The Brewers Journal - Canada edition, Winter 2017

Brewers T H E

J O U R N A L

Winter 2017 ISSN 2398-6956

BIG ROCK

CONNOR K. Patrick on the road ahead in Etobicoke

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AMSTERDAM: BRANCHING OUT

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nICKEL BROOK: THE SCIENCE OF BEER

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Packaging: the latest trends

the magazine for the canadian brewing industry

l e a d er

Ontario c alling

I

N PUTTING TOGETHER THIS ISSUE, WE WERE fortunate to speak with three breweries that had much in common. They were all investing, they were all growing, and they were either based in, or expanding into Ontario. Sure, you can argue that focusing on growth in this country’s most populous province makes sense, but it also presents the most competition. Therefore, it’s heartening to see some of these top breweries putting their money where their mouth is, having faith in the beer they’re producing, and serving a market where drinkers are more demanding and educated than ever when it comes to what makes a good beer.

The first of these, gracing the cover this issue, is Big Rock. Last year the Calgary, Alberta-based brewery opened up a new facility in Etobicoke and in doing so, presented one its brewmasters with the opportunity to take on a new challenge.

“Ontario is brand new for us. We have distributed here for a long time, but with our new 35hl NSI brewhouse in place, we can only grow further,” says brewmaster Connor. K. Patrick. “We are known out here, we have recognition, and people have previously travelled to see see us in Calgary, which is really great.”

Patrick is aware of the challenge that lies ahead, but also has faith in the brewery’s output and the quality of the beer it produces.

With investment in an excellent setup done and dusted, it’s sure to be a successful 2017 for the business. Turn to page 14 for more.

We were also able to catch up with Iain McOustra, brewmaster at Leaside, Toronto-based Amsterdam Brewery. While Big Rock expanded to a new province, Amsterdam undertook a full-on expansion of its main brewing facility last year, which involved the installation of a new brewhouse, canning, line, centrifuge, tank farm and packaging hall. So you can forgive McOustra for looking forward to getting back to the business of beer.

“There are so many breweries now. The opportunity for trial and error has rightfully gone away. You should not be putting a new beer on the market and ‘seeing how it goes’. Things are more competitive so you need to ensure that everything is dialled in and it needs to be on point,” he says on page 22.

While McOustra discusses his desire to brew more for Amsterdam’s Adventure programme of beers, Nickel Brook Brewing is going all out with its sour and funk beer output in 2017. Following on from the open-

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Editor's choice Amsterdam Brewery's brewmaster Iain McOustra explains why provenance is all important when it comes to beer - Page 22

ing of the Arts & Science Brewery with Collective Arts Brewing in 2015, Nickel Brook used last year as an opportunity to convert their old Better Bitters facility into the Funk Lab, a space completely dedicated to small-batch funk and sour beers and it’s already starting to reap the rewards, too.

The Funk Lab facility had an output of approximately 1500HL last year, which the team is looking to push to 4000HL in 2017.

“It’s an experimental approach, but we are doing it in a major way. It can be scary but where is the fun if you don’t take a risk? Compared to the US, I think Ontario and Canada are still catching up in some senses when it comes to sour beers but we want to change that,” explains Matt Gibson from page 28.

Thanks to everyone who took the time out to contribute to this issue and I look forward to speaking to more of this country’s great breweries going forward.

Cheers!

Tim Sheahan Editor

Winter 2017 | Brewers Journal Canada | 3

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without the express prior written consent of the publisher. The Brewers Journal Canada ISSN 2398-6948 is published bimonthly by Reby Media, 42 Crouchfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1PA, UK. Subscription records are maintained at Reby Media, 42 Crouchfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1PA, UK. The Brewers Journal accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of statements or opinion given within the Journal that is not the expressly designated opinion of the Journal or its publishers. Those opinions expressed in areas other than editorial comment may not be taken as being the opinion of the Journal or its staff, and the aforementioned accept no responsibility or liability for actions that arise therefrom.

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Cover story

14 - Brewmaster Connor K. Patrick on the challenges and opportunities for Big Rock at its new operation in Etobicoke, Ontario

news 09- Industry news meet the brewer: Amsterdam

22 - Iain McOustra, brewmaster at Amsterdam Brewery discusses expansion, development and his respect for the provenance of beer Brewery tour: nickel brook 28 - Nickel Brook's Matt Gibson talks funk and sour beers as the brewery goes full steam ahead with its Funk Lab operation in 2017 Comments 34 - Abell Pest Control on best practice 36 - Draught Pro talks preventative maintenance 39 - Hutchison Wealth Management on insurance 42 - First Key Consulting hit the Himalayas 46 - Beverage Protect talk commercial insurance 48 - Bullfrog Power on sustainability

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forEIgn focus: buffalo, new york 50- How brewing is playing a key role in the regeneration of Buffalo, New York and the breweries affecting a change in the city Crossing Continents: sambrook's, London, UK 58- We speak to Duncan Sambrook who discusses how London's beer scene has changed since 2008 sector: packaging 66 - Why effective beer branding is more important than ever for Candian breweries science 72 - BDAS on Beer Colloidal Stability 76 - Pura DX talk measurement and testing Shows 80 - 2017 Ontario Technical Conference 82 - Ontario Craft Brewers Conference

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Brick Brewing outlines major expansion and consolidation plans

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rick Brewing has detailed a $4m expansion for its Kitchener brewery, which will involve improvements to its blending, packaging and warehousing facilities.

Once the project is complete however, the company will cease operations at its secondary plant in Formosa and sell the site.

The move is designed to consolidate operations to a single site and improve manufacturing efficiency and competitiveness.

George Croft, president & chief

executive officer, explained: "We are hopeful that a buyer will emerge for Formosa in the months ahead.

Given that the Formosa site began producing beer in 1870, it would be wonderful to see a new owner continue that rich history of brewing.

“To our employees in Formosa, we are deeply appreciative of your hard work and dedicated commitment over the years and we will do all we can to minimize any negative impacts on employees in the months ahead."

He added, "It is clear that a sin-

SQUAMISH WELCOMES A-FRAME BREWING

A

-Frame Brewing has opened in Squamish, British Columbia.

Squamish, British Columbia has welcomed its latest brewery, A-Frame Brewing, marking the end of a period as a one brewery town.

The brewery, located at 38927 Queens Way, has opened with four beers, each of which is inspired by the region’s lakes, reports Canadian Beer News.

A-Frame Brewing was founded

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by Jeff Oldenborger and Caylin Glazier, with Andrew Sawyer as the company’s brewmaster.

The brewery’s beer lineup comprises the 5.2% Sproat Lake Dry Hopped Pale Ale, a 5.3% Okanagan Lake Cream Ale, the 5.2% Elfin Lakes Belgian Ale and a Magic Lake Porter.

They are served at the brewery that features a 30 seater tasting room as well as store.

Beers are also available in 32 and 64 oz growlers.

gle site with full capabilities is the ideal end state solution to enhance both our competitiveness and our ability to serve our customers.”

Brick said it expects completion of the Kitchener expansion to be complete by July 2017, and to exit from Formosa no later than September 2017.

The company also confirmed that it has been successful in securing $1.75 million in funding from a key co-pack customer along with an extension to the current production contract until December 31, 2022.

Labatt Brewery retirees lose free beer allotment Former employees of the Labatt Brewery are set to lose a free beer allotment, which forms part of their pension benefit scheme, in three years.

Retirees of the Labatt Brewery will no longer receive free beer come 2019, a decision designed to cut costs at the business.

The move, a reaction to “the rising overall cost of maintaining a full benefits package” for retirees, puts an end to an initiative that has been active for more than 50 years.

The current allowance, which is the equivalent of 52 cases of 12 beers annually, will be halved in 2018 by the AB InBev-owned company It will then be phased out fully in 2019, according to a report by CBC. “The reason for the change relates to the rising overall cost of maintaining a full benefits package, including health care coverage for retirees,” Labatt vice-president Lindsay King said in a letter to the company’s employees.

King added in a stament: ”A recent comprehensive review of all the cost management options has led us to conclude that discontinuing free beer is the best course.”

Winter 2017 | Brewers Journal Canada | 9

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Propeller brewing company plans expansion and rebrand in 2017

P

ropeller Brewing celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2017. The Halifax-based brewery has also detailed a number of plans to mark the occasion this year.

The company will be putting a hold on its the tap room and brewery tours at the Gottingen Street brewery for up to 10 weeks.

This will to allow the brewery to undetake a number of renovations.

However, the retail store will remain open to sell bottles and growlers during the construction period.

The company will also undetake a slight rebranding, in addition to the launch of an anniversary series of one-off 'One Hit Wonder' beers, and special events throughout the year, reports Canadian Beer News.

Propeller founder John Allen explained: “Tomorrow is never a guarantee in any business — let alone craft beer.

“You have to keep your head down and do the job. You commit to showing up every day and making beer you’re confident is of the highest quality.

"That’s been our approach from day one, and beer enthusiasts of Halifax have rewarded us with their loyalty every single day since we opened.”

Propeller Brewing Company, which is based in Nova Scotia, specialises in English-stye ales and Lagers.

Its ongoing plans are designed to help consolidate the brewery's operations in to a single site and therefore, improve manufacturing the company's efficiency and competitiveness.

NICKEL BROOK BEERS HIT BEER STORE

N

ickel Brook BREWING CO beers are now available in more than 50 Beer Store outlets across

Ontario.

Burlington, Ontario-based Nickel Brook has announced that thee of its core brands are now available in Beer Stores across the province.

473ml cans of Naughty Neighbour APA, Headstock IPA and Cause & Effect Blonde Ale are available in 57 Beer Store outlets, and the brewery aims to expand into more stores this year.

The initial roll-out of the beers will be focused on the store’s selfserve and “Beer Boutique” outlets, and follows on from Nickel Brook’s expansion into its new Hamilton brewery.

Nickel Brook's Cause & Effect Blonde is a 4.7% “refreshing and easy-drinking” beer that won silver at the Ontario Brewing Awards.

The brewery's Naughty Neighbour American Pale Ale comes in at 4.9% and is pitched as a tribute to the American craft beers of the 1980s that kick-started the craft beer revolution.

Finally, Nickel Brook's popular 7% Headstock India Pale Ale is currently the top-selling craft IPA in

10 | Brewers Journal Canada | Winter 2017

the LCBO and, according to Nickel Brook, is ”not for the faint of heart, this is a hop-lover’s dream come true”.

President and Co-Founder John Romano, explained: “We didn’t want to jump into The Beer Store until we were confident we could continue to supply our existing customers with fresh beer.

“With our Hamilton brewery humming along, we’re excited to be able to get our beer into the hands of even more beer lovers”.

For an in-depth interview with Matt Gibson at Nickel Brook, and their plans for their Funk Lab facility for sour and funk beers in Burlington in 2017, turn to page 28 of this issue.

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MOOSEHEAD SCRAP PLANS TO BUILD BREWERY CONCEPT IN SAINT JOHN, NB

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oosehead Breweries has scrapped plans to build a 10,000 square feet open-concept brewery and taproom, enabling the company to move in to small batch brews.

The facility was due to be a new small-batch brewery in Saint John, New Brunswick, adjacent to Pugsley slip.

The company said: “We moved deeper into the planning phase of the project, we quickly began to get clarity on the overall project costs.

The costs were more than anticipated, and although we tried everything we could, it became ap-

parent that our scenario would push the project costs above acceptable levels.”

Moosehead President Andrew Oland, said at the time of the original announcement: “Returning to the Uptown Saint John area is meaningful and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our company’s milestone anniversary than the opening of this brewery.

“This project is bigger than Moosehead. It’s about the role we can play on Water Street, in the Port of Saint John and in this vibrant and dynamic city we call home.

We are so grateful to the City and the Port for their support of this

Bellwoods opens new facility

B

ellwoods Brewery has opened the doors at its Hafis Road, Toronto production facility for its inaugural open house and bottle release.

Bellwoods Brewery has held the first open house at its Hafis Road brewing facility, which started production last summer.

The event was designed to introduce drinkers to the work the Bellswoods team has been working on last year.

They explained: “I can tell you that the first time I stepped into 20 Hafis Rd, after the tanks and brewhouse had arrived, I literally (yes I actually mean 'literally') felt my heart rate exceed normal beats per

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minute (the thought did occur to me that had I been elderly, I might have had a full-blown heart attack).

“The size and scope of the equipment there made our Ossington brewpub set up look like a Fisher Price toy kitchen, and I finally understood why ordering that scissor lift was very very necessary.”

The open house was a chance to see the new facility, to take a look at its new fermentation tanks, growing barrel program, Canadian manufactured brewhouse from NSI, and the company's new bottling line.

Bellwoods’ Hafis Rd. site has a tasting room license that allows people to purchase 12 and 8 oz pours by the glass.

project.”

However the new small-batch brewery was pitched as a centre for education and innovation, and had planned to include two small-scale brewing systems.

This would have allowed the company to explore new product development and new brewing techniques.

The company had appointed Mackay-Lyons Sweetapple of Halifax as the architect for the project and FCC Construction of Saint John as the construction manager.

The build was expected to get underway early this year, with the brewery will opening later in 2017.

Drinky.ca aims to change online beer buying A website, Drinky.ca, is aiming to “revolutionize” the way drinkers both discover and purchase rare beers in Canada.

Drinky.ca, founded by digital marketing expert Bill Wittur, says the site helps overcome the challenge suppliers have in accessing consumers.

“We’ve met a lot of people who want visibility. Unfortunately, shelf space is hard to come by and expensive to maintain,” he explained.

The company explained: “Drinky. ca makes it easy to find products based on location, category and even interesting characteristics like soil type or sugar levels. To be onside with regulators, we have no inventory. Orders are more like referrals. Suppliers manage everything from the transaction to packaging and shipping."

The site is a ‘self-serve’ platform so suppliers set up profiles and product pages, all of which can be browsed, reviewed and shared by enthusiasts. The must be licensed to sell their product in the jurisdictions they choose and their products must also pass lab and health tests.

Winter 2017 | Brewers Journal Canada | 11

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Sierra nevada's canadian collaboration hits ontario

a

sierra nevada collaboration with a number of Canadian beer professionals has hit On-

tario.

The beer forms part of the popular Beer Camp series of collaborations Sierra Nevada produces with breweries and other groups each year.

The US brewery teamed up with Canadian brewers and other beer professionals to produce the 7% Saison called 'The Eh! Team' last August and it is now available at a number of locations in Ontario.

The beer is described as follows:

"The team decided to put a homegrown twist on the beer but avoid the gimmicky ingredients (so they left the maple syrup for the pancakes).

"Instead, they asked Canada’s first company dedicated to producing unique, liquid yeast cultures for beer, Guelph-based Escarpment Labs, for their unique Old World Saison Blend, and added a touch of spice (and Canadian colour) by throwing white and red (or rather pink) peppercorns into the brew.

The result is a bubbly and dry farmhouse saison with delicate herbal and floral notes."

KATALYST BREWING TO JOIN TORONTO BEER LANDSCAPE

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oronto is expected to welcome its latest brewery, Katalyst Brewing, in the near future as the contract brewer geared up for its first beer launch in December.

The company, Katalyst Brewing, launched its debut beer, ‘Symington Saison’ at the end of last year.

According to the brewery, it is “a contemporary take on the classic

Saison, produced during the harvest by farmers in Belgium and France” and is a refreshing, year-round beer with notes of clove, citrus, and a slightly tart finish.

The 5.5% beer features Saaz hops, rye, where and 2-row malt.

Founded by home brewer Mark Verok, the company is currently brewing at near by Etobicoke’s Cool Brewing.

STRAY DOG DEBUTS FIRST COMMERCIAL BEER

O

ttawa’s Stray Dog has revealed its first commercially available beer, ‘This One’.

Stray Dog, based in Orleans, Ottawa, has debuted its first beer ‘This One’, which is its take on a California Common.

The brewery explained: “Our take on a California Common, a unique North American style with a rich

12 | Brewers Journal Canada | Winter 2017

history dating back to the Gold Rush era, This One is based on our award-winning recipe.

“It has a moderate malt presence, intertwined with balanced notes of toast and caramel, finished with hints of rustic wood and mint on the nose.

“It has a beautiful copper colour that finishes as crisp as an autumn morning. When your server asks

Petainer rolls out rental scheme Petainer has rolled out a series of rental agreements, a first in the oneway keg market, that cover its filling and blowing lines.

Packaging specialists Petainer has launched a range of rental agreements for its filling and blowing line, designed to help customers take advantage of its petainerKeg system.

According to the manufacturer, the agreements are designed to give breweries, among others, access to new equipment that will enable them to grow and enter new markets.

The company is experiencing growth in its petainerKeg system, which offers breweries an alternative to steel kegs.

It cites reduced capital expenditure, lower total cost of ownership and significant supply chain benefits, as key reasons for the increased popularity.

Lease agreements can be tailored to suit customer needs, enabling them to rent a range of equipment.

This ranges from standalone manual systems to fully-automated blow fill lines on a ‘pay per keg’ basis.

Payment start from €0.60 per keg [$USD 0.65 / $CAD 0.85].

Brett Lamont, Sales Director Distribution at Petainer said: “We wanted to develop a solution for customers which helps them grow and expand their business.

“For many, the lease agreements will provide a cost-effective option for taking advantage of all the benefits of petainerKeg. “We have already seen a great deal of interest in this approach because it can be tailored to meet individual customer’s needs.”

what you’d like to drink, point at the menu and say, “I’ll have This One.” Stray Dog debuted the new beer last weekend at OCCO Kitchen, Broadway Orleans Gardens, and D & S Southern Comfort BBQ among others.

The Stray Dog team includes Justin MacNeill, Marc Plante and Gen Benay.

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Blindman launches foeder crowdfunder

B

lindman Brewing, based in Lacombe, Alberta, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help it purchase two Cognac foeders.

The brewery is using the Indiegogo platform to help it reach its $20,000 target that will allow it to make the investment.

They explained: “Our brewery here in central Alberta was started with a core ideal—to make the best beer possible. With the support of all of you we've had a fantastic first year doing just that and hope to continue that in years to come.

To do so, we've found two Cognac foeders that we want to bring back to the brewery.

“These foeders will open up a wide array of beer possibilities for us and we're very excited for them.

Your help is truly appreciated in allowing us to continue to experiment and offer new, exciting beers for you to share with us.”

Outlining the brewery’s plans, Blindman Brewing said: “We need two foeders, not just one. The ability to blend and stagger brews is important because the beer will be in these foeders for months and years at a time. And shipping big oak tanks out of France is not the cheapest thing in the world.

“So, we need the 20 thousand dollars to order the 2x 30 hL (hectoliter, 1 hL = 100 L) foeders and ship them here. (i.e. $5538 USD/per plus ~$4000USD for shipping) “Being previously filled with Cognac we are excited and hope that we can extract some of the delicious Cognac-ness and impart it into the first beers we run through the foeders. There is a wealth of beer styles that we are able to put into these vessels and our eyes are wide with the possibilities.”

In return, Blindman Brewing is

King’s Town Beer Company opens in Kingston

K

ing’s Town Beer Company has become the newest brewery to open in Kingston.

The microbrewery, which features a tasting room and growler shop, is located in the west end of Kingston, Ontario off Gardiners Road.

The brewery explained on its website: “Months of planning and bureaucratic hoop jumping later, our brewery came to life after a year of sanding, scraping, painting and pounding nails and lots of help from skilled trades people not to

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mention many late nights.

“The result, an inviting tasting and retail area with a 30ft bar glowing with natural light up front of our 5 barrel, 10 tank system and growler filling and cleaning production area.

“Whether you’re popping in to grab a couple growlers on your lunch for later enjoyment or stopping by to sit, discuss and try our latest creation with a couple of friends, we hope our brewery becomes a spot fellow beer drinkers gather.”

giving backers the opportunity to receive the first two commerical batches (one from each foeder) that they rack into the foeders. They are also offering other incentives.

“The new centrepieces of our brewery. If the Cognac character is present in the oak these are the two and only two beers that will have it,” they added.

Beau’s All Natural Brewing outlines 2017 collaborations Beau’s All Natural Brewing has detailed the initial beers that will form part of the company’s 12 collaborations with Ottawa 2017.

The first such beer, brewed with the Fogo Island Inn Newfoundland, is ‘49° 54°’, a 6.7% myrrh-smoked gose named after the longitude and latitude of the aforementioned Fogo Island.

They explained: “To create this unique beer, a team from Beau’s travelled to Fogo Island to brainstorm recipe ideas with chefs from Fogo Island Inn, and to see what locally foraged ingredients would be suited to brewing.

“Hand-picked partridgeberries (a tart berry native to the island) went into the brew, along with torrified bark from Fogo Island paper birch trees. The wheat malt used in the 49° 54° beer was smoked using Island myrrh (hardened tree sap collected from local fir, spruce and pine). And finally, a touch of brine comes courtesy of sea salt harvested by chefs at Fogo Island Inn and shared with the Beau’s brewing team.”

The beer is available in a limited run of 600 ml bottles at the Beau’s brewery store and select bars and restaurants in Ontario. It is also expected to be available at Fogo Island Inn from February 5th.

A percentage of sales will be donated to Shorefast Foundation, which is a charity dedicated to “strengthening the communities, cultural heritage and local economy of Fogo Island.”

Winter 2017 | Brewers Journal Canada | 13

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Big

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From ballin' to brewing When a career-ending injury brought a premature halt to Connor K. Patrick’s Canadian Football League career, he had two choices; take up the opportunity to work on an oil rig, or join a good friend travelling Europe and follow a childhood companion’s participation in the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics. He chose the latter and it was then his love affair with beer truly began. Now, a brewmaster at Big Rock, he has entered the latest stage of his career heading up the company’s new brewhouse in Etobicoke, Ontario.

I

think it’s something of a pendulum swing, but beer is like that, it’s cyclical.

People were after monster beers but now there is much more of a focus on sessionable numbers. I find drinkers are more inclined to opt for a beer where there is less of a punch in the face, while lager is no longer a dirty word in the world of good beer,” explains a pensive but enthused Connor. K. Patrick musing on the ever-changing beer landscape that surrounds him.

We’re catching up at the tail-end of 2016, 12 months that have been a period on transition, growth and development for the Calgary native, but it’s a year Patrick is eager to build on in 2017, and beyond.

But rewind more than a decade, and Patrick’s career could have panned out very differently.

“I had always been focused on football and committed a great deal of my life to it,” he explains.

“I had the goal to play in the CFL, and that journey took me to the US, where I played for a few years in Billings, Montana. I wasn’t concerned that I wasn’t taking school because that was very much my focus.”

14 | Brewers Journal Canada | Winter 2017

But before long, Patrick was back in Calgary and it was then, aged 24, injury hit and he was forced to take a step back and assess his options. “That took things in a very different direction, which was something I had to deal with. Before long I had been hired to work on the oil rigs up north and to be honest, I was two weeks away from doing that before another opportunity came knocking,” he explains.

And that came in the form of the Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy in 2006. A good friend from Calgary was heading to Europe to follow a childhood friend, Morgan, who was representing Canada in the bobsled category and the temptation for Patrick was too much to resist.

“I had the two choices and chose the latter. We had quite the trek for a couple of months, I suppose you could call it Europe by night as we sure didn’t see a lot of it during the day!” he laughs. “What places like the UK did give me an opportunity to do though was try a lot of beer, beer that I hadn’t tried before and it was something I fell in love with. I couldn’t tell you what we drank but what stuck with me were the

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flavours. It wasn’t the boring bland beer that I had seen previously. While it didn’t make me immediately want to run home and become a brewer, it started my immersion in the industry, which has led me to where I am now. It was eye opening.”

Over the last 10 years, Patrick worked his way up through Big Rock’s brewing program, putting in his first two years learning the ropes in brewing, four years in filtration, two years in quality control, and then back to brewing as a lead hand.

Along with his mentor training under the direction of Brewmaster Paul Gautreau for more than 10 years, Patrick has also earned a Power Engineering Diploma from SAIT, a Diploma of Brewing from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling, and the Concise Course in Brewing Technology from the Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago. Not bad for someone that still feels they fell into the profession.

“Upon returning home, I wasn’t sure what I wanted from life but saw the posting for the brewery at Big Rock. It didn’t require a brewing background but my time in the refrigeration industry helped on that side of things,” he says. “I met Paul, we struck it off and he hired me. The timing just worked and it wasn’t long before I fell in love with it. I knew I wanted to make it a career.”

And that was a career at Big Rock.

Big Rock was founded by Ed McNally. A lawyer by trade, the 1980s saw McNally represent a group of barley growers in a legal action against the Alberta Wheat Board. During this period, he soon realised that Alberta’s climate produces 2-row barley, something that is ideally suited for malting. Couple this with access to glacial water from the Rocky Mountains and McNally had the making of a good brewery.

At the time, most barley production in Alberta was used as cattle feed. With an entrepreneurial background, McNally decided to open a craft brewery.

By 1985 he had found a small space to set up shop and brought on board their first brewmaster Bernd Pieper from Lowenbrau and Guinness. They started creating the beers that McNally liked, making the beers he wanted to drink, not what will be popular, he said at the time. That philosophy resulted in its first three beers being Bitter, Porter and Traditional. Of the three, Traditional was a hit, and continues to win praise today.

“As for the others, well, Ed really liked them,” the brewery said.

Fast forward nearly a decade and Big Rock took on its second brewmaster in the form of Larry Kerwin, a former brewmaster for Molson. Kerwin had started as a brewer at Big Rock under Bernd Pieper in 1994, eventually taking over as brewmaster in 2000 upon Pieper's retirement.

But it is the third, and current, brewmaster Paul Gautreau that Connor Patrick learned the ropes from.

Gautreau, who has built the Vancouver and Etobicoke breweries, joined Big Rock in 1986 as its fourth employee, and worked in brewing and operational capacities before replacing Kerwin.

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Core beers Citradelic Style: IPA (Single Hop) ABV: 6.0 Hops: Citra Malt: English and Canadian Malts Character: Imperial Pacific NW IPA, beautiful citrus fruit nose and flavour. Medium bodied with a pleasant lingering aftertaste. Amber hue with a tight white head.

Wunderbier Style: Dunkelweizen (Dark Wheat Ale) ABV: 5% IBU: 18 Malt: Pale, Munich, Wheat, Caramel Wheat and Black Malt Hops: Willamette Hops Character: If you think the name’s a mouthful, wait till you taste the complex flavours of its five distinct malts and two different German hops Grasshopper Style: Kristallweizen (filtered wheat ale) ABV: 5% Malt: Pale and Wheat Malt Hops: Willamette and Saaz Hops Character: A light touch of hops gives the brew a crisp finish, balancing its soft sweetness and texture with fruity or citrusy notes.

Honey Brown Lager Style: Dark Lager ABV: 5% Malt: Blend of pale and caramel.

Hops: Honey from Three Hills and two varieties of hops.

Character: Sweet honey/molasses flavour, slightly hopped with fuller mouth feel.

Session IPA Style: India Pale Ale ABV: 5.5% Malt: Pale and Caramel Malt.: Hops: Cascade and Fuggle, dry hopped.

Character: A classic, sessionable IPA, dry hopped to lend a distinctive citrusy Cascade hop flavour and aroma.

McNally’s Extra Style: Irish Red Ale ABV: 7% Malt: Pale, Caramel and Black Malt.

Hops: Nugget Hops.

Character: Strong malt and hop character with flavours of burnt toffee, caramel, and a touch of dark fruity plum notes.

Mosaic Lager Style: India Pale Lager ABV: 5.5 Malt: Munich and Vienna Hops: Mosaic Character: A crisp India Pale Lager with a delicious dose of Mosaic hops.

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The team explains: “Like any Brewmaster worth his malt, Paul is charged with providing consistent magnificence in our beers. Since Big Rock is a craft brewery, a big part of that entails ensuring that everything that goes in to our beers is natural, of the highest quality, and brewed to the exacting standards genuine craft beer demands.

“Paul has traveled throughout the world training with the best of the best. He is a graduate of the Brewing and Packaging program at The University of California-Davis, the Brewing & Malting Science program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the prestigious Institute of Brewing and Distilling in London, England. He is also a member of the American Society of Brewing Chemists, The Institute of Brewing and Distilling, and he’s served as our district’s President of the Master Brewer’s Association of the Americas.”

Under Gautreau’s tutelage for a decade at the

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Core beers Pilsner Style: Pilsner ABV: 4.9% Malt: Pale Malt.: Hops: Czech Saaz hops.

Character: Soft malty flavour balanced with a mild bitterness and a fragrant hop nose.

Rhine Stone Cowboy Style: Kölsch Style Ale ABV: 4.6% Malt: Pale and Vienna Malt Hops: Hallertau Character: Delicate, well matured ale Traditional Ale Style: English-style brown ale ABV: 5% Malt: Pale, Caramel and Black Malt Hops: Galena and Willamette Hops Character: A recipe gone untouched since Big Rock’s founding. Toasty malt and sweet caramel up front, finishing with a nutty flavour, medium creamy carbonation and mild hop bitterness.

Scottish Style Heavy Ale Style: Scottish Style Heavy Ale ABV: 7% Malt: Pale, Caramel, Munich and Peated Malt.

Hops: Northern Brewer Hops.

Character: Strong and full bodied with a complex mix of toffee, caramel, vanilla and a hint of peat.

Warthog Style: English Style Mild Ale ABV: 4.5% Malt: Pale, Caramel and Black Malt.

Hops: Nugget and Williamette hops.

Character: Malty with a hint of toffee balanced with a mild hop bite and a clean finish.

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200hl Calgary brewery, Patrick has seen the industry develop massively.

“The industry has grown so much in that time.

When I joined, there were only a fraction of the breweries we have now,” says Patrick. “There has been a boom and I have been lucky to have seen that shift, not only with brewers and breweries but also the styles that have become popular in some regions and not others.”

And it’s a move to a new region, Ontario, which was the highlight for Patrick in 2016, heading up the smaller 35hl brewery Etobicoke that will be the brewmaster’s focus from now on.

“Ontario is brand new for us. We have distributed here for a long time, but with our new 35hl NSI brewhouse in place, we can only grow further,” he explains. “We are known out here, we have recognition, and people have previously travelled to see see us in Calgary, which is really great. But we are up for the challenge of proving ourselves with our own brewery in Ontario, which is a very competitive market. We also want to stay connected to the community here. I think that is something we are known for, and very proud of, in Calgary so I definitely want to promote that in Ontario, too.”

In addition to the company’s 35hl brewhouse, Big Rock is running a Wild Goose canning line capable of filling 355ml and 473ml cans, as well as a Kosme bottling line to fill 330m and 650ml vessels. And with an excellent setup in tow, Patrick is up for the challenge of proving himself once again.

He concludes: There is a lot of competition here but there are a lot of people in Ontario, too. It’s about getting into a market where there is already a great deal of good beer being produced by lots of respected breweries. For me, the competition ensures we are always looking to up our game.

“We want to produce fresh beer and sustain ourselves in Ontario. I’ve been given an opportunity and it was one I could not pass up. So let’s continue making great beer, connect in the community, and make a mark.”

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Provenance to Pint Following on from a “crazy” 12 months of expansion at Amsterdam Brewery, the company’s brewmaster Iain McOustra is looking forward to getting back to focusing on his real passion, making great beer.

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rewhouse? Check. Tank farm?

Check. Centrifuge? Check.

Packaging Hall? Check. Canning line? Check.

Iain McOustra and the team at Leaside, Toronto-based Amsterdam Brewery were told they were mad when they outlined what they wanted to achieve in 2016. But did that stop them?

Of course not. They had their expansion plans in place and they were dead set on fulfilling them. Now, as the dust settles on a frantic, successful year, brewmaster McOustra is breathing a sigh of relief and is back raring to go.

“Growing as a brewery, if you’re lucky, is something of an endless road. We were rightfully told we were crazy last year with the amount we set out to do, but the expansion was a great learning experience and it was a dream come true to be part of that,” explains McOustra.

German manufacturer Krones were commissioned on the project, supplying Amsterdam with equipment that included a CombiCube brewhouse and a Craftmate canning line. Yet brewing 50,000HL in 2016 was not enough for the brewery, with 10 more 200HL tanks due for installation this year, bringing their quota up to 40.

“These investments took place at a time where the industry really exploded but that has enabled us to move on to the next stage of our development, and build on the solid foundations we created. The growth in Canadian beer has been great, but it is more critical than ever that the quality of your beer is as high as it can be, and you don’t take your foot off the gas pedal,” he says. “You need to be focused, and we are.

I am excited, as it means this year we can go back to making headroads with innovation, and get back to making beer.”

And making beer is where McOustra’s passion lies.

The equipment investments enthuse, but talking about the beer itself is when the brewmaster truly comes alive. A 14 year career at Amsterdam has imbued

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It is more critical than ever that the quality of your beer is as high as it can be, and you don’t take your foot off the gas pedal.

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McOustra with a love for all aspects of beer, from provenance to pint.

“Being part of a brewery is surreal and it’s rewarding. Coming into work everyday is a blessing and to be part of this team, and be in my position, is very satisfying,” he says. Aged 36, McOustra has been brewing for nearly half his life. And when he started out, the Canadian beer landscape was a very different animal.

“There were something like 12 breweries then, so you were damn lucky to have a job on a bottling line, let alone be anywhere near the actual brewing side! I ended up stumbling into being a position where I was able to brew all summer and where I couldn’t wait to come in and brew every day. It was where I wanted to be,” adds McOustra.

But in 2003, his career could have taken a different trajectory. Kawartha Lakes Brewing of Peterborough, Ontario, where McOustra was working at the time, was purchased by Amsterdam Brewing. An interview with the company's brewmaster followed and a brewing future was out of McOustra's hands.

“Fortunately for me, I was allowed to stay on once Amsterdam bought KLB. My interview involved drinking three pints, a lot of talking, and that was that!” he adds.

Since then, McOustra has held roles as innovation brewer, head brewer and most recently, brewmaster.

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And his experiences across all facets of brewing at Amsterdam have given him an ever-increasing respect for the art of brewing, the importance of ingredients, and their origins.

“There are so many breweries now. The opportunity for trial and error has rightfully gone away. You should not be putting a new beer on the market and ‘seeing how it goes’. Things are more competitive so you need to ensure that everything is dialled in and it needs to be on point,” he says. “There is a real danger with people producing new styles yet the quality isn't always there. We are currently brewing a new Black Rye IPA, and we’ve done 25 Rye beers before, but we are doing several batches first and we won’t put it out until we are happy. Not enough breweries do this.”

He adds: “I think it’s possible to get too locked into your small beer scene, the parties, takeovers and awards. But you should really want people that do not necessarily drink craft beer to try your beer, to like it, and to go out wanting to try it again. A bad experience can translate to all beer and all breweries, so it’s incredibly important to nail it and get it right.”

For McOustra, he believes it’s too easy to get caught up with the culture of tap takeovers and the like, forgetting the importance of raw materials and the impact on the beer they help produce.

“It’s important for my career, and for the company, to focus on the important things. When you get deep in a subject, you find yourself wanting to work out what makes something special. Is a great beer the result of a brewer’s skill set, or is it something else?” he asks.

McOustra adds: “You’ll probably find that it’s more likely that good brewers are trying to get out of their own way in brewing and to let ingredients shine. If you are trying to be unique or worthwhile, how will you do that? Is it through process or ingredients?

For me, in terms of process, we are well on our way.

But it’s ingredients that are far more important.

For instance when you look at malt analysis, how do you know whether it is accurate. You speak to the maltsters, that’s how. You should always be questioning, striving to learn and challenge yourself.”

One such way he and the team do that is in the diverse range of beers they produce. Spending time in Germany gave McOustra a true appreciation of Helles beers and to celebrate the brewery’s 30th anniversary, they produced 2017 Helles Golden Lager, a 5.2% unfiltered beer.

“While Boneshaker IPA is our biggest seller, I think there is an opportunity for delicate malt and yeast flavours to come to the fore. My time in Germany gave me that appreciation for Helles as it is so difficult to make a good one. With this beer, once we nailed the base malt, it’s all about the yeast strain, and how your ferment it,” he explains. “We decided we wanted it unfiltered but crystal clear without using a centrifuge, just to make life difficult for ourselves! For me this style is beer at it’s most base. If you can do that well, it shows the opportunity you can have with malt-forward beer. It was something we can be proud

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of. It’s about making beers that are special and that many people can enjoy. Full of quality, technically well made, and appreciated by as many people as possible.”

McOustra is also a big fan of the brewery’s Farmhouse Series, which falls under the company’s ‘Adventure’ programme of beers. In 2016 they teamed up with their friends at Great Lakes to produce a Triple IPA that he is particularly fond of “During a tour of farms we were walking through, we came across Chinook still on the vine. I’ve used Chinook for a decade but this smelled like Mosaic mixed with Centennial, it didn’t lean towards dankness. I talked to the farmer and they were good enough to send us a bale of that hop. We were very lucky as we wanted to translate it to a beer and it worked incredibly well,” he explains. “With that in mind, we have looked elsewhere to do similar beers.

We were able to get cuts of Pacifica from the southern hemisphere, which was gorgeous and we also have Jester coming over from the UK. It’s been a great experience doing beers with these fantastic hops.”

Expansion of the adventure programme is something McOustra is keen on in 2017.

“This will allow us to show people that we are still very much plugged into the innovation and the production of diverse beer styles. Even our Boneshaker IPA started out as an experiment. If we approach all of our beers in the adventure programme genuinely, and with honesty, then I think we’ll end up with some really great beers that have a fantastic story,” he says.

Amsterdam has nearly 100 employees at the brewery, with eight in the brewing team. But McOustra points out that everyone is rotated, which ensures everyone has an input into the beers they produce, resulting in a collaborative process across the board.

Outside of the brewery, McOustra considers himself fortunate to be part of the community, and smaller micro communities, that allow him to work with close friends that also happen to work at breweries.

“We do a lot of travelling, checking out scenes and ingredients, learning together. If I can learn, I am all in,” he says. “I am done with quick brews and focused instead on moving forward with doing something meaningful and of true quality. For me it’s a long term thing, not a quick win. Some of our collaborations have been four or five years in the making. It’s about working out how you’re going to do something and more importantly, why you’re doing it.”

And it’s that sense of pushing himself that is driving McOustra and Amsterdam Brewery to the next stage of their development.

“It’s a case of perspective. If you have perspective then you are alright. The most successful brewers I have met see it as a lifetime career. The ones I’ve trained with or have seen do well are all about learning,” he says.

“They are focused on the long game and trying to understand one thing at a time and assuming they nothing. One thing the people at the top have in common is that they are always striving for more. And that’s where we need to be.”

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The science Nickel Brook are not ones to rest on their laurels. Following on from the opening of the Arts & Science Brewery with Collective Arts Brewing in 2015, the team went full steam ahead with the launch of the Funk Lab, its sour beer operation, last September. We spoke to Matt Gibson, responsible for sales and marketing at the business, to find out what the future holds for Nickel Brook and where they go next.

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t’s the first week of 2017 and it’s a period of transition for Nickel Brook, as well as a member of its team, Matt Gibson. Previously responsible for sales and marketing at the Ontario brewery, Gibson is in the process of training up a new team member to take on his sales responsibilities, allowing the Toronto-born former corporate litigator to focus full time on the marketing and communications element of his role.

“It’s hectic but it’s positive. I really enjoy marketing and it shows we are moving in the right direction by growing the team. We are proud to be part of this community, but we also want to show we can take a lead in certain areas, and we’re fully aware of the effort that takes,” he muses.

In 2017, Nickel Brook celebrates its 12th anniversary. Established in 2005 by John and Peter Romano, the brewery is named after the former’s children, Nicholas and Brooke. But despite being more than a decade old, it’s in the last few years that have seen the company truly come into its own.

Nearly three years ago, Nickel Brook announced it was joining forces with Toronto’s Collective Arts Brewing to open a new 40,000 square foot brewhouse under the guise of the Arts & Science Brewery. Located in the former Lakeport Brewing facility in Hamilton, the facility gave both businesses the chance to expand and cater for increased demand for their beers. Fast forward to June 2015 and the site was in operation, with the brewery officially opened that November.

“We are still growing into the space but it has allowed us to increase capacity and production. It has enabled us to grow,” says Gibson. “The move made sense for both parties. We contract brewed for Collective Arts but they wanted their own space, and we needed to expand. The Lakeport opportunity

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We are proud to be part of this community, but we also want to show we can take a lead in certain areas, and we’re fully aware of the effort that takes.

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presented itself and the Hamilton location worked for both breweries.”

And worked it has.

A number of additions and amendments have also been made to the original brewing equipment purchased from Sleeman’s defunct Dartmouth, Nova Scotia brewery. Modifications to the original system include a new whirlpool to handle its late hop additions, a new external wort calandria, as well as increased grain handling systems, owing to Nickel Brook’s use of high gravity, all-grain brewing.

The Hamilton operation comprises a five vessel 60HL brewhouse with a projected output in 2017 of 70,000HL. The improvements and expansion made to the Hamilton brewhouse setup have allowed Nickel Brook to concentrate on the production of their “core” range of beers such as Naughty Neighbour APA, Headstock IPA and Cause & Effect Blonde Ale at the facility.

And its these beers that were made available in more than 50 Beer Store outlets across Ontario at the end of 2016, a move that broadens the brewery’s

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presence across the province. 473ml cans of Naughty Neighbour APA, Headstock IPA and Cause & Effect Blonde Ale are available in 57 Beer Store outlets, and the brewery is aiming to expand into more stores this year.

Nickel Brook’s Cause & Effect Blonde is a 4.7% “refreshing and easy-drinking” beer that won silver at the Ontario Brewing Awards, while its Naughty Neighbour American Pale Ale comes in at 4.9% and is a tribute to the American craft beers of the 1980s that kick-started the craft beer revolution. The third beer available in the Beer Store, its 7% Headstock India Pale Ale, is currently the top-selling craft IPA in the LCBO and, according to Nickel Brook, is ”not for the faint of heart, this is a hop-lover’s dream come true”.

For Gibson, who found his love for beer during a trip to Belgum, this expansion is a positive step for the business. The brewery previously had a presence in the

Funk Lab Beers Uncommon Element Brett Pale Ale ABV 5.2% • IBU 42 Combining American Pale Ale hopping with the funky hit of Brettanoymces yeast, this is a crisp hop-forward brew with a unique barnyard tang. Tropical hops evoke notes of orange peel and pineapple.

Brett Farmhouse ABV 5.8% • IBU 23 Notes of peach and apricot mingle with a light, peppery body in this Belgian Saison. A secondary fermentation with Brett creates a champagne-like carbonation, with a distinctive farmhouse funk aroma. Perfect for a funky summertime.

Ceres Cucumber-Lime Gose ABV 4.0% • IBU 0 A sour beer with sea salt, cucumber and lime. Sounds insane right? Nope, this thirst-quenching Gose (pronounced Gose-Uh) evokes a properly-crafted margarita or mojito in the best way possible. Tart, salty and fresh, this Gose will soon be Gone.

Peach Über Berliner Style Weisse ABV 3.8% • IBU 3 Like it’s raspberry brother, this sour wheat uses Lactobacillus yeast to create a distinctive sour tang.

Fresh Ontario peaches add a slight pink-orange hue and a refreshingly sweet aroma.

Raspberry Über Berliner Style Weisse ABV 3.8% • IBU 3 A sour German wheat beer base combines with real Canadian raspberries for a huge hit of fresh fruit. Lactic tang gives way to a face full of raspberry juiciness, evoking memories of picking wild berries in the countryside.

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chain but demand for their beer forced Nickel Brook to focus on supplying the LCBO. “The Beer Store presence is interesting due to chain’s ownership structure. So we’re really competing with some of the major beer brands out there, but hopefully it’s a new set of eyes on our product that can lead to bigger things. The Beer Store also takes good care of the beer, too,” he explains.

Combining these channels, along with the growing number of grocery stores that supply Nickel Brook beers ensure the off-trade element of sales is heading in the right direction.

While the brewery continues to enjoy growing demand for its IPAs, blondes and stouts, a shift in focus during 2016 is what really excites Gibson.

With the Hamilton brewery well up-and-running, John and Peter Romano saw an opportunity to do something different with their original brewery in Burlington. This involved brewing funk and sour beers by converting their old Better Bitters facility into the

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Funk Lab, a space completely dedicated to small-batch funk and sour beers. It’s already starting to reap the rewards, too. The Funk Lab facility had an output of approximately 1500HL last year, which the team is looking to push to 4000HL in 2017.

They started with Cuveé, a bottle conditioned sour and last year Nickel Brook won Gold at the Canadian Brewing Awards for its Über Raspberry Berliner Style Weisse. Ceres, a Cucumber-Lime Gose, also got tongues wagging, and a small-batch Peach Berliner sold out in a week.

“We are trying to take a lead in Ontario and do sour beers properly. We’re not really interested in kettle sours, which are also awesome, so repurposing the older brewery was a perfect opportunity,” says Gibson. “John and Peter looked at the space, they wanted to ensure the great team there could still brew there and with Hamilton having the core brands dialled in, it made sense.”

He adds: “It’s an experimental approach, but we are

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doing it in a major way. It can be scary but where is the fun if you don’t take a risk? Compared to the US, I think Ontario and Canada are still catching up in some senses when it comes to sour beers but we want to change that.

“John and the team hit the States a lot, which has a much larger sour scene. You just need to look at the amazing work being done by Wicked Weed and Jolly Pumpkin, fantastic beers. For us it is something of a leap of faith but if we establish ourselves as the first to really do this properly in Ontario, then that is a very good thing.”

But the success Nickel Brook has had with the Raspberry Über Berliner Style Weisse and other awardwinning beers has given the brewery confidence.

“That beer went in to the LCBO in the Summer of last year as a limited release but I believe we have only just now stopped supplying it. Drinkers are relating to it and picking it up in great numbers. I think people see the term raspberry, and know what that tastes like,

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and lots know what a sour can taste like, so they can make that association,” he says. “It is the same with Cucumber-Lime Gose. People are getting over the fear and as more breweries make sours, it helps make them more approachable. But don’t get me wrong, consumer education remains our biggest challenge, to let people know that beer doesn’t have to just be hoppy or light and yellow.”

Like anything at Nickel Brook though, Gibson is more than aware of the importance of balance.

“Sour beers will keep growing, I am sure of it. As more breweries experiment, and more do it well, then more people will try them. But I see people asking if sours are the next IPAs, I just can’t see it. Craft beer is growing 20-30% year-on-year here, so the market is getting more competitive and crowded so it is more important than ever to stay at the top of your game.

We wanted to have a USP, we now have one. It is time to prove we can continue to produce great beers, of any style, that people enjoy.”

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pest problem With all the demands of running a successful brewery, the last concern you need is a pest infestation in your building putting your investment and reputation at risk. A strong and properly designed pest management program will help protect you from the negative impacts of pests, allowing you to focus on your customers and business, explains Steven Graff H.BSc, Quality Assurance Manager at Abell Pest Control Inc.

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ests such as rodents, cockroaches and fruit flies are a real threat to food safety, product quality and customer experience.

Due to their behaviour and choice of harbourage and breeding sites, namely garbage, drains, rotting meat and organic waste, these pests readily pick up and transmit bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella from unsanitary areas to food contact surfaces and sensitive zones.

They can also physically contaminate your products by falling into packaging, food or beverages directly.

Lastly your customers’ experience whether dining or simply savouring one of your quality brews can be negatively impacted by pests, possibly steering them elsewhere when planning their next evening out.

A well designed and run pest management program will effectively minimize the threat and damage of pests. Key components to an effective program include: Inspections performed on a regular cycle, typically monthly, by your pest management provider to support your operations by spot lighting areas needing additional attention. Inspections help you to identify sanitation, structure and exclusion issues that may promote or are actively supporting pest infestation.

With respect to sanitation, areas of food debris accumulation, organic buildup and clutter promote pest activity and should be flagged for action.

Implementing a regular deep cleaning process for pest prone areas can greatly minimize risk of infestation by addressing potential breeding sites proactively.

Structural maintenance and design is also key as deficiencies such as damaged floor tiles or missing tile grout can make cleaning more difficult, promoting infestation. Regular maintenance, proper building design to make areas accessible, and providing the proper tools for cleaning, supports success and builds

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employee commitment to sanitation.

Exclusion programs can pay big dividends and largely are low cost measures. Ensuring a sound structure to exclude rodents, insects and birds from the building is key to minimizing risk. Maintain door sweeps, keep doors and windows closed when not in use, and seal holes and gaps in exterior walls and around utilities entering the building.

Continuous monitoring and control for pest activity using a network of equipment in susceptible areas, greatly helps in quick pest detection, removes pests from the building, and helps steer the management program. Monitoring equipment such as glueboards and sticky traps help detect crawling insects such as cockroaches and ants. Insect light traps intercept flying insects including house flies and wasps that may enter the building and make their way to food or food contact surfaces. Finally, mechanical mouse traps work to capture mice that may squeak in thru doors or enter via structural voids from adjacent areas. While monitoring equipment helps identify pest presence, it also acts as a fundamental level of control that is supported by other methods such as an exterior bait station program for rodents or an insecticide application to eliminate insect activity. Pesticides are not used on a routine basis with pest management programs, but rather are implemented to help provide the knockout punch should activity begin.

Reporting and communication help provide an ongoing record of findings during the regular service visits and actions taken to resolve any pest activity.

Verbal communication goes a long way in ensuring everyone understands the inspection results and what needs to be done to gain resolution. Documentation is important to have on hand should it be requested by a Public Health Inspector or the Canadian Food Inspection Agency as they perform their regular inspections. It is virtually impossible to have zero pest activity over the course of a year within a food

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P est

establishment; having well maintained documentation is a benefit in demonstrating your commitment to ensuring a food safe environment and the actions taken to follow thru.

As you can see, pest management programs must be proactive in nature to achieve the desired result of protecting your business from pest activity. This goal can only be achieved with a partnership that provides a focussed approach to strong sanitation practices, sound building maintenance and quick detection with appropriate action toward pest presence should it occur. By working together in this nature, risk to public health is avoided and your brand image is not only maintained but is strengthened, allowing you to focus on running a successful business – not pests.

pests and common sources Fruit Fly

• Primarily breed in wet, fermenting, organic material • Complete their life cycle in as short as 7 days from

egg to adult • Can lay 500 eggs in adult 50 day life span • Can be active year round indoors with presence due directly to sanitation or process issue Fruit fly hot spots • Drain lines from draft tap and fountain pop drip trays, • Floor and sink drains, • Wet anti-fatigue floor mats, • Areas underneath counters where liquids and wet food waste accumulate due to spills, • Empty beer bottles and cans

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German Cockroach

• Prefer warm, humid environments where food

material is present • Hide in cracks, crevices and tight spaces • Complete their life cycle in approximately 100 days from egg to adult • One female and her offspring can produce hundreds of thousands of cockroaches in one year German Cockroach hot spots • Underneath objects stored on floors, • Under counter tops, shelves, and within cupboards; prefer junction points, hinges, etc., • Motor compressor areas including refrigerators, pop dispensers, • Sinks and damp areas House Mouse

• Constantly urinate and defecate while moving

around • Live about 5 months • Female mice are sexually mature at 2 months and will produce 5 to 10 litters per year • Average litter size is 6 to 8 young • Excellent climbers House Mouse hot spots • Hide around building exteriors under objects and shrubs looking for access, • Often enter buildings through damaged door sweeps or doors left ajar, via gaps around utility lines, and holes in structural walls, • Live and travel in void spaces such as wall, ceiling and floor voids, • Prefer warm areas for nesting

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P reventative

M aintenance

Prevention is Better Than Cure Jeff Harrington, president of Draught Pro is a man on a mission. He wants to make the average consumer aware of what they could be drinking when they order their favourite beer from a bar that hasn’t had a line cleaning in six months. And that is the reason his company is launching the Draught Pro Certified campaign in early 2017.

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reventative maintenance is something we developed nearly 25 years ago as a proactive approach to service rather than reactive.

Line cleaning is only a small part of what we do in our preventative maintenance (PM) program. We check temperatures in the fridges and water baths, we check for worn O-rings, we clean couplers, faucets and fobs.

We check pressures, ensure fridge fans and motors are working properly and that pumps are working efficiently. We then check the taps and towers themselves are in good condition and clean, that handles aren’t broken, that the tower is lit in the proper way.

What bothers me in this industry is that we have a consumable product, being draught, that has absolutely no standards or regulations that drinking establishments are required to meet.

We have witnessed a competitor come into clean their two lines for the breweries they represent while we were there to clean our eight lines. They came in, ran cold water through the lines, grabbed a signature and were out in 30 minutes. Cold water does nothing, it doesn’t remove the calcium oxalate, also known as beer stone. It doesn’t remove bacteria or yeast that builds up in the lines.

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After six weeks of build up, this stuff is visible to the naked eye in a clear draught line. We’ve always maintained a level of cleanliness in customer’s systems rather than cleaning lines and not allowing that build up to occur which creates off flavours in the beer and could make someone sick.

With the amount of pride and craftsmanship that brewmasters have in creating a beautiful product with unique flavour notes and the perfect balance on the palette, to then be put into a keg and run through a system that hasn’t been maintained properly, or at all, that has residue from old batches or completely different products and run through a system that isn’t being maintained at the proper temperature, well that’s the whole reason we do what we do.

For the past 24 years, we have been fighting this “silent battle” that the majority of the population knows nothing about. Why aren’t more people aware of this? Because no one has died from drinking from a dirty system. People have gotten sick, but they aren’t likely to trace it back to the residue in their draught. “Oh, I probably just drank too much”, “I got a stomach bug”. When in reality you drank three pints of mould and beer stone.

Since there are no regulations around this currently, unfortunately most the time we are self-policing. We feel we do a good job of this and have terminated technicians that haven’t been upholding our standard

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P reventative

M aintenance

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However, it would obviously be better to have some regulations to be accountable too. We did however have an audit performed on our work by “BetterBeer”, a company founded by Steve Riley, a certified cicerone. We received a glowing review on our work by BetterBeer and have an excellent working relationship with Steve and his company.

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W

hat we want to do is make the average consumer aware of what they could be drinking when they order their favourite beer from a bar that hasn’t had a line cleaning in 6 months. That is the reason we are launching the Draught Pro Certified campaign in early 2017.

When a customer is Draught Pro Certified, they will receive a sticker on their front door indicating they meet the standards we feel are necessary to maintain a proper draught system.

Those 10 key standards are listed on our website: www.Draughtpro.com.

I look forward to reading your editorial. If you have any questions please feel free to give me a call anytime. It was a pleasure chatting with you.

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insurance

c omm e n t

Insure Your Craft Brew

Whether your brewery is well established or yet to break ground, you have much to contemplate including making wise financial, operating and marketing decisions, explains the Imbibe team at Knox Insurance

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very day more Canadians are figuring out what you already know: craft beer is worth drinking.

For decades mega brewers dominated the market. The last ten years have ushered in a new era of exponential growth driven by highquality craft brewers.

This explosive growth presents unique hurdles for craft brewers. The business is increasingly complex and fraught with ever evolving and unforeseen challenges.

Consumer tastes and market interests have shifted, with sales opportunities moving well beyond the doors of the brewery.

Whether your brewery is well established or yet to break ground, you have much to contemplate including making wise financial, operating and

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marketing decisions. And don’t forget the small task of brewing your ideal beer. On an ongoing basis countless questions must be asked: Do we have the necessary cash flow? Are we reaching our target market? Are we maintaining our quality standards?

Are we adequately protecting our people and our investment?

Predicting what will happen in the future is tough to do—and getting it right consistently is an impossible feat—just ask a fortune teller. That’s why it is imperative that craft brewers develop and implement fully integrated risk management and business continuity plans.

Proper preparation and well defined contingency plans may significantly and positively impact how well the business and its people recover from unfortunate events and inevitable loss. Benjamin Franklin

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I N surance

famously said that by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. A well designed insurance program tailored to craft brewers can protect your people, business and brand.

Let’s look at the four primary risks facing breweries: Physical, Liability, Fiduciary and Cyber.

physical risks

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s the demand for your product increases so does the stress placed on your equipment. Optimal performance is essential to ensure the brewery meets it growing sales commitments. A breakdown of the bottling or canning machine right before the seasonal rush could prove detrimental. Consider how long it would take to repair the unit and how profits are impaired in the meantime. Ensuring that you have breakdown coverage with adequate limits, and understanding how such coverage responds during a disruption is crucial to mitigating risk.

Consider too the impact that a product recall due to contamination or food borne illness would have on the operation. Attention to quality control and health and safety is an essential aspect of risk management.

liability risks

D

uring peak times the brewery is in overdrive—filling orders for local restaurants, delivering beer to retailers and preparing for upcoming festivals. You and your employees are working around the clock. Despite best efforts, accidents happen. Slippery brewery floors may lead to falls during a tour. Or excess consumption by a patron may contribute to bodily harm on the way home.

The financial and reputational exposure is so great that without proper coverage, a claim may prove detrimental. Proactive planning and guidance will serve the brewery well.

fiduciary risks

R

egulatory demands and consumer expectations continue to increase. Brewers must guarantee compliance with tax regulations—meaning, taxes will be paid— and are therefore required to carry an excise bond.

Furthermore, strategic team members such as

Essential information Business Interruption Assists the business with regaining momentum after a claim by paying certain ongoing (and extra) expenses.

Excise Bond A Canada Revenue Agency requirement for all microbreweries. Promises that all excise taxes will be paid when they come due.

Property (building, contents, equipment, stock) Coverage to rebuild or replace property damaged by an insured loss.

Commercial General Liability Protection if the business is sued for alleged bodily injury and/or property damage.

Crime Covers money, securities and other property against a variety of criminal acts.

Legal Expenses Covers legal costs and gaps, and provides “Lawyer on Call” for challenges ranging from contract disputes to property protection.

Stock Spoilage Covers spoiled beer or other stock due to change in humidity or temperature resulting from building damage or sudden equipment malfunction as a result of injured loss.

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Liquor Liability Protects against claims that occur if a customer becomes intoxicated and injures him/herself, and or someone else.

Employers Liability Protects business if an employee is injured on the job.

Peak Season Stock coverage increased 25% during the summer.

Food Borne Illness or Contamination Protection in the event a customer alleges they became ill from consuming your product.

Product Recall Covers expense of physically recalling product from shelves in an effort to avoid potential harm or sickness.

Exhibition Floater Covers damage or loss of business contents and equipment brought to trade shows and festivals.

Trademark Infringement Pays expenses if required to defend against accusation of using the brand or logo of another entity.

Cyber Liability Covers remediation expenses and loss of income in the event of a computer systems hacking.

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I nsurance

directors, investors and partners may be held liable for errors or omissions. Having an integrated excise bond and sufficient liability coverage is essential.

Think of the numerous contracts and legal documents that define your business. A careful review of those contracts by trusted insurance professionals may help avoid unnecessary exposure to risks associated with partners, suppliers, distributors, retailers and so on.

cyber risks

W

hen evaluating risk, attention must also be given to intangibles. As highlighted above, the brewery business is increasingly complex, extending well into the cyber world. The adoption of electronic payment methods and data management will continue to surge. While such advancements may alleviate some shrinkage and productivity concerns, new challenges emerge.

Customers who visit your brewery could find their credit card missing, and charges incurred. Given our reliance on electronic data exchanges, external parties could access sensitive company data including sales figures, personnel files and proprietary recipes.

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Coverage for crime and cyber liability is critical.

managing risk

E

stablishing and following risk management policy and protocol is a necessity. A proper insurance program is a significant component of your overall risk mitigation strategy.

And key to a quality insurance program is an informed insurance professional. He or she should act as an advocate for your brewery. This means guiding you through the risk assessment process and advising on ways to minimize potential exposure to liability.

This professional will assist in creating an enterprise risk management plan with one clear objective in mind: business continuity in the event of a loss.

Every insurance program is different. Take time to find a trusted insurance professional who understands the unique needs of your brewery, who specializes in craft brewery insurance and who can deliver a program designed for your unique brand.

Creating, implementing and monitoring a risk management plan is a wise business decision. Doing so will give you the freedom and flexibility to continue doing what you do best—crafting great beer.

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M ountain

B rewin g

Bringing Craft Brewing to the Himalayas It’s not everyday you get the opportunity to bring quality beer to somewhere as distinct as the Himalayas, but that’s exactly what First Key Consulting from Vancouver, Canada did. Mike Kallenberger and Matt Harris take up the story.

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he flight into Paro Airport requires pilots to bank right and left and right again, weaving graceful S-shaped curves between peaks of the Lesser Himalayas as they descend, giving passengers views of mountainside homes that can be both beautiful and unsettlingly close.

This is the only international airport in the tiny Asian kingdom of Bhutan, and aviation experts consider it one of the world’s most challenging.

After that experience, the challenges of planning and building Bhutan’s first modern craft brewery no longer seemed quite so daunting.

Nestled between India and China, this Buddhist kingdom has experienced some of the most rapid change of any of the world’s developing nations over the last twenty years. Essentially closed off to the

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world until King Jigme Singye Wangchuck began a program of modernization, Bhutan lacked both television and internet access until those bans were lifted in 1999. In the capital, Thimphu, the traditional and the modern often live side by side.

A retired former government official, Dasho Karma Dorji, hired First Key Consulting to develop the marketing plan and manage the construction of a craft brewery twelve kilometers outside Thimphu, on a beautiful forested hillside along a popular tourist road.

The idea started with his eldest son, Karma Choeda, who had developed a taste for American craft beer during his graduate studies in the U.S. Dasho Karma embraced the idea and began planning to bring the craft beer experience to Bhutan.

“One of the first things we wanted to do when starting the craft brewery project was to engage a good international consulting firm that could provide

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overall technical guidance and support,” said Dasho Karma. “We felt confident in First Key’s reputation, expertise, and talented professionals to help us in our project.”

In Bhutanese culture a newborn child’s name is chosen by a spiritual teacher, and likewise Dasho Karma sought counseling from a spiritual teacher to name the brewery. His choice: Ser Bhum, which translates as Golden Vase, and is one of the eight lucky signs of Bhutan.

Alcohol has a prominent historical role in Bhutan.

As in many other cultures, alcohol is associated with hospitality and bonding. And thanks to rapidly increasing disposable income, commercial whiskey and beer have been taking considerable market share from cheaper homebrew. Sales of all types of commercial alcohol quintupled between 2006 and 2010.

While the economy has been surging, the

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Bhutanese middle class is still relatively small. A government survey published in 2012 found that one in five urban Bhutanese considered themselves “not poor.” In the highest income quintile, almost three quarters of households have refrigerators. However, there is no data available on what might be the most important consumer segmentation variable: the proportion of people who are open to new experiences. Yet these are the people to whom Ser Bhum craft beers would have to appeal.

There would be other cultural challenges. Alcohol is often seen as more appropriate for people who perform manual labor than for those who work with their minds. In addition, beer – even imported beer, which accounts for half the market -- is generally seen as less sophisticated than both whiskey and wine. The domestic beer market is dominated by a single brand from a single large player – a 9% ABV version of a

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fairly standard European-style lager, widely associated with intoxication. Thus, Bhutanese drinkers have had virtually no exposure to the idea that a beer can be sophisticated, or that a beer with even modestly higher alcohol content could have a purpose other than intoxication.

Drinking alcohol had been historically associated with relaxation, but modernization has made its impact felt here as well. A whole new class of onpremise establishments has emerged in recent years: drayangs, which are something of a cross between a Western-style dance club and a karaoke bar, and which draw high-energy social gatherings.

In this stew of existing and emerging alcohol imagery, Ser Bhum’s beers would have to find their own niche.

From the beginning Ser Bhum’s mission and motto has been “Simply Craft, Celebrate Bhutan.” The first part, “Simply Craft,” stems from the desire and passion to create a genuinely Bhutanese, high quality, flavorful craft beer that all Bhutanese and visitors can enjoy.

The second part, “Celebrate Bhutan,” is rooted in the desire to participate in the remarkable developmental journey Bhutan has undergone and its emergence as a progressive nation “under the benevolent and wise leadership of the Bhutanese monarchs.” “Celebrate

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Bhutan” ultimately pays tribute to “the extraordinary leadership which the Kings of Bhutan continue to provide.”

Still, a slogan is not a strategy.

In a market still largely segmented by alcohol content, the open territory soon revealed itself: a sophisticated beverage with less alcohol than competitors such as whiskey and wine (but slightly more than imported beers).

Because price is an indicator of quality, Ser Bhum craft beers would be the highest priced on the market, if only by a small margin. The temptation to broaden the consumer target by offering a more competitive price would have to be resisted, because it came with a risk of commodifying the beer. Off-premise distribution would be focused on those stores, bars, and restaurants that present beer in a high quality way, which are still in the minority in a country where store shelves are often in disarray and aisles can feature product in half-opened cardboard shipping boxes. On-premise distribution would avoid the fastpaced drayangs, which likewise could work against a quality, “sipping beer” image.

But the brewery itself, located on the beautiful traveler’s road, would be Ser Bhum’s primary vehicle for communicating its position and its quality. While

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the road is frequented by tourists, the website and the packaging copy would encourage Bhutanese themselves to visit the brewery and tasting room, where they could discover the romance of brewing in general and Ser Bhum craft beers in particular.

This tremendous asset also inspired the last refinements of the brand positioning. Travel and exploration have often been used as a metaphor for new experiences, and so much like the brewery itself, Ser Bhum craft beers would represent a welcoming “oasis on the road of life.”

Similarly, the Ser Bhum logo portrays an image of a Golden Vase presented as an opulent serving vessel with a hint of foam at the top, suggesting a bountiful source of craft beer suitable for sharing with all, and therefore demonstrating the brewery’s hospitable nature.

Of course, at this point the brewery existed only in the mind’s eye, and its role in building the brand would be a moot point if it failed to live up to expectations. Designing and building a first-rate brewing facility was the second and most important part of First Key’s assignment.

This was Dasho Karma’s first foray into the world of craft brewing and he very much wanted to make sure the brewery would be built right the first time. For Ser Bhum the desire to make the highest quality beers is always the top priority. Even before construction had started the Ser Bhum team had recruited and relocated a head brewer that had previously worked at one of the premier craft breweries in the United States.

There were a number of challenges that came hand-in-hand with the design and construction of the brewery itself, from the relatively straightforward but important tasks such as connecting electricity and internet to the more complex projects such as establishing the wholly international raw material supply chain.

The good news was the water supply: a spring flowing right past the site turned offered highly drinkable water with a low mineral content, a blank slate on which the brewers would be able to script a water profile for any style they chose. First Key worked in conjunction with the brewery team to develop a brewery layout based on the expected sales volume projections and packaging format while dealing with a number of constraints.

Kegged beer is unknown in Bhutan, and Ser Bhum plants to introduce the draft experience to the country. This would, of course, require a building design and layout with room for a keg machine in addition to the canning line. (Cans are Ser Bhum’s package of choice, as the Bhutanese associate these with higher quality than bottled beer.)

And yet the brewery site itself is small, essentially a flat shelf in a hilly area, and the building would have to be tailored to fit. In addition, Bhutan’s government requires all buildings to incorporate traditional design elements. First Key’s design addressed both of these with a compact, efficient structure topped by a traditional Bhutanese roof.

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One of the main risks of building a brewery in a location as remote as Bhutan is long shipping times.

Utility and supporting equipment could be sourced from neighboring India or further abroad, but brewing and packaging equipment would be sourced from reputable North American suppliers, again as the best way to ensure the equipment would be high quality.

While arriving in Bhutan via plane can be a harrowing experience, it’s nothing compared to the adventure of transporting people, brewing equipment, and raw materials via land. Cut off in most directions by the Himalayas, the Thimphu region is accessible by only one route, a narrow, sporadically maintained road that requires five hours of mountain-hugging twists and turns to make the journey from the Indian border.

When two vehicles traveling from opposite directions encounter one another, both must slow to a crawl while they work their way past, the outside tires often just inches from unprotected drop-offs of hundreds of feet or more. If this isn’t nerve-wracking enough, fog rolls in with clocklike regularity around noon each day.

This would create particular problems if any equipment were to arrive with a small but critical component missing, because this would mean a two-week delay while the component was airfreighted into the brewery. To mitigate this risk, all the shipping packing lists were thoroughly reviewed and any missing components were highlighted before any of the equipment was installed. And in fact it was more of a challenge than anticipated to ensure each of these items was fit for the purpose and met all the required specifications. For instance, while the steam boiler supplied by an Indian company was in line with the required specifications, the steam pressure reducing station was incorrectly designed and limited the steam supply to less than 5% of what was required.

Construction of the brewery is now nearing completion. The Ser Bhum team’s energy and enthusiasm has never flagged during the setbacks and delays, and soon their patience will be rewarded. The building complements its idyllic setting perfectly. As planned from the beginning, the tasting room offers a view of the brewing vessels through a large glass wall, the better to inspire patrons with the romance of brewing. The patio overlooks an archery range, where people can enjoy Bhutan’s national sport, whether as participants or observers. Starting a new brewing company anywhere in the world poses its own unique challenges. However, with the right team in place nothing is insurmountable. “First Key has played a key role in our craft brewery project by providing technical support and guidance in all aspects,” Dasho Karma .

“Without their support, we would not be where we are at this stage.” Ser Bhum aims to introduce its craft beers to the Bhutanese people by winter of 2016.

And every can or glass of Ser Bhum craft beer, no matter where it’s enjoyed, will embody the spirit of the brewery on the traveler’s road: a welcoming oasis on the road of life. Simply Craft.

Celebrate Bhutan.

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C ommercial

I nsurance

An Important Conversation As the craft beer industry expands rapidly in Canada, sufficient commercial insurance is a topic that will garner more attention, explains Joshua Kearley, program specialist at Beverage Protect powered by Benson Kearley IFG.

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tories of “Product Recall” involving the removal of beer from shelves of the LCBO due to “Contamination” have been featured in recent news. The re-fermentation of contaminated beer can cause some containers to literally explode on the shelves.

Most product recall losses are the result of poorly managed standard operating procedures, poor cleaning methods, and limited knowledge of potential risks. The product removed from store shelves is not the real loss in this scenario; the real loss is the compromised relationship and loss of trust with the LCBO, and the potential consumer.

“Contract Production”, one company hiring another to manufacture products on its behalf, is great for start-ups and organizations that want to crawl before they walk; however, as Brokers we are seeing substantial losses in this space, some covered by insurance and some not.

Regular insurance marketplace/products do not understand what is happening in the beer making industry when it comes to “contract production”, and offers limited to no coverage for these revenue streams.

When entering into a contract production agreement one of the most commonly overlooked areas, and leading cause of denied insurance claims, is the lack of a signed contract between client and facility.

We appreciate the following comments from Joe Hannigan, a beverage industry insurance specialist and VP of one of our exclusive partner markets: “If you are considering using a third party company to produce your craft beer, it is imperative that an operating contract be put in place to protect all involved. If the third party produces bad product most insurance policies will not cover the loss, which is why a contract is so important.

It is critical that craft brewery owners and operators work with Brokers like Beverage Protect, with specialized expertise, who can help protect the unique business operations in this sector.”

Limited to no regulatory body overseeing alcoholic beverage manufacturing operations leads to problems for “contract production” operations for both parties, specifically due to a lack of regulated operational procedures and/or health and safety practices.

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If you hire a company to produce your products for you and their facilities are not properly maintained, or have no health & safety protocols in place, or a lack of sound operating procedures - as the contractual client, your business may be exposed.

Beverage Protect works closely with CE Safety and notes the following comments from their President and CEO, Bill Godkin: “When it comes to using contract facilities, workers or contracting out work to another company, most businesses are unaware of their potential liability and responsibility under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act. Put simply, a customer bears no responsibilities of operations under the OHS Act. However, if the contract brewery is using some of their client’s workers or recommended standard operating procedures, then the contract brewery is deemed to have responsibilities as an “employer”.

Why risk your business reputation and potentially it’s viability by not ensuring that the brewery making your product has simply complied with provincial law?

I recommend working with a Brokerage like Beverage Protect who consult with firms like ours, CE Safety, to ensure efficient and affordable peace of mind.”

Beverage Protect recognizes the importance of ensuring proper coverage when our clients are engaged in contract production. It is our goal to ensure all associated risks are understood, and appropriately insured.

As an avid supporter of the success of local craft breweries, and as an Insurance Broker, I have developed a unique insurance program to help protect an industry I am quite passionate about. Beverage Protect was created to match the specialized insurance needs of the alcohol-based beverage industry in Ontario and across the country.

By teaming up with the right insurance companies we are able to offer wineries, craft breweries and distilleries a customized insurance program that offers the best coverage available with the best rates in Canada.

This national program provides beverage manufactures, from start-ups to global producers, with tailored coverage to fit their budget and their specialized needs. For more information please feel free to contact me or visit www.bkifg.com/ beverageprotect Joshua Kearley is a Program Specialist at Beverage Protect powered by Benson Kearley IFG.

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power

Power Up Bullfrog Power delves deep into where the growing interest in environmental sustainability from the brewing industry is stemming from.

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s readers of this magazine may already know, sustainability has become a major topic for Canada’s brewing industry. At Bullfrog Power, we’ve been encouraged by the interest bubbling up from both new and existing breweries that are looking for ways to make their operations more environmentally sustainable. But where is this interest coming from?

As Canada’s leading green energy provider, we’ve noticed a correlation over the past decade between the growth of the brewing industry and the progress of environmentalism in Canada. In this article, I’m going to point to a few examples of sustainable practices in brewing today and suggest some reasons why sustainability is increasingly important for the industry.

The connection between the brewing industry and the environment has a long history. One example is Ontario’s Beer Store, which has operated an extensive recycling program since it began operations in 1927.

“We like to say that the Beer Store was green before it was cool because we have long been an environmental leader in the industry through our successful recycling programs and because we place environmental sustainability at the core of our values,” said Ted Moroz, President, the Beer Store.

The Beer Store’s recycling initiatives have resulted in more than 200,000 tons of avoided greenhouse gas emissions (that’s equivalent to removing about 43,000 cars from the road each year). The organization also has adopted a green energy program in 14 of its locations.

Back in 2005, Bullfrog Power began offering Canadian businesses a green energy option. The concept is simple: for a fee, Bullfrog Power ensures that green electricity is put onto the grid to match the amount of conventional power your facilities use. As a result, you can say that your facility is bullfrogpowered and make the claim that your electricity use is emissions-free.

According to Beer Canada, an industry group, the number of licensed breweries in Canada has grown

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by 79 per cent from 2009 to 2014, with that number growing each year. And back in 2007, Steam Whistle Brewing, a pillar of Toronto’s burgeoning beer scene, became an early customer of Bullfrog Power’s green electricity.

Today, the brewery is also a case study in what can be achieved by a sustainability-aware business. In addition to choosing green electricity with Bullfrog Power, since 2000, Steam Whistle has used Enwave’s Deep Water Cooling and featured sustainability showpieces like Retro Electro, a green electric powered vintage hot rod. The brewery itself was even a stop on the recent Green Energy Doors Open tour of notable green energy locations in Ontario.

“From day one, Steam Whistle has worked hard to integrate sustainability into everything we do and we’ve had really positive feedback from our customers and employees on the progress we’ve made,” said Sybil Taylor, Communications Director, Steam Whistle Brewing.

On the country’s West Coast, Granville Island Brewing, in addition to choosing green energy for its entire facilities, has focused on community-level sustainability initiatives that centre around its unique location.

“We are located on Vancouver’s Granville Island and are participating in the Zero Waste Initiative that is part of the Island’s transformation from a historically industrial land to a community that is striving to be a leader in sustainability,” said Dave Nicholls, General Manager, Granville Island Brewing. “As part of the program, all of our spent grains from the brewing process are sent to local farmers to be used as livestock feed.”

Back in Ontario, Vankleek Hill success story Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co. is gaining a reputation for both social good and good beer.

Beau’s recently became one of the first customers of Bullfrog Power’s new green fuel product, was the first brewery in Canada to be certified as a Benefit Corporation (B-Corp) for higher standards of social and environmental performance, and is expanding its corporate social responsibility mandate by helping to establish a women-owned craft brewery in Rwanda.

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“At Beau's, we believe that beer tastes better when you can feel good about drinking it. Beau's​ has chosen 100% green electricity and was the first brewery in Canada to choose​100%​green natural gas​ as well. This was an exciting achievement for Beau's, and we're incredibly proud to dramatically reduce our environmental impact,” said Beau’s co-founder, Steve Beauchesne.

How else does the craft beer movement drive sustainable business practices? The philosophy behind craft beer requires a focus on the brewing process with all of its inputs and outputs, including local ingredients, the energy used and the waste products generated. In addition, the explosive growth of breweries in the past few years has resulted in many small, local businesses whose brands are defined in part by the positive role they play in their communities.

And while these local and industry-specific factors are driving a move to sustainability in the brewing industry, this move is part of a much broader social trend. Across Bullfrog Power’s business, we have been successful because of the growing power of conscious consumers. Consumers today are asking more of brands. They are applying a wide-angle lens to their purchasing that takes a broader range of information about that company and its product into account before deciding what to buy.

That craft beer has become the drink of choice for the much sought after millennial demographic is another important contributing factor. As tastes changed with a younger generation so did a whole system of values and norms. The need for authenticity and a reputation for social good are just two ways that this influential generation is leaving its mark on society.

Regardless of the generation your brand appeals to, we are clearly reaching a point where sustainability and environmental responsibility have become mainstream. What will be interesting to see in the coming decade is which brewers will choose sustainability as a way to define themselves as industry leaders and whether the industry as a whole continues to make environmental practices central to its craft.

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Due south Just south of Ontario, Buffalo has undergone a period of transition in recent years.

Decades of industrial decline had taken its toll on the New York state's secondbiggest city, but regeneration is on the agenda. Investment is taking place, Buffalo’s architectural heritage is being celebrated, and brewing is once again shining brightly in the City of Light.

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etween its American Falls and the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, the equivalent of nearly 150 million Canadian pints flow every second across the world-famous Niagara Falls. It is rather fitting then that in downtown Buffalo, a short 20 or so miles south, the beer is flowing better than ever.

Home to more than one million in its metropolitan area, Buffalo has a rich history and heritage. Known as the ‘City of Light’ owing to the fact that it was America’s first city to enjoy electric street lights, hydroelectric power, thanks to the falls, has played a big role in Buffalo’s identity.

But for many decades, rust-belt Buffalo has been in something of an industrial decline. That is, until now. A buoyant mix of culture, investment, affordable housing and hi-tech industry is helping regenerate Buffalo, all while the city’s impressive architectural heritage remains in tact. And like so many other cities and towns across the globe, the brewing industry is proving to be a key component in the growth and rebirth of such areas. With less than a handful in operation three years ago, there is now close to 30.

With that showing no sign of slowing down either, Brewers Journal Canada, powered by BMW, caught up with some of the key breweries in the field.

“We are seeing a resurgence, it’s a nod to what is going on in Buffalo as a whole. People are coming back to the city, the scene, the economy,” explains

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People like living near a brewery as it’s a communal space and a glimpse into what is going on in a neighbourhood.

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Jeff Ware, owner of the fittingly-named Resurgence Brewing Co. “Beer is definitely helping. People like living near a brewery as it’s a communal space and a glimpse into what is going on in a neighbourhood.

People that aren't used to the area visit us to get a flavour of what is happening. It gives people a reason to go into certain areas, which is only a good thing.”

Resurgence Brewing Company, located at 1250 Niagara St, opened its doors in June of 2014. Ware and his team don’t shy away from their dedication to furthering the resurgence of the local economy through beer as an economic and social driver, starting the taproom and biergarten on the West Side of Buffalo for that reason.

Since its inception, the brewery has been dedicated to creating unique, creative beers with iconic flavours, including Sponge Candy Stout, Loganberry Wit, Blood

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Brewers Journal travelled around Buffalo in a white BMW X5, pictured here in front of the city's most famous landmark

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Woodcock Signature Beers Signature Beers

Amber Ale ABV: 5.5% A medium body with caramel flavors balanced with a light bitterness and spiciness from the hops.

Hoppycock India Pale ABV: 6% Ale Citrus and Pine nose with a citrus flavor balancing with a malty backbone. Not over bearing, very approachable.

Porter ABV: 5.9% A robust body with an upfront malt characterized by the roasted malts. Hints of coffee and chocolate. A good hop presence to round it off.

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Orange Saison, and its flagship Resurgence IPA. “We like experimenting, trying things out of the box, and blending the lines a little bit. We are probably not the greatest at making beer that wins awards as you have to adhere strictly to style. Our IPAs are hazy, not crystal clear,” he says. “We are probably leading the charge when it comes to experimental beers but as a region, it has really come into its own in recent years. I would say the quality is up there that’s for sure.”

Ware says the drinking culture in Buffalo is more focused on quality, rather than quantity. That people will spend extra on a beer them deem to be worth it.

But he also believes that breweries have an important job on their hands when it comes to educating the consumer, something that will help drive growth.

“When we opened there were only two or three breweries. Now there’s close to ten times that. I believe there is still a huge opportunity for education, though, and the others agree with that. It’s about working together and getting the word out. Come here, and you can visit multiple breweries and experience everyone's own take on good beer. It’s about variety and diversity. It’s important."

Like so many breweries, space proves to be an issue for Resurgence. “We have maxed it out,” says Ware. “It took us 15 months to hit that point when we anticipated it would take five years. And as we get better and the economy improves, it ends up becoming a more competitive market so you need to stay on top. Saturation will hit at some point and people will work even harder as a result, which is only good news for drinkers. But for us, stores only have so much space, as do bars. So we have to stay alert.”

With that in mind, Resurgence Brewing Company recently signed with Sanzo Beverage Company, Inc., a Left: One half of the founders at Woodcock Brothers Below left: Their brewery setup in Wilson, NY Right page : Jeff Ware from Resurgence Brewing Co and a look at the company's brewing operations

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Resurgence Brewing Co Signature Beers

COSMIC TRUTH SESSION ALE 4.1 % ABV This Session-able ale is a little lighter on the palate than some of our IPAs with the same characteristic pineapple, tropical fruit and citrus profile you love from your favorite New Zealand hops. Brewed to be a better all-day option than the standard Vermont-style IPA, try Cosmic Truth when you want a dose of the truth.

BLOOD ORANGE SAISON 5.5% ABV Our popular Blood Orange Saison is a farmhouse saison with all of the grassy wheat profiles you love from right out of the fields with plenty of juicy, citrus-forward flavors from real blood orange juice. Find this one on tap in our taproom as well as in cans, all around the area!

SPONGE CANDY STOUT 5.5% ABV We use real Watson’s Sponge Candy clippings to make this subtle stout, with hints of caramel, dark malt and toffee. That burnt sugar taste of sponge comes through on the back end, so don’t be afraid of the sweetness.

RESURGENCE IPA ABV: 7.2% Our signature Resurgence IPA is a West Coast-style IPA with notes of citrus, grapefruit and pine. Notice hints of mango and tropical fruit, balanced by slight grass on the back end. Its subtle complexity will challenge and please your palate!

LOGANBERRY WIT ABV: 4.2% We at RBC love everything local, and loganberry is about as local as you can get. This beer was brewed in a traditional Wit style with some mild banana and light fruit esters with a subtle loganberry finish. Order one and watch heads turn at the pink color!

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Southern Tier-based distributor. The partnership allows Resurgence to broaden its distribution throughout Western New York, including markets where the brand had not previously been sold, such as Allegany, Orleans, Wyoming and Cattaraugus counties.

Resurgence has worked with Try-It Distributing for the past year to sell into Buffalo-area markets on a larger scale than the brewery was able to reach on its own. That relationship allowed Resurgence to expand throughout the Buffalo-Niagara market. Through working with Try-It, Resurgence has been able to sell into a wide range of establishments, with the help of the distributor’s staff of salespeople and the support of the larger company’s team. Working with Sanzo will help RBC do the same in the Southern Tier counties.

“We’re excited to partner with the Sanzo team to bring our beer into the greater WNY region, and offer craft beer lovers the beer experience we’ve been bringing to the Buffalo area for a couple of years now,” explains Ware. “Since we first opened our doors on Niagara Street over two years ago, we’ve worked hard to bring the experience of our beer to people who appreciate quality, carefully crafted brews.

Partnering with distributors helps us do that to a larger group of people than we could on our own.”

Located at 840 Seneca Street, Flying Bison Brewing Company is a reference point for many breweries in Buffalo. In 2000, it was the first standalone brewery to open its doors in the city since Iroquois Brewing ceased trading way back in 1972.

Started by Phil Internicola and Tim Herzog, along with 25 individual investors, Flying Bison is inspired, in part, by the city’s strong aviation manufacturing.

It’s only right then that the brewery that started as a means to bring brewing back to Buffalo, has gone on to inspire so many to return to, or start out in, the industry.

One such individual is Colin Herzog, a brewer at Flying Bison and son of founder Tim. Colin had initially set out to become a journalist before the brewing cause came calling. And he hasn't looked back.

“Beer in Buffalo is very much a social affair. It can be during a post-work gathering, a family celebration, or just over a quiet drink. Or it can be the beer geeks hunting down their new stash,” he laughs.

“We are a rust belt at heart, but at the same time surrounded by lots of countryside so it’s a good mix.

I see that in the diversity of the people that enjoy our beer, and the beer of Buffalo itself.”

While Herzog believes there is little end in sight for the “IPA craze” just yet, he remains very proud of the brewery’s Buffalo Lager which always flies out, he says.

With new fermenters in and conditioning capacity increased during 2016, Herzog expects wild beers to become even more commonplace over the coming years.

“It’ll become more approachable, not always stronger but long-aged. We are doing that, getting our feet wet. It’s important to cover your basis and to challenge yourselves,” he concludes.

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Big Ditch Brewing Company Signature Beers

HAYBURNER - IPA ABV: 7.0% IBU: 84 Hayburner is a luscious and citrusy IPA with primary notes of orange, melon and grapefruit, and a slightly earthy finish. It packs a firm bitterness but remains balanced by abundant late hop additions and a soft and airy malt base.

LOW BRIDGE - HOPPY GOLDEN ALE ABV: 4.8% IBU: 48 This bright, slightly fruity, and very hoppy golden ale features old-world American and German hops.

Low Bridge has impressive depth of flavor, yet is also extremely drinkable and will always serve you well, whether savoring it with a fine meal or while visiting from a far away town. Everybody down!

EXCAVATOR - RYE BROWN ALE ABV: 5.8% IBU: 27 Excavator incorporates seven different malts to achieve a rich, yet smooth flavor and balance. It is highlighted by judicious amounts of chocolate malt, with a subtle, spicy finish from the use of flaked rye.

Matt Khan (above) and the team at Big Ditch: "The Buffalo scene is new, it's growing, and it's moving in the right direction"

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Community Beer Works Signature Beers

Frank - American Pale Ale ABV: 4.6% We start with a mellow malt base to showcase the hops against a lightly grainy sweetness. Zeus, Centennial and Zythos hops are used in the boil and again in dry hopping to maximize hop aroma and flavor. The result is a superbly drinkable Pale Ale loaded with zest, pine, and a touch of citrus.

The Whale - Brown Ale ABV: 5.9% abv The Whale is a smooth yet complex beer, packed with flavor yet easy to drink. We layer distinctive English brown malt and two types of chocolate malt to create aromas and flavors of coffee, chocolate and a surprisingly deep roast.

That IPA - American IPA ABV: 5% This beer is loaded with Simcoe, Mosaic and Zythos hops for that American hop goodness you know you want. Flavors and aromas of pine, peach and other stone fruits combine with a soft malt character.

Stout Affective Disorder (Winter Seasonal) ABV: 5.4% Our winter seasonal, Stout Affective Disorder is a dark beer for dark days. Roasted malt is expertly balanced against hop bitterness, yielding a short finish to this highly sessionable beer. Roasty, toasty, and a little nutty, it will also compliment such foods as squash, grilled steak or crème brûlée.

Ethan Fox, Community Beer Works: "Quality is key"

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Quality is above everything you do, and we bring that attitude to what we do. You cannot afford to have bad experience, it’ll ruin it forever.

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“Oh my goodness, this year feels like it has been a lot longer than one, maybe five!” enthuses Matt Khan, co-founder and president of Big Ditch, located on 55 East Huron St. But thankfully for Khan and his team, it is meant in a wholly-positive way.

“We started 2016 with two goals. One was to expand the brewery as we were hitting capacity and we wanted to keep growing,” he says. “We were also only selling beer on draught so we looked at canning.

We were making good beer, along with running a nice taproom, so we wanted to make more of an impact out of our market and create a buzz. And I think we accomplished that.”

And those words are backed up. They tripled capacity, increased its brewing schedule and added a CASK canning line. Big Ditch also triumphed in the most recent Tap NY awards, winning the accolade for best craft brewery in New York state in a category contested by 120 other breweries. No small feat.

“It was a ‘Holy Crap’ moment, we were kinda shocked,” he explains. “We provided all of the samples expected of us and tried loads of new beers entered into the awards. All we could think was that there is a lot of very good beer being made in NY. We were hopeful to make even an impact, but expected nothing. So it has been very nice,” says Khan. “The award helps, but it’s more recognition of what we do.

At the end of the day, the proof is in the beer. One thing we often hear when people are drinking our beer at the taproom is that the environment doesn’t remind them of Buffalo either, which is a backhanded compliment to Buffalo I suppose. It’s positive.”

Named after the working name of the Erie Canal, the historic waterway that altered the trajectory of Buffalo and the Great Lakes region forever, all of Big Ditch’s brews are produced on site on its Criveller brewhouse that was manufactured in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

The Big Ditch Brewing Company journey started with Matt Kahn and Corey Catalano, two aspiring scientists and beer lovers, that were working in a biotech lab in early 2011, and wanted to start a new business for themselves. They used a food-grade bucket—otherwise destined for the trash—as their first fermenter, and they created new beers right then and there in a garage. Over the next two years they met

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Flying Bison Brewing Company Signature Beers

RUSTY CHAIN ABV: 5.2% Medium bodied Vienna style amber beer. Soft nutty, malt flavor with a hint of caramel. Just enough German hops to balance the finish. Available on draft, bottles and cans all over WNY. "Chain" goes great with chicken, mild fish and especially with grilled vegetables.

Buffalo IPA ABV: 6.4% Medium Bodied British-Style India Pale Ale Using the best British Pale malt and aromatic Centennial, Cascade, and Galaxy hops IPA is as hoppy and as bold as they come. IPA is available in bottles at your favorite store and on draft all year round.

BUFFALO LARGER ABV: 5.3% Light bodied golden beer. Very balanced flavor with soft, clean finish. Buffalo Lager is a great "first beer of the day". Matches well with lighter tasting foods, milder cheeses or great all on its own. Available in bottles at your favorite store and on draft all year round.

Aviator Pint ABV: 5.3% Buffalo's favorite red ale. Ruby red and malty with medium body and a spicy hop signature to balance.

Drinkable on its own, but full flavored enough to pair with your favorite foods like BBQ, roast pork, and anything spicy. Available in bottles and draft.

Flying Bison's Colin Herzog: "I see the diversity of Buffalo in the people that enjoy beer, and the beer itself"

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Wes Froebel, a previous co-owner of other breweries, who was also interested in starting a new brewery project. The trio’s pursuit of a building to house their brewery intersected with Iskalo Development Corp’s redevelopment of a former Verizon fleet maintenance facility at Ellicott and Huron Streets in downtown Buffalo. The two groups worked intently for more than a year planning the brewery and tap room, with Paul Iskalo joining the Big Ditch team as its principal investor.

Big Ditch opened for business in October of 2014 with the Tap Room opening in the summer of 2015, serving Big Ditch beers alongside fresh food in an enviable downtown setting.

According to Khan, the brewing scene in Buffalo is a healthy one and something that has recovered from the malaise it was in from the 70’s until the opening of Flying Bison 17 years ago. “We have a good collection, it’s collaborative, it’s not competitive.

The scene is new, it’s growing, and it’s moving in right direction,” he says.

Khan adds: “Buffalo has industrial roots, it’s a rust belt city. We have seen decline in population and employment for the last 20-30 years but that has changed. We are seeing development and I think brewing has helped with that. I remember parking across this building we have before hand thinking there’s nothing really here. But the state has invested in the area, and we are seeing growth, which is great.

Walk a block and you’ll see another restaurant or a bar, it has life and has become a new district.”

And it’s that newness, coupled with the team’s eye for detail and the meticulous, that ensures no stone is left unturned in their brewing operation.

“Everything we do is about quality control. Quality should be above everything you do, and we bring that attitude to what we do. You cannot afford to have bad experience, it’ll ruin it forever. Previous jobs of mine involved bar cleaning, inspecting and validating pharmaceutical tanks, that grounding helps,” he says.

“While Corey (Catalano) worked in a cleanroom for five years, so he knows a lot about how to make sure what goes out meets our rigorous spec. We didn't work in brewing before now, but we’ve done this for a long time, and we came at it differently.”

Going forward, Khan admits that Buffalo is “still all about IPAs” with its own 7% IPA comprising 70% of its production, but he still wants to push sour beers despite Buffalo, in his opinion, “not really getting them”.

And despite a hectic, but positive, 2016, Khan and the team have no plans to rest on their laurels.

“By expanding, we have grown really quickly.

We only opened two years ago, and we are already making ten times more beer than that point. We are taking what we have and making it better. We want to become more efficient and to grow sales,” he says. “We are also looking at new markets, maybe outside of our own area. Looking at in state and more out of Buffalo.

By now, we’ve had beer in places like Rochester and we can build on that and work towards it. After that,

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Substituting passion for quality in beer isn’t right.

You can’t do it. It’s like giving an A for effort.

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who knows?”

Elsewhere, Woodcock Brothers Brewery on 638 Lake Street, Wilson, NY is the brainchild of “two brothers and their wives. One old cold storage building in a historic town. And a lot of good beer”.

They explain: “This pretty much sums up who we are. We work hard to bring you great beer, great food and a great time in our beautiful building located in Wilson, New York. We’re the first brewery in Niagara County to make our beer on site and serve it here too.

“Cozy up to our bar and check out our brew floor below. We also serve a number of wines from local wineries in the area. So if you’re on the wine trail and want a taste of something different, or you’re traveling the area in search of something to quench your thirst, come visit us! You won’t be sorry!”

The final stop on the tour of Buffalo took Brewers Journal Canada to Community Beer Works, a nanobrewery set up by a group of friends. We met Ethan Fox, who is one of the founders of Community Beer Works and works as ‘president & chief instigator’ with a goal of bringing beer back to Buffalo.

“Brewing in Buffalo has grown a lot, both in the number of breweries and locations. There was only a few at the start when we opened, and that has definitely changed. But I think that there is still a great deal of awareness to build in the market. Look how craft beer is doing in other markets then look at us. We still have a lot of potential,” he explains.

“In Buffalo, we are unique where Labatt outsells Budweiser but ultimately, that doesn’t mean anything to me as it’s the same difference.”

Fox adds: “Buffalonians are proud of our market but it’s a very real fact that the Stone’s, Sierra’s, Lagunitas’ of this world are as much competition as they are complementary. They are moving into your markets and dropping 12 packs at prices that you are not able to reach. Can they be both? Maybe.”

To Fox, Community Beer Works is a brewers’ brewery and one that belongs to the location, not one that takes advantage of it. “We also have an obvious conscience. We are not faceless, we are real people,” he says. Moving forward, Fox is focused on increasing capacity, identifying room for growth, a larger taproom and expanding to a 20bbl kit.

He explains: “One way of looking at it, as a nano brewery, is that this move is to a point where we should be. But we have done things in a measured

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Above Top: Community Beer Works Above: Flying Bison, established in 2000

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way, other people have scrambled around and had too much beer. We have had too little.

“We are looking at our own expansion not too far from where we are now. And we are also partnering for a brewpub operation in Niagara Falls, with completion due mid 2017. We feel pretty good about it, and we can also start to initiate the packaging of our beers to help move more of it. We are not interested in grocery stores. In my opinion, they do not look after beer. It’s beat up.”

The Niagara Falls situation is one where “when opportunity knocks, you should answer the door,” says Fox. “The health of Niagara Falls is very important to the health of Buffalo. The Falls have been beleaguered but they are turning things around. Things are coming together and we have a very good location for the new venture. We will have a small brewing system on site so we can provide beer for it, with some guest taps, too. It’s exciting,” he adds.

With grand plans ahead for 2017, you could forgive Fox for getting swept up in things. But the considered approach he and the team have taken to stabilising and growing Community Beer Works ensures he remains grounded.

“We are irreverent, a little goofy as people but we are deadly serious about beer. We are obsessed, it is what we do. When we are at work, when we are not work, there’s no difference,” he stresses. “Substituting passion for quality in beer isn’t right. You can’t do it. It’s like giving an 'A' for effort. And I don’t like elevating brewers to rockstars, it’s not right. Craft beer is disingenuous in that sense., that’s why I think the term passion is poorly used. It’s not an artistic calling.

Do it because you want to. And we want to.”

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capital gains In London, England, the brewing landscape has changed beyond recognition since Duncan Sambrook started his own brewery in 2008. But this comparative veteran of the capital’s beer scene is enjoying the competition in an increasingly crowded market.

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e have gone through an explosion in the number of breweries in operation in London, we’ve seen an explosion in the number of brands, an explosion in the level of innovation and an explosion in the number of packaging formats. And all of that has happened in the last four or five years. I believe we have seen more happen in that period than we have in a generation. That is incredibly interesting for the consumer, but the challenge lies with the breweries to keep up,” explains Duncan Sambrook, founder of Sambrook’s, based in London, England. It’s a glorious September morning and things are hotting up in the South London brewery, both literally and figuratively.

“We are clearly seeing a boom in the amount of breweries opening in London, and further afield, but I don’t know whether all of these will be successful.

Of course there have been success stories, and there will continue to be, but time ultimately will tell,” he adds. “Regardless, there are lots of exciting things happening in this industry so it continues to be a fascinating sector to be part of. Consumers are more demanding of choice and innovation than ever, so that’s our job to keep up.”

Sambrook’s is eight years young in 2016, yet there are the best part of a hundred more breweries in operation than there were ten years ago, when the first seeds of the this brewery were sown.

Alongside a group of friends back in August 2006, Sambrook attended the famous Great British Beer Festival in London, then held at the iconic Earls Court.

“If I’m in Wales, I will always look out for Welsh beers, or if I’m Cornwall, I’ll want a Cornish beer, so to find Fuller’s as the only representative of London brewing at a London beer festival was odd. So that’s where it all started for me,” he explains.

In those formative years after that visit, an accountancy career in the City of London at Deloitte came calling. But studying brewing and creating a business plan kept his passion for beer alive. In this time, Sambrook (bottom right) managed to pool together the necessary funds to start the business that would become Sambrook’s Brewery. The stars also aligned when he was introduced to David Welsh, the retired former owner of the Ringwood Brewery, in the county of Hampshire. The duo, both with a City career in common, rewrote his business plan and located the London site that houses Sambrook’s today.

Despite the UK economy being hit by the financial crisis, and major shareholders dropping out as a result, good fortune in the form of loyal university friends and the support of other shareholders ensured that the Sambrook’s journey could truly start before it ended.

And with that support in tow, he handed in his notice at Deloitte to start a professional career in brewing in the August 2008. Three months later, the first Sambrook’s beer was being sampled.

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Sambrook is honest and considered in his approach.

He admits that he can brew beer but won’t call himself a brewer. It’s a good thing then that the brewery in 2016 can continue to call upon the expertise of head brewer Sean Knight. The Cape Town native who, in the words of Sambrook, started his career in Battersea as “the world’s most overqualified cask washer” moved to the UK to look at a career in the oil industry, but a recommendation by his brother’s friend to speak to Sambrook’s saw all of that change.

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Knight swiftly worked his way up at the brewery and is responsible for the creation of new beer lines such as the brewery’s increasingly-popular ‘Battersea IPA’, a 6.2% beer that contains Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt and Caramalt, with Chinook Hops for bittering and Chinook and Citra Hops for aroma.

Having Knight on board has also resulted in the brewery collaborating with figures such as Jamil Zainasheff, the multi-award winning, internationally renowned home brewer who is also co-founder of

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California’s Heretic Brewing Company. Something of a chance encounter between Zainasheff and Knight saw the duo forge a friendship and mutual respect that lead to the collaboration earlier this year, the 6.9% ’Buffalo Badger Brown Ale’ an American take on a traditional UK Ale. Such one-off beers complement the brewery’s core and season ranges. But while the brewery enjoys releasing new beers, it takes the long view before putting something to market.

“I don’t think of ourselves as conservative but people in the marketplace would probably consider us more so than our competitors,” says Sambrook.

“To release a new beer, it needs to fulfil many criteria before we release it. Lots of thought goes in to that and we have already started the process of revamping our products for next year. Our cask offering has been the same for around five years, but consumer palettes change so we need to react to that, too. Look at one beer we did, Session. This was trialled in 2015 and was our best selling seasonal, and it was a great success again this year, too. So what we are likely to do is tweak it, bring it in to the core, and maybe drop our Powerhouse Porter to the seasonal range. We look at our portfolio as one. Cask, keg, and bottle. Within that we have the core, the seasonal, and the one-offs.”

Having this unified approach simplifies the way the brewery to bring its beers market but Sambrook points out that its sales are segregated as two.

“We look at it where we have sales in to the pub landscape and then we have the secondary sales to the consumer. With this, we are talking about tasting events, introductions and takeovers. But the difficult thing at the moment is selling in to pubs,” he explains. “The first thing a pub will often ask is “What is your newest beer?”. People are always looking for something new. However, I was reading the other day that most pubs have around 1,000 customers, but only 10% of these have customers that go in every week.

“So if you imagine you have constantly rotating cask or keg lines and in some cases those beers are not on for more than two or three days, you are only actually touching 5% of that pubs catchment before they come in and have another beer. So we are trying to educate pubs to keep beer on for a month, or six weeks. For one, we will give you a better price but two, it’s better for your customers to see and experience a beer more than once. And that will let you, as a landlord, to make a judgement on that beer’s popularity over a better sample size. Otherwise, you are not being truly representative of the people that come in, drink in your pub, and where their tastes lie.”

Sambrook recalls a recent visit to a pub where its IPA was on tap for more than 10 Canadian dollars (£6.50) and in his own words, that pub was “taking the p*ss”. I know what we sell that for, and it should not be in a category where it is sold for that price.

People are making a margin at the detriment of the brewery and the customer in that instance. It’ll become a one-off for the consumer in that case as they’re unlikely to return due to the prohibitive cost. However he is much fonder of the relationship

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Sambrook’s Core Beers Battersea Rye - ABV: 5.8% A fusion of British hops with an American red rye recipe to produce a rich, spicy beer. Deep copper brown in colour, with a subtle rich fruit aroma, its flavours build to produce a bold spicy finish.

Ingredients: Pale Malt, Malted Rye Crystal Malt, Northdown, Bramling X and WGV hops.

Pale Ale - ABV: 4.5% Sambrook’s Pale Ale is our inaugural craft keg product and is a beer born out of innovation. We have taken a German lagering technique known as Krausening and married this to a traditional British Pale Ale recipe. Dispensing the craft keg, unfiltered and unpasteurised, creates a fantastically flavoured craft keg beer with a light natural haze. We hope that you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it.

Ingredients: Maris Otter Pale Malt, Admiral, First Gold, Celeia and New Zealand Hallertau Hops.

Battersea IPA - ABV: 6.2% Battersea IPA is a London IPA fused with a mixture of US hop varieties. It balances the darker colour and sweetness of a London IPA with vibrant citrus and fruit aromas and a long hoppy finish. At 6.2% it packs plenty of punch.

Ingredients: Maris Otter Pale Malt, Chinook, Citra and Galaxy hops Sambrook’s Imperial Stout - ABV: 10.4% Our Imperial Stout is dark, rich and full bodied. The chocolate, toasted and coffee flavours from the roasted malts balance perfectly with a ripe fruity aroma. At 10.4% it’s not to be taken lightly however as 2016 SIBA Overall Champion Keg Beer, it’s a must-try.

Wandle - ABV: 3.8% Named after the Thames tributary, flowing by the brewery, Wandle Ale has enjoyed critical acclaim from drinkers, bloggers and judges alike. Wandle cemented its reputation in 2012 when it picked up the World’s Best Pale Ale under 5.0% in the World Beer Awards and was category winner in the Quality Drink Awards.

Ingredients: Maris Otter Pale & Crystal Malts. Fuggles, Goldings and Boadicea Hops.

Junction - ABV: 4.5% Named after our local train station, Clapham Junction, Junction Ale has a rich full bodied character and is dangerously drinkable. It’s Mr Hyde, compared to Wandle’s Dr Jeckell, finally there is a good reason to go up the Junction.

Ingredients: Maris Otter Pale & Crystal Malts and Roasted Barley. Challenger, Goldings and Bramling X Hops.

Pumphouse Pale Ale - ABV: 4.2% Our pale ale was christened by a local drinker, naming it after the iconic Battersea Park Pumphouse.

Ingredients: Maris Otter Pale Malt, Admiral, First Gold, Celeia and New Zealand Hallertau Hops.

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his brewery has with the popular Draft House chain of pubs in and around London. Its first pub, the Westbridge in Battersea, being the brewery’s first account.

What is certain though is that the wider London market, and beyond, continues to enjoy the beer Sambrook’s Brewery puts out. It’s 3.8% Pale Ale, Wandle, named after the Thames tributary flowing by the brewery remains success but its newer keg Pale Ale is on course to overtake the former by the end of year.

Though Wandle will always hold a special place in Sambrook’s heart.

“We hear from people that hadn’t drunk beer before but have told us that they had tried Wandle and understood beer as a result. I see that, and us, an entry level from where you can go on a journey understanding beer then trying that first Porter, a Double IPA, or a sour, he says. “Then what you tend to do is then value beer more and become aware of its value on different occasions whether it be a special event with a particular beer or a time where you stick on a sessionable beer for an evening.”

While Sambrook’s has enjoyed steady growth, the biggest challenge for London breweries such as this is space.

“You are seeing it everywhere. Look at the pricing of what is happening in London and you get this concentric ring effect where you get sites priced out

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of the market. If we were forced to move, we would have to stay in London, somehow. That’s what we’ve always called ourselves, a London brewery, so that can’t change.

Sambrook considers the brewery lucky as it has been growing steadily and was also able to take on a new bottling line facility in 2012, which freed up space in London. Sambrook’s brewing operation runs at around 80% capacity, producing on average 15hl of beer a month, though distribution remains a “challenge” from the Battersea facility with the company looking at options for the future. Its South East Bottling site in Ramsgate, Kent, is based over 6,500sqft.

“One of the biggest problems with premium bottled beer in ranges in supermarkets is that it is no longer becoming premium.

"That’s part of the reason we’re primarily moving to 330ml bottles. Premium beer in the future, as we are more frequently seeing now, will be 330ml cans and bottles,” he says.

Each part of the process at South East Bottling is carefully managed by their trained technician to ensure minimal losses and maximum product quality and incorporate the requirements of its customers.

“It allows us to focus more on brewing here in London. It’s what we have always done, and want to continue to do,” he concludes.

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STANDING OUT IN A COMPETITIVE MARKET

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The number of breweries across Canada continues to grow, leaving companies fighting for space in increasingly crowded shelves across the on- and offtrade marketplace. This makes effective beer branding more important than ever.

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n 2015, Canadians enjoyed 22,707,133 hectolitres (hL) of beer. Canadian beer accounts for 84% of this figure, totalling 18,973,357 hL, an increase of 0.2% compared to 2014.

Imported beer sales increased by 4.5% in 2015 to a total of 3,733,776 hL. Since 2010, the Canadian beer category has declined by 663,865 hL or 3.4%. The amount of Canadian beer sales by package type showed a considerable 3.7% decrease, to 35.4%, in the amount being sold in bottle. This continues a downwards trend that has dipped by an average of 4% each year since 2010 (the start of the record in this case).

Canned beer has enjoyed the opposite in this instance, increasing its prominence in the field by 3-4% each year, jumping from 51.1% to 54.7% between 2014 and 2015. Draught beer accounts for 9.9% of beer sales, the same as 2014 and a 0.5% increase since 2010. But with off-trade beer comprising such a key part of Canadian drinkers’ consumption, strong and impactful branding is key.

Luis Prior is the director of marketing and business development at Atlantic Packaging, which has been serving brewery clients since the 1980s.

“The industry as a whole has continued to push for higher quality graphics. We’re seeing fewer cost-driven requests for items such as plain brown trays. There are several reasons for this. First, it’s a highly competitive and saturated market, and even the smallest breweries are designing their packaging to help their brand(s) stand out,” he explains. They’re realizing items like corrugated trays can be sales driving marketing tools instead of simple a basic carrier. Secondly, digital print technology has made it possible for breweries with smaller volume needs to have decorative packaging without having to invest in tooling like print plates.

In our experience, smaller brewers are using digital technology to launch their brands and if/when their demand gets to a certain level, they invest in tooling and switch to Flexo printing technology to reduce their packaging costs.”

Prior says the brewing industry is very creative in the way they design their graphics, in an attempt to stand out on crowded shelves.

“I’m not sure if I’d call it a trend, but trend we’ve noticed that printing on Kraft (brown paper) and getting away from printing on white with a gloss

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finish, is something we’re seeing more of. I think it’s just another way that some breweries are trying to buck the norm and stand out on the shelf,” he states. “It gives a more organic feel that seems to complement some of the brands. That said, the industry has such graphic diversity that something new could come along tomorrow and become a trend for the next few months. Especially with the significant influx of craft breweries that are popping up.”

For Debi Bowins, director of sales and marketing at PTI, the craft brewing industry is the sharing environment where there is a hands-on involvement between breweries and with their suppliers.

She explains: “It’s really quite remarkable. As a supplier, craft brewers tend to involve us initially in the development and marketing of a new product.

They work with PTI in a cohesive way to design packaging from the ground up that not only looks great yet considers how it will be manufactured most economically. They are creative, open to trying new ideas and nimble at making decisions to move forward when decisions are made. They are flexible and their work hours vary drastically.”

Having supplied the craft brewing industry for more than 20 years, Bowins believes changes to beer distribution will continue to impact and transform the way breweries approach their packaging.

“Specifically in Ontario there has been numerous

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changes in the distribution of Craft Beer in 2016. Craft beer is now available in retail grocery stores, The Beer Store, LCBO and the individual craft Breweries onsite retail store or taprooms. There is to be more grocery stores roll out in 2017 able to sell craft beer,” she explains. “There has also been a boom of new entrants of craft brewers come into the market of various sizes resulting in a more crowded market. Some craft brewers are focusing on seasonal brews and others are focusing on positioning and premiumization.

She adds: As a corrugated and folding carton packaging supplier we have seen demand change from the traditional 6 – 12 -24 pack to a greater demand for 4 – 6 – 8 pack individual and multi packs as well as growler carriers all a reflection of the new retail channels. craft brewers are looking for our assistance in designing their packaging graphically and structurally to shout out their brand and story on the shelf in a very noisy market in a very innovative way that differentiates their brand.

“Depending on their size and budget they have different resources so we are very flexible and can help with their graphic and structural design to keep costs low or work with their in house team or agency.”

And according to PTI, the business offer various print technologies to its craft brewery clients, which has worked well owing to the ability to offer different price points to accommodate most budgets.

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“We’ve really noticed that the new graphics coming to us from the craft brewers are bright, bold and really tell a story. This mixed with special finishes like matte or spot gloss really give the packaging fantastic impact. The choice of substrates really depends on the amount of detail and high definition of the graphics. The greatest growth we see is in the trend towards bold and vibrant graphics. I think this is in the effort to distinguish brand on the shelf,” says Bowins.

She adds: “We work with them to pick the right package structure, material, the right graphic and print technology option, that can be manufactured in the least expensive way. Order volumes are always the hindrance to the small brewers so we work with them with vendor managed inventory programs that helps them keep their costs lower avoiding premium pricing for low volumes.

“Cost is always an issue for any business and the craft brewing Industry is no different. Branding and marketing is an important function in the success of their business. The package is their salesperson on the shelf. Before their customer has had the opportunity to taste the quality and the flavour of their product

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they must be motivated to purchase their product for the very first time.”

And for Aliona Bessonova, account manager at Phoenix Packaging, the business is seeing a growing trend in specialty beers and therefore a different kind of packaging.

“Craft brewers are trying to differentiate themselves, do something that will make them standout. And there are two ways to do so: creating a new beer, new flavour or changing their packaging. Their most successful when it’s a combination of the two,” she explains. We have always been there helping craft brewers as well as larger breweries finding the perfect / unique packaging for their product. Sometimes it would mean bringing together the different parts of the package from different parts of the world.”

According to Luis Prior at Atlantic, he believes smaller breweries are going to extra mile to ensure their brand stands out from other breweries on shop and bar shelves.

One of the ways we’ve been able to help our craft brewery customers with our investment into digital technology in 2016. With digital they essentially have the freedom to experiment, give each brand its own

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design and generally have fun with their packaging,” he says. “Today we have a diverse mix of brewery customers that range from large national brands to small start-up craft breweries. Naturally both have different needs for their packaging requirements that vary from the physical structural design to their graphic needs.”

He adds: “That said, the industry also has many industry standard requirements that include items like basic trays for cans, to RSC style packaging for a multitude of different volumes 6, 12, 18, 24, 28 etc.

If I had to describe how the differs from others we serve, I would say from a structural design structurally it tends to be pretty straight forward and consistent, but their print & graphic needs can be the most demanding and often creative.”

But balancing costs and the return on investment that brings, is a conversation Prior frequently has with the company’s customers.

“One of our larger craft brewery customers has fully embraced digital technology, and in a recent

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conversation I had with him he said “To us, it doesn’t make sense to invest so much into our can and bottle packaging designs only to put our brand(s) in a plain brown container on the shelf.” I think a lot of brewers share this sentiment. They put their heart and soul into their business and they want their passion to come across to their customers. That’s why we’re seeing more investment in their packaging, and from the repeat orders and increase volumes we’re seeing I would say it’s working,” he explains.

And such investment, Prior says, is key with him expecting an over saturated market and a decline in the number of craft breweries in the coming years.

“But right now it’s on the upswing and growing strong,” he adds. “With regards to packaging products, we expect the trend of lower volumes with higher graphic quality to continue across the board. I also believe we’re not far from beer in a box products becoming available in the next year or two, and I would suspect it might become as popular as wine products in a box has become.”

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Beer Colloidal Stability Beer is prone to form colloidal hazes, which is a haze type known as non-biological haze. This is in contrast to biological haze, caused by the physical presence of large numbers of microorganisms. Brewers need to be cognizant of the processes and conditions during and after brewing in order to maximize the colloidal stability of the packaged beer. This article, from Gary Spedding, Matt Linske and Amber Weygandt at Brewing and Distilling Analytical Services, LLC, KY, USA, addresses some aspects of colloidal stability and some of the principles involved in colloid formation during wort boiling, cooling, trub removal, and in aging beer. Brief details of the methods available to reduce haze formation are also presented to hopefully remove some of the mystery behind this complex topic.

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ver time many alcoholic beverages are likely to form a haze, show a light precipitate, or even exhibit a potential for significant turbidity which can be caused by colloidally dissolved substances.

A search through the brewing literature on the topic will provide many definitions of what are considered colloidal substances: “A colloid is a homogeneous, non-crystalline substance consisting of large molecules or ultramicroscopic finely divided particles (1 to 1000 millimicrons [= 10-9 meter or nanometers] in size) of one substance dispersed within a continuous medium in a manner that prevents them from being filtered easily or settled rapidly. Colloids include gels, sols, and emulsions; the particles do not settle and cannot be separated out by ordinary filtering or centrifuging like those in a suspension. The term also refers to the particulate matter so dispersed. Colloids may be thought

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Figure 1. Two examples of very heavy haze and appearance of particulates in beer.

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Figure 2. An example of the complex class of biologically-derived plant molecules known as polyphenols. Polyphenols in beer are derived from grain husks during mashing and lautering operations and as extracted from hops during wort boiling. Note the monomeric and dimeric forms. Trimers and even more highly polymerized complexes are possible by addition of more polyphenols. The proanthocyanidins (also known by brewers as anthocyanogens) in particular have been associated with haze formation.

of as a mixture with properties between those of a solution and a fine suspension (finely “floating” matter).

“A colloidal gel is a colloid in a more solid form than a sol (liquid).

“A sol is a colloidal suspension of very small solid particles in a continuous liquid medium. Sols are quite stable and show a unique light scattering pattern known as the Tyndall Effect.

“A hydrogel is a colloidal gel in which water is the dispersion medium.

“An emulsion is a colloid consisting of a mixture of two liquids such as that of oil in water. It refers to microscopic particles of liquid dispersed in another liquid. Milk is an example whereby lipophilic (fat loving or hydrophobic = water hating) particles are dispersed in a water-based medium.”

The colloidal stability of beer refers to its propensity to form the non-biological hazes due to interactions between beer components, principally polyphenols and proteins, leading to the formation of visible precipitates. Colloid formation in beer typically presents as gelatinous or “jelly like” masses (See Figure 1).

As many brewers in the US move away from filtration or fail to filter their beer properly we are seeing many complaints and examples of beer such as that shown in Figure 1. The extreme use of hops in many modern US beer style examples is only exacerbating this issue we believe, through a higher input of polyphenols derived from the hops, and is

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one of the culprits of a decrease in colloidal stability seen in some examples of hoppier beer styles.

Beer Colloids and Haze: Beer colloidal haze is generally the result of beer protein molecules joining together with polyphenols to form molecular aggregates of a size large enough to cause visual turbidity.

Polyphenols: These are a very diverse set of compounds which are known as polyhydroxy phenols.

They commonly exist as base monomers, or as dimers, trimers and as larger, more highly complexed, polymers. The very large polymeric forms are known as tanols, tannoids, and tannins. The degree of polymerization is, however, important with respect to haze formation because dimers and trimers are much more likely to create hazes as compared with monomers. Polymers greater than trimers are not carried through the brewing process, but can form during beer storage as a result of oxidation reactions.

This explains why hazes can develop with age in otherwise clear beer. Figure 2 shows a selection of polyphenol compounds with some named species.

Proteins: The haze-active proteins or protein fragments (polypeptides) that are involved in protein polyphenol complexation (and derived from barley proteins) have regions rich in the amino acid proline (which is technically an imino rather than an amino acid) and it is the proline rich regions that form the binding sites for proline recognition sites on the polyphenol molecules. A schematic of the resultant

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Figure 3. Protein-polyphenol complexation. A model originally defined

by Prof. Karl Siebert at Cornell University in the US. Polyphenols cause the cross linking of protein/polypeptide chains.

protein polyphenol interaction is shown in Figure 3.

chill and permanent hazes

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olloidal hazes in beer are classified as either chill haze only occurring at low temperatures or permanent haze which is present at any temperature. Chill haze is formed at 0 °C or below but solubilizes and disappears as the beer is rewarmed back to 20 °C. The haze forms as a result of weak hydrogen bonds between small polymerized polyphenols and proteins (Figure 3).

These “weak bonds” are disrupted as the temperature rises, causing the aggregates to dissociate and the haze disappears. When beer is stored over longer time periods, further polymerization of polyphenols occurs and these much larger molecules form stronger covalent bonds with haze-sensitive proteins and the resultant hazes do not then dissolve when the beer is warmed up. Permanent hazes form in packaged beer over relatively long periods.

Controlling Colloidal Stability – At the Wort Preparation Step: While a careful choice of raw materials and milling and mashing all have an impact on producing the precursors for colloidal instability we only consider the wort boiling and cooling processes here for assisting in colloidal stability of wort and the subsequent fermented product. Further details on these other aspects may be found in Leiper and Miedl (2009) and in a series of quality in brewing articles written by the current authors and published in the Scandinavian Brewer’s Review.

Preparing for Beer Colloidal Stability – Wort

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Boiling – Hot Break (aka. Trub): Colloidal protein material is removed by wort boiling; reducing some of the coaguable nitrogen (protein) promotes colloidal stability. Boiling heat leads to coalescing and denaturing of proteins which reduces protein solubility, causing precipitation of proteins which are then more easily removed. The production of this matter known as hot break or trub is dependent upon the physical vigor of the boil, oxygen content, reducing agents, calcium phosphate reactions and the polyphenols present.

Calcium reacts with malt derived phosphates which helps to reduce the wort pH and further assists in precipitating the proteins. Kettle finings which can promote precipitation via electrostatic interactions are sometimes used to remove hot break matter.

The composition of hot break, however, not only consists of denatured precipitable protein but also insoluble salts, hop resin matter, lipids from the sweet wort and hops, polyphenols, spent hops and carbohydrates. As seen in Figure 3 protein and here in this case oxidized polyphenol complexes form which are insoluble in boiling wort and so are separated out as hot as possible. Usually today a device known as a whirlpool is used to separate out hot trub from the cleared wort.

Preparing for Beer Colloidal Stability – Wort Cooling – Cold Break (aka. Trub): Cold break forms once wort is cooled to about 60 °C. Wort becomes cloudy with the appearance of 0.5 micrometer sized particulates - hence cold break is also known as fine or cool break. Protein- polyphenol complex formation is also involved but this time with unoxidized polyphenols, unlike in hot break, which precipitate out best at lower temperatures. The trub here forms slowly as a finely divided precipitate and the polyphenol content is higher in cold break than in hot break. Hydrogen bonds holding the proteinpolyphenol complexes together are more stable at lower temperatures. Some cold break matter is considered desirable in the wort as it ultimately rounds out beer flavor, improves beer foam, beer stability and assists the efficiency of fermentation. So today many craft brewers consider its removal as optional. If it is removed it is done so by plate and frame DE filtration, centrifugation or natural sedimentation.

Controlling Colloidal Stability – After Fermentation From the above discussion it should hopefully be apparent that reducing the propensity for colloidal haze formation in the beer itself could involve removal of either haze-active proteins (generally hydrophilic proteins), polyphenols or both. However, a compromise is needed as proteins influence body and mouthfeel of beer and assist in foam formation (generally hydrophobic foam positive proteins). Polyphenols are also powerful reducing agents and act as antioxidants.

So, there is a balance between removal of some but not all protein and polyphenolic materials.

Nevertheless, two key strategies to reduce haze formation involve physical stabilization by decreasing or removing either or both the protein levels and a

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C olloidal bulk of the polyphenols.

Protein removal is achieved by treating the beer with silica gel – this binds protein in a similar manner to the polyphenols as seen in Figure 3 and allows the larger aggregates to be removed during filtration.

Two types of silica gel adsorptive beer stabilizers are commonly used: hydrogel and xerogel (themselves colloidal substances as described in the definitions above). Silica gels are not soluble in beer and are thus also removed during the filtration step. Manufacture’s literature should be consulted for further details on the use of Silica gels for this purpose.

Removal of polyphenols on the other hand is done via the use of an agent called polyvinyl polypyrrolidone (PVPP). Insoluble in water and beer, this nylon-type polymer has a higher affinity for chemical bonding with polyphenols than the proteins present in beer. A high proportion of the polyphenols in the beer will bind to the surface of finely granulated PVPP and can then be filtered out.

It is also possible to use a combination of silica gel and PVPP with the selective removal of the protein and polyphenols in the manners described above. This can reduce the overall cost of the process as PVPP is a quite expensive commodity. A full understanding of the conditions of use of either or both adsorbents is needed for effective and efficient removal of these haze precursors. For those wishing to delve more into the terms presented here see the series of short articles in the work by Oliver (2012).

conclusions

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rewing operations consist of a very complex series of processes which involve many chemical and biochemical reactions.

Colloidal stability leads to a more stable product from a visual viewpoint by preventing the formation of hazes and unsightly precipitates in the final beer; both hot break and cold break formation and subsequent removal assists in preventing beer chill and permanent hazes! In making readers aware of the need to remove hot break trub and sometimes cold break it is hoped that the information presented here has helped to build a better understanding of the importance of creating a colloidally stable wort and subsequent beer.

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Further reading Leiper, K.A. and Miedl, M. (2009) Colloidal stability of beer. In: Beer: A Quality Perspective. Charles W. Bamforth (Ed.). Academic Press/Elsevier.

Oliver, G. (Ed). (2012). The Oxford Companion to Beer. Oxford University Press.

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M easurement

Testing Times Having control over the whole brewing process and hitting the mark every time can be said to be an art and/or a science, but no matter which one you think it is, it’s critical.

Timothy Woolley, technical director at Pura DX discusses the integral role testing regimes play at successful breweries.

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ive years ago I was lucky enough to take a couple of months off, I flew out to New York, then up to Vancouver, got the train to Seattle and then drove down to San Diego.

It was an awesome trip, planned in essence to visit as many craft breweries as I could, finishing off with a visit to White Labs. I got to go to Brooklyn, Pike Place, Elysium, Rogue, Russian River, Pizza Port, Firestone Walker, Deschutes, Heretic, the list goes on and on and on and I’ve been name dropping ever since.

At the time what I saw were a lot of craft breweries moving into their second growth phase, having outgrown there initial site, they now had the reputation and money to purpose build. Some had opened their own bars, almost all had installed canning and bottling lines, one or two had gone into distilling and in one case the brewery had even opened up a hotel. One thing they all did though was install a laboratory.

What I found interesting in these successful US breweries was the intense beer testing regimes, as one brewer put it, the more we test, the better we get, the more awards we win and the more testing we do.

the spectrophotometer

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aving control over the whole brewing process and hitting the mark every time can be said to be an art &/or a science, but no matter which one you think it is, it’s critical. Many brewers will tell you that instruments like hydrometers, pH meters, and microscopes are absolutely essential to evaluate the key quality aspects of a beer, I would suggest if your opening your own lab you look at a spectrophotometer. The fact is that a UV/Vis-spectrophotometer can provide more information about your brewing process than any

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other single piece of analytical equipment, and for a reasonable price.

the basics

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he spectrophotometer uses a specific wavelength of light to determine the concentration of certain compounds in a sample, the more light that is absorbed the more of that substance is present in the sample.

Organizations like the European Brewery Convention and the American Society of Brewing Chemists have produced a number of standardized methods covering a range of beer analytes including, iso-alpha acids for bitterness, polyphenols, free amino nitrogen, and colour.

Operating a spectrophotometer is really easy, even with some very basic training you would be up and running within an hour or so, most modern units are more or less plug and play, some manufacturers have even pre-programmed the methods onto the analysers, and all you need do is press the method number on the keypad.

Sample preparation is however the most difficult part, although that varies by the test in question.

Measuring colour for instance is extremely easy, basically pour and play, whereas IBU is a little more difficult and involves mixing different chemicals, vortexing, then sometimes, centrifugation.

While Spectrophotometers are not particularly cheap, they are not hugely expensive ether and a new analyser can be picked up for around $8K (£5K). Envotech based in Cardiff, UK do a nice one (Nanocolour UV/Vis), as do Thermo and Hach, both these latter two have produced units specifically for the brewing industry and they come with preprogrammed methods.

You will also need to buy cuvettes, chemicals and in some cases additional equipment. Cuvettes are little containers that allow you to place the sample into the

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analyser. There are two main types, quartz cuvettes and plastic cuvettes. Quartz cuvettes will set you back a couple of hundred pounds, they are optically perfect and reusable, you will likely break one within the first week and then a few more every year. I use UV compatible plastic ones, these cost about $32 for 100, but are single use only.

The other bits of kit you may need include a water bath, a vortexer and in some cases a centrifuge, however all of these can be bought second hand either from Ebay, a laboratory equipment specialist or an online market place such as DoveBid, all for around $1.6k-$3.2k with limited risk. If you have a friendly university close by you may even be able to get old ones for free.

The benefits of utilising a spectrophotometer however far outweigh the upfront costs. The amount you will save per month on bittering hops alone could pay for the analyser in less than a year. Not many purchases have a return on investment that good. For those that don't believe me I am going to show you how you can get both colour and IBU assays done for less than a pound.

bitterness

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am surprised that given the preference for IPA’s in places like the UK, and every type of hopped up beer style going, more breweries don't test for bitterness.

If your using whole leaf hops, performing an IBU on a regular basis is probably more important than

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What I found interesting in these successful US breweries was the intense beer testing regimes, as one brewer put it, the more we test, the better we get, the more awards we win and the more testing we do.

"

if your using pellets, as whole leaf hops tend to age more quickly than pellets and as they age their humulone content drops. Humulone is the precursor to iso-humulone, so if that chemical degrades so does your IBU potential.

The EBC standard method (Section 9 Beer, Method 9.8) for the determination of iso-alpha acids (IAA) requires a liquid-liquid extraction of acidified beer in iso-octane (or 2,2,4-trimethylpentane). The cost per test for IBU if you do it yourself from around $0.56, plus about the same again for disposal, as you cannot put this stuff down the sink.

All that might sound a bit too nerdy so here is the simple how to version.

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(l) Humulone (r) Iso-Humulone

All you need is iso-octane, 6N HCl, and 50ml conical tubes for mixing (see below for purchasing details). I recommend you always use a control beer as well, basically a beer you know the IBU of, test this with your own samples to make sure your results are accurate. I use a Budweiser, a Bud has an extremely consistent IBU between 7-10.

So to get started take: 10ml beer sample 20ml iso-octane 1ml HCl You can halve all the reagents if you want and use 5ml beer, 10ml iso-octane and 0.5ml HCL, this will cut the cost per test down to approx. $0.56/test while also cutting your disposal costs as well, but I wouldn't recommend going any lower.

Mix all three of these in a 50ml conical tube and shake for 15 minutes. Sometimes you might get a congealing effect, so you might need a centrifuge.

However this is quite rare.

Sit the tube upright for a few minutes and you will see 2 layers form, it's the upper layer (or supernatant) you need, take off enough to fill a cuvette and measure at 275nm on your spectrophotometer.

Multiply the absorbency you get by 50 and you have your IBU. I get my reagents from Sigma Aldrich, below I have included all the ordering information you need.

Hydrochloric Acid (HCL) solution 1 Litre 6N: Item: 00010 Product: 72033-1L-90001 Approx Cost: $30 Cost per IBU: From $0.16 Iso-octane or 2,2,4-Trimethylpentane, ACS reagent 99% 1 Litre Item: 000020 Product: 360597-1L-D Approx Cost: $58 Cost per IBU: From $0.61

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UV Macro Cuvette (100) Item: 00030 Product: BR759170-100EA Approx Cost: $34 Cost per test: $0.34 The 50ml plastic conical centrifuge tubes will cost around $160 for 500, these can be picked up via Ebay or Amazon (approx. cost per test: 20p) Remember these are pretty nasty chemicals, Iso-octane is an organic solvent and smells to high heaven, so any testing needs to be done in a well ventilated room, as with all hydrocarbons, its also exceedingly flammable and its vapours readily form explosive mixtures with air. Inhalation or ingestion of large quantities is harmful and it should be treated with great respect.

HCL is a powerful acid – do I need to say anymore, so wear gloves and protective eye ware. Likewise a lab coat is a good idea. In addition having eye washing bottles and a sink close by makes good sense. Sigma will always provide a COSHH/MSDS or Safety Data Sheet, read it and follow it. Finally all these chemicals need to be disposed of by a certified waste disposal company.

colour

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n the other end of the difficulty scale is colour, this might seem a bit twee, but colour is often the first thing consumers notice. In this case the assay works by detecting how much of the yellow spectrum of light is absorbed at 430 nm. The more light absorbed, the darker the beer colour. The procedure is very simple; all you need is a sample of de-gassed beer, place this into a cuvette and read at 430 nm. If the beer sample is dark (>60 EBC), it can be diluted with equal parts water until the spectrophotometer can get a reading.

The cost per test is about $0.34, and it takes no more than a few seconds to get a result.

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Ontario Technical Conference 2017 January 26 to 27 • 130 Years of the Master Brewers’ association of Canada THe WesTiN ToroNTo airPorT HoTel, 950 DixoN roaD, ToroNTo, oNTario RegistRation

Badges

Please register online via Eventbrite, click here.

Please wear your MBaa badges. if you are a MBaa District ontario member and you do not have a badge, please, contact chris Williams at cwilliams@sleeman.ca to get one.

TickeT Prices Member Non-Member student/Honorary Member

$225 $320 $175

register by January 13 to avoid late registration fees. laTe regisTraTioN Member Non-Member student/Honorary Member

$260 $360 $200

Payment at the door will be available at the late registration rates — cash/cheque only.

Hotel The Westin Toronto airport 950 Dixon road, Toronto, oN M9W 5N4, canada.

416-675-9444; Fax: 416-675-2037 Fully renovated. complimentary parking.

CliCk for onlinE rEsErvations or call 1-866-837-5184.

Book your reservation by January 13, 2017 at the discounted rate of $159 caD. Please state that you are with the Master Brewers association conference.

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Future Perfect This January, 130 years of the Master Brewers’ Association will be celebrated at the 2017 Ontario Technical Conference, which takes place on 26-27 January at The Westin Toronto Airport Hotel, 950 Dixon Road, Toronto, Canada.

A

small group of master brewers gathered in Chicago in March of 1887. These individuals belonged to various local master brewer groups and decided to form a conglomerate of master brewers to better benefit the masses.

MBAA’s annual conventions served primarily as forums to discuss and deal with the pressures of politics and the influences of history. The national economy, two world wars, grain restrictions, recessions, the Depression, outright national Prohibition were all topics of discussion.

It was at the 31st annual convention held in New York that the constitution and By-Laws were revised and the name of the Association was changed from the Master Brewers Association of the United States to

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the Master Brewers Association of America. The aim was to transform the Association’s membership from a strictly national group into an international group.

Cincinnati was selected as the convention city for 1935.The convention chair started plans for technical sessions which were the result in what has since been called the “Pioneering Convention” Technical sessions covering brewing materials and brewery practice started the Association off on a program which has been developed and extended over the years. It was at this convention the Master Brewers Association of Canada became affiliated with the Masters Brewers Association of America. Technical sessions are an important part of the annual Canadian conference as reflected in the 2017 program.

Leveraging the collective resources of the brewing community to continually improve the processes and

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Essential information January 26 to 27 • 130 Years of the Master Brewers’ Association of Canada Brewery Tour and Tastings Wednesday, January 25 — $35, please sign up when you register (space is limited).

10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 12:30 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 3:30 p.m.

5:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m.

Meet and prepare to depart Westin indie ale House (lunch, tour, tasting) Rainhard Brewing Co Bandit Brewing Co Henderson Brewing Co. Big rock Brewery Return to Westin Conference Program Thursday, January 26 – Sutton A/B 8:00 a.m. Continental breakfast (Sutton foyer) 8:45 a.m. Beer Canada industry Update, Luke Chapman, senior Manager, Economics & technical affairs, Beer Canada 9:30 a.m. Harvest Hop & Malt, Mike Driscoll, owner/ operator 10:30 a.m. Break (Sutton foyer) 11:00 a.m. H2flow Equipment inc., industrial Wastewater treatment, Matthew Marion, industrial sales 12:00 p.m. Lunch (Sutton C) 1:30 p.m. Draft Cleaning technology, Mike O’Brien, Carbon tap 3:00 p.m. Break (Sutton foyer) 3:20–5:00 p.m. Safety panel moderated by Steve Harkness, Cemcorp ltd.

7:00 p.m. Beer Stube (Bristol suite) Breakout Sessions (Mayfair room, space is limited)

products of our membership.

join master brewers

M

aster Brewers members have access to a wealth of technical, practical and thought-provoking resources unmatched anywhere in the brewing industry. Our opportunities for learning, events, and engaged membership unlock creativity at all stages, leading to better brewing, and higher quality beer Membership Benefits include: • Access to the Master Brewers knowledge base • Networking & Career development • Scholarships, Training and member discounts • Join Today http://www.mbaa.com/membership/

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9:30–11:30 a.m. Designing and implementing Quality programs, Gary Nicholas, Surley Brewing Company, Minneapolis, Mn 1:00–3:30 p.m. Krones – Building a Brewery, Fred M. Scheer, Director Brewing & Process technology Friday, January 27 – Sutton A/B 8:00 a.m. Continental breakfast (Sutton foyer) 9:00 a.m. Escarpment Yeast, Nate ferguson, Co-founder and Partner 10:00 a.m. Beer History and Guided tasting with Yvan De Baets, founder of Brasserie de la Senne, Brussels 11:30 a.m. Break (Sutton foyer) 12:00 p.m. Keynote speaker, Gary Lohin, Brewmaster/ founder, Central City Brewery and Distillers ltd.1:00 p.m.

Lunch (Sutton C)

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The Craft Community The burgeoning Ontario craft beer scene came together last October when more than 900 brewery owners, operators, brewers, suppliers, investors and industry champions congregated for the Ontario Craft Brewers Conference & Suppliers Marketplace 2016.

T

owards the end of last year, nearly a thousand key figures in the Ontario beer community came together for the latest successful Ontario Craft Brewers Conference & Suppliers Marketplace 2016.

It featured the industry’s top brewers, decision-makers, thought leaders and supporters in Toronto for a full day of education sessions, networking, breakouts, suppliers

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marketplace and craft beer & food.

“Thank you for joining us for OCBC 2016! With 1,000 registrants, 115 suppliers, 20+ speaker sessions and plenty of great fresh, local craft beer, it was our biggest and best conference yet,” explained the organisers. “Stay tuned for info about OCBC 2017 (expanding to two+ days) and other OCBC-related events.”

Here are some of the key manufacturer and suppliers that helped make the event such a success.

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dat e s

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e v en t s

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Winter Brewfest is celebrating its third year and will take place at Lansdowne Park, Ottawa from 17-19 February

2017 27- 28 January 2017 2017 Burlington Winter BeerFest Holiday Inn, Burlington, Ontario www.burlingtonbeerfest.com

23 February Parksville Uncorked Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort www.parksvilleuncorked.com

11 February Winter Craft Beer Festival Roundhouse Park www.craftbeerfest.ca

3 - 11 March Victoria Beer Week Various Venues www.victoriabeerweek.com

18 February Williams Lake Craft Beer Festival TRU Gynasium, Williams Lake BC www.williamslakecraftbeerfestival.com

11 March Fredericton Craft Beer Festival Fredericton Convention Centre www.frederictoncraftbeerfestival.com

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