Castlegar residents may soon be able to enjoy a local craft beer without leaving the city. Five owners have come together to build Tailout Brewing; the space is currently under renovation in the old Banjo’s Pub in the Fireside Inn. One person behind the business is Mike Davidson, currently from Canmore. He’s working on renovating the entire space and explains why Castlegar was the spot chosen to start their first brewery.
“We’re all big outdoor enthusiasts and that’s what we’re trying to focus this whole construction project on and trying to find an area where we can be outside and enjoy doing all of our stuff. Also, bring something new to a scene, I mean, Castlegar is one of those untapped resources where developments going well.”
Davidson’s wife also has ties to Rossland and he notes the bonus of being situated between two great ski hills.
There’s still a lot of work to go with the renovations, but Davidson describes a clear vision for the brewery that should be able to seat roughly 100 people. “Bring the windows a lot bigger in here, throw the garage door in. We’re going to have kind of a walk in set up with the brew house enclosed, so people can come in and observe our brewers, see what’s happening and where the process begins. People can come in and we’ll obviously have tours.”
They plan on offering four primary beers including a pale ale, IPA, red ale and lager style, with a fifth tap for rotating seasonal selections. Kent Kristensen is the brew master, a fisheries biologist by trade from Edmonton.
“Our plan is to have easy drinking, common style beers. We’re not going for anything that’s too racy, or outrages, sours or anything that’s too off the wall.”
He adds it should be a good fit with the easy going atmosphere and local vibe.
There’s no restaurant in the plans, but the hope is to create a space for local artists to hang their works, host acoustic nights, and even events for Selkirk College students. Residents won’t be drinking Tailout Brewing for the time being, but come the hot summer months, things should be up and running.
