Microbreweries making a comeback in southern Alberta

It started as a joke, then a dare, and now it’s a reality for Kelti Boissonneault and Chris Fischer who opened up their own microbrewery ‘Theoretically Brewing Company’ in December, after years of planning.

The Lethbridge based company produces eight different types of beer, and averages 1000 litres a week.

“Craft brewing goes back to the thinking that we are going to produce small, well designed batches,” manager Kelti Boissonneault said. “Local ingredients are a huge part of it. Every craft brewer tries to source as local as possible.”

Theoretically Brewing Company is lucky, they are located in an agricultural rich environment.

“Farmers come into the brewery saying ‘hey I’m thinking of planting hops, would you be interested?’ And we say yes!” Boissonneault said.

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Brewing beer is one of Canada’s oldest industries. Alberta is at an advantage because of the access to malted barley, hops and water. New regulations in the province have also allowed craft breweries to enter the popular market.

“The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) cut minimum capacity requirements in the province, that’s why in 2014 we went from having 10 breweries in the province to 40,” Boissonneault said.

Both Boissonneault and her partner, Brewmaster Chris Fischer, stress the importance of supporting the local economy. From ingredients to equipment, the pint size facility is almost one hundred percent local.

Theoretically Brewing is one of many microbreweries that have popped up in the province over the last several years, and consumers are taking notice.

“They’re choosing to drink the fresh local craft beer, instead of the six months on the shelf domestic beer,” Boissonneault said.

The craft beer industry is distinctive; each Brewmaster has their own take on traditional styles of beer, and possibly one day, they will develop specific brews that reflect their unique towns.

“I’m really hoping each town in Alberta will have its own version of beer, its own individual type of style,” Fischer said. “You can go to the local pub and have a beer there and say this is kind of like the beer from Medicine Hat, only it shares characteristics from Taber, or Fort Macleod.”

Theoretically Brewing Company has no plans to expand into other markets. Instead, they will remain a local operation.

“We’re very community minded, we want to stay in Lethbridge, we want to stay small, and we want to focus on this town.”