Drummond Premium Lager

Drummond Premium Lager

No Image Available

Brewed by Drummond Brewing Company

Red Deer, Alberta, Canada

Style:  Lager

5% Alcohol by Volume

Availability of this beer is unknown

Sign Up to Participate:
0 n/a 0 0 0 0

Drummond Brewing Co. Ltd. went into production on the weekend, with its first batch of lager expected to hit the market by the end of September. The 6610 71st St. microbrewery was started by Kevin Wood and Cody Geddes-Backman. Those who were sipping suds more than a dozen years ago should recognize the Drummond name as belonging to a former Red Deer brewery that closed in 1995. Wood thinks the name, which is derived from a glacier at the head of the Red Deer River, still has value. “My dad used to drink Drummond, everyone I know used to drink Drummond.” The name was among the assets purchased by Sleeman Breweries Ltd. in 1996, after Drummond went into receivership. But it was never used by its new owner. “Trademarks elapse if you don’t use them for a certain amount of time,” said Wood, describing how he and his partner registered the name for their own use. “(Sleeman Breweries CEO) John Sleeman was a little surprised when I joined the Brewers Association.” Its name isn’t Drummond Brewing’s only link to the past. Wood and Geddes-Backman have brought in brewmaster Wolfgang Hoess, who oversaw brewing operations at the old plant. “We found him in Washington State, working for a microbrewery there,” said Wood, adding that Hoess is a tremendous asset. “He knows the city, he knows the flavour profile that people like here, he knows how to work with the malt that we get here.” Drummond Brewing will initially produce draught and canned beer, with bottles to follow soon after. Products will include Drummond Premier Lager, Alberta Pale Ale and Drummond draught, with seasonal brands also planned. A taproom will also be developed at the brewery, allowing visitors to sample Drummond beer. “We’re going to have tours, and we’re going to educate people about beer.” Wood said Drummond Brewing will focus on the market in and around Red Deer. He and Geddes-Backman were attracted by Red Deer’s central location, its youthful population with relatively high incomes, and the strong demand for beer here. “It’s actually the largest municipality in Western Canada without a brewery.” The availability of quality inputs was also a factor. “The water in Red Deer is absolutely ideal for brewing,” said Wood, who described the malt from Rahr Malting Canada Ltd. as among the finest in the world. The partners, who both live in Red Deer, are no strangers to the beer industry. “We imported beer from the states and ran a liquor agency and ran some nightclubs in Calgary,” said Wood. About 2 1/2 years ago they began working on developing their own brewery. “Cody and I toured probably 250 different breweries across North America, and saw what worked and what didn’t work.” Wood declined to comment on the size of their investment on the Red Deer brewhouse, other than to say it’s “a lot of money.” There are currently five people working there, including the partners, but this number should grow once the taproom opens and product is being packaged. “We’re looking to probably get to about 10 employees here.” The challenge in the coming weeks and months will be to get the Drummond name back into liquor stores and bars. “We have to go and fight for every tap in the restaurants and bars, and we have to get a listing in every liquor store,” said Wood, who urges beer-drinkers to request Drummond products. In the meantime, he noted that people are already showing up at the new brewery with their old Drummond collectibles.