In a desperate time for tasting room operators, getting the word out about supporting independent BC craft beer seems more important than ever. So in its Fall 2020 issue, What’s Brewing magazine celebrates the contributions of BC’s volunteer beer advocates with a Craft Beer Superfan spotlight.
Port Moody’s Carnell Turton is a beer blogger, Instagrammer and a member of the What’s Brewing Tasting Panel… where his motto is, “If the beer’s not good he’ll say it”. Let’s have a word with the man behind @BrewardInlet.
Q&A with Carnell Turton of BREWardInlet.com
Q: How long have you been an active craft beer booster?
A: I’ve been going since late 2014!
Q: How did you pick your handle?
A: Watching my local Port Moody scene grow. The central geographic feature here is Burrard Inlet, so I simply smashed “Brew” into it… although many don’t make the connection.
Q: How did you get into craft beer? Was there a ‘gateway beer’?
A: On a trip to Australia I was offered a beer described as “Australia’s best”. I wondered if it really was the best and spent the rest of the trip seeking out comparisons. When I arrived home I had a similar goal for Canadian beer.
Q: When covid-19 hit, what were your thoughts for the beer industry?
A: I thought it would be tough, but I was confident the community would pull together—and it has. Things like the Four Winds collab in support of Alibi Room show this industry is strong even when times are tough. That said, it is clear that 2020 will be the start of a slow down.
Q: Has COVID affected your personal consumption?
A: I’ve been talking about and directing people to our local BC breweries more, and I am actually buying locally more.
Q: Any thoughts about liquor law, or what government should be doing?
A: This is something I have seen work successfully all over the world, and I am confident Metro Vancouverites can partake outdoors responsibly.
Q: You are part of a “Beer Couple”. Did beer bring you together?
A: Banny was into beer when we met, at Twin Sails where I was working. She had been trying to get one of her photos featured by a brewery, so our first date was taking photos for Twin Sails’ Instagram. A short time later she started @BrewsBabesBanny.
Banny & Carnell
Q: What are the upsides/downsides of being on a beer team?
A: The coolest thing is quickly being injected into a local community that you otherwise might not be.
Q: Any personal accomplishment or moment you’re most proud of?
A: Being invited to brew some collaboration beers (as an individual and as part of Pacific Beer Chat) has been amazing!
Q: What would you tell someone getting into beer blogging today?
A: Decide on an angle, and lean into it. Watch out for accounts that pop up with “DM for collaborations”.
BREWard Inlet
http://brewardinlet.com
http://instagram.com/brewardinlet
