Award-winning brew on tap
Woodyard brings home bronze from national beer competition
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
It didn't take long for the city's new Woodyard Brewhouse & Eatery to end up with an award winner on tap.
Fletcher Stevens, co-owner and brewer at The Woodyard Brewhouse & Eatery, holds a glass of his award-winning Kick Sled Cream Ale on Tuesday. - Shane Magee/NNSL photo |
Its Kick Sled Cream Ale picked up a bronze at the 14th-annual Canadian Brewing Awards last weekend in Vancouver.
"We're extremely happy with the outcome. I'm already planning on what I'm going to do next year for entries," said Fletcher Stevens, who co-owns the brewpub with his wife Miranda Stevens.
Boshkung Brewing Co. of Minden Hills, Ont. took home gold, while Great Western Brewing Company from Saskatoon, Sask. earned silver in the same category.
Prior to opening his business last year, Fletcher was already bringing in awards for his home brews.
In March, three months after his brewpub started pouring its own beer this past News Year's Eve, he sent five samples in for judging on behalf of his pub. He had entered hoping mostly to get some feedback.
Breweries and cideries of all sizes from across the country took part in the competition with more than 50 categories, including big name brands.
A panel judged the beer based on five criteria, according to the competition's website: aroma, appearance, flavour, mouth-feel and overall impression.
In April, a call came heavily suggesting Fletcher attend the conference and if not, to at least send more beer for the event. Reading between the lines, he said it was clear the beer was going to be recognized.
"It's quite an honour actually that we were able to be ranked up there with the macro beers, so to speak," he said.
He described Yellowknife's beer market as one largely focused on Budweiser-style lager beer. The cream ale that picked up the award was crafted as a means to satisfy local tastes, he said.
He said he made it "as light and crisp" as he could to bridge the gap between lager and ale.
It's proven to be a best seller at the brewery. He expects to have to prepare a lot more of it following the win.
He hopes to double the number of entries to the competition next year and is already working on new recipes.
On Tuesday, he said he was working on an amber ale he developed the recipe for on the flight back to Yellowknife. The amber ale is one type missing from his pub's lineup.
The event includes more than just awards. It also includes an expo bringing together suppliers and equipment manufacturers and seminars from industry leaders.
He said he brought back lessons about other brewery's past mistakes and ways to grow production.
With the award and the profile created by attending, he said he's received inquiries about selling outside the city in other markets.
"We hope we can still be successful and start getting into a bigger distribution outlet, like hitting some of the southern market," he said.
Part of that will involve beginning to can their beer in six-packs to supplement sales through refillable growlers.
