The craft space is chaotic.
The past decade has seen some incredible growth in the craft beer and beverage industry, and we are certainly fortunate to exist in a time with such an unbelievable spread of high-quality drinks around.
Nonetheless, making sense of the countless choices can weigh even a seasoned drinker down with a touch of analysis paralysis.
Over the years, the Kegshoe team has had the privilege of tasting many of these crafts and chatting with the teams behind them – now we want to do our part in shining some light, while adding a personal touch on some of our favourite beverages.
With this spirit in mind, we are proud to introduce to you, our On Tap Series. We’ll spotlight a beverage deserving attention, run a Q&A with the team that made it possible, and offer a behind-the-scenes look into the operation and culture.
Our first feature of the series brings us to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where Garrison Brewing is constantly working up new ways to keep beer fun and exciting.
We try to not take ourselves too seriously. If you can’t have fun selling beer, what can you have fun doing?
For the 2019 holiday season, Garrison has released a refreshed version of their winter classic – All Lit Up (20 IBU, 7.0% ABV). The beer is inspired by the warmth of Christmas Spices found in mulled cider or wine, and the name is inspired by the fires and festive lights of the holidays. With notes of caramel and chocolate malts, this festive strong ale is sure to keep you cozy.
The Garrison team was quick to note that even though it’s a yearly release, All Lit Up never remains the same. Head Brewer, Daniel Girard (pictured below), tweaks the recipe every. single. year. It typically follows the same vein, but year-to-year Daniel has been known to add orange peels, dates, and a variety of other goodies to the process to keep things interesting.
When asked how the team would describe All Lit Up in a few words, the answer was a resounding Spice Cake! All Lit Up is so spice-cakey, in fact, that the Garrison team has a special spice cake dessert recipe done-up to go with it.
What makes Garrison different from other breweries? Jeff Green, Garrison's Director of Sales, made it quite clear“We’re selling beer, not saving lives.” The team constantly asks themselves, “Is this fun enough?”, and they believe that it shows through in the quality of their product and experience. Jeff went on to say, “We try to not take ourselves too seriously. If you can’t have fun selling beer, what can you have fun doing?”
If you want to get All Lit Up this holiday season, check out Garrison's Kegshoe On Tap Map to see where it's pouring – Garrison On Tap.
Thanks to the Garrison team for creating such awesome beer, and for keeping the spirits high during the 2019 holiday season!
Until our next feature -
Happy Holidays from the Kegshoe Team.