A popular brewery in the Lower Mainland is coming to Lake Country in a big way.

Britannia Brewing opened its doors in Steveston in 2016 and expanded to Ladner in 2021. Now, the brewery is making their biggest move yet. Not only will their new Lake Country location be the Okanagan91裸聊视频檚 newest brewery, but it will also be Britannia91裸聊视频檚 newest manufacturing location.

91裸聊视频淎s the business was growing, we realized we had to scale our manufacturing and production,91裸聊视频� said Britannia co-owner Lloyd Kinney. 91裸聊视频淲e wanted to identify a location that would allow us to both manufacture and have a retail as well as a tasting room option. Doing that in the Lower Mainland wasn91裸聊视频檛 the most feasible way of growing the business so we identified the Okanagan.91裸聊视频�

Kinney moved up to the Okanagan five years ago and fell in love with the area, driving him to bring a location up to Lake Country. During these last five years, he91裸聊视频檚 been commuting back and forth between the Okanagan and the Lower Mainland to support Britannia91裸聊视频檚 two other locations.

The Britannia co-owner also works in the construction industry and when he found out the business that was taking over this Lake Country location was having troubles, him and his team had to jump at the opportunity.

91裸聊视频淲e were hired out to build an extraction facility and at the time, there were a lot of cannabis businesses in the neighbourhood but as it fell through, we took the opportunity to buy the land,91裸聊视频� said Kinney.

Even since, Kinney and Britannia Operations Manager Justin Fowler have been working on bringing the brewery to town.

91裸聊视频淥verall, I think it91裸聊视频檚 been a good process and we91裸聊视频檙e really excited to be over the hump and we91裸聊视频檙e on the back side of things now which is exciting,91裸聊视频� said Fowler. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e starting to get to do the fun things now like outfitting the brewery, tasting room, and more.91裸聊视频�

Britannia Brewing is aiming to open sometime this summer as Kinney and Fowler put together the finishing touches.

Fowler also explained that this project started before the pandemic but like many businesses, have had to deal with pandemic-related delays and inflated material costs over the last few years.

Despite what they91裸聊视频檝e had to deal with, Kinney thinks it91裸聊视频檚 pretty incredible that they91裸聊视频檙e getting close to opening.

91裸聊视频淏eing in the construction business and having worked on a number of brewery and restaurant fit outs, as far as I91裸聊视频檓 concerned in the last 12 months, to erect a 10,000 square foot building and be at the finishing stages is not far off of a small miracle,91裸聊视频� said Kinney.

With being a building of its size, Britannia also has a large outdoor space as well.

91裸聊视频淭he place is going to be the primary manufacturing facility for Britannia Brewing,91裸聊视频� said Kinney. 91裸聊视频淚t will also be a tasting room with a full kitchen and large bar as well as an outdoor patio and picnic arena.91裸聊视频�

Because this new location is their primary production location, award-winning head brewer Mike Nicholson is making the move up to the Okanagan as well. Also while some breweries are beer-centric, Britannia is also very food-centric, having won best restaurant in Richmond multiple times.

Britannia Brewing will be located at 8999 Jim Bailey Road, which is just a small walk away from the Okanagan Rail Trail, which is something exciting for Fowler, who was born and raised in Kelowna.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e really excited to be so close to the [Okanagan] Rail Trail, we think it91裸聊视频檚 a great way to access a brewery and not have to drive,91裸聊视频� said Fowler. 91裸聊视频業t91裸聊视频檚 a great access point for families and bring us back to our 91裸聊视频榖y the water91裸聊视频� roots. Maybe we91裸聊视频檙e not right by the water like Steveston or Ladner but there91裸聊视频檚 quick access to Kalamalka and Okanagan Lake, Wood Lake, Duck Lake, we91裸聊视频檙e excited to keep a bit that nautical feel here.91裸聊视频�

While right now the Rail Trail isn91裸聊视频檛 fully continuous, the nearly seven kilometre stretch between Kelowna and Lake Country is set to be approved to open soon, connecting the entire path.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e literally the perfect place to stop halfway in between on that journey,91裸聊视频� said Kinney, referring to the Rail Trail.

Britannia will also have a section outside for people to charge their electric bicycles (e-bikes) and are currently working to have rentable e-bikes on site as well. On top of that, there91裸聊视频檚 many parking spots for vehicles for people who want to drive on down.

For both Kinney and Fowler, the history of Jim Bailey Road makes their new location even more meaningful to them.

91裸聊视频淚 think it91裸聊视频檚 really cool that not only ourselves but other similar style businesses are starting to come and develop this area,91裸聊视频� said Kinney. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 something we learned when we got here.91裸聊视频�

Beside Britannia and off of Jim Bailey Road is Hiram Walker Court, who created Canadian Club Whiskey. His first in Western Canada was at this same spot.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 exciting to keep the area in the realm of brewing and distilling,91裸聊视频� said Fowler.

With the history of the area, the history of Britannia, and the importance of staying local, Kinney and Fowler are doing everything they can to bring their Lower Mainland product to the Okanagan and localizing it as much as possible.

91裸聊视频淢oving from the Lower Mainland to the Interior wasn91裸聊视频檛 an easy decision but we do understand craft beer and the mechanics and the importance of having a hyper-local representation,91裸聊视频� said Kinney. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e definitely going to be seeding our roots here, this is home base for Britannia and we91裸聊视频檒l still have focus on all our local communities we service.91裸聊视频�

READ MORE: 91裸聊视频楨njoy a vibe and have a couple of beers91裸聊视频�: Lake Country Brewing is open for business

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jordy.cunningham@kelownacapnews.com
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