Engage Colchester-Truro hosted an information session last week on the social and economic development opportunities that could come with a brewery, and about 40 attended the session.
“The mood was a spirited one, with more folks in attendance agreeing that a Truro brand brewery would be a great idea,” said Kathleen Kevany with Engage Colchester-Truro in a press release following the session. “Some suggested more action was needed around cultivating or sourcing hops locally for more control of input costs.”
Other ideas included in the release, surrounded thinking about the tourism affect and spinoff to economic development to the town when business is operating in the centre.
“Some of the people present shared their positive experiences of the feel and culture they enjoyed when visiting other microbreweries,” the release said.
One recommendation is that investors think about making other items, such as quality t-shirts and artwork from the original labels to be designed for the bottles, for sale at the brewery.
One of the attendees – Lech Krzywonos – is the new principal of the Nova Scotia Community College Truro campus and said students and faculty from the college might find an initiative such as this to be exciting.
Two students from the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus - Sarah Gordon and Ryan Pedersen - presented their recent research on the growing markets in Nova Scotia and the country for micro-brewed beers and ciders.
“There certainly was a thirst in the room for the idea to brew locally,” said Kevany. “In fact, many would have liked to enjoy a bottle there and then.”
Because of the interest at last week’s meeting, a tour of Walker Lofts, the potential brewery location, is planned for 11 a.m. on Dec. 6. Those wanting to tour the facility are asked to use the entrance on the side, next to the Dairy Queen. Further plans about shareholder terms and a plan for a brew master will be discussed.
