"Here's to the Dog Days of Summer. Romans thought it was when the Dog Star rose and set with the sun. Between July 3 and August 11 is still usually the hottest, driest time of the year, and it's when Chilliwackians tend to slow down, sometimes seeking out more leisurely pursuits."
The folks at Old Yale Pale Ale Brewery have been hard at work preparing for the Dog Days of Summer.
They want people to know they've been brewing up batches of beer with the same distinct and tasty recipes that earned them industry awards in the discerning world of micro beer.
"The important thing is that Chilliwack has its well-respected brewery back," says Jeremy Sibley, one of the co-owners who joined forces with master brewer Larry Caza to reinvigorate the brewery several months ago.
Things are starting to move.
"The last three months have been fantastic," said Sibley.
Old Yale is now carried in more than half a dozen pubs and restaurants around Chilliwack and Harrison areas.
The hand-crafted beer took on a new streamlined look with the re-branding once the new owners took over earlier this year, putting aside the artsy, retro labels for now. It's now being sold in cans, larger-format bottles and kegs.
The fan favourites are still available such as the Pale Ale, IPA, and Cultus Lake Pilsner. The spent grain used in the beer making goes to a local farmer who feeds it to his cattle.
They used to have a Chilliwack Blonde variety, which was consistently in demand, and they decided to bring it back.
The newest batch is coming soon.
"We've had a lot of requests for it recently from pub owners and liquor stores," Sibley said.
The secret might be the clean Chilliwack water, and the fact the Caza uses all-natural ingredients.
They've been concentrating on reconnecting with loyal customers and branching out into Vancouver and other big volume markets.
"We're slowly growing out," he said. "We're still nothing big, but we're growing in Alberta."
jfeinberg@theprogress.com
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