Plans for a new micro-brewery near the airport have been submitted at Kelowna city hall.
With a focus on “locals supporting locals,” the owners of Three Lakes Brewing are looking to secure a liquor primary license for 2030 Matrix Cres.
Co-owner Melanie Raby says it will be 100% woman owned and operated.
She will own and operate the brewery with her long-time friend Cathy while her daughter Tara will be the brewmaster.
“Tara has many years in the winemaking industry. We all have a ton of experience in the hospitality and business industry. We all work together to create ideas for our brews as well as our vibe,” Raby tells KelownaNow.
“We have been backyard brewing for sometime now and decided it was time to get them out there for everyone to enjoy.”
The location will highlight the women’s love of the outdoors, camping, hiking and all that the Okanagan has to offer.
The interior of the building will showcase pictures of Raby and her business partner’s camping and outdoor experiences plus pieces of camping equipment to add a unique, rustic feel. The beer labels will also feature pictures of their outdoor adventures.
All the beer will be brewed, kegged and canned on site.
Raby says they will start by offering five beers before growing their selection.
The brewery will offer a lager, wheat ale made with fruit from a friend’s local farm, IPA, sour and an exclusive barley wine.
“Now the barley wine is unique and rare, it's like a dark amber ale. This will be a signature and called ‘Barley’s Angel Ale,’” explains Raby.
The brewery will have a 25-person tasting room where people can learn about the products, the suppliers and growers. There will also be a mezzanine space for private business events or meetings.
Raby says Three Lakes Brewing will focus on supporting local suppliers and distributing to pubs, breweries and liquor stores around Kelowna.
“Having a brewery located in Kelowna north will help tourists and locals in the area to have access to locally made, high quality beer,” states Raby.
“(This) will bring tourists to that area and discover other local businesses existing and opening as well."
The location is near Two Donkeys Bakery and Fortune Creek catering, which would provide a food option for guests.
A letter of intent says: "Breweries are growing very fast in the Okanagan and everyone is interested to try new creations, we have lots of ideas on hand already but will have a little more unique feel to offer.”
Raby says construction is moving along smoothly and they hope to welcome the community to their new location in July.
