PENTICTON – Martin Lewis knows that exploring craft beers at a festival or brewery can be an intimidating experience, and he has the tools to help beer lovers, from novice to veteran, navigate those hoppy waters.
Lewis, co-owner of Penticton’s Bad Tattoo Brewing, will be leading Beer Appreciation – an evening of craft beer tastings and beer education offered by Okanagan College. Delivering basic beer knowledge, the course is designed to help students make the best of any beer tasting experience – in particular, at festivals.
The tastings will take place on Thursday, Nov. 16 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the B.C. Wine Information Society Sensory Centre, a state-of-the-art classroom-style laboratory at the College’s Penticton campus. The facility was created for the sensory discovery and evaluation of wine and food and opened in 2014. This will be the second beer course offered in the Centre by Okanagan College and the first craft beer appreciation course.
Lewis, a Red Seal chef, will pair the beer tastings with festival-inspired culinary creations he prepares in the Centre’s kitchen. Participants will explore diverse styles of beers and gain an understanding of their palate range and preferences. The course will also delve into new and emerging beer trends, such as barrel-aged beers, beers with innovative ingredients and ancient beer styles coming back into popularity.
Known for its wine education programming, the College recognized the growing interest in craft brewing in the region and the popularity of local events, such as Fest of Ale.
The industry has seen significant growth across the Pacific Northwest in the last decade. Many local restaurants and private liquor stores have jumped on the trend, offering more diverse beer selections from smaller, independent breweries.
According to Ken Beattie, Executive Director of the BC Craft Brewers Guild, the industry is undergoing unprecedented growth.
“In 2013, there were less than 50 craft breweries in the province. We now have over 125 breweries in 60 different communities that employ over 4500 people directly.”
The Okanagan now boasts 15 craft breweries, including four in Penticton. Lewis believes the industry is just gaining momentum and we can expect to see more breweries pop up in the region.
