It’s been about a year since Half Hitch Brewing Company sold its very first batch of beer.  The local microbrewery is family owned and operated and is tucked away west of Calgary in the picturesque town of Cochrane.

Chris Heier, the President and Brewery Operations Manager, says it was his Dad that always wanted to start a family business.

“The idea began around the family dinner table. We would often talk about what business we could start together, maybe a bakery or a cheese factory, and then one day my brother mentioned the idea of a brewery.”

This immediately peaked Chris’ interest and he started researching to learn all about the beer-making process.  He travelled to various breweries in Canada and eventually started experimenting at home.

“During the two and a half years that I was into home-brewing I developed 60 to 70 different beer recipes,” Chris says. “It really gave me a solid understanding about what it takes to make a good quality beer.”

Half Hitch brews three varieties that cover a wide range of beer styles.

The top-seller is their Farmers Daughter Pale Ale.

“I wanted to make sure we weren’t just trying to do another blonde, we wanted something a little more interesting. I looked to Sierra Nevada for inspiration, which is really the defining standard of Pale Ale,” Chris explains. “You get a citrus, fruity flavour with a really nice malt character. Even as it ages and loses some of the hoppy aromatic, you’ll still get that well-rounded malt quality.”

Next is his Dad’s favourite, their Fire N’ Fury Red Ale.

“When I was home-brewing there was a very specific barley that I loved because it had a potent, caramel aromatic to it.  The red ale is designed around that barley. We Americanized it to have a decent level of bitterness to cut thought the abundance of body, so it leaves you with a refreshing back-end.

The last is what Chris considers their signature beer – the Shotgun Wedding Brown Ale.

“We've dry-hopped this beer, which unites chocolate and caramel to create an ale that's smooth and savoury on the palate.”

The brewery also offers seasonal brews. Currently they have Pony Up, an ale that is double dry hopped using Falconers Flight and Azacca. In September, Chris and his team are looking to brew a seasonal Apple Pie Wheat Beer, just in time for fall.

For more information on Half Hitch brewery visit: www.halfhitchbrewing.ca