E-Malt.com News article: Canada, ON: Big Rig Brewery opens in Ottawa

Ottawa’s newest brew pub, Big Rig Brewery, started serving its first beers on June, 12, Ottawa Citizen reports.

Big Rig has ambitious plans to sell its brews at Ottawa LCBO outlets as early as this fall, as well as at select restaurants and special events. Partners Chris Phillips and Pierre Cleroux are scouting out two additional locations, which they expect to open within three years.

With 300 seats inside, 90 on the patio and parking for 95 cars, Big Rig is the latest among 10 brew pubs and small breweries to open in the nation’s capital, making Ottawa something of a Mecca for craft beer aficionados.

To give it an even more local flavour, Phillips wants to grow his own hops on his farm in Manotick.

Phillips has four partners in the venture. Overseeing the beer end is Ladell, formerly of Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub in Victoria, B.C., with 16 years experience. Ladell is a partner in the brewing operation, but not the restaurant side.

Joining Phillips as partners in the entire operation is Pierre Cleroux, a former founding partner at Clock Tower Brew Pub, along with Ottawa restaurateurs Angelis Koutsos and Zourntos.

Cleroux says he’s confident about the location, being close to the giant new Ikea store. In all, 120 people have been hired to staff the operation.

“I think this is going to be a destination,” Cleroux says. “Right now we have the capacity for 7,000 kegs a year and 250,000 bottles. So our goal is, after the next location, we could brew off-site as well.

“The craft brewing business is growing each year, and as it becomes more available people develop a taste for it. I’m already getting emails from restaurateurs who want to carry our product. I’ve never had this experience of so much hype before opening,” Cleroux says.

“People are going to come here expecting a pub with pub food and they’re going to say ‘wow, the food is incredible’.”


13 June, 2012