The owners of Hawk Tail Brewery Ltd. are busy making final plans, completing renovations, creating menus and testing their own special brews to be ready for an October opening.
Derek Nordstrom, the major owner of the business along with his wife, Angela said the delivery of the equipment has been delayed, putting them about six-weeks behind schedule and forcing them to move their opening date into the fall.
“We had hoped to be open in August,” he said, “but the delivery of the equipment has been delayed. It was sent Aug. 13.”
Nordstrom said contractors and workers have been on-site for several weeks getting everything ready to go.
The soon to be opened brewery will be set up in the vacant commercial space of Nordstrom Dental Clinic. The business will encompass almost 5,000 square feet and will have 22-foot ceilings to accommodate brewing and fermenting tanks.
The parking lot will accommodate 21 vehicles, thereby providing ample parking for customers.
Hawk Tail Brewery is to be a commercial scale production that will distribute packaged beer across the province in both cans and kegs.
The brewery will also have a taproom licensed through Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission which will serve as a community hub in which beer will be sold. Local events such as yoga, live concerts and receptions could be hosted in this area.
Food options will be available and non-alcoholic beverages such as ginger beer may be purchased at the site. There will also be appetizers available and Norstrom said recipes are now being developed for creative food choices.
Four full-time employees are to be hired t the startup and more may be hired later.
Rimbey’s land use bylaw was amended to allow the brewery and tap room a a permitted use in a highway commercial zone.