Kootenay beer connoisseurs have something to look forward to in the coming months — Castlegar is getting a craft brewery.
The owners of Tailout Brewing are hard at work renovating the space that used to be Banjo’s Pub in central Castlegar.
Mike Davidson and Kent Kristensen are joining the list of Albertans starting businesses in town due to the Kootenay lifestyle.
RELATED: Kootenay Escape Room adventure
“We looked at a bunch of areas for something that would fit our recreational wants with our financial growth,” explained Davidson, whose wife has West Kootenay roots.
Kristensen says they have a vision of a “comfortable environment where people can hang out and talk about how awesome their day went and share it with friends.”
The space is designed to be a bit rustic and to reflect the owners’ love of outdoor activities like fishing and hunting. They even plan to have some wall space where people can post their catch-of-the-day photos or hang ski reports in winter.
But don’t worry — they say the brewery won’t be anything like a hunting lodge or a scene from The Red Green Show.
Tailout Brewing intends to complement, rather than compete with, what is already going on in town. The owners say they won’t be cooking up food or offering burger-and-beer specials.
Their focus is on good quality craft beer made with West Coast recipes in easy-to-drink varieties. The owners plan to have five taps — lager, red ale, IPA, pale ale and a rotating seasonal brew.
Davidson and Kristensen also have plans to bring in local musicians for acoustic sets and host beer talks on a variety of topics.
