New Brewery Takes Over Former Saint-Quentin Liquor Store
SAINT-QUENTIN–A new Northern New Brunswick brewery has set up shop in downtown Saint-Quentin with the opening of a new taproom.
Novum Boreas Microbrasserie Inc. recently opened a taproom and brewery at 249 Rue Canada. It was only a couple of weeks after the brewery’s founding by brothers Michael and Yannick Dube and their friend Roch Dugas.
The taproom will be staffed by one new employee. Dube, a full-time brewer with Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault in Edmundston, plans to brew at Novum Boreas part-time, while his brother is on full-time brewing duty.
The brewery’s downtown home was previously a Service New Brunswick building–and before that an ANBL outlet.
Dube, who grew up in Saint-Quentin and now lives in Edmundston, told Huddle that he and his co-founders were not aware of the boozy historical connection when they chose the purchase the building for their brewery.
“We didn’t know it was a liquor store in the fifties. It was a cool coincidence,” said Dube.
When asked what inspired the name, Dube said Novum Boreas refers to Boreas, the Greek mythological personification of the north wind, combined with their desire to do something new (“novum” in Latin).
“We were trying to be creative and have a name that’s a bit different from what we’re seeing in New Brunswick, with Saint-Quentin being up north,” he said.
“We thought it was cool to have a name that means north wind,” said Dube, noting the image of Boreas is also the inspiration for the blustery face on their logo.
Currently, Novum Boreas has two staple beers – an American blonde ale and an IPA.
The brewery occasionally collaborates with partners, creating concoctions like the recently-released New England IPA Kombucha Radler that combines its IPA with Shediac-based GreenWhale’s raspberry-mint kombucha.
The brewery will expand its roster once it receives two new fermenters that are right now on their way to Saint-Quentin.
Dube noted the fermenters are needed for more than just growing their selection of beers. He and his co-founders also underestimated how thirsty people would be for their beers, and demand is booming.
In addition to high local demand, Novum Boreas currently boasts a 5 BBL system that produces roughly 800 litres of beer per batch.
While that’s enough to sell from their brewery, Dube noted that they don’t make enough beer to be able to can and sell it at ANBL locations – despite carrying a listing with the Crown corporation.
“We cannot meet the provincial production levels we need, so we don’t sell beer right now at liquor stores. The minute we have more fermenters we’ll be able to do just that,” Dube said.
Once that matter has been resolved, Dube noted they have plans to try brewing a new smoothie-sour.
“They’re basically sour beers with a lot of fruit puree in it, so the final product is very fruity, thick and smoothie-like – but there’s a bit of sour from the beer behind it,” he said.
Sam Macdonald is a Huddle reporter in Moncton. Send him your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].