Who’s who: Craft brewers

Profiles of the key executives at some of the largest craft brewers in Ottawa. See page 62 for the full list. Profiles by Dani-Elle Dubé.

Steve Beauchesne

CEO, Beau’s All Natural

Fittingly enough, the idea to start Beau’s All Natural — originally a father and son brewing company — came to be over a pint of beer.

It was a sunny day and the duo chatted up the idea on a patio and came up with the plans for the new brewery — and then two years later in 2006 Tim and Steve served up a pint of Beau’s flagship Lug Tread Lagered Ale to their first customer.

Steve, the son half of the father-and-son partnership, says his drive to start Beau’s came from his love of beer.

“We took bold moves and zig where others zag,” he says . “Success is a funny word. There is never a point where you can really say you have been successful — there is always another mountain to climb or challenge to face.”

The business now includes cousins, in-laws and friends who have been supportive over the years, creating a strong camaraderie.

He can’t wait for things to get back to normal after two years of a stifling pandemic — more beers on patios with friends in restaurants and in backyards.

“I’m looking forward to more beer festivals and full restaurants and happy people sharing great beer at social gatherings," he says.

Christopher Thompson

Co-founder, Whitewater Brewing Co.

Fans of Whitewater Brewing Co. have a love of nature to thank for the company’s existence. “As I set out to create Whitewater, it was, and is, important to me that I could live in a place that inspired playfulness and allowed me to build a company that gives back to the community that gave me so much,” Christopher Thompson says. Before he co-founded Whitewater, he obtained his bachelor of science in international business and entrepreneurship from Cardiff University and his first job was as a retail clerk in a cellphone store. Then in 2011 he and two friends started Whitewater Brewing Co. It wasn’t an easy path. It took years of hard work, living out of vehicles and learning to bring Whitewater Brewing to life. Today, their beers are not only enjoyed by visitors who stop by their two breweries or two brew pubs, but by drinkers across Canada.

“Watching the business, and our team, grow, gives me a lot of personal satisfaction,” Thompson says. “Since our inception, I’ve wanted to create experiences and share stories that people can enjoy and connect with; I’m pleased that we’re achieving that.”

Now he is focusing on expanding the company’s portfolio and geographic reach.

“We hope that the exceptional experiences, products and stories we craft enrich people’s lives in fun and meaningful ways,” he says. “And as we pursue further growth, we continue to do so in a sustainable, environmentally positive way. In fact, we just became Canada’s first Climate Neutral Brewery.”

WHO'S WHO

Lon Ladell

Brewmaster and co-owner, Big Rig

What does it take to become one of the best brewing companies in the Nation’s Capital? As it turns out, you need to love beer — everything else will fall into place.

Known by most as Brew Master Lon, it was this love of beer that led to the co-owner of Ottawa’s Big Rig Brewery to start commercially brewing in 1996.

It wasn’t until 2012 that Ladell came to Ottawa to help start the local brew biz that is known as Big Rig with co-owner and former Ottawa Senators defenceman Chris Phillips.

Since opening, Big Rig has opened restaurants in Gloucester and Ottawa’s west-end, as well as a 16,000-square-foot production facility in Kanata.

Now the beer is sold in more than 1,000 locations across Ontario, including LCBO outlets, the Beer Store and grocery stores, serving more than 5,000 customers a week at its restaurants.

And thanks to the efforts of Ladell and his team, Big Rig is the largest craft brewery in Ottawa.