it's no question that i love beer. i love all kinds of beer - light ones, heavy ones, cold ones, room temperature ones (that are meant to be that way, of course). flavoured ones, straight ones. i like my hefeweizens and my lagers, and my summer beers, and my reds. but i mostly love craft beers - ones that are brewed in small breweries, experimenting with flavours and fermentation periods, and all the stuff that makes each craft beer unique. i frequently take brewery tours on vacations (nearly every vacation i go on, i seek out the brewery to tour and see it in action).
so when i saw that a documentary on craft beer and cultural exploration was playing at the Rio theatre - a movie theatre i had been dying to get to since i've moved here - i was all cards in.
i had no idea what i was in for.
the rio theatre is a movie venue in the east end that also functions as a stage for improv shows, and as a music venue - part of the reason i had been itching to get there. originally, i found an ad for improv against humanity, and was stuck like glue.
so finally, when my schedule aligned with the beer event and documentary, i made the trip. 1 skytrain stop away, for a night of beer and culture.
we arrived and paid our way in, to be greeted with a quick beer ticket handoff. i knew i was in heaven. the evening - organized by CAMRA - included a free beer with each ticket, in order to facilitate tastings with 33 acres, storm brewing, parallel 49 and r&b brewing. between 2 of us, we grabbed our 2 cups - a lager ale blend from 33 acres, and a vanilla stout from storm brewing - and sat to taste. those serving the beer did them justice - explaining the process and characteristics of each beer they were serving to eager recipients.
the crowds line up during the 15 minute beer intermission.... for more beer.
the film itself was a look inside the life and tasting of michael jackson - a legend in craft brewing. often thought of as part of the resurgence of craft brewing, and the grandfather of craft, the film was an incredible look into a short period of a man's life, whose passion was not beer, but in fact social connections, and the people who make the beer themselves.
while the documentary wasn't of hollywood production by any means, it was an intimate picture of a man who did what he could for something he was passionate about, and people who he was passionate about helping. he loved the art, and the connection that beer provided within communities, and he did those people justice every day by aligning people's needs and wants with the beer community he knew existed, and yet hadn't been unearthed by a broad spectrum of people.
what started for director JR richards as tasting segments for the rare beer club, turned into intimate moments with a wonderful man, whose passing from parkinsons provided reason for making these moments into a full length documentary.
in a final cheers, the film wrapped up. never have i been in the audience of such a wound crowd, who spoke to the screen, with respect and affection (and perhaps a few beers in their belt). it was fun, and casual, and everything you would want a beer documentary evening to be about. i may have even cried a bit.
so glad i went... and hope there are more events like this for the rio theatre and CAMRA.
and, because, how can i let this entire entry pass by without a decent MJ reference. people.... did you think i would let that one go?