The Hop-Edition

By: Elliot Johnson First-Year Brewmaster Student, 6th cohort Elliot Johnson is a first-year brew student, currently working at Legend 7 Brewing in Calgary, Alberta. 

By: Josh Kostelnyk First-Year Brewmaster Student Mainstream beer is almost universally viewed as a masculine beverage. Various ad campaigns in the 80s, 90s, and even early 2000s were specifically targeted towards men. Somewhat understandable, given that market research showed that men comprised about 90% of their market. Naturally, after throwing huge amounts of money into these campaigns, advertisers were successful in their efforts. Curently, our industry is presented with a rather unique opportunity. Today's younger generations (myself included), seem to be less influenced by significant marketing campaigns. We are turning away from large chain stores/brands in favour of locally produced or even artisanal products. We seem to respond more to commercials representing inclusivity and community rather than something that is portrayed as a status symbol. Herein lays our path to greater market share. While macro has an advertising image to rehabilitate, we rogue, i...

By:  Casey Staple First-Year Brewmaster Student I find that a constant topic and debate in the craft brewing industry is, when is it ethical to sell a soured contaminated beer? It has been known that some small local breweries try to bluff it through the markets to make a dollar and salvage what may have been lost in production. It is very understandable as to why an operations manager, or even an owner, would do this. Who wants loss? No one new to the industry can afford to dump beer because of a little tartness in the batch. There are bills to pay, and in a situation of being in a current state of catch up because of sold out product, how can a manager justify empty shelf space in the busy, booming, cutthroat industry we are in today. As professionals in the Alberta brewing world, this is a legitimate problem we may face at some point. How we deal with this crossroad is up to us as brewers and managers. I believe that the first step towards releasing a consistent qualit...

By: Taraya Middleton First-Year Brewmaster Student, 6th cohort Olds College Brewmaster Students at Origin Malting & Brewing for a collaboration fundraiser, 2019. The Brewmaster and Brewery Operations program has been teaching and training upcoming generations of inspired brewers since 2013. And although there have been changes and updates to programming needs since the beginning, up until now there has been nothing as amazing at what the current cohort – number 6 – will be able to experience.  In the last semester of the two-year program, students will come full circle with their brewing and beer-making education by learning the History of Brewing and Beer. This class investigates the earliest recorded origins of beer, and with it, the evolution of the various roles within the industry that have been played by individuals, organizations, and governments.  The History of Brewing and Beer class is focused less on the history of traditional styles of beer, ...

By: Wyatt Langille First-Year Brewmaster Student 6th cohort Wyatt Langille is a first-year student in the 6th cohort, currently working at Belly Hop Brewing in Red Deer, Alberta. Upon graduating in 2020, he will open Detention Brewing in Rosalind, Alberta, located in the former Rosalind School (1954 to 2013). 

By: Taraya Middleton First-Year Brewmaster Student The rolling prairie farmlands of central Alberta are a lovely shade of golden straw brown mixed with plots of green. The land is slowly coming out of the long winter hibernation and farmers are working long days to prep the soil for seeding. It would be best if you cared about the state of Alberta's farmlands because nearly half of the yearly Canadian export of 620,000 tonnes of barley comes from Alberta farms. The impact of all this hard work is showcased by brewers both local and international, at the micro- and macro-levels.  It's early May, and heavy rain, snow, and hail have moved through the Calgary-area around noon, tracking east towards Strathmore. For those in the farming industry, it's another Alberta weather pattern that requires patience as it will eventually blow over. It might push seeding schedules back by a few hours, or days, but hopefully not much longer. For everyone else, well, it’s a minor ...

By Jasmine Makkinga First-Year Brewmaster Student A brief write up and background on the Blindman Brewing Double India Pale Ale produced for the 2019 Women's Day Brew. Back of Can Descriptor ABV: 9.2% IBU: 55 OG: 1.077 FG: 1.010 SRM: 5.4 On March 8 th , the Pink Boots Society organizes a very special international collaboration brew day. By drinking this beer, you're supporting women's success in the brewing world, as well as raising funds for powerful influential charities. This year, we are donating to the Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter as well as to scholarship programs for women in the brewing industry.  A team of sixteen women joined forces and brewed this bright, hoppy Double IPA. Double dry-hopped with a special blend chosen specifically for this event, each sip will be as bold and uncompromising as the women who crafted it. Brewery Notes (Panel consisted of trained and experienced Blindman Brewing staff members)  Visual: golde...