Local Breweries Earn Top Marks for their Beer

Central Alberta is definitely landing on the map as a destination for craft beer enthusiasts.

That was affirmed last week at the 1st annual Alberta Beer Awards created by the Alberta Small Brewers Association where both Lacombe's Blindman Brewing and Troubled Monk Brewery in Red Deer each picked up more than a handful of awards for their beer, including tying with a 3rd place finish for Brewery of the Year.

With 44 breweries licensed in Alberta in the last two years and plenty of more licenses coming down the pipe, Hans Doef with Blindman Brewing says it's a challenge but also something to embrace.

“That’s been a conversation a lot lately, seeing the trends in the States and seeing our kind of young industry growing very fast, and seeing what will happen, is there peak beer (number of breweries because of a peak in craft beer)?  We think it might be a challenge, but right now we’re trying to make the most of it and it’s been a very positive thing, and the industry’s been a lot of comradery and a really healthy industry”.

Blindman Brewing took home a total of 8 awards, Troubled Monk is home with 7.

Over 300 beers were entered in 22 categories, they were judged through a series of blind tastings.

Doef says Blindman submitted about 20 entries, Troubled Monk entered 10 beers.

President and Co-founder of Troubled Monk Brewery Charlie Bredo was thrilled about being recognized alongside Blindman and is encouraged by the reputation central Alberta is earning.

“I think it’s really cool that Blindman did well as well, because we’re getting known in central Alberta for the quality of beer we make and so it helps us create this region as a bit of a tourist destination for people from Edmonton and Calgary to come and check out the beer that we’re offering in central Alberta”.

Sentiments which were echoed by Doef.

“Us and Troubled Monk have been here for a little while, longer than some of these new start-ups and we’re excited about what’s happening in central Alberta.  When Cilantro and Chive also took home Pub/Restaurant of the Year as voted by the industry for supporting craft beer, that’s another feather in our cap in the local scene as having not only breweries but restaurants who are starting to get on board with this whole craft trend and it’s really exciting”.

36 pubs and restaurants from all over the province were mentioned in that pub/restaurant category with the Lacombe eatery presented the hardware at the Calgary awards.

In terms of what’s on the horizon for both local breweries that opened their doors in 2015, Bredo says they’ve started dabbling in a couple of other avenues.

“Beer’s our focus and it’s going to continue to be our focus, but we also started to make soda and spirits and as those kind of divisions continue to grow, hopefully they will take on a life of their own and we’ll be able to kind of share those beverages with the rest of the people in Alberta”.

Doef meantime says they’ll be taking on some exciting new styles of beer and they’re hoping to make some upgrades in their taproom soon.

In the words of Bredo it’s fair to say both establishments are “so passionate about making beverages and sharing with people”, and both are so thrilled about how they’ve been embraced in central Alberta.