The Hop-Edition

By: Dylan Bajer Second-Year Brewmaster Student In the last fourteen years, I have made the river a career and my home, capturing more than a hundred days a year in a nylon tent next to the river's rhythm. I have allowed the fluidity of the river to measure the distance of how far I was willing to go. Whether it was an expedition or just a day trip to a certain play spot, I treated the river with the utmost respect. An interconnected relationship that would just scream simplicity. I have, on occasion, been coined the term “River nerd” or “Wet river rat”- but hey, let's call that an accomplishment. Now, I have never been one to quote that “The river is my church” by any means, however after paddling there is a feeling of tranquility, a wave of calmness, the sense of accomplishment. Although I get this reaction from paddling (it is my preferred pursuit), everyone has their own ventures or entertainment that they will seek out to fulfill this passion. At the end of such a...

By: Sarah McCambridge Second-Year Brewmaster Student Dear Hoppy, Lately I have been thinking that I don’t really enjoy IPA’s. Even though they are super popular I still don’t like them. I want to fit in with my buddies when I am out and enjoying a beer. Help! Sincerely, I be hating the hops! Dear Hop-Hater That does sound like quite the pickle you find yourself in. Of course, going out for a beer with your friends might find you showing the true side of your beer drinking pleasure. I am thinking that it would be important to just order your beer of choice, with confidence! One way of achieving this would be to go with your style, order it loudly and be ready to hear some razing from your buddies. It might make you more of target when it comes to the teasing, but think about it this way- at least you are out and enjoying a beer instead of ordering something that you don’t want to finish. Dear Hoppy, I often think of asking the people around me what the difference is ...

By: Chelsea Severtson Second-Year Brewmaster Student Beer is something that I have always thought pairs best with experiences. A just-okay beer can be thoroughly enjoyed in the right setting, and a just-okay experience is always better with a beer. The sum is greater than the parts. When a flawless beer and an excellent experience are combined, the synergy often results in pure bliss. Drinking a dank and piney IPA, getting stoked for your next run while sitting in thigh-deep powder halfway up a mountain. Getting cozy on the couch while a blizzard rages outside with a glass of barleywine. Drinking a tall can of AGD in the basement of the Palomino while some unapproachable looking dudes bang on instruments and yell things that I can’t quite make out. These are all fantastic pairings, but one of my absolute favourite experiences to pair with a beer is a bath. This got me thinking, which delicious local beers would pair best with some delectable locally made ba...

By: Sebastien Marriott Second-Year Brewmaster Student

By: Ben Christian Former Olds College Brewmaster Student Berlin: the capital city of Germany. A city with a distinct history and a unique culture; there really is nowhere else like it on earth. Of the forty-one countries and countless cities I have visited, Berlin stands alone as my favourite city on the planet. It was a no-brainer to commit to spending my summer there. The E3 Berlin program offers three opportunities and allows students to pick and choose what they would like to do. The first option is a German language course, the second is an internship, and the third and final option is an academic course.  Being bilingual, the chance to begin learning another language, was alluring. In fact, the German language course was the main reason I participated in the E3 program. The course was incredible! Our teacher, Helga, was an energetic, engaging, frizzy-haired marvel! Perhaps the best teacher that I have ever had. The days learning German were long ...

By: Brady Glubish First-Year Brewmaster Student This past week, I had the pleasure of attending the annual Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management Industry Advisory Committee (IAC) meeting, hosted at Olds College. The purpose of the Committee is to bring members of the Alberta brewing community into conversation with college administration, faculty, and students regarding the Brewmaster program at Olds. Our round table discussion included an update on the industry from those directly immersed in it, and the expectations of employers upon student graduation. An overarching theme of the meeting was the drastic increase in breweries opening over the last few years here in Alberta, and the impact this new access to beer has had on a formerly established market. Statistics from AGLC indicated that 123 breweries are now licensed in Alberta, an increase of 22 from the previous IAC meeting. The sentiment was that the increase in businesses has greatly diluted the quality of beer t...

By: Adam Bereznicki First-Year Brewmaster Student Like many of my classmates and fellow craft beer enthusiasts, I find myself often casually scrolling through social media, searching for new beer releases from a multitude of my favourite breweries. Recently, however, I came across a picture that stopped my scrolling in its tracks. It was an advertisement for a new beer, of course, but not just any new beer. The label on the can featured a swirling background of sky-blue and lilac, with bold red lettering highlighted by a unicorn and a rainbow. As gaudy as the appearance of the packaging was, more shocking were the contents of a small glass next to it – a hazy, orange liquid filled with swirling motes of glitter.  Yes,  glitter . To be honest, even I had a brief flash of giddy excitement when I more closely inspected this sour ale (brewed with fruity breakfast cereal and edible glitter). After all, drinking craft beer so often means looking for new and exciting produc...