Quirky, barn-based brewery on Salt Spring Island celebrates being named “Best Golden Ale in Canada” at the 7th Annual Canadian Brewing Awards
Mountain spring water, locally grown hops and a passion for unhurried traditional small-batch brewing techniques impresses panel of Canadian Certified Beer Judges
What do pink boots, organic hops farming, music, mathematics, mountain spring water, marketing and a love for all things local have in common? Salt Spring Island Ales- a small ‘cottage’ brewery on the west coast of Canada that received the top national “Gold Award” for their Golden Ale last night in Toronto at the 7th Annual Canadian Brewing Awards. This is the second time this unique barn-based brewery has received the “Best Golden Ale in Canada” award.
The Annual Canadian Brewing Awards showcased 282 entries in 26 categories from breweries across Canada including beer giants like Sleeman, Pilsner, and Moosehead and smaller micro-breweries like Tree, Phillips and Whistler Brewing. Salt Spring Island Ales’ Golden Ale was competing directly against all of the other Canadian beers in this category. All beers were judged by category, using a point system for aroma, appearance, flavour, mouthfeel, and overall impression. Unlike previous years, only one Gold, Silver and Bronze were awarded in each category. The judging panel consisted of 18 Certified Beer Judges from across the country.
Salt Spring Island Ales co-owners Becky Julseth, Neil Cooke-Dallin and Brewmaster Murray Hunter were in Toronto to receive the prestigious award. Julseth says, “It’s exciting to win a national-level award like this so quickly after taking over the business earlier this year. There’s no real blueprint for running a really small scale ‘cottage’ brewery. We’re unique in so many ways and this brings a lot of challenges that put us in an almost separate business category to a city-based craft brewery. For Neil and I, it’s been a wonderful affirmation to get this level of award so early in the game. It’s also an incredible testament to our Brewmaster Murray. Having already won Gold Medal for the same brew in 2004, winning again is a real assertion of the strength of his recipe and his abilities as a brewmaster.”
Brewmaster Murray Hunter, who has a degree in Mathematics and plays concert-level trumpet in several big band, jazz and orchestral ensembles, is passionate about creating the finest natural, unpasturized and unfiltered beer using local ingredients whenever possible. “Our Golden Ale is made in a lighter style but still offers plenty of flavour. People are often surprised and delighted by the nutty, citrus flavour it does have, as it is similar in colour to many of the lagers that many people are used to drinking. Of all the beers we brew this is our “session beer” so you can enjoy a few glasses of the Golden Ale throughout an evening or afternoon,” says Hunter.
The spring water that flows from the mountain at the brewery makes this beer unique. Other ingredients include the very finest Canadian two row barley and specialty hops, some of which is now being grown organically right down the road from the brewery.
The Golden Ale boasts a nutty flavour, citrus notes and beautiful golden colour.
Co-owners Becky Julseth and Neil Cooke-Dallin purchased the brewery from a long time family friend, “Uncle Bob” in 2009. They are proud, active owners of the brewery which is located in a purpose-built barn on 15 acres in the Fulford Valley. The creative, beer loving couple can be found watching over organic hops at a field just down from the brewery, offering samples at local events and bringing a creative touch to marketing and sales.
One of only a few female brewery owners in Canada, Julseth is a proud member of the ‘Pink Boots Society’ which is made up of female movers and shakers in the beer industry. Becky’s profile can be seen online here.
As Cooke-Dallin is also a musician, when not managing the brewery or working for their graphic design company, he plays guitar in a popular Victoria Rock band and also runs a recording studio. Brewmaster Murray Hunter will be playing trumpet on Neil’s forthcoming album.
Local hops production is one thing that they are particularly passionate about. For many years they have partnered with local farmers to grow hops on the island and in 2009 Julseth (in her pink gumboots) and Cooke-Dallin partnered with a local organic farm to plant their own certified organic crop of Mount Hood and Cascade hops in a field adjacent to the brewery.
Cooke-Dallin says, “I’m personally excited that our Golden Ale received a Gold Medal as it is the beer that’s driven our Island hops production. The two varieties of hops we planted at the brewery this year are varieties used in the Golden Ale and our hope is to be able to make the Golden our first all Salt Spring hopped brew. Murray has done quite a bit of experimenting with blending Salt Spring grown hops into the Golden Ale recipe, and we’re confident that by the time our crop has matured it will be a wonderful showcase of Island terroir.”
Other BC breweries bringing home medals include: Swans Gastro Brewpub with a Bronze for their Barley Wine, Lighthouse Brewing with a Silver for their Stout, Phillips with a Silver for their Scotch Ale and their Black Toque India Dark Ale and a Gold for their Chocolate Porter, Tree Brewing with a Gold for their IPA and Howe Sound with a Silver for their Brown Ale.
About Salt Spring Island Ales
Salt Spring Island Ales is 100 per cent locally owned and operated and 100 per cent of production (550 hectolitres per year) is done at the small brewery with a tiny staff of four. They are the smallest non-pub brewery in BC and they source their ingredients from as close to home as possible.
Salt Spring Island Ales is currently brewing the Salt Spring Golden Ale, Salt Spring Pale Ale, Salt Spring Porter, Salt Spring Whale Tale Ale (a German-style Altbier) and Salt Spring Island India Pale Ale. Their seasonal ales include the Heather Ale and the Fireside Winter Ale.
Salt Spring Island Ales are available on tap at a wide variety of establishments on Saltspring and Vancouver Island. The Golden Ale, Pale Ale and Porter are also available in select Vancouver Island and Salt Spring Island liquor stores in 650ml bottles.
For more information www.gulfislandsbrewing.com/ or call 250-858-1893. Brewery tours can be arranged upon request.
