Turning the beer industry inside-out with Whitby’s Little Beasts Brewing
Published June 28, 2022 at 9:39 am
Little Beasts Brewing is creating change in addition to great beer.
There is a brewery working towards equity, one beer at a time and Little Beasts Brewing is a fierce proponent of human rights, specifically within the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities.
Erin Broadfoot is the founder and head brewer at Little Beasts Brewing, located in Whitby, and has worked tirelessly through the pandemic to stay open.
Once working in the field of medicine, Broadfoot had a career change and entered the world of hospitality. This change came as a result of recognizing that if she was going to dedicate her life to her career, she would rather work for herself.
She recognized her need for a creative outlet and was ready to entirely dedicate herself to her new business venture and after discovering her passion for brewing craft beer as a home brewer, and aligning with her views on gender equality, Broadfoot decided to turn her passion into her career.
“I realized quickly in the industry that I would rather work for myself, than work for somebody else. Also, my passions are super different than a lot of breweries, I knew I needed my own outlet. I want to be creative the way I want to be creative, so I went all in.”
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In October 2017, Erin founded Little Beasts Brewing; a local craft brewery with a processing facility and taproom located at 2075 Forbes Street in Whitby. The microbrewery offers a unique destination where patrons can gather and enjoy craft beer and snacks from pop-up food vendors. Little Beasts typically produces up to 12 craft beers in a range of styles. Unlike most Ontario Breweries, Little Beasts’ focus is mainly on Belgian-style beers and mixed fermentations. They also produce more commonly known beer styles for those who prefer more traditional craft beer.
The emphasis on diversity and inclusion for Little Beasts Brewing has resulted in the taproom that has a community feel and a safe hub for all. They host a very diverse group of people who come to the brewery knowing that they are welcome and encouraged. This is thanks to Broadfoot’s steadfast community initiatives, which include raising awareness of social issues and encouraging participation in local charities. She also devotes herself to her own charity, The Craft Beer Safety Network, and many local organizations such as PFlag Durham Region.
“I’d say that as a community spot, we’re very much a safe hub for all populations [because] we do a lot of work in diversity and inclusion. So, we have a very diverse group of people that tend to come up to the brewery as they know that they are welcome and safe.”
Aside from producing high-quality, local craft beers, Little Beasts Brewing is a network of dedicated people who care about their community. They are doing what they do best: producing beer while encouraging positive change.
With files from Samantha Cavallari
Communications and Digital Media Studies, Ontario Tech
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