It was with great pleasure that I welcomed Scott Stokes, the Columbia Brewery’s Brewmaster, to Halifax and started taking him through the Accreditation Process to brew Alexander Keith’s I.P.A. It is important that he understands not only the process of brewing Keith’s, but also the long standing relationship that Nova Scotia has with this beer. So my time with Scott focused both on the technical aspects of brewing Keith’s and the traditions and heritage that it represents.I toured Scott through the historic original Alexander Keith’s brewery site. It is a great place filled with tremendous history. The Brewery dates back to the 1820s and it has always been a landmark in Halifax. It is on the waterfront close to the city centre and in the past served a rapidly growing population that relied on the sea and sailing ships as its economic lifeline. Halifax’s reputation was renowned around the world for its harbour, its people and its good times.
Scott and I went through some of old stone caverns and tunnels in the brewery and I think he was quite impressed by what he saw. For one it was built when there were not too many people taller than 6 feet. This would have made him a unique person back in the 1800’s as he is 6′2″ and had to keep his head down to avoid smacking it on the ceiling! We went through the original brewing areas of the Brewery and discussed details around the high quality ingredients and water used in the Keith’s Brewing process.
Scott also came through the Oland Brewery on Agricola Street where we currently brew Keith’s. Scott again had an opportunity to look at the entire Brewing Operation. We discussed in detail all the technical aspects of equipment, ingredients and processes employed. In particular, we detailed the quality check expectations that go into brewing every batch of Keith’s. Additionally, Scott met with some of the employees who work and depend on Keith’s for their livelihood. Many employees have worked here for generations and Scott developed an understanding of how important Keith’s is to all of us.
Halifax has many great pubs and Scott’s tour would not have been complete without stopping in at a few of the local favorites for a few pints of the best beer. The Red Stag, The Old Triangle and The Lower Deck are a few that have built a great long term relationship between the Keith’s drinker and the Brewery. The Pub atmosphere is a great place to witness how Maritimers enjoy themselves through our music and socializing.
Mr Alexander Keith played a prominent role in the history of the region. Scott needed to understand that his principles are still very important today. Mr Keith was three times Mayor of the city and a great benefactor to many. To make this point we visited his gravesite and read the inscriptions. “Veritas Vincit” - truth conquers — represents our beliefs today as well as in Mr Keith’s time and is still printed on our packaging.
I am sure Scott left with a positive impression of the region. He not only has a understanding of how to brew Keiths but also of what being a Maritimer is all about and how Keith’s has played a long standing role in the region. I look forward to seeing how Scott takes his learnings back to Creston and imparts it to the Columbia Brewery.
