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New idea brewing on the farm Farmers join forces to create a micro-brewery where the ingredients are grown on-site SANDOR GYARMATI
s g y a r m a t i @ d e l t a - o p t i m i s t .c o m
Three multi-generational Delta farm families are joining forces to create a micro-brewery. Brent and Shelley Harris, Ken Malenstyn and Sean Buhr want to build a craft brewery at the Harris’s Fraserland Farms property on 60th Avenue in Ladner. David Terpsma, who comes from a local farm family as well, is joining the venture to be the brewmaster. Already having tested several potential beers they could brew, the idea is to use the organic barley, as well as cranberries, already grown at the Harris operation, while hops would come from Malenstyn and Buhr to create beers that are made almost entirely from locally grown products, including potatoes, rye, oats and even honey. “It will be a true on-farm brewery where we are growing, for the most part, all the ingredients. Fifty per cent is the benchmark but we will be trying to get as close to 100 per cent as we can,” said Malenstyn. In 2015, the province announced a series of Agricultural Land Reserve reforms, including allowing breweries, distilleries and meaderies on farmland, provided they meet the same rules set out for wineries. As with wineries in the ALR, at least half the farm ingredients that go into the beer must be grown on site or supplied by a co-operative of farmers. The majority of what’s going into the beer will come from the
PHOTO BY SANDOR GYARMATI
Delta farmers (from left) Ken Malenstyn, Brent Harris and Sean Buhr show off the malt grade, organically grown barley to be used in their micro-brewery. Harris farm, which is in the ALR. The Agricultural Land Commission confirmed the proposal meets the requirements for locating a brewery in the ALR, so ALC approval isn’t required.
However, rezoning is required from Delta and regional district approval is also needed for a sewer line extension. Malenstyn said it’s becoming harder to grow traditional crops
in Delta and that crops need rotation, which the brewery would provide. The monthly beer production in the first year is projected to be 12,300 litres (2,075) gallons and
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increase to 28,800 litres (6,335 gallons) by year five. Bottling and packaging would occur on site. Malenstyn noted they’re also hoping to add a small tasting room.
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