After 25 years, Crannóg Ales, B.C.’s first organic farm brewery, is entering a new era.
On a warm August afternoon at the brewery, friends gathered to watch Crannóg owners Brian MacIsaac and Rebecca Kneen pass a literal torch (unlit – no one wants another forest fire) to new owners Kyle and Carolyn Nixon of BNA Brewing. Using Crannóg’s recipes and their organic farm-grown hops, BNA will brew Crannóg beers at their Kelowna facility and distribute them across the province.
The transfer of ownership, which was announced in the spring, was a shock for many. Crannóg is a beloved B.C. institution with a storied history and strong ethical values that oppose authoritarianism and discrimination. Rebecca’s 2019 blog post about their “Auntie Fa” (a pun on antifa) Brown Ale is just one example of the brewery’s straightforward stance: “Talk politics! Have a beer! Then remember that fire next time you’re in the lineup at the grocery store and you hear a racist comment, and call it out. Don’t let folks get abused, stand up against injustice.”
This sense of ethical responsibility and courage was part of what attracted BNA’s Kyle and Carolyn Nixon to Crannóg. Kyle described to me his family’s history in the brewing industry and his passion for beer – and for the beer community. They were good friends of Brian and Rebecca long before Brian called with a surprising suggestion: that BNA should purchase Crannóg. Kyle recalls recommending other breweries that could offer more money, but it wasn’t money that was the main concern. It was the integrity of the business. They trusted that BNA shared their values.
Trust is central to Crannóg; they are trusted and they trust others. “It’s not the Brian and Rebecca Show,” Rebecca said in her speech during the handover. “It’s a whole community of people.” To them, beer is inseparable from community, culture, and history. When they first started the brewery 25 years ago, Brian and Rebecca bought the brewing equipment used by John Mitchell, founder of Canada’s first craft brewery. Now that Crannóg beer will be brewed at BNA, this historic equipment will be transferred to John Ohler, Mitchell’s good friend. Ohler was at the gathering to show that equipment and chat with attendees about Mitchell’s connection to Crannóg – the threads that tie the past to the present.
As beer was poured in the “Bloody Stump” snug, snacks were shared in the shade, conversations were had over archival beer history displays, and snuggles were received from Crannóg’s Irish wolfhound Fionnlagh, I saw old friends reconnecting and new friendships being made. Crannóg’s community joined with BNA’s that afternoon to forge new relationships that will strengthen the world of BC craft beer.
The love and respect BNA has for Crannóg – and vice versa – is very clear. Brian and Rebecca are feeling very positive about their brewery’s new path. “The beer is in extremely good hands!” Rebecca enthused. “We’re so grateful and happy to have this relationship. It’s exciting to see what we’ve built go on to have a new life.”
