The Lake of Bays Brewing Company may be a new brewery, but we like to think we have a little bit of brewing history on our side! The photo you see here was taken in Preston, Lancashire, U.K. in the late 19th century, and shows the Lea's Virgins Inn, a pub and travellers' inn that is reputed to have been the last surviving thatch-roofed building in Preston. As early as 1873, the Inn's owner was listed as one Thomas Lea, great-great-great-grandfather of Lake of Bays Brewing's President, Darren Smith. Thomas Lea passed away in the 1870s, and by 1877 his wife Jane had taken over as victualler, remaining in that position until the Inn was demolished around the turn of the century to make room for a new post office.

Since transportation and storage were much less developed in 19th century England than they are today, pubs couldn't rely on regular shipments of casks from established breweries to keep the beer flowing. This was especially true in smaller towns such as Preston. Thomas and Jane Lea almost certainly brewed their own beer on premises to serve their clientele, and the Inn was apparently a popular spot for food and company among the farmer's wives from the town market! And so, at the Lake of Bays Brewing Company, we like to think we're continuing the family brewing tradition after a short break of just over a century. We hope you'll come see what brewing is all about at our new (regrettably un-thatched) building starting this summer.