The sequence of events that lead to the existence of what the Globe and Mail considers to be one of Canada's top five brewpubs, and what some beer hunters consider to be North America's best brewpub, including a regular from Florida, started in 1976 in Stuttgart, Germany. The Robertson family spent the year 1976/77 in that city while Bev was on sabbatical leave at the Universitãt der Stuttgart. He gradually learned to appreciate the local Dortmunder style of beer, but soon moved on to the locally produced premium Pilseners.

On returning to Canada, Bev purchased a bottle of Canadian industrial beer in the Toronto Airport. His first reaction was that someone had accidentally filled the beer bottle with water, but a burp confirmed the presence of carbonation. He decided not to let his beer taste buds deteriorate to the point that he could taste Canadian industrial beer. He purchase European imports for home consumption. However, they were expensive and almost always stale. By 1979 he was looking for an alternative source of beer.

It was suggested during lunch at the University of Regina Faculty Club by Dr. Alex Kelly, Economics, that it was possible to produce full flavoured beers at home. Bev went to Harvest Brewing. He pointed to a picture on the wall of Neueschwanstein Castle, (around which the family had spent many hours on foot and skis and which can be seen in the Club Room) and said "I want to purchase whatever it takes to brew the beer that is brewed where that castle is."

He began brewing with beer kits, using malt extract. Within six weeks he was beginning to supplement the extracts with malt, and within six months he was brewing only full mash beers. He was eventually joined by two others (Keith Wolbaum and Dr. Lynn Mihichuk; several others joined on an occasional basis.). The group normally brewed from 4:00 PM until 12:00 midnight on Mondays during the winter, with a 70 liter batch size, producing typically 15 brews over the winter, or 3,000 12 oz. bottles. Wolbaum, Elaine and Bev had been part of a group that traditionally went for a 10 km. ski trip every Friday in winter, from the university, down Wascana lake and under the Trans-Canada Highway, through the Wascana golf course, over to University Park, past the cemetery, around Douglas Park to the Science Center and back to campus. They called themselves "The Bushwhackers", meaning those who ski making their own trails. The brewing group called themselves the "Bushwhacker Brewers".

During the period 1988 to 1992 Bev was chairman of the Saskatchewan Health Research Board, reporting directly to the Minister of Health. In 1988 he suggested to the conservative government that Saskatchewan should not be the last province to allow brewpubs. Legislation and regulations were put in place in 1989.

The government in power at the time had already been involved in promoting several business initiatives that had proven unrealistic. In order to make brewpubs more successful, they decided to give brewpubs a piece of the Saskatchewan monopoly on the off-sale of cold beer. Of course, those who held that monopoly, the hotels, screamed that it was their God-given right to monopolize off sale. A compromise was reached, allowing two brewpubs in Saskatoon and two in Regina. A competition was held. Many groups were formed to make application for these four brewpub licenses. All made it clear that they were only interested in the access to off-sale. They had no knowledge of the brewpub industry and no interest in gaining any. Several asked Bev to join them to look after the installation of a brewery, which they would actually use if pressed. They had all committed to buying malt extract breweries, which were already showing signs that they were not capable of producing beers of acceptable quality. Bev was encouraged by Grace Lipinski (then manager of the Faculty Club) to go it on his own. He applied for one of the four licenses and was not successful.

One year later a new minister became responsible for the Liquor Board. Bev explained to her that the limit on brewpubs derived from the fact that they had been allowed access to off-sale. He had not asked for off-sale, and it made no marketing sense because brewpubs were, in effect, a protest against the blandness of industrial beer, and now access to something he didn't want was nevertheless preventing him from getting his business started. As a consequence, more brewpubs were soon permitted, but they were not allowed to have off-sale. He applied again for permission to proceed and this time was successful. Work began in the summer of 1990 and the Bushwakker (The spelling of the name was changed at the suggestion of Keith Wolbaum to avoid any trademark problems.) opened on January 25 1991. It has been making its own trails ever since.

During the period 1988 until 1991 in which the legislation was created and the license finally obtained, it had been agreed that Elaine would be the general manager of the Bushwakker. It was decided during 1990 that both Scott and Kelly would also be part of the team.

Developments since 1991 include:

1. All brewpubs have been allowed off-sale if they are 1.6 km from an existing off-sale. (The Bushwakker is not but we have been asking for special permission.)
2. Brewpubs have been allowed to sell their own product for off-premise consumption.
3. Brewpubs have been allowed to wholesale their product in kegs.
4. Our kitchen sales have more than doubled and the size of the kitchen has been doubled.
5. Our brewery is also approaching its full capacity. One reason that our beers are better is that we age them longer. They become more mellow and we don't need to filter them. We can do that because we have the space and we have 25 used tanks from old British pubs. Roughly ten are used for serving and 15 for aging. We also have six double sized new tanks which will add 40% to our production capacity.

The Bushwakker Brewpub was created on the main floor of the Strathdee Building, a classic warehouse in what is known now as Regina's Old Warehouse District. The area contains many restaurants, nightclubs, bars and pool halls.

The Strathdee was built in 1913 out of the rubble of the Great Regina Cyclone (actually a tornado) of 1912, on the site of a former Chinese laundry, and opened in 1914. It was the "Cadillac" warehouse of the area. The front of the main floor housed offices and a display area, with a beautiful pressed tin ceiling. The ceiling was restored to its original glory as part of the Bushwakker development.

The Strathdee was built in 1913 out of the rubble of the Great Regina Cyclone (actually a tornado) of 1912, on the site of a former Chinese laundry, and opened in 1914. It was the "Cadillac" warehouse of the area. The front of the main floor housed offices and a display area, with a beautiful pressed tin ceiling. The ceiling was restored to its original glory as part of the Bushwakker development.

History of the Strathee Building by Stewart and Lillian Mein

       Whether you need to or not, take a trip to the washroom before you leave Bushwakker.  Now, Heads Up! because on the wall is a framed front page of the Leader Post featuring an article about the city's regiment, the Regina Rifles.  One of the workmen who helped renovate this place presented it to the management around the time of Operation Desert Storm, in which Canadians were involved.

       The article, dated 27 July 1942, tells about Saskatchewan men going off to the Second World War where they picked up the moniker, "Johns."  When these men from the prairies were brigaded with their more sophisticated city cousins in 1940, they became known as "Farmer Johns,"  a name they came to carry with justifiable pride as they became the toughest, best trained fighting unit in the Canadian army.  They proved it by being among those chosen to lead the invasion of Normandy on D-Day.  Incidentally, they were the only unit in the entire Allied invasion force to reach and hold their objective.

      Of course the regiment has since been given the title "Royal," in part because of its gallant actions on D-Day.  On that day Lieutenant Bill Grayson carried out an action not atypical of those taken by many others over the long and honourable history of the Regiment. 

      The following excerpt from Up the Johns!  The Story of the Royal Regina Rifles, currently available in local books stores, tells the story. 

      At 0830 hours, A Company, still on the beach, reported that it was pinned down and taking casualties from heavy machine gun fire and by rounds from an 88 mm gun from inside the emplacement.  In those first few critical minutes the fate of the company's assault hung in the balance.

      However, Lieutenant Grayson, commanding 9 platoon, had jumped from his landing craft on crashing the beach and had hurried across the bare expanse of sand through a gap in the wire strung along the beach, to the edge of the first row of houses facing the sea.  There, he took cover behind a corner of a house near the German concrete gun emplacement where he could not be observed by the crew inside.  The emplacement was at the far end of an alley from the house behind which he was hiding.  Between the gun emplacement and himself was more barbed wire and a German MG42 machine gun post.  He noticed that the firing from the machine gun came in bursts at timed intervals along a fixed arc of fire. 

      Grayson checked the timing of the bursts and estimated that he would be able to get past the machine gun and run to the side of the emplacement where he could toss a grenade through the gun slit.  Immediately after the next burst from the machine gun, he made a mad dash for the emplacement only to become entangled in the wire that formed the protective barrier for the gun.  Miraculously, the next burst of fire was delayed.  Grayson tore himself free and tossed in his grenade.  On hearing the explosion, he dived in after it through the aperture.  He leaped up just in time to see the last of the German gun crew disappearing through the back door of the emplacement. 

       The rear man, on seeing Grayson, turned and threw a "potato masher" grenade at him, which landed between his legs.  Coolly, Grayson reached down, grabbed the handle and threw the grenade back at the German who left abruptly before it exploded.  Grayson then followed the Germans into a trench which zig-zagged along to a covered underground protective area.  On looking into this dark hole he could make out three or four figures.  He heard shouts of "Kamerad," so he motioned with his pistol for them to come out.  Out came 35 men whom he promptly took prisoner.  By then, other men from A Company had reached the emplacement, and they disarmed the prisoners and led them away.  For his daring action Grayson was awarded the Military Cross.

STRATHDEE, THE MAN
*The following is an article on the history of the Strathdee building.  It is the second in a series of articles on the Strathdee building, its builders, and the city of Regina at the time it was built.  They are prepared in close collaboration and with great assistance from the staff of the Regina Plains Museum, whom we gratefully acknowledge. 
The story of James Strathdee is one of personal accomplishment and tragedy.  He rose to prominence as one of Regina's first citizens, but died by suicide.

      James Strathdee was born in 1876 in the Kincardineshire region of Scotland.  His father was a tailor, and he trained and worked as a tailor, but James sought other challenges in life.   He and his new wife moved first to Winnipeg after his father died in 1902.  He started in the new world as a floor worker for the Campbell Brothers and Wilson Co. in Winnipeg.  James worked his way up in the company and won the position of manager of the newly formed Campbell, Wilson and Strathdee Company in Regina in 1911.  Strathdee was the third largest shareholder, after Campbell and Wilson.  He moved to Regina in 1913, after the Great Cyclone of 1912, to oversee the planning and construction of what we now call the Strathdee building. 

     His home was at 3151 Angus Street and is now a heritage property, along with the Strathdee warehouse.  Some of his family still live in Regina.  Strathdee was very much a Regina booster and involved himself in community activities, through his church, the Assiniboia Club, the Canadian Club, the Red Cross and others.  He was particularly active in  the affairs of the Regina Board of Trade, which evolved into the Regina Chamber of Commerce.  The Campbell, Wilson, Strathdee company expanded to Moose Jaw and Swift Current.
      In 1933 James Strathdee suffered a head injury in a car accident while travelling in Alberta.  He ignored the injury, but others thought that it was serious.  His behavior changed after the accident.  At the same time he had to face in the company, which he did not control, a new "young Turk" who was rising quickly through the company ranks, J. M. Sinclair.  Sinclair gained enough power to squeeze Strathdee out of the company.  Strathdee's life had been his company, and he did not take retirement well.  He tried to escape to a new life on the coast, but his wife would not leave Regina and her old way of life.
       In 1936, Strathdee was found shot to death on the train tracks near the Strathdee building.  It was first thought to be a case of murder, but the police later ruled that his death was a case of suicide.  The accident, the loss of his business, and the conflict between his plans and his wife's needs are all thought to have contributed to the depression that led to his death.
STRATHDEE, THE BUILDING
       *The following is an article on the history of the Strathdee building.  It is the first of what we hope will be a series of articles on the Strathdee building, its builders, and the city of Regina at the time it was built.  They are prepared in close collaboration and with great assistance from the staff of the Regina Plains Museum, whom we gratefully acknowledge. 

      The Strathdee building bears witness to Regina's importance as a major wholesale distribution center at the beginning of the twentieth century.  Plans for the building began shortly after the Great Cyclone of 1912 levelled many buildings in the Warehouse area.  It was opened in March of 1914.  The building was designed and built by a Winnipeg architect named J. H. G. Russell.  It was named after its owners, the Campbell, Wilson and Strathdee Company. 

      The Campbell, Wilson, Strathdee grocery warehouse was one of Regina's first warehouses.  Russell's design combines aesthetic taste with the classical revival tradition of the late nineteenth century.  This style was common in the design of commercial buildings in Canada in the 1910's and 1920's.  The style often used architectural form in a symbolic manner.  The design of the Strathdee building attempts to unify form and function.  The facade has decorative interest, but also reflects the dignity and importance of the use of the building, as a wholesale business with offices.
       The two front entrances have heavy stonework, part of which is designed to suggest columns.  Scrolled brackets are designed to appear to support the horizontal stone over the entrances.  The stonework along the base of the building suggests Italianate influence.  The stonework that appears to reinforce the corners of the building is typical of the classical revival tradition.  Many other features, such as the large arched first floor windows, the stone belt above the first floor, and the brick masonry patterns and diamond shaped stone inlays support the strong impact of the building. 
      The offices were located in the area of the first floor which has the pressed tin ceiling.  Two important offices were located on either side of what is now the entrance to the BUSHWAKKER BREWPUB.  One was occupied by James Strathdee himself.  A sample room attractively displayed the "Royal Shield" of goods such as teas, coffee, baking goods and powdered jelly, extracts and spices.
      A large walk in vault is located on the main floor.  Its entrance is near the door to the annex on the west side of the building. Another large vault is located in the basement.  The shipper also had an office on the main floor.  The space behind the offices and the upper floors were used as general warehouse space and was usually busy with many workers.  The building was originally served by three freight elevators and a dumbwaiter, originally called a "lowerator".  It is no longer used, but it sits next to the entrance to the bar in the north east corner of the BUSHWAKKER BREWPUB.  Two of the freight elevators are still used, and one may eventually become a personnel elevator.
      A railway spur originally served the loading dock at the back of the building and the freight cars that were parked there were easily accessible from the freight elevators.

      After its service as a grocery warehouse, the Strathdee building housed the Saskatchewan Liquor Board.  Later it became the home of Crescent Furniture, then Modern Home Furniture.  Now that it has been restored, it houses a number of diverse businesses, including a unique mall, a software company, a book publisher, a modelling agency, and of course, Regina's only full-mash brewpub. 
      The massive density of this wood and brick structure conveys a sense of strength and solidity.  The Strathdee Building is an impressive representative of the classical revival tradition and of Regina's first generation of warehouses.