Shuswap Lake Brewing Company, better known as Barley Station Brew Pub, is approaching 10 years in business and looking back on a wide range of accomplishments, including brewing accolades and community fundraising achievements.
One of the brewery's recent highlights was creating a beer specifically to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Canada. This past spring, word got out about 65 Roses Honey Red Ale. The brew sold out in record time.
The company received orders from as far away as the Maritimes, Quebec, Alaska and Texas after people heard about the beer on social media, through the news media, and the CF website.
"We were blown away by how popular the beer and the fundraiser were," said owner Stu Bradford. "We are planning to make three or four 700-litre batches of the ale next time to ensure we can meet demand and increase the amount of money raised."
"We are so pleased to have an opportunity to create a partnership with a brand like Shuswap Lake Brewing Company. This relationship creates awareness for our cystic fibrosis community and helps us achieve new recognition and awareness from donors and volunteers who have never heard of cystic fibrosis before," said Danielle Sleiman, regional executive director, BC/Yukon for Cystic Fibrosis Canada.
There seems to be no end to the company's charitable work, also raising funds for the Shuswap Lake Hospital Foundation through pub-food sales and concerts, operating in an environmentally friendly manner, and donating to the local rotary club, sports teams and other non-profits.
Bradford says the community has embraced the brewery and pub and he takes great pleasure in supporting the community right back. "We had the confidence to start a brewery 10 years ago because the outlook for small businesses in B.C. was and continues to be strong.
The many changes government has made to support the liquor industry has helped new breweries open and existing breweries expand," said Bradford. "We're looking forward to creating more great beer and watching other breweries generate many new jobs here in B.C."
The brewery has won many provincial and national awards, the most recent being a Gold Medal at the Canadian Brewing Awards held in Vancouver for their Bushwacker Brown Ale.
"The Barley Station Brew Pub and its owners Stu and Kathy Bradford are a home grown success story, employing 25 people year round, and 40 in the high season," said Shuswap MLA Greg Kyllo. "Our efforts to modernize liquor policies in order to better support businesses and increase convenience for British Columbians is strengthening local economies and helping our province grow."