A Niagara-on-the-Lake man is taking the long, slow leap toward opening a brewing company.

Griffin Data, 28, has always worked in the beverage industry - wineries, cideries and breweries - but after graduating Niagara College's brewmaster program in April 2016, he decided to go his own way.

"I just want to have something that I can call my own," he said.

First he took a beer tour of Germany, Ireland, Belgium, the Czech Republic and Amsterdam, and then he came home and got the ball rolling or, rather, wriggling.

"It's been a lot of waiting for people to respond."

When location after location didn't pan out, Data decided to proceed with contract brewing.

His brand, Newark Brewing Co., will begin its life at Taps on Queen Brewhouse & Grill, in Niagara Falls.

After nearly two years of making contacts, getting through red tape and experimenting with recipes, Data said he's ready to get his product into bars and restaurants.

The first brew he will be releasing is a brown lager he calls a Munich Dunkel.

"It's very clean tasting," he said. "Like toasty with a little bit of a hint of chocolate . you won't just want to have one."

Next he'll release a Belgian Dubbel, a reddish ale with dark fruit flavours and a higher alcohol content.

The third brew he plans to release is a German Helles, a standard pale lager found in Germany, he said.

Asked what makes his beer special, he said it's a style that's under-represented in stores. It's got a little more flavour but is still drinkable and not heavy, he said.

Data said ultimately he'll have a bricks and mortar establishment of his own and Newark Brewing Co. beers will be available for purchase in LCBOs and Beer Stores.

But he's in no rush.

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"I'd rather wait for a good location to come up for me as opposed to trying to force something that isn't the best."

In the meantime, his Munich Dunkel is expected to hit restaurants and bars in Niagara-on-the-Lake this March.