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This is Canada's First 'Collaborative Brewery'

Opening a brewery is a daunting task... While it seems like new ones are popping up in our province every day, the process is a massive undertaking.

Opening a brewery is a daunting task...

While it seems like new ones are popping up in our province every day, the process is a massive undertaking. The costs are significant, there are few areas in the lower mainland with the proper zoning to make it happen. Then there’s branding, licences, distribution. Success is no guarantee and at the end of the day you still need to make great beer.

When Chris Lay and his partner Diana Mckenzie opened Callister Brewing Co. this was in the back of their minds. Every budding brewery owner must answer this question: how do we stand out in the local beer scene? Chris and Diana came up with an answer that solved that problem and gave enterprising brewers an opportunity to circumvent many of the challenges associated with starting a brewery.Callister is a ‘co-working brewery’, a launching pad for up-and-coming brewers eager to take their brews to the next level both in the tanks and in the taproom.

As members of ‘VanBrewers’ Chris and Diana were amazed by the talent of the local homebrewing community. They wanted to find a way to tap into that group and give brewers the chance to take their homebrews out of the house and into a brewery. Callister brings on new breweries on one year terms which give brewmasters the chance to hone their skills and develop their brand while working towards the goal of opening their own brewery.

Callister’s current slate of breweries includes Boombox Brewing, Lightheart Brewing and Real Cask. We had the chance to sit down with Adam Chatburn of Real Cask and Nathaniel Senff of Lightheart to learn about what it’s like to brew in a collaborative, co-working space.

While working in this system is not without its challenges, (namely time and space), the brewers have found that the benefits far outweigh any drawbacks. Taking a recipe from the homebrew level to a full scale brewery becomes easier when you have a network of brewers working around you. Callister and the other breweries also benefit from the variety of beers they can offer. While Adam Chatburn of Real Cask focuses solely on traditional, English-style cask ales, Boombox Brewing is all about big, hoppy IPAs and sours. Callister and Lightheart round out the mix with a great selection of European ales, Pacific-Northwest styles, saisons and more. As Chris says, “Because everyone’s focusing on what they want to do, I don’t feel like I have to hit every note. I get to brew the beer that I want.” While this is an advantage for each brewer it’s also great for customers who get to experience one of the most eclectic tap lists in the lower mainland.

If you’re a BC craft beer fan then Callister is a must visit if not for the variety then for the creativity of the beers and the brewers that produce them. Each brewer takes a shift at the counter every week so it’s easy to learn more about the beer you’re drinking and the process behind it. Coming to Callister is a real experience and a great insight into the local craft beer scene as a whole. Community, collaboration and good beer. What more could you ask for?