I’ve been busy recently meeting MLAs, launching campaigns, speaking to the City Council, cheerleading for the Southsiders and occasionally drinking a beer but I’ve also taken a few opportunities to abuse my position as CAMRA BC – Vancouver Chapter President and indulge in a private hobby – visiting breweries under construction.
Ever since I was a brewer in the UK, I’ve loved giving and taking tours of breweries to see how each is laid out and makes use of the available space. However one of the best things about the Vancouver craft beer explosion is seeing new breweries transition from boring industrial holes into dream factories. In January last year I was lucky to see P49 when it was a muddy bombsite, returning a few months later to see an immaculate, fully working craft brewery. Most of these new breweries are rushing for a big summer opening, however the industry being what it is and the regulations being what they are, delays are inevitable so for launch dates, keep checking their websites, twitter, facebook etc. CAMRA Vancouver will of course be one of the first in line to try their beers and give you the full story right here. One of the best things about these brewery builds is that many of them are posting photos and videos to facebook and instagram so such so that we can see exactly what’s involved.
So far this year I’ve invited myself to see some of the new breweries well before they become operational and I’m pleased to say that you are in for a very good summer as the variety in these breweries is incredible. The first I saw was Brassneck which many of you will have passed by on Main Street at East 6th in Vancouver, this space is being converted by Conrad from Steamworks and Nigel from the Alibi Room, on my first visit with Conrad the whole place was ankle deep in dust from a prolonged blasting of sand but I quickly got the idea of the layout – a long tasting room down the middle with a big fridge on the right and brewing space on the left. Their “main” street presence means that they’ll be one of the most high profile openings in Vancouver.
My second visit showed that they were well on with the floor (brewery floors are so interesting that they could warrant their own article sometime) and wall renos. Brassneck are going to have a very strong growler program right out of the gate so I’ll see you in line there!
Only 2 blocks away at 7th and Scotia is the Main Street Brewery in a Mission Revival style reclaimed industrial heritage building partially earmarked for artists (and what higher form of art could there be?), old growth timber pillars and beams, beautiful high ceilings with skylights and huge windows lets the light flood in.
A beer lounge is planned in the bigger airier area through the left door then a retail space through the right door – the brewery itself is at the back but you’ll see what’s going on through big glass walls. Apparently ‘The Vancouver Brewery Garage’ was constructed between 1913 & 1926 on the site of the former Doering & Marstrand Brewery. A building like this takes a ton of work to get up to code, particularly with the entrances to make them accessible but it’s going to be a stunning space that reconnects with the history of the area. Thanks to Cameron from Portland Craft for taking the time to show me around.
The third of the Main-Street/New-Brewery-Creek locations was 33 acres – located right next-door to the Anza Club on West 8th Ave at Ontario Street where brewery owner and new best friend Josh showed me around. The modest frontage opens up into simple and well-appointed tasting room – however once you draw back the curtain, you realize that you’re actually on a mezzanine where a long table overlooks the whole brewery.
Dave Varga is on duty as brew-master so I’ve got high hopes for them with a wizard like that on board. There’s some wonderful attention to detail going into this place already and I’m really looking forward to swinging by daily on my bike-commute up the Ontario bike route.
My fourth and final visit was to the Deep Cove Brewers & Distillers in North Vancouver, just across the Ironworkers Memorial and a few blocks down Dollarton highway (directly across the road from Bridge brewing – which you really should visit). This is a very different affair – I was shown around the brand-new (almost) purpose-built building by Shane, it’s firmly the biggest and probably the most ambitious of all the new breweries I’ve visited so far.
It has a tree-lined patio and garden which will be beautiful to visit in the summer – particularly on a bike ride to Deep Cove. The large beer lounge has a big steel wet bar that cuts right across, and the all BC-produce distillery takes up some of the space between the lounge and the brewery. The brewery itself is a cavernous space that will be able to crank out plenty of beer varieties – much of which is already earmarked for export!
Many thanks to all the brewers who took time out to meet me and show me around – I look forward to visiting again once everything’s in place and I can fill my growlers with beer from these latest additions to Vancouver’s exploding brewing community.
Adam Chatburn,
President, CAMRA BC – Vancouver Chapter
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