We love beer! We will never pass up the opportunity to try a new craft beer. During our Calgary visit we were pleasantly surprised at the craft beer movement in this fabulous town. Tucked away in the industrial neighborhood of Calgary is the Village Brewery. You know us, we had to take a tour and a taste (well, a few tastes 
). In addition to a Brewery tour, we were invited to the Village Brewery Hump Day Social. The event changed not just my perception of craft beer, but of business in general! This one day solidified my love for the city of Calgary and the people who live here.
Village Brewery
By now most of our readers know that I have a penchant for the dramatic, but heed these words, the Village Brewery changed my life. The social is not a public event, but it was a wonderful window into how this company operates. Kenin and I arrived to the Hump Day Social a bit early to take some photos and shake some hands. We were pleasantly greeted by several Village employees and were allowed to wander around with our cameras. We gathered when the crowd started to thicken and the beer started to flow. The social promotes businesses from all over Calgary to join in and talk, not just about beer, but about their city. During the social we mingled with a surprisingly large variety of people. There was a mix of local business people, farmers, artists, beer guys, and even an Ultimate Frisbee player and rep (yes you read that right). All of us gathered together to meet, greet, and share a pint. The beer was fantastic, the energy was even better.
Head Perfection
The table tops in the brewery were painted by local artists, the wall art was as well. 100% of the sales of the art on the walls go back to the artist. This was a business born out of love of their community and they definitely give back. Most beer tours are pretty similar, but hearing the stories of how Village came about and seeing the love and care that goes into their process was a bit overwhelming. If they can source their ingredients locally, they do.
Village Brewery Tanks
Village creates great beer throughout the community with local ingredients and the hard work of local people. They promote creativity in their beer and their business.
6 pack patience
This company is all about community. They made us yearn to be a part of something so big. Kenin and I left the social with a feeling of wonder. We wanted to give back, not just to Calgary, but to every city we visit. We were taught a very powerful lesson on our tour that had little to do with beer. A little guy can make a huge impact on a community with just the right balance of care, work, and love.
Village Brewery Staircase
It takes a beer to raise a village and a village to raise a beer! This company stands by their motto and are so loud about it that it spreads like wildfire. Truly inspirational!
Village Brewery Growler – Fill ‘er up!
It would be silly of me to write about a beer brewery tour without talking about the beer right?? Village Brewery has a handful of beers that are always available all the time, but in our opinion the best brews are some of their seasonal choices. Kenin and I both really enjoyed the Village Monk which is a porter with a twist, Chai Spice. It had all the qualities of a great porter, with a mild undertone of spice. It made it both easy to drink and it perfectly matched the season. With a pretty constantly rotating selection of high quality crafts you can keep up with the variety here. We tried everything they had on tap when we visited and I can tell you this. There wasn’t one brew I wouldn’t be happy to have another of. Village Brewery just makes the kind of beer you want to share, well with the whole Village
Details
Village Brewery
5000 12A Street SE
Calgary, Alberta
(403) 243-3327
http://www.villagebrewery.com/
