"It starts out as this crazy hobby, spending thousands of dollars on new equipment." This week's guest is Colin McLean of Banded Peak Brewing Co. who shares a common story about how he got into the craft beer industry.

As Colin tells it, Banded Peak is the marriage of the co-founders' passions: getting outdoors and drinking beer. Colin is a skiing fanatic who tries to spend 20-30 days every season on the slopes, even since he was 16 years old. He also has a reputation for helping Mark fix his flat ties, both on his bike and in his wife's minivan! When he's not on the slopes or in the brewery, Colin spends a lot of his time in Montana, or as he likes to call it: "Alberta's Tijuana"

More than just an enthusiast for the outdoors and a cold one, Colin holds an urban planning degree, which he credits in making it possible to engage with City Hall and make Calgary's Barley Belt possible. When Banded Peak first opened the Manchester area of Calgary was just the place you'd go to pick up your car after being towed, but with a little of the Calgary craft beer scene's signature "collabatition" the area is now the go-to spot for visiting craft breweries and distilleries.

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Banded Peak Brewing Co.