E-Malt.com News article: Canada, ON: Abe Erb Brewing Co.'s new brewhouse launched on December 29

Abe Erb Brewing Co.'s new brewhouse in the Tannery building in downtown Kitchener is all about expanding the brand, the Waterloo Record reported on January 12.

With a full production facility on site, including a canning line, bigger brewing vats and tanks for storage, it's a ramped up version of the craft brewing space that originally caused a buzz when it first opened in uptown Waterloo in 2014.

The same buzz is building with the new space at 151 Charles St. It unofficially opened on Dec. 29 and soon had more than 300 patrons flocking to its doors after a mention went out on social media feeds.

Rob Theodosiou, one of the driving forces behind the brewery, along with his brother Tony, knew that they hit on a concept that connected with the craft beer crowd when they first opened in Waterloo.

An expansion was quickly on their minds.

They needed a site that would allow them to craft more of the suds that had caused a stir and get it out into the hands of more people.

That plan was announced last year when they found a space at the former Lang Tannery building that would fit their needs. It's also home to the Communitech Hub and the Velocity Garage, and the next generation of local tech startups.

While brewing and tech hubs might not seem to have a lot in common, they are both maker spaces. Abe Erb is taking the wraps off the brewing process in its new space by putting everything from its grist mill to its new brewmaster, Ian Pattenden, out on display. It will allow people to ask questions about the process and what goes into their beer.

"Part of the experience of Abe Erb is twinning the brewing experience with the restaurant experience," said Pattenden, who got his brewmaster certification in Montreal before winning a brewing award at a competition in Niagara Falls and bringing his knowledge to the operation last May.

"Here we've scaled up to a 20-barrel system, but we've tried to keep the blending alive here so people still feel like they're part of the brewing experience.

"It's all about footprint and floor space. There's a lot that goes into a brewery that you don't actually see."

The original Abe Erb in Waterloo will be a big part of the ongoing brewing process as it will allow the business to do small batches and bring in new tastes and beers from around the world. Those taste experiments will ultimately end up in one of the tanks in the new space.

"That's what defines this next generation of craft brewing — creativity," said Pattenden. "That connects us well with the tech industry — it's all about creating something and seeing that process from start to finish."

The plan is also to make the new Abe Erb a cultural and social space in the area, with music and events planned in the future.



18 January, 2017