Twin City Brewing will be moving into the City of Port AlberniB次元官网网址檚 historic train station.

After a long Request for Proposals (RFP) process, the city announced on Feb. 7, 2024 that local business and brewery Twin City Brewing has won the lease for the train station.

Twin City BrewingB次元官网网址攚hich was last yearB次元官网网址檚 BC Brewery of the Year winnerB次元官网网址攐pened its first location on Margaret Street back in 2017. Owner Aaron Colyn says the Margaret Street location will continue to provide a casual neighbourhood taproom experience, while the new train station location will provide B次元官网网址渁 more dining-focused counterpart.B次元官网网址� There are no plans to brew in the new space.

B次元官网网址淲e can still provide a casual, after-work brewpub experience at our Margaret Street location,B次元官网网址� said Colyn. B次元官网网址淭he train station will be a little more dining-oriented. ItB次元官网网址檚 an exciting area of town,B次元官网网址� he added, referring to the cityB次元官网网址檚 waterfront. B次元官网网址淚t makes sense for us to do something here.B次元官网网址�

Work will begin on the dining area in spring 2024.

The city-owned Port Alberni Train Station is a registered heritage building that was originally constructed in 1911. Over the last two years, the city has invested in seismic upgrades and added a new roof to the building, as well as some exterior modifications to allow the construction of a commercial kitchen.

City CAO Mike Fox says the city still has a bit of structural work to finish on the train station, and Twin City BrewingB次元官网网址檚 lease will begin in April.

Colyn said he has had an eye on the train station since 2019. There are different pathways breweries can take when they want to expand, Colyn explained, but Twin City Brewing wasnB次元官网网址檛 interested in expanding their production capabilities.

B次元官网网址淲e have not maxed out production at our current location,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e decided we wanted more spaces for people to gather, instead. We want this to be a space for the community, as an extension or counterpart to our current space. This is the culmination of our dream, to expand into a place like this.B次元官网网址�

Colyn hinted that the menu will be a little different at the train stationB次元官网网址攐ffering much more than pizzaB次元官网网址攁nd it will also offer more taps with beer from all over the province, not just Twin City Brewing. Colyn says he is hoping to experiment with beer and food pairings, as well.

B次元官网网址淥ver the years, weB次元官网网址檝e had a lot of time to try out lots of different food,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e have built this backlog of ideas. Having these notebooks full of information to build off is going to be very cool. If people like what weB次元官网网址檙e doing at the brewery, I think theyB次元官网网址檒l really like what we have planned.B次元官网网址�

Plenty of work still has to take place before the new space can open, said Colyn, but he is tentatively planning for a fall 2024 opening.

B次元官网网址淚t really is a shell right now,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he vision is a slightly upscale pub atmosphere. We can host larger groups than we can at our current location, and thereB次元官网网址檚 a courtyard by the water tower that we can hopefully utilize for outdoor events.B次元官网网址�

If the cityB次元官网网址檚 steam train fires up again, Colyn says he has a plan for that, too.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e made it clear to the city that weB次元官网网址檙e very open to collaborating if the train starts running on the tracks,B次元官网网址� he said.

People can stay up to date on the transformation of the train station by following The Station Taphouse on or .