For a good beer call

948

Brewing Company: Local beer brewed right

STORY BY STACIE GAETZ | PHOTOS BY SERGEI BELSKI

Airdrie’s newest brewery is owned by two homegrown boys who wanted to make great beer and pay homage to the city in which they grew up.

Many fellow Airdrie residents will remember the days when all phone numbers started with 948.

“948 represents Airdrie and reflects on how it was and how it has grown today,” says Kyle Wudrich, co-owner of 948 Brewing Company.

“We look forward to adding our story to Airdrie’s timeline and with our hometown roots, we decided 948 would be the perfect name. We wanted to share our connection with Airdrie as we grew up here and continue to make our homes here. We think that 948 is the perfect tribute to that past, present and future.”

Wudrich and his business partner David Schroter have been homebrewing beer for more than 10 years and they followed the success of a number of other small breweries in Calgary before deciding to start their own.

“It really showed us that no matter how big or small, it was possible to start our own brewery in Alberta,” says Wudrich.

Kyle Wudrich (left) and David Schroter

When the duo took a bit longer than planned to find the right place for their permanent brewery in Airdrie, they started contract brewing at Red Bison Brewery in Calgary in June 2018 before collaborating with The Dandy Brewing Company to use and then purchase their former brew system.

Another brewery in Airdrie also lent tank space to 948 when Fitzsimmons Brewing allowed them to brew their now-established recipes in their location, allowing them to reach a larger market across Alberta.

“Contract brewing was amazing!” says Wudrich.

“The people and the breweries we worked with were super helpful. They took care to produce our beers to the utmost quality. We learned so much from all of them.”

BACK HOME

948 moved into their permanent home in Airdrie, located on Kingsview Way SE, in June of 2019. Renovations, upgrades and the final licenses took until February 2020 to complete.

The new space is about 3,500 square feet with a cozy 400-sq.-ft. taproom that seats 20 people. The eight-tap draft system allows for a range of beers to be poured year round. 948 offers a variety of beer styles with everything from light to dark, sweet to sour and approachable to hop forward.

The most popular seller is the Patio Krusher Kolsch, a light and easy drinking beer that is refreshing and crushable.

However, it is a much more unique flavour that often brings people into the brewery.

“Our most requested that we brew is the California Sunburn; it’s such an interesting balance of hot and cool that people love it,” says Wudrich. 948 infuses the intriguing pale ale with jalapeno so the drinker gets a nice aromatic pepper and finishes with a mild spicy bite.

Some other beers in the lineup include:

Extra Terrestrial Bitter - The first beer that they brewed commercially. A true English bitter, malty up front with a bitter finish.

Lord Grey’s Stout - The stout Wudrich suggests when people tell him they don’t drink stouts. It’s dark in colour, light in alcohol and high in flavour. It is infused with the house blend Earl Grey tea from Airdrie’s own Sorso Lounge.

Rail Crossing Red - A brand new release for the summer. A roasty red ale with a mild bitter finish. Named for the pesky rail crossing that all Airdrie residents can identify with.

Wudrich says the community he grew up in has embraced 948 with open arms.

“The Airdrie community has been great. It’s nice to finally visit with people that stop by to pick up their beers, the folks that already knew about us and the ones that are just discovering us,” says Wudrich.

“They’ve definitely shown us that they like variety and trying something new. We hope to help grow the craft beer community here with the varieties that we can offer.”

ONLINE ORDERING

Like most businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought challenges to 948 Brewing Company, but they have adapted to fill the need and get their brews into craft beer lovers’ hands.

They have added an online store with pick-up and delivery options. They also allow for customers to create mix packs of their own creation.

The brewery recently decided to turn the pandemic into something positive by collaborating with other local businesspeople in the creation of online tasting sessions.

“In the tasting package, we include two of our brews and a snack that pairs with those,” says Wudrich.

“For all of our snacks, we try to use a local Airdrie food business and one of their products that pairs with our beer. These tastings make it fun to engage with our friends and neighbours. There are so many local makers whose food pairs perfectly.”

So far Cookies by Jen, Maxi Foods and La Table Haute Pastry have been involved and the brewery plans to continue to expand the pairings. life