Beer is definitely my go to beverage as I find it very light and refreshing to have over a meal with friends. With the explosion of breweries in Vancouver over the last few years, it never really occurred to me where the process of beer starts out. Every beer tour I’ve been to, they show the process of brewing, fermenting, and packaging. All of them skip out the most important step of where it truly begins – the farm.
When Molson Canadian invited us to Sartori Farms, I was excited to see the hops up close as I’ve only seen pictures. Also, I was mind blown to hear there are a good amount of farms in BC producing hops.
Sartori Farms isn’t open to the public, so this is an exclusive look at their hop production.
Here are a few amazing things we learned during our trip to Sartori Farms.
Fraser Valley, the Optimal Growing Region for Hops
Along the 49th Parallel is an ideal latitude for growing hops that meets the unique requirements that contributes to Molson Canadian’s signature taste. The climate is also ideal as we have dry warm summers that create the perfect environment to grow hops.
Since 1880’s there have been hop farms in British Columbia. Varieties like Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Cashmere, Nugget, Magnum and Lumberjack are harvested and processed into beers that we know and love. Each variety has its unique aroma which gives beer its unique taste.
The yellow centre of the hops has all the oils and aromas that the farmers are looking for. It smelled just like beer with citrus notes. I was very surprised.
Sartori Farms is family-owned and operated and they have been growing hops for the last 13 years before the boom of the craft beer scene. Chris Sartori, has taken it upon himself to be dubbed the unofficial hops master. Going into the hop business, he saw opportunity as not many farmers were investing into this crop at the time. He is very particular about the hops he creates and ensure the highest quality that he can produce.
The hops are then processed, dried, and palletized where it will be passed on to Molson Canadian to create the lager.
Locally Grown and Produced Ingredients
For the Molson family, keeping locally grown and produced ingredients are key to Molson beers even since they were founded in 1786. Molson Canadian is made with ingredients that reflect Canada like Prairie barley, Canadian water, and recently hops from Chilliwack.
They helped build the barley industry in the prairies since 1786 and spent decades working with local hop farmers.
Elevate Your Dining Experience with Food and Beer Pairings
Food and beer go hand in hand. Molson Canadian is a really clean and crisp lager that surprisingly pairs well with fresh local ingredients. During our long table luncheon, we had:
- Cheddar + Beer Soup
- Chilliwack Roast Corn Salad with pimento pepper chipotle
- BC Wild Salmon Medallions with shallot tarragon, gluten-free crust and wasabi dip
- Braised Beef Short Rib with parsnip puree and local veggies
- Blueberry Shortcake with crème pâtisserie
The light sweet aroma is so smooth in the lager that the pairing with Molson Canadian brings out the natural sweetness in the dishes. With heavier dishes like the braised beef, it helps lighten the flavour to give it a better balance.
Instead of pairing your beer with the usual burger fried chicken and pizza, it’s so versatile to have it with a wide variety of dishes to enhance the flavour, aroma and texture.
Final Thoughts
Molson Canadian has always been a very easy lager to drink – clean, clear and crisp. They choose the best ingredients that reflect Canada like the use of Prairie barley, Canadian water, and hops from Chilliwack.
Molson will be opening their newest brewery in Chilliwack on September 17, 2019, where it will be added to their list of Canadian breweries in St. John’s, Moncton, Montreal, and Toronto.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Molson Canadian. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Molson Canadian.
