Alicia Wallace
Rossland News
On Saturday, 25 October our very own Rossland Beer Company was awarded third place at the esteemed 2014 British Columbia Beer Awards held in Vancouver. Paydirt Pale Ale took out third place in the North American Ales category, a category which received 48 entries.
The Pale Ale named by the local community through a voting contest, was the only brew entered into the competition by the Rossland Beer Company. With several mouth-watering beverages produced by the beer company, the decision to enter just one beer was determined by the awards judging criteria. “The awards have strict guidelines, requiring a host of criteria to be met. Paydirt is the only beer we bottle,” said co-owner Petri Raito. Paydirt is a “juicy pale ale dosed with tropical citra and cascade hops. The taste is just as big and bold as the aroma,” continues the smiley brewery operations manager Mr. Raito.
The 2014 BC Beer Awards drew more than 465 entries across 20 categories from 47 breweries and brewpubs throughout the province. “The overall mandate of the BC Beer Awards (BCBA) is to celebrate excellent beer, judging each hand-produced, artisanal beverage on its own merits. Craft brewers across the province are well-known for their innovation and creativity, something that the BCBA organizers are keen to help honour,” says organizers of the awards. Since winning the award, Rossland’s own craft brewery has “received tons of positive feedback and beer enthusiasts just keep calling in,” declares Raito.
Craft beers are filling glasses across the country in a revolution to drink local artesian brews. Craft beer drinkers now make up 15 per cent of the beer market and that figure is growing daily. Fall is the perfect time to slow down and enjoy seasonal ingredients, from freshly harvested crops. Open six days a week co-owners Petri Raito and Ryan Arnaud “want to share this (win) with the people of Rossland,” enthuse the pair. So now is the perfect opportunity to fill your glass and savour the flavour of their amber fluids.
Being established for just over two years, Petri Raito and Ryan Arnaud “are so honoured to be called Rossland Beer Company and want everyone in the town to be proud of their little Brewery.” Hopefully, for your taste buds benefit, they will be producing more award winning beers in the near future.