The newest label on the craft brewing block is an old name in Victoria brewing circles as Sean Hoyne has finally fulfilled his dream of opening his own brewery.

Just before Christmas, after more than 16 years in the business of hops and barley, Hoyne threw open the doors of the Hoyne Brewing Co. with a hope he has ushered in a new appreciation for classic beer styles.

Hoyne elbows into an already crowded local beer industry. He's the sixth craft brewery to sling a local line in a market that also has four brew pubs making and selling their own.

But Hoyne said there's plenty of room as Victoria has become a hotbed for the industry. "It's really healthy and continuing to enjoy tremendous growth and success," he said

Hoyne said local beer drinkers continue to expand their palates and are willing to try new brands.

"That bodes well for the industry because we are all about putting a wide variety of well made beers on the market," he said.

Hoyne's first four beers hit the shelves of private liquor stores this month. "This is a very exciting time for us . . . it's been a dream of mine for many years," said Hoyne.

"My priority has always been to stay in the brewing industry throughout my career and raise a family. My kids are now at an age that I felt I could finally take the leap."

That leap meant a jump into the past for Hoyne, who prides himself on a career of "finely crafting his beer."

"I brew beers that may not be the most outlandish flavour of the week, but they are much more geared toward traditional beers."

He wants to start turning back the clock on how beer is brewed in the city.

For example, of the first flight of four Hoyne Brewing beers to hit the market — Down Easy Pale Ale, Devil's Dream IPA, Big Bock and Hoyner Pilsner — Hoyne is taking Pilsner back to its roots. "I am reverting back to the way pilsners used to be made," said Hoyne. "I want to redefine the pilsner style in the minds of a lot of the craft beer drinkers who for years have had to associate pilsner with some of the stuff the 'big breweries' call pilsner, which isn't pilsner at all."

That means a more malty beer with a good balance of hops.

"I'm making a real effort to bring back to craft brewing some very strong brewing traditions," he said.

Hoyne knows a thing or two about tradition.

He started in the early years of craft brewing in Victoria at Michael Williams' Swans in 1989, building the brewery with Frank Appleton, considered by many to be one of the founding fathers of craft brewing in Western Canada.

He would later move to Canoe Brewpub where he built the brewery and watched over its beer production for more than 12 years. Now it's time to brew for himself.

Hoyne said he's been building his brewery in a 3,000-square-foot space on Bridge Street since September and this month, as the bottles went on sale around the city, it really kicked into life. And while Hoyne is clearly a traditionalist at heart, he is also tuned into the marketplace.

"The main criteria for me is drinkability. I want to brew beers that people really enjoy drinking — not ones that twist people's faces around," he said.

There has been plenty of that around North America — with varying degrees of success — as a slew of breweries try to make their name in a growing industry.

"In the U.S., there's been this game of one-upmanship, the more outlandish the better," Hoyne said. "There is some merit to it and a lot of the different beers are great."

But Hoyne said his experimentation will revolve around the odd seasonal brew. His focus will be on classic styles as he brings his full eight-brew line on stream before the summer.

"If you focus on the quality of the beer, everything else will follow," he said. "But there's always some room for experimentation and playing around."

The first four brews are available in 1.9 litre "growlers" at the brewery between 3 and 6 p.m. on Thursdays through Saturdays and likely next month on tap at various pubs.

aduffy@timescolonist.com

LOCAL BREWERIES

Hoyne Brewing

Vancouver Island Brewery

Phillips Brewing

Driftwood

Lighthouse

LOCAL BREWPUBS

Spinnakers

Swans

Canoe

Moon Under Water