The Calgary craft beer scene has exploded over the last decade.
Since Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis lowered the production-capacity requirement of Alberta breweries, more than 40 breweries have opened tap rooms across the city, cementing beer as a major industry. As the craft beer culture has grown, so too has the conversation around diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
That’s where The Hop Forward Society steps in. This local, volunteer-driven organization aims to eliminate barriers and create opportunities for marginalized groups within the industry. Through collaborations with local breweries such as The Establishment, Hop Forward is making the Calgary craft beer scene a diverse place.
“We started asking businesses, ‘What are your actions doing for the community, aside from throwing up a quick Instagram post?’” said Erin McQuitty, co-founder of The Hop Forward Society.
The Hop Forward Society was founded in 2020 by McQuitty and Sharon Ruyter following the murder of George Floyd, and the Blackout Tuesday social media movement that followed.
“We decided that creating a more diverse industry would require breaking down barriers,” said McQuitty. “We felt that one of those barriers is access to the industry, or not having the financial means to get your foot in the door.”
Grants are offered through Hop Forward for people who are Black, Indigenous, racialized, LGTBQ2S+, and/or living with disabilities.
“We decided not to do scholarships so that it [the financial support] did not have to be tied to an educational institution,” said McQuitty. “Not everyone has the means to go to school, and not everyone needs to.”
Two grants of $1,000 are awarded annually, with micro-grants of $500 offered on an ongoing basis. Funding for the grants is entirely provided by a community of sponsors Hop Forward has crafted within Alberta’s beer industry.
“They benefit from being a part of a community that is working towards the same change in our industry,” said McQuitty.
The membership includes 14 different businesses, ranging from Canada Malting to Born Brewing, a brewery McQuitty co-founded with her partner, Wade Brown. Born Brewing was awarded Community Builder of the Year at the 2023 Alberta Beer Awards.
“We offer events and educational sessions for our members and their staff,” McQuitty said. “We also host events in their spaces.”
One such event is a screening of the documentary One Pint at a Time, which will be held at The Establishment Brewing Company in early 2024.
“We were at the Canadian Brewing Awards this year in Halifax, and One Pint at a Time was their keynote event presentation at the end of the conference,” recounts Brandon Hart, co-founder of The Establishment.
“We thought that we should show this so that people here (in Calgary) can see it, with the right mindset and focus. It made a lot of sense to do this with Hop Forward so that very quickly became a conversation for us to put on this event.”
Since premiering in 2021, One Pint at a Time has received more than 100 official selections for international film festivals and 50 best-of nominations across said festivals. Directed by Aaron Hosé, the film explores the Egyptian and African roots of beer brewing and highlights the discriminatory hurdles faced by modern black brewers.
On the film’s website, Hosé is quoted saying, “The more aware I became of how ‘white’ craft beer was, the more uncomfortable I felt. If craft breweries were presenting themselves as ‘A place to build community’ and ‘A safe space for all,’ then why isn’t everyone represented here?”
Hart agrees with this sentiment.
“The representation in the beer industry is pretty homogenous, and I think that’s true here (in Calgary),” he said. “The important thing about this documentary is to be able to present other people’s stories and experiences. I don’t think that is represented well in the industry at this time.”
On top of hosting events such as the screening, in October, The Establishment became the first brewery in the province to be recognized as a member of the Alberta Living Wage Network.
“There’s a difference between minimum wage and what it actually takes to live and function,” states Hart. “It’s small steps toward creating more discussion and recognition around these things.”
Another motivation, adds McQuitty, involves economics.
“It’s the right thing to do, and that’s why we should do it,” she said. “But it’s also a good business decision to make these changes to your policies.”
