Steel & Oak Brewing Co.

James Garbutt and Jorden Foss are the owners of Steel & Oak Brewing Co. a microbrewery that is situated fairly close to Downtown New West. The brewery opened its doors on June 24th, 2014 at New Westminster much to the delight of the BC craft beer crowd and the locals.  The Steel & Oak Company took over the market from a long-term West Minister brewery that closed its doors back in 2005 after being in business for 143 years known as Labatt brewery. Steel & Oak took over the starving market almost 10 years after Labatt closed down and so far, it has managed to attract a cult and loyal following.

Steel & Oak Opening

When Steel & Oak opened its doors to the public, it was evident that the brewery would immediately be welcome in the craft beer community because the Brewers had an immediate respect for the craft and the various techniques used in the production process.  Rather than select a style that would allow the new business to fit into the existing and already saturated market,  Steel & Oak opted to concentrate on producing beer using German styles, which is not a favorite of many brewers because it is considered traditional and limited. 

Steel & Oak Beers

As one of the only breweries in the BC market to cater to German varieties, German-Canadian brewmaster, Peter Schulz introduced Steel & Oak into the craft beer scene when it opened its doors with a repertoire that consisted of a red Pilsner, a dark lager, and a smoked hefeweizen. Basically, Steel & Oak’s main focus has always been German-inspired recipes and an output of Northwest German approach.  Despite the greater popularity of hop centered American styles, Steel & Oak has consistently managed to impress crowds and the general craft beer community.

To deal with the demand of the steady stream of customers, Steel & Oak has two flagships beers that are always available all year round. The Royal City Pale Ale is an English-style ale which is malt centered rather than hop centered; it is light and smooth, featuring hints of floral instead of teak that is found in deep malts. The other variety on offer consistently is the Extra Special Bitter or the ESB, which is Steel & Oak’s most hop centered beer. 

The remaining taps are typically rounded out by a rotating selection of experimental beer.  The different varieties of beer can be enjoyed in the tasting room, which was designed by Jorden, who was originally an interior designer by trade before she joined her husband in the craft beer business.