The New Brunswick craft beer business is experiencing tremendous growth. However, even with more and more competition springing up all the time, micro brewers in the province remain united.
“We’re all in this together,” said Stephen Dixon, owner of Grimross Brewing, based in Fredericton.
“We’re very small in the big picture when we compare it to the macro breweries, so we need to look out for each other and watch each other’s back.”
Approximately 30 micro breweries are currently operating in New Brunswick including the newest, Graystone Brewing, whose official grand opening takes place on Canada Day.
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That opening wouldn’t have been a possibility without the friendly atmosphere in the local craft beer landscape.
“My equipment got delayed by about four or five months and the building was going to be ready before then,” explained Wes Ward, owner of Graystone. “So we decided to look at a temporary solution.”
Fortunately they didn’t have to look very far as established microbreweries Grimross and Maybee offered the use of their facilities to ensure Graystone would be fully stocked.
“We had a brew house that we weren’t using all the time so we invited them to come in and do some brews here,” said Dixon.
“It’s not uncommon in the craft beer world and I don’t know exactly why,” said Dixon, of the help micro brewers often lend each other. “Maybe it stems from the days when we were home brewers and we just wanted to get together and share and try each other’s beer.”