A local restraunteur is hoping to help turn the taps on to the local craft beer industry.

Noel Bernier and his partners are in the midst of turning the former Kelsey’s location at 655 Empress St. into Barley Brothers, a 180-seat restaurant and lounge that will snub beer made by large national brewers in favour of the smaller, more varied world of small-batch craft brews.

“People love this style of beer. They find it really unique,” said Bernier. “You will not be able to order a Budweiser or a Coor’s Light in this place, but there will be plenty of selections that we will have that will be in that (taste range).”

Bernier — who owns restaurants such as Hermanos, Carnival, and the coming Prairie 360 revolving restaurant — is confident his latest concept is a winner, noting the popularity of craft beer throughout North America has soared in recent years. For instance, Bernier said B.C. has roughly 170 craft brews that have grabbed a majority of the Vancouver market away from Molson and Labatt’s, the two heavyweights in the Canadian beer industry.

Manitoba, by contrast, only has one true craft brewery: Half Pints.

Bernier said there are probably a hundred reasons why more craft breweries like Half Pints haven’t popped up here, but the biggest may be the fact many local restaurants have signed exclusive deals with Molson or Labatt’s to only offer their brands — essentially preventing smaller breweries from competing.

Bernier understands the business argument behind cutting such deals, but said his new restaurant and lounge will take the opposite approach.

“With Barley Brothers, it’s going to be the Taj Mahal of beer houses,” said Bernier, noting Half Pints and Fort Garry, the other local brewer, will be amongst those featured.

“We’re going to have more taps than any other place in Winnipeg — 72 to choose from — and they will all be exclusively for craft beer.”

The restaurant, meanwhile, will build upon the beer motif, with Bernier describing it the menu as local-influenced food that will support the overall theme of “celebrating the barley farmer.”

Bernier said one plan is to pair dishes with suggested types of beer to accentuate the flavour of both. Another idea is to offer a five-pack of sampler-sized beer, allowing customers to taste a wide variety of beer without having to consume entire pints.

Barley Brothers is expected to open in late October.

kevin.engstrom@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @kevin_engstrom