When Michael and Karen Kuzyk established Category 12 Brewing almost three years ago, they never expected the amount of work that would go into producing their unique brand of craft beer.
“It’s definitely been more work than I would’ve ever anticipated, but it’s going well,” Michael says. “We’re growing year over year, and we’re receiving critical acclaim … I’m working harder than I ever worked in my life.”
Raise your glass
Fortunately, that hard work has paid off: Category 12 has quickly become a local favourite for craft beer aficionados, both for their spin on classic flavours and “Mad Men meets Breaking Bad” branding.
To honour their success, the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce has invited Michael and Karen to speak at their 11th Annual Crystal Awards for Business Excellence.
Denny Warner, Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce executive director, says Category 12’s story made them an obvious choice for the ceremony.
“We like to honour the stories of homegrown successes. Michael and Karen are a great example of that,” Warner says.
Action and reaction
The impetus behind Category 12 finds its roots in Michael’s chemistry background. A PhD with a doctorate in microbiology and biochemistry from the University of Victoria, he started brewing beer in the mid-1990s during his graduate studies.
His passion for brewing eventually prevailed, however, and what followed was a tour up and down the West Coast during which Michael and Karen sampled a myriad of brews to learn how they could make their mark.
“We wanted to expand what’s out there,” Michael says. “I’ve never been a big fan of being a copycat.”
One way they’ve done that is by diversifying the types of yeast they use in their brewing. Most breweries only use a single type of yeast for simplicity purposes, but using different strains can yield a wide range of flavours, says Michael.
“We always joke that we like to do everything the hard way,” he laughs. “But it’s worth it in our mind.”
Now, Category 12 is thriving, with Michael handling head brewmaster duties and Karen taking care of branding and operations. And though he’s not entirely sure what wisdom they’ll share with Crystal Award attendees in October, Michael is just thankful to have been invited at all.
“It’s a nice honour,” says Michael. “We’re so holed up in the busyness of the brewery … [so] for people to be interested, it’s really touching.”
The 11th Annual Crystal Awards take place Oct. 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the Butchart Gardens. Tickets are $95; registration is required.