This month we connected with Marketing Coordinator, Kasia Kistelski from Alberta based Fahr Brewery to chat about their traditional German brewing process and their highly anticipated Oktoberfest beer! Due to the circumstances this year, the renowned Oktoberfest that typically takes place in Munich, Germany has been cancelled but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring the traditional, locally brewed Oktoberfest beer to your doorstep with Spud.ca!
What is the story of Fahr Brewery and how did it come to life?
The mastermind behind Fahr Brewing is founder, Jochen Fahr. Born and rasied in Ebringen, Germany his passion for brewing began early in his childhood when his father worked at a nearby Fürstenberg Brewery in Donaueschingen. Eventually in 2008 Jochen moved to Calgary to finish his undergraduate Bachelor of Engineering and Biotechnology degree in which he specialized in industrial biotechnology, using microorganisms (such as yeast and bacteria) for industrial processes. Following that, Jochen decided to start his Masters in Medical Sciences leading him into a fast tracked Biomedical Engineering PhD degree – yes, you could say he’s a brainiac! 😊
Jochen’s passion for beer started with his home brewery where he created an automated brewing process which led him to go on and win various medals in home brewing. In 2015, Jochen started Fahr Brewery in Turner Valley, Alberta and has been brewing authentic German beer made from recipes Fahr away.
What is Fahr’s mission?
To provide the average consumer with authentic German beer, strictly brewed locally here in Alberta.
What makes your beer unique?
When comparing it to the current craft industry, I would say our uniqueness is in our traditional brewing process. We adhere to the German law of brewing which is the oldest provision still enforced to protect consumers in Germany. The original law stated that beer could only contain 3 ingredients: barley, hops and water. Later in 1993, Germany allowed a 4th ingredient – yeast! Fahr Brewery abides by this old age law.
We are unique in the sense that we stick to the basics. We only brew “beer-flavored” beer and keep it simple, providing our consumers with an easy, smooth brew to be enjoyed by all!
Tell us about your Oktoberfest beer?
Our Oktoberfest is a golden, strong, festive beer. It has the highest alcohol percentage (5.9%) – that is VERY German in taste and appearance (brilliantly clear) and balanced in both flavor and aroma (also still only containing 4 ingredients). We brew it exclusively and in very limited runs for Oktoberfest season only.
What is your best-selling product? Do you have a personal favourite?
The HEFE is definitely our best seller! It has been from the beginning and still continues to be. It would also be my personal favourite!
Jochen’s favourite is the Copper (currently not listed on Spud).
What do you value about your partnership with Spud.ca?
We value the emphasis on local, especially during these current times. Establishing long term relationships with other local businesses is so important right now – our survival is based on all of us supporting each other. Being able to partner with a brand like Spud has really benefited us in helping get our name out there across Calgary.
What’s next for Fahr?
It’s been a very transitional year for us. We’ve done a lot of work on our branding and showcasing our story of how Fahr became and it’s been really great to see the brand unfold. Something we’ve really focused on in the last year is our sustainability practices. Jochen has made a tremendous effort for us to be as sustainable as possible. One way we doing this is through our upcycling process; we send our spent grain to local farms so they can feed their animals. We also are currently working with an organization to create a way for us to reuse the water that’s used in our brewing process. We are also expanding and have some exciting things in the pipeline including a few new seasonal flavours!
I’d encourage you to check out our website to learn more about our business and add our local brew to your next Spud.ca delivery!
You can learn more about Fahr Brewing here
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