Colonel Beer: Batroun Has its Own Beer... Coming Soon

Resilient. Pioneering. Innovative. These are just some of the words that best describe Lebanon’s entrepreneurial landscape. And Jamil Haddad, the latest entrepreneur to emerge from this world, fits the description entirely.

Born and raised in Batroun, Jamil is an adventurer at heart. Growing up, he always had a desire for new experiences and spent much of his time camping, enjoying the outdoors, and windsurfing at Batroun’s famous spot “Colonel.” That very spot inspired the name of Jamil’s new endeavor, the Colonel Project, a microbrewery that produces and fosters the culture of high quality craft beer, on a green platform in the heart of Batroun city. But how did it all start? Beer has long been one of Batroun’s favorite drinks and that culture nurtured Jamil’s own passion for beer and motivated him finally to take up home brewing. But home brewing was not widespread in Lebanon and that made the process hard to learn in the beginning. However, after pursuing rigorous research, attending several workshops in the UK, and touring different breweries and beer festivals in Europe, Jamil finally learnt the craft and became proficient at it. Fast forward to a couple of years later, Colonel beer will make its much-anticipated debut in the summer of 2014! The Colonel Project will present a unique concept to the market; it will consist of Colonel Microbrewery, Colonel Brewpub & Restaurant, and Colonel Bed & Breakfast.

The Colonel Microbrewery seems to be the talk of the town already. It is located in the center of Batroun, a walking distance from the city’s historic and touristic attractions and just feet away from the waves. Built on international standards, the microbrewery will produce craft lager beer to be distributed in Lebanon. The brewing process will be visible from the pub through a glass separation and tours explaining the beer-making process to visitors will be featured. Its eco-friendly structure will be fascinating to see; it will use natural lighting and will be made up of an interesting combination of eco-boards, recycled wood pallets, vertical gardens and a green roof. The Colonel Brewpub will offer a variety of Colonel premium crafted beers and its restaurant will complement the beer with matching food and a select menu of local dishes. The hospitality of Colonel will extend even further in its Bed and Breakfast, accommodation in its eco-friendly and artisanal bungalows, that will appeal to the youth, tourists or simply anyone who wants to wake up to the refreshing sounds of the waves.

And this is only a glimpse of the project; there is yet much more for the visitor to discover and enjoy in and about the Colonel. While following his vision and working hard to launch Colonel beer in Lebanon, Jamil has concurrently introduced a concept that complements the heritage of his country in general, and his hometown in particular. He is proof that even in an unstable environment, you can dream big and create a success story for the world to see.