Big move this spring for Highway 97 Brewery

John Kapusty rolls into Highway 97 Brewery at 2 pm on a Friday. Kapusty's just returned from a long-distance beer delivery run -– this time to the Kootenays.

And now, without so much as a lunch break, he jumps right into the production line to help make even more beer for even more delivery runs.

Business has been good at the little brewery in the northwest corner of Penticton, and no one knows it more than Kapusty.

As co-owner of Highway 97, along with wife Jennifer and son Nick, he cheerfully describes himself as the "hired help, the cheap labour," and is all too familiar with the extra long days that come from success.

There is, however, one issue that even the longest days can’t rectify. Highway 97, it seems, has outgrown its current premises.

There simply isn't enough room at their 954 Eckhardt Ave West location to meet demand. And with four new ­­­­fermenting tanks already ordered and no space to put them, something's got to give.

So the family-run brewery founded in March of 2017 is moving on. And not some time in the distant future. There's already a large and rather conspicuous "For Sale" sign planted out front.

"We're still very new," explains Kapusty. "and we just didn’t expect the response to be as fast as it's been. Right now, we deliver as far east as Trail, Nelson, and Castlegar, as far north as Fort St. John, and as far west as Victoria. And every beer we make is brewed right here in this building."

"We can't possibly make enough beer to meet demand. So we really do need another space."

That space, says Kapusty, will be much larger than their current digs. It'll also be comfortably within Penticton city limits. And it'll feature a food menu with which Highway 97 patrons are already familiar.

"We won't be a full-on restaurant," he cautions. "It'll mostly be shareables and quick eats. We already have the best wings in town, and we have stuff like our steak and porter pie, chicken and amber pie, wild forged mushroom pie, all made with our beer."

Highway 97 ownership hopes the deal will be done and the new facility fully operational before summer.

As for the probable new address, Kapusty won't let on. "We can't release anything else on the move at this point in time," he says.

He is, however, careful to point out that the sale of the current property applies only to the land and the structure.

"We'll be moving all the tanks and all the business assets that are in the building to the bigger space," he says. "We've turned down more accounts than we've said yes to."

"Now we'll be making more beer to better satisfy our market."