NWT Brewing represents the territory in beer collaboration
Company settles on recipe that celebrates mining heritage
Jessica Davey-Quantick
Northern News Services
Friday, March 10, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Canada turns 150-years old this year, and breweries across the country are celebrating the only way they know how - with beer.
Central City Brewers + Distillers has created the confederation of beer to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday. Fletcher Stevens, centre, travelled to B.C. Last month to brew his NWT-inspired creation with Central City brewer Zak Plowright, right, and brewmaster Gary Lohin, left. - photo courtesy of Central City Brewers + Distillers |
Central City Brewers + Distillers, based in Surrey, B.C., has created a confederation of Canadian beer with the Red Racer Across the Nation Collaboration, a mix-pack of brews from 12 Canadian provinces and territories.
NWT Brewing Company is representing the Northwest Territories and co-owner Fletcher Stevens explained how the collaboration works.
"Each brewery was asked to come up with a beer that would represent their territory the best, so whether it was try to use local ingredients or just a general beer to identify with your territory," he said.
"We couldn't forage any local ingredients - because that was my first thought - let's grab something that would be pretty cool, fireweed or some berries, arctic cranberries, things like that."
After tossing around a few ideas, he settled on something that would symbolically represent the people who helped build the city of Yellowknife. There is a long history of particular beers brewed for particular professions - saisons for French farmers and bitters for the English working class. Grisette was brewed for miners. This is the beer he decided to go with.
"Folklore says that back when the miners would leave the caves, there were these maidens that were wearing grey frocks that would serve these gentlemen the beer," he said. "With NWT's mining history I thought it was a no-brainer."
Stevens describes grisette as a light, easy drinking beer brewed with malted wheat, malted barley and spelt, which gives it a "nutty character." The beer will also use hops known for a fruity flavour.
"Not saying the beer's going to taste like Five Alive," said Stevens. "I'm crossing my fingers that it's going to be a well received beer."
Stevens was in B.C. on Feb. 23 to help brew about 20,000 litres of beer - or about 60,000 pints - the same amount NWT Brewing makes in three months.
"It was unreal," said Stevens, adding that while he has five fermenters making beer mostly by hand here in Yellowknife, Central City has 46, with 200 employees working on an almost fully automated system.
"The sheer size of the place, it was dizzying walking through," he said.
He said other brewers involved in the project were surprised with how much NWT Brewing manages to do, especially with its small size. He estimates he makes about 66,000 litres of beer per year, most of it sold in house from the Woodyard Brewhouse & Eatery.
In a news release about the project, Central City brewmaster Gary Lohin described the spirit of the collaboration.
"There is a great sense of camaraderie among us craft brewers in Canada, and what better way to show our pride in our country than to bring together some of Canada's best breweries on a celebratory mix-pack to commemorate this huge Canadian milestone," he stated.
As for Stevens, he just hopes people like his contribution.
"You didn't want to be that beer that was left in the back of the fridge, you want to be the go-to," he said. "I'm just hoping that people can identify with the story behind the beer."
The 12-packs will be available across the country, including in Yellowknife, in June in the lead-up to Canada Day.
