are up to.”
percentage, but we also give the Original Gravity and Final Gravity, the International Bitterness Units, and the Standard Reference Method.” Briefly, for those of you without chemistry degrees, the “gravity” deals with the relative density compared to water at different stages of fermentation. Basically, it deter- mines the alcohol strength of the beer. The International Bitterness Units will tell you how bitter a beer will taste, with the higher numbers representing the bitter end of the scale. And finally, the Standard Reference Method refers to the colour of the beer. Blindman’s labels and cans also attempt to give some history and reasoning behind each beer. “We try and give a little bit of a story on what this beer is and how we came to making it. We like to think it’s a little bit of an education for people, right on the product,”, Doef explains. Just like old-time town ale halls and community centres, Groendahl is amazed by the taproom’s uptake as a commu- nity gathering spot. “It’s kind of neat to see the community rally around the taproom and our events. We try and reach out into the community as best we can with special events, local fundraisers and Chamber of Commerce events. Being a rural-based area, there seems to be a built-in neighbourly attitude. You really grow up on that. And people are using our place as their gathering spot.” This sense of community co-operation helped ten-fold when Blindman was building from the ground up. Doef points out that, growing up in Lacombe, he had contacts with most of the trade industries. This was handy when it came time to convert industrial bays into a working brewery. “We knew plumbers, electricians, construction contractors, designers and even accountants. Their support and willing- ness to help was very strong.”
Education plays a significant role in what Blindman feels they offer to the community. Their taproom staff boasts an in-depth knowledge of their beers and the whole brewing process. But further to that front-line contact with their customers, there is always at least one owner/operator on hand to guide tours through the brewery and explain not only how the beer is made, but also Blindman’s ‘how we got here’ anecdotes and stories. They strive for full customer engagement and two-way communication. To this end, they use the taproom and the tours as a yardstick on how they are being received and which of their products are popular. “It’s has been all good between the small breweries. Sharing information, sharing supplies… we’re all pretty open about that, which is awesome.” Doef also points out that the cans in which they sell their beer are a form of “take- home” education. “A lot of the information on our labels and on our can designs give people information that they wouldn’t ordinarily get from other products’ packaging. We obviously give the alcohol
Blindman Brewing takes advantage of the wide-open distri- bution system in Alberta.
The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) has a central warehouse and a web-based ordering system for restaurants, bars and retail outlets. Blindman delivers to
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