Photo Mike Wakefield, North Shore News
There鈥檚 bound to be a little confusion when the Beere Brewing Company opens their garage door and starts letting in customers to their brand new Lower Lonsdale space this month.
The liquids they鈥檒l have to offer look like beer, taste like beer 鈥� so what the heck is the extra 鈥榚鈥� for? In fact, head brewer Matt Beere (hint hint) has already heard from some confused craft beer connoisseurs.
鈥淪ome people don鈥檛 actually know what Beere is, that it鈥檚 our last name,鈥� says Matt, who co-owns the brewery with his father Craig Beere. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e like, what鈥檚 with that? That鈥檚 kind of strange. They like it once they know what it is.鈥�
With a name like Beere, it seems Matt was destined to get into this business, although he admits it wasn鈥檛 always good things brewing.
鈥淚 got teased when I was young,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nd then in high school it became cool to have that last name.鈥�
And it鈥檚 still cool, judging by the immaculate tasting room about to open up on East Esplanade, complete with beautiful hardwood table tops, the heaviest barstools you鈥檝e ever plopped down on, and a view out the front door of the sun shining over Burrard Inlet.
For years the building was used as a storage space for the Beere Timber Company, founded by Craig.
鈥淭his was just storing wood, this warehouse,鈥� says Matt while sitting in the new tasting room. 鈥淲e decided to put it to better use.鈥�
Co-owner and head brewer Matt Beere checks the tanks at the soon-to-be-opened Beere Brewing Company. The Lower Lonsdale shop, formerly a timber warehouse, will be the North Shore鈥檚 sixth craft brewery. photo Mike Wakefield, North Shore News
The idea for a brewery was born in the back of Mountain Equipment Co-op where Matt and his buddies Nick Murphy and Kevin Elliott 鈥� both now brewers at Beere 鈥� all worked as bike mechanics. They also made home brew, and would spend their days fixing gear shifts while talking about their latest brews and dreaming of opening up their own brewery.
鈥淲e just kind of bonded over beer,鈥� says Matt. 鈥淚鈥檝e been home brewing for eight or nine years now, been making some pretty solid stuff, and we just decided to open up shop here. And it just got bigger and bigger.鈥�
Craig got on board and it wasn鈥檛 a tough sell to convince him that the space could be used for more than just storing wood. Remodelling began in earnest in February of this year, and there were a few dicey moments.
鈥淭he funniest part was our size constraints,鈥� says Matt, adding that family friend Erik Benton, a chemical engineer, was on board from the start, helping them with the construction and equipment setup.
鈥淕etting these tanks, which are 13-foot-six, in a 14-foot building and tipping them up 鈥� that was probably the most nerve-wracking thing," says Matt. "We literally cleared the pipes by a millimetre at one point as we were tilting them up. It was all planned, apparently.鈥�
The tanks and bar are ready for action at Beere Brewing Company. photo Mike Wakefield, North Shore News
The place came with its perks as well. Craig didn鈥檛 have to look hard to find the wood needed for the table tops.
鈥淗e just had these in his warehouse, free of charge,鈥� says Matt, knocking on a thick slice of timber. And it was Matt who spied another spare part that now is featured prominently in the tasting room.
鈥淭hat steel plate was covering up a mechanic鈥檚 pit,鈥� he says, pointing at the bar. 鈥淚 just lifted it up and noticed it was a nice sheet of steel. It鈥檚 all rusted out already and I thought that鈥檚 kind of a cool design aspect, so we kind of started from there. There鈥檚 the bar.鈥�
Next came the most important part, the beer. Matt leaned on the experience he鈥檚 gained brewing beer at home over the years.
鈥淚鈥檝e always liked cooking and gardening and doing everything myself, so craft beer naturally interested me as a young man,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 enjoy the whole process of it, and just making beer that I like to drink. From there I just got better and better at making it.鈥�
None of the Beere brewers have any commercial experience, so they were a little nervous about taking their small-time trials into the big tanks. But, for the most part, it鈥檚 gone smoothly, says Matt.
鈥淚 thought it was going to be really hard. The systems are somewhat of a challenge just to get the process right. The recipe translated pretty well, just with some minor tweaking after some research to figure out what to do.鈥�
When they open for good they鈥檒l have a dry-hopped pale ale, double IPA, rhubarb Berliner Weisse, cold brew coffee stout, and French saison with spelt ready to pour, with other flavours ready to join the rotation.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got another 100 recipes ready to go, which we鈥檝e made over the years and fine-tuned,鈥� says Matt. There鈥檚 going to be a lot of variety here.鈥�
They must be doing something right 鈥� their double IPA won the Vancouver鈥檚 North Shore Craft Beer Week Brewery Battle held Tuesday at the Lonsdale Quay Tap & Barrel.
The Beere crew may have been going head-to-head against other North Shore brewers last week, but they鈥檝e received nothing but positive support from everyone in the tight-knit craft beer community, says Matt.
鈥淭he guys at Hearthstone, the guys at Deep Cove, Bridge Brewing 鈥� all the North Shore guys have been so helpful,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e go over there with questions all the time. They鈥檙e happy to answer.鈥�
It seems the greater community will also be happy to meet the Beere folks. While a North Shore News reporter and photographer were touring the tasting room on a recent Friday morning, a man walked in off the street with wonder in his eyes.
鈥淚 had no idea you were here, when do you open,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 super excited.鈥�
It鈥檚 definitely not the first time that has happened, says Matt with a laugh.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 tell you how many people have just wandered by and waltzed in,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e just like, 鈥楬ey you want a beer?鈥� We have a little chat with them, and off they go. They鈥檒l be back.鈥�
For more information and for updates on the brewery鈥檚 opening, visit beerebrewing.com.
