'Untapped community': New brewery makes waves on waterfront

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PORT STANLEY – A new brewery is making a splash as it aims to create an environment that appeals to both tourists and locals.

Though Port Stanley Brewing Co. first started brewing beer in December, its barroom and patio opened in mid-May on the harbour edge where Kettle Creek flows into Lake Erie, taproom manager Victoria Robins said.

The lakeside town is a magnet for beachgoers, but Port Stanley Brewing Co. isn’t just a hub for tourists, Robins said. It also was established to draw locals, among whom the brewery has begun making waves.

“We really are trying to highlight and focus on community collaboration here,” Robins said. “One thing that I’ve seen is the locals coming back, which makes me really happy.”

Robins isn‘t certain if Port Stanley Brewing Co. is the first craft brewery to open in town, but it’s the only one open now, and a craft brewery “really was missing within the community.”

“It was an untapped (community), and we got to tap into it,” Robins said.

The brewery offers six beers on tap, cocktail options as well as non-alcoholic “mocktail” selections, she said.

If supply is any indication of popularity, one of the brewery’s “biggest problems” is demand, which has resulted in the need to bring in beer on rotating taps from nearby sources, including London-based breweries such as Storm Stayed Brewing Co. and London Brewing, Robins said.

“(It) isn’t the worst problem to have,” she said.

Robins believes one of the brewery’s draws is its pierside view of the harbour, the boardwalk leading to the lighthouse and the picturesque collection of homes and shops on Main Street on the opposite side of the harbour.

Port Stanley Brewing Co. shares a building with Riva, an Italian restaurant that opened last year under the same ownership.

The Brewing Co., which sells beer and merchandise from its barroom, is partnered with a food truck, and has plans to bring in chefs from the region on rotation starting in the fall.

“I think, right now especially, it’s such an important time to really focus on supporting local, supporting our communities,” Robins said, adding that the brewery also hires local musicians.

Although Port Stanley’s busy season is during warmer months, Robins said the brewery will remain open throughout the winter.

“Most places within the community close Monday (and) Tuesdays (during winter) but we’re hoping to kind of really build those Monday (and) Tuesdays up for a place for the locals to come, just to find that hub for them,” she said.

Robins said she hopes “within the next year or two” Port Stanley Brewing Co. will expand beyond the beach town.

“At least getting our beers out so you can find them in more London restaurants, the LCBO, those types of things,” she said. “But just building that clean, classic reputation first.”

bwilliams@postmedia.com

@BrianWatLFPress

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