Months ago, when I began this blog, I found myself at a microbrewery in London, Ontario called Stormed Stayed. While I was there I just happen to meet another local brewery owner: Gavin Anderson, from Anderson Craft Ales. Last week, when recapping the Canadian Brewing Awards, I noticed Anderson Craft Ales earned multiple recognitions and thought it would be a great time to reconnect. Turns out Anderson Craft Ales have quite a story and their recent accolades are just the rewards for this family’s hard work.
After a few months of renovations, Anderson Craft Ales officially opened in August of 2016. But their origins trace back to when Anderson, president and brewmaster, received a homebrew kit from his father Jim. It was a Christmas present, for the then 19-year-old Anderson, and little did the family know, but that gift would turn a hobby into a family business.
While homebrewing, Anderson continued his studies and earned a PhD in microbiology. Despite that, he continued to follow his passion for beer. He began volunteering at a local brewery before realizing that it was something he wanted to pursuit as a career. He moved on to become a brewmaster at an upstart microbrewery in New Brunswick before returning to Ontario. It was there that he convinced his family to buy into his idea of starting a brewery, which led to the birth of Anderson Craft Ales.
“The family aspect is a large part of the brewery,” said Anderson. “Everyone is involved in some aspect. I am the only one who works here full time but my siblings will handle events or tap room shifts, my parents help a lot on the business side, taking care of the paper work and making sure we have all the permits we need, and my wife runs our running club every Wednesday night.”
The key to Anderson’s success has come from a simple approach to crafting beer: “We only make beer we’d want to drink,” said Anderson.
The brewery has five main beers with seasonals and rotating taps also available. Their core beers are: an IPA, Amber Ale, Brown Ale, Stout and Cream Ale. That doesn’t mean they lack variety, quite the opposite as they do make roads into more unique styles like Extra Special Bitters, English styles and Belgian styles. Yet at the core, Anderson always asks the question “Would I want a growler of this?”
Flash forward to the Canadian Brewing Awards, May 24-26 in Halifax, N.S., where one of Anderson’s core beers took home the top prize in its category. The Cream Ale was the best of its kind in the country. “We were really excited,” said Anderson. “It won silver at the competition last year so we must have fine tuned it since then. This was the first gold medal any of our beers had won, so we were pretty pumped!”
In describing the Cream Ale, Anderson says that it is light, crisp and a counter part to their IPA. It is a traditional pre prohibition recipe that they found in an old recipe book. It uses classic hops, which he admits can be hard to find. However, the combination of factors seems to be working just right.
Anderson recognizes that accolades like this mean a lot to breweries, especially those in their early stages. “We are still pretty new and to have national recognition means a lot. I think it also motivates us to keep doing what we are doing.”
As if winning gold with the Cream Ale wasn’t enough, Anderson Craft Ales also took home a bronze at this year’s competition for their Spring Schwarzbier. “We originally came up with this one last spring but didn’t save any for the competition. This year we made sure to save a six-pack to send. It is a classic German Lager that we tried to stay as true to style as possible. It is made with all German malts and hops, has subtle chocolate notes and a smooth finish.”
What started up as a dream and a family affair, has now taken on a life of its own. Since opening, Anderson estimates they have brewed anywhere from 20 to 30 different beers. They have a few varieties in LCBO locations, primarily in the London area, and have been in approximately 100 local bars and restaurants.
For now Anderson Craft Ales is looking to keep doing what they are doing, keep up with demand and continue to supply those who are stocking their beer. But with recognitions like their recent awards, this family business is bound to reach new heights.
Cheers!
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Feature photo courtesy Anderson Craft Ales
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