First City Brewery Hops Into New Brunswick
SAINT JOHN– Jeff Gibbons and Adam McQueen had been home brewing for years.
They love beer. People love beer. So why not turn it into a business?
“We thought this was the next step. We both have a passion for brewing beer, and love where the beer movement in New Brunswick is going and the way the industry supports each other and how local people are really getting behind it,” Gibbons said.[mks_pullquote align=”right” width=”250″ size=”18″ bg_color=”#b7b7b7″ txt_color=”#000000″]Where to find First City Brew:
Saint John
Bourbon Quarter
Peppers Pub
R Bar
Peel Pub
Fredericton
James Joyce Pub
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“This was just a natural progression.”
With help from Enterprise Saint John, Gibbons and McQueen created a business plan for First City Brewery, a name that couldn’t be more fitting.
“Saint John is the first incorporated city in Canada and we’re the first nano brewery in Saint John, so we found it was a good fit,” Gibbons says. “The more we mentioned it to other people, people seemed to really like the name and the tie-in with the city, so that’s what we decided on.”
First City Brewery is located on the corner of Union and Charlotte Streets in uptown Saint John. Their brewery is located above the R Bar, a popular spot for karaoke and stand-up comedy nights. The brewery has a one-barrel setup that makes 30-35 gallons a batch, depending on the type of beer.
“It’s a small space, but it’s really all we need right now,” Gibbons says.
First City Brewers is currently offering an IPA, a double IPA and Chocolate Coffee Stout. You can’t purchase them at the liquor store yet, but you can find them on tap in several establishments in Saint John and Fredericton. Gibbons says they plan to brew the unexpected.
“We really like the way the industry’s going where you’re not tied down to one or two different types of beer. We like to brew experimental beers that people might not have tried,” Gibbons says. “We don’t want to be afraid to try new things and I think that’s what the craft brewing fan is looking for, they always want to try the next new beer.”
Looking across Canada, it’s no secret that big beer sales are down, while the craft beer industry is growing. Virtually every bar now seems to have more local beers on tap alongside the usual suspects. Gibbons says he sees this trend continuing.
“Local everything seems to be the next wave for the food and beverage industry, and that’s a good thing,” he says. “Anytime we can keep money local and keep money in Saint John and in the province, that’s great for New Brunswick.”
Like most early startup founders, they are still working other full-time jobs. With a new year just beginning, Gibbons says they plan on taking it slow and steady when it comes to growth.
“We really want to take things slow and make sure quality doesn’t suffer; working on building our brand is one of the biggest things for our first year,” he says.
Though First City Brewery has only been on tap for three weeks now, the support has been overwhelming.
“We’re really happy with all the local support we’ve received. Local people in New Brunswick, especially in Saint John are very loyal to small businesses who are trying to startup.”