4 Origines microbrewery started out four years ago in Pointe-Saint-Charles and is now expanding its business to the West Island with a new 17,000 sq. ft. microbrewery and taproom set to open later this month in Dorval with a restaurant to follow next year.
Keegan Kelertas, vice-president of operations and Benjamin Somers, corporate secretary, are excited for this new venture in the West Island. “We reached capacity with our brewing equipment downtown and we’ve been looking for more space,” said Kelertas. “I grew up in Beaconsfield and I moved to Pointe-Claire last year from Griffintown because I have a baby.”
“We have a lot of clientele from the West Island … and you could tell that if we had a spot on the West Island, they would be into that. Being a brewery, you have to be in an industrial zone, so you need to find the right type of building with the right landlord,” said Somer.
The move will allow the company to double its volume of beer per batch to 15 hectolitres, about 6,000 cans.
“Our main thing is to make and distribute beer in cans and kegs to restaurants and grocery stores. Having a restaurant is not our main business model, but it’s a cool experience that we’re offering,” Kelertas said. “We’re going to be doing tours there and beer and food pairing.”
The brands embrace Montreal like their India pale ale called Montréal State of Mind, or Blanche du Sud-Ouest is named after the borough and Joe Beef Apocalypse ale is a partnership with David McMillan of renowned Montreal restaurant Joe Beef. “We put an innovative twist on classic styles. Our idea is to be approachable for people who don’t necessarily drink craft beer,” Somers said.
Craft beer and the number of microbreweries in Quebec has increased by about 50 percent since 2017 (according to the Quebec Microbrewery Association). Since June, there have been approx. 47 microbrewery licenses in Montreal, which accounts for almost 20 percent of all such licenses in Quebec.
4 Origines is in good company in the West Island with microbreweries like Labrosse and 3 Brasseurs in Pointe-Claire, Louks in Dorval and nearby off-island microbreweries, Cardinal in Hudson, Trois-Lacs in Vaudreuil-Dorion and Le Castor in Rigaud.
Dan Ablenas, head of production at Labrosse, thinks more craft breweries are a good thing. “The best tool to grow the craft beer industry is to have a place to walk in and try the beer.”
“We’ve even collaborated on a beer with Labrosse in the past. The big breweries still represent almost 90 per cent of the market, so there’s no point in trying to fight each other for 10 per cent. We have to work together to create a craft beer community,” said Somers.
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