This year, the conference theme is “Facing Our Future Together.” For an industry facing economic pressures, changing consumer habits and a rapidly evolving marketplace, the message is deliberate. “The craft beer world isn’t in that same kind of skyrocketing, everyone’s doing great, net-growth phase anymore,” said Jeff Talmey, chair of the OCBC education committee. “It seems like we’re all just putting our heads down and grinding through change after change.”

Those changes range from brewery closures and shifting consumer preferences to retail and distribution challenges that have forced breweries of every size to rethink how they do business. But rather than dwelling on uncertainty, this year’s conference aims to remind attendees of the collaborative spirit that helped build Ontario’s craft beer industry in the first place. “What made craft beer succeed was this notion that a rising tide lifts all boats,” said Talmey.

“We have to remember that we’re in this together.”

What’s new in 2026

That philosophy has shaped this year’s educational programming, with sessions designed to address the industry’s most pressing challenges. As in previous years, organizers have developed the conference agenda by combining attendee feedback, post-conference surveys and insights from an expanded education committee representing breweries of different sizes and specialties. The committee has grown to 10 members, comprising brewery owners, brewers, sales professionals, taproom staff and other industry leaders.

“We really wanted to diversify not only the size of the breweries these people work for, but also their roles within those breweries,” said Talmey. “We’ve cast the net pretty wide and have a really good idea of what people are looking for.” That diversity helps ensure the conference remains relevant whether attendees operate a small neighbourhood brewery or a large regional producer. “Other than scale, we all struggle with a lot of the same things,” Talmey said.

Among the biggest issues expected to dominate discussion this year is Ontario’s changing retail landscape. Recent changes affecting alcohol sales have required breweries across the province to adapt their business models, regardless of whether they sell through the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, grocery stores or their own retail channels.

“Advocacy is at the heart of OCB, which has been crucial given the changes and headwinds facing the sector these last six years,” said Scott Simmons, OCB president. “The conference and the Supplier’s Marketplace are the best places for the information sharing, networking and collaboration needed to navigate these massive changes.”

Talmey agrees that adapting to the new retail environment will be one of the conference’s most important topics of discussion. “It’s demanded a lot of time and attention from breweries of all shapes and sizes,” he said. Distribution also remains top of mind. “Making beer is not easy, but it’s a lot easier than getting it places,” Talmey said.

What made craft beer succeed was this notion that a rising tide lifts all boats. We have to remember that we’re in this together.

Jeff Talmey, Ontario Craft Brewers

Breweries are also increasingly focused on improving operational efficiency as rising costs continue to squeeze margins. “Five or 10 years ago, efficiency wasn’t something a lot of breweries were talking about,” said Talmey. “Now, it’s about asking, ‘How can we be more efficient as a business?’ If we can’t necessarily sell more beer next year, how do we survive selling the same amount?”

Those conversations extend beyond brewing operations to staffing, culture, customer experience and long-term business sustainability. “We’re always talking about making the best beer we possibly can,” he said. “But we’re also talking about treating our communities well, treating our employees well and becoming well-rounded businesses.”

Education for a changing industry

The conference will once again feature two keynote speakers – one from the beverage-alcohol industry and another who offers a broader perspective on leadership and professional development.

Award-winning journalist Dave Infante will deliver the industry’s keynote address. Known for his independent newsletter Fingers and his work with VinePair, Infante has become one of North America’s leading voices covering beverage alcohol and the business of beer. Complementing that perspective is former professional hockey player/coach, health care market strategist, public speaker and performance coach John Mark MacKenzie, whose keynote will focus on stress management, resilience and personal well-being.

While those topics may seem outside the traditional brewing conversation, Talmey believes they couldn’t be more relevant. “I feel like everyone is reaching their bandwidth,” he said. With brewery owners and staff facing ongoing industry pressure, increased workloads and uncertainty, conversations about burnout and mental health have become increasingly important. “These aren’t just businesses. These are passionate entrepreneurs who put everything on the line to start breweries. When the tide starts to turn, we need to stick together and support one another,” Talmey said.

The conference’s People and Culture education stream reflects that reality by exploring topics related to workplace culture, employee development and leadership alongside technical brewing and business sessions.

Technical programming remains a cornerstone of the conference, with sessions covering brewing science, quality assurance and sales. Discussions on lager production are increasingly popular as the style becomes more prominent in craft brewing. AI will also return to the agenda, this year with a stronger emphasis on improving business operations rather than marketing alone. Instead of focusing on AI-generated content, organizers plan to explore how breweries can use emerging tools to better analyze business performance, automate routine tasks and make more informed decisions.

“As craft brewers who don’t have huge budgets, we have to make smarter decisions,” said Talmey. “There are people in our industry who are using AI very smartly.”

The value of networking

While the educational sessions remain central to the conference, Talmey believes the greatest value often comes between presentations. Whether conversations occur on the trade show floor, during evening social events or simply while waiting for the next seminar to begin, the opportunity to connect with peers remains one of the conference’s defining strengths.

“At the end of the day, you want to leave the conference with a couple of nuggets – something you’ve learned, or a conversation you’ve had,” said Talmey.

Those informal discussions often provide solutions to shared challenges while reinforcing that no brewery faces today’s struggles alone. “Surrounding yourself with people who do similar things and struggle with similar things is invaluable,” said Talmey. “If you participate – even if your participation is simply showing up – you’re going to gain from it.” For first-time attendees, his advice remains unchanged from previous years: introduce yourself, ask questions and embrace the opportunity to meet new people.

The future, together

Ontario’s craft brewing industry has weathered significant change over the past several years, and conference organizers recognize that many breweries continue to face difficult decisions. Yet Talmey remains optimistic about the future.

“I think there’s a ton of hope,” he said. “People aren’t just going to stop drinking beer. There are going to be successful breweries in Ontario for the next hundred years.” For him, the greatest takeaway from this year’s conference isn’t a single business strategy or technical innovation – it’s the reminder that collaboration remains one of the industry’s greatest strengths. “We want people to realize they’re not alone,” he said. “This whole industry started and thrived because of partnership, collaboration and a sense of ‘us.’ That still exists, and that’s what will get us through this tougher period.”

As Ontario’s brewing community gathers once again in Hamilton this November, the message behind “Facing Our Future Together” is clear: the industry’s greatest opportunities may come not only from the ideas shared on stage, but from the conversations, partnerships and sense of community that continue long after the conference ends.

Register for tickets at ontariocraftbrewers.com/conference. Interested in an exhibitor booth or sponsorship? Contact ocbc@ontariocraftbrewers.com.

Signal49’s findings are clear: Canada’s automatic beer excise tax escalator is not working as intended. Since the policy was introduced in 2017, the federal excise tax on beer has increased by approximately 20 per cent. Yet, federal beer excise revenues have remained essentially flat since 2020.

“Automatically increasing taxes every April, without a vote in Parliament, also fails to account for changing economic conditions, pressures on Canadian brewers, or the affordability challenges facing consumers and the bars and restaurants that serve them. At a time when Canadian businesses are being asked to invest, grow and create jobs, automatically increasing one of the taxes they pay makes little economic sense,” said Richard Alexander, Beer Canada president.

The federal government has already recognized the escalator’s shortcomings by intervening to limit its impact in five of its first 11 scheduled increases. A tax mechanism that repeatedly requires government intervention needs to be reconsidered. Canada is also an international outlier. It is one of only three Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries that automatically index beer excise taxes, whereas other OECD countries set excise rates through legislative or budgetary decisions.

Beer is an overwhelmingly Canadian-made product. Approximately 90 per cent of the beer sold in Canada is brewed here, supporting Canadian workers, farmers, communities, restaurants and businesses across the country.

Budget 2026 allows the federal government to fix a policy that is not delivering its intended results. The automatic beer excise tax escalator should be permanently repealed, and future changes to beer excise taxes should once again be subject to transparent government and parliamentary review.

The full Signal49 Research report is available here.

Others are smaller, but just as familiar: neighbours pulling chairs into a Montreal laneway behind the houses on one of the first warm evenings of the year to watch hockey together, beer in hand, kids running around, conversations and cheers lingering long after sunset. Beer has always had a place in those moments. But its contribution starts well before the first drink is poured.

A Canadian industry

Beer is a uniquely Canadian product and industry. About 90 per cent of beer consumed in Canada is brewed domestically, supporting 23,580 direct jobs and 149,000 more across the national supply chain.

Made from Canadian-grown agricultural inputs and supported by local production, distribution and hospitality networks, beer’s economic footprint reaches well beyond breweries themselves. Nearly one in five beers sold is consumed outside the home, helping sustain local hospitality businesses and community gathering spaces. In summer, that local presence becomes easier to see.

Part of the summer experience

At festivals, concerts, sporting events and community celebrations, beer is often part of the broader event ecosystem. For organizers, revenues from concessions and sponsorships can help support programming, stages, artists, technical crews, security, site infrastructure, cleaning and visitor services.

Beer does not simply accompany these events. In many cases, it helps make the event model work. The same holds true on a smaller scale. A beer garden at a community festival. A local fundraiser. A patio that becomes part of a neighbourhood’s seasonal routine. A brewery visit added to a weekend trip. These are not always headline moments, but they are part of how Canadians experience summer in their own communities. That experience is also evolving.

Sipping outdoors

What began in many places as a temporary response to pandemic restrictions has, in several municipalities, become a more permanent recognition that parks and public spaces are also places where adults can gather responsibly. More than 25 municipalities now have permanent programs that allow responsible alcohol consumption in designated outdoor spaces, where permitted by provincial rules.

Montreal and Quebec City had already permitted alcohol consumption in parks with a meal before the COVID-19 pandemic, while cities such as Vancouver, Toronto, Edmonton and Calgary have since moved toward designated park or public-space models. That matters at a time when many Canadians are exploring more of their own country.

Big events, shared moments

From Atlantic Canada to the Prairies, from Quebec to the West Coast, breweries, patios, taprooms, beer gardens and public gathering spaces have become integral to local tourism and hospitality.

Canada’s beer tourism market is projected to reach approximately $1.5 billion by 2030, reflecting growing interest in local flavours and experience-based travel. This summer will also be marked by the excitement of Canada co-hosting the FIFA World Cup. Major sporting moments have a way of turning individual games into shared national experiences – in stadiums, bars, patios, fan zones and homes across the country.

Beer has long been part of how Canadians mark those occasions. The details vary from place to place. It may be a brewery visit on a weekend getaway, a beer garden after a bike ride, a patio before a concert, a park picnic with friends or a community celebration that brings together neighbours, volunteers, local businesses and visitors. The setting changes, but the role remains familiar.

Looking ahead to Canadian Beer Day

That same idea will be at the heart of this year’s Canadian Beer Day, taking place on Oct. 7 under the theme, “Brewed into Canadian Culture.” After a summer of festivals, patios, community events and everyday gatherings, Canadian Beer Day offers a moment to recognize something Canadians see throughout the season: beer is connected to local jobs, shared places and the communities that make those moments possible.

Summer reminds us that beer is more than a product. It is brewed into the moments, traditions and shared experiences that help define Canadian culture.

In its early days, the brewery focused on Belgian-inspired beers. In particular, the brewery attracted both national and international attention for its flagship beer, La Buteuse, a Belgian-style tripel. The beers had a distinctive look, thanks to comic-book-style labels on custom 600-millilitre bottles.

Beer drinkers connected with Le Trou Du Diable’s irreverent, punk ethos and gained some notoriety when they released Shawinigan Handshake, a beer whose label alluded to an incident in which then-Prime Minister Jean Chrétien choked an activist to whom Chrétien took exception. Even the name of the brewery is a bit irreverent. Le Trou Du Diable means “The Devil’s Hole”. It is a reference to a cave at the bottom of the Shawinigan Falls on the Saint-Maurice River.

A provincial focus

Le Trou Du Diable has won many local and international brewing awards, says Alexandre Lantheir, marketing manager. Those awards brought Le Trou Du Diable attention, and the beer was soon available across Canada and on several continents.

In 2013, Le Trou Du Diable opened a larger facility, though the original pub remains to this day. In 2017, Le Trou Du Diable was acquired by Molson Coors. Today, Le Trou Du Diable has chosen to focus its efforts on the local market, retreating from all international and provincial markets outside of Quebec. Its beer is now available in package and on draft only in La Belle Province.

Le Trou Du Diable’s core line-up, all brewed in Shawinigan, consists of 10 beers, ranging from the original Belgian-inspired beers to the various IPA styles that have captured the craft beer-drinking community since the brewery first started brewing. Today, about 40 per cent of Le Trou Du Diable’s production is IPAs.

In addition to those core beers, Le Trou Du Diable releases about eight seasonal and limited beers each year, including selections from the brewery’s extensive barrel cellar. “Innovation is still a big part of our DNA,” said Lanthier. That means that, while working primarily with Canadian-grown ingredients, brewers are allowed to be creative, collaborating with suppliers to source whatever ingredients excite them.

A community celebration

Building on their demonic name, Le Trou Du Diable celebrated its 20th anniversary on June 6, 2026. As the employer of about 50 of Shawinigan’s fewer than 52,000 residents, Le Trou Du Diable enjoys support from the local community.

For the 20th-anniversary party, the brewery closed the street, set up two stages and hosted a huge celebration. The City of Shawinigan used the event as the unofficial launch of the city’s summer festival season. The brewery also released a limited edition of its famed La Buteuse, aged in XO Cognac barrels. Of course, 666 hand-numbered bottles were available to local fans.

An eye to the future

Celebrating a landmark anniversary is also a good time to look to the future. “Part of our celebration is that we are using the 20th anniversary to create a new visual identity for our brewery,” said Lanthier.

Le Trou Du Diable never rests. Its commitment to continuous improvement has helped keep the brewery relevant in an ever-changing craft beer scene for over 20 years, even under Molson Coors’ stewardship. Despite initial success on the back of Belgian-inspired beers, Le Trou Du Diable shifted and built a reputation for hop-forward IPAs, which now account for almost half of the brewery’s sales.

Cans are the vessel of choice among craft beer drinkers.

Alexandre Lanthier, Le Trou Du Diable

They were also able to transition from their distinctive bottle to cans. “Cans are the vessel of choice among craft beer drinkers,” said Lanthier. Today, most beers are available in 473-millilitre cans, though mixed packs come in 355-millilitre cans. Le Trou Du Diable offers two of these mixed packs: one with four different IPAs and another with the brewery’s Irish red ale, Belgian white ale, American pale ale and Keller pilsner. A 12-pack of the brewery’s Mexican lager in 355-millilitre cans is also available.

To date, the brewery has eschewed the trendy but crowded non-alcoholic and seltzer markets, though it does offer a low-alcohol beer. Perroquet IPA, at just 3.5 per cent ABV, is a hoppy session IPA for drinkers seeking moderation without giving up alcohol entirely.

While four of the brewery’s beers are still available in the brewery’s custom 600-millilitre bottles, experiments are underway to allow them to be packaged in cans instead. These four beers are currently bottled because they are refermented in those bottles. With some research and development, Le Trou Du Diable hopes to soon be packaging these last beers in cans as well.

Staying true to its roots

Despite all the growth and changes, Le Trou Du Diable has remained true to its roots.

The original brewpub, located on the banks of the Saint-Maurice River, continues to brew seasonal and small-batch beers using its 10-hectolitre, two-vessel system built by DME. Although the original five founders of the brewery have moved on to other endeavours, there are staff at the brewpub who have worked with Le Trou Du Diable since Day One, serving the citizens of Shawinigan with the same passion and care that have brought the brewery success since it first opened its doors.

In part, the original brewpub maintains its connection with the community by functioning as an employee-owned co-operative, a unique business structure that keeps the brewery closely tied to the city and its residents. The larger production facility, just a two-minute drive or a 10-minute walk away, continues to produce most of Le Trou Du Diable’s beers in a 50-hectolitre, four-vessel brewhouse built by Newlands. The head brewer has been with the company for 13 years.

This larger facility also has an event space with room for up to 150 people and a stage. This event room at the production brewery hosts ticketed punk and alternative concerts, bringing world-class music to the city to enjoy alongside its world-class beer.

Molson Coors’ acquisition of Le Trou Du Diable occurred at a time when craft beer fans vehemently opposed brewery buyouts. But by allowing the brewery’s employees to carry on the founders’ original punk, irreverent attitude and by prioritizing the brewery’s role in the Shawinigan and Quebec communities, Molson Coors showed how a craft-brewery acquisition can be done right.

However, despite the differences in strategy and product, they all share a similar question: who holds the kegs? For years, the answer was either buy kegs – tying up capital in depreciating steel – or rent them from a standalone lessor, one contract at a time. North Keg, an Ontario company founded in 2017, offered a better solution. And in April 2026, that solution got significantly bigger.

North Keg joined Evaaro’s international keg-pooling platform alongside ekeg (U.K. and Ireland) and Keg Logistics (U.S.), creating a unified multi-country network spanning five markets and nearly 3,000 brewers worldwide. For Canadian brewers, the practical effect is simple to describe but hard to replicate: the keg you need is now part of a system, not a contract or a standalone asset.

The origin: two friends, one problem

North Keg was founded in 2017 by two recent college graduates who regularly frequented a beloved craft beer bar in Halifax, N.S., and shared a fascination for the world of craft beer. After exploring the idea of starting their own brewery, they ran into the same wall that stops many first-time producers before they pour a single pint: steel.

Traditionally, brewers purchase a fleet of kegs. But owning kegs is both expensive and risky. Industry data shows that craft brewers typically lose five to 10 per cent of their float each year to theft, misplacement, account closures and other supply chain issues. For some brewers, that can add up to tens of thousands of dollars annually in lost assets that need to be replaced to maintain and grow the business.

“Because kegs are considered revolving assets, constantly moving through the distribution loop, they’re seen as risky. We figured there had to be a better way for brewers to do business,” said North Keg CEO Matt Wowchuk. “Looking at how keg management was being done in the U.S., we approached a few local brewers to see if they would lease some kegs from us, and we received a unanimous ‘YES’ in response. Within six months, we did our first deal, and it’s been steady growth ever since.”

Why pooling beats ownership

The distinction between leasing and pooling isn’t a technicality. Similar to ownership, in a leasing model, a specific keg is matched to a specific customer on a specific contract. The brewer is responsible for tracking the keg and collecting it back from the market. When demand shifts, the brewer has limited options. If demand shifts up, they can lease more kegs, often triggering a new contract. If demand shifts downward, they often have to sit on empty kegs until the contract ends and they can return them.

Pooling works differently. The brewer orders the amount they need from a shared pool of kegs. They don’t have to worry about tracking or collecting it back from the market. When demand shifts up or down, pooling is flexible. The brewer simply orders what they need. “Our pooling model works because we already have strong keg density in each market. We can pull kegs out of distributors much faster and immediately reposition them to a nearby brewery that needs them,” said Wowchuk.

Distributors benefit from pooling as well, and Canada’s geography makes this difference especially meaningful. A keg shipped from Toronto to northern Ontario is a 12-hour trip. A national shipment takes longer still. Under a traditional ownership model, empties sit at distribution centres until there are enough to justify a truck back to the brewery, leaving idle inventory that takes up space and generates no revenue, while freight costs continue to rise.

In North Keg’s pooling model, when an empty keg is collected from the market back to a distributor in Toronto, it doesn’t wait to accumulate into a full truck before heading home to a single brewery. The keg goes back into the pool, available to whichever brewer in the network needs it next. “Our pooling program eliminates those burdens,” said Wowchuk. “Rather than a keg being shipped out full and then making a long trip back empty, it stays in circulation.”

Size flexibility is another key part of North Keg’s adaptive pooling operation. Breweries that started on 50-litre kegs and now need 20-litre or 30-litre kegs can swap formats without writing off a capital purchase. The pool holds multiple formats; the brewer draws what the season requires.

“You might start with mostly 50-litre kegs, then realize you need 20- or 30-litre formats,” said Korey Nyp, director of sales at North Keg. “If you buy your kegs outright, you’re locked into those sizes. But with North Keg’s pooling model, you can return the 50s and switch to the sizes you need, when you need them.”

The network advantage: What joining Evaaro changes

A pooling network becomes more valuable as it grows. More kegs in more locations means faster fulfilment, more redundancy and the ability to absorb shocks that a bilateral leasing arrangement simply cannot handle.

“Joining this global platform allows us to further solidify North Keg as the benchmark leasing and pooling option for all Canadian customers,” said Wowchuk. “With enhanced access to growth capital, we are doubling down on our commitment to the Canadian market, offering world-class resources combined with the dedicated local expertise our customers trust.”

We know the business of kegs inside and out, which allows our customers to focus on what they do best: brewing their beer.

Korey Nyp, North Keg

The pooling’s practical implications are immediately apparent. Because North Keg’s keg pool has density across multiple Canadian markets, it can retrieve empties from distributors much faster than a brewer managing its own fleet could. That faster turn translates directly into fewer kegs needed to cover the same production volume, with lower costs and less capital at risk.

“We know the business of kegs inside and out, which allows our customers to focus on what they do best: brewing their beer,” said Nyp. “Our pooling model provides a much deeper and more collaborative relationship with our brewers. We succeed only when our customers do as well.”

What the brewer is actually buying

The financial side of pooling might be the biggest benefit: no capital tied up in steel, no idle fleet sitting on a balance sheet through the quiet months and costs that flex with demand rather than running ahead of it. “Cash is king in any business, and there are many other productive uses for cash rather than buying and storing steel kegs,” said Wowchuk.

Moreover, what brewers are buying is not a keg at all. It’s the certainty of supply – the assurance that the right format will be available when the season demands it, without a renegotiation, without waiting for a truckload of empties to justify a return run, and without the logistics headaches that have historically consumed so much of a small brewery’s operating bandwidth. For smaller craft producers, access to a professionally managed fleet removes the most capital-intensive barrier to entering the draught channel. For larger breweries, it turns a logistics burden into a managed service – one that scales up for peak season and down again without a single renegotiation.

Rooted in the Canadian brewing community

North Keg’s growth has always been tied to its involvement in the industry it serves. The company is a proud sponsor of the Canadian Craft Brewers Association’s Canada Beer Cup, a national competition celebrating independently owned and operated breweries across the country. North Keg’s Québec and Eastern Canada sales representative served as the emcee for the Canada Beer Cup Awards Gala in 2025 and is proudly returning in 2026.

The team also maintains active relationships with local guilds and provincial craft brewer associations, attends trade shows and participates in the Master Brewers Association of the Americas (Canada chapter). “Beyond that, I’m regularly in touch with various trade boards and industry groups to understand how we can continue improving the landscape for brewers,” said Wowchuk.

Looking ahead

North Keg is in the middle of a strategic rebrand, which will be reflected in the coming months. The rebrand positions the company around four core pillars: keg servicing, tracking, leasing and pooling.

“If you look at our long-term vision, we’re not trying to be a five-year company; we’re aiming to be a 50-year company,” said Wowchuk. “This rebrand is designed to clearly show what we do best: our ability to fully service a keg from top to bottom, track it throughout its lifecycle, lease it to producers and integrate it into a broader pooling network. That’s how we will continue to ease the burden for our customers for years to come.”

For Canadian brewers navigating a competitive market, a tight labour environment and the persistent capital demands of a steel-intensive supply chain, the question is less about pooling and more about who to pool with. North Keg’s answer – now backed by an international platform and the density that comes with it – is increasingly hard to ignore.

Located adjacent to Molson Coors’ Fraser Valley Brewery, the site will facilitate field trials of hop varieties developed through the B.C. hop variety development program, led by KPU’s Applied Genomics Centre (AGC) since 2019 in partnership with the BC Hop Growers Association and its members. It will also serve as a living library of genetically diverse hop plants and a dedicated space to advance applied research, supporting B.C.’s hop growers while providing students with hands-on learning opportunities.

“We’re excited to work with Molson Coors in supporting local farmers through this multi-year project,” said Paul Adams, PhD, director of KPU’s Applied Genomics Centre. “Partnerships like this really illustrate how cutting-edge research and innovation can address industry challenges and meet the needs of our local communities.”

Over the past year, researchers and students have been establishing the hop yard from the ground up, from prepping the field to planting the first experimental varieties developed at the AGC. Beyond testing new hop varieties, the field will also serve as a space to research best irrigation practices and more.

“Hops are a critical ingredient in brewing, and the Fraser Valley remains one of the country’s most important hop-growing regions,” said Graham Kendall, general manager, Molson Coors Fraser Valley Brewery. “We’re excited to partner with KPU on this initiative to support applied research and innovation while strengthening connections with local growers and providing students with hands-on experience that will help shape the future of agriculture and brewing in B.C. and beyond.”

“This project gives us a dedicated research field where we can grow things outside of the commercial scope and explore challenges that growers are facing in order make better-informed breeding decisions,” said AGC researcher Mathias Schuetz, PhD, who is leading the project.

Hops, which are the female flowers of the plant species Humulus lupulus, are used to provide flavour and aromas to beer while also functioning as a natural preservative. The Fraser Valley has a longstanding history of hop production, once having ranked as the largest hop-growing region in the Commonwealth in the 1940s. Using state-of-the-art DNA analysis and chemical techniques, KPU researchers are helping local hop production thrive again by creating new, climate-resilient varieties.

“We’re crossing different plants to create varieties with desirable traits, which we are then planting and evaluating in the field,” said Schuetz. “The idea is to create something that is resilient against heat and drought, while also being profitable and desirable for brewing.”

Hops research fueling hands-on opportunities for students

The hop yard also serves as a living classroom, with KPU students from multiple disciplines – including horticulture, biology and brewing – gaining hands-on experience each step of the way.

“I do a mixture of lab work and field work, which includes prepping the field, managing the irrigation system and collecting data on new varieties we’re trying out,” said Spencer LePage, an AGC student research assistant and third-year horticulture student at KPU. “I’ve had a really great experience so far, and feel like this work really helps bridge that gap between just learning about concepts in classes and actually doing them in real life.”

At the same time, KPU Brewing and Brewery Operations students are helping test how new varieties perform by transforming experimental hops into small-batch beers, one of which was served at the unveiling.

Supported by Genome BC and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the AGC is Canada’s first and only Technology Access Centre focused on applied genomics, and is nationally unique in its focus on serving the agriculture sector through direct, hands-on research support.

For generations, brewers accepted hop loss as part of the process. Massive whirlpool additions and aggressive dry hopping delivered exceptional aroma but also increased trub, reduced finished beer yield and increased wort absorption.

The cost was considered unavoidable – the price of making great IPA. Today, that assumption is being challenged.

As ingredient costs rise and brewery margins tighten, many operations are beginning to evaluate hops not only by sensory contribution but also by operational efficiency. The question has shifted from “How much hop character can we create?” to “How much hop character can we create without sacrificing beer?”

Advanced hop products are providing new answers

Unlike traditional pellet additions, concentrated aroma extracts isolate the compounds brewers actually want – the essential oils and flavour-active components – while eliminating much of the vegetative material responsible for absorption losses. The implications extend well beyond ingredient savings.

Every barrel retained through reduced trub translates directly into additional sellable beer. Across hundreds of batches per year, relatively small improvements in yield can produce meaningful financial returns without requiring additional fermentation capacity or capital investment.

Products such as Salvo exemplify this shift toward efficiency. Produced from 100 per cent hops through carbon dioxide extraction, the product delivers variety-specific aroma while removing the alpha acid fraction and excess plant material. Brewers gain expressive hop character without introducing unwanted bitterness or unnecessary solids into the process.

Perhaps most importantly, these technologies are changing how breweries think about recipe design. Rather than replacing hops altogether, advanced hop products allow brewers to strategically supplement traditional additions where they provide the greatest benefit. Whirlpool applications, in particular, become opportunities to maximize aroma while minimizing losses.

The movement reflects a broader evolution occurring throughout the brewing industry. Modern breweries increasingly evaluate ingredients through multiple lenses: sensory impact, sustainability, operational efficiency and profitability. The best innovations are those that improve all four simultaneously. Purists may debate whether extracts belong in brewing, but history suggests innovation has always defined the industry.

Ultimately, consumers judge beer by what’s in the glass, not by how much wort was left behind in the whirlpool. For breweries navigating today’s economic realities, the next competitive advantage may not come from using more hops. It may come from using hops more intelligently.

Not long ago, non-alcoholic beverages occupied a small corner of the beverage industry, serving a niche audience with limited expectations.

Today, that landscape has changed dramatically. Consumers are seeking flavourful alternatives that fit active lifestyles, wellness goals and moderation habits without sacrificing complexity or craftsmanship. For breweries, that shift presents an opportunity – but only if they can enter the category efficiently.

Traditional beer production requires fermentation capacity, yeast management, extended tank residency and significant raw material investment. Hop water, by comparison, eliminates many of those constraints while allowing breweries to leverage what they already know best: hops.

The challenge has never been demand. It’s execution

Conventional hop additions introduce vegetative material, inconsistent extraction and bitterness that can quickly overwhelm beverages built on water rather than malt. What brewers need is precision: concentrated hop aroma that delivers flavour without the baggage. That’s where modern water-soluble hop products are changing the conversation.

Products like LLZ provide bright lemon and lime characteristics that can transform carbonated water into a refreshing, hop-forward beverage with minimal additional ingredients. Because the product is derived entirely from hops and contains no added emulsifiers or unnecessary synthetics, producers can maintain clean labelling while achieving repeatable flavour.

Similarly, SalvoPlus offers breweries another tool by delivering expressive hop aroma without introducing bitterness or plant material. Unlike traditional dry hopping, brewers can dose with accuracy, minimize product loss and avoid sacrificing yield.

Perhaps the greatest advantage is speed

Developing a new beer often requires weeks of production planning and tank occupancy. Developing a hop water can be accomplished in hours. Brewers can prototype multiple formulations in a single afternoon, adjusting aroma intensity or citrus character with precise additions rather than waiting through an entire fermentation cycle.

The economics are equally compelling. Every brewery has experienced the challenge of balancing innovation with production capacity. Hop water creates an additional revenue stream without competing for fermentation space, allowing breweries to diversify portfolios while maximizing existing infrastructure. The opportunity extends beyond hop water itself. Sparkling beverages, functional drinks, ready-to-drink cocktails and alcohol-free IPAs are all benefiting from advanced hop ingredients that deliver authentic hop character with greater control than traditional methods.

Consumer behaviour suggests moderation is becoming a permanent segment rather than a passing trend. Breweries that embrace the category today may discover they’re not simply adding another stock keeping unit – they’re creating an entirely new business line.

The future of brewing may still revolve around beer, but increasingly, it also revolves around what hops can become when brewers aren’t constrained by fermentation.

The assumption is that people simply like beer less than they used to. That explanation is incomplete.

A lot of the change we’re seeing isn’t about people liking beer less. It’s about people spending less time together, and beer has always been about connection. Across Canada, people are socializing less often. According to Restaurants Canada’s 2025 Foodservice Facts report, three out of four Canadians say they are eating out less due to the rising cost of living, and that figure increases to 81 per cent among those aged 18 to 34.

Housing costs, irregular work schedules, digital habits, and the lingering effects of the pandemic have also reduced opportunities for informal, in-person socializing. The “third places” that once anchored communities – neighbourhood pubs, local restaurants, community halls and gathering spots – are under strain. When communities gather less, beer is part of what gets lost.

For some, this may seem like a positive change. But in truth, it points to a deeper problem. This isn’t just about drinking habits, it’s about social infrastructure.

For generations, beer has been part of how Canadians connect after work, at community events, during major sporting moments and at family celebrations. These shared experiences help build relationships, reduce isolation, support mental well-being and foster informal exchanges where ideas, creativity and collaboration often emerge. Strong social connections are essential not only to personal health, but also to vibrant, innovative and resilient communities.

When gathering places and shared rituals weaken, the social fabric frays. People become more isolated, local businesses struggle and communities lose important spaces for dialogue, belonging and mutual support.

If we are serious about supporting healthy, connected communities, we need to look beyond individual consumer choices and address the structural factors that make gathering harder, from affordability and taxation to the sustainability of neighbourhood pubs, restaurants and community spaces.

Start with affordability

Affordability is now one of the biggest barriers to social participation. Nearly 46 per cent of the price of beer in Canada is made up of taxes and government charges. Automatic tax increases, mark-ups and layered regulatory costs make social occasions more expensive every year, even when household budgets are already stretched.

When meeting friends becomes unaffordable, people stop going out. They stay home. They disconnect. Keeping taxes and fees under control is not about encouraging overconsumption. It is about ensuring that everyday social interactions remain accessible to hard-working Canadians.

Restore balance in beer taxation

Canada’s beer tax system has become increasingly disconnected from economic reality. Automatic annual increases happen regardless of market conditions, sales trends or affordability pressures. Predictable, reasonable taxation allows brewers to invest, innovate and keep prices stable. It also helps ensure that beer remains a practical, social option rather than an occasional luxury. Smart tax policy supports moderation, stability and community life.

Protect bars and restaurants as community anchors

Bars, pubs and restaurants are not just businesses. They are social institutions. They are where neighbours meet, teams celebrate, friends reconnect and communities come together. They employ over one million Canadians and serve as a training ground for countless young people, anchoring main streets in towns and cities across the country.

For many of these establishments, beer is also a key driver of profitability, helping to sustain operations, support staffing and reinvest in their businesses. Yet these establishments are facing unprecedented cost pressures, from labour and rent to energy and insurance, on top of declining foot traffic. Protecting the hospitality sector is about protecting places where connection happens and opportunities begin.

Policy decisions that increase costs or undermine viability weaken the very spaces that foster responsible, social drinking, workforce development and community engagement.

Rebuild social infrastructure

Strong communities do not happen by accident. They depend on affordable places to gather, stable local businesses, supportive regulatory environments and policies that recognize social value alongside fiscal considerations. When we invest in this social infrastructure, we strengthen mental health, economic resilience and civic life.

Beer has always played a role in that ecosystem. When enjoyed responsibly, it brings people together, marks important moments and helps create shared experiences that reinforce community bonds.

A broader conversation worth having

Declining beer consumption should not be viewed in isolation. It is a signal of deeper shifts in how Canadians live, work and connect. If we want stronger communities, we must make it easier for people to spend time together. That starts with affordability and requires fair, predictable taxation. This means repealing the federal automatic annual beer tax hike and ensuring provincial governments steer clear of new mark-up and tax increases that further strain consumers and local businesses.

Beer is not just a product. It is part of Canada’s social fabric. Preserving that fabric benefits consumers, workers, businesses and communities alike.

A decade ago, designer Martin Piper was the lead creative at Amsterdam Brewery, one of Toronto’s oldest craft breweries. He first met print consultant Chris Downey after Downey reached out to discuss potential print projects. This casual business chat developed into a strong working relationship and a genuine friendship between the two.

Over time, Piper and Downey recognized that their complementary skills could truly assist emerging breweries, and this insight eventually led to Beer Branded. “It’s the perfect solution for start-up breweries,” said Piper. “With Beer Branded, you have a seasoned designer with the industry knowledge to provide production-ready art for your brewery’s needs, and an experienced consultant with the necessary relationships to make it all happen on budget and on time.”

But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit Canada in 2020, the Beer Branded concept was put on hold. Piper launched martinpaper.design, which provides branding, design and promotional strategies for clients across the beverage sector. Meanwhile, Downey developed his own print business, Evergreen Graphics Group, to supply labels, packaging, signage and merchandise for a wide range of independent and major breweries and beverage producers.

Then in 2024, while working on a new label system for Northwinds Brewery in Collingwood, Ont., the timing finally felt right to revive their original vision. The Beer Branded website was officially launched soon after, marking the start of Piper and Downey’s next chapter. “Beer Branded encompasses the needs of every beverage maker: brand development and marketing; print production for packaging and essentials, signage and merchandise; social media planning, development and content creation – all poured from one tap,” said Piper.

To complete their offerings, Breer Branded has added Jordan Buttress, an experienced photographer and videographer. This allows the company to support its clients’ digital media needs, alongside design and print.

Brand evolution

Branding in the craft beer sector is constantly evolving, shifting from what was once considered nostalgic and playful to increasingly sleek, professional and design-focused visual identities. Social media has also played a significant role in reshaping the branding landscape. The rise of glossy, rapid-fire five to 10-second clips and user-friendly drag-and-drop DIY design tools has introduced a whole new dimension to digital branding.

Moreover, as the brand market has expanded, breweries have found themselves competing with a highly diverse beverage industry. This is precisely the kind of environment where a strong brand could be the deciding factor in whether a product is chosen or left on the shelf. “It’s a challenging business climate, with tariffs impacting material costs, and we’re starting to see once-strong brands falter as companies must shift priorities and brand refreshes fall off the list,” said Piper.

Avoid the mistakes

Beer Branded approaches each project as a distinct challenge, never assuming that what worked for one brewery or beverage maker will work for another. Whether it stems from a flavour profile, brewing philosophy or innovative techniques, every product has its own story to tell.

Because there are only about three seconds to make a first impression, a product’s label or package is incredibly valuable visual real estate. This means branding must communicate quickly, clearly and intentionally. When designing your brand, it’s important to first look at other products on the shelf to avoid getting lost in the shuffle, while also still fitting in. This is the role of Beer Branded: to identify a product’s differentiator and bring it to life through careful, purposeful branding.

“I always ask prospective clients to send photos of the shelves in the communities where they plan to sell,” said Piper. “If it’s a new product, we’ll start with a simple like/dislike exercise to identify what works visually. If they already have products on the shelf, it gives us a great starting point for conversation to compare their current look to those around it.”

A well-designed label has become one of the most effective tools for influencing purchasing decisions on busy shelves. This is because when a customer approaches the cooler, their decision usually depends on three factors: loyalty, package design and beverage style.

“Let’s face it, most people already know what they like when they approach a shelf, and they’re looking for something specific and will gravitate towards the area where the product lives,” said Piper. “In this industry, it’s rare for someone to happen upon a shelf. It’s the label’s job to catch the eye and persuade the customer to deviate from their original purchasing plans.”

Going beyond the label

Extending a brand beyond the point of purchase is crucial for cultivating a loyal community of fans. When people can wear a brand or gather in a branded space that feels welcoming and familiar, their connection with the brand becomes emotional rather than purely transactional. This also increases the chances of building long-term loyalty.

“We’ve always made a habit of visiting breweries to immerse ourselves in the atmospheres they have crafted for their locals. Curating the right ‘vibe’ in a space to celebrate local culture while offering thoughtfully designed and produced merchandise can be a powerful tool that transforms a casual drinker into a brand ambassador,” said Piper.

Sustainability is another consideration, especially as it relates to the industry-wide shift from bottles to cans, thanks to aluminum’s lightweight, highly recyclable nature. Unfortunately, the label side of the industry hasn’t advanced at the same pace. Beer Branded provides a range of sustainable solutions.

“With margins being so tight and cost models being pulled in multiple directions, the sustainability of packaging sometimes falls off the list of priorities,” said Downey. “But our approach at Beer Branded is to offer more sustainable options. Whether it’s label materials or packaging board, it can all be tied back to the brand story with an authenticity stamp-like seal to make customers aware of the decisions made by the producer of the product.”

A legacy that lasts

When it comes to building a brand, consistency is everything. When a product delivers reliable quality, and the brand story stays true to itself, loyalty isn’t just possible; it becomes an expectation. But Piper warns that endurance is different from chasing constant growth, and there is conflict between building a tight-knit community around a brand and trying to create a product that appeals to the masses. Balancing those two goals is one of the biggest challenges in the craft beverage world.

“The goal is to find those answers early in your brand-building process, which allows us to search for the nuance in your products and pinpoint their specialty,” said Piper. “If you approach the process with consistency in production and messaging, your customers will share, they will grow and they will stay.”