Lunn’s Mill Beer Company offered four brews in a two-hour soft launch but there were so many customers at the door there was a bit of a wait. Nobody complained. In fact the talk was upbeat about beer and there was lots of discussion about reds, ambers, blondes and IPAs with Brickyard Red maybe getting the nod for the most interesting.
The opening was much anticipated, and Bridgetown’s Brian Dauphinee was 15 minutes early, making sure he was the new beer company’s first official customer. He bought a big growler of the Brickyard Red named after Brickyard Road in Bridgetown.
Some bought the Charming Molly blonde ale named for the locally significant schooner that first sailed into Annapolis Royal from Boston in 1760 with New England Planters and livestock. There was also an English bitter called Lunn’s Pub Ale and the first of many IPAs – XPA #1.
The ales were creations of Lunn’s Mill partners Mark Reid and Sean Ebert.
Bridgetown resident Art Marshall dropped by opening day and picked up a jug.
“As an amateur beer maker it’s wonderful to have a chance to come out and try other people’s stuff,” he said. “I know that Mark and Sean’s beer is good because I’ve had it before. Being able to buy it now in a growler, and take it home is wonderful. Plus they’ll probably experiment and create some different brews. That’s a good thing.”
Lunn’s Mill Beer Company offered four brews in a two-hour soft launch but there were so many customers at the door there was a bit of a wait. Nobody complained. In fact the talk was upbeat about beer and there was lots of discussion about reds, ambers, blondes and IPAs with Brickyard Red maybe getting the nod for the most interesting.
The opening was much anticipated, and Bridgetown’s Brian Dauphinee was 15 minutes early, making sure he was the new beer company’s first official customer. He bought a big growler of the Brickyard Red named after Brickyard Road in Bridgetown.
Some bought the Charming Molly blonde ale named for the locally significant schooner that first sailed into Annapolis Royal from Boston in 1760 with New England Planters and livestock. There was also an English bitter called Lunn’s Pub Ale and the first of many IPAs – XPA #1.
The ales were creations of Lunn’s Mill partners Mark Reid and Sean Ebert.
Bridgetown resident Art Marshall dropped by opening day and picked up a jug.
“As an amateur beer maker it’s wonderful to have a chance to come out and try other people’s stuff,” he said. “I know that Mark and Sean’s beer is good because I’ve had it before. Being able to buy it now in a growler, and take it home is wonderful. Plus they’ll probably experiment and create some different brews. That’s a good thing.”
Fantastic
“We’ve had some limited rollout to friends and family just to get some early feedback,” said Reid. “Today is our first day of selling to strangers. The turnout’s been fantastic. There’s been a pretty nice, constant flow of people.”
Ebert and a third partner, Chad Graves, were kept hopping as the lineup never stopped. They offered two sizes of growlers – 32 oz and 64 oz screwtop bottles. Customers pay a deposit but come back to get them refilled.
Ebert had been up since 6 a.m. and by 5:30 p.m. was starting to get tired. Reid was busy rinsing bottles that customers brought in. And Graves was taking orders and carrying bottles back and forth.
"When the doors opened, we didn't really know what to expect,” said fourth partner Chantelle Webb. “Sean spent two hours in the cooler pouring beer into growlers while the rest of the team took orders, washed bottles, and over ran the till. Eighty people came and then went home and seemed to post immediately on Facebook that they had the first Lunn's Mill Beer. That kind of support is really amazing."
When the brewery’s tap room is ready, the process will be a lot easier and will be in a pub-like setting with tables, chairs, stools – and eventually food. In fact work was happening in the taproom as customers were getting their jugs filled at a makeshift counter – and their hospitality room permit is in the mail.
While Webb, wasn’t able to make the opening, she was on tap to make deliveries on Friday. Lunn’s Mill takes orders online and makes deliveries from their Carleton Road (Highway 201) location in the local area.
“Who knew beer delivery could be so much fun,” said Webb. “When folks answer the door and there is my smiling face holding up a couple of growlers on a sun-shiny Friday afternoon I felt like those folks that delver novelty cheques but better!”
Taproom
Reid said for now open hours are Thursdays from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., but that will expand when the taproom opens and brewing capacity increases.
The brewery is making hand-crafted batches of 180 litres and has the ability to brew new batches every day. They’d been building up product over the last few weeks and were burning through it quickly on opening day.
“What we don’t want to do is be constantly sold out,” said Reid. “So we’re going to try to pace it and reserve some for delivery and keep it spread out.”
Hence the limited open hours currently. Things will change in the near future when their larger equipment arrives, possibly in May, and is up and running. That will increase production from 1.5 barrel to five-barrel capacity per batch.
“So far so good,” said Reid in reference to comments about the product. “Everybody’s been really positive and helpful and supportive. It’s been nice.”
Coming Up
What to expect this Thursday? Customers can still pick up the four available on opening day, but Reid and Ebert also have something special in store to cap off winter properly.
“Eclipse, a Black IPA,” said Reid. “Very dark, quite hoppy, but balanced by malty body with a hint of roastiness. Good for these cold nights by the fire.”
Follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LunnsMill/
See their website at: https://lunnsmill.beer/
