16 - Brett Ireland

This week we sit down with Brett Ireland, co-founder of Bear Hill Brewing, Jasper Brewing, Banff Ave Brewing, Campio Brewing, Last Best Brewing, and Albeerta Provisions. Brett shares the secret of how he achieved such a lengthy craft beer resume: constructive feedback, community support, and great culture.

Brett says that Bear Hill was a unique case in Alberta brewing, not being a homebrewer turned commercial brewer story. He and his business partners had worked together in the hospitality industry previously and decided to found what would be the first brew pub in a Canadian national park. Having been born and raised in Jasper, he and his business partners had amazing support from the local community, not only as customers but also with the sort of valuable feedback that has shaped Bear Hill and Brett’s other breweries into the finely tuned businesses they are today.

This success hasn’t come without it’s challenges and as Brett tells us, one of those earliest challenges was sitting down to ask for a business loan at the bank and being literally laughed at. He also tells us about how the Fort McMurray fires of 2016 their team at Wood Buffalo brewing, from the earliest stages where many were still skeptical of the scale of the fire and opting to stay to finish a brew, to the frantic evacuation of the city, and the frustrating aftermath. We also discuss how massive a role culture has played on his team, and the importance of having the right talent.

letsmeetforabeer.com

albertabeerfestivals.com

Jasper Brewing Co

Banff Ave Brewing Co

Last Best Brewing & Distilling

Campio Brewing Co

Albeerta Provisions