It is hard to believe that the Edmonton Beer Geeks Anonymous is turning one year old in June. On one level it feels like they have only been around a short time, but on the other it seems like they are an Edmonton cornerstone. It is true it didn’t take them long to become a mainstay in Edmonton’s beer scene. Their monthly meetings are consistently informative, interesting and fun. They have found a way to draw hundreds of new people into exploring quality craft beer, with an emphasis on local.

So it seems only fitting that EBGA is celebrating their first anniversary with Alberta’s first Cask Ale Day. They are promising no less than 6 different cask ales from Western Canadian breweries, including Alley Kat, Amber’s, Jasper Brewing, Wild Rose, Yukon and Phillip’s. It is June 23 at the Wunderbar and starts at 1 pm. VERY limited seats are available, so buy yours quickly.

Of course, I totally imagine that it will be a great event – one for the ages. But I most write about it because I know it is the first effort in Western Canada to combine various craft breweries to build a single cask event. It is like a mini cask ale festival.

It is too bad that there is very limited seating. But if it all goes well for them, maybe their second anniversary will find a way to include way more people (including me). Because this is exactly the kind of event that the prairies need – original, focused exclusively on craft beer, highlighting regional breweries, and providing one-of-a-kind beer. Can you ask for much more.

So, whether you attend the event or not, let’s raise a glass to the Beer Geeks Anonymous for raising Edmonton’s beer knowledge and culture a few steps. And let’s wish bigger and better things for them next year.