My Thoughts on the New CAMRA YVR President

A few weeks back I wrote about the resignation of Martin Williams from his position as president for CAMRA Vancouver and in that post I suggested that the next CAMRA YVR President would have to be a strong leader, able to keep the momentum moving forward at this pivotal time in the organization's history.  I wrote the next leader needed to be, "an energetic, focused and knowledgeable person willing to lead and motivate the CAMRA membership at large," in order to continue CAMRA YVR's growth and development.

Well, I hope I didn't raise expectations to high in regards to what was required of the next CAMRA YVR prez because, as it turns out, I am that person.

Talk about setting myself up!

When I wrote that post, I had no idea I would be filling the position. Being named president comes as a bit of a surprise to tell the truth. Being nominated didn't surprise me because I had let the remaining executive know I was interested, but I was sure that there would be strong competition from multiple others. There are some strong leaders in the Vancouver craft beer community, many of which I thought might like to put their stamp on CAMRA YVR during this exciting period of growth. In the end, I am not in the position because I was the best person, or convinced the executive and the membership I was the right person, I am there because I was the only person who, when asked to accept a nomination, responded with a "yes". But at this point, it does not matter how I got there, only that I am now in a position to make a direct difference working with the executive on behalf of the CAMRA YVR membership.

I am a little nervous about how it will all go, especially at the start. It is always hard joining a team in mid-season but due to the fact I have been actively involved in the Advocacy and Policy Meetings and am good friends with Martin, I have some idea what I am walking into. I do have strong opinions and tend to voice them more often than not, just ask my wife. But, I believe years of experience being in leadership roles has taught me to be open, flexible and to listen to others, even if their ideas and beliefs are not in sync with my own.

Many of my thoughts about what CAMRA should and could be here in Vancouver and in the bigger picture, BC, are similar to Martin's. I think the biggest similarity is that both of us feel that the membership has to be active, involved and engaged in the actual advocacy and education portion of CAMRA's mandate. Supporting craft beer and real (cask) beer is as easy as buying and consuming it, but advocating and lobbying for changes to the status quo here in BC regarding the liquor industry, specifically how it relates to the consumers of craft beer, will be arduous and tedious work. It takes energy, focus, careful strategy and numbers, as in a substantial enough amount of people to make the politicians take notice.

I am a believer that CAMRA Vancouver needs to continue to grow and must become more focused and active as an advocacy consumer group to be effective. I would like to see CAMRA Vancouver executive continue to move in the current direction of trying to motivate and activate its membership. I would also like to see CAMRA Vancouver working in concert with CAMRA BC and the other CAMRA chapters in this province to formulate a plan and create one strong voice that cannot be ignored.

But before CAMRA can become an effective and successful consumer advocacy group in this province, it must increase its membership, develop political connections and insert itself into the political realm. Organizing beer festivals, beer bus trips and securing 10% discounts at local establishments are activities that CAMRA should continue to carry out for their membership but I feel CAMRA here in BC can be much more than that and can actually effect positive change for the craft beer consumers of BC. CAMRA can set standards and be leaders in the local craft beer community, being proactive instead of reactive & passive. Craft beer consumers deserve to be acknowledged, considered and should not just accept the status quo, unless of course, they are satisfied with the status quo. If the membership is not willing to do so, then CAMRA YVR will never been seen by outsiders as more than a beer appreciation group for beer snobs and beer geeks.

Unfortunately, many do hold this perception of our group and CAMRA must change this perception. The membership needs to continue to grow and,  in fact, I believe this is key as those who are in position politically to effect change to our liquor laws and taxation will take notice quicker if CAMRA's numbers are in the thousands as opposed to the hundreds. At times, I think that those in the craft beer scene lose sight of the fact that they are a distinct minority and there are many among those who love craft beer here in this city who are not CAMRA members, many by choice. CAMRA must work hard to try to enlist these folks to join the cause and must work even harder to try to introduce those outside the craft beer scene into the fold and encourage them to join CAMRA to try to effect the changes we all want to see.

These are some of the ideas I have in regards to CAMRA here in BC and CAMRA YVR in particular. Time will tell in regards to how well my ideas, hopes and wishes for the group melds with those of the membership and the existing executive already in place. In the end, it is not about me and what I want, but about what the membership wants. If it turns out that there is no will to go beyond organizing festivals and going to cask nights to socialize, my time as president may be short and I will move on to do what I do.

Having said all that, we have to remember that this is about craft beer. We are not charged with curing cancer, stopping world hunger or initiating world peace. We all have families, friends and lives out in the real world and must always remember to maintain that balance. What CAMRA is doing is important, but should be kept in perspective in regards to what we hold dear in our lives. Along those lines, I will continue to blog as I enjoy the process of looking into issues, researching, writing and advocating. If you are a regular reader of my blog, you can continue to expect the same erratic, all-over-the-map approach. When I started doing this, I had no idea what blogging was really about...many will say I still don't.

So, the journey as prez begins. Please feel free to let me know what it is you would like to see happen for CAMRA YVR. If you are not a member, please consider joining up and getting involved. Together we can make our voice be heard.

And remember, advocating, effecting change are better enjoyed with a great craft beer in hand.

Reports & Ramblings From a Beer-Addled Mind #4

BC Beer Awards

The winners of the BC Beer Awards were recently announced and I have to say that it is quite surprising how the voting goes when those judging are doing so without previous knowledge of what brewery the beer comes from or what beer they are judging. I believe that at beer festival events and competitions like the annual CAMRA awards, the voting is often a popularity contest and winners are decided even before the beers are drank. Beers, breweries and establishments at times win on reputation. Block voting skews results and great brews get overlooked because they are not from the sexy, brewery-of-the-moment or brewed by the most popular brewer.

Another factor in these awards is that they actually had knowledgeable judges working within a specific set of guidelines. I understand they judged on how the beers fit the specific styles they are entered into. Judging was more than,``Wow, that was a great, tasty beer`` and had everything to do with official beer style guidelines. From what I understand, this was a bit of a sticking point with some of the judges who wanted to vote according to likes and dislikes and not according to whether the beer was a good example of the style or not. It really shocked me to see a pilsner take ``Best in Show``, but from what I have heard it was because this beer was the best example of a beer rating the highest for all the criteria within that beer`s style. Congrats to Steamworks and Conrad Gmoser for taking this honor.

With all due respect to breweries such as Lighthouse, if they put their beers into the same competition with the beers identified, I don`t think they would have won awards. Maybe I am wrong, but I can`t see it. That is not a knock on their beers - Keeper`s Stout is a great beer which my wife and I drink all the time and on the rare occasions that I pick up a six-pack of lager, I usually reach for their`s - it is a cynical observation and a commentary on the way people vote for beers in most competitions. It is my belief that more often than not the name and brand of a beer has a major influence in what people think about that beer, at least what they think publicly. Often, it seems to me, that unless a beer is high octane and an imperial this, imperial IPA or barrel-aged/infused that it does not rate with the beer snob crowd. And at times I think certain breweries could just piss in a bottle, label it a ``special/limited release`` and it would sell, receive great reviews and be raved about.

So I was really intrigued by the results of this blind tasting competition and you know what, the usual suspects did not win all categories.

Congrats to all the winners. I was very happy to see some of my favourites among those collecting hardware, particularly Howe Sound`s Woolley Bugger Barley Wine, which took the bronze medal in the Strong Beer Category and which I think was one of last year`s best brews and has been very under-rated. I was also very pleased to see Driftwood get so much recognition as I feel they are the best overall brewery in BC at the moment and can seemingly do nothing but hit home runs with their beers. Their Fat Tug IPA is a regular in my pint glass these days and very nicely priced to boot.

I was a little surprised at the beers that didn`t make the cut. Howe Sound`s Pothole Filler, which I rate up with the best Imperial Stouts around was, in my opinion, conspicuous by its absence but then I am not sure if it was even entered. Same with Crannog`s brews which were not mentioned at all in the awards. But that is the nature of beer. What I like and rate highly may repulse the person sitting next to me. That is why I don`t review and rate beers on this blog.

On a final note in regards to the BCBAs, I just want to let organizers know that I would be willing sacrifice a day of my life and suffer through a long day of tasting some great BC beers if they find themselves in need of another judge next year. It is a dirty job but somebody has to do it. Keep me in mind folks...just saying.

CAMRA YVR Has Some BIG Shoes to Fill



Martin Williams and myself
enjoying a pint together

 Earlier this week I, along with all other CAMRA YVR members, received an email message announcing that CAMRA YVR President, Martin Williams has resigned from his post. This is not good news for CAMRA as Martin, although not in the position long, had really infused a lot of his personal energy into the organization in his attempt to motivate and mobilize the membership to get involved and try to effect change as an active consumer advocacy group.

In short, he was attempting to put the CAM back into CAMRA.

Of course it was not just Martin spearheading this move to action. The rest of the CAMRA YVR executive have worked very hard and are still in place, ready to help support the new president, whoever that will be. I just hope that the focus and momentum won`t be lost with this change and that membership have some worthy potential presidents to choose from and do so wisely.

I believe CAMRA can be a successful lobby group here in BC if they continue to grow and stay focused on trying to effect some change to the status quo. I would hate the see the organization slip back into old habits and do nothing more than organize a few beer festivals here and there. To keep moving forward, CAMRA YVR requires and energetic, focused and knowledgeable person willing to lead and motivate the CAMRA membership at large. This next choice of president could be a pivotal point in CAMRA YVR`s development and growth. The craft beer industry here in BC is booming but both the industry and consumers need to press government to make changes to the existing liquor laws and the BC Liquor Distribution Branch to bring the liquor industry into the 21st Century. CAMRA could definitely have a roll in lobbying the government to make these changes but first must continue to grow, organize and formulate a strategy. CAMRA`s membership, guided by their president and the executive, must develop a political will and a political voice if they want to be anything more than a beer appreciation club.

As a CAMRA YVR member, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Martin for his hard work in regards to CAMRA. I wish him well in his future endeavours, whatever they may be. He was one of the major reasons I became a CAMRA member last year.

Vancouver Craft Beer Week

I have not blogged on the Vancouver Craft Beer Week as I knew that there would be no shortage of people doing so. I only was able to attend one event, Brothers in Hops, which I enjoyed immensely. I thought the event was very professional, intimate and there were some great beers on offer.

I know that VCBW has its detractors and critics, some of which have leveled criticism at the event organizers for featuring too many US-based breweries. Although in some peoples' minds local breweries get overshadowed by their US cousins such as Hopworks, Deschutes, Elysian, etc at events such as VCBW and GCBF, I believe our best brewers are second to none and more than hold their own. At Brothers in Hops events, I felt that Central City Brewery had the two best brews on offer, with their Imperial IPA and sherry/oaked cask conditioned imperial porter outshining the excellent beers on tap from Ninkasi (Eugene, Oregon) and Hopworks (Portland, Oregon). Although BC craft breweries may not compare in numbers to those in say Washington and Oregon, they are on an equal level when it comes to skill level, creativity and the beers they produce.

It would be nice to have a larger event that features just BC beers and maybe BC brewers should get together to run their own festival doing just that. I, for one, really don`t care if there are US-based breweries at events such as VCBW. The organizers are trying to sell tickets and would be crazy not to take advantage of the fact that there are many world-class craft breweries just south of the 49th. There was plenty of local representation at the VCBW events. I really liked the concept to the BC beer tap takeover at St Augustine`s where at one point there were 30 BC beers on tap! There were many great BC beers not represented at the BC tap takeover but a lot of that has to do with the fact that there are some breweries and brewpubs out there that just won`t put their beers on tap at St Augustine`s for some reason known only to the brewers. But that is another rant for another time. I also liked the concept of the VCBW Cascadian Dark Ale collaboration beer, where 28 BC breweries pitched in to create a beer especially for the event.

I hope that one day we do see a BC-only multiple-day festival, but we should not expect organizers of events like the VCBW to limit what beers they feature in their event because at the end of the day, they are attempting to make money. I applaud the organizers for their hard work and commitment to bringing great world-class craft beers to Vancouver and for creating a buzz in this sometimes sleepy city.

BeerTourist Planning a Foray to the Great Canadian Beer Festival

Before I go any further, I must let you know that I am one of the founding members of BeerTourist so that is why I support it and advertise for it here on my blog. I, along with the rest of BeerTourist, are in the process of putting together a trip to Victoria for the Great Canadian Beer Festival on Sept 10/11. We still need to confirm a few things and work out some minor details, but BeerTourist hopes to have everything in place by the end of June so we can begin selling tickets. A priority waitlist for those interested has been started as we will only be selling 50 tickets, enough to fill one bus.

The list is close to full, but we are still taking names as those on the priority list may opt out when time comes to buck up, so if you are interested, please email info@beertourist.ca with your name and contact info. We plan on leaving early on the Saturday morning so we can arrive at Victoria`s Royal Athletic Park in time for the noon opening of the festival and will return to Vancouver directly after the festival closes at 6 PM Saturday evening. Our ticket will include admission into the GCBF and return transportation (including ferry fees). Those going on the trip will be responsible for buying their own beer tokens, except for the tokens included with the admission ticket, and feeding themselves at the festival.

If you are interested, please get your name on the waitlist. It is not a commitment to buy, but does get you your chance to buy a ticket (or two) if you want. Last year the festival sold out on-line in a matter of minutes. BeerTourist, through their connections, are hoping to be able to secure tickets for our tour. Please check back at http://www.beertourist.ca/ or at our Beer Tourist Facebook page for more details and updates. You can follow us on Twitter @vanbeertourist.

No More Excuses - Time For the BC Craft Brewers Guild to Organize, Collaborate and Cooperate

Like many other Vancouverites a few Sundays ago, I set out into the sunshine with hopes of achieving a personal best, but my dreams of glory had nothing to do with sweating it out with 50,000 others, adorned in spandex, participating in the Vancouver Sun Run hour and everything to do with throwing on comfortable clothes, ambling down to Legacy Liquor Store and stocking up on craft beer. Normally when I enter liquor stores like Legacy, Firefly, etc, I literally spin in circles, losing all sense of time, while trying to decide what beers to place in my basket. I must look like an adult afflicted with ADHD, who has stopped taking my Ritalin, as I flit from one side of the craft beer section to the other, distracted by the brilliant selection of craft beers and all their shiny labels, but on this particular Sunday I was in and out of the shop with a personal-best, sub-15- minute time. I do have to admit my awesome display of efficiency that particular Sunday had more to do with my nine-month-old daughter deciding to test out the acoustics of the cavernous space that Legacy occupies than my own personal focus and commitment to time management, but it was a feat to brag about all-the-same. My wife didn't share my enthusiasm though, especially after finding the receipt for the beers which were threatening to collapse my daughter's stroller.


OCB Discovery Pack Spring 2011
a multi-brewery collaboration
promoting Ontario craft beers

 While scanning the Legacy beer shelves to see what was new and exciting, store GM, Darryl Lamb, wandered over and handed me a six-pack labelled "Discovery Pack Spring 2011", which consisted of  beers from six different Ontario craft breweries, packaged and put together by the Ontario Craft Brewers (OCB). Darryl explained that he had stumbled across the product and contacted the OCB to have some of the Discovery Packs shipped out for his store. This current version of the Discovery Pack is the 8th version, first having been released in 2007 and are curerntly being released at the beginning of every new season.

I thought this was a very clever method of marketing and a sign of the commitment of the craft brewers in Ontario, who compete in the same market for the same dollars, to work together to collectively further their cause in general. These seemed like artisans and business people who got the Big Picture.



Hoptical Illusion,from
Flying Monkey, one of the
six beers offered in the
Discovery Pack

 Having grown up on the Westcoast, having spent much of my life avoiding Ontario and having the inter-provincial roadblocks in place that make it difficult to export beers from province to province, I know little about the craft beer scene there. I did notice that the six-pack included something from Black Oak Brewery which made me take notice as last summer I had the chance to sample a a very tasty IPA from Black Oak, which had been illegally snuck into our great province by someone who dared cross our provincial borders with alcohol without going through the BC LDB (a rant for another time), so I thought I'd give the Discovery Pack a go based on my enjoyment of that bootlegged brew.

Once I got home I felt celebration was in order, seeing as I had just posted a personal best time, so I cracked open the six pack and began to see what Ontario had to offer. Although the six-pack is described on the OCB website as "a hand selected combination of great brews,"  I found the beers to be solidly crafted but not "great. This might be due to the fact that I have grown accustomed to the huge beers being produced out here on the West Coast which has resulted in me developing a taste for hops to the extreme. I would describe the Discovery Pack beers as "starter" craft beers for those just making the leap from the world of marcobrews to craft beer and not for those looking to have their taste buds assaulted by big hops and high alcohol.
Despite the relatively tame nature of the beers (in my opinion), my curiosity was peaked by the concept of competing breweries cooperating to package together and promote their products to further the cause of Ontario craft breweries. I have seen many "mixed packs" here in BC, but to my recollection they were always from one particular brewery and marketed by that brewery. I have never seen a collaboration between breweries here in BC in regards to packaging their products together for the betterment of the BC craft beer industry as a whole.  I wanted to find out more about the OCB and immediately wondered why we haven't seen similar collaborative marketing here in our province.

Inside the six-pack box I found a few other interesting items, namely two pieces of literature, produced by the OCB, directed at promoting Ontario craft beers. The first insert I read turned out to be the OCB's "Craft Beer Style Guide" which listed all the OCB member breweries along with a list of all their 150+ beers, arranged by style and with brief tasting notes typical of that style. It was in a checklist form so that you could mark off which beers you have tried, much like the old checklists you would get in your hockey card packs back when hockey cards smelled of cheap gum and often ended up in the spokes of your bicycle and not in albums and plastic protectors. The other item inside was an advertisement for the Ontario Craft Beer Week, which takes place in June and is organized by the OCB to help promote their products and beer tourism in Ontario. This, I found interesting as well as almost all the beer festivals that take place here in the Lower Mainland, especially since the demise of DIX, may she Rest in Peace, are not organized by the brewers, but by groups like CAMRA and the Vancouver Craft Beer Week who advertise and promote the events.  

I went to the OCB website and found out it to be a wealth of information. It appears that the OCB are a highly organized and professionally-run group, doing their best to work together and promote Ontario craft beer and craft beer in general. On their website they state,

"We're the Ontario Craft Brewers, 25 brewers dedicated to making great tasting beer, right here in Ontario. The reason we got together is to promote our fresh, natural, quality beer and agree on a commitment to excellence that everyone has to live up to.
We chose "Ontario Craft Brewers" as our name, because it speaks to the tradition of care and craftsmanship that we insist upon when brewing our beer. It's taste that we're obsessed with, and taste that distinguishes us from other beers, so naturally our slogan is "Taste. The difference."

The OCB have even taken their collective commitment further, developing an OCB Brewer's Philosophy, signed by participating brewers and brewery owners, which sets out clearly the Ontario's brewers' dedication to art of brewing craft beer and supplying the consumers with craft beer of the highest quality, while supporting each other as Brothers in Arms, to further the cause of craft beer in Ontario. The OCB makes it clear on their website that they want to be apart of their communities and contribute positively towards the quality of life in those communities. They have successfully managed to lobby the Ontario goverment who have developed a $5 million, five year, Ontario MicroBrewery Strategy, that provides funding to the OCB "for marketing, training and other promotion activities" for the province's craft breweries. The Onatario government has also developed the $8 million, Ontario Craft Brewers Opportunity Fund (OCBOF) to help support and develop small to medium craft breweries in the province to compliment their Ontario Microbrewery Straregy..

The OCB have utilized this funding, along with the fees/dues they charge their members, to develop many advanced and diverse methods of promoting their beers. They have had a free iPhone app developed, that helps consumers track down craft beer in Ontario and have podcasts, entitled "Ontario Brewer". They also organize brewery tours for member breweries, run radio spots, produce videos relating to craft beer, organize the Ontario Craft Beer Week...the list goes on and on. Their website is full of educational information about Ontario craft breweries, craft beer, beer styles, cask beer, interactive tasting guides, maps to liquor stores/retail outlets, local pubs and restaurants that offer craft beer, a "Discovering Our Beer Guide" and  recipes using Ontario craft beer. They even have an on-line (printable) press kit full of background information, facts and statistics relating the the Ontario craft beer industry. I highly recommend it to any beer geek heading out to Ontario and, for that matter, anyone who is interested in craft beer in general, as there are many educational tools and links to beer resources and interactive tools on the site. I literally could have spent hours on there poking around, following the links and reading about Ontario craft beer and craft beer in general.



OCB Craft Beer Style Guide (1st 2 pages) included in the
Discovery Pack Spring 2011



If the information and the energy put forward by the OCB, via their website and their Discovery Pack packaging is any indication, it appears the craft beer scene in Ontario is alive, vibrant and very well supported by the brewers/brewery owners themselves who are spearheading their pubic persona, as one, through the OCB and who have sucessfully garnered the support of their provincial governement. They have taken the proverbial bull by the horns and, as stated in the OCB press kit, "banded together under the Ontario Craft Brewers banner to provide collective marketing muscle, promote regional tourism and expose Ontario's beer drinkers to a world of more than 150 handcrafted premium beers brewed in their own home province."

What a concept! Banding together to create one collective voice (sound familiar CAMRA YVR members??). Competing forces pulling together for the betterment of all involved.

Now let's compare that to the BC craft beer scene and how the BC Craft Brewers Guild (BCCBG), formerly known as the Craft Brewers Association of BC, is helping promote the cause of  the craft beer industry here in Beautiful BC.

It is true that here in BC we have an alive and vibrant craft beer scene as well. BC brewers are not only producing good craft beers, but world class craft beers that are pushing boundaries and causing the rest of North America to take notice. And it is not just one brewer, but several that are creating these amazing beers. There are several brewers at the moment that are challenging each other to keep up and push the envelope with their brews. I dare say that soon, if it isn't already happening, local brewers will be creating new craft beer trends and styles that others, from across Canada and N America and around the world, will be trying emulate in order to keep on the cutting edge of craft brewing. And those of us who drink these beers are enjoying the fruits of these creative labours.

But While the craft beer scene has bneen exploding here in BC, it seems this explosion has taken place with little-to-no help from the Craft Brewers Guild who, at least at first glance, seem invisible to the general public. I am not a brewer, but have been involved in the craft beer industry in Vancouver for over 10 years, yet I know little about the BCCBG and what they do.

On first blush, it seems to be that the BCCBG is, in fact dormant, disorganized and in turmoil. The general scuttlebutt around the cask is that the BCCBG are doing nothing to advance the craft brewing industry in this province and are too busy fighting amongst themselves to get anything accomplished. The BCCBG website is basically devoid of content, listing 16 member breweries, with some of the names missing on the members list conspicuous by their absence, and giving one contact name and phone number, that being Tod Melnyk, of Tree Brewing, who is listed as chairman. Comparing the BC website to the OCB website is like comparing a kindergartner's crayon scribble to a Master's thesis. The only bit of info, other than what listed above did give at least some idea of what the Guild was about, stating,

"Welcome to the home of some of the world's best beers. While in BC, enjoy your stay here and feel free to sample the artisinal offerings of our members.  In 1997, a group of BC Craft Brewers got together for the purpose of establishing a non-profit, cooperative trade organization committed to the promotion of the Craft Brewing Industry through legislation, education, public awareness, and the responsible use of our products."

I decided to make a few phone calls to try and find out what is happening with the BCCBG and to see if all the rumours I have heard swirling about have any substance. Depending on who you talk to, you get a very different picture of what the BCCBG is about and how the BC brewers are working together - or not.  Tod Melynk was more than willing to speak to me about the BCCBG and put a very positive spin on things with the guild.
According to Melnyk, the group is currently reorganizing, refocusing and figuring out priorities and "getting everyone on the same page". When asked about the lack of public presence, including the website, Melnyk, who is co-chair of the group, along with Matt Phillips (Phillips Brewery) and Jim Dodds (Vancouver Island Brewery), stated members have been occupied running their respective breweries and unable to contribute significant time or financial resources to the BCCBG. He did state that they have been "working in the background and tackling issues when they arise" such as putting forth a position paper in regards to the proposed changes to the tied house/trade practice laws. I could not really get what the BCCBG's position was in regards to tied houses and trade practices other than Melynk telling me member breweries did get together, via conference calls, to voice their opinions and come to a consensus on a  position.

When queried about the BCCBG's membership and obvious names missing, Melnyk stated he has fielded "several calls recently" from representatives of breweries and brewpubs inquiring about joining the guild and said that there is significant interest amongst the craft brewers in BC to get organized and work together. As an example, Melnyk pointed to the recent collaboration by 28 craft brewers who got together at R&B Brewery to create a Cascadian Dark Ale that will be available during the Vancouver Craft Beer Week. Melnyk did point out that this collaborative brewing session was organized by the VCBW and not the BCCBG, but saw the getting together of all the brewers as a positive sign.
I also queried Melnyk about the rumours about the in-fighting and conflicts that many feel are the main reason why the BCCBG appear to be stagnant and ineffective and Melynk stated that there has been conflict amongst members, "a few years ago," and that at times "small issues pertinent to one brewery have taken over the (BCCBG) agenda" but that those problems are a thing of the past. Melnyk stated that the BCCBG does have plans to put out collaborative products, such as the OCB's Discovery pack, update their website and begin an organized lobby to help "craft brewers get on a better playing field" in regards to competing in the market place and hopes to get the craft brewing industry the same government support the BC wine industry enjoys. Melynk also stated he has a personal vision of creating a special designation for craft beer similar to the wine industry's VQA designation for BC wines that meet certain criteria. 

Rick Dellow, the R of R&B Brewing, who belong to the BCCBG, also stated in an email, that there are plans amongst the guild members to, "put together shared raw material buying and shared marketing," but that due to the guild members need to attend to their own businesses, these plans may not "see the light of day". Dellow also pointed to past BCCBG activities which have been successful, such as when the guild,"worked with a group of small brewers from all over Canada to lobby the government to reduce the level of Federal Excise tax," a lobby that was successful and resulted changes to the tax structure.

Melynk stated that the main reason the BCCBG has not been able to organize and get to the level of their Ontario cousins is simply a result of money and time and has little to do with in-fighting and the BC brewers inability to work collectively. He pointed to the "substantial amount of money" the OCB got from the Ontario Provincial government and the fact that the OCB has a full-time "Executive Director" to help guide the group.
These facts are true, the OCB has a President, John Hay and an administrative assistant and, according to PR contact, Christine Mulkins, who I contacted by email, "employs a variety of consultants on contract to provide support on finance, marketing, PR, branding, website, advertising/media, etc." Mulkins also stated that OCB members "play an active role in the association by participating on a variety of committees such as - technical, marketing, etc," and that they pay dues to be members to help fund the cause.
My question is, if funding and resources are an issue, why can the BCCBG not follow Ontario's lead and go after the same funding from government and the guild members themselves? I know each provincial governement if diffeent and market places unique, but the BCCBG has a great blueprint to follow and could they not try to adapt the path the OCB has taken to suit their needs?

I spoke to a few other brewers, some members of the BCCBG and some not, as well as others who are insiders in the craft beer industry and had a completely different picture of how the guild operates painted. A few brewers were not willing "to go on the record" but were more than willing to talk to me over a few beers to share their thoughts about the BCCBG and how it operates. I heard descriptors such as "disorganized", "dysfunctional", "useless", "not focused" and "splintered" used to describe the BCCBG.

One brewer, Crannog Ales' Brian MacIsaac, who used to belong to the BCCBG but who opted out about four years ago, was more than willing to go on the record and state why he is no longer a member. I personally know MacIsaac and consider him to be a straight shooter, one who does not mince words and one whose business practices are honest and above board. Crannog has been very vocal about the lack of ethics in the craft beer industry and the lack of a "code of conduct" in regards to how craft breweries in this province conduct business. He believes it is paramount that the craft breweries hold themselves up to a higher standard than the macrobreweries do, not only with the beers they produce but with how they conduct themselves. He believes that although they compete in the same marketplace, for the same consumers' craft beer dollars, the craft breweries should be able to work together to advance the industry in BC while letting their beers speak for themselves.

The beer industry is rife with what are illegal practices, such as kickbacks of free beer to pubs/restaurants, to breweries paying cash for the right to sell their beer in a certain establishment or breweries paying for beer lines to be installed for the privilege of selling their beer, but Crannog has refused to be apart of this, even if it meant losing potential business. Crannog's famous t-shirt depicting a hand flipping the bird with, "here is your 1-in-10," referring to the practice of giving one free keg for every 10 bought, sums up his thoughts on the issue. 

MacIsaac says the main reason he is not apart of the BCCBG any more is the "predatory" business practices of some of the member breweries and his distrust of them having access to "sensitive" information about his business. He states some guild members are "not cooperating" with the other members and that the guild is "not functioning as a group of colleagues". He went on to say certain breweries were not interested in making a stand against the kickbacks and the purchasers' demands for free beer or cash and were currently offering the kickbacks and inducements in the same manner as the bigger breweries with the deeper pockets. He states when he tried to get the members to formulate and implement a "code of ethics" or "code of conduct" he was not supported by the some of the guild members who are known to be quite aggressive in the marketplace and willing to go after the tap space held by other guild members in order to increase their own business. 
He also gave, as an example of the group's unwillingness to support each other, that when one member brewery came to the guild for support due to the fact an establishment demanded a payment of $1000 a tap, per year, to do business, that member brewery received no backing or support. In fact they were told by one of the guild members "it was the price of doing business," even though that "price" is currently illegal and something many small craft breweries, with limited resources, having been fighting against. MacIsaac told me he believes that some of the members of the guild are their for their own betterment and are not interested in helping develop the craft beer industry as a whole or work collaboratively in the guild. It comes down to greed and dollars and not the art of making craft beer and developing an ethical and sustainable industry.

"When is it enough?" asked MacIsaac. "It (craft beer industry) should not just be about getting bigger and bigger."

So which version of the BCCBG is the accurate one?

I have had suspicions for years that some of the BC craft breweries who want to grow and play with the big boys in the market place have been predatory and ruthless in taking business away from their craft beer brethren in the name of growth. In fact, I won't buy beers from certain local breweries based on my knowledge of their business practices and have voiced my opinions to most who will listen. This type of behaviour is certainly going to splinter and fracture the craft brewers. The craft brewers are the first to complain about the Molson's of the world flashing their money about, buying taps and giving kickbacks yet some of them are just as bad and some of those protesting loudest are the worst offenders.

Although there are many of the BC craft brewing heavyweights on the member's list, there are many that are not. I don't buy the excuse that there is a lack of resources available to the BCCBG which prohibits them from doing something as simple as put content on their website or update the name on it to reflect their name change. It appears to me there is just not the will amongst the BC craft brewers to band together to work towards common goals. I am quite sure the member breweries could buck up a few thousand dollars a year to hire professionals to help run their guild, such has been done in Ontario. First on the agenda should be to update and professionize their website, go on a massive recruiting drive and develop a collective voice with the focus of getting the governement's attention so that maybe they can secure funding and make themselves known as a group that can contribute positively to the cultural and finacial welfare of BC.

Maybe the BC craft brewers believe it is not necessary to organize and market together as their growth rates are decent and their support from consumers and groups like CAMRA and the Vancouver Craft Beer Week is strong and spreading the word for them. I know that some who have been supplying this support are getting fed up with the lack of action by the BCCBG to help promote the craft beer scene in BC. CAMRA YVR President, Martin Williams, for one, believes it is time for the BC craft brewers to get busy and help themselves.
"BC's brewers need to work together better than they have," says Williams. "There is a vibrant brewing industry in BC. It is small and its growth is well hampered. I doubt the government in Victoria recognizes brewing as a growing industry. This recognition will only come when the BC Craft Brewing Association develops its own personality, its own voice and markets itself as a real and viable industry in BC with an important role to play." 

The BCCBG may point to the substantial OCB funding from the Ontario Provincial Government but I do think there is a direct link to the OCB's commitment to contributing to their local communities by supplying jobs, promoting-developing local small businesses, adding to the local economies and promoting Ontario tourism by highlighting the province as a destination to find great beer. I don't know for sure, but I suspect the OCB lobbied the Ontario government hard to get the support they now enjoy. If their website and the image the OCB is projecting is accurate, the OCB sees the craft beer industry as more than sales for its individual members and sees themselves as playing an important part in their local communities. Yes, it is about selling beers and individual businesses being successful, but there is a bigger picture beyond producing the best IPA and the OCB seems to get that.

I would love to see the BCCBG here commit to cooperating with each other and take steps towards getting to where the OCB are. I would definitely love to see them band together to try to combat inducements and illegal trade practices, although that may be a mute point if the government in this province deregulates and allows inducements to exist in the light of day. Think of the positive economic spin-offs of promoting and increasing beer tourism here in BC. Think of the possibilities, as a consumer, of the breweries and brewpubs banding together to help new breweries start up in this province. The more widespread, organized and vibrant the craft beer industry is, the better it is for all involved. At least this is how I see it.

I would also like to walk down to my local liquor store and buy a mixed pack of BC craft beer...imagine a box containing limited releases from Central City, Driftwood, Phillips, R&B or any of your other favourite local craft breweries.

Now that is something I don't mind promoting.


 

Reports & Ramblings From a Beer-Addled Mind #3

CAMRA YVR Advocacy & Policy Meeting 2 - CAMRA Soon to BEGIN New Campaign

CAMRA held their second Advocacy and Policy Meeting, Tuesday, April 5, at the Railway Club and although the turnout was substantially less than that of the first meeting a month ago, the desire to become an active and effective consumer advocacy group was still evident. Unfortunately some of the people who were tasked to do research on the issues and subjects CAMRA YVR and their membership had identified as priorities at the first meeting could not/did not show up so there was some disruption to the forward movement. In my opinion that may not be such a bad thing as my fear is that CAMRA and their membership, due to their enthusiasm and desire to become more active, may try to take on too much, too soon, spreading themselves too thin thereby rendering themselves ineffective. It seemed, after some discussion at the end of the meeting, CAMRA YVR may in fact concentrate their efforts in certain areas and move forward with a more deliberate focus, zeroing in on one or two issues, hoping to gain some notoriety and validity as a consumer advocacy group and some allies in the political realm.

The subjects of distribution and access to craft beer, taxation, tied houses/trade practices, inter-provincial trade and neighbourhood pubs were touched upon. More homework and research will be done in these areas and preliminary steps are being taken to formulate plans as to how best to attack these issues and who to target. It was widely agreed upon at the meeting that it is of the utmost importance to identify and try to gain access those who have the power to actually make changes to the rules, regulations and laws, be them under municipal, provincial or federal jurisdiction.
There seemed to be a greater focus on what to do, due in large part to what has happened south of the 49th parallel recently, in regards to homebrewers and their struggles to be recognized as the artisans and have their brews legitimized. The strong presence of members from the Vancouver Homebrewers Association at the CAMRA meetings, and their willingness to be vocal and active, volunteering to do the research and dirty work required to move their cause forward, has really helped keep these issues and concerns up-front and centre. There is a tangible desire by those heavily involved in the local homebrewing scene to bring their craft out of the dark basements and sheds of the city into the light of day so they can offer their creations at festivals, competitions and eventually as retail products without fear of legal repercussions. Many of us who aren't homebrewers seem to forget that homebrewing, when traditional methods are followed and traditional, fresh/natural ingredients used, is a craft and the brews produced are craft beers and real beers. The majority, if not all, of our craft brewers started out as homebrewers before moving on to the Central Cities of the world. I recently embarked on a bus trip where some beers were shared around and some of the homebrews I tasted were outstanding. Wouldn't it be great to able to enjoy a cask beer, supplied by the Vancouver Homebrewers Association, at the next CAMRA festival? Wouldn't it be a treat to be able to rock up to your local homebrewer's shop/house/store front and legitimately buy a bottle/case/keg of their delicious craft homebrew?

In addition to the homebrewers' commitment to begin wading through the bureaucracy that is responsible for keeping their beers from their adoring fans, it seems that CAMRA YVR is about to unveil their first actual campaign, aside from increasing membership, under the new executive! Recently, the federal government granted the beer industry an exemption from listing the ingredients on the labels of their products. Although most of the craft brewers I have spoken to are in favour of letting the general public know what is in their beer, they were quietly happy to see that the beer industry did receive this exemption due to the cost associated with changing labels on their packaging. From the discussions held at Tuesday's meeting, it appears CAMRA YVR is going to soon launch the "What's in Your Beer" campaign (at least that is the working title) that will have CAMRA YVR approaching local craft brewers and asking them to volunteer to list the ingredients for their beers on their websites. By listing the ingredients on their websites, there would be minimal costs attached to letting the public know what they are consuming and allow those curious to see what exactly is in their beer. My suggestion to CAMRA YVR, via President Martin Williams, was to have the participating breweries submit their ingredient lists to CAMRA YVR (or CAMRA BC if they want to get in on this campaign) so that CAMRA can put the info in one central place on their website. By doing this, CAMRA would provide a one-stop data base for consumers while encouraging brewers to participate in the program by taking the onus of responsibility away from the breweries for changing their websites. It may also expose CAMRA to a wider cross-section of the beer-drinking public who are curious about what is in their beers and who will come to the website to access the information. Let's face it, not everyone who drinks craft beer is a CAMRA member. Not even close. Those who belong to CAMRA are the minority in comparison to the numbers of people out there who enjoy craft beer and who are not members. The final details of the "What's in Your Beer" campaign are still being discussed by the CAMRA YVR exec, but look for it to become live sooner than later.

Although the numbers were down from the first meeting, the enthusiasm and desire to become a more member-driven group, who are trying to effect some change by making their voices heard, was still palpable at the meeting. A few new members showed up to join CAMRA and participate in the meeting and nearly everyone at the meeting became involved. My concern again is that the membership at large are not going to engage and that numbers at the meeting will dwindle. I certainly hope that the membership has heard President Martin Williams and his message of, what can the membership do for your CAMRA, not what can CAMRA do for the membership. The positive vibe seems to be growing, as is the membership, according to the CAMRA YVR exec, but there is still a very long way to go from being a small bunch, on the lunatic fringe, to a powerful, well-organized advocacy group.

Beer Quiz and Taste Test Challenge

So, you think you know your beers, do you? If so, you have a chance to prove it this week and if do in fact have sufficient beer knowledge and discerning taste buds you could walk away with some dosh to help stock up that beer cellar! Wednesday, April 13/11, Legacy Liquor Store is hosting  The Knock Down Drag Em Out Beer Quiz, between 7-9 PM. Legacy Beer Guru and former Storm Brewing Jack-of-all-Trades Chris Bonaille is hosting the event which will test contestants beer knowledge with 20 brain-teasing trivia & two skill-based questions followed by blind tasting of eight beers where contestants will be asked to identify the style of beer, country of origin and brand! Entry into the contest is $25 and the top beer geek will walk away with a $100 gift certificate for Legacy Liquor Store, located at 1633 Manitoba St, in the Olympic Village. If you haven't been to Legacy, it has an awesome collection of craft beers, wines & scotches. They also have many free tasting events, many involving craft beer.

A few weeks back I threw down a challenge to all Vancouver beer bloggers to join me and put their money where their mouths are. Thought it might be a laugh to get a few of us together to see what we actually do know but so far only one blogger has responded with a maybe, that being Leo, writer of the Vancouver Beer Blog. Blogger. Why not, come on down for a few hours of fun...we can always find a place to debrief after over a few pints of craft beer.
Tickets are available on the Legacy website...hope to see you there.


Feedback, Comments & Suggestions Related to VanEast Beer Blog Post
Cask Beer "Are We Getting the 'Real Beer' Deal" 



When I sat down and tapped out my thoughts about the local cask beer scene the other night I never really thought it would generate so much discussion and feedback. I seem to unwittingly hit a nerve in regards to the cask beer events here in Vancouver and it seems I am not the only one who has been thinking and talking about this subject. I have had much feedback via Facebook, Twitter, email and text messages and I wanted to share cross-section of these comments as I think some are very informative and bring up some very valid points about cask-conditioned beer. I am neither shy about offering my opinion nor am I hesitant about sharing criticism or feedback about what I write. I don't profess to be an expert on any of the subjects I write about but I do offer my opinions and observations in hopes of opening up dialogue and discussion and am just happy to finally have done that, even if only on a small scale. For those messages sent to me privately, via email and text, I have asked permission to repost what I received and for those sent via social media, I have just reposted as they were sent on a public forum to begin with.
Warning...the email portion of the feedback is long, but may be interesting to those who are interested in this subject.

Via Twitter
From: @howesoundbeer
1. Flat beer in cask 2. Add yeast sugar 3. Dry hop spices 4. 2nd ferment and vent 5. Cool 24hr sediment drops serve.

From @eskimodave
I've been secretly saying that no one does cask beer properly. Despite this I make most cask nights here, more for social

From @il_beerstardo
much of quality is dependent on handling...real ale contains live yeast  

Via Text Message     
From: Chris Bonaille, Legacy Liquor Beer Guru
One comment I would like to make is that part of the process of cask-conditioning beer is the job of the barman or the cellarman. The cask must be primed just after racking from the primary fermentor and then after arrival at the pub must be left to settle for 24 hours. Then it can be vented with a spire and tapped at which point it must settle for another 24 hours. It is then ready to be tested by the cellarman to judge, based on his knowledge and experience, as to whether its ready to be served. This all relies on the pub having a person in this position. No pub I know (in Canada) has one.
I did this job in England and I know there are brewers out there who have the skill and knowledge. My point is that the cask events here are not the real deal...

Via Email
From: Marc Smolinski, www.@drinkerspeace.com
Was great to chat (briefly) today at the Whip. Read your article on cask conditioned beer tonight and really enjoyed it. All great questions to reflect on at this point in time with the current explosion of cask nights. Liked the thorough and balanced approach. I feel much the same way as you conclude (good beer is good beer which is my biggest concern, but clear info about how a given "cask" was produced would be nice. (Especially for those for whom Real Ale is a near religion (though seem to be few of that type in B.C.))
The one part of the article I did want to discuss a bit more (and twitter an impossible forum for doing so) is your analogy that some of the current 'casks' are not cask conditioned or Real ale in the same way that your home brew is not real ale. I am pretty certain that your home brew is bona fide real ale and bottle conditioned. As for the casks, I'm not 100% sure how the suspect casks are being produced but IMO there is one key aspect which determines real ale vs. non real ale.
On the home brew side, (and also commercial beers that are bottle conditioned e.g. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale) your process results in legitimate real ale for the following reasons. The distinction between primary fermentation / secondary fermentation and what might be called tertiary fermentation is not significant with respect to real ale. Indeed, there are no real hard distinctions between them, just labels associated with conventional brewing process. Its all just fermentation. "Primary" fermentation results in a lot of sludge that drops out of suspension that can have some impact on beer flavour so conventionally we rack to carboy for 'secondary' fermentation. There is less active yeast at this point but it is still alive and working. When we bottle home brews, we fill the bottles with living beer, usually adding a small dose of fermentable sugar and seal the bottle. Fermentation does continue at this point. Unless your brewing method for bottled homebrew is unique - you are producing real ale which is truly bottle conditioned. There is yeast active alive and working in the bottle. Otherwise you get no CO2. I am sure that if you bottled then immediately pasteurized the bottles you would have flat beer. Any Co2 produced in primary and secondary fermentation has sublimated out since neither is a pressurized vessel. Crucial fermentation occurs in the bottle to carbonate the beer. This is the absolute key aspect of real ale / bottle conditioning / cask conditioning. The Co2 in the beer is a result of natural fermentation in a sealed vessel. The prohibition against pasteurizing is also important as you will have active/live yeast in the beer unless you kill it via pasteurization. Very old real ale might actually have ceased all fermentation and the yeast might actually be totally dormant or dead but I think it still qualifies as real ale. The prohibition on filtering is probably for the same reason but it also has a practical aspect in that filtering a carbonated beverage (eg after the bottle fermentation) would be tricky and you would lose some or all of the carbonation. Filtering before the bottle conditioning would, like pasteurizing result in flat beer as you would be removing the yeast and so no fermentation in bottle. CAMRA UK's dictum that the same vessel that the carbonation occurs in be the serving vessel is also probably a matter of practicality as you would lose carbonation if you rack after the natural carbonation occurs. Still IMO I completely consider that to still be real ale (natural carbonation has occurred, no pasteurization or filtering). At most you are racking off the sludge for better clarity. [Caveat that no artificial re-carbonation occurs after this point].

In truth, the amount of sludge in real ale is not that much. Most of my real ale bottles have just a small amount of sediment and are fully carbonated. I believe that a brewery who rack (but not filter) into casks after secondary fermentation, add sugar and seal the cask are creating 100% real ale / cask conditioned ale. CAMRA UK would agree. The carbonation is occurring naturally in the cask. If the filling of the cask is done properly there will be minimal sludge at the bottom as there is not much yeast still in suspension and not much remaining fermentation needed to provide carbonation. A competent brewmaster should be able to produce casks that are clear almost to the end if the cask is handled properly.

If on the other hand a brewery force carbonates their beer after secondary fermentation and then fills the cask with already carbonated beer (irrespective of filtering or pasteurizing) whether one month or one minute before delivering the cask - then 100% it is NOT REAL ALE, and NOT A CASK. Plain and simple its a keg of beer. Dry hopping does not change this. Adding flavourings does not change this. Lack of pasteurizing or filtration do not on their own make a real ale. If this is indeed the process that some brewers are following with the suspect 'clear casks' then they are misrepresenting and I want to ensure this does not happen. For example today. If it was a keg of Driftwood ESB we were drinking (e.g. carbonation occurred artificially), that's fine, its a good beer and I'd still come out to try the KEG - but its false advertising to call that a cask.

I agree the tilting of the cask like we saw today does make me wonder if its truly a cask conditioned ale, but the key question is that of whether the carbonation comes from natural fermentation in a closed vessel or force carbonation. My opinion, and I think its pretty close to the CAMRA view is that if its a natural fermentation from start to finish and no external CO2 its real ale irrespective of how clear or cloudy or how highly carbonated. In that case its real ale, cask conditioned. Otherwise, its just a keg dressed up as a cask.

I would like to chat a bit more about what you have learned about the process taken for some of the suspect 'clear' casks as from the article I cannot completely tell whether I consider them to be real ale or not. Sorry if this all sounds like a lecture and I realize I'm probably covering mostly what you already know - just wanted to be specific about my understanding of real ale. Thanks again for the article - its great to have dialogue about cask beers and the state of the local craft beer scene.

Reports and Ramblings From Beer-Addled Mind #2

CAMRA YVR Engaging Members and Getting Busy

CAMRA YVR's new executive made good on their promise to become more active and get their members more involved, holding their first Policy and Advocacy Meeting at the Alibi Room Tuesday evening. Many of the usual suspects were in attendance and the downstairs room of the Alibi was full, with approximately 40 people showing up to take part. It was also encouraging to see some new faces in the crowd as well with a cross-section of people from all different segments of the beer community represented. CAMRA YVR president, Martin Williams, kept things on point by sticking to the agenda set out and moving the conversation forward, when necessary, to keep the meeting from stalling and losing shape.
From my point of view, I felt there was some good discussion and and it was interesting to hear the points of view from the different concerned parties. I know that personally I sometimes simplify issues and look at them purely from a consumer point of view, so it was very informative to hear from brewers, pub and brewery owners, distributors and retailers and understand a little more the issues they face in regards to the regulations, laws and restrictions that are in place in this province. It was also encouraging to see the meeting not digress into a simple bitch session and that those in the crowd were more than willing to get involved with many taking on the task of doing some research on specific issues in order to report back to CAMRA, in three weeks time, so that the issues can be revisited and action strategies formed, based on facts and not just emotion, at the next meeting April 5th.

There was some interesting comments and debate about the tied house issue and the proposed changes being considered by the provincial government to deregulate, or outright abolish, tied house laws. I have made my opinions about the tied houses quite well known, telling anyone who will listen that I am against the government relaxing the regulations in place to allow tied houses and inducements to exist. Some voiced similar concerns to mine, but there were some in favour of allowing tied houses, or at least allow for some relaxing of the regulations.
Mission Springs Brewing Company were represented and are directly effected by the current tied house rules which prohibits them from selling their Mission Springs beers in the Billy Miner Pub, which has ownership ties to the brewery. This is a prime example of how the laws in place are hobbling those they are meant to protect. It is also a prime example of how complicated some of the challenges are that those involved in the beer industry have to face. Another strong proponent of deregulating tied houses was Adam Henderson, owner-operator of Raincity Brands, a local importer of beer, who has laid out his arguements for allowing tied houses on his website. Other topics touched upon and discussed were liquor distribution problems, home brewing laws and the always anger-evoking liquor taxation.

From my point of view, there seemed to be some genuine interest by those in attendance to actually do more than talk but whether the meeting inspires them to follow through, do the research, organize and campaign is yet to been seen. If there is a failure to convert this talk into action, the blame certainly will not fall on CAMRA YVR and their executive, who are doing what they can to engage members and get them involved. Williams and his executive are pointing the horses in the direction of the water, now it is up to those horses to take action and drink. When talking to Martin, over countless pints, about the issues that concern us here in BC, related to the craft beer industry, he has always stated that CAMRA is merely a vehicle that needs to be fueled, guided and moved forward by the will of its membership and not just directed and lead by the executive. I am not sure what the other BC chapters of CAMRA are doing to campaign and effect change but if they are not holding similar meetings on a regular basis to organize, they may want to keep an eye on what CAMRA YVR are up to. It should the the goal of CAMRA BC to form cohesive, organized campaigns that are consistent province-wide, activating all members from all chapters together, to form one, unified voice that can speak intelligently and hopefully be heard by those who have the power to make the changes to our laws and regulations.
If you have an interest in trying to effect change in our antiquated and overbearing liquor laws, stay tuned to the CAMRA Vancouver website for confirmation of the location for the next meeting, which, if it is possible will be held at the Alibi Room once again. If you have specific issues you wish to address, or have particular skills and the motivation to get involved, this is your chance to be heard. And if you are not already CAMRA member, buck up your $25/year and get involved.

More on Tied Houses

One of the most interesting things I took away from the CAMRA YVR Policy and Advocacy Meeting was that there appears to be some changes coming soon in regards to the tied house regulations. According to the information shared, there is at least one liquor inspector out there who is reporting that there is room to interpret the tied house regulations that would allow, for instance, a microbrewery to sell their products at a pub or restaurant, off-site, that has ownership connections to the brewery. From what I understood, the word was that as long as there was equal representation of independent products, read beers from other breweries not "tied" to the establishment, offered at the same prices and promoted in the same manner as the "tied" beers, it would be okay to sell the "tied" beers.
I did not get into any in-depth conversation about this as there was a meeting in progress, but if I understood correctly, and this is the case, it may be that the government has made their decision as to which option will be chosen from the three proposed in the LCLB's Consultation Paper, dated January, 2011. I have not seen any official announcement in regards to any decisions, nor has anyone else I have spoken to, but the whole "consultation" process and the hushed nature of the proposed rule changes had a certain reek about it and it is my opinion that the government had already been lobbied and had made their decision, at least in part and was not basing their reasons for the proposed changes on "public safety" but more so on big business wants and needs. Whatever the case, it seems, as far as I am concerned, something wicked this way comes and we are about to see some very substantial changes made to the landscape of the local beer market. Some changes will benefit certain small breweries who do have a financial stake in other restaurants and bars, and I see that as a positive, but total deregulation, in regards to allowing tied houses and the allowance of inducements, may have a very negative impact on the local, craft beer industry here in BC, where it is just starting to flourish and make substantial inroads into the beer market.
One more note I find interesting...in England, where tied houses have been allowed and where big, multi-national breweries, including Labatt, have been allowed to buy up chains of pubs and restrict the beers offered in those pubs to just their beers, one MP, Martin Horwood, has introduced to the Tied Public Houses (Code of Conduct) Bill to the legislature, for debate. The proposed changes to the laws that would require that publicans running tied houses be allowed to sell "guest" beers, instead of being restricted and dictated to by their big brewery owners. Click on the Tied Houses link to see the story reported by Jon Howard, March , 2011, on the CAMRA UK website. I wonder if the government here in BC has bothered to talk to their UK brethren to see what the allowing of tied houses has done to the beer industry in regards to fair competition and restriction of consumer choices, in the UK.

A Challenge to all Lower Mainland Beer Bloggers - How Well do You Know Your Beers?

Vancouver's Legacy Liquor Store, located at 1633 Manitoba St, in the infamous Olympic Village, has recently announced they will hold The Knockdown, Drag Out Beer Quiz and Blind Taste Test, to be held April 13, 2011, at Legacy. The contest, which will cost $25 to enter, is being organized by Legacy's Chris Bonnallie and will consist of 25 questions, related to beer, followed by blind taste tests involving eight beers. The blind testing will ask contestants to name the style of beer, country of origin and the actual brand name of the beer. The person accumulating the most points, one given for each correct response, will receive a $200 gift certificate for Legacy.
Now, I know I rattle on about craft beer as if I am some kind of expert, but in reality, I just love good beer, love to write and have no fear about offering my opinion. But here, I am ready to put my money where my mouth is, enter the contest and really see what I know about beer. I suspect I will make an ass out of myself, which some, including myself, will find amusing. But what I would like to do is put out a challenge to all beer bloggers to join me in the contest, perhaps making a small side wager with the winner taking all, which they are free to donate to charity or buy a round of beer for the gang. And of course they will have the bragging rights over the rest of us brave enough to show!
Tickets for the event, which can accommodate up to 40 people, go on sale Monday, March 14, at Legacy and is open to all. I really hope to see some familiar faces out there as this event sounds like it could be a lot of fun.

My Thoughts About Sessional Beers

I recently received a request from CAMRA YVR, along with all other BC beer blog writers, to give my thoughts about sessional beer. I have to admit I have never really given this topic much thought and don't know if I will add much to the discussion CAMRA YVR is attempting to generate.
First off, I do not have any preference for what a sessional beer should be or not be. For me, what I drink is dictated by my mood, my palate at the time, who I am with and my budget. When the circumstances are right, I seem be be able to handle and metabolize several pints of high-octane, big beers and wake up the next day feeling like a million dollars. At other times, I feel the buzz after one or two lagers and it goes all Pete Tong in a hurry. The trick, which I have not quite yet mastered, is to recognize the appropriate times to take advantage of the former and run like Hell  when I detect the latter.
I can honestly say I have utilized everything from Old Rasputin and barley wines to lower gravity beers like Guinness and lagers as a sessional beers. If I am in for the long haul, and if I have the choice, I tend to change it up as I go. Lately, I have been a major hop monster, so I usually have a pint of Red Racer IPA or Driftwood Fat Tug in front of me to start and then I will venture forth. Red Racer ESB is also one of my favourite starter beers as it is very flavourful but does not blow my taste buds apart right off the hop (no pun intended).  I tend to lean towards the bigger beers these days, but not exclusively so and if the mood strikes, I have been known to sit down and enjoy a fare-few Pyramid Apricot Ales.
The gravity of the beer has no relevance in my choosing it, or not, as a sessional beer. I have grown so accustomed to drinking 7% beers that they seem the norm now. In fact, I rarely look at the alcohol percentage of a beer until after I have ordered and tasted it. I drink what I like in the moment. I would never choose to drink a beer because it is 4% just so I can drink more. For me, that is like choosing low-fat cheese so I can eat more with less calories. When I was living in the UK, there was really no choice but to drink low gravity beers, at least where I was living, but I enjoyed many of them. But if similar beers were available here, I would not choose them if I were sitting down for a few just based on the lesser percentage of alcohol. I also never choose a high alcohol beer, just based on the percentage, if I am sitting down just for one.
If there is something that drives my choice of beer when I am having more than a few, it me is the carbonation level of the beer. I tend to look for beers a little less carbonated after a few as I tend to feel bloated. I have learned a wee trick from my good friend Martin Williams of decanting my beer from one glass to another to get rid of the excess and unneeded carbonation and to slightly warm the beer to release to flavours. It is difficult to choose a beer based on carbonation levels here in Vancouver as most beers are served far too carbonated (and too cold).
So, as I said, I might not be the right person to ask about a sessional beer because all beers are potentially sessional beers for me. My drinking habits are not the norm and I realize that. What I find to be the most important factor these days as to what beers I drink and how many of them I consume is the fact that I have a seven-month-old daughter who dictates, more often than not, my beer drinking habits. In fact, said seven-month old is currently squirming in my lap like she has just been tazered, with a funky smell coming from her diaper...she not only is the most improtant factor in my sessional drinking habits, but she also dictates when I can write about beer and for how long.

Putting the CAM in CAMRA Vancouver

There was there was a full house and a festive buzz in the air at CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) Vancouver's Annual General Meeting held Sunday, Januray 23rd, at Surrey's Central City Brew Pub and the party atmosphere was due to more than just the free pints of Gary Lohan's two great casks creations and the $3.50 pints that are the norm on Sundays at Central City. Over the past few years, CAMRA's executive have worked very hard in regards to raising their public profile, recruiting new members, organizing/sponsoring events and supporting local businesses which has created positive energy that is quite palpable in the Vancouver craft beer scene. People interested in craft beer are beginning to sit up and take notice of CAMRA Vancouver as they present themselves as a more polished and professional group acting with purpose. This was my first CAMRA AGM and I was impressed with the membership support and with the new executive's plans to get members, beyond the executive, more active and involved.
A sign of the times that CAMRA Vancouver is actively trying to define their roll, focus and relate to their membership and beyond, is the open letter sent electronically, via their weekly newsletter and distributed at the AGM, entitled "CAMRA Vancouver, greater than the sum of its parts". This open letter, dated Dec 14/10 and authored by then President, Lundy Dale and current President (then Vice President), Martin Williams, defined what CAMRA Vancouver is all about. In the opening of the letter, Dale and Williams hinted at the fact that many, not involved in CAMRA's executive, did not have a clear picture of what it was CAMRA Vancouver does. The letter defined what CAMRA was all about, where they are today and where they were planning on going in the future and challenged the membership to get involved to guide the group's future direction and actions.
"Its getting there," states Martin Williams in regards to CAMRA Vancouver achieving its goal of being an effective consumer advocacy group. "We (CAMRA) are young, only eight years old in Vancouver. There is a desire to be more active and to have more to say. CAMRA is membership driven. The volume of the voice is dependent on the number of voices working in concert.
"What I would most like to see is membership in CAMRA increase and become more active. If 10% of our membership spent 2 hours a week doing some research into why we can't get the beer we want and served the way it should be served, we would have enough ammunition to make demands for real change to the rules that are holding us back. As it stands right now, we really don't know. We have a fairly good idea, but we don't have the facts to back us up. A more active membership would make for a more effective voice working on behalf of the craft beer drinkers." 
Until last year, I avoided buying a CAMRA membership because, to tell you the truth, I really did not see any reason why I should join. I have been aware of CAMRA since the 1980s, when I came across CAMRA beer festivals while living in the UK and came in contact with the group here in BC in the mid-1990s, but I could never really figure out what they were actually doing locally to campaign for real ale and craft beer. From my perspective, CAMRA, at least locally, was nothing more than a beer appreciation group who really had no obvious or definable campaign other than to organize the odd beer festival and discounts on craft beer. It seemed like a small, select group who used the name of CAMRA as an excuse to meet and drink beer. I often felt the CAMRA members I came across in bars and at festivals were nothing more than beer snobs who actually set back the campaign to promote craft beers by annoying and/or offending those who did not drink craft beer instead of trying to introduce them to and educate them about these wonderful brews. 
Now remember, this was my perspective and I know it may ruffle a few feathers, but I was not alone in thinking this way, having met many others who voiced similar thoughts. Whether this was true or not, this was one opinion of CAMRA that was out there in Vancouver, but because of the hard work done over the past few years and the explosion of the craft beer scene here in BC, this negative opinion held by some about CAMRA is fading away rapidly. And, in my opinion, rightly so, as CAMRA Vancouver is definitely moving in the right direction and truly organizing a campaign that is helping local craft brewers find their rightful places in the pubs, restaurants and liquor stores of our province giving local craft beer lovers more access and opportunity to consume local craft beers.
Vancouver Craft Beer Week (VCBW) co-founder, beer writer and former CAMRA Vancouver President,  Rick Green, agreed, at least in part, with my view of CAMRA Vancouver, past and present, when I queried him recently about his thoughts in regards to CAMRA's growth. 
"When I joined CAMRA in 2006, it was very much a beer appreciation group hanging out at (former brewbup/restaurant) Dix, really only trying to pick up new members from the low-hanging fruit at Caskivals," said Green, who included himself as one of the low-hanging fruit.
"In 2007, I decided to take over the CAMRA Secretary position from Jack Enright who, as a service to the membership, sent out an irregular e-mail with the latest news about casks, new beers coming out, events, etc. Considering that CAMRA was supposed to be a campaign, I thought that if we were going to be anything of the kind, we needed to increase the membership and communication."
Green, who comes from a multi media background, felt the best way to increase membership and communication was by publishing a regular e-newsletter that anyone, not just members, could subscribe to.
"If the quality of the information was sufficiently high, those who like good beer would probably forward it to their cohorts and our subscriber base would grow. We would then have a better means of converting those subscribers into members if they could be shown the value of doing so. The strategy succeeded and we saw our membership grow significantly."
Today the CAMRA Vancouver Weekly Newsletter, overseen by Ryan O'Connor, is sent electronically to approximately 900 people on a weekly basis, according to CAMRA Communications Director, Monica Frost's report at the AGM. Of those 900 people, approximately 50% are opening the letter weekly and nobody knows how many of those people are forwarding the newsletter to friends and associates who drink craft beer. The newsletter has recently made some major improvements and regularly lists craft beer events, such as weekly cask nights, beer festivals, food-beer pairings and beer tours, that are independant of CAMRA. The newsletter also supplies information about new arrivals at local liquor stores that feature craft beers and has links to many local beer bloggers such as myself.
CAMRA Vancouver's efforts to reach more people, has grown beyond their weekly newsletter. Anyone who has a Twitter (CAMRA_YVR) or Facebook account can follow CAMRA Vancouver and they have done an excellent job utilizing social media to promote all things relating to local craft beer. As well, CAMRA Vancouver has brought in Brooklyn Galloway to act as a Creative Design Director and as a result their website has more professional and polished look about it.
"Our overall image has been taken to the next level of professionalism with our new website," states Frost. "We are also very active in giving updates and communicating through our social media outlets, such as Facebook, our Weekly Newsletter and Twitter."
Another focus of CAMRA Vancouver, dating back to the Rick Green days, has been to focus on organizing and sponsoring events to try to promote the cause. According to Green, who became president in 2007, he and his executive decided to try to bolster the membership and encourage local businesses to feature craft beers by this means.
"We also put a concerted effort into supporting events and hosting beer events as another way to attract new members and to demonstrate to other establishments what could be done to better serve their customers," states Green. Althought organizing beer festivals pre-dates Green's days with CAMRA, organizing and sponsoring events took on a more significant role during his era and has continued to grow in importance and popularity. Last year CAMRA Vancouver really came into their own as far as events go with their final event, The Winterfest of Ale, held Dec 4/10 at St Augustine's, selling out well ahead of time, leaving many disappointed. In my opinion, it was one of the best CAMRA festivals in quite some time, with the event attracting an eclectic, cross-section of craft beer lovers to sample the impressive line-up of beers. As well as hosting and sponsoring a festivals, CAMRA supports the local cask nights, which are held almost every night of the week around the Lower Mainland and and various other beer events such as beer-food pairings, Vancouver Craft Beer Week and BeerTourist,  helping them be successful by promoting them and getting the word  out there and them.
Lundy Dale, who stepped in for Green as president in 2010, believes that supporting events is a key way to reach out the the general public, to promote craft beer and build CAMRA's membership. 
"While Rick Green was aboard as president, his strength was media and he was great at getting the word of CAMRA out there. My strengths lie in organization and events. Our membership increases with every event." This combined effort of supporting and sponsoring events and reaching out to the membership, and beyond, utilizing social media and the internet, is paying off and helping expose CAMRA to a wider audience. 
"In the past year we have been actively engaging members, supporters, the general public and bloggers in a movement towards supporting craft beer and specifically the local community," explained Frost. "Our growing member and corporate support base is an indication of some success with that (strategy) but also the fact that at our events, the number of non-members to members is usually split evenly at about 50%. That tells me that our social media efforts are being seen and we are drawing new people in. One of our focuses for 2011 is converting that interest to memberships which in turn raises the volume of our voice in the community."
Even though CAMRA's individual and corporate membership is growing, their events are selling out and their support is bringing more and more people out to events independent of CAMRA, they are not about to sit back and admire their handiwork. CAMRA is now looking to broaden their role and try to encourage their members to really effect change in the craft beer industry by becoming more educated about the issues in order to act as a credible lobby group.
"Every time there is a change in executive, things change," explained Dale, who is moving on serve as president for CAMRA BC. Dale went on to say that when she took over for Rick Green  as CAMRA Vancouver President in 2010 and Martin Williams took on the roll of VP, there was another slight shift in focus towards becoming a more vocal consumer advocacy group.  
"Martin has the passion and the energy to get the word out there and make things happen," says Lundy. "I am looking forward to working with him on a number of projects that will be suitable for all of CAMRA BC."
As mentioned above, Williams would like to see a more active and vocal membership. His belief is that CAMRA really should be greater than the sum of its parts.
"I'd like to see CAMRA become a research machine," says Williams. "We should know all the rules as they apply to our beer, what their intention was when they were being implemented, and whether the current situation has evolved from then.
"I do want to see CAMRA having a more active voice. Our voice should have weight. We should be referenced whenever beer policy is concerned. However, as I said as the AGM, we have to have something behind the mouth before we open it. If CAMRA is to be credible, what is says must have value, have a basis in reality and ring true. That can only come if we understand the questions, our goals and the goals of those who would have craft beer, and the enjoyment of it, out on the back shelf. That all might sound very heavy, but changing policy, dealing with political issues is heavy, and mostly boring details."
It is this kind of energy and purpose that lured me into the fold of CAMRA Vancouver and has me putting fingers to keyboard to tap out this blog. I want to be involved and have my voice heard. I no longer see CAMRA as just a beer appreciation group, even though all involved certainly do appreciate good beer. It has turned in to something more and if people like Williams have their way, CAMRA will become the voice of change in the future. But as Williams pointed out to me, even though Vancouver's carft beer scene has exploded, we have a long way to go.
"Even today, though the population is close (in numbers), Washington (State) has 150% the number of breweries than BC," says Williams. "I needed to play a role in changing that. The first step was joining CAMRA Vancouver.
"The second step was getting involved."
So if you are sick and tired of seeing the ridiculous price we pay for beer here in this province, or annoyed that your craft beers get served in frosted glasses that taste like soap, or that your local pub/restaurant/liquor store does not offer local, craft beers maybe, like me, it is time to get involved and make your voice heard. If enough of us shout at once, in unison and with something informed and intelligent to say, maybe someone else will take notice. 
Even though Williams is dead serious about trying to organize to shake up the status quo, he still keeps things in perspective.
"In the meantime, we can drink fine ale while we work, laugh some and enjoy some good comradery, as we fight the good fight," says Williams. "We have the right to drink good beer, made by the traditional methods, served as we like it.
"It is a right worth fighting for."
Now that sounds like a campaign I want to be apart of.
If you want to learn more about CAMRA Vancouver, check out their website where you can get all the information you need, subscribe to their newsletter and join the ranks.