Summary:
Recorded July 8, 2021 – It’s just the right blend of business and passion for brothers Dustin and Brayden of Blood Brothers Brewing. Hear how these two musicians turned brewers found the perfect way to combine their desire for creativity with their love for beer.
Show Description:
Originally from Windsor, brothers Dustin and Brayden came to Toronto to follow their passion for music. They formed a band and toured together, and to make a buck, they opened a moving company. Eventually, they began doing painting jobs which led to a renovation company and after seeing success, they came to realize they were lacking an outlet for their creative energies. They had to learn how to have fun again. And this is the beginning of Blood Brothers Brewing.
After several beer vacations (visiting breweries in USA cities), they realized that Canada is ten years behind the USA within the brewery market.
They started wanting to make IPA’s but didn’t have the proper equipment to make them. They began making sours, almost by accident, with the old and decrepit equipment.
When their friends began ordering and paying for full kegs to take home they realized that they had a viable business on their hands.
Their first location was opened on Geary Avenue, inside an industrial building. They were surprised when customers found them inside the corridor maze.
Soon after, in 2017, they moved to the corner of Geary Avenue and Bartlett Avenue where they are today. Blood Brothers Brewing has grown since day one. With five storage mini warehouses along the street, you can see the forklift hauling products along the street any time of year.
The logo and brand were chosen by both brothers, a symbol of a hand and blood dripping from it. “It was the vibe we were going for,” and it works well for them. They now have a following from around the city and from the USA as well.
“Beer, religion, cult – it was all inclusive to anyone that wanted to join and all it took was sharing a beer together,” says Brayden.
They grew from a small space, almost like a secret location to a larger location and the challenge today is to keep their customers engaged, given how they are growing.
They’ve added a new location in North York just under 20,000 sqft., with state-of-the-art equipment. “The big picture is to make retail more accessible and to open up for more seating inside,” says Dustin. Their goal is to start brewing at the end of September.
It hasn’t always been easy and it took a long time, but the brothers have a couple of Councillors that have always been supportive and helped them get things done.
To keep the creativity fresh, once a year in the fall, they make a spontaneous beer. They never know how it will turn out because it uses yeast, bacteria and ‘bugs’ from the air.
Today, the brothers call Toronto home. They live ten minutes away from each other, one in Parkdale and the other in Bloordale.
Their business advice is, “Don’t become complacent; you always have to be exploring what your competitors are doing.” That said, Bellwood Brewery is a favourite competitor.
For their charity of choice, they spread the love. Every month they pick two community-based charities and donate to those in need. And they don’t do donations for stag and does. 🙂
When asked Beer, Wine or Whiskey? They choose, Beer, Wine AND Whiskey! This destination brewery is definitely worth a visit.
Website: www.bloodbrothersbrewing.com and IG: @bloodbrotherbrewing
