By Kristi Alexandra
It’s been more than a decade since New Westminster’s Brewery District actually housed a brewery, but all of that is about to change when Another Beer Co. opens its doors.
The Brewery District, which resides in the Royal City’s Sapperton neighbourhood, was named in homage to the Labbatt Brewery that operated in the area from the late 1800s to 2005. Nearly 15 years later, the area is getting a new watering hole just a stone’s throw away from Sapperton Skytrain Station.
While we know Metro Vancouver has no shortage of craft beer makers, Another Beer Co. takes a unique — if not cheeky — approach to craft draughts. Want to know more about what the company has up its sleeve? Well, it’s all in the name.
“Our name is ironic, but there’s also a lot of reasons behind it,” owner Alex Jopson tells WestCoastFood.
Jopson co-owns the brewery with partner and head brewer Clete Hanson, while Justin Hluchnik is the assistant brewer.
“One is that my partner has a brewery with his family already, so it’s another brewery for the family,” he reveals.
The brewery in question is Spokane, Washington’s Whistle Punk Brewing, co-owned by Hanson.
“Another point is if you want ‘another beer,’ you’re going to have to come to New West. It’s ironic because it sounds like another beer; it sounds generic, but at the same time, you’re only going to get it if you come here.”
Indeed, you won’t be able to find Another Beer Co. cans in liquor stores any time soon, and that’s on purpose.
“The new trend from breweries who have been open is different from what breweries are doing now,” Jopson says. Another Beer Co. won’t be wholesaling to shops. Instead, he says, their home brewing background has them inclined to do small batches of beer they really love.
“Personally, a lot of my favourite breweries started with someone who loved home brewing,” says Jopson, who’s been home brewing for six-plus years.
“They have the same model as us: when you go in, you’re going to see different beers on tap all the time. They’re doing smaller batches where they have their go-to beers and then they have a little more.”
What those breweries are realizing now, Jopson says, is they “don’t have to take over the world” by mass-producing their brews.
“Our model is a little bit unique for the timeframe,” he says, noting that Another Beer Co. is going to buck tradition in a few ways.
First, there will be no growler fills, but you will be able to get a freshly canned brew right from the tap. “When you crack open [a growler] you have to drink five beers and that kind of encourages over drinking,” Jopson explains, noting that they’ll be filling their cans on site.
“The idea is that, by putting it in cans, you can enjoy a multitude of our different beers but do so in a moderate way.”
Another way that Another Beer Co. stands out from the crowd is its unique location. The 20-seat brewery is housed in a storage warehouse that doubles as a tasting room, complete with a loft.
And finally, Jopson says, the only thing you’ll be able to predict about Another Beer Co. is that the taps are always different.
The shops staple will be the You’ve Changed Pale Ale, which will differ slightly with each batch. By the time you think you’ve figured out You’ve Changed, you just might be able to distinguish what has changed.
“When you come in, there will always be another beer on tap. Pun intended.”
Another Beer Co. is at #11 – 30 Capilano Way, New Westminster.
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