Let's Meet For a Beer – Details, episodes & analysis

Meet Christine Sandford and Roger Létourneau—seasoned chefs and founders of Lessig Ferments and Vagabond Pop-Ups.

Roger founded Lessig Ferments in 2021, blending his French and German heritage with a deep passion for fermentation. Christine joined him as co-owner in 2023, and with combined experience from top restaurants in Edmonton, Belgium, Denmark, and France, the duo brings an impressive blend of creativity, sustainability, and craftsmanship to their ventures. Recently, they launched Vagabond, a pop-up dinner series born out of their love for travel and local ingredients, where they design unique menus inspired by their culinary adventures.

Tune in as Christine and Roger share their journey from traditional kitchens to entrepreneurial life, their dedication to artisanal, locally sourced fermentation, and their love for creating community-driven culinary experiences.

Guest:

Christine: Instagram | Roger: Instagram

Vagabond Pop-Ups: Instagram

Lessig Ferments: Instagram | Website 

Host:

Mark Kondrat: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Website

LMFAB Podcast:  Instagram | TikTok | Website

Meet Matt Livingstone, Sales Director at Village Brewery.

Matt’s career started at McDonald's, where he learned the values of hard work, customer service, and teamwork. These experiences sparked his passion for connecting with people and led him into the fast-paced world of food & beverage.

From there, he spent several years selling imported beers, gaining a deep appreciation for global brewing traditions and learning the ins and outs of the beer market. Now, with a decade at Village Brewery, Matt has combined his love for beer with his sales expertise, helping the brand grow and connect with beer lovers across the community.

Join us for a laid-back conversation with Matt as he shares his journey from fast food to craft beer, his insights into the beer industry, and his passion for fostering relationships in the local community.

Guest:

Matt Livingstone:  Instagram | LinkedIn 

Village Brewery: Instagram | Facebook | Website 

Host:

Mark Kondrat: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Website

LMFAB Podcast:  Instagram | TikTok | Website

Meet Wilson Wong - sales professional, author, co-owner of three businesses, and passionate community builder.

An expert in direct sales, Wilson began his career in 2008 selling Cutco knives, specializing in business appreciation and closing gifts. Beyond sales, Wilson is the co-owner of CRW Orient Coffee Company, Van Loc Vietnamese Sandwiches, and Boa & Hare Coffee and Cocktails - all located in Edmonton’s Chinatown.

Passionate about real estate and community involvement, Wilson is a dedicated member of Edmonton's Chinatown. He founded the Chinatown Longevity Guild, focusing on youth leadership and mentoring programs to ensure the longevity of Chinatowns across North America.

Grab a cold one and get ready to be inspired by Wilson's remarkable story and his efforts to make a lasting impact on his community. 

Guest:

Wilson Wong: Instagram | LinkedIn

Van Loc: Instagram | Website

Host:

Mark Kondrat: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Website

LMFAB Podcast:  Instagram | TikTok | Website

For today’s episode of the Let’s Meet for a Beer Podcast I’m teaming up with our good friends from Brightside. Brightside by ATB is a free banking app that helps you do more you - so you can save for and spend on the craft beer you enjoy. Just like our team at Alberta Beer Festivals, Brightside calls Alberta home and is proud to support great local breweries and businesses with their Friends with Benefits program. Today we’ll be chatting with SYC Brewing Company, one of Brightside's Friends with Benefits where Brightsiders can earn extra savings. 

Today I sat down with Richard Fyk, Co-Founder of SYC Brewing Company in Edmonton, Alberta.  The first thing we discuss is what exactly SYC stands for?  Is it Show Your Colors?  Is it Share Your Craft?  Do you pronounce every letter S-Y-C, or is it pronounced “SICK” like the kids say?  These are the hard-hitting questions I like to ask on my podcast!

SYC has been around for a relatively short amount of time and they have faced many challenges since the doors opened.  It’s one thing to deal with the learning curve of opening a new business in an unfamiliar industry - but let’s add a global pandemic to the mix and see how you handle it!  Well I’ve been following SYC closely since their doors opened and I’m proud to see how they have responded to the challenges and the products that they have introduced to the market.  It was great to meet up with Richard at the brewery to get a look at the operations.  I had a blast (as always) and I hope you enjoy our conversation!

More About Brightside:

Join Brightside and experience the banking app that helps you do more you. Download the app to sign up in minutes from your phone to get spending and saving - all for free. You can learn more about Brightside by ATB at hibrightside.ca. 

Brightside’s giving all you lucky listeners $30 when you sign up using the code BEER. Download the app, sign up and minutes and put that $30 to good use (let’s face it, we know you’ll likely use it on beer!)

Brightside: Download | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Let’s Meet For A Beer: Website | Twitter | Instagram

Alberta Beer Festivals: Website | Twitter | Instagram

For today’s episode of the Let’s Meet for a Beer Podcast, I’m teaming up with our good friends from Brightside. Brightside by ATB is a free banking app that helps you do more you - so you can save for and spend on the craft beer you enjoy. Just like our team at Alberta Beer Festivals, Brightside calls Alberta home and is proud to support great local breweries and businesses with their Friends with Benefits program. Today we’ll be chatting with Alley Kat Brewing Company, one of Brightside's Friends with Benefits where Brightsiders can earn extra savings. 

Today I sat down with Zane Christensen and Cameron French, owners of  Alley Kat Brewing in Edmonton, Alberta.  Zane and Cameron purchased Alley Kat in 2020 from founder Neil Herbst and his wife and business partner Lavonne.  Alley Kat is one of the longest-running and most respected craft breweries in Alberta - and we discuss the responsibility that comes along with that.

Zane and Cameron both have backgrounds in accounting and have a solid understanding of business.  They have been careful to ensure that the Alley Kat culture is maintained and have spent the past year observing and learning from their team.  As Zane puts it, “We have an amazing staff at Alley Kat and we believe that our people are at the core of what we do.”

It was great to connect with Zane and Cameron to learn more about them.  Alley Kat is in good hands and they will continue to be leaders in our community - I hope you enjoy our conversation.

More About Brightside:

Join Brightside and experience the banking app that helps you do more you. Download the app to sign up in minutes from your phone to get spending and saving - all for free. You can learn more about Brightside by ATB at hibrightside.ca. 

Brightside’s giving all you lucky listeners $30 when you sign up using the code BEER. Download the app, sign up and minutes and put that $30 to good use (let’s face it, we know you’ll likely use it on beer!)

Brightside: Download | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Let’s Meet For A Beer: Website | Twitter | Instagram

Alberta Beer Festivals: Website | Twitter | Instagram

For today’s episode of the Let’s Meet for a Beer Podcast I’m teaming up with our good friends from Brightside. Brightside by ATB is a free banking app that helps you do more you - so you can save for and spend on the craft beer you enjoy. Just like our team at Alberta Beer Festivals, Brightside calls Alberta home and is proud to support great local breweries and businesses with their Friends with Benefits program. Today we’ll be chatting with Analog Brewing, one of Brightside's Friends with Benefits where Brightsiders can earn extra savings. 

Today I sat down with Bryan Launier and Adam Corsaut with Analog Brewing in Edmonton, Alberta.  Analog was created by two best friends from college with a love for craft beer/video games. While they both held different jobs throughout their lives they eventually got tired of the grind and sought out to do something that combined their passions of craft beer and being “massive nerds”. In 2018 their dream became a reality and Analog Brewing was born!

One thing you know as soon as you meet Bryan and Adam - they are authentic!  The video game themes aren't just a fun marketing gimmick, it is something that these two are truly passionate about.  What I love about the craft beer community is that I get to meet so many unique people who aren’t afraid to be themselves.  Sitting down for this podcast reminded me of that and I hope you enjoy the conversation.

More About Brightside:

Join Brightside and experience the banking app that helps you do more you. Download the app to sign up in minutes from your phone to get spending and saving - all for free. You can learn more about Brightside by ATB at hibrightside.ca. 

Brightside’s giving all you lucky listeners $30 when you sign up using the code BEER. Download the app, sign up and minutes and put that $30 to good use (let’s face it, we know you’ll likely use it on beer!)

Brightside: Download | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Let’s Meet For A Beer: Website | Twitter | Instagram

Alberta Beer Festivals: Website | Twitter | Instagram

For today’s episode of the Let’s Meet for a Beer Podcast I’m teaming up with our good friends from Brightside. Brightside by ATB is a free banking app that helps you do more you - so you can save for and spend on the craft beer you enjoy. Just like our team at Alberta Beer Festivals, Brightside calls Alberta home and is proud to support great local breweries and businesses with their Friends with Benefits program . Today we’ll be chatting with Town Square Brewery, one of Brightside's Friends with Benefits where Brightsiders can earn extra savings. 

Today I sat down with Brandon Boutin and Nik Kozub with Town Square Brewing in Edmonton, Alberta.  Brandon is one of the original founders of the brewery and describes it as his passion project.  Nik is their brewer as well as a musician and he approaches brewing with the same passion as he does to music.

The Town Square motto is “Brewing Change in Our Community'' and they built the brewery to be a safe place for everyone to gather.  The past year has been challenging for them but they remain hopeful for the future.  And what does the future look like for Town Square?  Well, they did give me a hint of what to expect as we toured and sampled some products from their emerging barrel program - and the future looks awesome!

More About Brightside:

Join Brightside and experience the banking app that helps you do more you. Download the app to sign up in minutes from your phone to get spending and saving - all for free. You can learn more about Brightside by ATB at hibrightside.ca. 

Brightside’s giving all you lucky listeners $30 when you sign up using the code BEER. Download the app, sign up and minutes and put that $30 to good use (let’s face it, we know you’ll likely use it on beer!)

Brightside: Download | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Let’s Meet For A Beer: Website | Twitter | Instagram

Alberta Beer Festivals: Website | Twitter | Instagram

Brightside and Alberta Beer Festivals have teamed up to create a unique podcast series showcasing unique craft breweries across Alberta.  I recently met up with Christie Pelehos and Michael Ulrich to learn more about Brightside and why they are excited to help showcase Edmonton Craft Breweries through this series. 

Our second series with Brightside focuses on Edmonton-based breweries that are involved with Brightside’s “Friends With Benefits” Program.  These podcasts feature conversations with the owners and brewers of Town Square Brewing, Analog Brewing, Alley Kat Brewing and SYC Brewing.  You will learn more about the breweries and how they make a positive difference in their community.

Stay tuned for a new series each month throughout the summer from Alberta Beer Festivals and our friends at Brightside.

More on Brightside:

• Join Brightside and experience the banking app that helps you do more. 
• Download the app to sign up in minutes from your phone to get spending and saving - all for free. 
• You can learn more about Brightside by ATB here. 
  • Brightside is giving all you lucky listeners $30 when you sign up using the code BEER. 
  • Download the app, sign up and minutes and put that $30 to good use (let’s face it, we know you’ll likely use it on beer!)
• Brightside: Download | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
• Let’s Meet For A Beer: Website | Twitter | Instagram
• Alberta Beer Festivals: Website | Twitter | Instagram

This episode of the Let’s Meet for a Beer Podcast is part of a series that we created with our friends at Brightside.  Each episode in this series showcases a unique Calgary-based craft brewery that is part of Brightside’s “Friends With Benefits” Program.  

Today I sat down with Doug Hamilton, CEO, and co-founder of Inner City Brewing which is located in the beltline area of Calgary - two blocks from the Alberta Beer Festival office!  Before opening the brewery, Doug worked around the world as a Geologist for almost 30 years.  He has always been passionate about beer with the mind of an entrepreneur - so for his next adventure, he combined the two to help create Inner City Brewing.

On the podcast, we discuss the challenges of operating a new business during a pandemic.  Doug shares how the brewery was able to pivot (I know - I hate that word too) and credits his team, led by his fellow co-founder and Brewery GM Dave Bell, for their survival.  They built Inner City as a way to connect with people and are excited to bring back live music, and other community-minded events soon!

Our team has worked with Inner City Brewing on a number of projects, including Be The Brewer and Beerfest-In-A-Box.  It was great to connect with Doug and learn more about his journey - I hope you enjoy the conversation.

More on Brightside:

• Join Brightside and experience the banking app that helps you do more. Download the app to sign up in minutes from your phone to get spending and saving - all for free. 
• You can learn more about Brightside by ATB here. 
  • Brightside is giving all you lucky listeners $10 when you sign up using the code BEER. 
  • Download the app, sign up and minutes and put that $ 10 to good use (let’s face it, we know you’ll likely use it on beer!)
• Brightside: Download | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
• Let’s Meet For A Beer: Website | Twitter | Instagram
• Alberta Beer Festivals: Website | Twitter | Instagram

This episode of the Let’s Meet for a Beer Podcast is part of a series that we created with our friends at Brightside.  Each episode in this series showcases a unique Calgary-based craft brewery that is part of Brightside’s “Friends With Benefits” Program.  

Today I sat down with sisters Jill and Tracy Johnson, who recently opened Bitter Sisters Brewing in Calgary, Alberta.  Before opening the brewery, Jill and Tracy were co-owners of Atlantic Trap and Gill for over 20 years.  I’m always curious about how siblings manage to build successful businesses together - so I had a lot of questions for them!

Bitter Sisters Brewing was opened for only a couple of months before the pandemic - so just the fact that they have survived is a success story!  They credit their success to the neighborhood that they serve and are amazed by the support that their neighbors have shown them.  Having a strong background in the restaurant industry, Jill and Tracy knew they needed to focus on high-quality beer and great food to ensure their success - and they have certainly accomplished both.

It’s great to connect with people who are living out their passion - and seeing them succeed as a family makes it even more special.  It was great to catch up with Jill and Tracy - I hope you enjoy our conversation!

More on Brightside:

• Join Brightside and experience the banking app that helps you do more. Download the app to sign up in minutes from your phone to get spending and saving - all for free. 
• You can learn more about Brightside by ATB here. 
  • Brightside is giving all you lucky listeners $10 when you sign up using the code BEER. 
  • Download the app, sign up and minutes and put that $ 10 to good use (let’s face it, we know you’ll likely use it on beer!)
• Brightside: Download | Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
• Let’s Meet For A Beer: Website | Twitter | Instagram
• Alberta Beer Festivals: Website | Twitter | Instagram