Business Spotlight: Stew Ward's Craft Beer Vision Takes Root in Airdrie

Oil and gas veteran Stew Ward has transformed his passion for English-style ales into a thriving local brewery that serves as a community hub.

His inspiration for craft brewing came from working in England in 1999, where he developed an appreciation for traditional English pub culture and ales. In 2017, he retired from the consulting business he operated since 1991 to pursue his brewery venture.

"I've always been a bit of a risk taker," Ward said. "Higher, wider, faster, farther. I've never accepted mediocrity."

Ward, his wife Nola and son, Michael, pursued their brewing research seriously, spending two years visiting facilities in Canada and the United States, working on recipes and brewing on a small-batch basis in the barn before opening their facility in Coopers Crossing.

"We've been very successful in attracting the type of “characters” that come into the place that make it a lot of fun," Ward said. "We wanted them to bring the kids and/or the dogs to make it more of a family environment which is quite typical of an English style pub.”

The brewery has evolved from a single taproom to include a separate brewing and storage facility in the former Fitzsimmons Brewing space, allowing Ward to meet growing demand from rural communities while maintaining the intimate pub atmosphere he envisioned.

 Ward's commitment to Airdrie extends beyond his brewery. He is an active participant in community events, including the Airdrie Rodeo, Balzac Boogie, various beer festivals and community functions. He views his business as part of Airdrie's evolution from bedroom community to a self-sufficient city with its own distinct character, though he remains focused on forward momentum rather than dwelling on the past.

"Airdrie has really evolved from the bedroom community to being more of its own entity," said Ward. "It makes it all the more important that those services that you could only get in Calgary become more prevalent here."

The brewery has become known for its unique Sea Buckthorn IPA, made from berries Ward originally grew on his rural property in Balzac, while demonstrating his commitment to local ingredients and innovation within traditional English brewing styles.

Keep up to date with Balzac Brewing at balzaccraftbrewing.com