prairie suN , blaCK bridge : Joe Wiebe ; rebellioN : rebellioN breWiNg
December is another highlight : Patrons line up overnight for the coveted bottles .
The Saskatoon side of the beer pioneer story is best described as an “ accidental brewery .” Steve Cavan was an avid home brewer , but had trouble sourcing ingredients locally . In 1995 , he began a home-based mail-order business to secure supplies for himself and other home brewers . This evolved into a storefront operation , where he found himself mashing and boiling grains and hops to save customers time . When tax officials required Cavan to register as a brewery in 2004 , he made the leap and Paddock wood Brewing was born .
Over the next decade , Paddock was the province ’ s de facto craft brewery — its bottles were available in Saskatchewan and beyond ; Bushwakker ’ s were only available at its brewpub .
The local beer biz really picked up steam in 2013 . First out of the gate was Prairie Sun Brewing in Saskatoon , which boasts an eclectic tasting room ,
Black Bridge founders Clayton and Kari Stenson
Rebellion ’ s Lentil Cream Ale
kitchen and outdoor patio . Brewmaster Cameron Ewen , who previously worked at Paddock Wood , produces a variety of craft beer styles , including Crazy Farm , a spicy Belgian farmhouse ale with a citrus twist .
You may not know Nokomis ( pop . 436 ), about halfway between Regina
and Saskatoon , but craft beer is quickly putting the small community on the map . Nokomis craft ales opened here in 2014 , when founder Jeff Allport and his wife relocated from Vancouver . The brewery is a modest affair , open only on Thursday and Friday afternoons , but the beer is delicious , making it a perfect road-trip diversion .
Swift Current also welcomed its own hometown beer in 2014 : Black Bridge Brewery . Co-owners and long-time residents Clayton and Kari Stenson grew tired of the lack of good local beer options . With a relatively large capacity , Black Bridge packages and distributes its brews throughout the Prairies .
Back in Regina , Rebellion Brewing grew out of that city ’ s original brewpub ’ s supportive community — founders Mark Heise and Jamie Singer
Paddock Wood ’ s craft brew
Prairie Sun Brewing ’ s casual tasting room
became friends after competing against each other in a Bushwakker-sponsored home-brew contest . Among Rebellion ’ s offerings are lentil cream ale , sour and barrel-aged beers , gluten-free amber ale and seasonal Tripel brewed with Saskatchewan-grown Haskap berries .
Saskatoon ’ s 9 Mile legacy joined the fray in 2015 . In true Prairie style , the name refers to the distance between the family farms of founders Shawn Moen and Garrett Pederson . Technically a “ nanobrewery ” due to its very small batch production , the brewery will soon expand into the artsy Riversdale neighbourhood .
Rounding out the boom is Malty National Brewing , which opened in Regina ’ s Heritage ‘ hood earlier this year and shares its building with a coffee roaster and a vintage vinyl shop . Malty National focuses on variety , releasing a new beer each week — mostly hopforward styles with the occasional stout mixed in for good measure .
With such diverse , thirst-quenching libations , now is the time to enjoy a pint of local , independently produced , made-in-Saskatchewan beer .
CAA sasKatCheWaN fall 2016 49