The costs of goods and supplies are going up, and that is presenting some challenges for a Vancouver Island brewery.
That is according to Ace Brewery, who recently won bronze at the Canadian Brewing Awards. Head brewer Dan Lake says the award feels great to receive, but costs are rising for a lot of small-town breweries like theirs.
“Prices of everything in terms of inflation is going up so that is reflected in our cost of goods as well,” said Lake. “So, then we are just trying to keep that in line with a reasonable priced beer and also make sure our margins are fair and it’s going to keep everyone employed and happy here.”
Lake adds balancing the two components can be quite difficult and they are also trying to keep good employee retention.
“Being in a small place, it’s always difficult to keep our staff here. People come and go from small centres, and we have a lot of really good people here,” said Lake.
Despite the challenges, winning awards helps propel the brewery forward and gives him more appreciation for his job.
“First of all, I like beer, so that helps. I would say I’m a highly technical person, I like science and analytics and data and all types of stuff like that but then I also like working with my hands and fixing things,” said Lake.
“The industry itself seems to draw in a lot of really great people. A lot of what’s great about these brewery awards and these things is we get to collaborate and meet with all these great people and make sure we’re on top of our game.”
Lake says the Cold IPA that won bronze featured hops from New Zealand that had a fruity taste and a dry finish. However, currently the most trendy beers tend to be on the lighter side, with a abv of less than five per cent.
While the Cold IPA is a seasonal beer, Lake says they are working to get it into their rotation in the future.
