Bart and Tracey Larson, owners of Mt. Begbie Brewing Co. in Revelstoke.
For nearly 20 years, Mt. Begbie Brewing Co. has been satiating people with its craft-brewed beers, served throughout British Columbia and into Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Now, having outgrown its second location in downtown Revelstoke, the brewery is moving to new digs where it will be able to marry its current focus on the bottled product with a year-round tourism-oriented approach, including increased brewery tours, a tasting room and a retail space.
A loan from the Trust has enabled owners Bart and Tracey Larson to develop a tract of land just east of Revelstoke off Highway 1, put in infrastructure like water, sewer and power, and build a nearly 15,000-square-foot facility. This will allow them to amalgamate their storage facilities on site, increase capacity by 50 per cent right off the bat, offer tastings anytime (something they’re currently unable to do) and leave significant room for growth. Plus, the new brewery will employ about 13 people.
Since they founded the brewery in 1996, the Larsons have seen the craft brewing industry shift and explode. They have also noticed an influx of brewery tourism in recent years, and are optimistic about the contribution Mt. Begbie Brewing Co. will make to tourism and the economy in Revelstoke.
“Revelstoke relies a lot on tourism, and people investing in the tourism aspect is really helpful,” she says. “It’s all about growing our community and making it a place where people can survive economically and live.”
This article appeared in the 2015 edition of Our Trust. Click here to download the magazine in PDF format.
