Brewers and brewery employees from across the province are getting ready to bare their beer bellies for a cause.
The project, Beautiful Brewers of B.C. calendar, features the naked bodies of brewers from 12 B.C. breweries, baring it all to raise money and awareness for the B.C. Cancer Foundation.
Spearheaded by local brewpub Moon Under Water and photographer Stacey Aumonier, the calendar features employees from Hoyne Brewing Co., Spinnakers Brewpub, Moon Under Water and Vancouver Island brewery as well as Parallel 49, Deep Cove, R+B, Coal Harbour and Storm from Vancouver, Surrey’s Central City, Howe Sound from Squamish and Tofino Brewing.
“I used to model,” says Chelsea Walker, co-owner of Moon Under Water and organizer of the project. “So that was part of the inspiration. I was looking for a project for all the brewers to work together on and I thought no one’s ever seen anything quite like this before. It’s going to help the brewers because it shows that we care about our community and it’s really going to push us all to the next level as figure heads in the community. Back in history, cities were based around the breweries and we’re not quite there yet. But we will be, and we want to give back to the people who take care of us.”
Walker put the word out and within 24 hours she had 12 breweries on board.
“People either said yes on the spot or vehemently no,” she says.
Walker’s grandfather is currently fighting prostate cancer and thought that since cancer is a disease that has touched so many people, it was the perfect fit for the project.
“It’s a charity that hits close to home,” she says. “It’s also one of the top rated charities in B.C.”
And while most would assume the calendar will only feature burly male brewers, Walker says there will be two women, both from Victoria, included in the calendar; Walker herself and Kala Hadfield from Spinnakers.
The first printing of the calendar will make it’s debut at the Great Canadian Beer Festival Sept. 6 and 7 at Royal Athletic Park. They are $20 and all proceeds go to the B.C. Cancer Foundation.
Subsequent printings will be available at the retail outlets of each brewery and at local liquor stores.