Eight great years of New Westminster’s Steel and Oak

What isn’t Jorden Foss doing these days? He’s running a brewery, he’s a published children’s author of a book about a dancing dinosaur (it’s true – see for yourself!), and as we’re chatting, he’s in the midst of his final preparations to speak at a New West Chamber of Commerce event. 

Foss is attentive to detail – ready to take notes just in case something comes up as we speak – and the co-owner of Steel and Oak (S&O) is excited to chat.

So, it’s hard to believe him when he says he’s somewhat nervous about the upcoming SO8 anniversary event, to celebrate the brewery’s eight years in business.

Event details:

• When: Sunday, June 26 from 12-5 pm

• Where: 1319 Third Ave. (behind the brewery)

• This event is family friendly, and that means dogs are welcome, too!

“It feels weird, but good and great. I guess all in one? I’m anxious, actually, because you don’t know,” he says, pointing to the fact that not everyone might be ready to come down to celebrate in this stage of COVID-19. “I think I’m just anxious to see if people are willing to go out again, and what that’s going to look like.”

S&O had its own share of struggles during the height of the pandemic – and there are still a few things to iron out – but it’s been a busy time for Foss and his business partner, James Garbutt. In fact, Foss recently returned from London after working on a collaboration with Banks’s Brewing in Wolverhampton, one of the oldest breweries in the UK. Banks had reached out to S&O about shipping some of their Shiny Things IPA out to them, but Foss said it’d be easier to go out there and just brew it.

45,000 litres later, the New West microbrewery’s IPA is being shipped out from England to pubs all over France. 

“It’s been busy, but in a different way,” explains Foss. “Oddly enough, through the pandemic, we were busy beer-wise, but not busy with things like extracurricular things, or the anniversary party. This year we’ve noticed a bit of a slowdown as far as business goes, but my life is busy because events are picking up again.”

When asked about how it feels to establish a community space that appeals to people not just in New West, but in Metro Vancouver (and by extension, internationally), Foss says it makes him proud to see what S&O has become.

“Looking back, eight years ago to where we are today is where I wanted us to be; is where I thought we would be,” says Foss. As someone who grew up in New West, he felt there wasn’t much at the time to brag about. “So, for us, we just wanted a spot that people could be proud of, where they could say, ‘hey! I’m from New West! That’s where Steel and Oak is from!’ ”

And despite the opportunities for collaboration and distribution outside the city, New West is always first and foremost for S&O.

“The pandemic kind of taught us that this is where we need to be, even more focused on this hub for the community, rather than distributing further out. It’s doubling down on New West and we’re a little bit less about selling beer to, let’s say Alberta,” Foss says.

It’s why the anniversary party means a lot to Foss, Garbutt, and the crew at S&O. 

“It’ll be interesting to see if we need to go back to what we started eight years ago, and doing more grassroots events in New Westminster, because new people live here – and perhaps they don’t know about us yet, right?” Foss says S&O never wants to take for granted their identity and hopes to see new faces – as well as faces that have been along for the eight-year ride.

“We always make sure we have options for people even if they don’t like beer. Maybe they like cider or wine, and if they don’t drink at all, we have plenty of non-alcoholic options, like kombucha and ginger beer. For us, it’s just more important that people feel comfortable here, and that they like coming here, and that they enjoy the space.”