Petri Raito

COO/CEO
 

Always offering a big smile and welcoming hand, Petri is the heart behind Rossland Beer Company. He’s usually found on the floor managing day-to-day operations, in the dugout brewing beer, or in the office sourcing new marketing ideas for the business. But don’t let his warm and easygoing exterior fool you - Petri means business! He was recognized for his outstanding efforts in 2018, winning Business Person of the Year from the Trail and District Chamber of Commerce. This guy is full of sisu and love, and endlessly considerate when it comes to making sure everyone is enjoying themselves, including his wife Marni and their two rugrats, Neeya, and Neeko. Walking to work to taste the next product release is a dream come true for Petri, who sips from a stainless steel pint glass - like a boss.

Ryan Arnaud

Head Brewer/CEO
 

Ryan is the mastermind technician behind Rossland Beer Company’s fantastic recipes. As head brewer, Ryan works behind the scenes to perfect brews and push boundaries on flavour profiles and combinations. He also gets the satisfaction of working on the floor and pouring his product for happy customers - it doesn’t get much better than that! His hard work and skill was recognized in 2015 when the Canadian Brewing Awards awarded their 7 Summits Milk Stout the gold medal in the stout category. When he’s not at the brewery, Ryan and his wife Christina are catching their breath after chasing their growing children - Riley and Lane. Did you know he can administer an IV and slam a Super Mega Pilsner (his beer of choice), all in a regular day’s work? Hidden talents aside, Ryan is truly awesome.

Nathan

General Manager
 

Eat, sleep, ride and repeat is the mountain lifestyle that attracted Nathan to Rossland in 2014. But the Whitehorse native says it’s the summer’s abundance that convinced him to stay long-term. Nathan is an easygoing guy who’s a welcome addition to Rossland Beer Company. His friendly demeanor and appreciation for the community-minded environment blends well in the brewery scene. After studying Business Marketing & Management, Nathan finds himself drawn to the business side of the operation. Though he jokes that work can sometimes feel like an exercise in social exhaustion, he says that most days feel like fun and friendly hangouts. He’s looking for consistency from a beer and gravitates toward Four on the Floor IPA or Green Jacket Pale Ale. Outside of work, Nathan can be found riding Red Mountain in the winter or golfing and frolfing in the summer.

Brad

Assistant Brewer
 

Brad will answer to most things, including “Chef.” This happy-go-lucky guy is all about relishing tastes - his past life includes time spent as a Red Seal chef and restaurant owner. He’ll talk sports with you, but it’s talking food and beer that places him firmly in his element. He applies his palate skilfully to the brewing process and his personality shines when pouring in the tasting room. Brad loves happy people and the Best Day Ever IPA. If you also enjoy both those things, you should definitely come speak with Brad - his smiling face, easygoing appeal, and perfect pour will make your day!

Valerie

Assistant Manager
 

Friendly and vibrant, Val brings a unique blend of enthusiasm and chill vibes to the team. Originally from Gatineau, Quebec, she came to BC in 2013 to explore ski towns. After finding solace in the laid-back atmosphere of Rossland, she joined Rossland Beer Co in July 2022, starting in a casual barback position before stepping into a bartender/assistant manager role. With a smile radiating from behind the bar, Val loves showcasing new beer in a lively atmosphere – she never shies away from pouring a flight! She takes pride in organizing the keg room, despite the physical demand, and facilitating smooth deliveries. With an unquenchable thirst to try new brews, she’s particularly drawn to the balanced flavours, floral bouquet, dry hops, and lightness of the New Zealand Pilsner. In her spare time, Val can be found gardening or indulging in blind wine tastings with her partner, Matt. Pinpointing flavour profiles based on the climate in which wine and beer are made keeps this horticulturalist intrigued.

Hayley

Casual Barback
 

An organizational wizard with a knack for keeping things squeaky clean, this hospitality veteran is the secret sauce to smooth operations in her once-a-week barback role. Drawn to its tight-knit, laid-back community, Hayley and her partner Zane settled in Rossland in 2019. Her journey from Vancouver's restaurant scene to studying hospitality management took a turn in 2020 when she made her side hustle official, launching Hayley’s Comet Cleaning. After some persuasion from Petri and Ryan, Hayley joined the Rossland Beer Co. family in 2021. Despite her business growing like an endless pile of laundry, Hayley loves the low-stress, fast-paced environment her job at the brewery provides. Keeping one hand on tap fills her social quota as she keeps the place spotless and effortlessly stocks glasses and swaps kegs. Off the clock, you'll catch Hayley sipping a Citrus Sour or a Cruzin Cozumel Cerveza while hanging out with all of Rossland at the brewery or hiking with her people-pleasing retriever Stanley. With her infectious energy and commitment to a good time, Hayley is part of the family and, unlike Uncle Frank, never overstays her welcome.

Danielle

Special Edition
 

If you have to spend most of your time studying, you might as well use any free time you have helping out at your brother-in-law’s brewery, right? Well that’s certainly Danielle’s attitude. Her happy perspective is infectious and customers are always stoked to see her filling in between working toward her nursing degree and living life to the fullest. This coffee fanatic celebrates her love for beer and caffeine with the Coffee Blonde Bomb, satisfying both cravings in one gulp. When she’s not doing homework or drinking her favorite bevies, Danielle is taking in as much live music as possible and/or recovering from life’s intensities with some hardcore Netflix binging.

Ryan Mac

Mr. Fix-it
 

Ryan is a “good ol’ boy” that does a bang-up job doing small repairs at the brewery, running deliveries, and monitoring  in-house capacity. Mac, as he’s sometimes called, is a Winnipeg transplant (so are Petri and Ryan in fact) who escaped the cold, flat prairies for the still cold - but much more enjoyable - mountains. If Ryan isn’t working, he’s probably at a punk rock show or enjoying a beer down by the river. Actually, some of this bio was created ad-hoc because Ryan fell asleep at the river and has again been declared missing.

Heath

Handy Barback
 

Good guys serving good beer was reason enough for Heath to jump the counter and step into a part-time role with Rossland Beer Co. Heath considers himself a jack-of-all-trades, having spent years cutting and installing granite countertops, setting tile, constructing homes, and completing renovations before landing in the utility department at Teck and his role at the brewery. Castlegar born and bred, Heath also spent a decade travelling the US, playing in punk rock bands, working as a roadie, and building sets for theatre and film. At home in the Kootenays, where he raised his kids, he's now revisiting his passion for music by playing acoustic gigs with friends and drums for a punk rock band called bitter//washed. He also spends time snowboarding or splitboarding the local mountain, recording in his home-based studio, and socializing at his favourite watering-hole-turned-workplace. At the end of the day, Heath will grab a Green Jacket pale ale because he likes the drinkability, but says he'll drink anything wet.

Margot

Rossland Beer Company Lifer
 

Margot doesn’t sit still for very long! Customers saw her last at Beer Goggles, where Rossland Beer Company won over the hometown crowd and took gold at the Red Mountain Resort beer tasting event. If she’s not pouring, Margot can be a little bit of a unicorn around these parts because her other job with Fresh Adventures has her guiding tours along the Powder Highway, bopping between Revelstoke, Golden, Nelson, and Rossland. She’s passionate about being outside and getting lost with her dog and snowboard. Margot is a loyal person who has been with the brewery since the beginning. We like to think it’s our sweet team that keeps her around but we know better; it’s our Paydirt Pale Ale that has her OG committed. In addition to all her great assets, it’s imperative to note that Margot is a true 80s kid who can - and does - sing the entire theme song to Degrassi Junior High.

Chris

Barback
 

An adventurous craft beer enthusiast, Chris keeps Rossland Beer Co’s bar stocked, organized, and sparkling clean. He loves working at the community hub in the supportive atmosphere his fantastic coworkers help cultivate.

After a 10-year hiatus from music, Chris now spends his free time playing drums in local rock band Disposable Income. When he craves fresh air and a hit of adrenaline, he’s either carving backcountry trails on his skis or pushing his quads to the max on his mountain bike.  

Before moving to the West Kootenays from Ottawa with partner Mandi in 2020, Chris spent 20 years as a photojournalist, covering everything from international politics to sporting events; fun fact: Chris covered Super Bowl LII in 2018! With bylines from 19 countries and the 2011 National Newspaper Award for News Feature Photography among his career accomplishments, Chris now enjoys a slower-paced life with more time to focus on his passions and sip seasonal brews — Citra Sour in summer, Seven Summits Milk Stout in winter, and whatever IPA is on tap in between.

Danielle

Barback/Bartender
 

The mountains called Danielle, and she answered by carving out a life in friendly Rossland. Danielle’s infectious laugh often rings through Rossland Beer Co while she works as a barback/bartender. She loves socializing and working magic behind-the-scenes to ensure all customers have a blast while savouring every drop of their pints.
Danielle bounced around Alberta and BC before settling in Rossland with her partner Matt in May 2022. She now enjoys feeding her soul with snowboarding, hiking, camping, playing volleyball, or any outdoor activity that earns her a cold one and a movie on the couch with her dog Kiya.
Her adventurous spirit traces back to her first job at Tawatinaw Valley Ski Hill north of Edmonton. She’ll always remember hurtling down the tiny hill’s “black diamond” run on a GT racer, or bouncing off moguls on a crazy carpet but now gets her kicks connecting with fellow beer-lovers in the Kootenays. While she currently reaches for the Paydirt Pale Ale, she usually fancies brews that balance tropical, citrus, and hops like the Dream Come True IPA.