The Food Issue
2015
grainswest.com
41
been the top homebrew club in Canada three years in a row.
This record of competitive success could be intimidating for
more casual brewers looking to get involved, but the club
welcomes all beer enthusiasts, regardless of experience.
Bamford works closely with several of the breweries in town,
and many of the brewery founders still make test batches with
supplies from Bamford’s store—o en to try new ingredients
or techniques. This co-operative relationship blurs the lines
between professional and amateur brewers and further
contributes to the sense of camaraderie among brewers of all
stripes.
“Whether you’re in it for the fun or you’re in it for the money,
it’s still a lot of fun to be in the community,” Bamford said.
Advancing from home brewing to a full-fledged commercial
brewery is a daunting task. But the founders of Tool Shed, Half
Hitch and Dandy have shown that, with the right knowhow, it
isn’t a pipe dream.
In terms of advice for those who hope to follow in his
footsteps, Sherman is blunt. “Learn that quote,” he said,
referring to Roosevelt’s weighty words that never stray too far
from his mind.
“There are so many bloody stumbling blocks that have come
our way that probably should have shut our business down.
But you get in that arena and it’s a fistfight every day. Once you
commit to going a er it, you just never look back.”
The Heiers have had to build their Cochrane brewery from the ground
up, including the facility that will house their brewing operation.
The Golden Brown Dandy Ale and Dandy in the Underworld Oyster
Stout are Dandy Brewing Company’s two regular o erings. They also
produce a number of seasonal and limited edition brews.
Photo:Half-HitchBrewing
Photo:DandyBrewing
