The Blackbird Story
• In 1800 or perhaps earlier, Jean Baptiste Rousseau built a brewery somewhere in the area.• In February of 1827, an advertisement appeared in the Gore Gazette by Robert Douglass featuring his ‘Ancaster Brewery’. No other information was noted.
The building you are sitting in or around was built in 1837 and is a designated heritage building. The window glass and much of the interior has been carefully maintained. If you look closely you can see the distortions in the window glass from the affect of gravity slowly pulling the glass and thickening it at it’s base over the last 180+ years.
The main building was once owned by the famous painter Frank Panabaker (1904-1992). The painting adjacent is one he did of the house. His paintings hang in many art galleries and reside in private collections around the world. In 1997, the house was carefully renovated and converted into a restaurant and it operated as such for 21 years.
Ancaster had elvolved in the last two decades so owner and Ancaster native Andy Kershaw decided it was time for a change. After some soul searching it was decided to rebuild and retool this beautiful place into an upscale brewpub. Andrew had a vision to make the facility modern and yet maintain the aesthetic of the beautiful stone building. Original stone from the same timeframe (from The Shaver House) was rescued and repurposed to blend the immense panes of glass that surround the brewery with the original architecture and harmonize the old with the new.
Natural light floods the interior and the shiny stainless tanks glisten. Check out the lemon tree, figs, avacodo, pomegranate and orchids that thrive in the brewery! The ocean blue floor compliments the open sky feeling and creates a wonderful space in which to craft quality beer.
Partner and UC Davis educated Brewmaster Ken Wood, also an Ancaster boy, was originally hired as a brewery consultant to design the facility. He eventually partnered up and created the brewing facility around Andrew’s vision. The brewhouse was custom designed and built for Brewers Blackbird and is one of a kind. The automated system allowed Brewers Blackbird to take a silver medal at the Canadian Brewing Awards in 2021 for their Premium Lager in their first year of operation.
Not bad for two local guys, a very old house and, of course, our amazing staff and friends.
Our mission statement is on every can of premium beer we sell and it sums up our philosophy:
At The Blackbird, we are passionate about your experience. Our goal is to combine great beer and great food to create memorable experiences. We are ready to make this a moment to remember.
We are The Blackbird Family.
Come enjoy the Brewers Blackbird Experience
JOIN THE BLACKBIRD FAMILY
WE ARE HIRING ON OUR KITCHEN TEAM
SEND YOUR RESUME TO hiring@brewersblackbird.com
Wednesday to Saturday | 12 to 10 (kitchen closes at 9)
Sunday |12 to 8 (kitchen closes at 7)