As was the case in 2017, Swift Current's Black Bridge Brewery earned some hardware at the Canadian Brewing Awards and Conference.

In Halifax this year, the brewery won bronze for the North American-style India Pale Ale category, as well as in the imperial stout category (which they won gold in last year).

One of the owners, Kari Stenson, represented the brewery down east this past weekend and enjoyed getting together with people that face the same challenges she does.

"It's kind of like a really neat atmosphere to meet with breweries all across Canada," she said. "It's really comfortable because we're all kind of going through the same ups and downs of a small business, and running a brewery, and all the challenges. Just meeting new people and laughing about our common issues, our goals, and our struggles, it's a great atmosphere to be in."

The IPA is one of Black Bridge's four flagship beers, but the imperial stout is no longer in circulation, so Stenson said they might have to get creative to come up with another kind of imperial beverage.

"There's a huge process that does go into it, but the first is just the idea gathering and the research," she said, adding that part is the fun part.