The beer may be called Relaxed Westcoast Pale Ale but it has been a stressful week at Parkside Brewing in Port Moody.
Open just few days, they have been busy keeping up with demand.
Managing partner Sam Payne said it has been, “Humbling, exhausting, fun, all pretty great.”
Port Moody now has four breweries, they are all on Murray Street and all within easy walking distance.
The buildings used to house machine shops, and now, they are creating top notch beer in Port Moody’s unique brewery block.
“We are in a manufacturing or industrial zone here where these are permitted and in Port Moody we allow them here where some of the other cities haven’t,” said Port Moody Mayor Mike Clay.
“Port Moody being a smaller town it is very close to our residential areas and people can walk here.”
But why another brewery when three already call the street home?
Payne attributes it to “the family dynamic out here and just the energy that is going on in Port Moody, as well as the manufacturing licence and the availability of putting something like this right next to a beautiful park like Rocky Point Park. Everything just came together.”
Just down the block is the original Yellow Dog Brewing, which opened a couple of years ago and is expanding as we speak.
He is amazed by the growth.
“I thought one of two might come over time. I didn’t think it would happen this fast but its been great. We all work together and it has been great to grow craft beer in Port Moody.”
So far the mayor says they have had very few complaints about the new industry that just keeps buying more shiny tanks.
Back at Parkside, Payne added, “There is a lot of good craft beer around B.C., people are learning about it and there is room for lots more I believe.”
It is truly a local experience — even the small wooden park bench beer flight trays are handmade by Payne’s brother.