Our favourite local brewery has plenty to celebrate as it approaches its 8th anniversary. Whitetooth Brewing Co. recently won multiple awards at the BC Beer Awards and the Canada Beer Cup, both held in New Westminster, BC.
At the Canada Beer Cup, Whitetooth won Silver for their Speed Metal FE Stout in the UK Stout & Porter category and claimed Gold for their Dogtooth Rover Red Lager in the European Amber Beer category. The following evening, at the BC Beer Awards, their Dirt Brigade Smoked ESB took first place in the Smoke & Wood-Aged Beer category, while their Blower Pow IPA earned second place in the highly coveted North American IPA category.
Whitetooth’s Head Brewer, Miranda Batterink, shared her pride in the brewery’s achievements, particularly Blower Pow’s success. “The brewing landscape has changed a lot in the last eight years,” she noted. “A lot of new breweries have opened, so there are more participants, and the IPA category is particularly competitive on the West Coast.”
Both competitions are rigorous events, with hundreds of breweries submitting their best brews. Entries are judged by a panel of BJCP-certified judges who evaluate the beers anonymously through multiple rounds. Beers are assessed for characteristics like visual appeal, head retention, clarity or haziness, aroma, and taste. Only the top-performing beers progress through the rounds to the final selections, which are revealed live at the award ceremonies.
The competitions are not just about prestige. Brewers receive valuable feedback from the judges, which helps them refine their craft. “The feedback is incredibly helpful for honing in on improvements,” Batterink added.
But awards are just part of the story. Whitetooth Brewing Co. has a packed calendar of exciting projects, including the launch of a series of four high-gravity Belgian-style beers. These “warming winter sippers,” as Batterink describes them, culminate in a special 8thanniversary release: a White IPA brewed with coriander, lemon rind, citrus-forward hops, and Belgian yeast.
They are hosting an anniversary event on Saturday, November 30th starting at 5:00 p.m. at the Brewery. No cover, but they tend to hit capacity at lightening speed, so get there early!
Another highlight is the return of Whitetooth’s Cask Nights, a unique initiative where the tasting room staff dream up creative brews crafted in 20-liter casks. These experimental beers are poured exclusively for curious customers on a first-come, first-served basis. Recent creations include Uphill Grind, a Coffee Blonde Ale, and Outback Spiced Ginger Beer, a Ginger Blonde Ale infused with Thai hot peppers. A portion of proceeds from each cask is donated to a non-profit organization chosen by the staff member who inspired the brew.
To stay updated on Whitetooth Brewing Co.’s latest releases and achievements, follow them on Instagram @whitetoothbrew or better yet, stop by their tasting room!
