Col-lab-o-ra-tion

Noun

The action of working with someone to produce or create something.

In this case, it’s the creation of beer. And partnerships. And community. 2018 for me, was the year of the beer collaboration. Since launching Beer.Diversity. in April, I’ve been looking for ways to build and create more within the beer community. Again and again, it’s come out that the thing to create was – wait for it – beer.

The elixir that brings us together. Or in extreme cases (hello, buck a beer), divides us.

Collaborations aren’t new, and they’ll never disappear, yet they always find ways to evolve. Breweries collaborate with other breweries, they collaborate with groups like Society of Beer Drinking Ladies (of which I’m a co-founder, and ex-organizer), Guelph-based Queen of Craft, bands – name one, I’m sure they’ve got a beer. Sam Roberts Band and Spearhead Brewery, anyone?

These collaborations set a multitude of differing beer styles in front of entirely new audiences. Breweries introduce their collab partner to their die-hard fans, while the collab partner (beer group, band or me) introduces a brewery and possibly a different beer style to their followers.

Collaborations bring so much to the proverbial table. Non-brewers or occasional brewers have the opportunity to get their hands dirty in a production facility (or learn how to press buttons in some cases). But at the end of the day, groups of people learn more about beer and about one another. These brew days bring diverse groups of people together and sometimes help to highlight marginalised people who could and should be more recognized in the beer community.

The creation of beer wasn’t a mystery to me (I’m an extremely amateurish home brewer), but the real inner workings of some of my favourite breweries was. Watching people like Erin Broadfoot of Little Beasts Brewing in Whitby, or sweating to keep up with Jeff Manol of Toronto’s Muddy York Brewing is a fantastic experience that you can’t get sitting in the tap room. Working on a recipe together is an absolute magical moment. Collaborations allow for groups of people to get great beer and important messages out into the beeriverse and beyond.

It’s so much more than just beer. It’s about partnerships, strengthening our community and helping those around us. Quite often these beers give back – either by sharing the spotlight with a new group of people (or your future new favourite brewery) or by providing donations to local charities.

Collaborative brewing gives the participants so much – learning, experience, or heck, just some old fashioned fun. Things that are mainstays in the craft beer community, but that so many don’t get to experience until they step into the back area of a brewery. Here’s to so many more collaborations in 2019, and all of us, whether we be brewers, industry, or just beer connoisseurs having the chance to experience the coming together of diverse folks and beers.