Inspired by the bustling craft breweries and food trucks along the west coast, Alchemy Brewing Company has carved out a loyal following in the heart of downtown Kamloops by serving iconic street food and some really good beer.
Everything is made in house from scratch and it shows in the quality and flavour.
Their passion for craft beers and excellent food has been fueled by a commitment to become one of the top dining establishments in Kamloops. And when you make a competitive claim like that in the Tournament Capital of Canada, you better bring it.
This is why Alchemy Brewing Company’s Owner and Head Brewer, Al Renner (a.k.a. Al Kemist), made sure that before he entered this competitive craft beer market, he had something people could rally behind.
Renner, who grew up in Kamloops, is incredibly proud of his roots and wanted to create a local brewhouse that could replicate the energetic craft beer movement and street food scene in San Diego, Portland and Seattle. He knew if he was going to do that, then he would have to craft a brand that suited the beers and food concoctions he was offering.
He wanted everything to be different, creative and fun.
Take one look at the menu and you’ll start singing the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song — it’s true; they make a sandwich named “West Philly” and a pizza named “Uncle Phil” as a reference to Fresh Prince. Take a peek at the menu! Just come back to this Local Eats article to see more of Alchemy Brewing Company.
One thing on their menu that may have caught your attention is the bestselling Alchemy BBQ “‘Beast Dip,” which is available with smoked brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken or smoked pork belly — yum!
Then, there’s the “Glazed and Confused” donut burger that’s sandwiched between glazed donuts.
This is obviously a pop culture reference to one of Renner’s favourite movies, but the name works! It’s the perfect description of a burger that’s sweet, savoury, cheesy and tangy. This one is a huge hit and Renner says that it’s their second best seller.
They didn't want to be just another place doing poutine, so they decided to do “Disco Fries’ instead. The idea for Renner was to open people's eyes to what’s trending in the North American craft beer scene. Speaking of fries, their ‘Apple Fries’ fit the food truck/festival style theme and make an unbelievable dessert. ‘Apple Fries’ are fried crispy, dusted with cinnamon sugar and come with caramel for dipping — it’s like apple pie finger food.
Along with burgers and fries, Alchemy Brewing Company is making some really cool wings, ribs and pizzas too — like the house specialty pizza, “The Fun Guy,” which is a play on words that Renner and his good friend, Cam Slade, came up with during testing.
Aside from the clever names and crafty beer, another reason to visit Alchemy Brewing Company (not like you need it) is that you can’t get these beers anywhere else.
Although you can order beer and food from Mitchie’s delivery, you cannot get this bombastic beer anywhere other than Alchemy Brewing Company. Unlike many other brands that have started stocking shelves at local stores, this beer is only available where it's made. To get something fresh and crisp, all you need to do is swing by and grab some cans or fill up a growler.
On their loaded menu of beer, you’ll see some really creative names like “Any Excuse,” “Interview with an Orange,” “Rory’s Unicorn” and their signature Westcoast Hazy IPA, “Broken Resolution.”
“Our India Pale Lager (IPL), “Rory's unicorn,” was named by a little girl we met at the Kamloops winter block party,” shared Renner. “We were looking for names for the IPL and Rory suggested ‘unicorn’. Why? Because she loves unicorns… duh,” he joked.
While there are many beers named “Unicorn,” none of them are named “Rory's Unicorn;” hence the name, and what a cute name it is. As for “Broken Resolution,” it was Renner’s first crack at a west coast hazy IPA and when he crafted it, it was around early January 2019. So he thought, what better name than “Broken Resolution?”
There are some other rather decadent creations too — like the “Chocolateology,” a chocolate and toasted coconut porter; “Sugarbush,” a Red Maple Ale; and the “Son of the Soil” that’s dedicated to the men and women who work the land. This year, Alchemy Brewing Company is looking at creating five flagship beers that will be available regularly.
To support this replicated west coast beer and food truck scene in Kamloops, go try the magnificent selection of aptly named beer, street food with rotating daily lunch and evening specials at Alchemy Brewing Company, located in the heart of downtown Kamloops.
Fun Fact: Alchemy Brewing Company’s wall mural was made possible by Renner’s close friend, Cam, who assisted with the creation of the menu. Remember, he came up with “The Fun Guy.”
When KamloopsNow asked Renner about the big, bold mural, he shared that Cam introduced him to an amazing pop artist named Josh Makorto.
Josh did the mural and now Renner is working with him to create label art and swag, which we’re really excited to see. To get an idea for some upcoming stylings, check out #joshmakorto.
Get Social with Alchemy Brewing
Facebook: @AlchemyBrewingCompany.ca
Instagram: @alchemybrewingcompany
Twitter: @BrewingAlchemy
Web: alchemybrewingcompany.ca
Menu: alchemybrewingcompany.ca/Alchemy-Brewing-Company-Menu.pdf
BC Ale Trail: bcaletrail.ca/breweries/alchemy-brewing
