Local craft brewery brings farm to glass

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on August 28, 2024.

Herald photo by Al Beeber Theoretically Brewing Co. owner Kelti Baird shows off a wall of hop vines. The local craft brewery sources all of its ingredients in Canada, including the barley and hops used in the process of creating its brews.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

The recent Open Farm Days was an opportunity for the agricultural community to connect with people who aren’t involved in the industry.

At various locations around southern Alberta including Farming Smarter, they could do just that.

Jamie Puchinger of Farming Smarter said that organization was giving people an opportunity to learn about their research as well as crop production and where food comes from.

Puchinger said many people don’t know how the food system works in general.

Southern Alberta is a large contributor to the agricultural economy, Puchinger said.

Farming Smarter is presently running about 160 research projects at four different locations.

A wide range of crops in southern Alberta, hundreds in fact, says Puchinger, ranging from wheat and canola to quinoa and even mint, coriander and thyme.

And crops aren’t just going from field to table. They’re going to glass such as the cold brews being served and sold at Theoretically Brewing in Lethbridge.

That craft brewery was part of Open Farm Days, hosting tours of their operation on 2 Ave. S. in Lethbridge.

Opened nine years ago by Kelti Baird and her business partner, the brewery sources all of its ingredients in Canada, including the barley and hops used in the process of creating brews that slake thirsts on hot summer days inside their facility, on their patio or at customers’ homes. And they have kegs that can be hauled to various functions.

Theoretically Brewing has been working with Tourism Lethbridge on urban/farm tourism including a cookbook that was recently produced.

“Because our product is field to glass we fit within the framework of Open Farm Days,” said Baird.

“We try to source as locally as possible. Most of our hops come from Flatland Hops over in Taber and they’re used in the majority of our beers” and for other hops they source Canadian only.

Barley is also sourced Canadian only and is processed in Alberta, noted Baird.

If any additives or flavourings are used, such as for a blueberry wheat ale now being sold, the fruit is sourced locally as well, she said.

“We’re all about supporting the local farmers and getting as much local flavour into our product as possible.”

The brewing industry has changed since basically the only beers available were from large domestic producers which dominated the market. But now the industry is getting back to a more local focus as the craft brewing industry grows.

“We’re getting back to that more local, how things were before that which is things are made here. We use local ingredients, it’s enjoyed by local people and it’s celebrated by local people,” said Baird.

Before Prohibition, Lethbridge had five or six breweries but after it ended, Sick’s was the only survivor, she said.

Since 2013, there has been a significant boom in the Alberta brewing industry with more than 150 craft brewers operating in this province.

Baird says people are gravitating toward craft beer because they recognize it’s made locally by people who care about the product and what goes into it.

“We’re very proud about our ingredients so we’re happy to list them for people which helps them with allergies or knowing what’s in their product. We employ local people to make the product so it all comes full circle and it helps support our community in return which is awesome,” added Baird whose team all makes the same wage she does as CEO.

Baird spends a lot of time in the brewery tap room talking to customers about their taste preference and learns what types of brews they might be interested in.

Local favourites include the blueberry ale and the brewery has also partnered with Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden to produce a matcha pale which is also sold at their Bunka Centre as well as the brewery and a couple of other locations.

“It’s very green tea forward, it’s absolutely lovely,” said Baird.

Theoretically brews 500 litres at a time so they can try experimental batches. Another popular brew right now, she said, is their key lime margarita sour and there is a Highway 3 Ale Trail brew which is a collaborative effort made by all eight breweries between Medicine Hat and the B.C. border.