The Faculty Brewing Co. can be found at the cross section of the Olympic Village and Mount Pleasant. Nestled on the corner of Ontario and West 2nd, Faculty Brewing is a unique spot  where beer lovers can come to learn a little more about the craft. What sets this small scale, friendly and open brewery apart from the rest is their enthusiasm for education.

Congratulations! You’ve been accepted into the Faculty of Craft Beer!

If you’ve ever met the co-founder and head brewer of Faculty Brewing, Mauricio Lozano, this should come as no surprise. As a former university professor, Mauricio’s focus on education helped him recognize the gap in Vancouver’s craft beer market. He believes that some people can be hesitant when it comes to trying craft beers, not because they won’t like it, but because  often the selection can be overwhelming. Mauricio wanted to create an open space where craft beer drinkers, new and old, can come in and learn. Mauricio’s goal is to increase consumption of craft beer through education. How great is that?

I had the pleasure of speaking with Mauricio about Faculty’s impact in the Vancouver beer scene. Mauricio explained to me that before he opened up shop he had to reach “all the people who are not into craft beer yet, and encourage them to not be shy and try new craft beer.” This is where craft beer meets education.

Learning With Labels

To help facilitate the learning process, Faculty likes to keep it simple when it comes to labeling their brews and avoid using “punny” or quirky names. Instead, they label their beers numerically. Each beer’s corresponding number reflects the sophistication of its flavour profile. Lower numbers indicate a more entry-level beer, while higher numbers are reserved for more experimental and bold-flavoured beers. They also provide the alcohol percentage and IBU (bitterness) rating. Mauricio lists this information because it “gives people the opportunity to figure out why they like a certain beer. The name of (other) beers mean nothing, it doesn’t tell the style or intensity.” Mauricio believes this labelling system encourages questions and conversations among beer drinkers.

Because Mauricio aims to create an open and inclusive environment, Faculty provides all of their recipes on their packaging and online. That way you can compare recipes on cans and figure out why a beer tastes a certain way. After a visit to Faculty Brewing you will know which ingredients fit your pallet.

Craft Beer 101

No faculty would be complete without some sort of learning component. Mauricio says, “we have provided Beer 101 sessions and home-brewing collaborations. There is a focus on content engagement and using the brewery as everyone’s space that has helped us with our mission of growing craft beer consumption through education.” Also, Mauricio hopes to expand their event presence down the road by collaborating with institutions to host beer brewing courses and pop up lectures.

If you’re looking to dive into Vancouver’s craft scene but don’t know where to start, Faculty Brewing is perfect for any newcomer. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the large breweries and want something a little more personal, stop by Ontario and West 2nd for a quick lesson on the craft.