Whitehorse micro-brewery production grows 10-fold since opening
The struggle to meet huge demands is 'fun,' says co-owner Marko Marjanovic
Yukon's Winterlong Brewing Co. is expanding again — the third time in two-and-a-half years.
The Whitehorse-based micro-brewery opened in April, 2015, when it was equipped to brew 300 litres of beer a week.
Multiply that by ten. The brewery can now pump out just over 3,000 litres of beer weekly thanks to three new fermentation tanks, delivered this week all the way from Portland, Oregon.
Co-owner Marko Marjanovic is hoping that's enough to meet the demands.
"Every time we expand, we think we're getting ahead of the demand curve," he says.
"It feels like it's going to be a lot of beer with this expansion, but only time will tell."
Choosing the location of the brewery — tucked away in Mt. Sima, just outside of downtown Whitehorse — was also once a gamble for Marjanovic.
"We weren't sure if people would come out this far," says Marjanovic.
But when the ski hill opened up in the winter, the place was buzzing.
"Tourists along the Alaska Highway sometimes don't even go into Whitehorse, but they will pop in here because it's right along the highway," says Marjanovic.
"So it seemed like a risk, but it now seems like it was a good decision."
The shortage
The company is celebrating the one-year anniversary of its tasting room this month — where people can come in and enjoy drinks in a cozy, modestly-sized sitting area.
There are 12 beers on tap and the glass-door fridge is now fully stocked with one-litre bottles of west-coast style pale ales and more.
But earlier this summer at the height of tourist season, there were only three beers on tap, and hardly any bottles for sale.
The shortage was due in part by its second expansion, and because the demand had tripled, says Marjanovic.
"Even though we were doubling our capacity our demand exceeded us for the summer," he says.
It's been six months since Winterlong supplied Whitehorse restaurants and liquor stores with beer.
With their most recent addition, the brewery now has four large tanks and four small tanks. The owners hope it will allow them to make enough beer to stock everyone again.
But Marjanovic says the struggle to meet demand is a good problem to have.
"It's fun," says Marjanovic, who started home brewing about 12 years ago.
"It became a passion, then it turned into an obsession."
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