Behind the garage bay doors of a former auto-garage and tire shop in Moncton, the sounds of tire changes have been replaced with the sound of a bubbly pour.
After living in Toronto for 15 years a New Brunswick born couple has returned home and converted the Tire Shack into Moncton’s newest craft brewery — the Tire Shack Brewing Company.
Alan Norman and Jerica Kennedy said they were interested in a property that had been part of the community on John Street since 1977.
“It seems like everybody in town had a story about it and everybody knew where it was,” said Norman.
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“It is just the fact that we were able to breath new life into something that was kinda old and forgotten and was a part of Moncton for so long,” said Kennedy.
The couple says converting the shop into a craft brewery has felt like a homecoming.
They decided to keep the shop’s name and have branded their new line of five different beers under the banner of Tire Shack Brewing Co.
Norman says that as they renovated the old tire shop into a modern taproom the couple came across old auto signs and discarded advertisements for auto parts.
“We tried to incorporate as much of that stuff into the final layout as possible. so when you are here in the space you will see used tires signs, old Goodyear signs” said Norman.
He said they hope to take customers who used to get their treads changed at the old Tire Shack on a trip down memory lane.
“With the digital age and everything people I find are disconnected and beer, I find, is a great way to bring them back together,” said Norman.
They’ve brought along a newcomer to New Brunswick to help launch their new venture.
Henrique Soares is from Brazil and works as Tire Shack Brewing Co.’s master brewer. He is the creator of their five unique brews.
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Soares said he grew up in Rio de Janeiro and worked as a brewmaster for 5 years in Ontario before coming to New Brunswick for the first time.
“It is a better place to live for sure. The people are happier I find. They are more talkative.” said Soares, who is thrilled to share his brews with the community.
The couple hopes to breathe new life into the residential neighborhood while raising a glass to a piece of the past.
Tire Shack Brewing Co. is set to open its doors in a few weeks.