Minhas Creek Brewery looking at old Lakeport site

[Ukie]

http://www.thespec.com/Business%20News/article/752061

[markaberrant]

"Minhas Creek began brewing in the West in November 2007"

Actually, their brewery is located in Wisconsin.

[phirleh]

"Minhas Creek began brewing in the West in November 2007"

Actually, their brewery is located in Wisconsin.

It looks like there's an American brewery with the same name.

Minhas Craft
Minhas Creek

[Bobbyok]

"Minhas Creek began brewing in the West in November 2007"

Actually, their brewery is located in Wisconsin.

It looks like there's an American brewery with the same name.

Minhas Craft
Minhas Creek

One and the same. Note the Beer Advocate listing for the US brewery shows the Minhas Creek beer as one of its products.

[GregClow]

"Minhas Creek began brewing in the West in November 2007"

Actually, their brewery is located in Wisconsin.

It looks like there's an American brewery with the same name.

Minhas Craft
Minhas Creek

One and the same. Note the Beer Advocate listing for the US brewery shows the Minhas Creek beer as one of its products.

Yeah, Minhas has never owned a brewery in Canada, or even brewed their beer up here. They initially had their beers contact brewed at Huber Brewing in Wisconsin, and then ended up purchasing Huber in 2006.

Bit more info at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Hub ... ng_Company

[markaberrant]

I notified them of the "factual error" and the article has been updated.

[markaberrant]

Minhas is actually a pretty good sponsor of this year's ALES Open Homebrew Competition. If Viggo or Grub win any medals, I'll see if I can make sure the Minhas swag gets sent their way.

[JerCraigs]

Minhas is actually a pretty good sponsor of this year's ALES Open Homebrew Competition. If Viggo or Grub win any medals, I'll see if I can make sure the Minhas swag gets sent their way.

While their sponsorship is no doubt appreciated, do they really produce anything that someone interested in homebrewing wants to drink? My impression was that they only deal in mainstream products at a discount.

[markaberrant]

While their sponsorship is no doubt appreciated, do they really produce anything that someone interested in homebrewing wants to drink? My impression was that they only deal in mainstream products at a discount.

They also sell a Bock, Pilsner, Saison and "Swiss Amber"

You can buy 2 of each in SK as an 8-pack "Craft Beer Sampler Pack"

[Ukie]

I heard that other groups were interested but with Labatt's "Scorched Earth Policy" it remains to be seen.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/752582

[kinguy]

Some good publicity for the Minhas siblings, but it's never going to happen. Firstly, there's no way Labatt's will leave any of the physical plant standing for a competitor; they pounded the Etobicoke site flat when they closed it. Secondly, would it make sense financially for the Minhas' to open a brewery and pay Ontario's relatively high labour costs to make cheap beer when they have capacity and lower production costs in the US?

[tuqueboy]

Firstly, there's no way Labatt's will leave any of the physical plant standing for a competitor; they pounded the Etobicoke site flat when they closed it. Secondly, would it make sense financially for the Minhas' to open a brewery and pay Ontario's relatively high labour costs to make cheap beer when they have capacity and lower production costs in the US?

Agreed on your first point.
However, on your second, yes, it could quite easily make sense for them to open something here. They'd avoid all of the import duties and taxes, not to mention the shipping costs.

[Rob Creighton]

Firstly, there's no way Labatt's will leave any of the physical plant standing for a competitor; they pounded the Etobicoke site flat when they closed it. Secondly, would it make sense financially for the Minhas' to open a brewery and pay Ontario's relatively high labour costs to make cheap beer when they have capacity and lower production costs in the US?

Agreed on your first point.
However, on your second, yes, it could quite easily make sense for them to open something here. They'd avoid all of the import duties and taxes, not to mention the shipping costs.

Agree with you that they probably will gain a Canadian production facility and Ontario is the most logical location but it makes no sense to me whatsoever that they would entertain a Hamilton Harbour location. Work with the Teamsters!?! Seriously. Go with that everpresent image of Hamilton harbour sludge water as 'pure spring source'. Ya, right.

They have been very patient entering the Eastern markets and have put quite a few dollars into multiple efforts to build up their almost buck-a-beer brand. The last group that Inbev or Molson wants developing here is these two. They're desparately trying to undo the damage to their bottom line that Bill Sharpe & Lakeport caused over twenty years.

[Ukie]

Agree with you that they probably will gain a Canadian production facility and Ontario is the most logical location but it makes no sense to me whatsoever that they would entertain a Hamilton Harbour location.

Does seem strange since there have been breweries in Hamilton for almost 170 years!

[Tapsucker]

Just to play devil's advocate for a moment on this issue...

Now we know what it feels like to be a colony again. If a Canadian brewery (or pension fund etc.) had bought a Brazilian one, do you really think they would care much for the local workers, consumers etc.?

We are just on the receiving end of the screw this time. Not that I miss Lakeport or anything...

It does kind of take the steam out of that 'keep it real' crap they are using to push Keith's.