Brewing up new options for Thunder Bay craft beer enthusiasts

There is a new kid in town when it comes to Thunder Bay's craft beer scene.

The Lakehead Beer Company has opened its doors in the city's north core on Park Avenue.

Angus Reid and Lucas Goerzen are the co-owners of thenew business.

Reid said he and Goerzen met in 2015, when they began working together at another local brewery as primary production.

Goerzen beganworking on a business plan to start a brewery and Reid signed on.

Goerzen said they "bounced around" a lot until they found a place with enough space for their vision.

The thee-year journey hasnow ended with the pair opening abrewery and tap house on Park Avenue. The plan is to have a restaurantinside the building as well as a patio for summeruse.

The company has six fermenters and eight brite tanks. Reid said they were bought from a Chinese manufacturer that makes high quality brewing equipment.

"They're really up and coming on the global market for this stuff," he said, adding ahole was cut into the floorof the building to fitthe fermenters.

Reid said the weight of the brewing equipment, including the brite tanks, meant reinforcing the floordue to the weight of them. The interior of the building was also stripped of some plaster to reveal the stone work and brick.

Goerzen said the company is brewinga few beers the ownersreally enjoy themselves, including an AmericanBrown called Deep Cuts and another named In the Ground, which is a collaboration with St. Paul Roastery.

Reid said now that theyhave opened, the next phase will include "ironing the kinks out" and learning the day-to-day of managing a tap room.

"We've broughton a skeleton crew to help us operate the tap room,"he said. "But as we see how things are working, that will determine our ... hours of operation going forward."