Despite COVID and other curveballs, this mining town's microbrewery is rolling along
Iron Rock Brewery in Labrador City heading toward 5 years in operation
There are a lot of things that are unique to Labrador — and when it comes to craft beer, the region's lone microbrewery, Iron Rock Brewing, is just as distinctive as the Big Land itself.
The economic fortunes of two towns in western Labrador often follow the ups and downs of the price of iron ore but when it comes what they serve at the brewery the owners hope beer is recession-proof.
"We want to make sure that our business is sustainable and that it will carry on in years in the future," said Brian Hurley, a co-owner of the Labrador CIty company.
The road to microbrewing success isn't usually an easy one.
The brothers behind Iron Rock learned a few lessons the hard way as they transformed a former popular nightclub into a brewery: as soon as the taps started flowing regularly, COVID-19 came to town.
"I kind of joked, 'We might even pay her loans off early' and next thing we knew we were shut down six months later," said Brian's brother Dave.
But like the generations of steel workers who built the iron ore towns on Labrador West, the two brothers from Bell Island held on, and business is getting back to normal.
"Right now I think is the most beers we've ever had available, thanks to the dedicated efforts of our production staff here," Brian said. "I think we're up to about 14 or 15."
Brewing and canning happen on site, and the brewery's tall cans of beers are shipped and sold throughout stores all over Newfoundland and Labrador.
While the Hurleys weren't born and raised in in Labrador, their connection to the town runs deep. The pair, who both hold day jobs outside the brewery, have been coming to the area since they were kids visiting their aunt, who worked a full career at former Wabush Mines.
In 2008 Dave moved to Labrador West where he works and helps raise his family, and Brian travels to and from St. John's where he works.
WATCH: Jeremy Eaton talks with the Hurley brothers about their budding beer goals:
Iron ore is nothing new to the Hurleys; their grandfather worked in the mines on Bell Island.
"It intertwines my early life into my current life," said Dave.
"The name 'Iron Rock' really ties our two lives together and kind of pay homage to our hometown."
When he speaks, his foot drops to a footrest on the floor of the bar.
Upon a closer look, it's actually part of a railway track that's been given a second life at Iron Rock.
For some patrons, the brewery is a second home.
"In a town where shifts really pass each other by in the night, you almost don't know half of the other town," said Brian.
"We try to have a place where locals can come in and meet new people."
Much like the mining industry, the Hurleys only have high hopes for what the future holds.
"We hope the population of Lab West doubles in the next 5 to 10 years and that we can grow our business," Brian said.
"We want to grow our footprint and be just as normal to see on the shelf as some of the other larger microbreweries here in the province."
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