Cochrane’s first and only microbrewery celebrated its first official pour this week.
“Today is extremely exciting, it has been a long time coming – we are really looking forward to being here with the community and getting the feedback and encouragement from the community,” said Brittany Kozloski, co-owner and vice-president of marketing and sales for Half Hitch Brewery.
The idea for brewery started in 2011 as dinner table discussion between the Heier family, and became more of a reality when the family purchased land in 2013 and broke ground in August 2014.
The family was “excited” as they celebrated their first official pour at Killarney’s on Tuesday.
“It was really a last-minute decision and we wanted to have (the first pour) at the brewery but we just aren’t quite ready yet,” Kozloski said.
For the past two years, the Heier’s have been busy as Cochrane residents patiently awaited to taste test one (or all three) of the brewery’s drafts, Farmer’s Daughter Pale Ale, Fire N’ Fury Red Ale and Shotgun Wedding Brown Ale.
At the official launch, Killarney’s Cochrane owner Dominic Hickey said his favourite was the Shotgun Wedding Brown Ale.
“I really like the brown ale, it was my favourite and the red was pretty good too, as for the IPA beer, well I don’t really like IPA in general but that is just a personal preference,” Hickey said.
“Although we found people deliberately came in for the IPA.”
Hickey said Killarney’s will now carry the Shotgun Wedding Brown Ale, and will add the Fire N’ Fury Red Ale in the next two to three weeks.
The original goal was to have the delivery and installation of the Half Hitch brewing equipment by February 2015 and to have the brewery open later that summer but as plans changed the timeline extended.
The Eagle checked in with the family earlier this year on National Beer Day in April to see the progression. Chris Heier, Half Hitch Brewery president, said they had just started mixing their first batches – with barley from Germany and Belgium.
“We have a few other odds and ends but we are just about good to go,” Heier said in the previous interview.
For the past week, the family has been testing the beers to get them ready for public consumption and unveiled the three drafts two days ago.
“Oh man, I can’t even explain how excited we are – it is not my first time drinking it as we have been testing it out for the past week, but to actually have people who have been following us since day one is just such an exciting experience for us,” Kozloski said.
The three Half Hitch Brewery drafts, Farmer’s Daughter Pale Ale, Fire N’ Fury Red Ale and Shotgun Wedding Brown Ale, will now be available for Cochrane restaurants and lounges to add to their taps, as the microbrewery continues to get their “ducks in a row.”
“We are really encouraging local restaurant owners to come to the brewery first and try the draft,” Kozloski said.
Kozloski said the family is anticipating Cochrane restaurants will soon be offering the Half Hitch beers on tap.
Half Hitch Brewery is located at the corner of Griffin Road and Griffin Industrial Point. To stay updated on which restaurants/lounges will start carrying the Half Hitch brew, go to halfhitchbrewing.ca
