Our Story

Blind Enthusiasm is driven by our passion for great beer and fine food. We brew three distinct types of beer at two locations in Edmonton. We brew crisp ales and lagers as well as complex barrel-aged beers at the Market, located alongside our restaurant, Biera. At The Monolith we’re running one of largest barrel-fermented beer programs in Canada.

The Market brewery and Biera are practically inseparable, with the brewhouse in a glass box inside the warm, industrial Biera dining room. Chef Christine Sandford has devised an award-winning, creative menu inspired by European bistro fare, and head brewer Rob Monk makes delicately balanced beers to match the food and satisfy any beer drinker.

Our brewers always strive for excellence while planning and brewing a beer, allowing the appropriate amount of time to let our beers finish naturally. We don’t filter our beers, and instead use extended cold conditioning to let our beers naturally clarify and mature before release. Our beers are complex and don’t always fit within a certain style, but are always balanced and drinkable.

Upstairs at the Ritchie Market is our barrel room, where we run a barrel-aging program dedicated to melding beer with the flavours of wine and spirit barrels. We also have a couple event spaces, with a particular focus on hosting charity events. Learn more about our event spaces.

Just blocks away is The Monolith, our brewery and barrel house designed from the ground up to create complex, acidic beers via barrel fermentation. (Folks often refer to these as “sour” beers, but we make a specific type of beer in this fairly broad category). The Monolith is one of a handful of facilities in North America that is dedicated to this style of brewing. Head brewer Doug Checknita applies both the art and science of brewing to create beers that can age for years and compete with the finest wines.

Why are we doing all of this? Because we love beer and we want to share what we make with as many people as possible. We’re ambitious and to deliver on our dreams we’ve gathered a tremendously talented team with a common vision. Read on and learn about the folks behind Blind Enthusiasm.

Brewing Philosophy

At Blind Enthusiasm we have our sights set on quality and exploration. We take our time to make well-rounded beer, without cutting corners, and anything that doesn’t match our exacting standards will never see the light of day.

The People

These are the hard-working guys and gals that keep the place runnin’, and the beer flowin’.

Alex Bayley

Jr. Sous Chef

Alex Bayley

Jr. Sous Chef

Alex Rivera-Rodas

Assistant Brewer

Alex Rivera-Rodas

Assistant Brewer

Austin Webb

Taproom Manager, The Monolith

Austin studied brewing at Olds College. He helped launch the Saskatchewan Craft Beer Guide and is always working to help grow the craft beer community. Austin is always looking forward to pouring you a beer at The Monolith's taproom!

Austin Webb

Taproom Manager, The Monolith

Aya Mlambo

Finance Manager

Aya Mlambo

Finance Manager

Christine Sandford

Executive Head Chef

With over a decade of experience as a chef, Christine has worked in a wide range of restaurants including Culina Mill Creek (as head chef) in Edmonton, La Buvette, Cafe Des Spores and In de Wulf's restaurant, De Superette in Belgium. She brings tremendous creativity and refined European sensibilities to the kitchen at Biera.

Christine Sandford

Executive Head Chef

Craig Martell

Events Manager

Originally from Nova Scotia, Craig has spent the last 15 years in Edmonton running every type of event you could imagine and some you probably couldn’t.

Craig Martell

Events Manager

Davina Moraiko

Chef de Cuisine

Davina brings two decades of experience in top kitchens in BC and Alberta. While working at Rge Rd, Davina helped shape the industry in Edmonton by working closely with local farmers and suppliers, integrating the best local ingredients into her dishes.

Davina Moraiko

Chef de Cuisine

Dean Crowell

Facilities Manager

Dean is a passionate member of our team with more than 25 years of experience in Facility Management. When he isn’t busy with our buildings, he enjoys travelling, cooking and riding his lightning-fast electric scooter.

Dean Crowell

Facilities Manager

Doug Checknita

Head Brewer, The Monolith

Doug trained in brewing at Olds College, worked at La Trou du Diable in Quebec, spent the 2016 brewing season working at Cantillon in Brussels, and consulted at Brasserie de la Senne. Doug runs Blind Enthusiasm’s spontaneous brewing and barrel-aging programs.

Doug Checknita

Head Brewer, The Monolith

Duncan Gommerud

Sous Chef

Duncan began cooking after finishing his BSc in Zoology. With over 8 years experience in the industry, this Edmontonian crossed the pond to work in London at Dinner by Heston, Outlaw's at the Capital, and Dominique Ansel Bakery London.

Duncan Gommerud

Sous Chef

Greg Zeschuk

Owner

Greg’s career has ranged from physician, to videogame developer as founder of BioWare, and now trainee brewer. Greg is the prime enthusiast behind the Blind Enthusiasm Brewing Company.

Greg Zeschuk

Owner

Ian Nawrot

Assistant Brewer

Ian brings a knowledge of biology (via his degree from King's University) and hand's-on experience as a plumber (he helped to build out the Ritchie Market) to the brewery as an assistant brewer. Along with Doug, he's also one of our main sciencers.

Ian Nawrot

Assistant Brewer

Janell Robbins

General Manager

With twenty years experience in hospitality, Janell loves the fast pace and unique challenges that this work brings. She also loves theatre, plants, and laughing a little too loudly.

Janell Robbins

General Manager

José Vega

Assistant Brewer

José Vega

Assistant Brewer

Kristin Morandi

Asst. Front of House Manager, Biera

Kristin is an experimental home brewer with a bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Food Science. Her years of experience in the restaurant industry that has spanned various roles in both the front and back of house.

Kristin Morandi

Asst. Front of House Manager, Biera

Marie-Josée Trempe

Accounting & Operations Associate

Marie-Josée Trempe

Accounting & Operations Associate

Nik Kozub

Brewer, The Monolith

Nik joins The Monolith's team following a handful of years as an award-winning head brewer at Town Square Brewing Co. Nik is a bit of a legend around town, since he is also a Juno-nominated musician with Shout Out Out Out Out, and moonlights as a mastering engineer.

Nik Kozub

Brewer, The Monolith

Rob Monk

Head Brewer, Blind Enthusiasm

Rob's career has spanned 16 years, starting at Yukon Brewing, followed by Spinnakers in Victoria, where he worked his way up to head brewer, followed by another 6 years as Yukon’s head brewer. Rob runs Blind Enthusiasm’s neighborhood brewery.

Rob Monk

Head Brewer, Blind Enthusiasm

Shauna Perry

Operations

Shauna Perry

Operations

Shelan Reason

Retail Specialist

Shelan Reason

Retail Specialist

Tom Goodman

Sales and Brand Ambassador

Tom Goodman

Sales and Brand Ambassador

Wynn Smith

Sales Director

As a Canadian with an Aussie passport, Wynn has experience working with breweries in both countries. Wynn loves a craft beer on a Sunday afternoon, her two dogs, and any sports that involve snow.

Wynn Smith

Sales Director