Formed in 2017 to promote collaboration and celebrate the variety of locally produced beer from independent breweries across Manitoba, the Manitoba Brewers Association (MBBA) recently voted in new leadership unanimously.
The province is home to approximately 25 brick-and-mortar breweries, brew pubs and contract breweries, in addition to a handful of distilleries, cideries and wineries.
MBBA co-director Raj Maniar, who is the director of operations at Capital K Distillery in Winnipeg, says since the end of the pandemic, the association has been all but shuttered. The fallout of the pandemic combined with rising inflation has impacted many craft breweries across the country, including Winnipeg.
In an interview with the Winnipeg Free Press in March, MBBA co-director Brad Chute said, “It’s the same challenges a lot of local businesses are facing. Inflation is hurting all inputs. Consumers’ wallets are a lot thinner now than they were in past years.”
Maniar says the main thing the MBBA wants to do is bring the brewery community back together. “[Chute] and myself were brought on to help resurrect the association, as we are both avid fans of the local craft scene and are tied to it through other endeavours,” he said. “We want to bring the breweries and local craft drinking patrons back together.”
Maniar says they have been successful in doing this by promoting each breweries’ events through their social media platforms. The MBBA also held its first Beer is Art Festival in March this year.
“This was the first big beer festival that was put on by the breweries for the breweries. [Chute] and I led the way for the festival, but each brewery sold tickets, promoted it, helped staff it and brewed the beer for it.”
He says prior to 2020, he and Chute felt that the breweries used to work together way more than they have in recent years.
“This festival is a way of reminding people that when it comes down to it, we sell fun in a can, and we should do that together. We need to support each other and simply be together more often,” he said. “When it comes to our community, we aren’t here without the support of our loyal fans. We wanted to showcase some new beers that you could really only try at that festival.”
One singular voice
Miniar says one singular large voice has more sway than a number of smaller voices, which is why associations like the MBBA are so valuable.
“When we have questions of the Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries or the government, it’s better if those questions are posed by the MBBA, instead of 30 breweries each emailing the same person the same question. It also helps us facilitate a group mentality in the brewing community,” he said.
He says associations are also very important because an individual email from a brewery might be “forgotten about” by a decision-maker, but an email representing 30 breweries is much more difficult to ignore.
“We want to bring the breweries and local craft drinking patrons back together.”
Raj Maniar, Manitoba Brewers Association
“Also, when it comes to the Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries or the press, having a stakeholder talk negatively could shine a bad light on that particular brewery, but the association is somewhat removed from it,” he said.
What’s next?
As for what is on the horizon for the MBBA, Maniar says some of the endeavours they are currently working on will take some time, but could also greatly benefit breweries.
“We are working with the provincial government on topics such as the markup structure, groups buying grain, setting up preferred vendors for a better price and funding an economic impact study,” said Maniar.
There will definitely be more events in the future for brewery owners to get together.
“Nothing is confirmed yet, but I can let you know that another event is in the works. We are already in talks with the Winnipeg Art Gallery for a return there next year,” said Maniar.
