Tapping into Community: Localism, Place-Making, and Diverse Economies in Craft Brewing By Chloé Madeleine Poitevin A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Geography with Specialization in Political Economy Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario © 2021 Chloé Madeleine Poitevin Abstract This thesis examines the ways in which craft breweries in the Ottawa-Gatineau region create opportunities for community economies. Grounded in feminist economic geography and the diverse economies research paradigm, this research explores the ways in which craft brewing practices are embedded in particular understandings of place, identity and economy. By examining alternative economic practices in the context of craft beer, this research provides insights into the impacts of the concentration of power in the beer industry by large industrial brewing conglomerates on independently owned craft breweries. This concentration of power is challenged by craft breweries that generate more-than-capitalist economic possibilities, which help build towards community economies. Craft breweries model community economic practices by engaging in collaborative and non-competitive economic relationships, enhancing local economic development, and by carving out meaningful relationships with community actors with the intent of creating social good. This work contributes to a growing body of work on the geography of craft beer, and critical food studies literature on power relations in the food system. Key words: craft brewing; diverse economies; feminist economic geography, place-making; identity; concentration of power. ii Acknowledgements This thesis would not have become a reality were it not for the craft breweries in Ontario, Québec and Newfoundland. I am grateful for all the creative and dedicated individuals that made the beer that inspired this research, most of all Dominion City Brewing Co., where I leaned that beer is about so much more than malt, hops, yeast and water. I am equally grateful for all the brewers, brewery owners and employees, as well as all the other passionate people that took time out of their busy days to talk about, and share, beer. Thank you, Josh, Brad and Ren, who continue to make me feel like I am a part of this craft beer community. I would like to thank my supervisors, Patricia Ballamingie and Irena Knezevic, who brought me in thinking I was to study fisheries and were just as enthusiastic and supportive when I changed topics. You are both incredible mentors, teachers and cheerleaders, and made this entire Ph.D. process a true joy. Thank you to my committee member, Pablo Mendez, for his insightful and helpful feedback that helped direct and guide my revisions. To my friend Jen, who has seen me through three degrees and is one of my longest and most steadfast supporters. To Merissa, Kent and Adrian who patiently listened to my insecurities, provided a sounding board for all my ideas, and continue to be up for outdoor adventures. iii To Melissa who, when in town, is always up for existential debates, loud music, coffee and walks. To Mark and Amy, with whom we shared beers and, eventually, a passion for mountain biking, which proved to be a saving grace throughout this thesis. To my climbing ladies, who help remind me that playing outside is essential. Thank you to my fellow grad students, Katalin, Monika, Alex and Teal, who kept my spirits up on campus. To my family: My parents, Linda and Pat, and sister Mikhaila, who provided me with a change of scenery, coffee and conversation whenever I was feeling stuck. To the members of the Eccles street commune, Emilie, Brandyn and Gabriel, with who we shared many beers, meals and good times, especially during lockdown. It was a privilege to finish writing this thesis under your roof. To my climbing, cycling and life partner, Chris. I could never have gotten this far without your unconditional support and love. This thesis is dedicated to you. Now, it’s your turn to be brilliant. iv Table of Contents ABSTRACT II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS III LIST OF FIGURES VIII PREFACE 1 1. INTRODUCTION: THE UBIQUITY AND COMPLEXITY OF BEER 5 1.1 BEER AS FOOD 7 1.1.1 ENTANGLEMENTS WITH MORE-THAN-HUMANS 7 1.1.2 BREWING AS FOOD WORK 12 1.2 BEER AS INDUSTRY 15 1.2.1 A BRIEF HISTORY OF BREWING IN CANADA 15 1.2.2 BREWING A GLOBALIZED COMMODITY 20 1.3 BEER AS TRANSFORMATIVE 26 1.3.1 THE RISE OF CRAFT BEER 26 1.3.2 BEER AS FOOD (REDUX) 29 1.3.3 THE CRAFT BEER ‘REVOLUTION’ 36 1.4 BEER AS RESEARCH 39 1.4.1 KEY ARGUMENTS AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS 39 1.4.2 THESIS STRUCTURE 44 CHAPTER 2 - CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 47 2.1 INTRODUCTION 47 2.2 DIVERSE AND COMMUNITY ECONOMIES 49 2.2.1 DIFFERENCE OVER DOMINANCE 52 2.2.2 GEOGRAPHIES OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMY 54 2.2.3 BEER AND DIVERSE ECONOMIES 57 2.3 ACTOR NETWORK THEORY 60 2.3.1 BODIES AND MATERIALITY 63 2.3.2 FOOD AND THE MORE-THAN-HUMAN 65 2.4 CONCLUSION 70 3. RESEARCH METHODS 71 3.1 METHODOLOGY AND PRELIMINARY INQUIRIES 71 3.2 DATA COLLECTION 76 3.2.1 PRIMARY DATA 76 v 3.2.2 SECONDARY DATA 79 3.2.3 DATA ANALYSIS 81 CHAPTER 4: BREWING LOCAL ECONOMIES IN OTTAWA-GATINEAU 85 4.1 INTRODUCTION 85 4.2 RESEARCH CONTEXT 87 4.3 POLITICAL ECONOMIES OF BEER IN THE OTTAWA-GATINEAU REGION 95 4.3.1 REGULATING AND TRADING CRAFT BEER 96 4.3.2 SELLING CRAFT BEER 107 4.4 CONCLUSION 116 CHAPTER 5: PLACE AND LOCALITY 118 5.1 INTRODUCTION 118 5.2 CRAFTING PLACE 120 5.2.1 LANDSCAPE AND PLACE-IDENTITY 120 5.2.1 OTTAWA-GATINEAU AS A ‘SETTLER CITY’ 126 5.2.3 TERROIR AND MATERIALITY 131 5.3 DEFINING ‘LOCAL’ IN CRAFT BEER 136 5.3.1 HOPS 139 5.3.2 MALT AND YEAST 143 5.3.3 BREWING A ‘LOCAL’ BEER 145 5.4 CONCLUSION 147 CHAPTER 6: CRAFTING COMMUNITY 150 6.1 INTRODUCTION 150 6.2 DEFINING COMMUNITY 151 6.2.1 COMMUNITY AS RELATIONAL 151 6.2.2 COMMUNITY AS TRANSFORMATIVE 155 6.3 ‘COMMUNITY IS EVERYTHING’ 160 6.3.1 MAKING GOOD BEER TOGETHER 161 6.3.2 DRINKING GOOD BEER TOGETHER 171 6.4 COMMUNITY AND POWER IN CRAFT BEER 177 6.4.1 A ‘COMMON ENEMY’? 177 6.4.2 CRAFTING COMMUNITY ECONOMIES 182 6.5 CONCLUSION 187 7. CONCLUSION 189 REFLECTIONS ON BREWING IN A PANDEMIC 200 REFERENCES 205 vi APPENDIX A - INTERVIEW GUIDE 226 APPENDIX B – LETTER OF INVITATION 229 APPENDIX C – CONSENT FORM 229 vii List of Figures Figure 1.1: Still from Molson Canadian commercial ‘The Rant’ ..................................... 22 Figure 1.2: Beer advertisement from industrial brewer, Budweiser .............................. 23 Figure 1.3: A sample of sexist beer labels produce by craft breweries .......................... 33 Figure 4.1: Map of craft breweries located in the Ottawa-Gatineau region .................. 93 Figure 5.1: Ottawa-Gatineau region brewery Instagram posts ................................... 125 Figure 5.2: Beer label from a Gatineau brewery………………………...……….132 viii Preface My journey towards studying craft beer was not a straightforward one and proved more personal than I would have first expected. Now, knowing what I do about craft beer, I am no longer surprised how intensely I feel about this subject: craft beer is immensely personal to those who brew it and consume it. My thesis began outside of the academy, during evenings and weekends, in taprooms and kitchens, where I became acquainted with locally brewed pale ales, IPAs, sours, stouts and porters, and the people who made and poured my beers. Like so many craft beer workers and enthusiasts, I vividly remember the first beer I consumed, not counting the sips of Miller Lite my father let me have as a child. My first real beer was a Blanche de Chambly, a Quebec (formerly) craft brewery based near Montreal. While I dabbled in cheap and homogenously flavoured industrially-produced beers, I always sought out craft beers whenever I could. My entanglement with craft beer is an enduring affair that not only defines my identity as a drinker, but also (now) as a researcher. I started this Ph.D. intent on continuing my MA research on fisheries governance and local food systems. I wanted to dig deeper into how people form relationships within food systems and examine the transformative potential of these social bonds. This interest in fisheries emerged during my master’s degree and was fueled by my proximity to the ocean and the fishing industry in the portside city of St. John’s, NL. Leaving behind the ocean for the mainland created both a physical and emotional distance that I found difficult to reconcile during the initial stages of my doctoral degree at Carleton University in Ottawa. My interest in local food systems, community and economies did not dwindle, though I began to 1 doubt whether a further examination of fisheries could answer my questions about how local foods initiatives can remedy the harms produced by conventional food systems. While I was away in Newfoundland, between 2013 and 2015, the craft beer industry in Ottawa experienced significant growth with five new breweries opening their doors during that time. Already having explored some of St. John’s burgeoning craft beer scene, I was eager to explore the new breweries in my hometown. Equally, I brought with me a homebrewing kit I purchased on the island, but never had the chance to use. In short order, craft beer became a mainstay in my personal life: I began to purchase my beers locally almost exclusively and to make my own beer at home.