Skip to content

Airdrie getting another craft brewery

Airdrie is getting a new brewery in the form of 948 Brewing, with two long-term residents at the helm excited to share their craft with the community.
On Tap
Dave Schroter (left) and Kyle Wudrich (right) were on site at Thumbprint Craft Beer Market July 14 to present their first official beer. Wudrich said the beer was tapped at 10 a.m. and was sold out by 3 p.m.

Airdrie is getting a new brewery in the form of 948 Brewing, with two long-term residents at the helm excited to share their craft with the community.

In 2013, the Alberta Liquor and Gaming Commission abolished the minimum brewing capacity of 250,000 liters for Alberta brewers, effectively causing an explosion of new craft brewers in the province. Even before that, though, Kyle Wudrich was tinkering with his own mixes of sours, IPAs and all-grain beers in his home.

Then, two years ago, Wudrich said he and his partner, David Schroter, were sitting over a beer and thought they could turn their mad-scientist brewing experiments into something official. Their brews had already become a hit with friends and family everywhere they went, even winning awards around the country.

“You pull out a growler of whatever you’re making at home and you start giving out samples, and everybody is like, ‘Oh, who makes this? This is really good, where can I buy this?’ It’s totally random,” Wudrich said. “You tell them you made it at home and they’re like, ‘No. Really? Why can’t I buy this somewhere?’”

Wudrich and Schroter had their official opening – of sorts – July 14, with the release of their Extra Terrestrial Bitter beer at Thumbprint Craft Beer Market.

948 Brewing is the second Airdrie brewery to open up since the minimum capacity slash, and the two said they’re dedicated to becoming a staple in the community. The release at Thumbprint was a great opportunity to talk with people and connect, the pair said.

Even the name, 948, is a call-back to Airdrie of old, when the three digits could satisfy the phone numbers of all residents, according to Schroter. Both he and Wudrich grew up here, know that number, and know the community – and they want to be a part of it, they said.

Their venture with craft brew started to pick up steam four years ago, when Wudrich invested in Toolshed Brewing in Calgary. Toolshed was a big advocate for the brewing community, and the owners encouraged Wudrich to try different things with his own brewing, he added.

“I know a lot of the brewers, I see what they’re doing and it amazes me,” he said. “I just hope I can somehow compare. Some of them have so much experience, and they’ve all been up and running for four years in Alberta. Most of them were brewers before that, or home brewers – or still are.”

The whole craft beer community has been a pleasure to be a part of, they said, adding getting involved early helped jump-start their venture.

“Talk to anyone making craft beer right now, and they’re passionate about it,” Schroter said. “Asking Kyle to explain the beer and the notes you’re going to taste – ‘How did you think about doing that?’ It kind of blows you away.”

948 Brewing is currently contracting through Red Bison Brewery, but is seeking space to open a storefront in Airdrie.

“It’s just really satisfying to be able to make something, and make somebody else happy,” Wudrich said.

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks