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16 • WATERLOO CHRONICLE • THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2017 BUSINESS WATERLOO CHRONICLEWATERLOO CHRONICLE By Bob Vrbanac Chronicle Sta� Abe Erb Brewery's new brew house in the Tannery building is all about expanding the brand. With a full production facility on site, including a canning line, bigger brewing vats and tanks for storage, it's a ramped up version of the craft brew- ing space that originally caused a buzz when in fi rst opened in uptown Waterloo in 2014. Th e same buzz is building with the new space at 151 Charles St. It unoffi cially opened on Jan. 29 and soon had more than 300 patrons fl ocking to its doors after a mention went out on social media feeds. Rob Theodosiou, one of the driving forces behind the brewery, along with his brother Tony, knew that they hit on a concept that connected with the craft beer crowd when they fi rst opened in Waterloo. An expansion was quickly on their minds. Th ey needed a site that would allow them to craft more of the suds that had caused a stir and get it out into the hands of more people. Th at plan was announced last year when they found a space at the former Lang Tannery build- ing in downtown Kitchener that would fit their needs. It's also home to the Communitech Hub and the Velocity Garage, and the next generation of local high tech startup companies. While brewing and tech hubs might not seem to have a lot in common, they are both maker spaces. Abe Erb is taking the wraps off the brew- ing process in its new space by putting everything from its grist mill to its new brewmaster, Ian Pat- tenden, out on display. It will allow people to ask questions about the process and what goes into their beer. "Part of the experience of Abe Erb is twinning the brewing experience with the restaurant expe- rience," said Pattenden, who got his brewmaster certifi cation in Montreal before winning a brew- ing award at a competition in Niagara Falls and bringing his knowledge to the operation last May. "Here we've scaled up to a 20-barrel system, but we've tried to keep the blending alive here so peo- ple still feel like they're part of the brewing experi- ence. "It's all about footprint and fl oor space, there's a lot that goes into a brewery that you don't actu- ally see." It was an important step to bring that brewing experience on board with the expansion, said Rob. "It's about keeping the excellence of our quality." While some craft brewers are chasing shelf space at the local LCBO or the Beer Store, Rob said their using their expanded footprint to generate more revenue. Sure you can fi nd their 1857 Kolsch on shelves at the liquor store, but you can also come in and get it in a growler. "Nine out of 10 breweries are about finding shelf space but eventually you'll get pushed off and what happens to your model?" said Rob. "We have the guarantee of revenue right here, and then we get you hooked in." Th ey've also relaunched another local tradi- tion, the stubby beer bottle, and are packaging some of their popular beers like Buggywhip in the retro glassware. "We were able to fi nd the original moulds," said Rob. The look of the new space incorporates the bricks and mortar that already existed with the interior design and comfortable spaces of the orig- inal Abe Erb. Th e new space has a private seating area, a mezzanine and enough colour and com- fort to welcome anyone of any age. "All the artwork is hand drawn," said Tony, as they brought in students from University of Waterloo's school of architecture and fi ne arts to connect some of what they are learning with a real world tableau. "It's all part of the wow factor we wanted to bring in here and it starts from the out- side with the beer shop sign to the aesthetics and the brewery being right in your face. You can talk to the brewer while drinking the beer." Pattenden said it's necessary to combine all those elements when you're working in a fish bowl, where people can see what you're doing all the time. "Here you need to make it fi t in with the whole ambiance so it has to be designed in a certain way," he said. "You need a capable brew team who can also brew in the midst of all these peo- ple." But he said he doesn't mind the questions that come with the brewing process. "It's fun because you can immerse yourself with patrons and talk to them about what we're doing and what's next," said Pattenden. "It's dif- ferent than being just another bar because your literally consuming the products that were made here on the premises." Th e original Abe Erb in Waterloo will be a big part of the ongoing brewing process as it will allow them to do small batches and bring in new tastes and beers from around the world. Those taste experiments will ultimately end up in one of the tanks in the new space. "Th at's what defi nes this next generation of craft brewing -- creativity," said Pattenden. "Th at connects us well with the tech industry -- it's all about creating something and seeing that process from start to fi nish." Th e plan is also to make the new Abe Erb a cul- tural and social space in the area, with music and events planned in the future. For more informa- tion, visit www.abeerb.com. Expansion pack Abe Erb Brewery opens new site at the Tannery as a way to expand popular local brand New brewmaster Ian Pattenden, left, has joined Tony and Rob Theodosiou, the founders of Abe Erb Brewery, in a new expansion of the local craft beer brand at the Tannery building housing the Communitech Hub and Velocity Garage. 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