A Victoria brewery is changing the way it does business to help them stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whistle Buoy Brewing Company has started delivering beer around Greater Victoria after having to temporarily lay off six part-time employees.
Isaiah Archer, one of five co-owners, says the operation is still in its infancy — acting as a response to the health officials warning the public to self-quarantine and isolate at home — but says they will be ramping things up in the next day or so with a social media video explaining the process and opening an online store.
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For a $3 flat rate, a Whistle Buoy staff member will “walk, bike or drive” the beer to you — “we’re going to do whatever we can to get our beer in the hands of people who want it,” he says.
The tap-room modeled brewery still has its doors open but decided to start delivering their brews because unlike other breweries in the city, they don’t do wholesale to liquor stores, meaning the only place you can get a Whistle Buoy brew is from Whistle Buoy. Archer says the process is completely legal, as they will be IDing customers at the door.
“[The fact that we’re a tap-room] kind of necessitated that we do this immediately,” he says, although he believes they won’t be the only one to take this step. “This is the only way to sell our product, other than having the front door open.”
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Customers can still purchase crowlers, which are 32-ounce cans, at the brewery but they will have to take it to go as the actual tap-room is closed to the public.
Archer says the decision to lay off their employees wasn’t easy but he remains “cautiously optimistic.”
“Hopefully if we can do a great job at getting this beer service up and running, and doing the eCommerce thing, we’ll get busy enough to bring some of them back,” he says. “It’s unclear how this is all going to happen, by every hour things are changing so we’re just trying to adapt accordingly.”
And for those who haven’t had a chance to try Whistle Buoy before, but want to help support a local business, Archer recommends trying the West Coast Pale Ale. “It’s a beer that goes with almost anything.”
To order a beer from Whistle Buoy visit whistlebuoybrewing.com.
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