Connecting over beer: Meyers Creek Brewing Company brews passion in every pour

The heart of brewing in Belleville

Meyers Creek Brewing Company started in the most unassuming way: home brewing, potlucks, and surrounded by friends. Now, it has gained recognition for its quality craft brews and even won awards for revitalizing a heritage space in Belleville – while still maintaining that community connection.

That’s at the heart of what’s brewing at Meyers Creek. Gretta and Bill Barnwell, with Rick Stinchcombe, turned their passion for beer into a much-loved brewing company in the heart of Old Belleville.

“We always wanted it to be about good friends, good food, sharing time and having fun. That’s the vibe we were going for,” Gretta said. “We wanted a welcoming place where people felt they could come to chat and learn about beer. A place that felt like your best friend’s house – somewhere you love to be; you value and respect it.”

Although that was the dream in 2016, in reality, it was a challenge to find a production space that would accommodate heavy equipment while still making visitors feel comfortable. The location they settled on at the corner of Church and Dundas Streets is near the water, on the old highway. The front half of the building is a heritage space – in fact, when they were renovating it, they discovered brick in the walls, so they uncovered it all and found that it radiated warmth into the public space. “The building dates to 1884, and we did our best to bring it back to its original state,” she said. “We actually won a heritage award this year for Landmark Revitalization. Bringing the building back to its original look has added so much character, and the bricks have really made the space beautiful.”

Lots of big, bright windows were also added, to make it safe and open. “We find the space builds on the experience,” she said. Indeed, pulling up a chair to the bar, gathering with friends around the high bars or tucking into a table to enjoy a flight feels easy. The cozy taproom and retail shop is also fully accessible. 

“It’s a place where people connect and drink quality beer: a well-made product in an environment that brings people together,” Gretta said. Add a large patio and porch into the mix for summer with tables, spindles, stools, and Muskoka chairs in the sun and shade. It’s a place that immediately feels like home, but with delicious beer on tap.

The Beer

It starts with innovation at Meyers Creek Brewing Company. The beer is crafted using a unique brewing system – it’s currently the only brewery in Ontario using the BREWHA system.

The system sees the entire process of mashing, boiling, and fermenting happening in the same tank, which ultimately saves time and has environmental benefits. Gretta said the use of harsh chemicals is minimal because all the brewing processes happen in one vessel. This brewing style allows Meyers Creek Brewing Company to brew a wide variety of beer because the beer doesn’t have to move through a series of tanks, meaning more room for their specialized tanks that do it all. 

Gretta said the system is Canadian in design and used in the West but Meyers Creek Brewing is the first in Ontario to adopt it at a commercial size. With all six tanks in the brew house brewing different beer at one time, it means a consistent variety for customers.

“Right now, we have 16 different beers on tap, from dark beers to lagers and pilsners to IPAs, sours and wheat,” Gretta said. “It’s a huge range on purpose – you like what you like and shouldn’t have to wait for certain times of the year to enjoy it.”

In fact, Meyers Creek released a new sour just this week on tap and in cans. It’s a peaches and cream called Sweet Cheeks. It’s perfect for summer as a light 4 percent kettle sour blending ripe peaches, milk sugar, vanilla and tartness. The cheeky name is a bit of a departure for the brewery, which typically bestows names on its beer that have local references to celebrate the community. Stoney Lonesome IPA, Yardmen, The Pier, East Hill, and Causeway come to mind, as does their popular Christmas beer, Bootlegger. Their beers are usually available on tap and in cans, except for their annual holiday brew, which is specially bottled.

As cliché as it sounds, with that much variety on tap, there is something for everyone. “It’s fun to see people walk in, unsure of what they’ll have and then find a beer they love. We guarantee you’ll find something you’ll enjoy,” she said.

Unique take on takeout

Meyers Creek Brewing doesn’t have its own kitchen, but it does have a unique policy regarding food. They have a few partnerships with a bakery in Kingston that provides the brewery with soft pretzels and a business in Peterborough that makes savoury meat pies. In the warmer months, Meyers Creek Brewing Company welcomes regular visiting food trucks, most recently Thairific Cuisine and Barbacoa Boyz, a Caribbean barbecue truck.

But get this: Meyers Creek Brewing has an open-door policy with food. Because they don’t have a kitchen, customers are encouraged to bring their own food in. Gretta said with so many incredible food options available in downtown Belleville, it makes sense to allow people to get takeout from another local business and bring it to Meyers Creek Brewing to eat it while enjoying a beer.

What’s on at Meyers Creek Brewing

The folks at Meyers Creek Brewing try not to close down the space for outside events as they view it as a community space. “Our priority and passion is making beer,” said Gretta. But that doesn’t mean it’s lacking events! Look for live music, open mic nights and even vinyl listening parties where people bring their own records into the brewery, and everyone sits, sips, and listens to the spins.

Coming up this fall, Meyers Creek Brewing Company is participating in Doors Open Belleville, as well as PorchFest Belleville in the east end and Hops on the Water. Meyers Creek Brewing also hosts Halloween pumpkin carving, and a gingerbread decorating contest closer to the holidays.

The brewery is currently open seven days a week, but keep an eye on the website and socials for hours as fall draws closer. Also of note is the parking - there is no parking at the brewery, but there is a city lot nearby. To find out more visit meyerscreekbrewing.ca or follow on Facebook @MeyersCreekBrewing and on Instagram @meyerscreekbrewing. Better yet, visit in person at 60 Dundas Street East in Belleville.