Due to low water levels on Ootsa Lake, Ursa Minor Brewing company’s waterline froze. Currently, there is no water for brewing.
Nathan Nicholas Ursa Minor Brewing’s owner, brewer, and Southside resident said their brewery’s waterline, which had been frozen since Dec. 13, is several meters below the usual water level. He said this situation is affecting the family business.
“Fortunately, I still have water at my mother’s home and mine.”
Nicholas said they need 1500 litres of water to make one batch of beer, which is 500 litres.
“We need water for rinsing cans when we package. We also use the brewery system to get our sheep and pigs water.”
With high hopes, Nicholas built a small greenhouse over the brewery’s waterline to defrost the ice. “So far it hasn’t worked.”
“Thankfully, this is a slower time of year for beer sales. We have a good beer inventory from fall to get through the holidays,” Nicholas said.
However, Nicholas has concerns about his busiest production time, which is summer. He worries that if the waterline remains frozen in March 2024, it will become a severe problem for his business.
According to Rio Tinto B.C. Works’ recent observation indicated that the water level at the Nechako Reservoirs, also known as Ootsa Lake Reservoir, is currently at 2792.14 ft., historically lower than the average for this time of the year. This is a result of the level three drought surge all over B.C.
At this moment, Nicholas is outsourcing from his home’s water source to meet the brewery’s production requirements. He is also doing the same for his domestic animals as well.