New Kelowna brewery going for an Okanagan camping vibe
There are craft breweries in Kelowna with dog, office and fishing themes. Now a new one called Three Lakes Brewing is set to open in the Kelowna Airport Business Park with its own special flavour.
“At Three Lakes Brewing, we’re all about the outdoors,” co-founder Melanie Raby told iNFOnews.ca. “All our labels are actually our camping photos that we’ve taken. You’re going to see that in the brewery. We’re going to have a camping vibe everywhere, kind of an outdoors Okanagan vibe.”
It'll be the only 100% female-run craft brewery in the Okanagan, they say.
“Me, my best friend and my daughter wanted to open up a brewery for a while now and, about two years ago, it was just kind of: ‘Let’s do this,’” Raby said.
Her daughter, Tara, has years of experience in the wine and hospitality sector so has the skills to make the brewery work on a commercial scale. Raby and Cathy van Kesteren also have backgrounds in the food and beverage industry and have been “backyard” brewing for years.
Initially there will be five brews offered.
“We’re all about local supporting local and all about quality,” Raby said. “It’s basically grains, hops and yeast. Just traditional, old school methods.”
There will be classic lager, hoppy IPA and Pilsner.
They'll also offer a Barley Angel Ale.
“It’s a barley wine,” Raby said. “It’s not really popular in the area. It’s kind of like a darker amber ale. It’s just a traditional old school brew that we found and really like.”
READ MORE: New brew pub set to expand Kelowna's brewery district
The company has applied for a liquor licence through the City of Kelowna.
They plan to sell their beer to other outlets and liquor stores and are asking for a 30-seat tasting room along with a mezzanine area for private business events and meetings.
“Our focus is that our brewery will have a more personal yet rustic, old school atmosphere that customers are looking for,” Raby wrote in a letter to the city. “Along with that, a fun yet outdoorsy atmosphere where you can enjoy and learn about the craft and the Okanagan.”
They're opening at 2030 Matrix Cres. next to Two Donkeys Bakery and Fortune Creek catering so hope to have them supply bites for patrons.
“Breweries are growing very fast in the Okanagan and everyone is interested to try new creations” Raby wrote. “Having a brewery located in Kelowna north will help tourists and locals in the area to have access to locally make, high quality, beer, which will bring tourists to that area and discover other local businesses existing and opening.”
She hopes to be open for the summer.
“A Canada Day opening would be great,” Raby said.
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