“In my previous career, when I travelled, I always hit up brewery taprooms and used bookstores,” said Filbert. “I had a lot of conversations in those taprooms. I learned about what I was tasting and what I liked and didn’t like.”

Filbert worked for a banknote company as a technical artist. He says that a technical artist takes the work of a graphic artist and deconstructs it for the printing process. That graphics and printing training is why Filbert has a deep appreciation for book covers. In particular, he scours used bookstores for paperbacks from the 1950s because he likes the cover art. His personal collection includes about 200 such books.

“I think everyone should collect something,” he said. “And it should be something very specific. Then you leave it to chance when you find something to add to your collection. I like the discovery. I like the chase.”

The beer

To date, Bookstore has released 11 beers. If all goes to plan, the brewery will release three more this year. The first ever Bookstore beer was The Quick Fix Coffee Cream Ale, a 5.5 per cent ABV cream ale with locally roasted coffee beans added five days before packaging, to impart aroma and flavour without changing the blonde colour. “I wanted to start with something odd,” said Filbert.

However, that oddity is not without research and precision.

“I want my beers to fill a hole in the market,” he said. Having kept track of the flavours he likes and dislikes in beer, Filbert designs Bookstore beers based on the flavours he knows he likes, rather than strictly adhering to beer styles. “All my beers are novel,” said Filbert, pun intended.

Filbert delegates recipe development to his friend Ryan Fisher, a trained brewer. Then, the beers are brewed at Winnipeg’s Oxus Brewing on a 30-barrel brewhouse built by Newlands. “I’m a big fan of hiring people who know what they are doing, and letting them do it,” said Filbert. “I’m an idea guy, not a full-out story creator.”

Oxus Brewing also produces beer for six other brands. By combining efforts, the breweries can achieve economies of scale in raw material procurement and ensure the tanks are always full. This was a low-cost, low-risk way for Bookstore to enter the beer market, although a small brewery of his own is Filbert’s ultimate goal. Bookstore’s beers have been well received, not just by Winnipeg’s beer drinkers, but by critics as well. Bookstore’s awards include:

• 2024 Canada Beer Cup gold for A Brighter Shade of Doom, a 6.5 per cent black New England IPA
• 2024 Canadian Brewing Awards gold for Flirting with Goth, a five per cent dark ale
• 2023 Prairie Beer Awards gold for Another Deadly Sin, an English amber ale
• 2023 Prairie Beer Awards gold for A Brighter Shade of Doom
• 2022 Prairie Beer Awards silver for Escape From Narrow City, a 4.8 per cent easy IPA

“I try to focus on myself as the first customer,” said Filbert. “I’m just going with what I like and hope it works.”

The art

All of the label art is original, says Filbert. Having found a kindred spirit in Ontario-based artist Randy Preising, Filbert retained him to do all of Bookstore’s label art. Those labels have a lot of details.

“If you look at one of my cans, you’ll see a book cover, a spine and a back cover. Historically, these types of books had coloured page edges, so my labels have a strip of page edge colour as well,” said Filbert.

The back cover, in addition to satisfying required disclosures such as ingredients and alcohol content, always includes a tease to a story that doesn’t actually exist. It’s an homage to the books Filbert loves and collects. There are even recurring characters, “because that’s a lot of fun,” says Filbert. There are even consistent themes to Bookstore’s labels: ales have covers for detective mysteries, lagers and pilsners are westerns, IPAs have science fiction covers, sours are romance and dark beers have a horror look.

Filbert works with Preising to ensure the labels mimic shelf wear. Since these books would have been mass-printed, they often contained printing errors. Filbert and Preising carefully mimic these errors on their labels. “It’s a little Easter egg for drinkers to find, especially if they know about printing,” said Filbert.

Also similar to the books Filbert collects, each beer label includes a three-character catalogue number. The two digits are the year the beer was first released and the letter represents the number of the beer that year. For example, “24-B” was the second beer Bookstore released in 2024.

The community

For Filbert, it is important that Bookstore be part of the Winnipeg community. In 2024, Bookstore released Timeless, a light lager with proceeds assisting CJNU, Winnipeg’s community radio station. CJNU’s frequency is 93.7, so 93.7 cents from every can was donated to the station.

After the Winnipeg Pet Rescue Shelter was robbed, Filbert helped organize a tap takeover of Bookstore’s beers so that money could be donated to replace the shelter’s losses. Each year on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Bookstore hosts “orphan parties” for those who feel loneliest during this time of year. “My parents died before I started Bookstore Brewing,” said Filbert, explaining his motivation. The annual parties help ensure nobody spends the holidays alone.

Bookstore also partners with local food manufacturers. Bookstore’s beer was used by Loaf and Honey, a Winnipeg fromager, to make cheese. Also, the company’s beer was used by Mr. Biltong to make South African-style beef jerky.

The next chapter

Filbert’s dream to have a physical space to call his own may soon come true. “If things go as planned, I hope to open this year,” he said. Unlike most brewery taprooms that look similar to bars, Filbert wants “a different kind of thing.”

“I want to take over a café with small menu items, with fancy coffee, and my beers on tap,” he said. “And it will be a bookstore. Customers can read a book and leave it there. We will make a note of the book and page number, so when the customer comes back, they can pick up where they left off. COVID-19 killed a lot of bookstores. I want to get people back into them.”

All my beers are novel.

Parris Filbert, Bookstore Brewing

For Filbert’s bookstore taproom to come to fruition, he will require some regulatory changes. While the café bookstore will have a small pilot brewery, current regulations prevent him from selling Bookstore’s contract-brewed beer without paying high levels of provincial government mark-ups. That’s where groups like The Manitoba Brewers Association and Beer Canada can help.

“I’m just a one-man show. I’m a sales guy,” said Filbert. “I took a distinct financial hit to leave my career and do this, but it’s better to be happy and pinching pennies than well-paid and stressed and unhappy.” After five years, Filbert says new customers are still discovering his brand. A café will help give his brewing company a face. Despite Filbert’s modest claim that he’s not a full-fledged story creator, through Bookstore, he is actually writing his own story.

Bookstore’s beers are available only in Manitoba, at Liquor Mart, boutique beer shops and on draught in the Oxus Brewing taproom and elsewhere.

The Silver medalist is Blindman Brewing of Lacombe, Alta., with Dwarf Sour Cherry Fruited Saison. The Bronze medal went to Garrison Brewing Company of Halifax, N.S., for its Spruce Beer. Additionally, full category-medal results were published across dozens of beer styles, packaging criteria and cider categories.

The full list of winners can be found here.

Each year, approximately 20 students graduate from the program, having learned theory in the classroom and practice in the lab with over 950 hours of instruction. Class time covers everything from sales and marketing to reading a malt certificate of analysis. Lab time covers everything from brewing to operating quality assurance equipment. The first year is focused on the science of brewing while the second is focused on the beer and brewing industry. It is a comprehensive program, the only one of its kind in B.C., and the only one in Canada to be recognized by the Master Brewers Association of the Americas.

The program came about over 10 years ago, after KPU’s president and dean recognized that the craft beer industry was growing and would be in need of skilled people. Since then, the KPU Brewing & Brewery Operations program has added about 200 such skilled people to the industry, having learned from two full-time faculty, three contract instructors and three full-time laboratory instructors.

“The nice thing about our diploma program is we touch on everything,” said Dominic Bernard, brewing instructor and chair of the brewing department. “The first year is science-based, covering brewing and laboratory work, and the second year covers the brewing industry; everything from the Canada Revenue Agency to the Liquor Distribution Branch and regulations all the way to brewery management.”

Each semester involves improving the students’ brewing skills. The first sees students brewing one of KPU’s core beers, practice consistently make the same beer, learning the process and hitting original gravity, finishing gravity and other brewing targets. In the second semester, students are exposed to different beer styles, and in the third, they develop their own recipes. “Make your big mistakes on a small scale,” said Bernard of the program’s approach.

The two-year program culminates in students working in small groups in their last semester, releasing beers that will be commercially sold under KPU Brew Lab’s Student Signature Series. The beers are made on a two-hectolitre brewery donated by Newland Systems Inc. of B.C. (NSI has since been acquired by DME Brewing Solutions of Charlottetown, P.E.I. and then König Brewing Systems of Abbotsford).

Although it is a physically small brewhouse, it is a scaled down version of a four-vessel brewhouse, with touchscreen and other bells and whistles, not unlike those found at much larger breweries. KPU Brew Lab also has a 50-litre manual brewing system. “We teach for all sizes of systems,” said Bernard.

The nice thing about our diploma program is we touch on everything. The first year is science-based, covering brewing and laboratory work, and the second year covers the brewing industry; everything from the Canada Revenue Agency to the Liquor Distribution Branch and regulations all the way to brewery management.

Dominic Bernard, Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Students must not only brew their Signature Series beer, but also design the label, develop a sales and marketing plan, register the beer and ensure everything is in accordance with regulatory requirements. The beer is then sold through the brewery taproom on the Langley Campus, in growlers or in cans filled through a Wild Goose Gosling 2.0 canning line. That canning line, obtained in September 2024, includes modern technology such as nitrogen dosing, allowing students to make lower carbonation, nitrogenated beers.

Given the small size of the brewery, the vast majority of its sales occur through the brewery taproom, which is open only on Fridays from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The ever-evolving list of available beers sells quickly, and those interested in the program or seeing the brewery can pre-book a tour.

International exposure

Students in the Brewing & Brewery Operations program come from all walks of life and often come from abroad. Fifty per cent of the class is international students, hailing from China, Korea, Taiwan, Colombia, Peru, Brazil and Hungary. It speaks to the reputation of the program that students from around the globe come to learn at KPU, and diverse perspectives also enhance the learning experience for all.

“We have everyone, from 19-year-olds that are just of legal drinking age to 55-year-olds starting a second career. We have students with bachelor of science degrees, and we have students with just their high school diploma,” said Bernard. “It makes for interesting discussions in the classroom.”

A decade of influencing the beer world

In its 10 years, the KPU Brewing & Brewery Operations program has produced about 200 graduates. Those graduates have gone on to various careers in beer, from joining existing breweries as brewers or lab technicians, to starting their own breweries, to working at Molson Coors.

“I’m very passionate about sustainability and I try to put that lens into our projects,” said Bernard. “We talk about how climate change is impacting the malting industry, and brewing is a water-intense industry, so we make sure that is part of the conversation.”

Make your big mistakes on a small scale.

Dominic Bernard, Kwantlen Polytechnic University

The department of which the Brewing & Brewery Operations program is a part of is also trying to increase diversity in an industry which has historically been dominated by white males. “We are accepting of all,” said Bernard. “We have awards and scholarships tailored to under-represented groups. We are trying to encourage more diverse applicants – [people] from all over the globe.”

Diversity in the student body exposes all students to different ideas. Bernard says students have made beers with special varieties of rice, hops and other unique ingredients because diverse students have brought their individual backgrounds and knowledge to the program. It makes for better beer and understanding of different manners of thinking.

To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the program, KPU Brew Lab made a collaboration beer. Students from every year came together to brew Odyssey Fresh Hop Pale Ale. The 5.2 per cent ABV beer was spearheaded by alumnus Sebastian Peterson, co-founder of Curious Creatures Beer, and made with Krush hops, a newly-named variety officially released in 2024 after 17 years of development.

“The most exciting thing is seeing graduates in the industry doing cool things. I’m very proud of our graduates,” said Bernard. “What I’m most proud of is to see how students build the industry after graduation. The most important thing to teach is a love of learning so that our students can continue to grow themselves and the community.”

How Beer Canada helps

“I think it’s great to see Canadian breweries united and having a unified voice,” said Bernard. “The challenges breweries are experiencing are across Canada and it’s important to see what breweries in other provinces are doing and what governments in those provinces allow.”

Through Beer Canada, Bernard is able to learn about the regulations in other provinces and what works and does not work in those other provinces. Empowered with this knowledge, Bernard and KPU Brew Lab can work with other B.C. breweries to affect change in local rules.

“By pointing out what is working in other provinces, it gives our voice more strength when speaking on behalf of our industry,” he said.

Co-founder Josh Morrison discusses the Pile O’ Bones team’s reaction to their big win, the steps that led to their success and what’s next for the brewery.

Poured Canada: Congratulations on your win at the 2024 Canada Beer Cup! How did it feel to hear Pile O’ Bones called out as a winner?

Josh Morrison: The fellas were really excited. We knew we had made some great beers lately and we had been piling up the awards over the last few years, but we always wanted to win the big one. The Canada Beer Cup is like our Super Bowl, Stanley Cup and Fall Classic all rolled into one for us brewers!

PC: How has collaboration within the Pile O’ Bones Brewing team and with other breweries impacted your success?

JM: We [the Pile O’ Bones Brewing team] all started as homebrewers competing against one another to see who could make the best beer possible. We teamed up to form Pile O’ Bones in 2016, and then joined forces with Nokomis Craft Ales in 2023, because we always believed we would be even better if we worked together. The proof is in the pudding – we just made the best beer in Canada for 2024!

PC: Can you tell us about the beer that won? What inspired its creation, and what makes it unique?

JM: Jeff Alport, president of Nokomis Craft Ales, and Nathan Kary, head brewer at Pile O’ Bones, were inspired by another Canadian-made Witbier (Blanche du Chambly) that is no longer readily available in our area; a beer we really loved to drink, A lack of fresh, quality beer is what got all of us into homebrewing and is why we exist as brewers today. This beer is unique in that it’s a great example of a style that is difficult to find locally.

PC: How do you prepare for competitions like the Canada Beer Cup? Is there a particular strategy or mindset you keep?

JM: Other than tasting beer and pouring over style guidelines to make sure your beer is properly categorized, not much preparation goes into competitions. We just try to make the best beer we can and send in the freshest samples available.

PC: What was the biggest challenge in perfecting the winning beer, and how did you overcome it?

JM: Producing quality beer is relatively easy. Getting that beer packaged in a manner that maintains quality and freshness is the challenging part. There’s no point in making beer if you destroy it with oxygen or contamination before it gets into package. We have an eye for detail and invest in quality equipment and training for our packaging folks.

PC: In your opinion, what sets the Canada Beer Cup apart from other competitions?

JM: This is a not-for-profit competition ran by the Canadian Craft Brewers Association, a voice of Canadian craft beer. It’s the competition for the real beer nerds to strut their stuff.

PC: How has the reception of this award been among your regular customers and local community?

JM: It’s been over-the-top positive. We sold out by the Tuesday after the 2024 Canada Beer Cup and had to get another batch bubbling right away. People may not have had a Belgian-wit beer in a while, but I think this beer is reminding people how tasty they can be.

PC: What advice would you give to other breweries aspiring to win national competitions?

JM: Keep dialing in those recipes and pay attention to your packaging processes. Even the best beer in the world won’t win anything if it is packaged poorly.

PC: Looking back on Pile O’ Bones’ journey, what have been the biggest lessons or surprises?

JM: When we were building out our existing brewery, or even just investing in our production equipment, we learned that everything costs double what you planned and takes twice as long.

In terms of surprises, I think a lot of people believe beer is just marketing, but we were surprised that when we make super high-end products that might not be the most popular styles, they still fly off the shelves. Quality stands the test of time.

PC: How do you see this achievement influencing Pile O’ Bones’ goals for the future?

JM: The goal has always been to make one of the best beers possible, and this year, we did! We celebrated for a few days, but now we’re getting back to work and trying to win another one in 2025.

PC: Are there any individuals or teams you’d like to acknowledge or thank for their role in this win?

JM: In addition to Pile O’ Bones Brewing’s head brewer, Nathan Kary, and Nokomis Craft Ales’ head brewer, Jeff Alport, we want to thank our dedicated production staff: Mike Chowns, Tarun Panchal and Travis Mushanski.

Each of us also want to thank our spouses, who have always supported our weird hobby!

You’ve tinkered and tested and trialed your product until it’s reached perfection – now, it’s ready to be entered into a competition. Whether you’re a brewer, distiller or vintner, there’s bound to be some anxiety associated with competing if it’s your first go-around. Will you take home a top prize and bragging rights, or walk away with nothing to show except a bruised ego?

We approached the experts to learn the inside scoop about what’s going on inside the judges’ minds as they score your entry. From getting a spirit’s texture just right, to integrating a wine’s components flawlessly or nailing a beer’s intention, these are the tangible – and sometimes intangible – qualities that will help an entry make a lasting impression.

Precision over power

When it comes to competitions, what stands out has changed over time.

For wine, bold, fruit-forward entries have historically dominated competitions. Their immediate impact is undeniable, particularly in settings where judges might evaluate 50 or more wines a day. These wines made a quick impression with their big, expressive flavours, establishing them as the favourites of many competitions. However, in recent years, there’s been a notable shift. Wines that showcase precision, balance and energy are increasingly taking home top medals.

Natalie MacLean, bestselling author of Red, White and Drunk All Over, Unquenchable and Wine Witch on Fire, and the World’s Best Drinks Writer according to the World Food Media Awards, said, “These wines might not be the loudest voices in the room, but they speak with a clear message.”

The appreciation for precision is expanding beyond wine. In fact, one of the most memorable tasting experiences for Charlene Rooke, drinks editor for LCBO Food & Drink, Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) spirits educator and lead judge at the Canadian Artisan Spirits Competition, came from a unique and refined spirit.

“I blind-tasted what was identified as a braggot (a malted-barley and hop spirit that derives from both beer and honey). That was the first one I’d ever tasted or heard of! And I’m quite fascinated by the Acerum – [a] spirit distilled from maple syrup – coming out of Quebec. They remind me of funky, Agricole-style rums,” said Rooke.

The nuances are stopping judges in their tracks these days.

Getting competition-ready

To make sure a product is ready for judging, experts suggest recreating the competition atmosphere long before you enter. One of the best ways to prepare is by blind-tasting your products in advance. This can be especially helpful for brewers or distillers with a broad portfolio.

“Taste your beers blindly,” said Lauren Richard, head judge of the 2024 Canada Beer Cup. “Maybe you have a lot of lagers. Invite your staff to go through them without bias, focusing on the ingredients and the intention behind each brew. Have you achieved that intention, or are you pulling from different categories?”

Rooke agrees, noting the importance of collecting as much feedback as possible in the preparation process. “For spirits, it’s essential to consistently taste your products with sensory panels that include not just production staff, but also others within your distillery, and even members from outside the industry,” she said. “Tasting against competitor products before you bottle your spirit ensures consistency and the balanced quality that’s essential for success.”

Taking time to evaluate your product from multiple angles to get a wide range of opinions is your best chance at making sure your entry is prepared for the competition stage.

Creating a winning product

So, what does it take to snag the top prize? For spirits, while complexity and aroma are key factors, there’s one characteristic that can really set your product apart: texture.

“In craft spirits, what really makes a product stand out is its smoothness,” said Rooke. “Many spirits may have intriguing flavours, but if the alcohol isn’t well-integrated or if the texture is rough, it detracts from the overall experience. A smooth, refined texture elevates the product, allowing all the elements – flavours, aromas and body – to shine through.”

For wine, the ability to tell a compelling story in a glass is what earns MacLean’s top marks.

“What makes a wine stand out is its ability to evolve from the first sip to the finish,” she said. “It should reveal layers of complexity. These wines don’t shout for attention – they engage with you, telling a story about their origin and their development over time. When a wine integrates its components – acidity, tannins, alcohol, fruit and aroma – in a harmonious way, it performs well.”

The intangible factor

While technical perfection is somewhat expected in a competition setting, there’s one intangible quality that can set a product apart, something that can’t be quantified on a scorecard: the excitement, surprise or emotional connection a product elicits. That’s what turns a good product into something unforgettable.

“It’s never just about technical perfection,” said MacLean. “There’s something exciting, even surprising, that sets great wines apart. When a wine can transport you to the vineyard, evoking the soil, the climate and even the winemaker’s philosophy, that’s when it transcends being just a good wine – it connects with you emotionally.”

While that quality may not be something a judge can score, there’s no doubt it will set your product apart from the others.

In craft spirits, what really makes a product stand out is its smoothness. Many spirits may have intriguing flavours, but if the alcohol isn’t well-integrated or if the texture is rough, it detracts from the overall experience. A smooth, refined texture elevates the product, allowing all the elements – flavours, aromas and body – to shine through.

Charlene Rooke, lead judge of the Canadian Artisan Spirits Competition and WSET drinks editor

“The intangibles are something you can’t define with a guideline,” said Richard. “It’s like hearing a singer hit a high C, but there’s a texture, a quality, something refined – and unrefined – that lets you feel it deeper.” It’s exactly this quality – the emotional resonance – that helped solidify one beer into Richard’s mind forever.

She recalls a recent Best of Show competition where a Pile O’ Bones Witbier caught the judges’ attention. “It gave us chills,” she said. “It came down to two beers. The one that wasn’t selected was technically perfect – it was clean, crisp and hit all the marks. But the Witbier, we couldn’t stop talking about it. It solidified a moment in time, and we knew we’d remember it long after the competition.”

Editor’s Note: read our exclusive interview with Pile O’ Bones on their 2024 Canada Beer Cup win.

Go in with a strategy

Perhaps the lowest-hanging fruit from our experts is to know your product better than anyone else and be sure to communicate its intention clearly. This is key for standing out in a competition environment, which is far different from a casual bar setting.

“If you say your beer is barrel-aged in cognac, make sure that characteristic is evident,” said Richard. “Don’t mislead judges with claims that the beer can’t back up. We judge based on your description, so be clear about your intention.”

“If you’ve crafted a high-ester rum or a cask-strength whisky, it’s important to note that in your product notes – it can influence the way judges evaluate it,” Rooke said.

The competition environment is also unique in how products are experienced, so select an entry that performs well under the pressures of judging.“ First-time entrants often make the mistake of entering their most expensive or ambitious wine. I recommend starting with your most consistent performer – something that shows well across various temperatures and timeframes, even after hours of being open. That’s what your product will face during competition,” said MacLean.

Is it true that there are make-or-break moments from the first sip? Considering that a competition panel is a highly focused, critical environment, technical flaws can immediately disqualify a product, and there are some issues that are impossible to recover from. “Technical flaws like excessive volatile acidity or Brettanomyces can immediately disqualify a wine,” said MacLean.

Rooke calls out another common mistake in spirits. “I find that most liqueurs and many flavoured spirits I judge are too sweet,” she said. “Dialed-back sweetness means flavoured products can be used in cocktails as well as consumed on their own, which is a more versatile product.”

And there is one other unfortunate fault that doesn’t only hurt an entry, but the judges, too. “Every competition, we’ll try beers that are truly exceptional, but have been entered into the wrong category,” said Richard. “For that reason, we can’t put it forward. It’s tragic.”

Getting creative

Experimental categories offer an opportunity to showcase your creative side, but they come with a caveat: Unique ingredients should complement, not mask, the core qualities of your product.

“Even when I’m judging a very strong or unusual spirit – from a garlic, hot-pepper or pickle-flavoured vodka to spiced rum – I still expect it to be balanced in its aromas, flavours and texture,” said Rooke. “Flavours or experimental ingredients probably can’t disguise a base spirit that is poorly distilled or blended.”

It came down to two beers. The one that wasn’t selected was technically perfect – it was clean, crisp and hit all the marks. But the Witbier, we couldn’t stop talking about it. It solidified a moment in time, and we knew we’d remember it long after the competition.

Lauren Richard, head judge of the 2024 Canada Beer Cup

Evolving trends

As consumer palates and preferences are changing, competitions are following suit – something Richard applauds.

“We’ve made a lot of changes to the Canada Beer Cup guidelines this year because of heavy shifts in trends, one of them being low alcohol [beers],” she said. “These trends are happening more frequently in the bars and we’re working to make more space for that in the competition sphere.”

Another shift MacLean has seen is the integration of environmental responsibility into judging criteria. Some competitions award additional points for certified organic or biodynamic practices, carbon neutral production or even innovative sustainable packaging.

“What’s interesting is that this has pushed wineries to not only adapt to these practices, but also to perfect them,” she said. “We’re now seeing sustainable wines that don’t just compete with conventional wines – they outperform them.”

While these trends are exciting, there’s one attribute that’s always in style at competitions: Balanced, well-crafted products. “Balance has become the ultimate marker of success,” said MacLean. “I’ve seen technically perfect wines fail to win a medal because they were manufactured rather than crafted. They lacked the tension and energy that make a wine great. It’s not about sheer power anymore. It’s also about poise.”

Ultimately, whether it’s wine, spirits or beer, the principles of balance and craftsmanship hold true across the board.

“We want the beer to fit into the guidelines as much as possible. Some things don’t fit neatly into a box, and that’s okay – that’s why we have experimental categories. But the beer needs to be brewed cleanly, expressively and in a well-balanced way. It’s [about] the attention to detail – the cleanliness, freshness and using ingredients you believe in.”

The original brewpub location at 5 Orange Lane remains, and a second brewpub location opened in 2022 in Shediac, N.B., just 20 minutes northeast of Moncton. Prior to co-founding Pump House, Shaun was a consultant to DME Brewing Solutions, so Pump House has a lifelong affinity for equipment from the Canadian company.

In the beginning …

The Frasers started with six beers: Blueberry Ale, Cadian Cream Ale, Fire Chief’s Red Ale, Muddy River Stout, India Pale Ale and Bohemian Pilsner. Beers of these styles were common for brewpubs at the time, and served alongside wood-fired pizza, Pump House quickly established itself is a local favourite for beer lovers and food lovers alike.

Their most popular beer was the Blueberry Ale and its popularity fueled Pump House’s growth, meriting the building of the 25-barrel production and packaging facility on Mill Road in 2003. Pump House’s never-ending insistence on quality in the brewpubs and the production facility has helped it grow to be one of the largest breweries in Atlantic Canada. In 2005, Pump House was awarded Brewery of the Year at the Canadian Brewing Awards.

While Blueberry Ale was easily Pump House’s most popular brew, all of the original beers were popular and remain in production, a testament to 25 years of consistent quality.

The next chapter

In 2016, Pump House launched Crafty Radler. The popularity of that beverage grew so quickly it is now its own sub-brand for Pump House, coming in four flavours (grapefruit and tangerine, blood orange and peach, limonchello and lime, and tart cherry and blueberry) with unified packaging that is distinct from Pump House’s other beers. Crafty Radler now represents two-thirds of Pump House’s production.

“This is the engine that now drives the brewery,” said Brian Harriman, co-owner of the brewery, noting that Blueberry Ale remains the top-selling beer in the brewpubs.

It was in 2020 that the Frasers decided to start a new chapter of their lives and sold the brewery to Harriman, Brad Devarennes and Kolin Barley, three local, long-time friends who have continued Pump House’s exponential growth with expansion across Canada and into export markets, and investment in automation at the brewery. New ownership has also introduced new beers and new products. Harriman is particularly proud of Pump House’s Uncommon Kölsch, a low-calorie Kölsch with only three grams of carbohydrates.

“We won a Silver Medal in the Kölsch category at the 2023 Canada Beer Cup,” he said. “And we did it competing against regular, full-calorie beers.” Harriman is quick to add that while he is proud of that new beer, Muddy River Stout also won a Gold Medal in the Stout category at the 2023 Canada Beer Cup. “It’s great to see our classic beers continue to win awards alongside our new beers.”

Pump House added Real Vodka Water in four flavours: watermelon kiwi, blueberry yuzu, lemon lime, and raspberry peach (four per cent ABV, 100 calories, vegan and gluten-free). In a unique twist, the flavoured vodka waters are uncarbonated. Tapping into the market of health-conscious drinkers made Real Vodka Water grow tremendously, with the vodka waters now representing 20 per cent of Pump House’s business after launching in May 2022.

Pump House also has a line of hard seltzers under the Venerdi Italian Seltzer brand. Sold in slimline cans and offering six per cent ABV, Venerdi Italian Seltzer comes in pink lemonade, tangelo and green apple flavours.

Keeping the House in order

“It’s a huge priority for us to stay true to what we do well,” said Harriman. “We have a team of brewers producing quality beer consistently.” While Pump House has introduced and succeeded with new lines of products and offers seasonal beers, continuing to brew those six original beers is a consistent benchmark to ensure brewing does not deviate from standards. It serves as a signal to their original fans that the brewery will always be a part of their community; nobody is going to take away Moncton’s favourite beer.

That dedication is also given to the Pump House team. “We want Pump House to be a great place to work,” said Harriman. The brewery and brewpub employ 132 people. On the financial front, Pump House has provided consistent wage increases, but more importantly, Pump House creates a safe workplace for a diverse workforce.

A current team of four brewers – Navjot Singh (head brewer), Glenn Kervin, Oluchi Amadi and Brannan Walsh – runs the brewery. Over the years, Pump House brewers have come from Germany, China, India and elsewhere, with experiences at breweries of different sizes. Those different backgrounds influence and improve Pump House’s operations. Harriman notes that a brewer with a German background was instrumental in developing Pump House’s original Crafty Radler.

A recent hire in the packaging department is an immigrant from Ukraine who was displaced by the ongoing war there. “The diversity of our team brings a different global perspective to beer brewing,” said Harriman.

Taking care of that team is a top priority, so many employees have been with Pump House for 15 to 20 years. “Our keg filler, Stephen Emmerson, has been with us for over 10 years, manually cleaning and filling probably 12,000 kegs per year,” said Harriman. “He’s probably filled over 100,000 kegs!”

Kervin recently brewed his millionth litre of beer. For that milestone, he was asked to brew any beer he wanted – he chose a Bière de Garde – and Pump House sent him on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to a NASCAR race.

Pumped for the future

Harriman, Devarennes and Barley have backgrounds in beer and hospitality, and knew they had the experience to grow the brand. Breakthru Beverage Group was recently appointed Pump House’s national sales agency and the company builds upon the platform in every province of Canada (except Quebec) by growing sales of existing products and marketing the new product line extensions.

“We have worked with Beer Canada on regulatory issues and provincial markup policies. It’s just nice to have an association to call that has so much experience and knowledge when you are navigating the industry as a small player.”

Brian Harriman, Pump House Brewery

International sales have also grown in select markets around the globe, but the Pump House team is particularly excited to double the number of states distributing its beers south of the border, from four to eight. All this growth has necessitated investments into the Moncton brewery. Pump House has added more tanks, a new kettle, a new glycol chiller and a fully automated packaging machine.

Beer Canada has also supported Pump House’s growth.

“Beer Canada has been a good ally and resource for us as we work to grow our business nationally,” said Harriman. “We have worked with Beer Canada on regulatory issues and provincial markup policies. It’s just nice to have an association to call that has so much experience and knowledge when you are navigating the industry as a small player.”

In 2024, Pump House will celebrate its 25th anniversary. To honour the occasion, Moncton’s beloved brewery will release three special beers. The first is Evolution Brut IPA and two more are planned. The two brewpubs will introduce new, fun menu items and a large celebration is planned for September to mark the actual anniversary date.

“Pump House is a well-loved brand in the Maritimes, built by people who want to make quality beer and have fun doing it,” said Harriman.

By building upon the success of the Frasers, supporting a strong and diverse team, and investing in new equipment, Pump House is starting a new chapter of 25 more years of success.