It’s been a long time coming, but Metchosin finally has a brewery. Mile Zero Brewing is a nano brewery that applied for a licence almost a year ago, and last weekend its doors and casks opened. Read on for our review!
Reporter, The Westshore
BUILDING CODES
Westshore building codes getting more energy efficient, but critics say consistency needed
New buildings in Colwood will have a higher bar to meet next year for energy efficiency. (📸 James MacDonald)
Around half of BC’s municipalities have passed bylaws to implement the BC Energy Step Code, requiring various levels of energy efficiency before they’re required provincewide, including nine on the South Island.
The step code was launched in 2017 with the goal of reaching net-zero-emissions buildings by 2032. It isn’t a detailed, prescriptive plan, but rather a flexible performance-based target that municipalities can implement on their own schedule.
Each “step” reaches a higher level of energy efficiency on the way to zero, using the 2017 BC building code as a baseline. The plan doesn’t say: start with triple-pane windows, then install heat pumps, then start building air-tight building envelopes. It just says: be 20% better, and then 50% better, and then reach net zero.
Builders and municipalities get to decide how to be better, and when. Or, they can go at the provincial pace.
Highlands, for example, just jumped all the way to a net-zero requirement for detached homes starting in January, with the major caveat that buildings with a low-carbon energy system—such as a heat pump—only have to be 20% more energy efficient than the current building code.
Colwood’s new council is not far behind; as of next summer all single-family homes (including duplexes and townhomes) and multi-family buildings will have to be net zero or, if they use a low carbon energy system, they only have to meet step three (a 20% improvement). Commercial buildings have to be 50% more efficient, but they’re allowed to drop to 20% and 40% if they use a low carbon energy system.
NANO BREWING
The taps are on at Mile Zero Brewery in Metchosin
The owners of Mile Zero, Dirk Slot, Michael Morgan and Michelle Morgan (left to right). (📸 Zoë Ducklow)
How would you feel if your old elementary school turned into a brewery? That exact thing has happened in Metchosin.
“This was my Grade 3 classroom,” one customer said as he walked into Mile Zero Brewing’s taproom. The nano brewery opened in the old school house in Metchosin, long since converted into a community centre with space leased to small businesses.
Owners Michelle and Michael Morgan and Dirk Slot hoped to open in May, but were only able to open their doors this Saturday. Licensing and construction went well, but the foam material that insulates their walk-in fridge is in short supply, so it took nine months to arrive.
Nine months longer is nothing for locals who told the Morgans they’d been talking about getting a brewery in Metchosin for the last 20 years.
For opening day, they tried to keep the news hush-hush, but nothing stays secret long in Metchosin. With help of the Very Merry Makers Market in the same schoolhouse and word of mouth, people couldn’t help but notice the lights were on in the brewery.
“The lineup was out the door all day,” Michael said. So far the Farmhouse Ale and Wheat Are battling it out for most popular brews. A crabapple Belgian Ale and IPA are coming soon.
The brewery has five beers on tap, and more coming. Don’t expect to see Mile Zero in liquor stores or restaurants; the trio plans to brew enough to sell in the tap room and fill growlers. Almost all of the ingredients are locally sourced from Field Five Farm in Saanich, and in future the owners hope to get as much as they can hyper locally from Metchosin.
The taproom is still in its soft-launch phase, which means the art and sound baffling are still to come. But the beer’s cold, the owners are friendly, and Metchosin is showing up.
Mile Zero joins a handful of local breweries on the Westshore including three in Sooke, and one each in Langford and View Royal.
Around the 'Shore
🚨 ‘Disasters don’t have municipal boundaries’ says View Royal Fire Rescue Chief Paul Hurst about the approval of emergency radio teams. [Goldstream Gazette]
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🚔 Police are still searching for a woman around the Sooke Potholes. Melissa McDevitt, a slight 38-year-old, was reported missing by her parents when she missed a flight to visit them. Her vehicle was found at the Sooke Potholes, a place she often hikes. Sooke RCMP and Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue are actively searching, and are asking anyone who may have seen McDevitt after Thursday night (Dec. 8) to call police. [Times Colonist]
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Community Events
🍪MP Alistair MacGregor is hosting a holiday open house for his constituents (he represents Langford, Malahat, and Cowichan). The Langford open house is Dec. 19, 3:30-5:30pm at Emery Hall (537 Glencairn Ln).
🎅🏼 Santa is visiting Colwood this Sunday: The big man is hitching a ride with the Colwood Fire Department to tour the neighbourhood.
🖼Metchosin’s annual Mighty Fine sale and show is back. The show features small fine art pieces from new and returning artists. Every weekend starting Nov. 25 until Dec. 24. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, (plus Thurs. Dec. 22) 11am-4pm.
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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CAPITAL DAILY & UNITED WAY SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND
Help local children reach their full potential
The Capital Daily Holiday Drive is underway and this year your donations will support early childhood development programs that will give local children the building blocks to succeed. We're only 20% of the way there so far, and we have a lot more kids to help!
This year's goal of $200,000 will help 1 in 4 local young children and their families. Your donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar by generous local business partners like Tiny Foundation, All One Fund, DeepWell, Heart Pharmacy, and Lochside Software, Inc.
Donate today and invest in the future of our region!
What’s Offshore?
🚢 #1 HL SAMCHEONPO (built in 2016) is a bulk carrier from 🇰🇷 INCHEON, South Korea ➡ 🇨🇦 DELTA, BC, has been moored offshore for over a week.
🛳 #2 NINGHAI (built in 2017) is a bulk carrier from HONG KONG 🇭🇰 ➡ 🇨🇦 VANCOUVER, BC. It arrived early Monday morning.