You know you’ve got a great business idea when certain clients demand your product before you’ve even advertised it. And when you provide a fresher, more environmentally friendly and more cost-effective alternative, it really shouldn’t be seen as a challenge. But the wine industry is a fickle one often faced with discerning and staunch opponents to anything non-traditional. The people behind Fresh Tap in Vancouver are up for the challenge and are helping change the wine industry one keg at a time.

When first being introduced to the concept of wine-on-tap, it’s difficult not to associate it with images of wine in a box or the idea of ‘draft wine’. Remember the vehement opposition to screw cap wine bottles? Today, their use is the norm in many regions particularly Australia and New Zealand. Yet traditionalists will often ignore the advantages because they enjoy the ceremony and presentation of pulling the cork from the bottle.

In the case of wine-on-tap, it’s more difficult to argue with the seemingly obvious benefits which seem to far outweigh the aesthetics. First, the taste. Fresh Tap uses a gas made up of 75% Nitrogen and 25% CO2 to push the wine through its taps ensuring it never comes into contact with Oxygen. As a result, there is no threat of oxidization and the wine is as fresh with its first glass out of the barrel as it is with its last. Second, the environment. The CO2 emissions created by any winery during bottling, casing and shipping alone is significant by any standard. Removing several of these steps and shipping one time in a larger capacity reduces the carbon footprint dramatically. And finally, the cost savings. Less individual bottling, combined with less multiple shipments and less waste, saves a lot of money. It’s no wonder that restaurants and wineries are jumping on board; the big question is will the wine-drinking public?

Fresh Tap Founders Steve Thorp and Mike Macquisten have housed the concept in The Settlement Building, a 7,700 square foot heritage building in Vancouver’s Railtown district, an up and coming neighbourhood on the edge of Gastown. The building itself has been left true to its roots with many of the original features still intact including the large wooden doors, the warehouse-height ceilings and restored original fireplace. Within the Settlement Building sits the Belgard Kitchen led by long-time Earl’s Chef Reuben Major, a brewery with craft beer made in-house by Postmark, and the Vancouver Urban Winery (VUB).

Inside this older warehouse is a very cozy place indeed. A pony wall made of old pallet wood separates the entry area from the rest of the room. The pallets, which presumably had carried beer or wine into the building add to the at-home feel, as do the chairs and couch in front of the fireplace. The re-cycle theme is carried through to the wall that separates the lounge/dining area from the brewery/winery area: it is a wall made up of used wine barrels stacked on top of each other. Ceilings that look to be 40 feet high create spaciousness. Brightly polished steel taps that dispense the beer and wine fill the entire wall behind the bar. Behind them is a blackboard with white chalk descriptors of what is on tap and what is available to eat. It is an eclectic mix of warehouse, factory and converted barn with the accent on hipster cool. And it works. Vancouver Urban Winery is a very comfortable room.

The Belgard Kitchen provides the perfect pairing to the wine and beers on tap with an inventive and locally sourced menu featuring share plates in the evening to compliment whatever you might be sampling by the glass. They also serve lunch and weekend brunch. Set up lounge style, you can choose between high top seating, restaurant tables, a booth in the small alcove, a seat at the bar, or the luxurious leather couch by the fireplace.

Part of the the surging Craft Beer renaissance happening in Vancouver, Postmark Brewing features 4-5 beers on tap depending on the season. A Porter, Amber Ale, IPA & Stout are usually available to enjoy by the glass in-house or you can fill up your growler and strap it to your bike care of one of the locally made leather growler carriers handmade by Railtown neighbour, Union Wood Co.

The Vancouver Urban Winery produces 4500 Litres of wine consisting of a Merlot and a Pinot Gris using Okanagan grapes. Winemaker Kelly Symonds-Means admits the winery was originally created to get the wine license in order to run the wine-into-keg operations but the result of meeting their quota are 2 very good quality wines in addition to the 34 wines available on tap. From a consumer’s perspective wine-on-tap provides not only fresher taste but also greater variety. For example, 36 wines by the glass are offered at Vancouver Urban Winery featuring thirty-three from British Columbia–when was the last time you saw that kind of selection at a local restaurant? So throw away your pre-conceived notions and settle in for a glass…you won’t be disappointed.