Patience is a virtue.
This is what I have been reminding myself since I first met Mauricio almost a full year ago to chat about Faculty Brewing, Vancouver’s newest kid on the Brewery Creek block. I was immediately excited and inspired by his vision, the tasting room space (although it was barebones at that time), and the two beers he had for me to sample: a refreshing Saison, and a Sour he had made using yogurt cultures.
Finally, after several curveballs thrown at him 
by the City and its extensive list of bylaws, Mauricio is almost set to open the doors to Faculty.
Good things come to those who wait, right?
For those of you who have yet to hear of Faculty (I’m guessing you are few and far between, as their social media presence has been outstanding), I will give you the low-down:
Located at 1830 Ontario St, the tasting room will have 30 seats in addition to the growler fill station. Mauricio plans to have 4 beers on tap at a time. “You don’t rush it. That’s something I’ve learned is I’d rather say I only have two beers, but [they’re] going to be two good beers.” Quality is a priority, as is evident from the time and energy Mauricio and his team have put into developing and perfecting the brand. True to the name, education is at the root of the Faculty vision:
“The brand established how we name the beers. We chose numbers. So basically the easiest, most straightforward beers are the low numbers and the toughest most complex beers are the higher numbering. [A lager would be a 100-level beer, whereas a Belgian Trippel would be up in the 400s.] The idea is that if you’re not a craft beer drinker and you show up at our brewery and are like ‘Oh my God, what’s a Berliner Weisse’ you can go by the numbering, so you go for the lager or pilsner or pale ale. The numbers are telling you how strong the beer is going to be. What the numbers are telling you is how close you are to your safe spot, or how far you want to push yourself out.”
Community has been a focus of 
Mauricio’s as well. From the very beginning, he has worked closely with his friends and brewing peers from Luppolo, Steel Toad, Powell Street, Andina, and Callister (among others) by sharing equipment, spaces, recipes, and wisdom. Curious passers-by are constantly poking their heads in, says Mauricio. “That’s been happening a lot, and it’s exciting! The neighbours are always stopping by wanting to know when we open.”
As of late June, Faculty’s Liquor Manufacturer license has been approved. The last step before opening their doors is passing a final Occupancy Inspection. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed for them, because honestly, I can’t wait any longer!
[UPDATE: Faculty has passed their Final City Inspection – CHEERS!]
Ksenia Dempster
Events Coordinator
CAMRA BC – Vancouver Branch
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