North Vancouver’s Oldest and Newest brewery will soon be opening its doors. Shaketown Brewings’ team consists of Ryan Scholz (Nicli, Nita Lake Lodge, Tacofino) and Rohan Karnick who have been lifelong friends along with Head Brewer, Dave Varga (33 Acres, Red Truck) who has been working with beer for decades.
Scholz has a background in advertising and has helped shape the branding of the brewery. He has always wanted to create a brand “from the ground up” – which is exactly what this team has done. The name is a combination of “Shaketown” (what Lynn Valley was called when it was a settler’s logging town, back in 1895) mixed with the fact that it had a “Springfield” vibe (The Simpsons also served as inspiration), the team landed with a multi-layered backstory, complete with characters and a sense of humour that gives the place a personality.
When it came to deciding what the beer would taste like, Varga spent time considering what both pre-prohibition style beers and ales of the 60s and 70s would taste like; he then drew on his specialty for continental European ales and lagers, which are traditionally very low in alcohol, and his broader idea of beer as a “vehicle for social interaction.”
There are six core beers: the Kveik IPA, 6%; Leicht-bier Session Ale; Golden Ale; Prohibition Pilsner; “Itty Bitty” IPA and Kveik Wheat Beer – all at only 3-5% ABV.
The venue housing the brewery is approximately 4700 sqft, previously, home to a storage facility before Shaketown acquired it in early 2020. Inside, the tasting room features an abundance of space featuring exposed wood ceilings and communal seating. There are 60 seats in total, including a few booths, a bar, and a row of bar seating facing directly onto St. Andrews Avenue. Weather permitting, both walls of street-facing windows will be open, offering unobstructed harbour views. Future details include a mirror with a branded vinyl wall decal frame featuring “The Story of Shaketown” and the all-important beer board, which will be hung over the bar.
Despite the delays of opening Shaketown earlier, Shaketown Brewing aims to open early this month.