The tasting of the Creston-brewed Keith’s that successfully passed the Accreditation Process was a big accomplishment for everyone involved. This success demonstrated a strong sense of commitment, one that honours the Keith’s beer drinkers in the West and shows them that the Keith’s beer they enjoy is brewed the same and tastes the same as the Halifax Keith’s. The team in Creston, led by Brew Master Scott Stokes, is to be congratulated for their efforts. It took a number of months & over 7 trials with subtle modifications, but after following our motto “taking the time to get it right” they were rewarded with a great beer.
To mark this momentous occasion, the Columbia Brewery in the Creston Valley put on a superb event celebrating the successful launch. Keith’s fans flocked to this mountain brewery to join in a day of Maritime foot stompin’ fun! To witness the event, the winners of the Keith’s Biggest Fan Facebook Contest were there, along with local dignitaries and employees. The Brewery Manager, Murray Oswald, acted as Master of Ceremonies for the event and I had the honour of addressing the crowd to recognize the hard work and dedication that everyone had gone through over the past several months. During the ceremony, Brew Master Scott Stokes tapped the official first keg of the Keith’s produced at the Columbia Brewery for everyone to enjoy, and we all agreed it couldn’t have tasted better! After the official cheers were done, we were treated to some great Maritime food and music. I am sure Creston never saw so many kilts before (even the Mayor wore the Keith’s tartan); however, given the hot weather and abundant good cheer, it could not have been a more appropriate outfit for the day.
Alexander Keith himself would be pleased to know that the quality and success of his beer is in good hands and that the Maritime tradition that he fostered over a century ago is alive and well across the country.
I’ve noticed quite a few comments on various beer blogs about the over-powering levels of DMS in Keith’s IPA. While many would consider this a defect, does Labatt consider it a desirable characteristic? If so, how do you control it?
Thanks for your question. DMS is a naturally occurring flavor-compound that is sourced from malted grain. Every beer contains it, and even more so in ales, where it contributes a grainy malty flavour. It is one of many flavour attributes that give Keith’s IPA its unique qualities that has remain unchanged for decades. The DMS level is set by the careful selection and malting processing of grain and also through brewing techniques primarily in the brewhouse department. Different barleys, depending on their natural protein levels and enzymes, produce a precursor to DMS. The malting process of barley through careful germination and kilning controls impact the level of DMS precursor. Subsequently, the total “hot” time of the wort and the degree of vigor of the boil bring out the DMS in the beer. Some brewers and beer drinkers like the characteristics of DMS and some do not. We have been brewing Keith’s a long time and are not planning to change it as that is what our beer drinkers have come to expect. Remember the saying “those who like it, like it a lot” - that is appropriate in understanding our tradition and we have no plan to change our recipe. I hope that gives you some insight.
Thanks for your reply on the DMS question. It makes perfect sense to control with “hot time” & boil vigour. Someone had made a post on Twitter and a brewer’s blog about a warm aging process (17 C) and DMS levels; which sounded really bizarre. This is a great forum to educate the public on the Keith’s brewing process, and at the same time dispel rumours. Keep up the great work!
I enjoyed your website just as I continue to enjoy your product. Keep up the good work.
Thanks so much for your support!
Graham, This is a great web site and a very interesting read.
Knowing a little bit about the beer making process, and being an avid beer drinker, I do have one question for you. I read on the Keith’s web site that you consider the most important step in the Keith’s process to be aging. Is it true that you consider this even more important than the critical processes that taken place in both the brewhouse and fermentation? I found this to be a strange statement and thought as brew master you might want to elaborate on why this is.
Thx. paul
All steps are critical. It would be an oversimplification to say that any one step in the Brewing process is the most essential. High quality ingredients are essential and give the beer its foundation to produce great flavour. In terms of process steps, the brewhouse is a critical area as this is where the wort is extracted from the grain and the boil happens.
During the wort boil the bittering and aroma character develops from the hops.
Fermentation adds an additional character to the beer as each yeast imparts its own flavour. Lastly, aging is important as during this step particulates drop out of solution and the flavour matures. Keith’s has been brewed the same way using the same time honoured traditions for decades.
Opinions may vary regarding what steps are considered to be the most essential step in the brewing process; however, for me it is ensuring that all steps be consistent so that variation between batches is eliminated.
This gives the Keith’s beer drinker the confidence to know what to expect every time they have one.
Regards,
Graham