BY PAUL MITCHELL
North Country This Week

CANTON – Work is underway to transform the former McCarthy’s Furniture Barn into a brewery at 41 West Main St., Canton.

On Tuesday, the venture received a financial boost from the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and Local Development Corporation (LDC) who approved a loan up to $50,000 to St. Lawrence Suds, LLC, the corporate name for Bent Beam Brewing.

“Basically, the loan from the IDA is to help us keep the project moving forward. This money will be used to begin work on our construction drawings and possibly get our electric service in place,” said Gary Hammond, partner and chief financial officer for the brewery. “We have cleaned the barn out and put a new roof on. We are currently working with National Grid on planning and engineering for our electric service.”

“We are waiting to hear on the Restore NY Grant application and that will determine what we move forward on for next year,” Hammond added.

A group of 12 investors are involved in the gastro pub business.

“It’s a significant investment in the community. We were lucky to find this location. There's not a lot of commercial property available in Canton,” said Hammond of the $1.1 million project in a presentation to the Canton Village Board in September. “There’s a lot of potential because it’s not in a residential area. And I like the fact we are saving a building.”

Handling the construction work is Bertrand’s Construction, Ogdensburg.

Joseph Erlichman, a biology professor at St. Lawrence University, will bring his decades-old brewing experience to the table, offering a variety of beers ranging from New England style IPA, extra special bitters to stouts and porters, and seasonal brews.

“We will be billed as a gastro pub,” Hammond said.

Once the renovation work on the 100-year-old building is complete, plans call for a full two stories with the brewhouse in the front side and the back end for the restaurant space. He noted that brewhouse apparatus and equipment has been purchased.

If everything within the project comes to fruition, Hammond said they expect to employ 12 full and part-time people.

St. Lawrence Suds LLC will be seeking funding through the Restore NY funding program; funding that will be used for a full buildout for the restaurant.

Without that funding, plans for the restaurant may be put on hold, said Hammond.

If and when a restaurant opens, the menu, said Hammond, will be elevated pub food with fresh farm-to-table offerings that could be paired with a beer. Again, if there is a restaurant, wine and liquor will eventually be available, he said.