Something is brewing at the old Cinema 6 on Chatham's King St.
Reps with Sons of Kent Brewing Company have confirmed they've started construction at the former theatre. Work started about a month ago, and the installation of brewing equipment is set to get underway soon.
Equipment from Oregon sits in the parking lot of the Sons of Kent Brewery in Downtown Chatham, November 4, 2016 (Photo by Jake Kislinsky)
The company's four founders have remained quiet since getting approval to rezone the Cinema 6 in March. Lead Brewer Colin Chrysler says they wanted to make sure they were ready to get the transformation well underway before revealing their plans.
"It's been about two years in the making trying to get this thing off the ground, and it's finally coming together," says Chrysler. "We're really excited to be part of downtown because of the location and being part of the city. We really want to be part of the community and part of Chatham."
The four founders all grew up in Chatham-Kent and after working on crafting beer across Canada, Chrysler says they're ready to bring their trade to the place they grew up.
"I love doing more experimental and creative stuff, and get some funky flavors going on. But we will do some more traditional stuff as well. We want to do a pilsner and some lager-style beers, as well as some big bold hoppy beers," says Chrysler.
There is no firm timeline on when the brewery will officially open its doors, but Chrysler confirms they will be holding a "tasting event" off-site in the near future.
