where we live
LON LADELL IS THE OWNER AND FOUNDER OF BIG RIG BREWERY. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON
14 KANATA NETWORKER WINTER 2019
From big tech to beer tastings Growing number of craft breweries adds new flavour to Kanata North
O
nce Kanata North’s only craft brewery, the arrival of Big Rig Brewery hearkened the beginning of what’s quickly becoming a destination for beer lovers from Kanata and beyond. Big Rig opened its Kanata North location some four years ago, expanding beyond its original brew pub location to include a larger production facility. What began as a four-person operation now has 44 employees, says owner and founder Lon Ladell.
He wasn’t worried about the location – Ladell says the employees of the tech park seemed like the perfect demographic for his tap room. “To have the tech community right next door is fantastic,” says Ladell. “It’s a great demographic for craft beer.” In fact, it’s a win-win situation for the brewing company, where technology is an important part of the process, and analytical equipment is getting more technical by the year. Everything from the
internal systems to the machinery relies on tech, says Ladell, and having employees from the park around comes in handy when he’s got technical issues. “I’ve got a bunch of tech guys who come in and sit at the bar,” says Ladell. “I’ll hit them up for advice.” Now, Big Rig ships beer across Ontario and even to other provinces. Ladell says the growing industry is fed by beer lovers’ curiosity – essentially, he says, the more the merrier.