One of Vernon’s own has tapped into the list of top tasting rooms throughout the province.
Vancouver’s Westender recently published its list of the nine best tasting rooms in B.C., which includes Marten Brewing Co.
Owners Stefan and Pearl Marten are honoured by the nod, which is among a growing list of accolades the local brew pub is gaining, along with a strong reputation spanning the province and beyond.
“Since we’ve opened it has been crazy here,” said the Martens.
“We still can’t believe people are travelling from all over B.C. and Alberta just to come see the brewery and pub. We get calls all the time from people in Victoria, Vancouver saying they heard we are now open and they are coming to Vernon to see us.”
One of those visits was from the Westender’s Stephen Smysniuk.
“For the better part of three decades, beer has been as much about marketing as about the beer. And for all of craft beer’s conscious efforts to do everything differently than macro beer, the industry is still a product of how it presents itself to the world, beyond the brew,” reads the article by Smysnuik.
“Tasting rooms are a massive part of that. They are, for better or worse, worlds unto themselves, and beer drinkers from major North American beer cities are acclimatized to that (except Victoria, for some reason). You go for whatever unique experience each brewery has to offer.”
The Vernon brew pub is the second listed tasting room in Smysnuik’s article, which is “based primarily on personal preference following a year of ‘research,’ with observations and opinions from friends and strangers he’s met along the way.
“I’ve placed less emphasis on the beer (although that is important) and more on the overall vibe and aesthetics. Only brewpubs and breweries with lounge endorsements were considered.”
He calls Marten Brewing Co. a staggeringly impressive location, which he mentions was built almost completely by hand by the Martens.
“The Vernon brewpub is modern, classy and encompasses everything I naively assumed Vernon was not.”
Smysnuik also mentions the attachment to the Naked Pig (also owned and operated by the Martens), which he calls “an excellent Southern-inspired barbecue house.”
See more at www.westender.com/eat-drink/the-growler/the-9-best-tasting-rooms-in-bc-1.2199178#sthash.WgRY3HJu.dpuf
For the Martens, the support from the local community is equally as honouring.
“The number one thing we hear is, I can’t believe this is in Vernon, its about time someone took the risk and did this,” the pair said.
And their reputation is only growing.
“In our short first three months of being open we’ve been ask to do radio talk shows, documentary film, but right now, we are just focusing on making amazing beer and top quality food.”
Marten Brewing Co. currently has eight of its own beers on tap, with more on the way.
The local flavour is even going to soon be on tap in Kamloops and Kelowna.
The pub is continuing to grow and hopes to soon open for lunch, but needs to grow its staff first.