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SMALL BUSINESS MONTH - SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS - SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2025
Jordan Kroeker and Steph Klassen say their craft brewery was designed to promote engagement with other patrons and the community as a whole.
PHOTO BY JILL REIMER
SOMETHING SPECIAL BREWING IN STEINBACH THE PUBLIC BREWHOUSE AND GALLERY WAS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE ENGAGEMENT WITH PEOPLE, GOOD BEER AND CONTEMPORARY ART.
BY JIM TIMLICK
When you first walk into the taproom of The Public Brewhouse and Gallery in Steinbach it doesn’t take long to notice there’s something a little bit different about it compared to other licensed establishments. U nlike most watering holes, you won’t find even a single screen on any of its walls. In fact, one of the very first things the owners of the small craft brewery decided when they opened for business four years ago was to declare it a television-free zone. That means you won’t be assailed by obnoxi- us airhorns or loud organ music from the night’s big game and can enjoy a quiet conversation with friends, instead. “One of our first values that we wrote down was that this was going to be a screen-free zone with the emphasis on engagement: engaging with a quality product in your glass and local, rural con- temporary art on the walls,” says Steph Klassen, who co-owns the brewery with her husband and business partner Jordan Kroeker. “There are lots of places to catch the game if you want and that’s great. But if you really want to dive into a conversation, this is more of the environment for that.” The Public Brewhouse and Gallery has grown steadily since it opened in December 2021. Production of the two-person opera- tion’s core pours, including its Legit Lager and Cream Ale, has increased by 25 per cent since that time. They’re also now on tap at a growing number of local businesses including the Southeast Event Centre. While Klassen and Kroeker were always confident their enter- prise would succeed, they did have to deal with some bumps along the way. Perhaps none was bigger than the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting public gathering restrictions that were enacted and crippled many restaurants and bars just as their business was getting ready to open its doors.
A crisp golden pint from The Public Brewhouse and Gallery takes centre stage.
PHOTO BY THE PUBLIC BREWHOUSE AND GALLERY
“Yeah, it was kind of strange timing to be that optimistic and open a place where people can get together,” recalls Klassen, laughing. “It was a very hopeful act, thinking that these times will change and people will go back to being able to gather. I guess our hopes were accurate that people gathering would keep increasing.” In addition to its popular lager and cream ale, The Public Bre- whouse offers its Southeast Citra ale, Big Friendly golden ale, American Pale Ale, Red IPA, Stony Brook Stout, Grapefruit
Radler and a series of rotating seasonal pours. Klassen says one of the things that distinguishes the Steinbach brewery’s beers from other brews is that they are “well construct- ed,” thanks in large part to the recipes crafted by her husband Jor- dan, who studied brewing at Olds College in Alberta. In addition, the brewery makes every effort to source local in- gredients for all of its beers, something she stresses not only gives their brews a distinctive flavour profile, but also shows its support for the community that supports it.
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