The Firehall Brewery has emerged as a Top 5 Finalist in the Premier’s People’s Choice category at the recent Small Business BC Awards.
The ceremony was held February 26 at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver.
Brew Chief Sid Ruhland made the trip from his family-run brewery’s hometown of Oliver, BC to enjoy VIP honour at the ceremony, along with his sister Celina Ruhland.
The Small Business BC Awards recognizes the outstanding achievements of BC’s entrepreneurs. These awards are a celebration of the contributions small business owners make to their local communities and to the global economy.
The Premier’s People’s Choice category is sponsored by the Government of British Columbia, and based on public votes through the Small Business BC website. The voting was open from October 1st to November 30th, 2014, but Firehall Brewery wasn’t nominated until November 26th, reaching a Top 5 position in just 4 days.
Exactly three years since its first batch of beer, Firehall Brewery has emerged as a well-known player in the BC craft beer scene, and now also in the general BC small business community. The Firehall-themed brand has proven itself by generating more demand than the brewery can supply. As production capacity is stretched, the Ruhland family is searching for ways in which to expand capacity.
The Firehall Brewery, located in the cavernous basement of Oliver’s Main Street “Old Firehall”, brands itself as the “Beer of Wine Country”, and crafts hand-made artisan ales for wholesale draught and bottle distribution to licensed establishments and private liquor stores (listed online at www.firehallbrewery.com). The brewery cross-markets itself with its neighbouring tenant on the upper level, Pappa’s Firehall Bistro (www.pappasfirehallbistro.ca), who serves the brewery’s draught products.
Other than attending local beer festivals, the brewery participates with local wineries and other event organizations, and sponsors the Back Alley Concert Series featured right at the “Old Firehall” during the summer season. 2015 concert dates soon to be announced.
Sid Ruhland taps a keg during the opening of Pappa’s Firehall Bistro.
