R&B Brewing has been going since 1997 in the Brewery Creek District of Vancouver. These guys were the first in the neighborhood to open up a brewery and it stayed that way for quite a while. Things have been changing over at R&B Brewing this year with their purchase by Howe Sound Brewing and their construction of their food primary which will turn them into Vancouver’s newest Brewpub from one of the oldest breweries.  Vancouver’s beer scene keeps changing and they are doing their part to change with it!

Starting with the present when you walk though the current enterance you find yourself in their growler bar area.  You are able to have small samples of their beers to decide what beer you would like to get filled in your growler.  You could also just purchase a bomber or a 6 pack to take with you.  The space is funky with a ton going on decoration wise.  Behind where you stand in the growler bar is where the grain is stored although I forgot to take a photo of their indoor silos.

The brewery itself has gone through many expansions within its current space knocking out wall after wall to make the space as large as it is today.  The brewhouse is located in its own room at the back corner of the building.  The grain is augured in from the front area where the gain mills are located into the brewhouse.  Once they have gone though the brewing process the grain is then augured out the back wall into the lane where farmers take it away.  Leaving that room you come to the fermenters.  These are actually re-purposed dairy tanks that lay horizontally instead of standing vertically.  They picked these tanks for two reasons.  First they could brew in any vessel you gave them but secondly they cost way less!  Once the beer is finished fermenting they transfer the beer into the cooler into bright tanks and conditioning tanks as well as kegs.  When the beer is ready for sale in bottles it is either put through their fairly high tech 6 pack bottle machine or their Frankenstein bomber filler. Lastly finished and packaged products are transferred into their other cooler to stay until it is ready to hit store shelves or pubs taps.

Now lets not forget that R&B Brewing is also building their 60 seat food primary restaurant.  Like most brewpubs this place will not be a true pub but it just makes more sense calling it one (whose heard of a brew restaurant?). The pub is in the same building although currently separated by a wall.  Along the front of the building there are a bank of windows and behind this will be a raised area with bar seating looking out the windows.  There will be a good sized seating area to the right of the second and third photos.  To the back left of the same photos you will find the bar and behind the bar will be the cold storage and keg room.  To the front left of those photos you will find the kitchen and washrooms.  In the 4th photo you will find the location of the growler station.  Just to the left of where Barry (yes B of R&B) is standing in the photo will be a stage for live music.

The current construction timeline has the pub opening up in January.  I know that I am really looking forward to the pub being open!  The future is looking bright for one of Vancouver’s older breweries so get ready to stop by in the new year.

R&B Brewing
http://www.r-and-b.com
54 East 4th Avenue
Vancouver, BC
Phone: 604.874.2537
Fax: 604.874.2517
orders@randbbrewing.com