After a long journey, Mile Zero Brewing in Metchosin has opened its doors to the community.

Co-owners Michael Morgan, Michelle Morgan and Dirk Slot all got their start in home brewing and are excited now to welcome residents to their self-described nano-brewery taproom.

Husband-and-wife team Michael and Michelle first got the idea to open after a family member suggested during a Thanksgiving dinner about opening one.

On the long drive home, the pair started fleshing out the idea and started experimenting with home brewing.

After a few years, Michelle connected with her then-colleague Slot B次元官网网址� himself a veteran home brewer who runs the UVic Wizards of Beer, a home brewing and beer appreciation club at the University of Victoria. From there, they started work on opening Mile Zero Brewing.

The nano-brewery B次元官网网址� so dubbed because of its small batches B次元官网网址� opened officially on Dec. 10, and so far has had a warm response from the community.

READ MORE: Metchosin council puts off nano-brewery decision

But it wasnB次元官网网址檛 easy getting to that point. A number of residents expressed concerns about the prospect of a brewery moving into a classroom in the old school building back when the idea was being considered by council in February 2022.

After a vigorous review process, Metchosin council green-lit the idea and since then the trio has been working on renovations and grappling with supply chain delays for equipment, which delayed opening.

But now theyB次元官网网址檙e open and the taps are flowing, with Michael Morgan saying most batches of beer donB次元官网网址檛 last longer than a couple of weeks.

B次元官网网址�(The Island is) saturated in terms of maybe looking at bigger breweries,B次元官网网址� Michael said. B次元官网网址淏ut I think thereB次元官网网址檚 an increasing number of small-scale local breweries that are really focusing on the local market B次元官网网址� I think thereB次元官网网址檚 still room in the market for that kind of growth.B次元官网网址�

Michelle Morgan noted the West Shore doesnB次元官网网址檛 have many small breweries, meaning beer tours often have a long gap between Victoria and Sooke, which Michelle said theyB次元官网网址檙e hoping to fill.

The perks of nano-batches mean the trio can experiment more with flavours. Michael prefers English beers, Michelle likes experimenting with a variety of fruit-flavoured beverages. SlotB次元官网网址檚 passion is Belgian style.

A number of the beer styles Mile Zero are brewing are hoppy and best served fresh, according to Slot, though some other styles take a couple of weeks to brew depending on the fermentation process.

The food menu has more options than previously planned after Mile Zero formed a partnership with downtown-based restaurant Urban Forage to provide their food. The trio is planning more partnerships down the line, working with Victoria chocolatier Uncouth Chocolate to develop a chocolate-flavoured beer for ValentineB次元官网网址檚 Day, and plans to work with Saanich-grown malt and barley next year when the seasons line up.

Michelle said there are also plans for games nights.

B次元官网网址淲hen youB次元官网网址檙e in Europe, you can go down to your local pub B次元官网网址� but this isnB次元官网网址檛 a pub, itB次元官网网址檚 a taproom B次元官网网址� but weB次元官网网址檙e still wanting to be community-oriented and to know peopleB次元官网网址檚 names,B次元官网网址� said Michelle.

The trio is planning a grand opening come patio season.

READ MORE: Metchosin council hands off nano-brewery recommendation to liquor board