Matthew Sabourin

February 26, 2024

Nonsuch Brewing Co. brings a sophisticated approach to the beverage industry

_{Matthew Sabourin is the co-founder and CEO of Nonsuch Brewing Company.}

When you first walk through the doors of Nonsuch Brewing Co., you are not just entering any other Winnipeg lounge. From their choice of decor, to how the seating is arranged, and even the lighting, each detail was carefully curated so guests have moments that will stay with them for a lifetime.

Matthew Sabourin, the brewing company's co-founder and CEO, has always been fascinated by the beverage industry.

There was always a thought in the back of the entrepreneur's mind that one day he could own a vineyard, or maybe even work in the wine industry. Despite these big dreams, there was something bigger than that holding him back.

"I had no intentions of leaving Manitoba. I love my home; I love our home. I think this is a beautiful province," said Sabourin. "I think that folks underrate it. So, I thought to myself, 'how could we make this work here?'"

Eventually, the Red River Métis entrepreneur would see his passion for wine translate to a different beverage within the industry: craft beer. He began attending events hosted by the Winnipeg Brew Bombers, a seasonal club that focuses on home-brewing craft beers. Slowly but surely, Sabourin made his way into the brewing world, leading to the business we see today.

_{Sabourin has crafted beer that is treated with the same sophistication and appreciation as wine is.}

The Red River Métis Citizen decided to focus on selling a quality, bottled beer product that can uphold the same ambiance as a nice bottle of wine.

"I discovered Belgian beers and in particular a certain style of Belgian beers where they treat the beer almost more like wine than they do what we would know as conventional beer," he said. "And this is where my original passion and the whole thing smashes together. There is a way to treat you with the same sophistication and appreciation as wine is treated."

As the entrepreneur discovered the versatility and flavour range that beer could have, and how easily it could be influenced by its brewing and aging processes, he began exploring the world of sour beers.

"Some people like to call them real sours. They're sour like a Flanders red or lambic; this is a very traditional old-school Belgian style of beer, and so those are the ones that really brought this whole concept together for me because some of them are barrel-aged," he said.

The product is an integral part of the business, but how the product is presented to the people is just as important to Sabourin.

"Our bottle was our story, and the bottle is more romantic. What is in the bottle is a better product than what's in a can. There's just no two ways about it - the process lends to a better product," he said. "We were seeing really, really great momentum in the bottles before the pandemic."

"Our mission is to create moments. From the small, intimate moments to the really large, important gatherings, we want to be at the heart of those moments. And so that's why we create the products that we do that can fit into those. Whether it's special ones, the weddings, the job promotions, the day you want to treat yourself, we want to be there with you through our products." - Matthew Sabourin

Sabourin is the majority owner of Nonsuch Brewing Co. alongside co-founders Mark Borowski, Ben Myers, and Ty Johnston.

When Sabourin first began exploring his business options in the world of brewing, there weren't as many breweries in Winnipeg as there are today.

"(When) we first started it was a lot easier, if not very easy, to grow, establish, and get taps and all that kind of stuff. Now, it's fierce. It's a real competition, with very real competitors," said Sabourin.

Sabourin participated in the Manitoba Métis Federation's (MMF) entrepreneurial funding programs administered by the Louis Riel Capital Corporation (LRCC) and the former Métis Economic Development Fund (MEDF).

Despite receiving funding from MEDF in 2017 to open, the need to find the perfect space for their business was crucial. Sabourin was grateful to have backing from the MMF that was accommodating to their business' circumstances.

"Probably the biggest thing would have been the flexibility, both on the LRCC and MEDF side," he said. "They were incredibly flexible, incredibly understanding, believing in our vision, knowing that waiting was the right move."

With this level of flexibility, understanding, and encouragement, Sabourin encourages other entrepreneurs, regardless of where they are in their business endeavours, to reach out to the MMF for any support they may need.

"What an amazing resource we have; our government is truly here to support us. They have been instrumental in our success," said the entrepreneur. "Even if you think you don't have the knowledge, don't have the experience, and you're worried about where you are in your entrepreneurial journey, don't worry about it. They have the resources to help you at whatever level you are at, and you will be welcomed and encouraged."

^{Sabourin acknowledged that without the help and guidance of the MMF, his company would have gone in a completely different direction.}

Nonsuch first moved into their building, located at 125 Pacific Avenue, in June 2018.

"When we originally moved in, there was formerly a brewery in this space, so we were able to get going on production right away," said Sabourin. "We had no intentions of actually opening up to the public, but in August we realized, 'wait a second here, maybe if we play our cards right, we could open up for Nuit Blanche of 2018.'"

With that goal in sight, the Nonsuch owners knew if they could make it to the nighttime celebration of contemporary art in late September, they could possibly stay open throughout the holiday season before shutting down for what they would call their "big vision renovation."

"We wanted to be totally different; the walls used to be all white and whatever. It had a very specific look," said Sabourin. "And so, we changed that significantly, and (our) designer suggested that we do an art installation."

This decision led to Nonsuch Brewing Co.'s first art installation, where the owners covered the entire ceiling of their main dining space with nearly 140 golden, lighted umbrellas, creating a dazzling display that was well received by the public.

"By November, we're thinking to ourselves, 'holy smokes, if we take this down in January, people are going to be upset, people love this!' So, maybe we should rethink our plan of tearing everything down and renovating both spaces," said the co-founder.

Rather than having one open space, the brewery is set up to have two separate spaces that complement one another: the dining space and the rain room.

"We rehauled our design completely, and instead of treating the two spaces as one and designing them so they interconnect, we treated them as two separate spaces and started the design on which has now become the rain room," said the entrepreneur.

The rain room is an intimate gathering space, featuring cozy nooks, traditional seating options, and a roof adorned with thousands of tassels simulating rain.

"What an amazing resource we have; our government is truly here to support us. (The MMF has) been instrumental in our success. Even if you think you don't have the knowledge, don't have the experience, and you're worried about where you are in your entrepreneurial journey, don't worry about it. They have the resources to help you at whatever level you are at, and you will be welcomed and encouraged."
- Matthew Sabourin

Following their renovations, Nonsuch has continued to participate in Nuit Blanche and has no intentions of stopping.

"We continue to do art installations for Nuit Blanche, but not as part of our space," said Sabourin. "We're doing truly temporary art installations."

The focus on artistry in the brewery has created an atmosphere that truly captures the essence of romance Sabourin was hoping to achieve with his business.

"Our mission is to create moments. From the small, intimate moments, to the really large, important gatherings, we want to be at the heart of those moments. And so that's why we create the products that we do that can fit into those," he said. "Whether it's special ones, the weddings, the job promotions, the day you want to treat yourself, we want to be there with you through our products."

In addition to a fully functional taproom, Nonsuch's kitchen serves an ever-evolving menu that pairs perfectly with the beers they have crafted. The food styles take on an elevated approach to the world of bar food and include items that are perfect for sharing amongst friends, family, and loved ones.

"I'd be remiss not to mention the burger, because it is by far our most popular food item. The eggplant focaccia (is also) made in-house and that whole recipe really shines," said the entrepreneur. "We have this concept around shareable plates, and I think anybody can find something. There's lots of vegetarian options, even options that can be vegan, so everyone and anyone's welcome."

Like most of the service industry, Nonsuch was greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The company had to make many adjustments to counter the effects of restrictions, including increasing the production of canned products, reducing store hours, and establishing home delivery services. Nonsuch also relied on funding from various MMF programs.

"Quite frankly, without MMF, I don't know if we'd be here," he said.

Sabourin acknowledged that without the help and guidance of the MMF, his company would have gone in a completely different direction.

"Without them, either we wouldn't be around, or from a back end, ownership standpoint," he said, "the company would be wildly different. And so, for me, I now can be a majority owner and I wouldn't have (that) without them."

For more information on programs for Red River Métis entrepreneurs, visit lrcc.mb.ca.

 

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