Better Bitters Brewing Company, makers of Nickel Brook beer, is in negotiations to take over the space once occupied by Lakeport Brewing.

John Romano, co-founder of Better Bitters, told The Spectator Wednesday that he is moving brewing equipment into another building on Hamilton Port Authority land and is working on a deal with the city and the port authority.

"Nothing is solidified," said Romano. "We're looking seriously at it and it's looking OK."

Hamilton Port Authority spokesperson Larissa Fenn said she would not comment on any negotiations before a lease is finalized.

"I can confirm that we are actively seeking a new tenant for the former brewery at 201 Burlington St.," she wrote in an email.

"Needless to say, we would love to see that building put back to use as a brewery. Not only was it purpose-built for brewing, it is in a great location at the doorstep of the redeveloping west harbour."

Efforts to reach city officials, including Ward 2 Councillor Jason Farr, were not successful Wednesday afternoon. City Hall closed early due to the snowstorm.

Romano says Hamilton would become the company's main production site, but Nickel Brook would maintain its micro-brewery and retail operation in Burlington. Romano says his business needs more space to boost production.

"This is a big jump for us. We have about 15,000 to 20,000 square feet now and this is 50,000 square feet. But we are at our capacity now. We're choking our production. I might as well not go on sales calls now because we can't produce any more."

Nickel Brook's Burlington site would focus on some of the "crazy and funky" lines of seasonal or niche beers, including Pie Eye'D Pumpkin Ale, Naughty Neighbour, Old Kentucky Bastard and a gluten-free offering.

Romano said he was approached by port authority officials last fall about leasing the idled Lakeport space and that he's been offered a "great deal." But he added the building - empty since 2010 - requires a lot of work to become a brewery again.

"Labatt took a toll on that building. They took everything, including the drains, pipes and wires."

The beer giant's departure from Hamilton, which tossed 143 out of work and ended 64 years of brewing history in the city, was widely condemned by employees, politicians, bar owners and citizens. Labatt made it clear at the time it would strip the facility and block any beverages from being produced there for the two years it had remaining on its lease.

Labatt bought Lakeport in 2007 for more than $200 million. The Hamilton brewer had flirted with bankruptcy before growing into a powerful discount beer made famous for its buck-a-beer promotions.

There have been several suitors for the former brewery over the years, but nothing materialized.

Hamilton construction and manufacturing firm Bermingham Foundation Solutions now occupies the former Lakeport warehouse.

Romano says he's working on the deal for the former Lakeport property in collaboration with a Toronto-based grassroots brewery called Collective Arts. Each bottle it produces features the work of musicians, writers, artists and filmmakers in a numbered series. The labels can be scanned to launch music, videos and artist bios.

He says it's likely a Hamilton operation would not be branded as Nickel Brook but with the name of a new partnership.

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In December, Nickel Brook purchased the brewing equipment of a shuttered operation in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. That equipment has been arriving in Hamilton.

Romano says he has no doubt Hamilton would support his brewery if a deal is reached.

"Some of our best liquor store sales are in Hamilton. We know Hamiltonians like what we're doing."