Here are some pictures...
All of these pictures were taken by ALICIA....
Have a look at her other images at
http://soulus.deviantart.com/gallery/
alicia [soulus420@gmail.com]
Monday, May 11, 2009
Thursday, May 07, 2009
JUNIOR CHAMBER International
Where: Amber's Brewing Company, 9926-78 Avenue
When: Thursday, May 7th, 2009
Cocktails & Networking at 6:30 p.m.
Speaker at 7:00 p.m.
Networking to follow
COST: Free for JCI Members; $10 for Guests
| Tammy Ward, MGI Inspires Power of People: Teamwork & Communication Power of People: teamwork & communication - A highly interactive team activity exploring: enhanced communication; power of listening to understand; shared leadership; building engagement; empowerment & team synergy; ego & competition; impact of trust & respect in building commitment. BIO: Tammy Ward brings over 10 years of corporate leadership experience in the IT world to her world of Team building, Leadership development, coaching and facilitation. Tammy believes in the power of people working well together as well as acknowledges the challenges and realities involved to enable this teamwork. Tammy works with MGI, a company which specializes in experiential training focused on the behavioural and systemic evolution of teams and organizations. MGI has been inspiring purpose, performance, & productivity through meaningful fun in Western Canada and beyond for 25 years.
Upcoming Speakers include: Jim Rakievivh - CEO McCoy Corporation, Les Hewitt, CEO- Power of Focus, Dave Mowat CEO - ATB
| |
We encourage all members to contact us should you have any suggestions on speakers or topics you believe would benefit the membership. Email ideas to president@jciedmonton.com
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
We are in Marc Suit's Journal BLOG
In the middle of March The Journal began running a new strip on its comics page and it has quite a connection to Edmonton and beer.
Betty is drawn by Gerry Rasmussen and written by Gary Delainey both Edmontonians.
The pair are familiar to longtime Journal readers as the creators of Bub Slug, a homegrown hit with comic fans from 1985 to 1989. In 1990, they sent Bub off to a comic syndicate, but it was Bub's wife Betty who grabbed the syndicate's attention.
That's the Edmonton connection, here's where the beer connection comes in.
Bub, in his earlier incarnartion, was Edmonton's favourite waterfall maintenance man. Edmonton's Amber's Brewing brews a beer named after the loveable lug. The brew is Bub's Lunch Pail Ale.
The packaging is cleverly made to look like a lunch pail too!
The beer is a nicely hopped pale ale with a malty, caramel flavour, some floral elements and a smooth satisfying finish.
Now you can read and Edmonton comic strip in your Edmonton newspaper and drink a beer brewed in Edmonton named after one of Edmonton's comic strip icons.
Cheers
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
A Quick Response and what happened with `The Calendar`
in 30 seconds
Greenpeace approached us about appearing in a recycling calendar with some of Alberta`s `Green` companies and they told us the City of Edmonton was already taking part. We thought it would be interesting so we allowed them to use the brewery for some shots - we were guaranteed approval of any images before inclusion (we have that right by law regardless).
They came to the brewery, they took some shots, they left.
Several weeks later they showed up with a completed Calendar. We were taken aback and refused to sign off on our inclusion in the calendar for two reasons:
1) it included many inappropriate images (very little clothes) that were designed only to shock and titilate.
2) we had been misled. It was not a `recycling` calendar but a VERY different calendar which would lead people to believe that we agreed with its primary message.
We asked them to remove our image from the calendar and they refused.
We do not have the kind of funds required to take them to court to withdraw the calendar (or at least the page with our image on it) and, frankly, that would have been pointless since Greenpeace has disavowed ALL involvment.
So we left it to fade into oblivion until the Edmonton Journal decided to bring it to people`s attention. They made it clear that The City of Edmonton was unhappy and (without contacting us) made it look like we approved of the overall message. So we contacted the Journal to do a follow up on our side but we were informed that it was unlikely since that wasn`t very interesting.
Thankfuly Global Edmonton interviewed us and allowed us to tell our side.
Here is a link to the page:
http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/edmonton/video/index.html
click on Noon News Hour April 15th
We hope this clears things up.
Please do not send any more threatening letters.
in 30 seconds
Greenpeace approached us about appearing in a recycling calendar with some of Alberta`s `Green` companies and they told us the City of Edmonton was already taking part. We thought it would be interesting so we allowed them to use the brewery for some shots - we were guaranteed approval of any images before inclusion (we have that right by law regardless).
They came to the brewery, they took some shots, they left.
Several weeks later they showed up with a completed Calendar. We were taken aback and refused to sign off on our inclusion in the calendar for two reasons:
1) it included many inappropriate images (very little clothes) that were designed only to shock and titilate.
2) we had been misled. It was not a `recycling` calendar but a VERY different calendar which would lead people to believe that we agreed with its primary message.
We asked them to remove our image from the calendar and they refused.
We do not have the kind of funds required to take them to court to withdraw the calendar (or at least the page with our image on it) and, frankly, that would have been pointless since Greenpeace has disavowed ALL involvment.
So we left it to fade into oblivion until the Edmonton Journal decided to bring it to people`s attention. They made it clear that The City of Edmonton was unhappy and (without contacting us) made it look like we approved of the overall message. So we contacted the Journal to do a follow up on our side but we were informed that it was unlikely since that wasn`t very interesting.
Thankfuly Global Edmonton interviewed us and allowed us to tell our side.
Here is a link to the page:
http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/edmonton/video/index.html
click on Noon News Hour April 15th
We hope this clears things up.
Please do not send any more threatening letters.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
From the Edmonton Journal
City might sue over anti-tarsands calendar
Reuse Centre image obtained without official permission, GM says
By Jennifer Fong, The Edmonton JournalApril 14, 2009Comments (15)
The cover shot of the fundraising Stop the Tarsands calendar has drawn some controversy.
Photograph by: Supplied, Edmonton Journal
The city of Edmonton is considering legal action after officials discovered the Edmonton Reuse Centre, a city facility, is featured in an anti-oilsands calendar created by local environmental activists.
"We're quite disappointed in the misleading approach that was taken," said Lorna Rosen, general manager of city of Edmonton asset management and public works. "We're reviewing our procedures and we're also examining the legal options." The calendar in question was created as a fundraising initiative for Stop the Tar Sands, a campaign supported by a number of local environmental groups, including Greenpeace. The campaign's goal, according to the Greenpeace website, is to lobby the Alberta government to halt new oilsands development.
The calendar cover features a model, wearing only black underwear, smeared head to toe with what appears to be oil. She's holding what's supposed to look like a duck. In the background is the Stop the Tar Sands logo.
Inside, more scantily clad models pose at or for local businesses and organizations, including University of Alberta radio station CJSR, Amber's Brewing Co., and the Edmonton Bicycle Commuters Association. Blurbs describe each featured establishment and its environmental connections.
The month of May features a photo of a woman, dressed only in a swath of white cloth, posing among the Reuse Centre's blue bins.
Fraser Porter, a Stop the Tar Sands campaign volunteer who spearheaded the calendar project with fellow volunteer Amy Goudie, said the calendar was meant to spark discussions about sustainable businesses and the development of a green economy, and to motivate Edmontonians to support local environmental initiatives.
She said staff at the Reuse Centre were "great to talk to and to deal with." Told city officials were concerned about the anti-oilsands link, she said, "I feel bad for the people at the Reuse Centre now." Rosen said volunteer staff at the Reuse Centre were approached to participate in what was described as a locally produced "eco-calendar" last year, and were told they would be able to approve all photos taken before publication. A release was to also be signed, she said, but "none of that happened." The photo shoot took place at the centre after hours. "It wasn't mentioned at all that ... it would be a calendar with the theme of stopping the oilsands," Rosen said.
"This calendar isn't an environmental calendar. It's a calendar with an agenda," Rosen said. "The city of Edmonton has a long, proud history, particularly in waste management services, of being extremely environmental and being environmentally conscious. Our actions speak very, very loudly, and for a group that has political motivation to use our stellar reputation against it, that doesn't sit well with me." Porter declined to comment on whether centre staff had requested to sign a release or whether they sought approval of the photos taken.
So far, Porter said, those who have seen the calendar are less bothered by the product than about the impact of the oilsands on the environment.
"The calendar cover is not pretty," Porter said.
"People were fine after they got past the cover. They thought it was hip, sexy, fun." About 300 copies of the calendar were made, with around 100 still available for $20 apiece at Earth's General Store, clothing store Lucid Lifestyles, Amber's Brewery, and the Greenpeace warehouse.
The project has almost broken even, Porter said, but so far has generated no profit that could benefit the Stop the Tar Sands campaign.
City councillors Tony Caterina and Don Iveson were surprised to hear about the calendar when they were contacted by The Journal.
"I don't know if the city of Edmonton would be prepared to take a position in implied support to Greenpeace and their actions at this point," Caterina said.
jfong@thejournal.canwest.com
© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journa
City might sue over anti-tarsands calendar
Reuse Centre image obtained without official permission, GM says
By Jennifer Fong, The Edmonton JournalApril 14, 2009Comments (15)
The cover shot of the fundraising Stop the Tarsands calendar has drawn some controversy.
Photograph by: Supplied, Edmonton Journal
The city of Edmonton is considering legal action after officials discovered the Edmonton Reuse Centre, a city facility, is featured in an anti-oilsands calendar created by local environmental activists.
"We're quite disappointed in the misleading approach that was taken," said Lorna Rosen, general manager of city of Edmonton asset management and public works. "We're reviewing our procedures and we're also examining the legal options." The calendar in question was created as a fundraising initiative for Stop the Tar Sands, a campaign supported by a number of local environmental groups, including Greenpeace. The campaign's goal, according to the Greenpeace website, is to lobby the Alberta government to halt new oilsands development.
The calendar cover features a model, wearing only black underwear, smeared head to toe with what appears to be oil. She's holding what's supposed to look like a duck. In the background is the Stop the Tar Sands logo.
Inside, more scantily clad models pose at or for local businesses and organizations, including University of Alberta radio station CJSR, Amber's Brewing Co., and the Edmonton Bicycle Commuters Association. Blurbs describe each featured establishment and its environmental connections.
The month of May features a photo of a woman, dressed only in a swath of white cloth, posing among the Reuse Centre's blue bins.
Fraser Porter, a Stop the Tar Sands campaign volunteer who spearheaded the calendar project with fellow volunteer Amy Goudie, said the calendar was meant to spark discussions about sustainable businesses and the development of a green economy, and to motivate Edmontonians to support local environmental initiatives.
She said staff at the Reuse Centre were "great to talk to and to deal with." Told city officials were concerned about the anti-oilsands link, she said, "I feel bad for the people at the Reuse Centre now." Rosen said volunteer staff at the Reuse Centre were approached to participate in what was described as a locally produced "eco-calendar" last year, and were told they would be able to approve all photos taken before publication. A release was to also be signed, she said, but "none of that happened." The photo shoot took place at the centre after hours. "It wasn't mentioned at all that ... it would be a calendar with the theme of stopping the oilsands," Rosen said.
"This calendar isn't an environmental calendar. It's a calendar with an agenda," Rosen said. "The city of Edmonton has a long, proud history, particularly in waste management services, of being extremely environmental and being environmentally conscious. Our actions speak very, very loudly, and for a group that has political motivation to use our stellar reputation against it, that doesn't sit well with me." Porter declined to comment on whether centre staff had requested to sign a release or whether they sought approval of the photos taken.
So far, Porter said, those who have seen the calendar are less bothered by the product than about the impact of the oilsands on the environment.
"The calendar cover is not pretty," Porter said.
"People were fine after they got past the cover. They thought it was hip, sexy, fun." About 300 copies of the calendar were made, with around 100 still available for $20 apiece at Earth's General Store, clothing store Lucid Lifestyles, Amber's Brewery, and the Greenpeace warehouse.
The project has almost broken even, Porter said, but so far has generated no profit that could benefit the Stop the Tar Sands campaign.
City councillors Tony Caterina and Don Iveson were surprised to hear about the calendar when they were contacted by The Journal.
"I don't know if the city of Edmonton would be prepared to take a position in implied support to Greenpeace and their actions at this point," Caterina said.
jfong@thejournal.canwest.com
© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journa
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
A Blog review...
retreived from: http://dustmybroom.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10815:friday-night-blues-and-beer-143&catid=36:friday-night-blues-and-beer
And here is the text.
Friday Night Blues and Beer #143
Written by Darcey
Friday, 23 January 2009 12:42
The Beer: I was rummaging around my beer stash and came across this forgotten jem - say hello to a Maple Lager from Amber's Brewing Company in Edmonton, Alberta (home of the world's best beer). She pours a clear and brilliant amber with a slim white head. The carbonation consists of small and delicate bubbles of great joy pelting the underside of the lacing vying to be free. The aroma is like butter on a sore week, slicing through the pain, bringing maple goodness and accentuating our proud Canadian spirit. Love, perseverance with just a touch of Belgian waffles. Going down she is sweet on the tongue with maple sugarness and finishes with a slight after taste of bark but hey - it is a maple beer. I wouldn't have it everyday but I would keep it around to impress our American visitors. Contains 5.30% alcohol content. Two thumbs up but as always get a second opinion.
retreived from: http://dustmybroom.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10815:friday-night-blues-and-beer-143&catid=36:friday-night-blues-and-beer
And here is the text.
Friday Night Blues and Beer #143
Written by Darcey
Friday, 23 January 2009 12:42
The Beer: I was rummaging around my beer stash and came across this forgotten jem - say hello to a Maple Lager from Amber's Brewing Company in Edmonton, Alberta (home of the world's best beer). She pours a clear and brilliant amber with a slim white head. The carbonation consists of small and delicate bubbles of great joy pelting the underside of the lacing vying to be free. The aroma is like butter on a sore week, slicing through the pain, bringing maple goodness and accentuating our proud Canadian spirit. Love, perseverance with just a touch of Belgian waffles. Going down she is sweet on the tongue with maple sugarness and finishes with a slight after taste of bark but hey - it is a maple beer. I wouldn't have it everyday but I would keep it around to impress our American visitors. Contains 5.30% alcohol content. Two thumbs up but as always get a second opinion.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
We sampled at the ROXY Theatre for the most recent production of "Hey Ladies..."
We sampled the new MORA and the Kenmount Road Chocolate Stout in honour of St. Valentine's Day.
http://theatrenetwork.ca/our-shows.php?id=179
We sampled the new MORA and the Kenmount Road Chocolate Stout in honour of St. Valentine's Day.
http://theatrenetwork.ca/our-shows.php?id=179
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
We are in the Gateway!!!!
Here is the image in all its glory (retrieved from http://www.thegatewayonline.ca/articles/news/2009/01/19/dewey-s-offer-local-brew )
And here is the text version: Dewey’s to offer local brew
Amber’s Brewing ale available Thursday, Friday only
Arah Slack, News Writer
Beer connoisseurs at the University of Alberta will now be able to find two new local microbrews from Amber’s Brewing Co on tap at Dewey’s lounge. Beer taps at the student coffee house can pour draught from this Edmonton-based brewing company, which was founded by U of A alumnus Jim Gibbon and brewmaster Joe Parrel.
“I wanted a brewery that was all about Edmonton,” Gibbons said of his decision to approach Dewey’s manager Katherine Xue about bringing Amber’s to campus.
“We want to have a lifelong relationship with the U of A. I’ve spent over half my life there.”
With so many years spent roaming the grounds of campus, it’s no wonder that their signature Bub’s Lunch Pail Ale is named after a comic called Bub Slug that was printed in the Gateway in 1976.
This quintessentially Edmonton character and campus heritage expresses why Gibbons wanted to start his brewery here. Xue is also looking forward to the relationship as she aims to offer unique products, like Amber’s, and other student-oriented incentives at Dewey’s.
But despite the excitement of the company’s homecoming, both parties agreed upon the challenges of expanding a microbrew business to campus, where Dewey’s has weathered some business concerns of its own.
Two of Amber’s craft beers, Bub’s Pail Ale and Sap Vampire Maple Lager, are on the new second bar Xue has opened in Dewey’s, located in the area previously known as the Powerplant. The second bar will only be open on Thursday and Friday evenings.
Additionally, the mezzanine portion in the Powerplant area of Dewey’s is about to be annexed by the University for storage, and Xue is concerned about the business loss from suddenly losing a 100 person capacity of seating.
“In order for a local beer to be popular, we really need the seating space, as well as student interest,” she noted.
While Gibbons would like to see the bar open more often, Dewey’s has neither the staff nor the business potential to maintain service.
The two draughts, however, are a unique addition, and Xue says she wants to provide students with something special at a lesser cost than the imported beers. The real test will be to see how much the campus population consistently likes the beers, and if it will persuade them to frequent the bar at those chosen times.
Gibbons is excited nonetheless to see Amber’s brews on campus.
“They’ve given us a shot, and now it’s up to us to do a great job.”
Monday, January 19, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
For those that love BUB!!!
Here is one of the comics from the Edmonton Journal...
Here is a larger version hidden on our beervulture.com site.
www.beervulture.com/ABImages/Bubs-MrPlywood.jpg
Here is one of the comics from the Edmonton Journal...
Here is a larger version hidden on our beervulture.com site.
www.beervulture.com/ABImages/Bubs-MrPlywood.jpg
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Please stop by to see what is up and Coming!!!
Time: January 16, 2009 at 6pm
Location: Amber's Brewing Company
Street: 9926 78 Ave NW
City/Town: Edmonton, AB
Website or Map: http://eccsociety.com/modul...
Contact Info: (403) 220-7403
Event Type: Prairie Region, NMNP
Organized By: John Reid, Prairie Regional Director
Time: January 16, 2009 at 6pm
Location: Amber's Brewing Company
Street: 9926 78 Ave NW
City/Town: Edmonton, AB
Website or Map: http://eccsociety.com/modul...
Contact Info: (403) 220-7403
Event Type: Prairie Region, NMNP
Organized By: John Reid, Prairie Regional Director
We were in the papers...
 |
Sun, January 4, 2009 Toast of the town | |
Heady year and bright future for Edmonton-based Amber's Brewing Co. |
|
The local beer industry is about to get a whole lot sudsier in 2009 as a burgeoning Edmonton-based company prepares to double its production.
Amber's Brewing Co., which launched its signature Bub's Lunch Pail Ale a year ago, is toasting a heady 2008 that has ushered in a bubbly future.
"It's amazing. We're growing so fast, we can't really keep up right now," owner Jim Gibbon told Sun Media from the microbrewery's southside facility at 9926 78 Ave.
"We've gone from the problem of not having enough sales to cover our production capabilities to not having enough production capabilities to cover our sales."
The growth spurt comes amid the ongoing economic slowdown, perhaps proving that beer sales really are recession-proof.
It also comes in the wake of Gibbon's decision not to use sex and provocative advertising to sell his beer.
"No boobs in Amber's," he quipped, noting that that's not the image he had in mind for his brew. Rather, the beer has been marketed as uniquely Edmontonian.
Bub's Lunch Pail Ale, for instance, features syndicated comic-strip character Bub Slug on its label.
Slug, created by Edmonton cartoonists Gary Delainey and Gerry Rasmussen, is pictured on the label smiling in front of the High Level Bridge and Great Divide Waterfall with Edmonton's skyline in the background.
"A blue-collar guy with a hard hat, proud of where he's from," Gibbon explained of the famous waterfall maintenance man currently appearing in the Betty comic strip that runs daily in the Edmonton Sun and other newspapers around the globe.
The hometown microbrewery's rapid growth over its first full year of business was punctuated last month when the Liquor Depot chain opted to start carrying Bub's Lunch Pail Ale.
"That takes us from 40 stores across Alberta to 220 stores across Alberta overnight," said Gibbon, a fourth-generation Edmontonian.
Amber's, currently the purveyor of seven types of craft beers, is also bolstering its tap presence in bars and restaurants across the city. Late last week, two taps were installed at Dewey's on the University of Alberta campus.
"In this industry, taps are gold. In other words, a person who will put your beer on tap and sell it to the public is gold," Gibbon said, noting it's no easy task to displace an established beer maker. "It takes a long time to get even a single tap."
And if all goes well in the new year, the barley-pop firm will soon start selling a sampler six-pack of its offerings across Canada under the trademarked Amber's E-Town Ales.
It all points to the need for increased capacity, which is why Amber's is in the midst of releasing $30 shares and hunting for secured investors. Minimum buy-ins are expected to be around $15,000.
"We'd like to find 20 or 30 people in Edmonton that realize the stock market is a disaster right now, so pull a few of those dollars out of the stock market and throw it into a local company," Gibbon said.
"It's called a private placement. We're going to use the money to upgrade our equipment, hire new staff and go to phase two."
Gibbon realizes that the next year will bring some new challenges. But for now, the optimist says his glass is half full.
Visit ambersbrewing.com for more information.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Mark Suits taste tested our latest...
Taste test - Kenmount Road Chocolate Stout
Kenmount Road Chocolate Stout
Amber's Brewing
Edmonton
5.6 % alcohol, 341 ml bottles, twist-off cap
You would be a happy beer lover on Christmas Day if you found this fine brew under the tree.
The beer pours very dark brown to black with a medium density foamy brown head.
The aroma is a mellow collection of roasted malt and chocolate with a hit of coffee smokiness.
Initially the taste is sweet, giving way to a bitterness that disolves into malty, molasses elemets which fade to a lingering finish with a bit more chocolate and roastiness.
As I said before this is a fine brew, very smooth with certain creaminess.
Something not to be overlooked with the beer is that it's brewed right here in Edmonton. I believe beer lovers should try to support our local brewers. Also, beer vendors (bars and stores) should be making the local brews available.
Cheers
Friday, December 12, 2008
Friday, December 05, 2008
Graham Hicks mentioned us in the Sun again...
"COMING TO A LIQUOR STORE NEAR YOU
Here is the original
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Columnists/Hicks_Graham/2008/12/05/7639321-sun.html
"COMING TO A LIQUOR STORE NEAR YOU
Good news for Jim Gibbon's Amber's Brewing.
The Liquor Barn and Liquor Depot chain will carry the Old Strathcona micro-brewery's Bub's Lunch Pail Ale.
The biggest problem any microbrewery faces is placing product into more than just a few speciality beer stores. Amber's offers some five outstanding beers, including a chocolate stout for Christmas. All are available at the brewery door, 9926 78 Avenue."
Here is the original
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Columnists/Hicks_Graham/2008/12/05/7639321-sun.html
Sunday, October 26, 2008
We were at the Edmonton Rocky Mountain Food and Wine Festival
And boy did we enjoy ourselves. We met some wonderful people served some wonderful beverages and samples some wonderful food.
Here is a link to the show...
http://www.rockymountainwine.com/edmonton.html
and our video from the show (for anyone that has ever wanted to see what it looks like behind the taps...
And boy did we enjoy ourselves. We met some wonderful people served some wonderful beverages and samples some wonderful food.
Here is a link to the show...
http://www.rockymountainwine.com/edmonton.html
and our video from the show (for anyone that has ever wanted to see what it looks like behind the taps...
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Joe appeared in The October 14th UNLIMITED Magazine
Save The Ales
Beer is not your dad’s boring business anymore
Tuesday, 14 October 2008Joe Parrell, 32
Amber’s Brewing Co., Edmonton
In a stroke of luck, Parrell walked away from his quality control job at the century-old Molson’s brewery in Edmonton in the summer of 2007 just hours before it shut its doors permanently. He rolled into this new upstart microbrewery, where he and Jim Gibbon run the small operation.
“At Molson’s I never had the chance to do the creative side of brewing. Now I do everything. Instead of going to meetings and talking about what needs to be done, here you just do it.”
Australian Mountain Pepper Berry Ale is one of the most unique beers in Canada. Made with a small, spicy blueberry-like fruit from Down Under, it is a pale golden beer with a grainy, peppery aroma. The flavour is subtle with a touch of fruit and spice and a sharp, dry finish. A beer that grows on you over time.
http://www.unlimitedmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=420
Friday, September 26, 2008
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
We are on the Recycle Alberta Website
Taken from: http://www.recycle.ab.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=162
Think Green Success Story: Edmonton Brewery Eliminates Wastefeature sponsored by Waste Management of Canada Corp. back to top
Amber’s Brewing Company is getting rid of their garbage container. The Edmonton microbrewery’s efforts at recycling have been so successful that they have decided that an industrial garbage service is no longer needed. They already recycle as much as possible, in particular a huge amount of cardboard and shipping plastics. Beverage containers from the lunch room are collected by the Winnifred Stewart Society as a fundraiser – the society keeps the deposit refunds. The only thing Amber’s is still trying to deal with is a small amount of food waste (lunch leftovers and coffee grounds), which they would happily provide to somebody who would like to compost them. Amber’s street sign is made of recycled material. In fact, it is a recycled steel door that would otherwise have ended up in a landfill. It is now a lovingly hand‑painted sign. The door sign is made of a piece of stainless steel that was recycled when the brewery disassembled one of their tanks. Solar energy will provide power for lighting the door sign in the near future. The brewery is housed in a building with enormous south-facing windows. This means that artificial indoor lighting is rarely required, which makes for a naturally bright atmosphere. To save water, low-flow toilets were installed. Electric overhead door lifters were disconnected to go back to the “good old days” where doors were opened using a little elbow grease (no longer eating up standby “phantom loads” of power, either). All heat exchange water is stored while cooling, which makes it possible to recycle the heat. It is a two‑step process: the first portion of the water goes into a hot liquid tank for use in the next brewing batch, the second portion of the water is pumped into a secondary tank next to the visitor area, where the heat radiates out and helps to keep the room warm. Amber’s packages its product in recycled bottles, thereby saving lots of energy. They will only bottle in glass – theirs is one brew that will not be found in PET or aluminum containers. To reduce their CO2 footprint, as much malt as possible is purchased in Alberta. When spent, the malt is provided to local ranchers for livestock feed. To top it all off, most of Amber’s beer deliveries use a standard fuel/electric hybrid vehicle.Please contact
info@ambersbrewing.com
Taken from: http://www.recycle.ab.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=162
Think Green Success Story: Edmonton Brewery Eliminates Wastefeature sponsored by Waste Management of Canada Corp. back to top
Amber’s Brewing Company is getting rid of their garbage container. The Edmonton microbrewery’s efforts at recycling have been so successful that they have decided that an industrial garbage service is no longer needed. They already recycle as much as possible, in particular a huge amount of cardboard and shipping plastics. Beverage containers from the lunch room are collected by the Winnifred Stewart Society as a fundraiser – the society keeps the deposit refunds. The only thing Amber’s is still trying to deal with is a small amount of food waste (lunch leftovers and coffee grounds), which they would happily provide to somebody who would like to compost them. Amber’s street sign is made of recycled material. In fact, it is a recycled steel door that would otherwise have ended up in a landfill. It is now a lovingly hand‑painted sign. The door sign is made of a piece of stainless steel that was recycled when the brewery disassembled one of their tanks. Solar energy will provide power for lighting the door sign in the near future. The brewery is housed in a building with enormous south-facing windows. This means that artificial indoor lighting is rarely required, which makes for a naturally bright atmosphere. To save water, low-flow toilets were installed. Electric overhead door lifters were disconnected to go back to the “good old days” where doors were opened using a little elbow grease (no longer eating up standby “phantom loads” of power, either). All heat exchange water is stored while cooling, which makes it possible to recycle the heat. It is a two‑step process: the first portion of the water goes into a hot liquid tank for use in the next brewing batch, the second portion of the water is pumped into a secondary tank next to the visitor area, where the heat radiates out and helps to keep the room warm. Amber’s packages its product in recycled bottles, thereby saving lots of energy. They will only bottle in glass – theirs is one brew that will not be found in PET or aluminum containers. To reduce their CO2 footprint, as much malt as possible is purchased in Alberta. When spent, the malt is provided to local ranchers for livestock feed. To top it all off, most of Amber’s beer deliveries use a standard fuel/electric hybrid vehicle.Please contact
info@ambersbrewing.com
Friday, August 22, 2008
Friday, August 01, 2008
Thursday, July 31, 2008
We were picked on CBC radio's "Wine of the week"
Wine pick for July 31, 2008 (Runs 4:37)Our wine columnist Gurvinder Bhatia is departing from his usual practice and recommending a beer. This one comes from an Edmonton brewery. It's Amber's Sap Vampire Maple Lager, $12.99 for a pack of 6.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Graham Hicks From the Edmonton Sun, July 20, 2008
BEER HUNTERS HEAVEN
SIP! echoes Taste of Edmonton, with a difference.
In a quiet corner of Hall A during Capital EX, its emphasis is on speciality appetizers (pricey at $5 each) developed by Northlands' flourishing kitchen, and samplings ($2 per mini-glass) of a broad range of unusual alcoholic beverages.
At Art of Conversation XXVII on Thursday evening, the beer hunter in Hicks on Six emerged.
Best of this show was Amber Brewery's Australian Mountain Pepper Lager, a brew Jim Gibbon makes in town with a tarty touch and a delightful after-bite.
Runners-up, the American Great White beer saved by the Sherbrooke Liquor Store for its beer club members, and Black Velvet - half Guinness, half champagne.
The appetizers were superb, beef, lamb, and legume fusion dishes, matched to sauces and veggie garnishes.
Great desserts too, I was told. I didn't try them. Dessert doesn't go well with beer.
Hicks (hic) on Six did not drive home!
BEER HUNTERS HEAVEN
SIP! echoes Taste of Edmonton, with a difference.
In a quiet corner of Hall A during Capital EX, its emphasis is on speciality appetizers (pricey at $5 each) developed by Northlands' flourishing kitchen, and samplings ($2 per mini-glass) of a broad range of unusual alcoholic beverages.
At Art of Conversation XXVII on Thursday evening, the beer hunter in Hicks on Six emerged.
Best of this show was Amber Brewery's Australian Mountain Pepper Lager, a brew Jim Gibbon makes in town with a tarty touch and a delightful after-bite.
Runners-up, the American Great White beer saved by the Sherbrooke Liquor Store for its beer club members, and Black Velvet - half Guinness, half champagne.
The appetizers were superb, beef, lamb, and legume fusion dishes, matched to sauces and veggie garnishes.
Great desserts too, I was told. I didn't try them. Dessert doesn't go well with beer.
Hicks (hic) on Six did not drive home!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Were are the official beer of the "Edmonton Street Performers Festival"
And, as a result a WORLD RECORD was set with OUR KEGS!!!!!!
Space Cowboy lifted a record weight (4 kegs) with a sword in his throat...
Here is a picture
Here is the picture in situ from the site:
http://www.edmontonstreetfest.com/web_version/content.html
And, as a result a WORLD RECORD was set with OUR KEGS!!!!!!
Space Cowboy lifted a record weight (4 kegs) with a sword in his throat...
Here is a picture
Here is the picture in situ from the site:
http://www.edmontonstreetfest.com/web_version/content.html
Thursday, June 26, 2008
A World Of Pure Imagination
Amber’s takes SEE on a Willy Wonka tour of their brewery: beer ca taste like pancakes?Published June 26, 2008 by Melissa Priestley in Food & Drink
Come With Me, And You’ll See It’s no Chocolate Factory, but the beers coming out of Amber’s are as magical as anything Willy Wonka ever invented.
Come With Me, And You’ll See It’s no Chocolate Factory, but the beers coming out of Amber’s are as magical as anything Willy Wonka ever invented.
Upon walking into Amber’s, my first thought is “Where’s the brewery?” As my eyes adjust from the blazing summer sun to the filtered interior, I’m hailed by brewmaster Joe Parrell, who saunters up to me with a good-natured grin.Amber’s Brewing Company (9926-78 Ave) was born a couple years ago as a two-person operation manned by Parrell and owner Jim Gibbon. They created their first beer through contract with Alley Kat. Last summer they found their new digs in an old Chinese noodle factory, Wing’s Foods, and renovated the entire facility. And Amber’s lineup of craft-brewed beers have been appearing in more and more places around Edmonton ever since.
As we walk amongst gleaming stainless steel tanks and valves, Parrell intersperses his descriptions of beer production with candid stories of the growing pains he experienced as the new brewery took shape.
“I wish you could have seen this place last year—it was a disaster!” he laughs, describing the place as a mess of cords, wires, nuts, and bolts. “I was constantly finding pieces, organizing piles of stuff.... It was like the biggest jigsaw puzzle I’ve ever done.”
He points out a sawed-off pipe jutting out of the ceiling next to a large steel tank and explains that it used to be a container for liquid sugar. “We thought the line was empty,” Parrell says, “so we cut it.” They all too quickly discovered that it wasn’t empty at all. “It ran for three days! We carried thousands of buckets of sugar out to the back. On the first day there were only a couple wasps around. By the third day, there were hundreds. Brewing school doesn’t prepare you for that kind of thing!” (The space has since been converted into a chillout area, complete with vintage chairs and lava lamps.)
As we walk around the mash tun, Parrell notes his previous experience working for Molson was wholly different from what working at Amber’s is like. “I learned more at Amber’s in three months than I did in my whole time at Molson,” he says. “There, everything was automated—you just pushed a few buttons and the beer was made. But here, we climb around on the equipment like it’s monkey bars.”
Most microbreweries follow a similar do-it-yourself approach, as the cost of opening a brewery with shiny new robotic equipment is simply prohibitive. Amber’s uses equipment from the retired microbrewery Flanagan and Sons; their bottling machine comes from the original Coca-Cola plant in Atlanta, Georgia. (As soon as I see that baby blue monstrosity I’m in love: I’m a sucker for anything vintage.) However, even the bottling line was not without its share of trials. On its first test run, Parnell and Gibbon discovered it was designed for the classic stubby Coke bottles, so it had to be modified to fit the modern, sleeker beer bottle. The machine also takes a good 30 to 40 minutes to get going. Parrell describes it as an old man: “it takes him a while to get out of bed in the morning, but when he finally does he’s ready to go.”
We move to the makeshift bar in the middle of the room, where I sample their lineup. I had tried the Australian Mountain Pepper Berry before, which has a unique, powerfully peppery flavour that builds at the back of your palate. It was one of their first brews, released just before the Pale Ale, which is refreshing, crisp, and very good for summer sipping.
I also tried Bub’s Lunch Pail Ale, made with water from the High Level Bridge waterfall. (Don’t worry, it’s clean drinking water, not scummy river water. I checked.) It’s more of an English-style ale and is dangerously smooth, with a small bite of citrusy hops at the end.
With an interesting name and even more interesting flavour, the Sap Vampire Maple Lager is memorable, even if it doesn’t suit your taste. This beer is liquid pancakes. I’m not joking—it’s straight up Aunt Jemima’s, and after a couple of sips, my craving for bacon becomes insatiable. (Why do I always discover breakfast beer while visiting breweries?)
We finish off with Grog, something I hesitate to call a “cooler” as this word has unfortunately become synonymous with mass-produced, hyper-marketed bitchpops favoured by the high school crowd. Grog far outshines anything in the cooler category, tasting like something derived from real fruit. It even has some pulp floating in it. With aromas of fresh limes and a well-balanced palate, it’s a drink you can indulge in without feeling guilty (or underage).
Amber’s may still be in its infancy, but the beer is already good and will only get better with time. And if you need a final reason to check them out, Amber’s is eco-friendly: they have implemented an effective, all-inclusive recycling program and have even gotten rid of their industrial garbage bin.
Ah, guilt-free alcohol
Friday, June 13, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
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