This new Kelowna brewery will be 100% women-owned

It all started with a hike and a beer.

Kelowna's Melanie Raby had been brewing in her backyard with a friend for many years before coming to the realization that she wanted to share her creations with the wider public.

Taking its namesake from the three bodies of water that surround Lake Country, Three Lakes Brewing will showcase their traditional style brews.

“We've been in the industry for so long and always get such positive feedback from customers coming in,” she told Kelowna10. “It was kind of like, imagine if we had our own [brewery], right?”

Raby says it will be 100% woman owned and operated, with her long-time friend and backyard brewing partner, Cathy Van Kesteren, as well as her daughter Tara, who will be the brewmaster.

The location will highlight the women’s love of the outdoors, camping, hiking and all the Okanagan has to offer.

The interior of the building will showcase pictures of Raby and her business partner’s camping and outdoor experiences plus pieces of camping equipment to add a unique, rustic feel. The labels will also feature pictures of their outdoor adventures.

All the beer will be brewed, kegged, and canned on site.

Raby said they will start by offering five brews but have a lot more in the works for the future.

The brewery will offer a lager, wheat ale made with fruit from a friend’s local farm, IPA, sour and an exclusive barley wine.

“The barley wine is unique and rare, it's like a dark amber ale. This will be a signature and called ‘Barley’s Angel Ale,’” Raby explained.

She said Three Lakes Brewing will focus on supporting local suppliers and distributing to pubs, breweries, and liquor stores around Kelowna.

“We're just going to kind of grow from there, keeping our hops local,” Raby said. “Just trying to keep the hops coming from B.C., so we're getting it right from our backyard.”

The brewery will have a 25-person tasting room where people can learn about the products, the suppliers, and growers. There will also be a mezzanine space for private business events or meetings.

The location is near Two Donkeys Bakery and Fortune Creek catering, near the airport, which would provide a food option for guests.

The trio are aiming to open on Canada Day.