The fifth annual Village Gardener community involved ale has been grown, picked, brewed, bottled, and is ready to be shared in the garden.
In our Village the community garden is the place to gather, grow and discuss matters of the neighbourhood. That’s why the Village Gardener project began with the idea of local growers and brewers coming together to make a collaborative beer, while learning a thing or two along the way.
Five years later, we have continued to do just that. Hops grown in 13 community gardens and dozens of Calgarian backyards are harvested and brewed to make a true community involved ale.
This year, in the spirit of experimentation, we also harvested locally grown beets to craft a unique Beet Session Ale. This limited ale is packed with whole-leaf hop aroma, earthy notes, and a purple tinge provided by the beets, all coming together to make the most Calgary tasting beer ever.
Five years of growing hops in Calgary alongside local community gardens has resulted in a lot of good, and a whole lot of hops. After a successful harvest this September, we had an abundance of hops so naturally we shared some of the whole-leaf hop love with the community. The result: Dozens of Yeast Wrangler home brewers using locally grown hops to brew their own creations, and our friends at True Buch Kombucha using these local hops to make their own hopped up Kombucha called Citrus Hop.
ATB Financial continues to partner with Village on the Gardener ale to provide financial support for those community gardens involved in the Gardener project. “ATB is proud to support and partner in the Village Gardener Community Ale initiative, as it combines our passion for agriculture, community, and a desire to get ones hands dirty to provide fresh produce in an urban setting.” said Kerri Roe, senior marketing manager at ATB financial.
This ale has always been a nod to all those great citizens that get their hands dirty and make their neighborhood a better place to live. And what better way to celebrate these gardeners then to raise a pint and share the beer we made together.
You can find the fifth annual Village Gardener Beet Session Ale in 650ml bottles while supplies last.