Stack Brewing celebrates first anniversary

Because of the brewery's small size, he has had to continue his career as a teacher, while also dedicating full-time hours to the business.

But that could soon change.

In a couple weeks, he said, Stack is set to begin its first major expansion thanks to $250,000 worth of new brewing equipment.

A $125,000 grant from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation has helped Mailloux make the purchase, that will allow Stack to make batches 15 times larger than what it can currently handle.

“It will be interesting to test the market with a large volume of local beer,” Mailloux said.

If successful, he will be able to dedicate all his time to the brewery and ensure it is self-sustainable.

While Stack has kept it small in its first year, its beers have been a hit with critics' taste buds.

Its Portes de l'Enfer beer, a strong pale ale, won gold at the Ontario Brewing Awards Gala in April and bronze at the 12th Annual Canadian Brewing Awards in May.