From Tumbling Goats to Sudden Draft – great beer and snacks
Review by Rachel Babichuk.
Photos courtesy of Endeavour Brewing Company
Since opening in 2018, St. Albert’s only microbrewery has made quite a name for itself. Luckily for me, Endeavour Brewery is only seven minutes from my home. So I grabbed my bike and headed down for a cold pint of beer on a warm and sunny September afternoon.
There is a beautiful and spacious patio set up in the parking lot, full of couples, families, and a dog. I was welcomed with kind eyes and the smell of roasted malts. The two ladies working were wearing matching “Endeavour to Drink Better Beer” t-shirts and masks. There was fridge filled to the maximum with cans of off-sale beer and a wide variety of merchandise from caps, to t-shirts, to hoodies. At the entrance (which is wheelchair accessible), there was a sign that instructs customers to wait to be seated.
Beyond that sign was the magnificent microbrewery full of giant fermenters, pipes, and kegs. I could see right into the back where all the magic happens, as the taproom is connected to the brewery for viewing pleasure.
The first thing to catch my eye was a hand-written menu on a large chalkboard surrounded by fun LED lights, opposite a beautiful mural of mountains and trees on the back wall.
Endeavour has nine beers on tap and a variety of food from chips and house-made salsa, to tacos al carne (or vegetarian) and quesadillas. For the meat eaters, there is pork, beef, and chicken. For the vegetarians, there is a delicious mushroom option. Under the menu are ten beer taps made of wood. I decided on a flight of beer ($8.00) and a soft pretzel ($8.00) for a snack, so I approached the till to order.
My flight came with four, four-ounce beers of my choice. I chose the Lost Flip-Flop Saison, Tumbling Goat Belgian Pale Ale, Daly Jolt Porter, and the End of Trail Pale Ale. The waitress let me know that I could take a seat and she would bring my treats over when they were ready.
Above me are strings of patio lights and high ceilings. There are no televisions here, only 1970’s soft rock music and quiet chatter of customers.
My flight of beer and pretzel arrive promptly and with a smile (under a face mask). The waitress places the flight board down on the wooden table in front of me and explains to me each beer and its qualities.
I start with the Lost Flip-Flop Saison and immediately I am hit with a strong citrus aroma. Although it’s 6%, I am surprised with how easy this beer is to drink. The Saison would be perfect for a warm summer day: It is light, lemony, and refreshing.
Next, I move on to the Tumbling Goat Belgian Pale Ale which is made with fruity hops to compliment the spicy cloves of the Belgian yeast. This Pale Ale is an easy 5% beer which would be perfect for an after-work rendezvous with one’s coworkers.
Thirdly, I sample the Daly Jolt Porter. Now, I am not usually a fan of Porters; however, this one is exquisite. It starts off with a caramel and chocolate aroma and finishes off with a slight sweetness of citrus. At 7%, the Porter is a sipping beer to have after dinner by the fire on a chilly fall evening.
Lastly, I delve into the End of Trail Pale Ale which is quite different from the Belgian Pale Ale. I am told that the End of Trail is part of a rotating hops series and that this batch was made with Lotus hops. The first sip gives me hints of mandarin and finishes off with a floral and oat mouthfeel. This beer is a refreshing 5% and is perfect to have with lunch or dinner, any day of the week.
Now it is time to snack. My order of a soft pretzel came with two large pretzels. The warm and crispy pretzel topped with butter and salt was everything I dreamed about. The order came on a large rectangular plate with a side of Dijon mustard to dip. This pretzel is more than enough food to share with one other person.
While I was eating, the waitress, Jenn, came over and discussed the history of the Brewery with me. Matt and Georgia Atkins are St. Albert locals who, when they are not in the Brewery, work as an engineer and a junior high teacher respectively. Jenn told me Endeavour Brewery is a family and community-oriented business that aims for a classic European-style feel. Therefore, there are no TV’s – just music, chatter, and board games; however, they had to put the board games away due to the Virus.
I walked up to the till when I was ready to pay. Jenn informed me that my order was $17.00, and that I could use the neat little pad to either tap or insert my debit card (they do take cash too). While I was paying, the other waitress had already spraying down the table and chairs with sanitizer.
When I got home, I looked at the website and the first thing to come up is their dedication to health and safety for staff and costumers during the pandemic. One thing that caught my eye was this quote by the owners:
“At Endeavour Brewing we are inspired by our other passions in life including the outdoors, sports, and those who are talking risks and making great things happen.”
I truly caught this vibe during my visit.
Overall, my trip to Endeavour Brewery was superb. From the beer, to the snacks, to the service – everything was great. I made to sure pick up a few packs of the Sudden Draft IPA and the Tumbling Goat Pale Ale to share with my friends and family. I plan on making this Brewery a regular stop for myself and my pup.
Endeavour Brewery
Suite 4A, 215 Carnegie Drive
St. Albert, Alberta
Phone: 780-752-3777
Website: https://www.endeavourbrewing.com/
Hours:
Monday-Closed
Tuesday-Thursday: 1pm-7pm
Friday and Saturday: 1pm-8pm
Sunday: 12pm-4pm
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