and they want something environmental that’s good for the planet, but also they want convenience and plastic cups and throwaway, disposable things. So it’s important for us to be able in 20 years’ time to look back on what we did and know that we made the best decisions we could and that we did a good job. We could’ve done better maybe, but we did the best we could at the time.

If we continue to adopt that approach for our business, that we try to always improve and do better, then I think we’re going to be really proud of ourselves when we look back.”

Dogwood Brewing beers

And so far, this philosophy has been serving Dogwood well. Now at 12 employees and 4 core brews, plus the ever-changing seasonal, the brewery is buzzing. The beers that can be sampled and taken home in environmentally-friendly packaging include: • a crisp, refreshing honey lager made with raw, unpasteurized, organic honey sourced from Prince George; • a well-balanced, full-bodied IPA, with a hoppy bite; • their Fest Ale, inspired by an Oktoberfest anniversary brew; • and an approachable stout that’s smooth and silky.

The inspiration for the Fest, which I can attest to being an incredibly flavourful and delicious brew, is what the craft brewing industry is all about - creativity, uniqueness, and passion for beer.

“In 2010 it was the 200th anniversary of Oktoberfest in Munich in Germany and the 5 main brewers in Germany got together and tried to recreate that would’ve been drunk at the very first Oktoberfest.

Our Fest is my version of the beer that they made for that festival. And, of course, 200 years ago it would have been all organic and naturally grown - there were no fertilizers or pesticides or GMOs or anything like that.”

Women and beer

BC has quite a thriving beer scene and Claire says that she’s thrilled to be involved, both as a woman and as a brewmaster.

“I’ve worked in tiny little microbreweries and really big international brewing companies. There’s a real kind of community and camaraderie with craft brewing and people don’t judge you on what you look like or if you’ve got boobs or not. They’re more likely to judge you on what matters - what kind of beer you make, what you stand for, and who you are as a person.“

Nonetheless, the brewing industry is still male-dominated, but there are perks to being in the minority.

“One of the things about being a female brewmaster is that you get a lot more attention and people want to interview you as a local brewer because you’re not a guy with a beard that brews beer. What could have worked against you in your career, the early obstacles when people are less inclined to give you a chance or a job because of their own preconceptions about what you’re going to be able to achieve, it sets you apart later on once you have established yourself.”

Other contributing factors to the slow shift in the status quo are women-focused organizations like the Pink Boots Society, Pink Pints, the Society of Beer Drinking Ladies, etc., as well as initiatives like the International Women’s Collaboration Brew (IWCB). 

Claire has participated in 2 of the 3 collaboration brews that have taken place so far, hosting the IWCB 2016 edition at Dogwood. These groups and events encourage women to work together to make great beer while sharing their experiences and knowledge, inevitably impacting the industry as a whole.

“I think these organizations are enhancing the industry by making it a more friendly place for women and letting them know that there are other women out there that are involved, letting them know there is space.

Having more women come into the industry enhances it overall because there are a lot of women drinking beer. A lot of the old marketing styles alienate women. They communicate to women that this industry is not for them, subtly. In that respect, these organizations encourage more women to come into the industry to make it more balanced - it’s not balanced yet - but more balanced.

For women who want to do more with beer and learn more about beer and want to strive for things in the industry, they know that it’s a possibility that is out there; there are other people who have done it and they don’t need to listen to people who are saying it’s not for them.”

Craft beer in BC

Besides having more women enter the industry, Claire is also looking forward to the development of the craft beer market through updated government regulations which have long been archaic and unnecessarily complicated, often hindering the growth of breweries.

“It’s changing so fast. The changes in legislation that have come through have made a huge difference to BC and the way beer is enjoyed here. It’s those changes that are making it easier and better to operate, freeing breweries to grow and to survive.

Because it’s quite a new industry, the people that you talk to in the government and in the LDB [Liquor Distribution Branch], they don’t know, they don’t have the answers for you. It varies a lot from province to province, and even city to city, as to what you can and can’t do so navigating that can be very challenging.

The struggles of opening a small business are tough and that’s why I think the craft beer community, especially in Vancouver, is so tight because everyone’s realized that they don’t want to have someone else go through the challenges alone. If you can give someone the answers, you give them the answers.

Between the brewers themselves, it’s a good kind of relationship where people will help you out with anything. They’ll lend you yeast, they’ll lend you a transfer pump if yours goes down. It’s a community where we understand that if one of us does well, we all do well.”

Thank yous go out to Claire for taking the time to chat with us and Camilla for her help and for supplying the photos for this post. And a big thanks to everyone at Dogwood Brewing for their commitment to the industry, the environment and, of course, for making great organic beers with locally-sourced ingredients.

Cheers!

[becraftt]

How to host a great brewery tour: Interviews with Vine&hops and West Coast Brewery Tours

Brewery tours are a great way to engage with potential customers and really turn people onto your particular brand of craft beers. Hosting your own tour can provide a number of benefits, especially when it comes to marketing and brand awareness. If you choose to use your own resources and staff to host a tour, there are at least three things you should make sure your tour does. Alternatively, you can partner with a brewery tour company to help you organise and manage a tour at your brewery.

We were fortunate enough to get some tips and tricks straight from the horse’s mouth, as it were. We reached out to two local brewery tour companies, Vine&hops based in Vancouver and West Coast Brewery Tours based in Victoria to get their insights into what goes into a great tour. Here is what they had to say.

What goes into hosting a great brewery tour?

“I think it's all about the approach. People from around the world love beer, some are very knowledgeable and some are just very interested. I think things always need to be kept cool, crisp and light like a good Pilsner!” -Jayden, Vine&hops

“Definitely attention to detail & excellent time awareness. Remembering everyone's name goes a long way with making the individual's experience memorable and special. Preparedness & follow up with the breweries is crucial to make the tour flow and appear seamless.”  -Elton, West Coast Brewery Tours

Who would you recommend goes on a tour with you?

“We like to have guests from all walks of life, from the craft beginners to the biggest beer geeks in town. We like to always be challenged to create, curate and educate on all of our tours. That's what makes each one so unique. We don't like to do too many tours the same way.”  -Jayden, Vine&hops

“Our tours are definitely aimed at everyone from 19 to 90. We make it our mission while on tour to gauge the knowledge and craft beer interest of each group and adjust accordingly. For example if we get some brewers or real ‘Hop heads’ from Portland, we speak to them about the technical side of making craft beer… IBUs and OG and Diacetyl, etc! If it’s people who just want to have a sneak peak into the world of brewing and enjoy sampling some great beers, we concentrate more on the flavours and styles of beer they are tasting. It is always a tailored process for each tour.”  -Elton, West Coast Brewery Tours

How long are your tours and what do they include?

“Tours range anywhere from 3-5 hours, depending on the location of our guests’ pick up and the brewery destinations. We like to engage our guests as little or as much as they want and we let them set the tone. Anywhere from going over the brewing process, trivia and talking about yeast strains, to just kicking back and enjoying the social atmosphere.”  -Jayden, Vine&hops

“We have 2 hour, 3 hour and 4 hour tours. The most popular is the "Definitive" craft brewery tour which visits 3 breweries in 3 hours. The enjoyment to education goes hand in hand. We always throw lots of beer history and interesting facts into the mix, but the star is always the beer itself which brings great joy!”  -Elton, West Coast Brewery Tours

What is your favourite thing about hosting brewery tours?

“The people for sure. I love meeting new people, especially meeting people that love craft beer and the culture that comes along with it; a culture of community and creativity. We love to show off our beautiful country, city and craft beers!”  -Jayden, Vine&hops

“Hands down my favourite thing is watching people’s expressions and listening to their comments when they try something unique (like a chocolate porter or a lemon kettle sour). Many people still have this impression that beer is just beer like… watery yellow fizzy water. Craft beer has changed the game forever.”  -Elton, West Coast Brewery Tours

What advice would you give to a brewery that wants to host tours, but is unsure of how to or is wondering if partnering with a brewery tour company is right for them?

“I think it's all about keeping things light and simple. Breweries are great at making beer, we're great at doing tours, educating and engaging our guests to showcase the unique attributes of the brewery we are visiting. The more we understand about each other the better off we all are for our guests.”  -Jayden, Vine&hops

“Well that question is a little tricky as every brewery is unique, hence their tour should be to. As long as they are focusing on their product, history and a positive experience for their guests, the tour should be a success. Partnering with a company such as ours is always a sure fire way to achieve a successful result as we make it our business to know everything about theirs (the breweries) and we build up and highlight all the best parts, from history, to funny stories, to medals and awards for their beer, etc.”  -Elton, West Coast Brewery Tours

What are some of the benefits that breweries that partner with a brewery tour company like yours get from the relationship?

“First off they get a lot more people through their door. Secondly, brewers and owners are so busy that they rarely have the time to talk with guests that come through the door. We try and bring that connection together. Knowing our incredible partners well is key! In this way our guests can really connect to them, the beer they make, and the story they are telling through it. We are able to make that connection without having to take any precious time away from the hard working people that are running the brewery.”  -Jayden, Vine&hops

“Besides the obvious exposure and marketing benefits, most of our tour participants purchase beer or merchandise from each brewery we tour which is a nice financial benefit. We build the experience that they want to remember so they love to buy a small piece of the brewery as memorabilia. Additionally there is a staff cost saving benefit as we host most of the behind the scenes tours at the breweries. Having us host the tours means they don't have to dedicate a staff member or pull them away from growler sales, etc. during busy times of the day.”  -Elton, West Coast Brewery Tours

If there is one thing that a brewery tour should have (besides great beer), what would it be?

“A great guide is everything! Some will love the beers and some maybe not so much… but that's okay and people understand that every individual has different taste and preference. But if you have a guide that can engage guests of all walks of life, set the tempo for the day, and jam some pretty awesome tunes, it's always a beautiful thing! It's all about understanding your clientele and meeting their needs in a warm, sincere way.”  -Jayden, Vine&hops

“A great attitude, plain and simple.”  -Elton, West Coast Brewery Tours

A big thank you to Jayden from Vine&hops and Elton from West Coast Brewery Tours for taking the time to share their insights and experience with us!

Photos courtesy of Vine&hops and West Coast Brewery Tours.

[becraftt]

Craftt is proud to be a part of BC’s growing tech sector

Yesterday, the BC government announced a new partnership initiative with technology industry leaders with the aim to study the labour market needs of the tech sector. 

In collaboration with the BC Technology Association (BCTA) and the Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC), the government is committing nearly $600,000 for a Sector Labour Market Partnership project designed to “gain a better understanding of the current and future labour needs in this diverse and fast growing sector. As part of this project, the partners are also developing a comprehensive labour market strategy which will result in recommendations on deepening the talent pool for in-demand jobs in B.C.”

We were thrilled to be a part of the announcement at the press conference at VIATEC. Craftt plays an active part in growing the tech community in Victoria and the province and we know just how important it is to have a supportive and thriving tech ecosystem and talent pool to draw from.

“The craft beverage market is growing fast in B.C. Last year we created Craftt, a cloud native app designed for breweries to help manage their operations and logistics. We’re now working with 34 breweries across Canada and the U.S.

I joined the VIATEC Accelerate Tectoria program in 2014 and they were instrumental in helping me launch Craftt. One of our toughest challenges has been sourcing talent. Programs like Lighthouse Labs are helping to reduce this employment gap by training junior developers with practical, real world skills.

Like many other sectors, mentorship is a critical part of fostering talent in the technology sector. I’ve been working as a mentor for Lighthouse Labs students since they introduced the program in Victoria because it’s important to make the time and help shape future developers entering our community. It is impressive to see what these students can learn in such a short period of time.” -Ryan Stratton, CEO of Craftt

For more details about the Sector Labour Market Partnership project, check out the BC government’s news release. Thank you to Ministers Shirley Bond and Amrik Virk, as well as to Lighthouse Labs and VIATEC for hosting. We look forward to seeing how the project develops and working towards the growth of this amazing sector.

[becraftt]

Our CEO, Ryan Stratton, talks about what Craftt does and why it matters in the startup and brewing communities. We were so honoured to be a finalist in this year’s VIATEC Awards in the Startup of the Year category and we want to extend a big congratulations to the winner of the award, Green Sky Labs, and to all of this year’s winners! Looking forward to next year’s event! Until then, we’ll see you around Tectoria and the craft beer world.

Love, Craftt

[becraftt]

What’s hot: Summer 2016 craft beer trends

Summer is officially here and so are the summer beers! With a poor hop harvest of last year, brewers have been getting extra creative in this year’s brews, adding a variety of fresh ingredients, using new hop varietals, and experimenting with other formats of craft brewing.

Below is a quick overview of what you can expect to splash around your palate this season.

Fruit and herb beers

You’ve probably already seen and/or tasted the influx of fruity, lighter beers, from berry to pineapple to grapefruit and beyond. Fruit beers have really picked up in popularity this year. Usually brewed as a lager or lighter wheat ale, these full-flavoured beers are a perfect accessory to a hot summer’s day.

Going hand in hand with fruit, herb-infused brews are on the rise as well. From fennel to peppermint to ginger and more, using new ingredients to further push the boundaries of beer flavours is something craft brewers have wholeheartedly embraced, producing unique summer brews this year.

Staying true to their local roots, many brewers are brewing with fresh, local ingredients and sourcing their hops as close to home as possible, maintaining their commitment to sustainable, responsible brewing.

Summer IPAs

Another trend has been seen in the brewing of IPAs. Once acclaimed for their bitter, hoppy flavours, this year’s summer season has seen the rise of fruity IPAs that balance the hop out with tart and sweet complementary ingredients.

Experimental hop varieties are also coming of age and brewers have begun harvesting these unique hops and turning them into special release IPAs that are here for a good time, not a long time.

Sours, Shandies, and SMASHes

The sour trend of goses is still playing a significant role in 2016 and many breweries are experimenting with fruity gose beers. Producing an “easy” sour that doesn’t have to go through the same aging process as more complex brews saves brewers time and effort, resulting in the recent rise of flavourful sours.

Shandies, beers mixed with soft drinks such as lemonades or fruit juices, are also taking summer by storm. Citrusy radlers and shandies give brewers the chance to experiment while reducing the resources they need when making heartier beers.  

SMASH (also known as single malt and single hop) beers have also been another trend that cuts down on the time and effort it takes to brew. With the reduced availability of hops, SMASH beers are another way for brewers to get creative while getting back to the essence of brewing and making the most of their resources.

Hard everything

Another trend is evident in the rise of hard root beers, sodas, and ciders. While it is arguable if these fit into the beer category, it is also obvious that the craft brewing craze has filtered into a much broader area of beverages.

Along with hard root beers has come the obvious next step of beer shakes and floats. Ice cream and beer, a match made in heaven? You decide.

Kombucha

And, of course, there is kombucha! Kombucha tea has been popping up subtly in cafes and bars as an alternative healthy fermented drink, with many people dabbling in brewing kombucha at home themselves. This summer is sure to see kombucha gain in popularity as a brewing industry of its own.

And there you have it, folks. The summer of 2016 is promising a whole lot of beers that bring new ingredients and flavours to the brewing business. From fruit to herbs and spices, brewers are making the most of the resources they have available and the craft brewing industry continues to heat up this season.

[becraftt]

Calling all YYJ developers!

Are you a developer? Do you like craft beer? How do you feel about rooftop gatherings with gorgeous views of Tectoria? If we’ve piqued your interest, keep reading!

Craftt, in collaboration with LlamaZOO and Lighthouse Labs, will be hosting a “Tech on the Deck” event next Wednesday evening (June 29th) from 6 to 8pm. This is a free networking event for web and app developers in Victoria and it will be hosted on the roof of the Summit building (838 Fort St.).

Enjoy some bites and some delicious craft beer, thanks to our friends over at Bridge Brewing Company, and find yourself in great company with a great view of our beautiful city. Local devs are welcome to swing by to meet other devs, find out about local career opportunities, or just have a friendly drink and a chat. We encourage you to bring business cards if you’d like to network and some ID if you’d like to enjoy some alcoholic beverages.

The evening kicks off at 6 pm. Guests can RSVP via the Victoria Web & App Developers Meetup group. Please make sure to RSVP to the event as space is limited.

We look forward to seeing you on the roof next Wednesday!

[becraftt]

What a hops shortage could mean for the craft beer industry

Resource management is a big part of running a brewery and managing resources responsibly is one of the core values of many craft breweries. Understanding the importance of water conservation, ingredient sourcing, and effective asset management all ties into successful brewery operations. Breweries that take these things seriously often focus on producing high quality craft beers that are, at the same time, environmentally sustainable. These high standards are evident in not only the quality of the beer, but also in the reputation of the craft brewery in the community and throughout the industry.

A key ingredient and resource for craft brewers is hops. Hop varieties contribute to the nuanced flavours of craft beers and are a primary component of brewing. But as climate change continues to impact our planet, hop harvests are being affected. The hot and dry weather of last summer caused a significant decline in the availability of popular hops varieties, creating a potential shortage that could have ripple effects throughout the craft beer industry.

For hop farmers, the increased demand and decreased supply may be good news as hop prices have risen, in some cases by up to 50%. But for brewers, a hops shortage poses a significant problem.

How a hops shortage impacts craft breweries

Independent craft brewers could face issues with production if this year’s hop harvest isn’t at least an average one. Most hop farmers sell hops through contracts with small and large breweries. Marcobreweries tend to claim significant portions of these contracts in order to buy large quantities of hops to produce their lagers en masse. Smaller breweries, while requiring smaller quantities, tend to make hop-heavy IPAs and other craft beer styles that need more flavourful, aromatic hop varieties for production.

Breweries that don’t have contracts with hop farmers, often choosing to shop around from year to year, have thus far been able to get their hands on the resource through hop swaps or exchanges, trading other resources and assets for leftover hops from other breweries or buying excess from farmers that have filled their contract quotas. Because hops are perishable, brewers are often happy to share the hop wealth with other breweries to get rid of what they don’t use. But as less hops are produced and scooped up by contract holders, those left without could find it increasingly difficult to get their hands on a reliable supply and should be wary of the so-called hops “spot market”. Depending on the hop harvest over the next few years, craft brewers may need to look to other options to continue the production of flavourful, quality craft brews. 

Yet, a hops shortage, while not ideal, could also give brewers another opportunity to get creative, producing beers that are less reliant on loads of particular hops. It also could force them to focus on resource management in order to ensure that the hops they do have can be used in the best, most efficient way possible, helping them improve the production process and increase sustainable practices.

How a hops shortage impacts craft beer drinkers

Craft beer lovers would also be impacted by a hops shortage as prices for craft beers, especially those that are hop-heavy, will go up to cover the increased cost of hops. With only 17% of millenials believing that craft beer is a better value than macrobrews, an increase in price may drive that number even lower and could damage the rate at which the craft beer market is growing.

However, a shortage could encourage craft brewers to get even more creative with their brews, producing beers that are less heavily reliant on large quantities of particular types of hops. Craft lagers, which seem to be less of a focus for craft brewers, may see a surge in production and popularity just in time for summer. For craft beer drinkers, this creativity could continue to spice up the varieties and styles of beer available.

How a hops shortage impacts hop farmers

A hops shortage, however, may be good news for farmers and the industry as a whole in the long term. Rising hop prices and increased demand could encourage more farmers to grow varieties of hops. An increased production with more farmers growing hops will positively impact the future of the craft beer industry as supply will be able to meet or surpass demand and brewers can rely on hops to produce plentiful amounts of brews that please the craft beer market.

The future of hops and craft beer

With a possible hops shortage on the horizon, craft brewers, drinkers, and hops farmers will need to make adjustments. While it’s possible that the craft beer industry will suffer due to a lack of hops, this shortage could also be a great catalyst for change.

For brewers, proper resource management of ingredients and assets will allow them to weather the storm. With a little luck, the hops harvest this year will be bountiful and the effects of the possible shortage won’t be felt. But as climate change progresses, with 2016 so far being the hottest year on record, alternatives to hop-heavy brews and better resource management will be some potential solutions to future shortages. Using tools like Craftt to facilitate effective resource management, craft breweries can make the most of their resources and keep the craft beer flowing for years to come.

[becraftt]

An interview with Dean McLeod, Brewmaster at Victoria Caledonian Brewery & Distillery

Victoria Caledonian Brewery & Distillery is a brand new brewery and distillery set to open its doors near Victoria in June of this year. The venture, started by fermentation engineer and entrepreneur, Dr. Graeme Macaloney, in collaboration with around 250 whisky and craft beer aficionados from across Canada, promises great things for both whisky and craft beer lovers.

We had the chance to chat with Dean McLeod, Brewmaster at Victoria Caledonian, about the venture and what can be expected once the doors of the brewery and distillery open.

A lot of the team hails from Scotland. Why did you set up shop in Victoria?

“You’re right, president Graeme Macaloney, brand ambassador Andrew Walls, and master distiller Mike Nicholson are Scottish, but all had been living here in Victoria for some time. I’m Australian of Scottish descent and was also living in Victoria prior to coming aboard. So we were all here anyway and would run into each other from time to time due to our shared love of whisky.”

Victoria has quite a thriving craft beer culture. How are you hoping to fit into that?

“Victoria certainly does have a thriving beer scene, and I don’t believe by any means that it has become saturated. All of the breweries are growing, which suggests that craft beers are gaining an increasingly broad acceptance.

Being constructed very much with tourism in mind, and having a large tasting lounge, this will be a destination brewery and distillery like no other in Victoria. It’s going to be pretty bloody impressive once it’s complete. Look out for me brewing in a McLeod of Raasay tartan kilt!”

What kinds of beers are you planning on brewing?

“Beer-wise, we are going to focus on beers that actually sell, and brewed to a quality and consistency that beer drinkers are increasingly demanding. Honest beers that reward the drinker each and every time. No gimmicks, no cartoons, no silly ingredients. 

Lots of brewers are exploring what beer can be by throwing a lot of daft ingredients at it; we will explore what beer can be in terms of excellence. And all in 6-pack 355ml bottles. I like this format, and there is very little to choose from if you want a quality IPA or a saison in small bottles. The beer will have a different brand to the whisky and will be named after the famous Robbie Burns poem Twa Dogs (two dogs). Individual beer names have been boosted from other Burns poetry.”

Where do you get your ingredients from?

“For our whisky, we will need to use BC grown barley, some of which we will malt ourselves, but most of it will come from Gambrinus Malting in Armstrong, BC. We will use this as our base malt for the beer too. Specialty malts will come from all over, and hops will be a mix of newer US, German, and New Zealand varieties.”

What were some of the challenges and wins you’ve experienced while getting ready to open?

“I think that the biggest challenge for us was finding a location that was suitable for beer, whisky and tourism. It took us a long time, but we’re really happy with our home at 761 Enterprise Crescent.

The construction phase has been compressed into just three months, which is kind of insane given the scope of the build. Fortunately we found some great local contractors and they have worked really well together to ensure that we got it done. Construction in Victoria is booming and we’ve been very lucky drawing in the trades that we have. 

We are commissioning systems now and it’s all gone remarkably smoothly. The District of Saanich, and indeed the whole neighbouring community, have been great to work with. Also on the ‘win’ side of the ledger, I am very happy to be working again with Head Brewer Matt Lyons.”

Thanks to Dean, Andrew, and everyone at Victoria Caledonian! We look forward to tasting the quality whisky and craft beer that you’ll be making and we can’t wait to visit the brewery and distillery to get a first-hand look at it all!

[becraftt]

New Member of Craftt!

Hello everyone,

   My name is Daeun and I am thrilled to become a new member of Craftt! (As a Korean name, Daeun is pronounced more like “Dah-oon”, and similarly, Craftt is pronounced as “Crafty”.) I recently finished my third year at UVIC in business and plan to pursue a major in entrepreneurship. My high alignment of values to Craftt makes me fortunate to work here: collaborating with others to creatively and effectively serve the needs of those around us while continuously striving for self-improvement. Amazing, fun people and chocolatey snacks are an added bonus!

As the new marketing/research co-op student, it is my responsibility to determine the ideal target markets with the highest degree of fit for Craftt. I will be researching the Canadian and American beer industry including distribution laws and regulations and directing outbound/inbound marketing to build strong relationships with customers to help Craftt expand in the industry. Knowing that my every effort contributes to the growth of both the company and Victoria’s tech industry is what motivates me to jump out of bed early in the morning (coffee also helps)!

   After just two weeks at Craftt so far, I have not only gained new knowledge, but I have also expanded my understanding of theoretical concepts by seeing them come to life in a real business setting. I love the feeling of constantly growing, and I feel lucky to be a part of such an incredible team! Cheers to Craftt!

[becraftt]

Startup of the Year Finalist!

We’re honoured to have been selected as a finalist in the category of Startup of the Year for the 2016 VIATEC Technology Awards!

We extend a big CONGRATULATIONS! to the other finalists in our category and to all of the finalists selected for this year’s awards! Looking forward to seeing you all at the VIATEC Technology Awards on June 24th and best of luck to everyone!

[becraftt]

“Kegs are expensive. We need to know where they are and we need to be able to get them back.” -Jeremy Taylor, Brewmaster at Bridge Brewing Company

We love helping you keep track of your kegs, Bridge Brewing!

Thanks for making beers, not tears.

Love,  Craftt

[becraftt]

Keg leasing: the good, the bad, and the should you

Kegs cost a lot, especially for a budding young brewery. In fact, kegs are one of the most expensive assets that a brewery has. Spending at least $100 on average per keg racks up a hefty bill for craft brewers looking to get their brewery up and running. What’s worse, kegs tend to be one of the most commonly lost assets at breweries. Besides their initial costs, having to replace lost kegs increases costs to a brewery.

“According to Brewers Association member brewery data, keg loss costs every brewer between $0.46 and $1.37 per-barrel of annual keg production. This varies depending on the size of the brewery, percent of beer produced that is sold in kegs and other factors. Assuming 2011 craft beer sales of 11.5 million barrels, that is a total direct capital charge to craft brewers of $5.3 million and $15.8 million annually.

The indirect costs of product outages at wholesale and at retail caused by a shortened keg float are likely far higher.” -KegReturn.com

An alternative to buying is keg leasing. Offering a cheaper initial cost, keg leasing may be a solution to breweries that are trying to get set up on a budget. But is it the best solution?

Keg leasing, the good

There are a number of benefits to keg leasing. First and foremost, leasing initially costs significantly less than buying and is especially useful during the early days of a brewery when production demand is still unclear. Whether you’re thinking of renting for the time being or leasing to own, keg-sharing can help you save money up front so that you can invest it in other aspects of your brewery.

Second, renting or leasing kegs also takes the worry out of keeping track of them. While you may still be responsible for the filling, cleaning, and distribution of the keg while it is in your possession, you are usually not responsible for tracking or retrieving kegs or for replacing kegs that get damaged or go missing. Of course, policies vary among the different keg suppliers so it’s important to read the fine print and understand what is expected of you and your brewery when leasing kegs.

Lastly, keg leasing is scalable for big and small breweries. Most keg leasing services have enough kegs in stock to supply your brewery’s demand, giving you the capacity you need when you need it. Participating in a keg pool model or leasing kegs can also decrease the environmental impact of your brewery. Decreasing the amount of kegs produced and the unnecessary distance that those kegs need to travel is a sustainable and eco-friendly solution to your brewery’s keg needs. It also means the storage space required for kegs in your possession can be managed better.

Keg leasing, the bad

While keg leasing may be a great solution to your brewery’s keg needs initially, it is probably not a best permanent solution. There will come a point in your growth in which it simply no longer makes financial sense to rent or lease. Once your brewery has reached a certain capacity, renting or leasing may end up costing you more money than just making the investment and buying kegs of your own. If you’re leasing to own, it’s important to keep in mind that the long term contract commitment (usually several years initially) may or may not match up to your growth rate. This means you could be spending money when you don’t need to be or you could be tied into a contract that no longer suits your needs.

Additionally, while you may not be on the hook financially for damaged or lost kegs, it’s still a pain if you need to reorder and wait for shipping if damage or keg loss does occur.

Finally, renting or leasing kegs means that you are reliant on a third party to provide you with the kegs you need when you need them. If there are ever any issues with the kegs you receive, if you don’t receive your kegs on time, or if the company you use has unexpected issues, your beer production may come to a screeching halt. Not having the assets you need on hand can be risky.

Should your craft brewery lease kegs?

The answer to this question varies from brewery to brewery. It really will depend on your brewery’s initial production capacity, your budget, and whether or not you want to make the investment into kegs up front.

Leasing kegs may be a great alternative to outright buying them for your craft brewery. Leasing can give you a certain amount of freedom and flexibility when it comes to your brewery’s initial budget, production capacity, and storage space. It can also provide you with a low-maintenance, lower risk solution that ensures you have a few years of runway to establish your brewery and grow your brand.

On the other hand, if you have the capital and you’re ready to make the (large) investment into owning kegs, buying them outright may save you money in the long term. However, you will be fully accountable and responsible for managing, maintaining, and tracking those kegs which will require additional space, equipment, and resources.

Perhaps a combination of the two works best for your brewery, leasing kegs initially to grow before committing to the investment. Regardless, it’s important to do the math early on to figure out which option makes the most sense. It’s equally important to redo the math at regular intervals to see if that option is still the best one. Shop around, whether renting, leasing to own, or outright purchasing kegs. Look at different keg suppliers or service solutions, consider new and used options when buying, and decide on keg sizes, as well as steel versus plastic options. Take into account the pros and cons of each option and go with the more financially and practically sound choice, especially if it’s still early days and you’re just establishing your craft beer brand.

Ultimately, your decision should not be only influenced by cost. It’s critical that you understand the role that kegs will play in your brewery. The associated costs, responsibilities, resources required, and any other relevant factors should all be taken into consideration before making your decision. And, of course, what should matter most of all is that your craft beer’s quality isn’t compromised, no matter what keg solution you decide to go with. 

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Choosing a brewery management solution

As a young brewery, getting all the help you can get is critical to your growth and scalability. Something that you should start thinking about early on is the administrative aspect of running a brewery. How are you going to manage your inventory, your assets, and your production process?

There are three main options when it comes to brewery management: independent management (DIY), “best of breed” software solutions, and all-in-one systems. Which you go with will entirely depend upon the time and effort you are able to put into setting up, maintaining, and running the solution in your brewery.

Here are some pros and cons to consider for each option when you make this crucial decision.

Independent brewery management: The do-it-yourself solution

Many young breweries choose this option to begin with. They are unsure of their growth projections and it is often the cheapest option to set up a spreadsheet and try to track everything that happens in the brewery manually.

The problem with DIY is that is tends to not be scalable. Past a certain point when your brewery has reached a level of growth and your time to track things manually has been significantly reduced, you will quickly find that you are not keeping up with the process you set out for yourself. DIY puts a lot of pressure on you as the owner/founder of the brewery and demands a lot of your time, energy, and effort to do it right.

Pros of DIY brewery management:

the seemingly cheapest solution, especially for startup breweries.

allows the owner/founder/manager of the brewery to design a management system that makes sense for them.

can be as simple as a spreadsheet that tracks info, not requiring lots of staff training and making access easy.

Cons of DIY brewery management:

manual data input takes time and the chance of human error or forgetting to update is high.

the responsibility to keep things updated falls heavily on one or a handful of people, increasing the possibility of miscommunication between multiple people or overwhelming the single person responsible for managing.

scalability is limited. Once a certain level of growth is reached, manually tracking and managing the brewery’s various assets, inventory, and processes becomes too big of a task.

“Best of breed” software solution to manage a brewery

For those unfamiliar with the term “best of breed”, it basically means that you take the time to look into the various software as a service (SaaS) options for a particular problem and you choose the best one that resolves that problem. This usually means that you have multiple SaaS solutions that are the best in their particular field and, ideally, they all integrate together so that your various systems can communicate.

This option usually comes with a fee for the software and young breweries can be scared off by the idea of paying for and implementing multiple solutions to manage their brewery, especially when they are starting off and still have the resources to do it all in-house. 

However, this option does offer a level of flexibility and scalability that the other options do not. SaaS solutions also tend to have smaller teams behind their development, giving priority to feature requests from customers and allowing them to provide a high level of customer service.

Pros of using a brewery management software application:

setup is usually fast, simple, and accessible for a broad range of users, dividing the responsibility of keeping things updated across staff members.

data input is automated and modern applications allow users to use their own hardware (devices), saving costs, time, and not requiring a convoluted training process.

provides a level of affordability and flexibility that is perfect for a wide range of breweries at various levels of growth. Best of breed apps allow nano, micro, and beyond breweries to implement a software solution that meets their needs and can adjust accordingly as the brewery develops.

Cons of using a brewery management software application:

costs money and requires a basic level of tech savviness from staff.

may not integrate with other necessary solutions that cover different aspects of brewery management (such as accounting software).

may not include all the features your brewery needs right off the bat.

All-in-one brewery management solution

The third option when it comes to brewery management is in the form of a one-stop-shop solution. There are software solutions out there that claim to do it all for your brewery, from A to Z. They include the features you need for accounting, management, tracking, and more.

While this sounds like the perfect choice, it does often come with a high cost that many smaller breweries can’t afford. It also can come with a prolonged setup and training time because of the solution’s complexities. 

An all-in-one solution may seem convenient, but it can limit the brewery by making it dependent on a single system which increases the chances of a single point of failure. If the system goes down or the company shifts gears, it can dramatically impact your brewery. And, as with many bigger companies, the time dedicated to each individual customer is limited, making your particular needs just one of many.

Pros of an all-in-one brewery management solution:

offers a complete suite of features that takes care of any and all aspects of brewery management.

scales accordingly when your business grows at a pace beyond what the features that some best of breed solutions can offer.

provides a single solution that can be implemented and worked with for the long term.

Cons of an all-in-one brewery management solution:

a vast selection of features are there, whether your brewery needs them or not. This means that you’re paying for a complex and often overwhelming product, even though you may not be using it entirely.

licensing or user fees tend to be high and the implementation and training process to learn all of the nooks and crannies of the software can take a long time.

flexibility is limited. Once you’ve poured a bunch of money and time into a particular software, you’re much less likely to be able to move away from it, even if it no longer serves your needs or you are no longer happy with the product.

What brewery management software should you choose for your brewery?

Of course, there are many more pros and cons to consider as each option varies based on the circumstances of each brewery. Each software is different as well, offering certain features, advantages, and disadvantages.

Your staff and brewery’s particular characteristics and goals will ultimately determine which option is right for you. The size and scale of your brewery, the tech knowledge required for an external software solution, the cost, and many other factors will influence your choice. It may be the case that you use all three options throughout the development of your brewery or that you choose one and stick with it through your growth.

The point is to start considering how you’re going to manage your brewery early on. The faster you have a process in place to store and manage your brewery’s information, the better equipped you will be to grow effectively.