Blind Enthusiasm exists because of our deep love of food and beer.
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’.
Photo Gallery
Our space is as unique as our beers, can custom designed to bring you the finest brews.