Big Axe Brewery opened in 2014 using a one-barrel system with two-barrel fermenters, and supplying beer to restaurants and bars in Fredericton, Moncton and St. John, NB. In 2017, the brewery expanded to a 10-barrel brewhouse with 20-barrel fermenters and opened the doors at their new facility in April of 2018. The new brewery, built by Riverbend Log Homes in Nackawic, is a large cedar log building designed like a barn. “We’re right on the St. John River. There are a lot of farms around here. We wanted the building to fit it with the landscape, plus the high ceilings and the shape of building work really well with our system.” Cole chose a “west meets east” theme for the brewery and saloon. “The country thing doesn’t just have to be down in the States or out in Calgary. We wanted people to come here and feel that vibe. We’ve had people from all over the world, traveling through Canada to their destination.” Big Axe Brewery is staffed by 2 full time team members plus some casual part time during the off season. The team expands to 11 during the busy season, from April until September. It’s a
The Wrath of Putin Double IPA is currently the brewery’s best-selling beer.
relaxed atmosphere around the brewery with a positive team atmosphere. “I worked in many companies and I have an open-door policy at all times. I strongly believe that people should enjoy where they work, but also perform their job to the best of their abilities. It’s about making sure the quality is always there and its consistent.” “It’s all about the beer” One of the first beers produced by the brewery was the Shakespeare Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, a full and silky bodied stout, dark chocolate in colour. In 2014, the brewery’s first year of oper - ation, the Shakespeare Stout earned the Silver Medal from the Atlantic Canada Beer awards. It’s a popular beer and a sentimental favourite for the brewery. “I’ve always enjoyed stouts. The beer was named after our dog Shakespeare, who was a chocolate lab. He used to greet everyone who came into the brewery. Shakespeare passed away a few years ago. It’s great to have an award-winning beer named after a good dog,” said Cole.
Big Axe Brewery is also becoming known for its specialty sour beers, winning a Silver in 2018 for the Seaberry Sour at the Down East Brewing Awards, a judged competition open to all commercial breweries in the Maritime prov - inces, which is part of the Fredericton Craft Beer Festival. This specialty sour beer is brewed with local New Brunswick grown Sea Buckthorn berries. Cole sources his organic berries from BlueSky Ventures grown locally in Chipman, NB. “It’s important to Big Axe to use locally sourced products. I reach out to local hop farms to see what they have available. We put Chaga mushrooms into our porter and we source that locally as well. That’s the crafty part of craft beer. We’ll say let’s try this out and use something that grows locally in NB and the Maritimes. We’re all about supporting local as much as possible,” explained Cole.
Many beers have fun axe-related names, includ - ing the Blonde Hatchet, Lumberjack Lager, Hops and Sickle Pale Ale, and the Lizzy Borden – named after the Massachusetts heiress who was charged with bludgeoning her mother and father to death with an axe. Lizzy was found not guilty but the infamous rhyme lives on … “Lizzy Borden took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one.” Big Axe Brewery can often be found at craft beer and other festivals in the Maritimes, including the Seaport Festival in Halifax. Cole finds festival par - ticipation a good way to meet other brewers as well as to showcase and promote Big Axe beers. “It helps us to market the beer but it’s also a good time to get together with other brewers and discuss what’s going on in the industry and talk about collaborations,” said Cole. The highlight of the year, however, is their own Big Axe Craft Beer Festival, held in mid-July.
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JUNE 2020 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020
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