E-Malt.com News article: Canada, SK: Regina brewery to release its first beer this summer

Byron Wiebe and Jay Cooke, founders of Regina brewery, moved to Saskatchewan two years ago and now they’re nearly ready to open Regina’s only microbrewery, cjme.com reported on June, 12.

“It was kind of a match made in heaven, I guess you could say,” Wiebe said.

But starting a brewery has its own challenges. After investing over C$1 mln to purchase equipment and have it shipped from the East Coast, the pair (along with three other partners) began retrofitting a 12,000 square-foot building in Regina’s Warehouse District to house it.

“It was kind of a miscommunication between us and the municipal government,” said Wiebe. ““We started working on the building doing stuff that we thought wouldn’t normally require a building permit… And they sort of said, ‘Whoa, slow down. We need to go through the proper way of doing this.’”

On Friday, June, 7, the pair got back to work in the building and are now hoping to be brewing beers in a “few short weeks.” Wiebe said they’ve already got their first brand prepared for production, with a fancy green bottle, sharp blue labels and a memorable name: Müs Knuckle.

“We want to make an easy, drinkable—but a little more hoppy and better tasting—beer to try to transition people into that craft beer market,” said Wiebe. “And then we’re going to do some more experimental types of beers after that.”

Wiebe said the microbrewery is a good fit for Regina, which hasn’t had its own beer brand for a long time. Around sixty pubs and bars in the city have already signed on to offer the brew and the Saskatchewan Liquor and Game Authority has agreed to offer six- and 12-packs in their stores.

Wiebe plans to be selling their product by the end of July.


14 June, 2013