Craft Brewing Pioneers Ken Grossman (Sierra Nevada, left) and Fritz Maytag (Anchor) engage in a keynote conversation
So you may not know that I am currently in San Francisco attending the American Craft Brewing Conference. I am. Really. How I got here I will save for another day – as I owe thanks to some people.
My plan is to not post about it live – it is never a good idea to write after a day of sampling great American craft beer. Instead I want to ruminate on my experience here and write about it after I get home (I will likely make if fodder for my usual column spaces as well as some posts here).
However, after one and a bit days of the conference, I do feel the need to communicate one quick observation/feeling. I AM VERY SMALL!! What I mean by that is all of us on the Canadian prairies are very small. The American craft brewing scene is massive. 4000 people in attendance here, including some of the heavyweights of craft brewing in the world. As a beer writer/blogger from the northern outpost of Edmonton Alberta trying to share and develop the beer culture on the Canadian flatlands, I am a mere speck. And so are our brewers. And that is okay. New start ups in the U.S. are brewing more than our established micros. Beer writers with the reach of tens of thousands get exclusive interviews with the big names of brewing. The thought of bragging to these people of our two cask events a month seems like entering a tricycle in a drag race.
I am not whining or downgrading what we have. The humbling recognition of how far we have to go is good for me – and for all of us. We all, collectively, are working hard to improve the beer scene in our communities. An event like the Craft Brewers Conference reminds us what the potential is. It inspires me to keep working.
It also reminds me not to get too big for my britches. Our pond is quite small, friends. And so even if some of us feel like big fish – we are still pretty small.
More on the conference after I get home.
March 25, 2011 at 9:28 AM
In just a few months(well ok, roughly a couple years)of looking up various beers on Beer Advocate & watching numerous video beer reviews, that’s Definitely the impression I’ve gotten(Very very small, teeny tiny, gnat & elephant lol). I imagine I could walk into a beer cooler twice the size of Sherbrooke & it would still only contain 1/4-or less-of the U.S’s craft beer output.
March 25, 2011 at 8:08 PM
I hope you are enjoying the lectures. Do tell about all the free beer I assume you are drinking; anything interesting/rare?
March 25, 2011 at 11:31 PM
You should be Tweeting from the conference Jason! Get thee to the Twitter!
March 26, 2011 at 1:55 AM
Jason I haven’t seen you down here yet? Nogne is conducting a small tasting in the lobby of tower 1 Saturday at noon,,,,,,hint, hint, hint.
March 26, 2011 at 1:47 PM
So true. Even when compared with BC and Ontario – not to mention Quebec – Alberta is disproportionately far behind in its craft beer evolution. I was talking with a beer judge recently who didn’t seem to think there was much we could do about it; he was pretty fatalistic about how backward Alberta is in terms of local culture – not just beer culture, but food and the arts and everything.
I don’t believe that we don’t have the power to effect change here. Because the pond is so small, any action can have a noticeable impact. One more cask night, one more bar supporting craft beer, one more tiny microbrewery opening up: any of these would seem like a huge deal. Talking to the bartenders and managers at your local pub, encouraging them to carry more Alberta craft beer and demonstrating that there’s a growing market for it, can likewise make a difference.
March 26, 2011 at 3:37 PM
Lee,
I agree with your positive outlook on the current state of Alberta beer culture. I appreciate Jason sharing his experiences with us at the Craft Brewing conference because it helps me to better understand where the Alberta scene sits in North America.
I believe there is a strong stereotype of ‘backwards’ Alberta, that we must not let creep into our own self-image, when it comes to anything we do culturally.
Personally, I’m buoyed by the fact there are so many more steps to go in creating a great beer scene in Alberta. I’m hopeful I can be a small part of that!
Cheers,
Scott
March 26, 2011 at 9:08 PM
Hi all,
My internet connection has been frustrating the last couple of days, so I have had little opportunity to even read comments, let alone respond. I seem to have almost full bars at the moment so will try to write something quickly.
Your collective observations are interesting. I didn’t intend to suggest we are losers in western Canada – to the contrary I am feeling very bullish about our future. I have seen many positive changes in the last year or two – I really think things are changing in our part of the world. In large part due to all of you and your individual advocacy for good beer. I was just struck by how advanced things are here. For example here in San Fran,I went to a local deli/cafe that had 3 taps – two were anchor (including their latest seasonal) and Bud Light. That is interesting. Craft brewing has embedded itself in many major US cities like we can only dream. However, that is not universal. I have spoken with many brewers from South Carolina, Montana, North Dakota and such and their situation is not that different from ours.
I have learned a lot and – yes Chase – tasted many great craft beer in the last three days. I will write about it soon.
Until then, another beer or two, then packing then bed as my flight is early tomorrow.
Cheers all!
Jason