Steel & Oak Brewing Co. is celebrating its 10th anniversary by inviting folks to get inked in exchange for 156 glasses of free beer.
The craft brewery is marking a decade of brewing in New West by offering S&O fans an opportunity to get a Steel & Oak tattoo – in exchange for about $1,200 worth of free beer.
Starting at noon on Friday, May 17, bookings for S&O tattoos will begin – offering a limited number of slots for Tattoo Day, which is on Sunday, May 26 in the S&O Tasting Room.
The first 12 individuals to secure a tattoo session will receive an exclusive S&O tattoo, done by Vancouver-based artist Holly Nickerson. They’ll also receive the equivalent of $1,200 worth of beer to enjoy at the brewery.
"I just thought it'd be cool to see if folks would tattoo our brand on their body for beer,” said Jorden Foss, co-owner of Steel & Oak Brewing Co. “But seriously, we were trying to think of a unique way to celebrate our 10-year anniversary and got talking about what it would take to get Steel & Oak tattooed on our bodies. This is what we came up with.”
Foss said none of the crew at the New West-based brewery currently have a S&O tattoo, but he’ll “definitely” have one after May 26.
“We only have 12 spots available, and I think they'll go quick based on the response we've had already,” he told the Record. “People seem very willing to tattoo our brand on their body.”
Nickerson, a distinguished tattoo artist, painter, and writer, will bring her unique artistic flair to each tattoo. A resident artist at Orchid Oddities Tattoo and Curio in Vancouver, Nickerson specializes in whimsical storybook-style tattoos that captivate the imagination.
According to S&O, Nickerson will offer multiple Steel & Oak flash designs (pre-designed tattoos) for participants to choose from, ensuring that each tattoo is a personalized expression of their passion for craft beer and community, and even dinosaurs.
“Each tattoo will be purchased by the participant ($100-$150) and will need to be on their legs or arms to avoid Tasting Room tattoo awkwardness,” said a news release. “The $1,200 in beer will have no time restriction on redemption.”
Anyone wanting to learn more about this promotion and to mark their body forever in exchange for beer can visit steelandoak.ca/tattoo or follow Steel & Oak Brewing Co. on Instagram @steelandoak.
Foss and Jamie Garbutt teamed up to open Steel & Oak Brewing Co at 1319 Third Ave. in 2014. Since then, the brewery has gone on to receive numerous provincial and national awards for its brews.
A decade after opening its doors, S&O aims to keep the beer flowing and to bring people together and build community through various New Westminster initiatives and events. That includes the Steel & Oak Beer Run on May 11 in Queen’s Park, which raised money for KidSport New West.
