VANCOUVER, BC – According to a recent article in the Vancouver Courier, three new breweries will be opening in early 2013 in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood. This is a fitting location for these new businesses, as a cluster of breweries – including Vancouver Breweries, pictured above – flourished along a river known as Brewery Creek that ran through the area during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Aiming for a February 2013 opening is Brassneck Brewery, with partners Nigel Springthorpe (co-owner of the Alibi Room) and Conrad Gmoser (ex-Steamworks) planning a neighbourhood brewery that is “akin to a gelato shop,” where customers can sample beer on-site in a 40-to-50 seat tasting room, and then purchase beer to go in 1 litre and 2 litre refillable growlers.
Also hoping to open that month is Main Street Brewing, a combination brewery and restaurant from the owners of The Cascade Room, Habit Lounge, The Union and El Camino’s. The brewery’s flagship beer will be Main Street Pilsner, which is currently being brewed under contract at Russell Brewing.
Finally, the Mark James Group – parent company of brewery-restaurants Yaletown Brewing, BrewHouse at Whistler, and Big Ridge Brewing – is building a 20,000 square foot production facility for its Red Truck Beer brands, as well as bottled versions of the Yaletown brands. In an article published on Openfile Vancouver back in February, MJG head brewer Iain Hill indicated that they hope to have the first bottles coming off the line by the spring of 2013.
[Photo of Vancouver Breweries by Leonard Frank, from Vancouver Public Library archives]
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