In this episode of Why This Beer?, hosts Darren Binnema and Azlan Graves sit down with Dave Henry, founder and brewer at Camp Beer Co., to talk about his journey from passionate homebrewer to award-winning brewery owner.

Dave shares how early experiments with Belgian beers sparked his interest in brewing and eventually led to scaling up recipes from the homebrew level to full production. The conversation dives into the technical challenges of maintaining flavour and balance at scale, from dialing back hop and malt intensity to adjusting process variables for consistency.

The group also explores Camp Beer’s approach to building a lineup of standout beers, including the fan-favorite Flannel Pajamas and their take on the increasingly popular Windbreadker Cold IPA. Dave breaks down the evolution of the style, how it differs from traditional IPAs and lagers, and why it resonates with modern drinkers.

Another key topic is competition strategy, as Dave discusses how breweries approach entries in events like the BC Beer Awards, what judges look for, and how feedback from competitions can help refine recipes.

Along the way, the conversation touches on barrel aging, pilot batches, the changing tastes of BC beer drinkers, and Dave’s advice for brewers looking to turn their homebrew passion into a professional career.

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