{"id":63034,"date":"2026-01-05T13:31:23","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T21:31:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bcaletrail.ca\/?p=63034"},"modified":"2026-01-07T09:47:52","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T17:47:52","slug":"smithers-brewing-company-spotlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bcaletrail.ca\/smithers-brewing-company-spotlight\/","title":{"rendered":"Smithers Brewing Company: Award-Winning Craft Beer in the Heart of Northern BC"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the heart of Northern British Columbia, Smithers Brewing Company<\/a> is making waves, proving that small-town dedication and a passion for craft can lead to national acclaim.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last summer<\/span>, they put the brewing world on notice at the Canadian Brewing Awards, not only winning six (yes, six) individual medals but also taking home the coveted Brewery of the Year award. <\/span>Then, at the BC Beer Awards<\/a> in October, they took home the Best in Show title for the Smithersbr\u00e4u Festbier<\/span>. These incredible achievements have put Smithers on the map as a must-visit destination for beer enthusiasts and showcase the level of talent this small town has on tap.<\/span><\/p>\n

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In 2025, Smithers Brewing Company took home six individual awards at the Canadian Brewing Awards, plus Brewery of the Year (photo: Marty Clemens)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Cam McKeigan<\/span>, the Head Brewer behind Smithers Brewing Company’s<\/a> success, to learn about his journey and what this award means to him and the team. Cam’s story is one of passion turned profession. What started as a curiosity inspired by his father’s early homebrewing and a fascination with the craft beer scenes in Victoria and Vancouver quickly blossomed into a full-fledged obsession. \u201cI was obsessively homebrewing,\u201d he shares, \u201cI brewed just over 300 batches in my tiny apartment.\u201d Brews of varying calibres that he\u2019d then get to testing with friends. “Drain the swamp” parties, he called them, just to clear out the cellar and make room for the next experiment.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Within six months of my first homebrew, I was hired on by the crew at Wheelhouse Brewing<\/a> in Prince Rupert,” Cam shares, a testament to his rapid learning and infectious enthusiasm. His time at Wheelhouse was crucial, giving him hands-on experience and a taste of the professional brewing world. But Cam had a bigger dream. He wanted his own brewery.<\/span><\/p>\n