E-Malt.com News article: Canada, ON: Stack Brewing set to undertake major expansion

With Stack Brewing's one-year anniversary coming up at the end of the month, the Sudbury, Ontario-based microbrewery is set to undertake a major expansion, Sudbury Northern Life reported on June12.

Owner Shawn Mailloux just received a delivery of C$250,000 worth of new brewing equipment last month. Once it's fully installed, he'll have the ability to boost his beer production by about 500 per cent.

In advance of the expansion, Mailloux has been securing dispensing contracts with bars throughout the northeast, and is even in talks with the LCBO.

During Stack Brewing's first year of operation, it sold beer out of its Kelly Lake Road location and at Sudbury bars.

Mailloux said he'll only know once he gets his new equipment fired up how much beer he can actually sell.

“We still don't know what the beer market is in Sudbury because we weren't really doing a whole lot, volume-wise,” he said.

It was a trip to Montreal, where the craft brewing industry is strong, that inspired Mailloux to start his own microbrewery in Sudbury — the only one in the city right now.

“In general, the comments have been really positive,” Mailloux said. “A lot of people are grateful we took on this venture and brought it to Sudbury, because there was a definite lack.”

The beer has received critical acclaim, too, with Les Portes de L'Enfer picking up gold at the Ontario Brewing Awards Gala in April and bronze at the 12th Annual Canadian Brewing Awards in May.

Stack Brewing's marketing has been unabashedly Sudbury-centric, with its beers sporting names such as Saturday Night, Black Rock and Valley Girl.

It's just Mailloux's way of displaying his hometown pride.

“I was born and raised in Sudbury, and live here, and I don't plan on moving ever, unless it's to the Bahamas,” he jokes.

To celebrate Stack Brewing's first birthday, the microbrewery has created an anniversary beer flavoured with rosemary and juniper.

It also plans to hold an anniversary bash, although plans have yet to be firmed up.

Stack Brewing, located at 1350 Kelly Lake Rd., is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m, Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.


13 June, 2014