Before moving to West Kelowna in 2020, Colton Aston and his partner Rebecca were huge fans of the brewery industry. Now their dream of having their own brewery has became a reality as they opened Connector Brewing on Sunday, May 12.
“I’ve been passionate about the beer scene for quite a few years,” said Aston.
Aston and Rebecca loved the craft beer scene in the Lower Mainland, stating the camaraderie and collaboration between the breweries is what stood out for them. They also took a trip across Canada while dating and explored as many breweries as they could and formed connections with people, before the move in 2020.
In their new home, they wanted to make an impact on the community their way, by bringing people together.
“This has been over a three-year endeavor for myself and my partner Rebecca,” said Aston. “We’re really excited the day has finally come. We’ve spent a lot of time trying to learn from the industry, find the best practices, and develop a space where anyone can feel welcome to come in.”
The brewery was announced on social media in August 2022, and quickly secured a spot in a new development located at 3310 Carrington Road.
In under two years, the brewery has come to fruition. And it came at the perfect time, as they had a tent at Beerfest the day before their opening.
“(Beerfest) was a fantastic experience,” said Aston. “We got a lot of great feedback from all the attendees. The sun was shining, the beer was flowing, not much better you could ask for. It was the perfect introduction for us as a new brewery.”
After the success at Beerfest, Aston admitted he was a little worried they were going to be overwhelmed on their first day.
“It worked out very well, we had a nice inflow of customers,” said Aston. “They have exceeded expectations, we’ve had a lot of positive feedback from the public.”
To start, they have four beers available:
- It’s My First Day - Hazy Pale Ale;
- Hunnie, I basiled the Kids - Pale Ale;
- Coming in Hot Pink - Strawberry Hibiscus Sour;
- Backwards Rake - Cold IPA.
As for the name, Aston and Rebecca want to make an impact on their community and ‘connect’ people in many different ways.
“It’s a space that connects people together, connects people to the industrial elements of our manufacturing facility, and as well celebrates and connects people to the natural elements of the Central Okanagan,” said Aston, who added the brewery is also close to the Okanagan Connector.
The brewery is also the second in the Central Okanagan to feature an all plant-based food menu.
“We really wanted to create a more sustainable model and showcase to folks that something as simple as where you spend your dollar can really have an impact on the environment and overall sustainability. What you consume on a daily basis is something really easy to make an impact on your community and planet. We really want to normalize it for folks.”
The menu features perogies, artichoke dip, tempeh sliders, and jackfruit tacos.
Being the 24th brewery in the Central Okanagan, Aston has found the same camaraderie and collaboration here as he saw in the Lower Mainland.
“Owners have been fantastic in sharing their knowledge, inviting us into their space to show us how they did things, and give us tips on how to navigate this because there really is no manual for how to build (a brewery), they’re highly complex and highly regulated environment,” said Aston.
On top of their beers, they have feature taps from Unleashed Brewing and Lakeside Brewing.
The new brewery is unit #1 in their building, has two levels and currently seats 84 people.
“We spend a lot of time thinking about the design and trying to create a fresh, modern space people want to enjoy over and over again,” said Aston. “It’s designed in a way that no matter where you’re sitting, you feel connected to the rest of the space.”
They also plan on hosting event and games nights with prizes from other local businesses.
“We’re just excited for more people to come see our space, try our food and try out beer.”