Part of the Victoria Beer Week series since it began three years ago, the Drink in the Story event held on Tuesday, March 7 put the spotlight on three men that have not only become stars in their own right but have also helped to shape the industry.
The first speaker of the night was Strange Fellow Brewing’s co-founder and former Yaletown brewmaster Iain Hill. During his talk, the audience was treated to Coup De Foudre, a beer aged for a year in a giant oak vat. Iain cautioned against spilling hot caustic cleaners on your groin while cleaning brew tanks as a cheap method of getting a Brazilian, and discussed how old-world beer styles have inspired new-world flavours.
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Gary Lohin of Central City Brewers and Distillers talked at length about how BC craft brewers were able to turn limited resources into an advantage and create beer styles that taste great, and how they have managed to shape craft brewing worldwide. While sampling Red Racer IPA, a beer almost 20 years in the making, Gary noted that BC consumers are responsible for a lion’s share of the industry’s successes.
Closing out the evening, we heard from Victoria’s own Matt Phillips of Phillips Brewing and Malting, while we sipped on Kaleidoscope Mosaic IPA. Phillips led us through the trials and tribulations of making your own equipment and having to move facilities. He also talked about how Phillips makes BC barley grains into brew-ready malt, and the new set of challenges that brings.
These stories showcase the realm of possibilities available to those willing to think creatively and challenge the norm. Perhaps students may consider finding a role in what has become a strong part of BC’s small-business industry and create their own story of boozy success.