VOLUME
04 02 ISSUE
$2 B . C .
C R A F T
B E E R
Display until Sep. 15, 2018
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g u i d e
BRITISH COLUMBIA NORTHERN B.C.
SEA TO SKY/ SUNSHINE COAST VANCOUVER ISLAND
eDitOR Rob Mangelsdorf editor@thegrowler.ca 778-840-5005
pRODuctiOn & Design ManageR Tara Rafiq tara@thegrowler.ca cOntRiButing DesigneR Juliana Sauvé pHOtOgRapHy Meghan Goertz Jon Healy Rob Mangelsdorf Dan Toulgoet cOVeR illustRatiOn Cai Sepulis sOcial MeDia Danielle Boileau DistRiButiOn Craig Sweetman (Newsstand) Debbie Tang (Direct) orders@thegrowler.ca suBscRiptiOns bc.thegrowler.ca/subscribe Copyright © The Growler 2018 No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. Every effort is made to avoid errors and omissions. If you notice an error, please accept our apologies and notify us. puBlisHeD By Glacier Media Group thegrowler.ca | @thegrowlerbc
KOOTENAYS
FRASER VALLEY
puBlisHeR Gail Nugent gnugent@thegrowler.ca
cOntRiButing WRiteRs Rob Mangelsdorf Brittany Tiplady Joe Wiebe Rebecca Whyman Jan Zeschky
THOMPSON OKANAGAN
LOWER MAINLAND VANCOUVER VICTORIA
Contents 06 10 13 18 20 22 24 26 30 34 36 38 116
BReWeR Vs BReWeR: tHe nanO eDitiOn (yOu gOtta) FigHt FOR yOuR RigHt tO paaatiO! tRaVel: nORtHeRn B.c. #lageRlOVe B.c. cRaFt BeeR eVent listings eleMental seRies: yeast King gaMBRinus: tHe Real King OF BeeRs BeeR MytHs... BusteD! BeeR & FOOD paRing 101 laBOuR OF lOVe: B.c BReWeRs get FunKy Recipe: sea-tO-sKy RaD-leR cOcKtail B.c. BReWeRy listings BeeR tO tHe gROunD
Breweries by Region
38 54 68 74 78 90 94 101 109
LEGEND GROWLER-APPROVED BADGE Keep an eye out for our 10 favourite beers this spring!
VANCOUVER
Brewery Details
LOWER MAINLAND FRASER VALLEY
GROWLER FILLS
SEA TO SKY / SUNSHINE COAST
BOTTLES / CANS
VICTORIA / GULF ISLANDS
KEGS
VANCOUVER ISLAND
TASTING ROOM
THOMPSON OKANAGAN
ON-SITE KITCHEN OR FOOD TRUCK
KOOTENAYS
TOURS
NORTHERN B.C.
KID FRIENDLY GLUTEN-FREE BOOZE OPTIONS
Editor’s Note Well, it looks like we’ve collectively survived another cold, wet West Coast winter (and spring… and fall), so how about we celebrate with a beer (or six)!
Lagers are all the rage right now, as Joe Wiebe details (pg. 18), but if you’re hoping to enjoy one on the patio at your favourite brewery, you might be out of luck, as Rebecca Whyman explains (pg. 10). If you’re looking for a new beverage to slake your thirst, try out master bartender Shaun Layton’s Sea to Sky RAD-ler cocktail recipe (pg. 36). If you’re planning a road trip this summer, Northern B.C. has to be on your hit list (pg. 13). Don’t forget to visit the many tiny nanobreweries along the way (pg. 6), and as always, our up-todate, informative brewery listings will help you guide your way.
Summertime means summer beer festivals, and there’s plenty of events on the horizon (pg. 20). If you’re hosting your own party, make sure to check out cicerone Chester Carey’s tips for pairing beer with food (pg. 30). And to help you make sure you don’t commit any beer faux pas, we’ve busted the top five beer myths we hear the most (pg. 26). That about covers it, folks. Have yourself a great summer and make sure to celebrate responsibly. Cheers! —Rob Mangelsdorf, editor
Suggested Glassware STANGE
Kolsch Marzen Bock
PILSNER Lager Pilsner Witbier
NONIC PINT
Stout Pale ale Most ales, actually
WEIZEN
Hefeweizen Weizenbock Fruit beer
TULIP
Saison IPA Strong ales
GOBLET
Berliner weisse Quad Tripel
SNIFTER
Barleywine Sours Anything weird
brewer VS brewer the nano edition by Rob Mangelsdorf
S
ome people start breweries for the money. For others, it’s all about the beer.
And for nanobrewers like Michael Garratt of Mayne Island Brewing and Dave Paul of Loveshack Libations, it’s clearly because they’re masochists. What other reason could there be for someone with a full-time day job to open a one-person brewery that requires every waking moment of their time and attention? A brewery that’s so small there’s probably no chance it’ll ever become your sole source of income.
Meghan Goertz photos
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To listen to Garratt and Paul tell it, they actually enjoy the long hours, heavy lifting and time away from their families. It’s a good thing, because they make some pretty unique beers, and while nanobreweries like theirs might be a little off the beaten path, they are always worth the effort to visit. I sat down with the owner/operators of two of B.C.’s smallest breweries at The Drake in Victoria recently to pick their brains about what compels them to abuse themselves for the sake of good beer.
Eventually my wife said I should open a brewery, and at that point I was only working 20 hours a week. We opened a year and three months ago and we’ve been busy, busy, busy ever since. GROWLER: How much beer are you guys producing? PAUL: I did 142 brews in the last year and bottled 29,000 bottles. By hand.
dave paul
GARRATT: I’m about the same. I’m brewing three or four times a week. In 16 months, I’ve done about 175 brews and 40,000 bottles. GROWLER: How big is your system? GARRATT: I’ve got a 45-gallon [170L] Blichmann system, gravity fed. PAUL: I have a 100-litre capacity.
THE GROWLER: My first question is why? Why would you do this? MICHAEL GARRATT: It’s a midlife crisis. It was this or a sports car. But I love it! At the end of the week, you’re tired, and you still have so much to do, but I love it so much! DAVE PAUL: It’s definitely a labour of love. It’s technically a second full-time job; I’ve worked 36 hours in the last three days. GROWLER: So how did you get into brewing?
GROWLER: That’s not much bigger than a home brew system. When you’re that small, are there some things you can do that bigger breweries can’t? GARRATT: Absolutely, like our Forager series. We can forage for stuff right on our doorstep, so we put different ingredients in it each time we brew it. We’ve done salal berry, stinging nettle, blackberries, rosehips. A big brewery wouldn’t be able to do that, because they would need a huge volume. >>
GARRATT: I started when I was 14, making cheap extract homebrew. I had some bottles explode in my mom’s cupboard so that was the end of that for a while, but my wife got me back into it about eight years ago. I sell wine for a living and we moved to Mayne Island about 13 years ago, so when I’d be in Vancouver, I’d stop at Dan’s [Homebrewing]. I would give my beers to clients in the restaurant industry at Christmas and people were telling me I should open a brewery. Mayne didn’t have a brewery or winery or cidery at the time, so since I’m a workaholic, I decided to open one. But it’s a family business. Without my wife and kids, I couldn’t do this. GROWLER: What about you, Dave? PAUL: My mother-in-law got me a Coopers kit, and I did that for years and thought I was making good beer, until I went all-grain. That was like going from Betty Crocker to Martha Stewart.
Michael GARRATt 7
PAUL: It’s great for hop availability, too, because you’re always buying in small quantities. And you can have more variety. I’ve done 25 different beers in the last year. GROWLER: Do you have any aspirations to grow beyond where you’re at now? PAUL: Everyone is asking me if I’m going to expand, but I want to work less. GROWLER: What would change if you got bigger? PAUL: It’s all about character, that’s what makes a nano. There’s so much love that goes into each batch. If we expand, we’re going to lose that personal touch. We’re selling a personal experience; people want to hangout with the guy who made their beer.
It’s all about character, that’s what makes a nano. —Dave Paul, Loveshack Libations GARRATT: There are restrictions, too. Everything I use, I bring that over to the island myself. But I’m over every week for work, so I’m always bringing back bags of this and that with me. GROWLER: What do your families think about this? GARRATT: They’ve been very supportive! It’s a family business. Without my wife and kids, there's no way I could do this. PAUL: Both my wife and daughter have done their fair share of bottling. My wife does the books, I couldn’t do this without her. GROWLER: How important has it been to get the community on board with what you’re doing? GARRATT: There’s only 1,000 people on Mayne, so we really rely on the community and the weekenders.
GROWLER: What are some of the difficulties with brewing on such a small scale? PAUL: When you’re brewing, it’s just you, you’re a one man show. While you’re waiting for your water to boil, you’re labeling bottles. And you have to do all the cleaning yourself. But I’ve got things down to a routine now, I can brew and bottle in eight hours. GARRATT: We learn to do things very differently from the big guys, but they run into the same problems we do, just bigger in scale. PAUL: Finding equipment that’s the right size is difficult. There’s not a lot available between home brew-sized set-ups and eight-hec brewpub systems.
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PAUL: Yeah, the community support has been unbelievable for us. On Wednesday nights, 90 per cent of the customers are the same people, week after week. Out tasting room is only open eight hours a week, but we sell nearly all our beer there, we’re only in one liquor store and a couple restaurants. On Saturdays, it’s lined up out the door. GROWLER: Are you ever going to quit the day job? PAUL: As a business model, we’re making money, I’m able to pay myself a bit each month. But I’m still working two nights a week at the [Parksville Beach Club Resort], and I don’t think that will change any time soon. GARRATT: We’ve put everything back into the brewery. I haven’t paid myself anything yet. I don’t think I’d be able to support a family of four on this. PAUL: If you don’t love brewing, don’t open a nano! j
(you've gotta)
FIGHT
For your right to
Paaatio! by Rebecca Whyman
P
icture it—it’s warm, the sun is shining, the beer is cold (but not too cold) and you’re on a patio enjoying it all. If you live in Vancouver, you’d better get up really early in the morning if you want to make that picture a reality. There are a lot of us in the city, and not a whole lot of patio seats. If you count only craft-beer-serving establishments, the number is so low I could have gone out and sat in each seat in the time it took you to read this paragraph. Some hyperbole there, but the struggle is real—there is a paucity of patio seats in Vancouver.
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I’m sure there are a number of reasons for the lack. But I’m equally as sure those reasons mostly fall under the “No Fun City” banner. Think about all the craft-beer-serving patios in the city. Notice anything about them? They all boast a shiny food primary licence. Yup, that’s the magic ticket to getting a patio in the City of Vancouver. But hang on—there are brewery patios in other places… Like up and down Murray Street in Port Moody, for example. Those folks don’t have food
primary licences, do they? Lucky them, their city council doesn’t require them to. Their uber-supportive mayor also went to bat for breweries to change the zoning to allow patios. While food and liquor primary licences are provincial, patios are municipally ruled. All municipalities are not created equal. PoMo 1, Vancouver 0. In Vancouver, it boils down to pay to play. Only those who can afford it get to serve you beers in the elusive Vancouver sunshine. It’s not that food primary licences are prohibitively expensive—a mere $950 application fee and a 12-week processing time versus the $4,400 application fee and seven to 12 month processing time for a liquor primary licence—it’s more about that pesky little requirement of a fully equipped kitchen. Because space and capital aren’t at all tight in most breweries…
The need for a food primary licence aside, getting a permit for a sidewalk patio in Vancouver ain't easy. Among the 999 requirements: 2.43 metres (that's eight feet for those of us not yet embracing metric) clearance for pedestrians from the patio to the nearest sidewalk obstruction. What's a sidewalk obstruction? Street signs, parking meters, garbage cans, all those ubiquitous sidewalk features people will have to sidestep while walking merrily along. Apparently, we are a clumsy and easily distracted people, who need oodles of room to avoid crashing into stationary things. And that’s before we’ve sat out on a patio and gotten pleasantly buzzed. The patio has to be capable of being removed with 24 hours’ notice. And if you want to serve alcohol on it, you'll need a liquor license extension. And railings. And so on and so forth.
Then there’s what I fear is the nail in the coffin for tasting rooms already at capacity—the total number of guests including the patio can’t be greater than what is approved by their occupancy permit. Many cities in B.C. don't make it easy for craft brewFor those already at their eries to open a patio. Parallel 49 was allowed to add occupancy maximum, outdoor seating last year only after it built a full-serPay to play seems to adding a patio won’t be vice kitchen for its tasting room. Dan Toulgoet photo work OK for the bigger a way to increase the guys. But what are the number of people they little guys going to do? If can serve—it just gives you’re Steve Forsyth from Off the Rail, you bug some of them fresh(ish) air to sit in. city hall every few weeks to ask how that review It’s a shame to see city folk having to head to the of the food primary only rule is coming. You get ‘burbs to sit on a patio (and take up all their seats). told the review won’t happen until later this year, And when we resort to taking the future fast train but you keep the pressure on. to Portland in search of a patio, it’ll take money Is there any way around the food primary out of the local economy. requirement? Currently, the only option is May I suggest that when you join Steve in his holding special events—up to 24 per year. Twice “open dialogue” with city hall, you add in advocata month during the good weather you can have ing for drinking in parks. That might just ease the a beer garden, provided you have an appropriate need for patio seats. outdoor space to hold it in. Not a great solution, Or you could get a beer fridge on your balcony but it might just tide some breweries over until and just stay home. j the rules change (fingers crossed). And then there’s that other thing. That whole “most brewers didn’t get into brewing to be restaurateurs” thing. They just want to make beer and earn a little money doing so.
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BREW North
The craft beer revolution comes to Northern B.C. by Rob Mangelsdorf
I
t’s safe to say the craft beer revolution has been fought and won. If you live in Vancouver or Victoria—or just about any reasonably-sized town in southern B.C.—you probably have a craft brewery within walking distance. But until recently, our brothers and sisters in the north had few options for good beer—it was Bud or Canadian, and that’s about it. Thankfully the craft beer revolution has come to liberate them from the clutches of macro swill, with five breweries opening in the past year and two more ready to open any day now. These breweries are on the frontlines, fighting the good fight to convert the masses to locally made beer, often with local ingredients, with styles ranging from approachable lagers and gateway pale ales to double IPAs and birch syrup infused stouts.
The blossoming beer scene in the north is also a great excuse to get up there and visit the other 80 per cent of the province we city folk rarely experience. And that’s a damn shame, because as I found out, Northern B.C. is completely, ridiculously beautiful, and packed full of surprises.
Misty mountain hops My wife and I start our journey in the bustling port town of Prince Rupert, after an awe-inspiring overnight ferry trip up the Inside Passage. This is the wild edge of North America and that wildness is evident as we stroll around the colourful town centre, surrounded by rainforest and rugged mountains. There’s an independent, creative streak that runs through Prince Rupert; most businesses are locally owned, drive-through fast food franchises are refreshingly sparse, and quirky cafés and restaurants abound. “There’s a real culture of supporting your own up here,” says Craig Outhet, brewer and co-owner of Wheelhouse Brewing Co. Located in the charming and walkable Cow Bay neighbourhood north of downtown, Wheelhouse’s tasting room is rustic and cosy, with semaphore flags and fishing floats hanging from the wooden rafters. While the best-seller is still the Gillnetter Golden Ale, the locals are warming up to hoppier beers like the tropical Kazu Maru IPA (6.7% ABV, 75 IBU), a lovely light-bodied, >>
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Sherwood’s take on the classic dunkel, was the standout of the beers I tried, with balanced notes of caramel and roast malt. Moving east, the mountains open up into the broad Bulkley Valley as we continue to Smithers. You could be forgiven for thinking you’d stumbled into an East Kootenays ski town like Golden or Revelstoke, what with the faux Bavarian architecture and Hudson Bay Mountain Resort looming overhead. Indeed, Smithers has been referred to as the Nelson of the North, and with two new breweries, this young and funky town is clearly on the right path, beer-wise. Wheelhouse Brewing has become a local favourite in Prince Rupert since it opened in 2013. Rob Mangelsdorf photo
citrus fruit-forward East Coast-ish IPA with Idaho 7, Mosaic and Summit hops. Following the highway inland through the Coast Mountains, along the impossibly wide and impossibly beautiful Skeena River brings us to Terrace. This town of about 12,000 is nestled among snowcapped peaks and raging rivers, which form much of the tourism draw for the area—world-class skiing, kayaking and fishing. Sherwood Mountain Brewhouse has gained a loyal following here since it opened in 2014 with its focus on German-style lagers, with owner Darryl Tucker and brewer Jake Lambert both having trained in Berlin. In fact, four of the seven beers on tap the day I visited were lagers. “This is a lager town and 60 per cent of what we sell are lagers,” says Lambert. “We focus on easy-drinking beers everyone can enjoy.” The Munich Lager (5.1% ABV, 12 IBU),
The newly opened Bulkley Valley Brewery offers classic West Coast styles in its solar-powered, après-themed tasting room. The easy-drinking Broken Arrow Golden Ale (4.5% ABV 18 IBU) has proven popular with locals; refreshing and fruity, it’s reminiscent of an Australian summer ale with its pilsner malt base and late addition hops. A block away at the soon-to-be opened Smithers Brewing Co., brewer Cam McKeigan says while he plans to have mainstays to keep the locals happy, he’s looking forward “to going off the deep end.” Smithers Brewing’s gorgeous local timber-framed building is one of the few purpose built craft breweries anywhere in B.C. and when it opens (any day now), it will have 10 taps fed by its brand new 1,200-litre brewhouse.
On a Plain
Passing through the historic hamlets of Telkwa and Houston, the snow-capped peaks give way to the low rolling hills and lakes of Cariboo-Chilcotin plateau and, eventually, Prince George, the capital of the north with a population of 80,000.
FROM LEFT: Terrace's Sherwood Mountain Brewhouse specializes in lagers, such as its Coast Mountain Pilsner; Bulkley Valley Brewery is the place for aprés in the ski town of Smithers; Owners Cam McKeigan and Adin Bennett hope to have Smithers Brewing Co. open by the time you read this. Rob Mangelsdorf photos
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FROM LEFT: Why is Prince George's Crossroads Brewing so popular? How about wood-fired pizzas, a huge sunny downtown patio and quality craft beer; Co-owner Bailey Hoefels is part of the team behind PG's newest brewery, Trench Brewing; Beard's Brewing in Fort St. John became the first brewery in the Peace region when it opened late last year. Rob Mangelsdorf photos
PG, as it’s known locally, has seen a revitalization of late, and the downtown has been key to the turnaround. CrossRoads Brewing, which celebrated its first birthday in March, is located in a former service station that had been vacant for years. Its impressive patio is now a hive of social activity, bringing life to a once empty downtown block. “We’re passionate about our community, so we wanted to do something for downtown,” says co-owner Bjorn Butow. “We want to make this city liveable.” Butow and business partner Daryl Leiski—who’s a local ER doctor—tapped Central City’s Gary Lohin help them set up the brewery, while former Howe Sound brewer Patrick Moore is heading up the brewing duties.
gering sweetness, the perfect thing for those long northern summer nights.
Rocky Mountain High
Heading north over the Rockies takes us through scenic Pine Pass and into Peace River country, a.k.a. B.C.’s Alberta. It’s kind of surprising craft beer didn’t catch on sooner up here, given all the malting barley grown in the region. That said, Fort St. John is making up for lost time in a major way. Beard’s Brewing Co., the region’s first craft brewery, opened in November, and Mighty Peace Brewing Co. is set to open any day now. At Beard’s, the bay doors were flung open to the prairie sunshine while locals lined up for growler fills on the day I visited the modest nanobrewery. Black Beard (4.8% ABV, 22 IBU), >>
The Cloud 9 Witbier (4.4% ABV, 12 IBU) was originally intended to be a summer seasonal, but it sold so well it’s become a year-round mainstay. A classic take on the refreshing Belgian style, the requisite orange and coriander are in perfect harmony here. Not far from CrossRoads is Prince George’s newest craft brewery, Trench Brewing and Distilling, which opened in April. Whereas CrossRoads has more of a brewpub feel, Trench, with its location in the gritty, industrial east end of downtown, feels straight out of East Van. The tasting room is anything but gritty, however, with big communal tables, lots of local timber and stylish antler-based décor. Pine Pass Pale Ale (5.0% ABV, 40 IBU) was my favourite out of Trench’s lineup; a hazy, hoppy citrus-forward pale with a welcome touch of lin-
Brewer Adam Keele (on left) and owner Scott Spence of Mighty Peace Brewing Co., soon to be the largest craft brewery in Northern B.C. Rob Mangelsdorf photo
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Following the Fraser River downstream along the Cariboo Gold Rush Trail is the quaint town of Quesnel and Barkerville Brewing, which takes its name from the nearby ghost town/tourist attraction. The gold rush theme is evident throughout the welcoming tasting room with pioneer relics and a rustic wooden communal table dominating the space.
Three Ranges Brewing in tiny Valemount is proof that any town can support a brewery if the beers is good enough.
a well-balanced stout with notes of coffee and chocolate, stood out for its smooth, approachable character. Truly a dark beer for people who don’t like dark beers… yet. Currently, Beard’s is the northernmost craft brewery in B.C., but that will change once Mighty Peace opens (it’s two blocks north). With its 1,800-litre brewhouse, Mighty Peace will also be the biggest craft brewery in the north, and will be expanding into distilling in the near future.
After the Gold Rush
Having reached the northernmost brewery in B.C., we headed south again, stopping in the picturesque—if somewhat isolated—town of Valemount. Here, Michael Lewis of Three Ranges Brewing works tirelessly to keep the beer flowing, regularly brewing three or four times a day on his tiny 300-litre system. A retired US Army veteran, Lewis clearly comes by his work ethic honestly. Up Swift Creek Pilsner (4.7% ABV, 30 IBU) is one of Lewis’s original beers, and still one of the favourites. This hop-forward pilsner has a distinctly Northwest character, with floral, herbal hop notes, B.C. malt and a clean, crisp finish. LEFT: Quesnel's Barkerville Brewing produces some of the finest beers in Northern B.C. and has the B.C. Beer Awards to prove it. RIGHT: Jackson's Social Club and Brewhouse owner Keith Jackson does it all himself, from brewing the beer to roasting the coffee beans, to building the brewery's new patio. Rob Mangelsdorf photos
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The Hurdy Gurdy Hibisicus (4.6% ABV, 32 IBU) pays homage to Barkerville’s hurdy gurdy girls and was originally brewed as a Pink Boots Brew for International Women's Day back in March. Flavoured with hibiscus and dry-hopped with El Doradao, it’s a tart, floral, citrusy treat. As we continue on towards Jackson’s Social Club and Brewhouse in 100 Mile House, the startling aftermath of the 2017 Plateau wildfire becomes evident in the blackened hillsides and scarred landscapes. At its height, the fire covered more than 4,500 sq. km and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of Cariboo residents—including Keith Jackson, who had to abandon his brewery for a week. With a brand new patio (built by Jackson, himself ), this summer should hopefully be kinder to the brewery. I particularly enjoyed the Giddy Up Brunette (4.6% ABV, 28 IBU), a brown ale made with organic Mexican coffee beans, roasted by Jackson, himself. Smooth and well-balanced, the coffee notes were nicely countered by the slightly sweet malt character. With the sun starting to sag low, we continued along the highway, and as we came down off the plateau and into the familiar dry valleys of the Thompson, we soon realized we were almost home. In many ways, Northern B.C. seems a lot further away than it actually is—and that’s a big part of the appeal. The final frontier is closer than you think. j
Drink beer. Plant trees. The Laughing Loon Pub in Williams Lake, with support from The Growler, Barkerville Brewing, Jackson’s Brewhouse, CrossRoads Brewing, Trench Brewing, Three Ranges Brewing and Wheelhouse Brewing are helping to reforest B.C. one pint of craft beer at a time!
= We will donate 25 cents from every craft pint sold to buy seedlings in order to replant areas devastated by last year’s devastating wildfires. This works out to one seedling per craft pint sold! Our goal is to donate 15,000 seedlings by April 30, 2019—enough to reforest over ten hectares of land! In addition, to further support this initiative, we’re offering 12 wings for only $5.50 with the purchase of any craft pint 7 days a week after 4pm. So you get a craft pint and a dozen wings for $12! Stop by and see us at the Laughing Loon and try any of these great Northern B.C. craft breweries, a dozen wings and help us to reforest B.C. one pint of craft beer at a time!
1730 South Broadway Ave., Williams Lake • 778-412-6655 laughingloonpub.com • @laughnloon
Meghan Goertz photo
A
by Joe Wiebe
sk a beer lover what their favourite is, and odds are they’ll pick something on the extreme edge of the flavour spectrum: a hoppy/hazy IPA, tart sour, or barrel-aged imperial stout. Rarely will a lager make it on to a beer geek’s bucket list.
in Munich and some German and Czech hops” and brewed Old Towne Bavarian Lager, which became a staple on the Swans lineup for many years.
I think lagers are underappreciated, and I’ve enlisted the help of two brewers who have a serious case of #LagerLove themselves: Conrad Gmoser (Brassneck Brewery) and Sean Hoyne (Hoyne Brewing).
He continued to brew lagers when he moved over to Canoe Brewpub a few years later, and then when he opened his own brewery in 2011, “It wasn’t even an option for me to not make a pilsner,” he says. This despite the fact that lagers take longer to brew, which is why many new breweries abstain from brewing them until they can expand their tank capacity.
Sean Hoyne agrees that “lagers have always been underrepresented in the craft beer world.” When he started brewing at Swans Brewpub in 1989, his mentor Frank Appleton designed recipes for several different English-style ales, but as soon as Hoyne could, he “got some yeast from a brewery
Hoyne’s most popular beers, Hoyne Pilsner (5.5% ABV) and Dark Matter (5.3% ABV), are both lagers. Over the years, Hoyne has also added Helios Golden Lager (6% ABV) and Vienna Lager (5.3% ABV; previously called Off the Grid) to his lager lineup.
Lager vs. Ale Most beer styles fit into two general groups based on the type of yeast used: Saccharomyces cerevisiae for ales and Saccharomyces pastorianus for lagers. Lager yeast is called “bottom-fermenting” because it falls to the bottom during fermentation while ale yeasts sit on top. Lager yeasts also work best at colder temperatures (6-13 C compared to 15-23 C for ale yeasts). Lagers take longer to brew—several weeks compared to just two or three weeks for most ales. Lager yeast works more thoroughly, resulting in a crisper, cleaner beer if aged properly. Lagers actually come in all colours and cover a wide range of flavour profiles, from light and crisp to sweet and malty, smoky, and yes, even hoppy. Lager yeast tends to stay in the background while many ales derive significant flavours directly from the yeast itself.
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Brassneck brewer Conrad Gmoser has a great deal of respect for the oft-misunderstood lager, which means you should, too, OK? Dan Toulgoet photo
Hoyne loves researching the history of beers, and says he feels like he is “standing on the shoulders of giants” when he brews a beer correctly according to style. For lagers, that means using region-specific ingredients and aging the beer properly, not rushing it to open up tank space. Hoyne orders container loads of German malts and specific Czech and German hops to ensure they taste correct. Helios is my favourite of Hoyne’s lagers. A Dortmunder export style, it’s slightly stronger than a pilsner with a complex malt character. According to Hoyne, it was made to quench the thirst of coal miners in the Dortmund region of Germany and then became so popular that the brewers developed an export version that was slightly stronger than the local one. “At one point,” Hoyne says, “It was the biggest selling style in continental Europe.” To Hoyne, lagers are about subtlety. “If ales are about making them bigger than everyone else’s, then lagers are about making them better than everyone else’s.” Over at Brassneck, Conrad Gmoser agrees. “Lagers are tough,” he says. “You can’t really knock it out of the park. They’re way more about balance. You don’t have much to hide behind if there are flaws in the lager.” When Gmoser first started at Steamworks in the mid-1990s, he says, “I had a lot of respect for lager so I was worried about doing it well and making enough.” With the smaller brewpub system it was challenging to let a lager age long enough, but he was rewarded for his diligence when his pilsner was named B.C.’s Beer of the Year for two years running in 2011 and 2012. When he joined forces with Nigel Springthorpe to open Brassneck, lagers were in the plan from Day 1. In fact, one of the first beers Gmoser brewed there was No
Brainer (4.5% ABV), a pre-prohibition style lager that is made with 20 per cent corn, an adjunct often used by the big breweries to cut costs and make their beer as flavourless as possible. Gmoser calls it his desert island beer. “For some people it’s a bit of a surprise to see corn used that way,” he admits. “It makes the body nice and light and really allows the hops to shine through.” But it takes eight weeks to condition properly, which is a long time in such a small brewery. Interestingly, Brassneck’s King Maker (5.5% ABV), a pilsner that is my favourite lager there, only needs six weeks despite being a bigger beer. Of course, Hoyne and Brassneck are not the only breweries in B.C. with strong lager programs. Check out the list of some of my favourite local lagers and hey, why not give lager a chance? You never know: you might develop some #LagerLove yourself ! j
Required drinking Elementary Lager // Four Winds Brewing Ridge Runner Pilsner // Backcountry Brewing Lipslide Lager // Riot Brewing Vienna Lager // Moody Ales Creepy Uncle Dunkel // Moon Under Water Brewpub Black Lager // Spinnakers Brewpub Smoked Honey Doppelbock // Steel & Oak Brewing Doppelbock // Swans Brewpub Hermannator Eisbock // Vancouver Island Brewing
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Everything you need to know about everywhere you need to be! MAY 25-JUNE 3
Vancouver Craft Beer Week The big one! A week long of awesome beer and food events culminates in a two-day craft beerapalooza at the PNE Fairgrounds with more than 100 breweries and cideries, food trucks a-plenty, live music and DJs, a games area and tons of good times. Don’t forget the sunblock! Tickets still available at VancouverCraftBeerWeek.com.
JUNE 1
The Growler Tap Takeover & Launch Party Celebrate the new issue of The Growler and the release of the latest beer in our B.C. Brewer Collaboration Series. The party gets started at 7pm at 12 Kings Pub in Vancouver, and entry is free.
JUNE 2
Penticton Beer Run This is a literal beer run: a 10km jog through the hop farms and scenic Okanagan countryside, with stops for beer at local breweries, before finishing at the Kettle Valley Station Pub. For entry and more info, visit HoodooAdventures.ca.
JUNE 9
JULY 7
Farmhouse Fest The UBC Farm is an urban agricultural oasis, and the perfect place for Farmhouse Fest, returning for it’s fourth year. Here the focus is on the funky and wild beers and ciders typical of rustic, farmhouse brewing. Info at FarmhouseFest.com. SOLD OUT.
JULY 7
Squamish Beer Festival If you couldn’t get tickets to Farmhouse Fest, fear not! Take a scenic trip up Howe Sound, where more than 50 B.C. breweries and cideries will be showcasing their latest releases. Tickets and info at SquamishBeerFestival.com.
JULY 14
Truck Stop Concert Series The second of Red Truck Beer’s Truck Stop Concert Series takes place at the East Van brewery, with Allen Stone, Nick Waterhouse, Antonio Larosa and the Eleven Twelves performing. Visit RedTruckBeer.com/events for tickets and info..
JULY 20-22
HOPoxia 2018 More than 1,200 hop-loving beer nerds will converge on Phillips Brewery’s backyard for this celebration of hoppy beer. 50 B.C. breweries will be taking part, along with cideries and food trucks, too. Info and tickets at PhillipsBeer.com/events.
The Phillips Backyard Weekender Phillips is kicking out the jams at their annual Backyard Weekender, with three solid days packed with amazing music and delicious craft beer. The lineup this year includes Reggie Watts, The Revolution (as in, Prince’s backing band), Kelis, and more. Tickets and info at BackyardWeekender.com.
JUNE 10
AUGUST 10-12
Siris Cask Festival B.C.’s premier event celebrating women brewers is coming to 12 Kings Pub in Vancouver. More than 40 beers brewed by women will be available, with proceeds going to fund a bursary for KPU'’s Brewing Studies program. Tickets at TriCitiesCaskFestival.com.
JUNE 16
Truck Stop Concert Series The first of Red Truck Beer’s Truck Stop Concert Series takes place at the East Van brewery, with Coleman Hell, Pickwick, Sam the Astronaut and Aviator Shades performing. Visit RedTruckBeer. com/events for tickets and info.
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The Grandstand: A Craft Beer Experience Part of the Abbotsford Air Show, this beer fest features a dozen B.C. craft breweries, food trucks and prime stadium seating. Tickets include air show admission. AbbotsfordAirShow.com
AUGUST 11
Clover Valley Beer Festival Gibbons Whistler is launching this craft beer festival at the Cloverdale Rodeo & Exhibition Grounds. More than 40 breweries and cideries will be on hand, along with live music and food trucks. Tickets and info at GibbonsWhistler.com. j
THE GROWLER B.C. BREWERS COLLABORATION SERIES
Weiss Weiss Baby dry-hopped weissbeer 5.0 ABV / 20 IBU Summer is here (almost), so we brought together Kelowna’s Kettle River Brewing Co. and Vancouver’s Doan’s Craft Brewing Co. to create something to help us beat the heat. This delicious weissbier is a refreshing West Coast take on the traditional German wheat ale, with a generous dry-hopping of Mandarina Bavaria and Hallertau Blanc hops. Fruity, crisp with a dash of citrus, pine and berries, this beer is the perfect company for the beach and sunshine to come.
Ask for it at your favourite independent liquor store in B.C.
s•
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YEAST
Part 4 of a four-part series exploring the basic building blocks of beer, and how they combine to make something so wonderful. by Jan Zeschky
S
o, after water, grains and hops, we come to the final ingredient we need to make beer: magic.
Snort if you will, but magic—or the divine blessing of “goddisgoode,” God’s good, as it was known in Middle Ages England—really was the secret ingredient for brewers before the age of microbiology. What else could explain the transformation of barley soup into a fizzy, heady beverage of wonder? Today we know this magical/heavenly power is, in fact, a single-cell fungus called yeast—and it’s the ingredient that brewers respect the most. As the well worn adage has it, brewers just make wort; it’s yeast that makes beer, through the process of fermentation. Yeast is everywhere, on everything, floating around, looking for food and a good home like any other organism with common sense. In the creation myth of beer, some wandering yeast came into contact with steeped grains and thousands of generations of mutations later—thanks to natural, then scientific selection—the species and strains for brewing were optimized.
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Today, two species of yeast dominate brewing and give the beer world its two principal families: Saccharomyces cerevisiae is responsible for the diverse range of the world’s ales, while Saccharoymces pastorianus gives us lagers. Their most basic function is to convert the sugars in wort into alcohol and carbon dioxide. But fermentation is much more complex than that. Beer yeast has been isolated into a beard-boggling range of thousands of strains, many of which give definition to beer styles thanks to the particular aromatic and flavour compounds like esters and phenols they produce during fermentation. These can create characteristics such as the peppery bite of saison yeast to the clove note of hefeweizen yeast and the orangey flavours of English strains. But even in the neutral fermentation profiles of the cleanest lagers—which rely on malt and hop flavours—yeast has a profound effect. “Every beer has fermentation character, even when we call it clean,” says Ben Coli, the owner of Dageraad Brewing in Burnaby, whose Belgian-style beer is driven by yeast characteristics.
“If beer wasn’t fermented by yeast—if you could somehow synthesize the barley without the sugars plus alcohol—it wouldn’t taste anything like beer. There are trace elements of thousands of chemicals that the yeast produces: that’s the flavour of beer.” Faced with such choice, brewers have a challenge in selecting the right yeast for their beer. As with many challenges in life, drinking helps.
If you drink a tremendous amount of beer while paying attention, you develop an idea of what [different] yeasts are like.
—Ben Coli, Dageraad Brewing
“It’s all about experience—and by that I mean drinking. If you drink a tremendous amount of beer while paying attention, you develop an idea of what [different] yeasts are like,” says Coli, who settled on the Belgian Ardennes and Chimay varieties as Dageraad’s two house strains. However, anyone making beer has to respect the fact that yeast is a fickle employee. It needs an optimum working environment, in terms of the wort’s temperature and acidity; and it needs to be well fed, with enough oxygen to replicate, enough sugars to feast on and enough minerals to keep it healthy. Change any of these Goldilocks factors and you’ll get different results. Change them significantly and your poor yeast can get stressed out. That’s when it can start producing some unsavoury byproducts: unforgettable odours such as Band-Aids, butter and solvent. “The trick is always getting the good byproducts out of the yeast without enough of the byproducts that makes it bad,” Coli says. Even after fermentation is complete, yeast can provide further flavour through the process of bottle conditioning. A little yeast and sugar is
Without yeast, there would be no beer. While it might be microscopic in size, yeast has a profound effect, producing alcohol and a wide array of flavours. iStock photo
added to each bottle, kickstarting secondary fermentation in the vessel. As well as sealing in all that estery and phenolic deliciousness, bottle conditioning increases a beer’s shelf life as the yeast gobbles up any oxygen that creeps in. Other species of brewing yeast have come to the fore of late, most notably “wild” yeasts (most of which are now propagated in labs) such as Brettanomyces, which inoculate the traditional ales of Belgium such as lambic and saison, and are responsible for their dryness and a distinct, funky, “farmyard” character. (Bacteria can also play a role in these ales; species like Acetobacter, Lactobacillus and Pediococcus that lend sour beers their acidity.) Many different species and strains can even work together in splendid harmony. Mixed-culture beers—usually by Belgian brewers, or brewed in the Belgian style—are some of the most deliciously complex drinks on the planet. It all amounts to some next-level brewing skill that’s well worth further research for the science-inclined. Whether that’s you or not, it’s worth appreciating the microscopic magic that helped create the beer you’re raising to your lips right now. j
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King Gambrinus Meet the real king of beers by Rob Mangelsdorf
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BEERSTORY 101
M
ove over Budweiser, the original King of Beers is back to reclaim his throne. His name is King Gambrinus and he learned how to brew from the Egyptian gods Isis and Osiris. He sold his soul to the devil to become the first mortal brewer, then outdrank the devil when he came to collect. He once drank for three days and three nights at a banquet, and everyone was so impressed, they crowned him king. He lived to be 100 years old and was buried in a beer barrel instead of a coffin. He also likely never existed, but why should we let that get in the way of a good story! If the name Gambrinus rings a bell, that’s because he’s a friggin’ legend. Literally. The story of King Gambrinus begins more than 500 years ago in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium, Netherlands and France. Like many folk heroes, Gambrinus routinely performed incredible feats (of drinking) and was able to out-smart (and out-drink) all who tried to best him. When the brewers of Flanders needed to choose a leader, they decided to hold a race to see who could carry a full barrel of beer the fastest. Gambrinus, being the genius alcoholic that he was, decided to drink it dry before sauntering to the finish line, empty barrel in hand. He was even named the patron saint of beer and brewing, despite not being canonized, because, you know, he didn’t actually exist. Like many folk tales, there is a tiny kernel of truth to the story of King Gambrinus, however. Historians believe the inspiration for the story likely began with a couple of dukes in the Middle Ages. John the Victorious (a.k.a. Jan Primus), the Duke of Brabant, ruled over much of Flanders in the late 13th century and was known for his physical strength, bravery in battle, conquering Limburg (now a Dutch province) and fathering several illegitimate children—all of which greatly impressed his people. Eighty years after John the Victorious died, along came John the Fearless, a duke from nearby Burgundy who inherited the title of Count of Flanders
in 1405. He is credited with first introducing the use of hops in brewing to Flanders, and instituting the Order of the Hops, which recognized exemplary Flemish citizens and celebrated them by getting everyone really, really drunk. Again, this greatly impressed the people of Flanders. One hundred years later, the character of Gambrinus starts to pop up as a folk hero and by now he’s the inventor of beer, possibly a giant, descended from Noah himself and the undisputed greatest drunk of all time. He’s got a big ol’ beer belly, a bushy beard and always has a stupid grin plastered on his face. He’s usually depicted straddling a keg of beer with a stein in hand, kind of like a drunken Santa Claus, handing out good times and alcohol poisoning instead of presents and coal. However, Gambrinus was still pretty obscure until French author Charles Deulin’s 1874 collection of short stories, Contes du roi Cambrinus (Tales of King Cambrinus). In Deulin’s stories, Gambrinus really comes into his own—he outwits the devil, becomes a super badass musician, discovers lager beer and is named both the Duke of Brabant and the Count of Flanders. The popularity of the book, along with its stage adaptation, made Gambrinus somewhat of a household name by the end of the 19th century. Today, the influence of Gambrinus can be seen throughout the beer world. The legendary Pilsner Urquell Brewery in the Czech Republic brews a beer called Gambrinus, dating back to 1869. There’s also the now-defunct Gambrinus Brewing Co. in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Closer to home, Gambrinus Malting in Armstrong, B.C. takes its name from the mythical Flemish folk hero. So let us hoist a pint to this Bacchus of Beer, this Dionysus of Draft. May our own drunken antics be remembered so fondly. Sources: Oxford Companion to Beer, Encyclopedia Britannica, Wikipedia (of course). j
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by Rob Mangelsdorf
H
ere at Growler HQ, we get a lot of questions from readers asking us debunk common misconceptions about beer. We thought we’d address some of the most persistent myths with some help from the top beer minds in B.C.
Draft beer is always better
BUSTED!
Draft beer is better—only sometimes. While it’s true that if you’re drinking a beer style that lends itself to being consumed fresh (like a pilsner or a West Coast pale ale), and you’re drinking it at an establishment that regularly flushes its lines and keeps its taps clean, then draft is preferable—especially if you’re getting it fresh off the serving tanks at the brewery itself. But some beers benefit from cellaring, and an extended stay in a bottle can help smooth out the body and temper harsh tannins. “I’ve had a few beers that need to sit and mellow out, and you just can't do that with draft,” says R&B Brewing’s Lundy Dale. When it comes to draft beer, Dale says the best option is always to get it from the source at the brewery tasting room, as the beer will be freshest
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and it will be served the way the brewery wants it to be. “A secondary source that maintains its lines and understands the beer, like the Alibi Room, is a great place for draft beer,” says Dale. “But [the quality of draft beer] mostly depends on where you get the beer.”
Beer should always be served as cold as possible
BUSTED!
“Coldness is enshrined as one of the most important qualities of beer and the race to the bottom of the thermometer has spawned ice towers and frosty mugs and all kinds of frozen hellish gimmicks,” says Adam Chatburn of Real Cask Ales. “The reason why draft beer is actually served cold is that variations in the dispensing temperature can lead to foaming and therefore beer waste. Foaming will also occur when beer is poured into a frosty mug pulled from a freezer as the ice creates nucleation points.” But how does it affect the flavour of beer? Unfortunately, beer served close to freezing will numb your tongue and prevent you from tasting much of anything, which might be beneficial if you’re pounding back pints of macro swill.
If we let the beer warm slightly we will start to pick up flavours quickly. —Adam Chatburn, Real Cask Ales “If we let the beer warm slightly we will start to pick up flavours quickly,” says Chatburn. “This is very noticeable in darker beers like stouts and porters where subtler flavours like tobacco and chocolate could be missed served ice cold.”
It’s fine to store beer at room temperaturE
BUSTED!
Any beer intended to be consumed fresh should be kept refrigerated to maintain freshness. How fast that freshness fades will depend on how well the beer was packaged and how much the beer's flavour depends on hops. “Beer changes as it ages and the warmer it's stored, the faster those changes happen,” says Dageraad’s Ben Coli. “Some of the changes will never happen at cold temperatures, others will happen very slowly.” Many higher alcohol beers, however, such as barleywines, imperial stouts and big Belgian quadrupels, taste better with age. “Complex processes slowly happen in the beer, with acids combining with various alcohols to form new esters, which can taste rich and fruity,” says Coli. “These processes will happen way faster out of a fridge than in one.” Temperature stability is important: aging beer is better done at cellar temperature (15 C) as opposed to room temperature (22 C).
Import beer is, well, imported
BUSTED!
You might assume that the “import” beer you’re drinking is, in fact, imported from its country of origin, but sometimes that’s not the case. A number of international brands are actually brewed under licence for the Canadian market right here in Canada. Budweiser might be America’s King of Beers, but it’s actually brewed in Creston, B.C., at Labatt’s Columbia Brewery, home of Kokanee. American brands such as Coors Light, Pabst Blue Ribbon and Old Milwaukee are also brewed north of the border. Japanese lager Sapporo is brewed at
the Sleeman Brewery in Guelph, which is owned by Sapporo. Heineken and Beck’s were both at one point brewed here in Canada, but are currently imported from Europe. If you’re curious about where your beer is brewed, all you have to do is look at the label: under B.C. law, labels are required to state where the beer was brewed.
Bottles are better than cans
BUSTED!
Cans offer a ton of advantages for breweries: namely, they’re cheaper than bottles to produce, they’re not as fragile and they’re lighter and therefore cheaper to ship. Cans are also more environmentally friendly (often containing close to 70 per cent recycled aluminum). But how do cans affect the taste of the beer? Scientific testing has found that consumers perceive beer that’s been poured out of a bottle to taste better than canned beer, but in a blind tasting, they couldn’t tell the difference. In fact, cans are better at preserving beer by keeping oxygen and light out, you are less likely to experience off flavours with canned beer. So what’s the downside? Glad you asked. Aluminum beer cans have an epoxy lining that contains BPA, a thyroid-disrupting chemical that has been linked to numerous health issues when consumed in high concentrations. While a very, very small amount of BPA does leach into canned beer, your exposure is roughly equal to breathing in household dust. Let's be honest, you should be way more concerned about what the alcohol is doing to your body. As a result, canned beer shouldn’t be cellared for years on end—which is why most beer that’s suitable for aging is bottled. j
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BC Hop Co
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The Growler's guide to serving beer and food together without looking like a total goof.
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by Rob Mangelsdorf
ompany’s coming, dinner’s almost ready, but you forgot to pop out to the liquor store to grab a bottle of wine. Obviously, you have a fridge stocked full of delicious, local craft beer, so screw it! Who needs wine with dinner? Beer it is! Guess what? Beer is a vastly superior beverage to pair with food than wine. Don’t believe me? Ask Chester Carey, Canada’s first certified cicerone and a sommelier. “Anywhere you can use wine, you can use beer, often to better effect,” he says. “Beer has that bread-like base flavour that works so well with so many different kinds of foods and it’s carbonation and wide variety of flavours also helps. “It’s fairly hard to find food that won’t pair with most beer.” While pairing beer with food is hard to get wrong, with a little practice and knowledge, you can get it
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so right that it elevates your meal and your whole dining experience. Sure, some foods, like pizza and most salty pub grub, can pair with just about any beer—but we’re going deeper. It all comes down to the fundamentals of beer and food pairing, which Carey calls the three Cs: complement, contrast and cutting. Complementing flavours are similar flavours that work well together, such as a fruity beer and fruity dish. Contrasting flavours are pairs of flavours, which while different, can enhance each other, like fat and acidity, salty and sweet or sweet and sour. As for the cutting effect, that refers to beer’s ability to lift spicy or oily flavours off of the tongue and scrub your palate clean, thanks to its carbonation and acidity. So with that in mind, here’s The Growler’s guide to pairing beer and food.
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PILSNER
bourguignon. The notes of dried fruit and spice lend this style to dishes like lamb tajine, while the caramel flavours help enhance rich desserts like Black Forest cake.
Pairs with: bread, seafood, cheese, salty snacks There’s a good reason why sausages and pretzels are staples of European beer halls—they are a natural pairing with a bready pilsner. “Well-brewed pilsners actually have a lot of complexity,” says Carey. “The buttery character of the malt bill can make foods seem richer, while the hop notes will liven up the flavour.” Try rich seafood dishes like caviar or spaghetti alle vongole, or even escargot.
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STOUT
Pairs with: roasted meats, cured meats, seafood, chocolate The bitterness of a dry stout will help temper the saltiness of seafood (like oysters) and cured meats, and let the natural sweetness shine through. Meanwhile, the malt character in stouts pairs well with roasted meats, as well as chocolate.
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INDIA PALE ALE
Pairs with: spicy food, grilled meats, Asian dishes The hop character of IPAs works well with flavours of lemongrass and ginger found in many Asian dishes, especially Thai food. A simple steak grilled on the barbecue and seasoned with cracked pepper will benefit from the acidity of the IPA, “which plays nicely with the fat of the meat,” says Carey.
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WEST COAST PALE ALE
Pairs with: pizza, burgers, grilled meat, apple pie When it comes to “beer-flavoured beer,” Carey says you can’t go wrong with pub classics like burgers and pizza. “Pale ales often have a bready note with some hop complexity that works well with salty, bready foods,” he says.
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WHEAT BEERS
Pairs with: salad, chicken, seafood Wheat beers tend to work well with salads due to their light and slightly sweet character. A Belgian witbier, with its subtle lactic note and citrus, is equally at home next to moules frites as it is a summer salad with bitter greens and goat cheese. A hefeweizen, meanwhile, would work well with a breaded chicken breast.
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ENGLISH MILD
Pairs with: sandwiches, charcuterie, cheese “A simple straight-forward beer that pairs with simple straight-forward food,” says Carey. With its light bready flavours, the mild is the perfect sandwich beer—but we’re not talking about grilled paninis with bell peppers and arugula. Meat, cheese, mustard, bread—simple. Try it with a ploughman’s lunch, a cheese platter or cold meats.
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SOUR ALES
Pairs with: fruit dishes, fatty meat Sour beers are known for their acidity, which Carey says you should use to cut through fatty cuts of meat like duck breast or pork chop. The fruity character in many sour ales lends itself to pairing with fruit-forward dishes and spicy Asian cuisine, not unlike IPAs. j
Cicerone Chester Carey tucks into a full rack of ribs accompanied by a hazy pale ale at Whiskey 6 BBQ in Vancouver. Dan Toulgoet photo
BELGIAN DUBBEL
Pairs with: red meat, North African cuisine, chocolate- and fruit-based desserts Darker Belgian beers, with their rich malty character, are a go-to for any kind of slowcooked red meat, from Irish stew to bœuf
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SUNSHINE COAST, BC
POWELL RIVER
SALTERY BAY EARL’S COVE
SECHELT GIBSONS
VANCOUVER
GIBSONS TAPWORKS Three friends opened this small brewery in Lower Gibsons with the goal of creating a community hub—and they succeeded. The attractive taproom features coastal-inspired decor, local musicians and delicious flatbread pizza. A rooftop patio overlooking the harbour is on track to open July 2018. PERSEPHONE BREWING CO. Persephone is the Sunshine Coast’s farm based brewery and cider house. Partnering with the Community Living Association to employ persons with disabilities, they operate a full scale market garden, orchard and hop yards while reusing composted grain and treated brewery wastewater on the farm. Bring the family and enjoy our award winning beers in the tasting room or outside with some wood fired pizza from Farm to Feast. It doesn’t get much better than this! THE 101 BREWHOUSE + DISTILLERY Previously an auto repair shop, the building has been transformed into a brewery, distillery, lounge and kitchen with a two story dining area and an open garden patio. The 101 offers a diverse array of ales, lagers, spirits, beer cocktails and beer-centric plates bursting with flavour and is quickly becoming a favourite destination for visitors and locals alike.
TOWNSITE BREWING Townsite Brewing makes its home in the original Federal Building of Powell River, an architectural treasure with beautiful Art Deco brickwork built in 1939. In 2012 they opened with devoted support from the local community, and have never looked back. With their newly renovated space carrying 16 beers on tap, including a rotating BC cider and at least one BC Ale Trail guest line—a visit to the original Sunshine Coast brewery is a must. THE BRICKER CIDER COMPANY Based in West Sechelt and located half a kilometre from Grandma Bricker’s original orchard, they are a family owned and operated business serving crisp, dry ciders. Visit their cozy tasting room or hang out in the sunny picnic area at the farm and try their six ciders made from 100% BC grown apples!
Plan Your Trip: www.sunshinecoastcanada.com
C-FAX SANTAS A NON YM OU S
2018 GREAT
CANADIAN
BEER FESTIVAL N O MIN OR S
Fri. Sept. 7, 4pm - 9pm Sat. Sept. 8, Noon - 5pm
VISIT W W W.GCBF.COM OR CALL 250-383-2332
TICKETS ON SALE JUNE 16TH! AVAILABLE ON-LINE ONLY Royal Athletic Park, Victoria
Illustration by Adam Ball: FactorCreative.ca
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T OF OR P P SU
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LOVE F O R U BO
nky t fu ide hustles e g rs rs we h thei e r b t wi B.C. by Brittany Tiplady
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ancouverites, us millennials in particular, love to gripe about the high cost of living in this city; in fact, it’s our favourite topic of conversation. Rent? Astronomical! Gas? Despicable! Dining out? Deplorable! Don’t even get us started on the topic of homeownership and the housing market—pour yourself another beer because we’ll be here all night. The costs of opening a craft brewery in Vancouver can easily exceed $1 million in start-up expenses which, naturally, is a hurdle for many who dream of opening up their own tasting room. In spite of this, young people are becoming increasingly entrepreneurial; it’s as if we are emboldened by the current economic challenges and inspired to revolt. As the proverbial phrase goes: when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. Or in this case, funky, sour, inventive craft beer. For some young B.C. brewers, that means developing their own experimental beer brands as side projects separate from their regular brewing gigs. Because as every millenial knows, these days, you’ve got to have a side hustle. ••• Mixed fermentation and wood-aged beer isn’t something we often see on a tap list. It’s time consuming, tricky and involves a hefty amount of research and tedious microbiology. Ryan Voigt, the head brewer at Port Moody’s Twin Sails,
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has merged his career and passion for mixed fermentation ales into a side brewing project that’s pleasing the palates of craft beer aficionados all over the Lower Mainland. Meet Coalesce Brewing. “Coalesce started here at Twin Sails, supported by ownership,” says Voigt, who’s one half of Coalesce alongside his partner Adrienne Cafe. “These are the styles and types of beers that I’m passionate about that we [at Twin Sails] don’t do regularly. The ownership approached me suggesting that I experiment in the back, and then it snowballed into my own little business supporting Twin Sails as well. I rent the space and the barrels and use their equipment and then I release beers that are complementary to the Twin Sails beers.” Coalesce’s elegant branding is thanks to American designer Tim Skirven, who worked closely with Voigt and Cafe to create the natural and vintage-inspired iconography for the brand’s 375mL bottles and online aesthetic. Coalesce released its first brew in October; a mixed fermentation historical saison called Foreward brewed with oats, spelt malt, raw wheat and hopped with Hallertau Hersbrucker and Saaz and fermented with a diverse culture of yeast and bacteria in oak barrels. “The name represented the foreward in a book; it was the start and my introduction to the beer
and to the public,” explains Voigt. “We wanted to visit the roots of a saison beer and how it would have been brewed in the 1800s or 1900s when sanitation wouldn’t have been as accessible: everything would be done in wood with no stainless tanks with influence of wild yeast and bacteria and brewed with whatever grains they had on the farm.” Coalesce has released six beers since its inception (only 30-40 cases are released of each beer sold at the Twin Sails tasting room), and one most recently in collaboration with Daagerad Brewing. There are three releases left for Coalesce all due to be ready for the public before August, although, the beauty of mixed-fermentation brewing is in the surprise: these ales cannot be tailored to a tight timeline. The process is slow and methodical—it takes anywhere from six to nine months for a beer to come to its final fruition—but it opens the door to a new world of and experimental creativity.
Twin Sails brewer Ryan Voigt collaborated with Burnaby's Dageraad Brewing to create Preamble, a rustic dry-hopped saison, under his Coalesce brand. Rob Mangelsdorf photo
bacteria that are barrel aged and oak-fermented. Stewart rents a small space at Luppolo for his 34 barrels (he’s got a selection of gin, cognac, tequila and wine barrels for blending) and production needs.
•••
“I like making funky, sour beer. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and there’s certainly a lack of barrel-aged beers in our market. Some breweries dabble in sour, funky beers; Luppolo being one of them, and I like to think I have an influence on what we brew here,” says Stewart. “My goal was always to focus on these styles of beers without investing in a full operation and of course, it’s always the end goal to grow and get bigger.”
Coming down the pipeline in East Vancouver is a similar project: Temporal Artisan Ales, a side project spearheaded by Luppolo’s assistant brewer Tristan Stewart.
Temporal got its legs through a crowdfunding campaign last year and is set to release its first batch in the late spring or early summer, for sale at Luppolo in 375mL bottles.
“When blending, you’re really using your palate. If you have beer that’s too acidic and a barrel that’s not acidic enough, maybe if you combine those two you’ll produce a beer that’s balanced. It’s like being a painter,” says Voigt. “You can create a unique beer from a bunch of different components that might not taste good on their own.”
Temporal’s beers are on a similar vein as Coalesce: funky, sour, farmhouse ales comprised of grassy, high-quality malt and a smorgasbord of yeasts and
The common denominator in these projects isn’t so much their similarity in styles but the passion that drives these tedious endeavours. They are more than just passion projects, and these guys are more than just craft beer lovers—these are die-hard craftsmen turned entrepreneurs, juggling full-time jobs with their own more elaborate labours of love. “You’re a partner with the beer, you’re not controlling it. It’s more of a fermentation journey rather than just a process,” says Voigt. “It’s a way of letting go of control and there’s a lot more chance. But within that is the ability to create flavours you wouldn’t be able to a regular scale.” j Luppolo's assistant brewer Tristan Stewart is behind Temporal Artisan Ales, his funky, barrel-aged side project at the East Van brewery. Dan Toulgoet photo
35
RECIPE
Sea to Sky RAD-ler cocktail with Vancouver Craft Beer Week’s 2018 Collaboration Beer, Sea to Sky Double Dry-Hopped Pilsner BY BARTENDER SHAUN LAYTON, BACKCOUNTRY BREWING
I
f you’ve been following the burgeoning cocktail scene in Vancouver over the past decade, there’s a good chance you’ve come across bartender Shaun Layton and his spirited creations. Having managed the bar programs at hotspots like George, L’Abattoir and Juniper, Layton has a well-earned reputation as one of the West Coast’s top cocktailiers. He’s been named Vancouver’s Bartender of the Year by Vancouver Magazine, Westender, Western Living and Georgia Straight, and coming this fall, he’ll be opening his own Spanish-themed bar in Mount Pleasant, Como Taperia.
36
Lately, when he’s not creating cutting edge cocktails, Layton has been exploring the world of craft beer while working at Backcountry Brewing in Squamish. “Learning about and pouring some of the best craft beer in the province has been a humbling and glutinous adventure,” he says. But the worlds of craft beer and cocktails need not be separate, Layton contends. In fact, craft beer is increasingly showing up in summer cocktails—and for good reason.
Bartender Shaun Layton (on right) created the Sea to Sky RAD-ler using local ingredients (above), including Vancouver Craft Beer Week's Double Dry-Hopped Pilsner collaboration beer. When making beer-based cocktails, he says to stay away from booze heavy recipes and instead keep things light and refreshing. Dan Toulgoet photos
“Anything that is floral and full of citrus will naturally pair well with beer,” he says. “Like beer, a beer cocktail should make you want to have more than just one. Stay away from classic style, booze heavy cocktails, and ice lighter ingredients to pair with beer, like gin, vodka or tequila.” Case in point, Layton’s Sea to Sky RAD-ler, made with Vancouver Craft Beer Week’s 2018 collaboration beer, a Double Dry-Hopped Pilsner by Backcountry, North Van’s Beere Brewing and Whistler’s Coast Mountain Brewing. Everything is local in this light and sessionable cocktail— aside from the grapefruit—and it couldn’t be more perfect for patio season. “The citrus punch is balanced by the floral honey, and the amaro gives it a bit of bitterness,” says Layton. “But at the end of the day, the beer is the star.” —Rob Mangelsdorf
I N g r ed i ents • 0.5 oz Gillespie's Fine Spirits Raspberry Gin • 0.5 oz Odd Society Spirits Mia Amata Amaro • 1 oz freshly squeezed grapefruit juice • 1 bar spoon local wildflower honey • 1 can VCBW 2018 Collaboration Double Dry-Hopped Pilsner
d i r ecti o ns 1. Shake ingredients (except beer) over ice in a cocktail shaker. 2. Strain into a chilled pilsner glass. 3. Top with beer, drink, then top with more beer. j
• Vancouver Craft Beer Week runs May 25 to June 3. Visit VancouverCraftBeerWeek.com for tickets and info.
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VANCOUVER
GRANVILLE ISLAND BREWING
1441 Cartwright St. | GIB.ca
MON-THU 12-8PM ^ FRI-SUN 11AM-9PM EST. 1984 Housed under the Granville Street bridge, GIB’s brewery lounge is a cosy spot for some tasters after a hard day’s grazing at the island’s market. On tap are GIB’s tried and true staples and brewmaster Kevin Emms’ small-batch releases, three of which are now available year-round.
WEST COAST FARMHOUSE SAISON W E S T C OA S T S A I S O N Availability: Seasonal ABV
5.9%
IBU
SO-CAL STYLE IPA I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round
36
Styled on a traditional saison and dosed with B.C. hops for a feast of fruit and spice flavours.
ABV
7.8%
IBU
80
A mighty beer that balances big citrus and pine hop notes with a full maltiness.
PACIFIC NORTHWEST PORTER
WEST COAST PALE ALE
P O RT E R Availability: Year-round
PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round
ABV
6.0%
IBU
32
A harmonious blend of roastiness and tingly pine makes for quality quaffery.
ABV
5.5%
IBU
38
All hail the pale ale, the epitome of balanced beer. And all hail this great example.
Right place, right time Sometimes it pays to be in the right place before the right time. When Granville Island Brewing was established in 1984, the surrounding “island”—really a peninsula—was crowded with heavy industry. Today it’s one of Vancouver’s tourism hotspots, making the brewery taproom one of B.C.’s most bustling. 40
Small Batch, unlimited release. Three great Small Batch beers - available all year.
VANCOUVER
STRANGE FELLOWS BREWING
1345 Clark Dr. | StrangeFellowsBrewing.com DAILY 12-11PM EST. 2014 You don’t have to be strange to dig this beer. In a sea of East Van plaid, journeyman brewer Iain Hill’s creations routinely go beyond the ordinary into the realm of the sublime. For access to the latest small batch releases, make sure to sign up for the brewery’s Fellowship program.
KVEIKSTOKKER
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
N O R W E G I A N FA R M H O U S E A L E
GERMAN-STYLE PILSNER
Availability: Seasonal
Availability: Seasonal
ABV
7.0%
IBU
N/A
Hints of marmalade and red apple from the yeast support a malty back bone with a dry finish.
ABV
5.0%
IBU
25
With the earthy character of noble hops, this pilsner drinks bright and clean, with a refreshing finish.
REYNARD OUD BRUIN
FUNKYTOWN III
S O U R B R OW N A L E
B R E T T PA L E A L E
Availability: Seasonal ABV
6.5%
IBU
Availability: Year-round
0
Aged in oak barrels, the conditioning imparts notes of oak, vanilla, chocolate, malt and black cherry.
ABV
5.4%
IBU
20
It’s a hazy and juicy tasting trip through the tropics with this mildly funky pale ale.
Strange days Each month the crew at the Clark Street spot celebrate a “strange day” inspired by superstitions and folklore from around the globe. Like Up Helly Aa, the pagan festival of fire of the Shetland Islands, or Setsubun, the ancient Japanese celebration of the end of winter. We all need more things to celebrate, after all! 42
VANCOUVER
RED TRUCK BEER CO.
295 E. 1st Ave. | RedTruckBeer.com
SUN-WED 11AM-10PM ^ THURS 11AM-11PM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-12AM EST. 2005 While setting up its new brewery in Colorado, Red Truck has also been busy launching new packaging and the Truck Stop summer concert series.
WICKED SMAHT N O RT H E A S T I N D I A PA L E A L E
WILD THING BLACK-BERRY BOURBON ALE A L E
Availability: Seasonal
Availability: Year-round
ABV
6.8%
IBU
43
ABV
Practice your Boston accent while sipping this tasty and hazy IPA. Perfect for the summah!
44
5.8%
IBU
25
This purple beer has a light, tart berry character with a mellow, woody bourbon finish.
5.0% alc./vo alc./vol. / l. 355 mL. beer/ /vo beer/bière eer bière eer/
6.3% 6.3 3 alc./vol. 355 mL. strong ale/ale forte
5.2% alc./vol. 355 mL. beer/bière
5.3% alc./vol. 355 mL. beer/bière
4.8% alc./vol. 355 mL. beer/bière
5.0% alc./vol. 355 mL. beer/bière
VANCOUVER
VANCOUVER
33 ACRES BREWING CO.
ANDINA BREWING CO.
15 W. 8th Ave. | 33AcresBrewing.ca
1507 Powell St. | AndinaBrewing.ca
Beer, coffee, cider, brunch, and sometimes yoga—pick your pleasure. There’s something for everyone at this iconic brewery. Needless to say, we prefer the b33r.
This East Van spot carved out its flavour bringing malts from Chile to serve unique brews alongside the best ceviche in town, complemented by plantain and cassava chips.
33 ACRES OF SUNSHINE
33 ACRES OF ECHO
MONITA
TOTUMA
FRENCH BLANCHE
INDIA SESSION ALE
BLONDE INDIA PA L E A L E
KO L S C H
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 14
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
4.5% 49
VANCOUVER
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
6.5% 60
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
4.5% 22
VANCOUVER
BIG ROCK URBAN BREWERY & EATERY 310 W. 4th Ave. | BigRockBeer.com
BOMBER BREWING CO.
1488 Adanac St. | BomberBrewing.com
Like its namesake, a 16,000-ton rock face in the Prairies, this ever-expanding brewery stands the test of time.
Whether on a summertime cycle tour or your ride home after work, Bomber is the perfect place to pause for refreshment on the Adanac bike route.
BELLY FLOP
PILSNER
PARKLIFE
SKYLINE LAGER
A P R I C OT G R I S E T T E
CZECH-STYLE PILSNER
AMERICAN BLONDE ALE W I T H PA S S I O N F R U I T
HELLES LAGER
Availability: Year-round
Availability: Seasonal
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
3.9% 18
ABV IBU
4.9% 28
ABV IBU
4.5% 15
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 18 45
VANCOUVER
VANCOUVER
BRASSNECK BREWERY
BREWHALL
2148 Main St. | Brassneck.ca
97 E. 2nd Ave. | TapAndBarrel.com
Ever the minimalist, Brassneck is branching out with 500ml cans and 1L “Brasscans” hand filled every few days, and on sale on site only.
Tap and Barrel’s new brew lab will be focusing on collaborations with other B.C. breweries under the able hand of brewmaster Kerry Dyson.
KING MAKER
NEBULOUSNESS
PALE ALE
IPA
EUROPEAN-STYLE PILSNER
I N D I A PA L E A L E
PA L E A L E
I N D I A PA L E A L E
Availability: Small batch ABV IBU
6.0% N/A
Availability: Small batch ABV IBU
7.2% N/A
VANCOUVER
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
Availability: Year-round
4.5% 35
ABV IBU
6.2% 45
VANCOUVER
CALLISTER BREWING CO.
1338 Franklin St. | CallisterBrewing.com
COAL HARBOUR BREWING CO.
1967 Triumph St. | CoalHarbourBrewing.com
A co-op and collaborative concept makes for a constant rotating cast of eclectic European brews straight from the heart of Vancouver’s craft community.
The tasting room is waiting on permits, but in the meantime, check out one of the monthly open houses and sample CHBC’s many new beers.
GOOSED (CALLISTER)
IMMORTAL (MORNINGSTAR)
TINY UMBRELLA
FA R M H O U S E A L E
BELGIAN INDIA PA L E A L E Availability: Small batch
F R U I T I N D I A PA L E A L E
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
46
5.8% 0
ABV IBU
6.7% N/A
SUNRISE GOSE
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
8.2% 16
GOSE Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
3.8% 9
VANCOUVER
VANCOUVER
CRAFT COLLECTIVE BEERWORKS
DOAN’S CRAFT BREWING CO.
1575 Vernon Dr. | CraftCollective.beer
1830 Powell St. | DoansCraftBrewing.com
The former Factory contract brewery has changed its name and its game, producing its own craft beers now. Hopefully a tasting room to sample them is in the works, too!
Arcade games, Lego, local art and delicious, German-inspired craft beer—Doan’s truly does have it all.
SPECTRUM HOT PINK LEMONADE SOUR SOUR ALE
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 8
HAUS LAGER
KÖLSCH
CERVEZA
LAGER
KO L S C H
MEXICAN CERVEZA LAGER
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 17
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 20
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.5% 20
WITH OVER 1,000 CRAFT BEERS TO CHOOSE FROM, YOUR ADVENTURE STARTS HERE
47
VANCOUVER
VANCOUVER
DOCKSIDE BREWING CO.
DOGWOOD BREWING
1253 Johnston St. | DocksideVancouver.com
8284 Sherbrooke St. | DogwoodBrew.com
With Craig Ludtke recently promoted to brewmaster and rebooting the beer list, Dockside is aiming to shed its reputation as Vancouver’s forgotten brewery.
One of three organic breweries in B.C., Claire Wilson’s South Vancouver brewery also uses local ingredients in all of its beers.
OLD BRIDGE DARK LAGER
RAILSPUR IPA
COCONUT CHAI
PA C I F I C N O RT H W E S T I N D I A PA L E A L E
GOLDEN ALE
DUNKEL Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
Availability: Year-round
4.8% 22
ABV IBU
6.1% 65
VANCOUVER
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
SUMMERTIME DRY-HOPPED ISA INDIA SESSION ALE Availability: Seasonal
4.0% 20
ABV IBU
4.3% 30
VANCOUVER
EAST VAN BREWING
1675 Venables St. | EastVanBrewing.com
ELECTRIC BICYCLE BREWING CO.
20 E. 4th Ave. | ElectricBicycleBrewing.com
Not only can you spin your vinyl every Wednesday from 5-10pm, but this urban oasis houses bees on the roof, to brew the Humble Hive Brown Ale.
Vancouver’s newest brewery is a breath of fresh air, promising bold flavours, bright colours, creative beer styles and tasty grilled cheese sandwiches.
ALLEY SHACK IPL
IT’S NO GAME
I N D I A PA L E L A G E R Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
48
4.9% 35
BENCH REST BUCKWHEAT ALE HEFEWEIZEN Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.5% 13
I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Small batch ABV IBU
6.5% 47
NUTHA’ MATE AUZ ALE AUSTRALIAN S PA R K L I N G A L E Availability: Small batch ABV IBU
6.5% 38
VANCOUVER
VANCOUVER
HASTINGS MILL BREWING COMPANY
FACULTY BREWING CO.
1830 Ontario St. | FacultyBrewing.com
403 East Hastings St. | PatsPub.ca
This brewery strives to educate and empower people with craft beer knowledge; it numbers its beers like university courses, and even publishes its recipes online.
The latest chapter of the Patricia Hotel’s storied history involves the feat of squeezing a brewery inside its 1914 frame—and immediately winning a Canadian Brewing Award.
241 MINZEWEIZEN
STAMPS STRAWBERRY HONEY WHEAT ALE
MINT HEFEWEIZEN Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.2% 9
435 AMARILLO H A Z Y PA L E A L E Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.4% 41
W H E AT A L E Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% 14
SKID ROAD IPA I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
6.6% 66
THE BEST SELECTION OF CRAFT BEER IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST! Craft beer is our passion and our specialty. Proudly offering the most sought after domestic & international selections. OPEN 11-11 EVERY DAY. 14th & Main • Free parking around back! • 604-872-3373 • www.brewcreek.ca
49
VANCOUVER
VANCOUVER
LUPPOLO BREWING CO.
1123 Venables St. | LuppoloBrewing.ca
MAIN STREET BREWING CO.
261 E. 7th Ave. | MainStreetBeer.ca
This East Vancouver brewery is proud of its Italian heritage as well as the fact that its ownership and staff are 50 per cent women.
A stalwart of Vancouver’s Brewery Creek area, Main Street balances solid takes on traditional styles with edgy sours. All that plus good food equals a tasting room that’s always full.
NEW WORLD SOUR
GOSE WITH BLACK LIME
CURVEBALL
D RY H O P P E D S O U R
GOSE
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.5% 20
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.4% 10
VANCOUVER
S O U R S A I S O N W I T H G UA VA A N D PA S S I O N F R U I T Availability: One-off ABV IBU
5.0% 15
GIMME SOME MO S M A S H PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.5% 30
VANCOUVER
OFF THE RAIL BREWING
PARALLEL 49 BREWING CO.
1351 Adanac St. | OffTheRailBrewing.com
1950 Triumph St. | Parallel49Brewing.com
Multiple Canadian Brewing Awards tell the story, but the proof is in the pint glass: drop by Off the Rail to taste some delicious beer.
This rapidly expanding brewery has been pivotal in opening Vancouver’s tastebuds to quality beer. The tasting lounge, replete with food truck-based kitchen and experimental taps, is awesome.
RAISING HAZE IPA
TANGERINE HEFE
TRIFECTA
POWER SLIDE
E A S T C OA S T I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Seasonal
HEFEWEIZEN
HOPFEN WEISSE
DOUBLE INDIA PA L E A L E
ABV IBU
50
6.5% 48
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.8% 14
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% 24
Availability: Limited ABV IBU
8.0% 70
VANCOUVER
VANCOUVER
POSTMARK BREWING
POWELL BREWERY
55 Dunlevy Ave. | PostmarkBrewing.com
1357 Powell St. | PowellBeer.com
Postmark’s adjoined restaurant, Belgard Kitchen, might be serving up the best food of any brewery in the province—perfect for pairing with Dominic Giraldes’s beers.
From West Coast styles to east, Powell’s love of the hop is evident in its lupulin-lavish range, but there’s also a healthy stack of barrels bubbling away in the back.
PINEAPPLE ALE
LAZY D’HAZE
ODE TO CITRA
N O RT H E A S T I N D I A PA L E A L E
W E S T C OA S T PA L E A L E
GOLDEN ALE WITH PINEAPPLE
WEST COAST PALE ALE W E S T C OA S T PA L E A L E
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
Availability: Year-round
5.2% 18
ABV IBU
4.8% 38
Think you know BBQ? You don’t know Vancouver’s only Central Texas Smokehouse.
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
7.0% 58
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.5% 35
WE KNOW CRAFT BEER.
Reservations recommended, vegetarians, not so much... Open Wed - Sun @ 5 pm Brunch Sat/Sun 11:30 - 3
337 East Hastings Street 778-379-4770 meatatdixies.com
1218 w. pender st., vancouver • 604.685.1212 coalharbourliquorstore.com 51
VANCOUVER
VANCOUVER
STEAMWORKS BREW PUB
R & B BREWING CO.
54 E. 4th Ave. | RAndBBrewing.com
375 Water St. | Steamworks.com/Brew-Pub
This East Van original has enjoyed a revitalization since opening its Ale & Pizza House. Winning Best IPA at the 2017 B.C. Beer Awards doesn’t hurt.
The best of both brewers: Tony Gratl’s in-house creations are complemented by Steamworks brewmaster Julia Hanlon’s flagship output, as well as great grub and million-dollar views.
SPRUCE TIP IPA
EMPRESS IPA
I N D I A PA L E A L E
I N D I A PA L E A L E
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
VANCOUVER SPECIAL IPA
6.5% 58
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
6.0% 60
VANCOUVER
I N D I A PA L E A L E
OATMEAL STOUT S TO U T
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
Availability: Year-round
5.5% 75
ABV IBU
5.0% 35
VANCOUVER
STORM BREWING LTD.
STRATHCONA BEER CO.
310 Commercial Dr. | StormBrewing.com
895 E. Hastings St. | StrathconaBeer.com
Stop by the brewery to check out their salvaged and upcycled equipment and Brainstorm specialty beers. Now open on Monday afternoons as well!
Vancouver’s oldest residential neighbourhood is home to one of the city’s most modern—and inviting—craft brewery tasting rooms.
HURRICANE
LOVE BUZZ
I N D I A PA L E A L E
I M P E R I A L S TO U T
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
52
BLACK PLAGUE STOUT
7.0% 50
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
8.0% 25
BERLINER WEISSE Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.2% 15
ALL THAT AND THEN SOME PA L E A L E Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.7% 35
VANCOUVER
YALETOWN BREWING CO.
1111 Mainland St. | MJG.ca/Yaletown
A homey craft beer haven in the heart of Vancouver’s swishest district. Bypass the boutiques and head to YBC for pizza, fresh beer and casks. ROUNDHOUSE WHEAT W H E AT A L E Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
4.8% 12
DEVIL’S PORRIDGE OAT STOUT OAT M E A L S TO U T Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.9% 27
is a B.C. craft beer focused pub showing sports on multiple TVs with pinball, foosball and pool. Trivia on Thursdays, Karaoke on Saturdays & Live Comedy on Sunday nights. 395 Kingsway | 604-558-1208 12kingspub.com | @12KingsPub
Home of the bison burger!
1300 Robson Street timbervancouver.com
53
BREWERIES
BREW PUBS
29 Big Ridge 30 Monkey 9
27 White Rock 28 Yellow Dog
58
68
Beach 69 69 66
12 Green Leaf 64 13 Hearthstone 64 14 KPU 61 15 Maple Meadows 62 16 Mariner 61 17 Moody Ales 65 18 Parkside 66 19 Ridge 62 20 Russell 68 21 Silver Valley 62 22 Steamworks 61 23 Steel & Oak 62 24 Trading Post 61 25 Twin Sails 66 26 White Rock
Warlock 68
01 3 Dogs 69 02 Beere 63 03 Black Kettle 63 04 Bridge 64 05 Britannia 66 06 Central City 68 07 Dageraad 56 08 Deep Cove 64 09 Foamers' Folly 65 10 Four Winds 60 11 Fuggles &
W
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RICHMOND
99
99
13 03
99
30
1A
7
10
17
1
99
91
17
7A
20
06
26
WHITE ROCK 01
10
27 99
29
7
17
09
15
10
24
14
LANGLEY
1
7
MAPLE RIDGE
PITT MEADOWS
17 COQUITLAM 18 16 25 28
PORT MOODY
SURREY
07
NEW WEST 23
BURNABY
22
DELTA
91
1
12 02 04 08
NORTH VAN
l ow e r m a in la nd
15 19 21
BURNABY
DAGERAAD BREWING
114 - 3191 Thunderbird Cres. | DageraadBrewing.com MON-WED 12-9PM ^ THU 12-10PM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-10PM SUN 11AM-9PM EST. 2014 Burnaby’s little piece of Belgium boasts a gorgeous two-level tasting room and some of the best Belgian beer on this side of the pond. There’s a very good reason Dageraad continually cleans up at the B.C. Beer Awards.
THE BRIGHT SIDE
BLONDE IPA
TA B L E S A I S O N W I T H L E M O N
B E L G I A N I N D I A PA L E A L E
Availability: Seasonal
Availability: Seasonal
ABV
4.2%
15
IBU
Light and bright and zesty—perfect for outdoor summer sipping.
ABV
7.5%
IBU
35
Dageraad’s first IPA is a complex, fruity Belgian twist on the Northwest style.
BURNABARIAN
ANTWERPEN
BELGIAN SESSION ALE
A B B E Y- S T Y L E T R I P E L
Availability: Year-round
Availability: Year-round
ABV
4.5%
IBU
N/A
A love letter to Dageraad’s hometown, this table beer is light and refreshing with a touch of coriander.
ABV
8.5%
IBU
N/A
Candi sugar and spice and everything nice go into this strong ale, inspired by the Belgian port city.
WHat’s in a name? Last year, Dageraad owner Ben Coli decided to brew a pair of beers named after each of his twins for their first birthday: Louise and Oscar. Louise, a blonde ale, won gold at the 2017 B.C. Beer Awards, no doubt sparking a lifelong sibling rivalry between the two kids. “Oscar won nothing,” says Coli. “So I have some explaining to do to my son.” 56
RICHMOND
MONKEY 9 BREWING CO.
14200 Entertainment Blvd. | Monkey9.ca
MON-THURS 11:30AM-11PM ^ FRI-SAT 11:30AM-12AM SUN 11:30AM-10PM EST. 2017 Located next to Richmond’s Lucky 9 Lanes bowling alley, Monkey 9 has filled the void left by the closing of BRB Brewing Co. three years ago. In addition to craft beer made onsite, the brewpub offers a full menu, complete with delicious wood-fired forno-style pizzas.
BEACHFIRE BLONDE ALE
JAMES BROWN ALE B R OW N A L E
BLONDE ALE Availability: Year-round ABV
5.0%
IBU
Availability: Year-round
20
A sessionable blonde ale with a light maltiness and subtle hopping.
ABV
6.0%
IBU
24
Balanced toffee, nut, caramel and roasted malt flavours in this smooth brown ale.
RED TAIL ALE
HOP MONKEY IPA
RED ALE
I N D I A PA L E A L E
Availability: Year-round ABV
5.0%
IBU
Availability: Year-round
35
Notes of caramel and biscuit, with a citrusy snap from the Cascade, Warrior and Citra hops.
ABV
6.2%
IBU
67
Classic Northwest style IPA with Cascade, Chinook and Citra hops.
Double duty In addition to being Monkey 9’s brewer, Travis Lang was originally hired as the brewery’s graphic designer. After bringing the Monkey 9 team some of his homebrew, they decided Lang should be designing the beers as well. You can try pints of his handiwork for just $5 during happy hour daily from 2-5pm. 58
@monkey9brewing
RICHMOND’S NEWEST
CR A FT B E E R B R E W E R Y
DAILY HAPPY HOUR 2PM - 5PM A L L M O N K E Y 9 P I NTS $ 5 NOW POURING 7 FLAGSHIP BEERS
14200 Entertai n m ent BOU LEVAR D, R ich mon d, BC V6W 1A8
DELTA
FOUR WINDS BREWING
4 - 7355 72nd St. | FourWindsBrewing.ca DAILY 11AM-7PM EST. 2013
The Mills family has collaborated with breweries across the country to keep you coming back with exciting one-offs and award-winning mainstays.
POMONA
VÉLO
S O U R W H E AT A L E
H A Z Y A M E R I C A N PA L E A L E
Availability: Seasonal
Availability: Seasonal
ABV
5.5%
IBU
8
Aged on nectarines in oak barrels, notes of red wine swirl with peach, apricot and a hint of toasted nuts.
60
ABV
4.5%
IBU
45
Fresh lemon juice, coupled with pink Himalayan salt creates a bright burst to quench your thirst.
BURNABY
COQUITLAM
STEAMWORKS BREWING CO.
MARINER BREWING
1100 Lansdowne Dr. | MarinerBrewing.ca
3845 William St. | Steamworks.com
Award-winning brewer Julia Hanlon debuts a new cask creation the last Thursday of every month at Steamworks’ Burnaby tasting room.
Mariner’s new outdoor beer garden is open just in time for summer, and you can bring your dog, too.
TROPICAL TART ALE
VENTURE BLUEBERRY SOUR
W H E AT A L E
YVR ISA INDIA SESSION ALE
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
Availability: Year-round
4.9% 15
ABV IBU
4.4% 40
LANGLEY
SOUR ALE WITH FRUIT Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
HORIZON PALE ALE W E S T C OA S T PA L E A L E Availability: Seasonal
5.0% 5
ABV IBU
5.0% 30
LANGLEY
TRADING POST BREWING
KPU BREWING LAB
20901 Langley Bypass | KPU.ca/Brew
107 - 20120 64th Ave. | TradingPostBrewing.com
Get the inside track on what B.C.’s future brewmasters are dreaming up. Students regularly offer their latest brews for you to try… in the name of research, of course.
It’s all about tradition at Langley’s first locally owned craft brewery with an eatery in Fort Langley and another planned for Abbotsford in the fall.
WIT
BALTIC PORTER
BELGIAN WITBIER
P O RT E R
RASPBERRY WHEAT ALE
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% N/A
F R U I T W H E AT B E E R Availability: Small batch ABV IBU
6.0% N/A
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
7.5% 70
WHITE IPA I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
6.6% 27 61
MAPLE RIDGE
MAPLE RIDGE
MAPLE MEADOWS BREWING CO.
RIDGE BREWING CO.
22826 Dewdney Trunk Rd. | RidgeBrewing.com
22775 Dewdney Trunk Rd. | MapleMeadowsBrewingCo.com
Homebrewer turned craft connoisseur Carlo Baroccio didn’t just open a brewery—he started a movement. Out in Maple Ridge, he’s now one of three craft breweries.
Ridge is celebrating three years of open mic nights, tap takeovers, collaboration beers and tasty brews. With 12 taps for tasters and growler fills.
HOPPY MEADOWS IPA
WEST COAST PALE ALE
LET THE BEAT…
I N D I A PA L E A L E
PA L E A L E
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
Availability: Seasonal
6.2% 72
ABV IBU
5.6% 35
MAPLE RIDGE
HOPPY SESSION ALE
BAT OUT OF HELLES HELLES BOCK
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
Availability: Seasonal
4.2% 22
ABV IBU
6.7% 20
NEW WEST
SILVER VALLEY BREWING
STEEL & OAK BREWING CO.
#101 - 11952 224 St. | SilverValleyBrewing.com
1319 3rd Ave. | SteelAndOak.ca
If you can’t make it to this family-owned brewery in downtown Maple Ridge, they’ll be at the Haney Farmers’ Market every Saturday this summer.
Plans for 2018 at this iconic New West brewery include an expanded tasting room capacity, more IPAs, and lots of beer releases in cans.
JETPACKS WAS YES
CRUSH
SIMPLE THINGS
H A Z Y PA L E A L E
GERMAN PILSNER
W E S T C OA S T I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
62
6.5% 60
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
6.0% 35
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 42
WEEKEND PLANS TA RT PA L E A L E Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
3.9% 10
NORTH VAN
NORTH VAN
BEERE BREWING COMPANY
BLACK KETTLE BREWING
312 E. Esplanade | BeereBrewing.com
106 -720 Copping St. | BlackKettleBrewing.com
With a name like that, Matt Beere was destined to brew. Watch out for new canned releases all summer long.
Tucked away in an industrial park near the North Van waterfront, this neighbourhood favourite is always packed come quitting time.
FANNY PACK
GRUMPY UNICORN
THIRSTY DRAGON
I N D I A PA L E A L E
PA L E A L E
WEISSE GRIP
N O RT H E A S T I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
7.3% 50
BERLINER WEISSE WITH R H U BA R B Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% 8
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
6.4% 50
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.4% 40
63
NORTH VAN
NORTH VAN
BRIDGE BREWING CO.
1448 Charlotte Rd. | BridgeBrewing.com
DEEP COVE BREWERS AND DISTILLERS
170 - 2270 Dollarton Hwy. | DeepCoveCraft.com
North Van’s first brewery of the craft beer era is now blazing a trail in sustainability, pursuing a zero-waste agenda to admirable effect. Beer’s pretty darn good, too.
Deep Cove will be celebrating their fifth anniversary in late August—be on the lookout for their first whisky and a special anniversary beer.
LEMON GIN SAISON
SIDE CUT IPA
PICNIC
N O RT H E A S T I N D I A PA L E A L E
S TO N E F R U I T PA L E A L E
SAISON Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
Availability: Year-round
5.5% 24
ABV IBU
7.3% 59
NORTH VAN
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.7% 35
DRY-HOPPED GOSE GOSE Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.2% 12
NORTH VAN
GREEN LEAF BREWING CO.
HEARTHSTONE BREWERY
123 Carrie Cates Crt. | GreenLeafBrew.com
1015 Marine Dr. | HearthstoneBrewery.ca
Green Leaf ’s new extended patio at Lonsdale Quay is now open, so grab a flight of fruity kettle sours and enjoy the sunshine.
New brews and a new patio to enjoy them on, Hearthstone is your new favourite Lower Mainland spot you haven’t tried yet.
CHERRY SOUR
PIE HOLE PALE ALE
SUNNY SPELLS IPA
PA L E A L E
I N D I A PA L E A L E
KETTLE SOUR ALE Availability: Small batch ABV IBU
64
5.4% N/A
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.6% 35
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
6.0% 65
TRAIL MIX ALE ENGLISH MILD ALE Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% 18
PITT MEADOWS
PORT MOODY
FOAMERS’ FOLLY BREWING CO.
MOODY ALES
2601 Murray St. | MoodyAles.com
19221 122A Ave. | FoamersFolly.ca
Foamers is already one of B.C.’s most inventive breweries, with two separate brewhouses easily filling all 20 tasting room taps—and now it’s starting a barrel program.
The western terminus of the Murray Street brewery crawl is both a great place to whet appetites for the beer odyssey ahead, or bring it to a flavour-packed conclusion.
LIONHEAD
NEW ZEALAND DRY-HOPPED PILS
SUBLIME PINEAPPLE HEFE
PILSNER
HEFEWEIZEN Availability: Seasonal
GOSE/GRUIT HYBRID Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.5% N/A
Availability: Small batch ABV IBU
5.3% 40
ABV IBU
VIENNA AMBER LAGER LAGER
4.8% 16
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.5% 19
PROUDLY SERVING
100% LOCAL CRAFT ON TAP
For more info visit whitespot.ca ACKROYD 5880 NO. 3 RD 604.273.3699
BROADWAY & LARCH 2518 W. BROADWAY 604.731.2434
DUNSMUIR & HOMER 405 DUNSMUIR ST 604.899.6072
GEORGIA & CARDERO 1616 W. GEORGIA ST 604.681.8034
OAKRIDGE CENTRE 41ST & CAMBIE 604.261.2820
65
PORT MOODY
PORT MOODY
THE PARKSIDE BREWERY
TWIN SAILS BREWING
2731 Murray St. | TheParksideBrewery.com
2821 Murray St. | TwinSailsBrewing.com
After two years in, Parkside has it all going on: the beer is dialed in and the patio is one of the best summer spots around.
Your local purveyor of all things hop-forward, Twin Sails produced 50 different beers in 2017— and is aiming to beat that in 2018.
DIM WIT
SINGLE WHAMMY
BACK TO BASICS
I N D I A PA L E A L E
D RY- H O P P E D L A G E R
BELGIAN WITBIER Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.8% 16
HUMANS: AN IPA FOR THE PEOPLE I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
Availability: Year-round
6.3% 35
PORT MOODY
ABV IBU
6.5% 56
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.2% 22
RICHMOND
YELLOW DOG BREWING CO.
BRITANNIA BREWING CO.
1 - 2817 Murray St. | YellowDogBrew.com
110-12500 Horseshoe Way | BBCO.ca
Yellow Dog seems to love collaborating with other breweries, whether it’s their neighbours on Brewers Row or their pals at Dageraad, Powell and Steel & Oak.
Summertime in Steveston is ideally spent on a patio with delicious craft beer and food. Britannia’s taproom and restaurant has you covered in all of those areas.
BEACH DOG
HIGH FIVE
COCONUT HAZY INDIA PA L E A L E
H A Z Y I N D I A PA L E A L E
SEA MAIDEN WATERMELON SOUR
CREWSEEKER (COLLAB WITH FOUR WINDS)
SOUR ALE
OA K - A G E D W I L D S A I S O N Availability: Seasonal
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
66
7.0% 40
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
7.0% 50
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.5% 3
ABV IBU
5.5% 15
CUSTOM BANNERS 4’ x 8’ 10’ x 3’
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$225 $225
Build WITH
CUSTOM PROMO PRODUCTS TENT
14ft high
frame & canopy + bag $275
Double sided walls
FEATHER FLAGS
Double sided fabric with any amount of colours. Inc: bag, poles, indoor stand + outdoor stand
Custom TABLE COVERS
Six Feet Eight Feet
$225 $275
start NOW
$999 $225
RICHMOND
SURREY
FUGGLES & WARLOCK CRAFTWORKS
BIG RIDGE BREWING CO.
5580 152 St. | MJG.ca/Big-Ridge
103-11220 Horseshoe Way | FugglesWarlock.com
Ready player one? Drag your console-playing carcass out of your parents’ basement and play some games at F&W instead. The beer is infinitely better than your parents’, too.
A brewpub serving Surrey since 1999, Big Ridge features three year-round beers and a variety of seasonal offerings. Now available in cans!
GIN & LIME PILSNER
KIWAMI PLUM SOUR
RODEO RED ALE
PILSNER
SOUR ALE
RED ALE
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
Availability: Year-round
5.3% 25
ABV IBU
6.3% 7
SURREY
CLOVER IPA I N D I A PA L E A L E
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
Availability: Year-round
5.0% 14
ABV IBU
6.5% 65
SURREY
CENTRAL CITY BREWERS + DISTILLERS
RUSSELL BREWING CO.
11411 Bridgeview Dr. | CentralCityBrewing.com
202 - 13018 80th Ave. | RussellBeer.com
Celebrating 15 years with a June 9 open house, you can also enjoy their Across the Nation collaboration beers at the brewery and brewpubs this summer.
We’re still waiting for that tasting room—but in the meantime, Russell is putting out an impressive range of styles that frequently hit the mark.
RED RACER RUBY SUNSET
BELGIAN SAISON
KETTLE SOUR WITH P O M E G R A N AT E Availability: One-off ABV IBU
68
6.0% 17
COAST 2 COAST ANCIENT GRAIN SAISON SAISON
Availability: One-off ABV IBU
6.6% 22
DAZY HAZY DOUBLE INDIA PA L E A L E
BELGIAN SAISON Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.8% 34
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
8.5% 46
SURREY
WHITE ROCK
WHITE ROCK BREWING
3 DOGS BREWING
13 - 3033 King George Blvd. | WhiteRockBrewing.ca
15214 North Bluff Rd. | 3DogsBrewing.com
After operating a U-Brew next door since 1994, the owners opened this nano-brewery in 2015. The tasting room is conveniently located just off Highway 99.
A brewery and tasting lounge with 11 taps and plenty of community vibes. A great spot for a post-beach beer.
WHITE ROCK MOUNTAIN ALE
U-13
OLD YELLAR
S.P.C.A.
W H I T E I N D I A PA L E A L E
D O U B L E I N D I A PA L E ALE
S P R U C E T I P C OA S TA L PA L E A L E
AMBER ALE Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
Availability: Seasonal
5.0% 33
ABV IBU
6.3% 69
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
8.7% 90
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
6.3% 67
WHITE ROCK
WHITE ROCK BEACH BEER CO.
15181 Russell Ave. | WhiteRockBeachBeer.com
Handmade high quality wooden crates We specialize in store display and home décor, custom branding and display solutions. Start your own bike gang or join ours! Flying Frenchman bike crates available at a bike shop near you.
Now with a bigger brewhouse to keep up with Beach Beer-goers demands, Peter Adams’ and Bill Haddow’s hobby brewery has become something of a White Rock landmark. EAST BEACH
OXFORD HILL
A M E R I C A N B R OW N A L E
HEFEWEIZEN
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 32
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.0% 10
cumberlandcratecompany.com 69
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Angus burgers, gluten free hot dogs made from premium meat and spices, & award-winning sausages, all handcrafted by our butcher team. Much like craft beer, we believe that our locally raised, gourmet meats are
leppfarmmarket.com 33955 Clayburn Rd. 604.851.5377 Abbotsford, BC
70
E
We are Northwest Hop Farms—a full-service hop farm and hop distribution company based in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. From our family farm in Chilliwack, we harvest, package, and ship hops to 17 countries worldwide. In addition to our own hops, we partner up with the best farmers in B.C., U.S.A., and around the world, to offer over 180 varieties of quality hops to the brewing industry. Our mission is to raise the profile of our many partner farmers in the area, as well as to promote the resurgence of hop farming in British Columbia. We are incredibly passionate about hops and the craft brewing industry and we are excited to share our passion with you!
NORTHWEST HOP FARMS Chilliwack, B.C. 604-845-7974 • sales@northwesthopfarms.com www.northwesthopfarms.com
MISSION
MISSION SPRINGS BREWING COMPANY
7160 Oliver St. | MissionSprings.ca
MON-SAT 11AM-10PM ^ SUN 10AM-10PM EST. 1996 It’s always been this Fraser Valley’s brewhouse’s mission to keep up the never-ending search for the perfect pint, something they know a bit about after 22 years in the business. Drop in to see what’s pouring from the rotating sour taps.
WHITE OWL PALE ALE
FRASER VALLEY IPA D RY- H O P P E D I N D I A PA L E A L E
PA L E A L E Availability: Seasonal ABV
5.5%
IBU
Availability: Seasonal
20
Centennial, Cascade, and El Dorado hops bring pine and citrus to this light and creamy white pale.
ABV
4.6%
IBU
20
Bold citrus, floral and pine provide a big mouth feel as the malt takes a backseat to bursting hops.
TOP KNOT IPA I N D I A PA L E A L E
CRANBERRY GINGER RADLER
Availability: Seasonal
RADLER Availability: Seasonal
ABV
6.5%
IBU
70
Light in body, but big in flavour, it starts fruity, but ends with a floral feel with hints of bergamot.
ABV
3.0%
IBU
0
Cranberries and white grape juice meets a ginger infusion for a refreshing zing.
Fill ‘er up! No game? No problem! Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 5-9pm you can still find a full stock of eats at Mission Springs’ Tailgate Buffet, perfect to wash down with a signature brew. Make sure to save room for brunch on Sundays, from 10am-2pm.
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TAILGATE EVERY FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY ALL YOU CAN EAT . 5-9 PM
$18 ADULTS // $11 KIDS
$4
Happy Hour, Beer & Wine Specials
UFC, PPV & prizes!
7160 Oliver Street, MIssion • 604.820.4192
missionsprings.ca
ABBOTSFORD
ABBOTSFORD
FIELD HOUSE BREWING CO.
RAVENS BREWING CO.
2281 West Railway St. | FieldHouseBrewing.com
2485 Townline Rd. | Ravens.beer
With three new white oak foeders to age wild and sour beers, these guys will also host a sour beer and music festival in August.
Commited to working with local growers to source ingredients for its beers, Ravens’s efforts paid off with a gold medal at the recent World Beer Cup.
CUVEE BLANC FOEDER BEER
IBU
CORVUS LINGONBERRY LIME GOSE
PILSNER
Availability: One-off ABV
SUMMER PILSNER
8.5% 13
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
GOSE
Availability: Seasonal
5.0% 14
ALDERGROVE
ABV IBU
4.8% 10
RASPBERRY HEFEWEIZEN FRUIT HEFEWEIZEN Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% 15
CHILLIWACK
DEAD FROG BREWERY
1 - 27272 Gloucester Way | DeadFrog.ca
CHAOS & SOLACE CRAFT BREWING CO.
1 - 9360 Mill St. | ChaosAndSolace.com
Dead Frog is moving into a new facility just off Highway 1 in Langley later this year, which will feature a big tasting room with indoor and outdoor seating.
Honest beer for honest people who make an honest living, but still think outside the box, forging their way into the future of craft beer one local ingredient at a time.
MOSCOW MULE LIME & GINGER WHITE ALE
BLUEBERRY BLAST KETTLE SOUR
GRAPEFRUIT RADLER
LAKESIDE HEFE-WEISSE
WHITE ALE Availability: Seasonal
KETTLE SOUR Availability: Seasonal
RADLER
HEFEWEIZEN
ABV IBU
74
5.0% 11
ABV IBU
5.9% 5
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
3.5% 8
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 15
CHILLIWACK
OLD YALE BREWING CO.
404 - 44550 South Sumas Rd. | OldYaleBrewing.com
Old Yale makes good beer, and throws even better parties, now that they’ve partnered with Curly Kale Eatery in Chilliwack for tasty, hand-picked eats. MOON DANCE MANGO WHEAT ALE W H E AT A L E Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 10
KNOTTY BLONDE ALE BLONDE ALE Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 15
Thinking about starting your own brewery? Need a great supplier for your existing brewery? BREWERY EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES
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The 101 A-Frame Backcountry Coast Mountain
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Follow us! @THEGROWLERBC 76
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GIBSONS
GIBSONS
THE 101 BREWHOUSE + DISTILLERY
GIBSONS TAPWORKS
537 Cruice Lane | GibsonsTapworks.com
1009 Gibsons Way | The101.ca
Hand crafted vodka and gin, a full kitchen, a patio, live music, bingo, and a brewhouse—the 101 in picturesque Gibsons has it all.
This brewery’s new rooftop patio will be the perfect summer spot to sip one of its small-batch creations and enjoy a tasty snack.
HEFEWEIZEN
STORMRIDER
HEFEWEIZEN
PA L E A L E
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
WHALE TAIL PALE ALE
5.5% 15
N O RT H E A S T I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.6% 30
GIBSONS
ABV IBU
6.1% 62
ONE SAILING WAIT I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
6.9% 54
PEMBERTON
PERSEPHONE BREWING CO.
1053 Stewart Rd. | PersephoneBrewing.com
PEMBERTON BREWING CO.
1936 Stonecutter Pl. | PembertonBrewing.ca
Celebrating their fifth anniversary with the Tough Kegger on Aug. 19—a rugged seven km adventure race in teams of four carrying a full 20L keg!
The Pemberton Valley has long been a hopgrowing hotbed so it’s only natural it should get its own brewery, too.
KELLER PILSNER
AMARILLO PILSNER
PLOWHAND PALE ALE
PILSNER
AMERICAN PILSNER
PA L E A L E
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% 33
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% 25
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.3% 35
LONG ROAD IPA I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
7.2% 51 77
POWELL RIVER
SQUAMISH
A-FRAME BREWING CO.
TOWNSITE BREWING
5824 Ash Ave. | TownsiteBrewing.com
38927 Queens Way | AFrameBrewing.com
The first brewery to join the B.C. Ale Trail, Townsite is now part of the Brewers Coast, a collective of breweries and cideries on the Sunshine Coast.
Take a seat on A-Frame’s beautiful year-round patio, where you can enjoy majestic Squamish views while quaffing beers named after local lakes.
7800 SAISON
QUARTZ
SAISON
WILD ALE
OKANAGAN LAKE CREAM ALE
BOYA LAKE SUMMER WHEAT ALE
CREAM ALE Availability: Year-round
A M E R I C A N W H E AT A L E Availability: Seasonal
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
Availability: One-off
6.5% 28
ABV IBU
6.2% 8
SQUAMISH
ABV IBU
5.0% 15
ABV IBU
4.8% 20
SQUAMISH
BACKCOUNTRY BREWING
HOWE SOUND BREWING CO.
#405-1201 Commercial Way | BackcountryBrewing.com
37801 Cleveland Ave. | HoweSound.com
The recipe for seeing your friends all the time: Open an award-winning brewery with four of your besties! Now open daily at noon.
The ever-evolving Squampton hot-spot now boasts a menu with a variety of vegan options, a regular Hoppy Hour, and all your old faves on tap alongside constant new brews.
WIDOWMAKER
TRAILBREAKER
E A S T C OA S T I N D I A PA L E A L E
A M E R I C A N PA L E A L E
SUPER JUPITER MANGO ISA
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
78
6.7% 50
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 35
INDIA SESSION ALE Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.5% 25
JAM SESSION RASPBERRY CREAM ALE CREAM ALE Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% 15
WHISTLER
WHISTLER
COAST MOUNTAIN BREWING CO.
BREWHOUSE HIGH MOUNTAIN BREWING
4355 Blackcomb Way | MJG.ca/BrewHouse
Unit 2 1212 Alpha Lake Rd. | CoastMountainBeer.ca
Located right next to the Olympic Plaza in Whistler Village, this food-focused brewpub is a must-visit any time of year.
Skip the gondolas and single-track: a visit to Coast Mountain for a few jars of Kevin Winter’s superb beer is worth the journey alone.
VIENNA LAGER
WITBIER
VIENNA LAGER
WITBIER
JUICE BOX SOUR WIT
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.2% 20
FORECAST WEST COAST PALE ALE
SOUR WITBIER Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% 8
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.3% 10
W E S T C OA S T PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.6% 35
WHISTLER
WHISTLER BREWING CO.
WHEN YOU WANNA KNOW WHERE THE COLD BEER GO.
1045 Millar Creek Rd. | WhistlerBeer.com
Boasting Whistler-grown hops in some of their beers and live music every Friday, Whistler Brewing is just a quick jaunt from the Village. PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
DOS ESQUELITOS
W H E AT A L E
MEXICAN-STYLE LAGER
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% 15
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% 21 79
Gr eat e r V IC T O RIA & G u lf I s lan d s 06
MAYNE ISLAND
N W
E 07
SALT SPRING ISLAND 1
04
SAANICHTON 17a
17
10 1
02
01 1A
03
14
08
BREWERIES 01 02 03 04 05 06
4 Mile Axe & Barrel Bad Dog Category 12 Lighthouse Mayne Island
80
91 90 90 84 89 90
07 08 09 10
05
11
VICTORIA
09
SOOKE
SAANICH
Salt Spring Island Sooke Sooke Oceanside Twa Dogs
90 91 91 86
BREW PUBS 11 Spinnakers
88
v I C t O RI A
1A
03
05
ST
04 Phillips 88 05 Vancouver Island 82
QUE ENS AVE
04
HA RB
RD
O UR RD
Bard & Banker The Churchill The Drake Eatery Garrick’s Head The Guild Irish Times Smiths Yates Street
HERALD ST
07
10
K
IM
TA
PA ND OR
R
D
A AV E
12
JO H N
15
08
Water Taxis
V IE W
14
FORT
COUR
va n c o u v e r I sl a n d 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14
Beach Fire Cumberland Forbidden Gladstone Longwood LoveShack Mount Arrowsmith Red Arrow Riot Small Block Tofino Twin City White Sails Wolf
92 93 92 92 94 95 95 93 92 93 95 95 94 94
BREW PUBS 15 Craig Street 16 Longwood
TN E Y
ST
ST
ST
ST
ST
19
CAMPBELL RIVER
BREWERIES
SON
YATE S
LA S ST
lEGENd
11
13 09
DOUG
W HA RF ST
08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15
06
BAY HW Y
EE
tAP ROOMS
RD
VICTORIA
STORE ST
TY
87 89
17
PATR IC IA
BREW PUBS
WILSON ST
06 Canoe 07 Swans
E
ST
B AY
W 1
QU AD RA
88
N
TRANS-CA NADA HWY
Water
GE
87 88
SKINNE R ST
ST
01 Driftwood 02 Hoyne 03 Moon Under
B R ID
BREWERIES
D
GOVERNME NT ST
02 01
ST AV ID
N
01
W
E
03 04
COURTENAY CUMBERLAND 02 19
QUALICUM 06
07 PARKSVILLE
12 11
TOFINO
PORT ALBERNI
16
05 13 14
NANAIMO 19
CHEMAINUS
09
93 94
15
DUNCAN 08
10
14
17
VICTORIA
VANCOUVER ISLAND BREWERY
2330 Government St. | VanIslandBrewery.com TUES-THU 11AM-6PM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-7PM EST. 1984 After misfiring on its rebrand attempt last year, Victoria’s oldest production brewery is reloading with a new look. It promises to listen to its customers more, and will return to its roots by embracing Vancouver Island culture and bringing back some old favourites. The beer, however, has never been in doubt.
BROKEN ISLANDS
UKIDAMA
H A Z Y I N D I A PA L E A L E
LY C H E E A N D Y U Z U S A I S O N
Availability: Year-round ABV
6.5%
IBU
57
Citrusy, fresh and juicy, this should be a big hit for VIB this summer.
Availability: Seasonal ABV
4.5%
IBU
This session saison features a unique marriage of Asian fruits and peppery Belgian yeast.
TWISTED STALK
FALLER
B L A C K B E R RY H E L L E S
N O RT H W E S T PA L E A L E
Availability: Seasonal ABV
5.0%
IBU
18
Availability: Year-round
15
VIB’s brewery setup is ideally suited for lagers so you know this one tastes good.
ABV
5.0%
IBU
35
A new hoppy pale ale to balance out the more traditional Piper’s brand.
WHat’s in a name? One of the first three B.C. microbreweries that opened way back in 1984 (along with Spinnakers and Granville Island), VIB’s original name was Island Pacific Brewing and it was located in Saanichton. The name was changed in 1991 and the brewery moved to downtown Victoria a few years later. 82
VICTORIA
CATEGORY 12 BREWING
Unit C - 2200 Keating Cross Rd. | Category12Beer.com MON-SAT 12-6PM ^ SUN 12-4PM EST. 2016 As any beer lover knows, C12’s location halfway between the ferry terminal and downtown Victoria is always worth the effort because the tasting room vibe is welcoming and, most importantly, the beers are exceptional across the board.
DRY HOPPED SOUR
HIATUS
SOUR ALE
C U C U M B E R L E M O N FA R M H O U S E A L E
Availability: Seasonal ABV
5.0%
IBU
Availability: Seasonal
0
This beer is soured with a mixed Lactobacillus culture and fermented with Saccharomyces trois yeast.
ABV
5.0%
IBU
Now available in tall cans, this unique and unusual beer is the ideal summer refresher.
AMBER LAGER
WILD IPA
LAGER
I N D I A PA L E A L E
Availability: Small batch ABV
4.8%
IBU
30
Category 12’s first lager, look for it at the brewery and in cans.
16
Availability: Year-round ABV
6.9%
IBU
68
Sacc trois yeast and experimental hops result in delicious waves of fruit, citrus and spice.
It’s a brewtiful thing Once upon a time, C12’s co-founder Karen Kuzyk was a devoted wine drinker. One fateful day she tasted a Belgian tripel-style beer her husband Michael had homebrewed... and then asked for more. Years later, when he proposed they open a brewery, she agreed—as long as he kept brewing Belgian beer. 84
SAANICH
TWA DOGS BREWERY AT VICTORIA CALEDONIAN
761 Enterprise Cres. | VCaledonian.com
MON-WED 12-7PM ^ THU-SAT 11AM-8PM ^ SUN 12-7PM EST. 2016 With beer names inspired by the works of Robbie Burns, this brewery is adding a little Scottish flair to the Victoria brewing scene.
CLOUD CHAMBER DIPA D O U B L E I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Seasonal ABV
8.6%
IBU
N/A
This one is all about the Azacca hops with huge flavours of tropical passion fruit and guava.
86
SILVER FLOOD BELGIAN WITBIER Availability: Year-round ABV
5.0%
IBU
12
This classic wit is as refreshing as the cold waters of the River Tweed its name references.
VICTORIA
VICTORIA
CANOE BREWPUB
DRIFTWOOD BREWERY
450 Swift St. | CanoeBrewpub.com
450 Hillside Ave. | DriftwoodBeer.com
With a German- and West Coast-focused beer list and a varied menu that relies on local suppliers, there’s something to float everyone’s boat here.
Not just purveyors of fine beers, Driftwood is also renowned for the striking artwork on their labels and new growler design.
WEST COAST
AMBER
PA L E A L E
AMBER ALE
TWENTY POUNDER
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 16
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.5% 14
ARCUS PILSNER
DOUBLE INDIA PA L E A L E Availability: Limited ABV IBU
5.0% N/A
GERMAN PILSNER Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 37
GrimmsFineFoods.com 87
VICTORIA
VICTORIA
HOYNE BREWING CO.
101-2740 Bridge St. | HoyneBrewing.ca
MOON UNDER WATER BREWERY
350B Bay St. | MoonUnderWater.ca
Stop in for a flight of beer to donate to Hoyne’s local charity of the month—the brewery matches all donations collected.
Classic European styles, cutting-edge New World craft beers, barrel-aged sours, great food, a fun vibe, and now a distillery. The Moon just keeps getting better!
ALPHA ACID
DIME BAG
I N D I A PA L E A L E
SUMMER HAZE HONEY WHEAT HEFEWEIZEN
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
Availability: Seasonal
6.3% N/A
ABV IBU
Availability: Seasonal
5.2% N/A
VICTORIA
FARMHOUSE GRUIT
SOUR KEY BRETT I N D I A PA L E A L E
C R A N B E R RY A N D R O S E M A RY G R U I T Availability: One-off
ABV 6.66% IBU 40
ABV IBU
9.0% 00
VICTORIA
PHILLIPS BREWING & MALTING CO.
SPINNAKERS BREWPUB
2010 Government St. | PhillipsBeer.com
308 Catharine St. | Spinnakers.com
HOPoxia returns to the Phillips Backyard this June, but in the meantime, there’s a brand new taproom waiting to be christened with exclusive experimental brews.
It’s always been a family affair for the Hadfields, who this year will celebrate 34 years in the hops, with their 7,000th brew out in late summer.
TIGER SHARK
RASPBERRY WHEAT
SWIFTSURE AMBER ALE
TOUR DE KOLSCH
FRUIT BEER
AMBER ALE
KO L S C H
C I T R A PA L E A L E Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
88
4.7% 30
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% 15
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.5% 25
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.8% 17
VICTORIA
ESQUIMALT
LIGHTHOUSE BREWING CO.
SWANS BREWPUB
506 Pandora Ave. | SwansHotel.com
2-836 Devonshire Rd. | LighthouseBrewing.com
Often one of the forgotten pioneers of modern B.C. beer, Swans’ output has been given fresh impetus recently thanks to the work of awardwinning head brewer Chris Lukie.
You’ll be able to check out Lighthouse’s newly renovated tap room at their 20th Anniversary Block Party BBQ at the brewery on Aug. 17.
HOPMOSPHERE IPA
LIGHTHOUSE 20TH ANNIVERSARY
H A Z Y I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: One-off ABV IBU
7.0% 78
PEPPER BLOND SPICED AMERICAN BLONDE Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
3.7% 27
CITRUS SHORE SESSION ALE
N E W WO R L D W I T B I E R Availability: Small batch ABV IBU
5.3% 18
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
4.6% 14
“We were somewhere around the Gila River, on the edge of the desert, when the Gose began to take hold.”
Local.Beer.Here.
BLE ILA ! A V A NOW
GiLa GoSe
W I TH ORANGE | 4.4% ABV
473mL can
777 courtney st victoria bc smithspub.com
350 BAY ST, VICTORIA • MOONUNDERWATER.CA
89
LANGFORD
MAYNE ISLAND
MAYNE ISLAND BREWING CO.
AXE AND BARREL BREWING CO.
2323 Millstream Ave. | AxeAndBarrel.com
490 Fernhill Rd. | MayneIslandBrewingCo.com
You’ve got two options at this West Shore brewery: samplers and growler fills in the tasting room or food and beer in the neighbouring pub.
Put this brewery on your summer travel bucket list, but be warned: you might never want to leave this island paradise! Open Fridays and Saturdays only.
WEST SHORE IPA
J-POD KOLSCH
ENGLISH IPA
KO L S C H
I N D I A PA L E A L E
I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
6.8% 75
FRUITY MOTHER PUCKER FRUIT BEER Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.5% 12
SALT SPRING
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
Availability: Year-round
4.5% N/A
ABV IBU
6.2% N/A
SOOKE
SALT SPRING ISLAND ALES
270 Furness Rd. | SaltSpringIslandAles.com
BAD DOG BREWING COMPANY
7861 Tugwell Rd. | BadDogBrewing.ca
Based in a converted barn at the base of Mount Bruce, the beer is made with water from a natural spring on the hillside above.
Sooke’s newest microbrewery might be one of the smallest pups at the park, but its beers are good enough to play with the big dogs.
HAZY IPA
EARL GREY IPA
DIZZY DOGS
OLD RED
N O RT H E A S T I N D I A PA L E A L E
E X P E R I M E N TA L I N D I A PA L E A L E
DOUBLE INDIA PA L E A L E
RED ALE
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
90
6.6% 33
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
7.0% 54
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
8.3% 85
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 18
SOOKE
SOOKE
SOOKE BREWING CO.
2057 Otter Point Rd. | SookeBrewing.com
SOOKE OCEANSIDE BREWERY
1-5529 Sooke Rd. | SookeOceansideBrewing.com
Curious locals and tourists alike are drawn to visit this custom-built brewery in the centre of Sooke, and the delicious beer keeps them coming back.
With expanded spring and summer hours at SOB, you’ve got no excuse not to make the trip out to Sooke to visit its three breweries.
ELLA SINGLE
MARZEN
BELGIAN ALE
MARZEN LAGER
BOTANICAL BEACH IPA
SASSENOS SESSION ALE
C E DA R A N D J U N I P E R I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Small batch
INDIA SESSION ALE
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
Availability: Seasonal
5.0% 40
ABV IBU
6.0% 20
ABV IBU
7.0% 55
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.0% 50
VIEW ROYAL
4 MILE BREWING CO.
199 Island Hwy. | 4MileBrewingCo.com
Head over to the brewpub to try their pilot series brews. They have a one-keg pilot system releasing a new beer every second week BLACKBERRY SESSION ALE
CITRA PALE ALE
FRUIT BEER
H A Z Y PA L E A L E
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.3% 18
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% 35 91
CAMPBELL RIVER
CHEMAINUS
BEACH FIRE BREWING
RIOT BREWING CO.
594-11th Ave. | BeachFireBrewing.ca
101A - 3055 Oak St. | RiotBrewing.com
Vancouver Island’s northernmost brewery keeps locals and visitors happy with a solid core beer list, a tasty food menu, and regular Tuesday small batch brews.
Fresh off a big win at the World Beer Cup, Riot will be the only beer you’ll find on tap at Victoria’s Ska and Reggae Fest this June. And in the taproom now—pinball machines!
HIGH TIDE PALE ALE
CURRANT-LY UNAVAILABLE
SORRY WE TOOK SO LONG
BLACK CURRANT BLONDE ALE Availability: Seasonal
BELGIAN SAISON
W E S T C OA S T PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.5% 40
APRICOT SOUR FRUIT KETTLE SOUR Availability: One-off ABV IBU
5.1% 7
COURTENAY
ABV IBU
4.5% 12
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
4.2% 19
COURTENAY
FORBIDDEN BREWING CO.
GLADSTONE BREWING CO.
1590 Cliffe Ave. | ForbiddenBrewing.com
244 4th St. | GladstoneBrewing.ca
Forbidden hopes to add a new locally made brew kettle even while it fights a protracted legal battle with its landlord to stay in its location.
A recent brewhouse expansion increased their brewing capacity by 40 per cent, allowing Gladstone to take their beer as far south as Nanaimo.
WILD WIT
KOLSCH
CREAM ALE
KO L S C H
CREAM ALE
ORGANIC PALE ALE
BELGIAN WIT
E N G L I S H PA L E A L E
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
92
5.0% 15
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 35
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.1% 29
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.3% 19
CUMBERLAND
DUNCAN
CUMBERLAND BREWING CO.
CRAIG STREET BREW PUB
2732 Dunsmuir Ave. | CumberlandBrewing.com
25 Craig St. | CraigStreet.ca
This little brewery that could is getting a much-needed expansion in time for summer. The perfect excuse for a visit!
Enjoy Craig Street’s beer here, next door at Just Jake’s restaurant, or at Jake’s at the Lake at nearby Lake Cowichan.
SHOPPER
FOREST FOG
SINGLE HOP ALE
A M E R I C A N W H E AT A L E
ARBUTUS PALE ALE
COWICHAN BAY LAGER
PA L E A L E
LAGER
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.5% N/A
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
4.3% N/A
DUNCAN
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
Availability: Year-round
5.0% N/A
ABV IBU
5.0% N/A
DUNCAN
RED ARROW BREWING CO.
5255 Chaster Rd. | RedArrowBeer.ca
SMALL BLOCK BREWING CO.
203-5301 Chaster Rd. | SmallBlockBrewery.com
On the Island, it’s all about bringing big ideas to fruition in small batches guarded by Christopher the all-seeing gargoyle. Hot tip: He likes a midnight ale.
The Cowichan Valley’s newest brewery promises beer with greatly reduced levels of gluten but all the flavour you’ve come to expect from craft.
SIDE TRACKED INDIA SESSION ALE
HERITAGE RIVER HEFEWEIZEN
NAIL HEAD CANADIAN PALE ALE
MISS LEAD OATMEAL STOUT
INDIA SESSION ALE Availability: Seasonal
HEFEWEIZEN Availability: Seasonal
W E S T C OA S T PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round
OAT M E A L S TO U T Availability: Year-round
ABV IBU
4.5% 35
ABV IBU
5.1% 33
ABV IBU
5.4% 43
ABV IBU
5.8% 26 93
NANAIMO
NANAIMO
LONGWOOD BREWERY
LONGWOOD BREWPUB
101A-2046 Boxwood Rd. | LongwoodBeer.com
5775 Turner Rd. | LongwoodBrewpub.com
Where else can you bring your pet to hang out with a beer, and brush up on your skills on the built-in putting green?
Longwood’s popular brewpub on the north end of town offers fresh beer made with local ingredients and live music on Thursday nights.
HONEY HOP
BERRIED ALIVE
ESB
SCOTTISH ALE
PA L E A L E
FRUIT ALE
EXTRA SPECIAL BITTER
S C OT T I S H A L E
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.5% 35
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 15
NANAIMO
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
Availability: Year-round
5.5% 26
ABV IBU
6.2% 11
NANAIMO
WOLF BREWING CO.
WHITE SAILS BREWING
125 Comox Rd. | WhiteSailsBrewing.com
940 Old Victoria Rd. | WolfBrewingCompany.com
White Sails’ taproom offers Friday night casks, monthly trivia nights, and Yoga On Tap with mindful beer tasting the first Sunday of the month.
While Wolf awaits confirmation of its full lounge licence you can still visit the tasting room for samples and a “howler” fill. Get it? Wolf, howler?!?
ROTATING SMASH
MOUNT BENSON IPA
CERBERUS
CITRUS SAISON
S I N G L E M A LT A N D SINGLE HOP ALE Availability: Small batch
I N D I A PA L E A L E
IMPERIAL INDIA PA L E A L E
SAISON
ABV IBU
94
5.0% 30
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
7.0% 60
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
8.8% 80
Availability: Small batch ABV IBU
5.5% N/A
PARKSVILLE
PORT ALBERNI
MOUNT ARROWSMITH BREWING CO.
TWIN CITY BREWING
109-425 East Stanford Ave. | ArrowsmithBrewing.com
4503 Margaret St. | TwinCityBrewing.ca
Check out their new kitchen, and the re-launch of Sea Run saison—brewed this year in partnership with the Deadliest Catch’s Dwyer family, supporting ALS Research in Canada.
Fittingly, the building Twin City calls home was originally built as a B.C. government liquor store in 1947. We’re willing to bet the beer’s much better now.
SEA RUN
LATE BLOOMER
COMFORTABLY CHUM
SAISON
HEFEWEIZEN Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
S T R AW B E R RY H I B I S C U S SOUR
Availability: Year-round
7.5% 30
ABV IBU
Availability: Seasonal
5.5% 15
QUALICUM
ABV IBU
5.6% 10
FASHION VICTIM H A Z Y I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
7.0% 35
TOFINO
LOVESHACK LIBATIONS
TOFINO BREWING CO.
#1-4134 Island Hwy. West | LoveShackLibations.com
691 Industrial Way | TofinoBrewingCo.com
This nanobrewery is a great place to visit on a summer road trip, but plan ahead—it’s only open on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons.
After opening its gorgeous new tasting room last winter, Tofino is now offering three beers in cans: Blonde Ale, Tuff Session Ale and Tofino Lager.
JUICY JUICE
POST RIDE PILSNER
TUFF SESSION ALE
PILSNER
PA L E A L E
N O RT H E A S T H A Z Y I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Small batch ABV IBU
6.2% 53
Availability: Small batch ABV IBU
5.2% 23
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 25
BLONDE ALE GOLDEN ALE Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.5% 10 95
THOM P S O N O K A NAGAN 05 5
09 14
SORRENTO
21 10
18
KAMLOOPS
TO W H I STL ER
1
97
SALMON ARM VERNON
5
97B
97A
97
5A
12
VERNON
TO VANCOUVER
20
WESTBANK 11
97C
6
02 03 10 13 16
KELOWNA 19 5A
06
SUMMERLAND
01 04 08 15
17
PENTICTON 33 3
N
3A
W
E
07
OLIVER
BREWERIES 01 02 03 04 05 06
Bad Tattoo BNA Boundary Cannery Crannรณg Detonate
100 98 98 100 102 102
07 08 09 10 11 12 13
Firehall Highway 97 Iron Road Kettle River Kind Marten Red Bird
99 100 97 98 102 102 99
14 Red Collar 97 15 Tin Whistle 101 16 Tree Brewing Beer Institute
99
BREW PUBS 17 18 19 20 21
Barley Mill Barley Station Elevation 57 Freddy's The Noble Pig
100 101 97 98 97
BIG WHITE
KAMLOOPS
ELEVATION 57 BREWING COMPANY
IRON ROAD BREWING
20 Kettleview Rd. | SessionsTapHouseAndGrill.com
980 Camosun Crs. | IronRoadBrewing.ca
Billed as Canada’s highest brewery, 5,700 feet above sea level, Elevation 57 is housed in Sessions Taphouse & Grill, right beside the piste and trails of Big White.
Kamloops’ newest brewery recently released its first barrel-aged beer: Dark Signal, an East India Porter conditioned with brett and then blended with fresh porter and raspberries.
BLONDE ALE
PALE ALE
BLONDE ALE
PA L E A L E
LOCOMOTIVE LAGER
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
LAGER Availability: Year-round
5.3% 20
ABV IBU
5.6% 35
KAMLOOPS
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
HANDCAR ISA INDIA SESSION ALE Availability: Seasonal
5.0% 30
ABV IBU
4.5% 45
KAMLOOPS
RED COLLAR BREWING CO.
THE NOBLE PIG BREWHOUSE
355 Lansdowne St. | RedCollar.ca
650 Victoria St. | TheNoblePig.ca
Lucky Kamloops. David Beardsell has brought decades of brewing experience to bear here with a range of expertly crafted beer in a homey pub setting.
The fine folks of Kamloops get to savour house made brews with scratch kitchen bites at the first and only brewpub in the Interior town.
KAMLOOPS COMMON
SUMMIT SMASH IPA
CALI COMMON LAGER Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% 28
TRIPEL BELGIAN TRIPEL
H A Z Y I N D I A PA L E A L E
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
9.0% 12
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.2% 90
TRADITION-ALE D RY- H O P P E D PA L E A L E Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% 45 97
KELOWNA
KELOWNA
BNA BREWING CO.
BOUNDARY BREWING
1250 Ellis St. | BNABrewing.com
2-455 Neave Crt. | BoundaryBrewing.beer
BNA recently hauled an Airstream trailer up to its second floor to house another bar in what is one of the Okanagan’s top spots for food and beer.
Best known for their anti-fascist stance, Boundary is also the only oak kettle brewery in Canada, producing tasty German-style beers.
PURPLE RAIN
OKGN
BERLINER WEISSE
W H E AT A L E
SUNSHINE HEFEWEIZEN
B.C. GOLD KELLERBIER
HEFEWEIZEN
GOLDEN LAGER
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
Availability: Seasonal
5.0% 5
ABV IBU
5.0% 30
KELOWNA
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 12
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.2% 28
KELOWNA
FREDDY’S BREWPUB
KETTLE RIVER BREWING CO.
124 McCurdy Rd. | McCurdyBowl.com
731 Baillie Ave. | KettleRiverBrewing.ca
Located inside the McCurdy Bowling Centre, this longtime Kelowna brewpub also has growlers and crowlers to go.
Tucked away in Kelowna’s north end, this small-batch operation is all about experimentation, hosting beer nerds of all levels in a cosy, yet eclectic space.
WISECRACK BELGIUM WHITE
SUMMER SANDS ALE
BUSINESS IN THE FRONT
COUGAR’S HAND RED IPA
W H E AT A L E
BLONDE ALE
R E D I N D I A PA L E A L E
WITBIER
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
98
5.0% N/A
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% N/A
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.5% 20
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
6.3% 35
KELOWNA
KELOWNA
RED BIRD BREWING
TREE BREWING BEER INSTITUTE
1086 Richter St. | RedBirdBrewing.com
1346 Water St. | TreeBrewingBeerInstitute.com
This tiny nanobrewery is a place for people to come together, with live music, crib tournaments and absolutely no TVs.
Where all the experimentation happens! A tasting room right on the water, boasting great pizza and interesting brews and views.
SAWMILL SAISON
ANTIPSIPATION IPA
THIRSTY BEAVER
SAISON
I N D I A PA L E A L E
AMBER ALE
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
Availability: Year-round
5.1% 16
ABV IBU
6.0% 65
OLIVER
HOPHEAD I N D I A PA L E A L E
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 20
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.6% 64
Enjoy life. Take the scenic road.
FIREHALL BREWERY
Our backyard is home to the apple varieties found in our small-batch, hand-crafted ciders.
6077 Main St. | FirehallBrewery.com
Bunkered below an old firehall, this familyowned brewery is an oasis of craft beer in Wine Country. BACKDRAFT BLONDE
FALSE ALARM BITTER
BLONDE ALE
PA L E A L E
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.2% 15
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
4.8% 35
Find us at our tasting room, open Thu-Sun, 12-5pm, or at private liquor stores in BC.
770 Packinghouse Road, Kelowna 250-868-7625 • scenicroadcider.com 99
PENTICTON
PENTICTON
BAD TATTOO BREWING CO.
BARLEY MILL BREW PUB
169 Estabrook Ave. | BadTattooBrewing.com
2460 Skaha Lake Rd. | BarleyMillPub.com
Pair some of the Okanagan’s best beer with some of the Okanagan’s best pizza and you have one bad-ass combination.
Penticton’s original brewpub proudly takes its place as one of five breweries now located in this outdoorsy town, serving locals and tourists alike.
SOUR PEAR LIME
CAYUSE WHEAT ALE
NITE MARE BROWN ALE
W H E AT A L E
E N G L I S H B R OW N A L E
SOUR ALE
LUCKY 12 IIPA IMPERIAL INDIA PA L E A L E
Availability: One-off ABV IBU
Availability: Small batch
7.7% 17
ABV IBU
Availability: Year-round
7.5% 100
PENTICTON
ABV IBU
5.0% 25
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 35
PENTICTON
CANNERY BREWING
HIGHWAY 97 BREWERY
198 Ellis St. | CanneryBrewing.com
954 Eckhardt Ave. | Hwy97Brewery.com
Located next to Okanagan Lake and the Kettle Valley Trail, Cannery’s dog-friendly patio is a great place to finish a perfect Penticton day.
This warehouse-style brewery features a taproom completely open to the brewery floor below, and meat pies made from their grain and beer.
ONE TRICK PILSNER
WESTCOAST SUMMERWEISS
BONSAI RICE ALE
PILSNER Availability: Small batch ABV IBU
100
6.0% 35
WEISSBIER Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
7.0% 30
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.2% 14
OKANAGAN FRESH FRUIT HEFEWEIZEN HEFEWEIZEN Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.5% 10
PENTICTON
SALMON ARM
THE TIN WHISTLE BREWING CO.
BARLEY STATION BREW PUB
112-1475 Fairview Rd. | TheTinWhistleBrewery.rocks
20 Shuswap St. N. | BarleyStation.com
Tin Whistle has been tooting the horn for quality beer since 1995, making the most of the Okanagan’s abundant fruit in its many flavoured ales.
Hop vines grow along the outside of this onestop malt halt, where spent grains are fed to the livestock of local farmers and used in the homemade bread.
OBSESSION HIBISCUS SAISON
PARADISE COCONUT HOPFENWEISSE
SS ANDOVER IPA
TALKING DOG WIT BEER
SAISON
A M E R I C A N W H E AT A L E Availability: Seasonal
I N D I A PA L E A L E
BELGIAN-STYLE ALE
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
6.1% 25
ABV IBU
5.5% 20
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
7.0% 74
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
4.9% 12
Celebrating B.C. Wine Culture Pick up a copy of our inaugural issue—available now at local restaurants, wine bars, independent liquor stores and wineries.
Find us at: vitis.ca • @vitismag
FACULTY BREWING CO.
Ask for us at your local liquor store. 1830 ONTARIO STREET VANCOUVER, BC www.facultybrewing.com
101
SORRENTO
SUMMERLAND
DETONATE BREWING
CRANNÓG ALES
706 Elson Rd. | CrannogAles.com
#104-9503 Cedar Ave. | DetonateBrewing.com
A brewery and farm, Crannog grows 17 varieties of hops for use in their own brewery, and sells hops plants to homebrewers and commercial hopyards.
Small but mighty, Summerland’s newest brewery puts to use tanks formerly living life on dairy farms, but re-purposed to pour off a tasty brew at any moment.
FRUIT BEER
INSURRECTION IPA
ORANGE PEEL PALE ALE
CALL THE HOPS IPA
INDIA SESSION ALE
PA L E A L E
I N D I A PA L E A L E
R OTAT I N G F R U I T A L E Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.8% 16
Availability: Seasonal
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.2% 60
VERNON
ABV IBU
Availability: Year-round
4.6% 17
ABV IBU
5.6% 74
WEST KELOWNA
MARTEN BREWING CO.
KIND BREWING
2933A 30th Ave. | MartenBrewpub.com
2405 Main St.
Beer is literally at the centre of Marten, with the brewhouse taking pride of place in the middle of this bustling pub. Great food, great selection of small-batch brews.
West Kelowna’s newest—and so far only—craft brewery focuses on West Coast styles at its spacious tasting room.
WORD TO THE WEIZEN
8 TRAX PALE ALE
IPA
PILSNER
HEFEWEIZEN
A M E R I C A N PA L E A L E
I N D I A PA L E A L E
PILSNER
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
102
4.5% 24
Availability: Small batch ABV IBU
5.0% 40
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
6.2% 62
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 24
KOO T E NAYS 93
N W
E
A L B E R T A 11
LAKE LOUISE
GOLDEN 23
1
1
BANFF
05
REVELSTOKE
93
TO KA M LO O P S
95
B R I T I S H C O L U M B I A
40
02
INVERMERE
6
31A
95
01
KASLO
07
KIMBERLEY
6
95A
03 06 09
13
NELSON 3
3A
CRANBROOK ROSSLAND
10 08
3B
6
3 UNITED STATES
BREW PUBS
BREWERIES Angry Hen Arrowhead Backroads Fernie Mt. Begbie Nelson
108 108 109 104 106 109
FERNIE 93
95
ROSSLAND
01 02 03 04 05 06
04
12
07 08 09 10
Over Time Rossland Torchlight Trail Beer Refinery 11 Whitetooth
109 110 110 110 108
12 Fisher Peak 108 13 The Savoy 110
ALBERTA BRITISH COLUMBIA
FERNIE
FERNIE BREWING CO.
26 Manitou Rd. | FernieBrewing.com
MON-THU 11AM-7PM ^ FRI -SAT 11AM-8PM SUN 11AM-6PM EST. 2003 After a day of adventuring in the mountains, FBC’s tasting room is a great place to wind down and reflect upon your accomplishments. To keep in the loop about their seasonal and limited release beer launches, like them on Facebook.
HIT THE DECK
THE REAL PEEL
H A Z Y I N D I A PA L E A L E
G R A P E F R U I T I N D I A PA L E A L E
Availability: Year-round ABV
6.4%
IBU
40
Light and cloudy, it’s low in bitterness but high in hop flavor and aroma.
Availability: Seasonal ABV
6.4%
IBU
68
A bold IPA, brewed with actual grapefruit peel as well as those citrusy hops.
PROJECT 9
SINGLE SPEED
PILSNER
BELGIAN-STYLE BLONDE ALE
Availability: Year-round ABV
5.0%
IBU
35
Crisp, clean Bavarian pilsner using Munich, pilsner and pale Western Canadian malts.
Availability: Seasonal ABV
4.8%
IBU
19
Easy-drinking and refreshing, it’s dry-hopped with Mandarina Bavaria and Lemondrop hops.
Challenge accepted! Do you have what it takes to complete the Trail to Ale challenge? Climb three of Fernie’s peaks, on bike or foot, within a 24-hour period, then show your ontrail, timestamped selfies to FBC’s tasting room staff, and you'll be rewarded with a cold beer, a handcrafted medal and ultimate kudos. 104
TM
EST. 2003
fRoM kOoTeNaYs tO cOaSt. @ferniebrewingco #drinkfernie
REVELSTOKE
MT. BEGBIE BREWING CO.
2155 Oak Dr. | Mt-Begbie.com MON-SAT 9AM-8PM EST. 1996
Revelstoke is a town of superlatives, from its stunning scenery to its continent-leading ski-run vertical. Not to be outdone, its longrunning brewery took home brewery of the year at the Canadian Brewing Awards last year—a just reward for satisfying thirsts for more than two decades.
FAUX-PAW CERISE SAISON FRUIT BEER Availability: Seasonal ABV
6.5%
IBU
TAIL WHIP MUNICH HELLES LAGER Availability: Seasonal
25
Sure to be a summer hit, this saison gets a tart twist from added sour cherries.
ABV
5.2%
IBU
18
A crisp, gently bitter lager made with all-B.C. ingredients.
ATTILA THE HONEY
WHITE KNUCKLE
HONEY AMBER ALE
B E L G I A N W H I T E I N D I A PA L E A L E
Availability: Year-round ABV
5.0%
IBU
11
A Begbie classic, with a full malt profile complemented by a hint of clover honey.
Availability: Year-round ABV
6.0%
IBU
40
A powerhouse WIPA dosed with Mosaic hops, coriander, chamomile, lemon and orange peel.
WHat’s in a name? The brewery takes its name from a local mountain, but Mt. Begbie itself is named for B.C.’s first chief justice. Matthew Begbie was a controversial chap, who has been both praised for his progressive (for the 19th century) views and condemned for delivering many hanging verdicts—he was posthumously nicknamed the “Hanging Judge.” 106
THE 2017
CANADIAN BRE WE RY
OF THE
YEAR.
Award-winning craft beer since 1996. One of the many things Revelstoke has to offer. Visit our tasting room at 2155 Oak Drive in Revelstoke, BC. www.mt-begbie.com
CRANBROOK
GOLDEN
FISHER PEAK BREWING CO.
WHITETOOTH BREWING
821 Baker St. | TheHeidOut.ca
623 8th Ave. N. | WhitetoothBrewing.com
Sample six artisanal ales from this Kootenay brewery at the attached Heid Out Restaurant, with a few seasonal surprises.
As of late spring, food trucks are now permanently parked beside this Golden brewery every weekend, so if you have a snack, you can also have more beer!
ELEPHANT RUN IPA
PROSPECTOR PILSNER
TOMORROW WE RIDE
TREPANATION TRIPEL
I N D I A PA L E A L E
PILSNER
HEFEWEIZEN
BELGIAN-STYLE TRIPEL
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
Availability: Seasonal
Availability: Year-round
6.4% 56
ABV IBU
4.8% 23
ABV IBU
INVERMERE
5.3% 12
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
9.0% 40
KASLO
ARROWHEAD BREWING CO.
ANGRY HEN BREWING
481 Arrow Rd. | ArrowheadBrewingCompany.ca
343 Front St. | AngryHenBrewing.com
Invermere’s brewery is worth seeking out for its relaxed truck-stop vibe—now featuring regular live music—friendly staff and wide range of frequently rotating beer.
Shirley Warne’s brewery in the middle of nowhere is worth the trip if you like amazing beer and gob-smacking views.
THE DERF
FANCY FOOTWORK
HAPPY COCK BOCK
I N D I A PA L E L A G E R
BOCK
B L U E B E R RY T E Q U I L A HEFEWEIZEN Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
108
4.8% N/A
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
6.0% 35
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
6.5% 40
LOST HEN N O RT H W E S T I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.5% 60
KIMBERLEY
NELSON
OVER TIME BEER WORKS
BACKROADS BREWING CO.
136A Wallinger Ave. | OverTimeBeer.ca
460 Baker St. | BackroadsBrewing.com
This little brewery in picturesque Kimberley turns two years young this June. Join them on Canada Day for the Charity Smoke Off to benefit the local food bank.
Small-batch brews from a small town brewery make for big offerings, with lesser-known and forgotten styles for a new generation of tastebuds.
COPPER TOP
PRESENT IPA
HEFEWEIZEN
R E D W H E AT A L E
W E S T C OA S T I N D I A PA L E A L E
HEFEWEIZEN
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.8% 35
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.7% 80
NELSON
GOLDEN ALE
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
EL DORADO GOLDEN ALE
5.0% 13
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.3% 13
FILL YOUR GLASS WITH KOOTENAY CLASS
NELSON BREWING CO.
7 TAPS (INCLUDING 2 NITRO) FULL RESTAURANT MENU LIVE LOCAL MUSIC 4 NIGHTS A WEEK
512 Latimer St. | NelsonBrewing.com
Ever the innovator, NBC kickstarted the Kootenay craft beer scene back in 1991 and has been certified organic since 2006. AFTER DARK
HOPGOOD
B R I T I S H B R OW N A L E
INDIA SESSION ALE
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.2% 20
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 24
198 Baker St., Nelson • 778-463-0050 SA VO YH O TE L . C A 109
NELSON
NELSON
THE SAVOY BREWERY
TORCHLIGHT BREWING CO.
198 Baker St. | SavoyHotel.com
125 Hall St. | TorchlightBrewing.com
Tucked away in the Savoy Hotel in Nelson, the small Savoy brewery features gourmet food, live music and two nitro taps.
Torchlight offers innovative, all natural beers and sodas to the thirsty folks of Nelson. Some of their beers have made it into cans now too!
3-6-5 LAGER
SEPTEMBER WIT
THE BIG SQUEEZY
WITBIER
PA L E A L E
LAGER Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
ABV IBU
I N D I A PA L E A L E
Availability: Seasonal
Availability: Seasonal
5.2% 24
IDYLLIC BCIPA
3.7% 13
ABV IBU
ROSSLAND
5.5% 30
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
6.0% 90
TRAIL
ROSSLAND BEER CO.
TRAIL BEER REFINERY
1990 Columbia Ave. | RosslandBeer.com
1299 Bay Ave. | TrailBeerRefinery.ca
Tiny Rossland is a little slice of paradise in the West Kootenays where the beer is as good as the world-class skiing and mountain biking.
120 years after the lead and zinc processor set up in Trail, a new refinery is producing precious fermented products, along with addedvalue community in its cosy pub.
SUPER MEGA PILSNER
2TURN LARRY
SILVER CITY ICE
HOLY HEFFE
DOUBLE INDIA PA L E A L E
LAGER
HEFEWEIZEN
PILSNER Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
110
4.5% 30
Availability: One-off ABV IBU
8.5% 90
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
7.0% 15
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% 25
The No rt h N
BREWERIES 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
Barkerville Beard's Bulkley Valley CrossRoads Jackson's Social House Mighty Peace Sherwood Mountain Smithers Three Ranges Trench Wheelhouse
115 114 115 114
W 37
97
02 06
FORT ST JOHN
114 112 116 115 116 114 115
E
2
SMITHERS
11
07
03 08
43
97
16
TERRACE PRINCE RUPERT
40
04 10
PRINCE GEORGE
16
QUESNEL
01
09
VALEMOUNT BRITISH COLUMBIA
100 MILE 05 HOUSE
5
97
111
FORT ST. JOHN
MIGHTY PEACE BREWING CO.
10128 95th Ave. | MightyPeaceBrewing.ca HOURS TBD EST. 2018 B.C.’s northernmost brewery (by a few hundred metres) is an oasis of craft beer along the Alaska Highway, with 15 taps, including cider, guest breweries and the only hand-pulled cask engine in town. Mighty Peace is also looking to add distilled spirits to its portfolio in the future.
THE MIGHTY PILSNER
THE MIGHTY HAZE
PILSNER
N O RT H E A S T I N D I A PA L E A L E
Availability: Year-round ABV
4.5%
IBU
30
Clean, crisp and refreshing, perfect for those long summer nights up north.
PEACE GOLD
Availability: Small batch ABV
6.5%
IBU
35
A juicy, hazy hop bomb that’s big on flavour, but not bitterness.
GOLDEN ALE
THE MIGHTY WEE HEAVY
Availability: Year-round
S C OT C H A L E Availability: Year-round
ABV
4.5%
IBU
N/A
This gateway beer is an absolute crusher looking to convert the locals to craft.
ABV
7.5%
IBU
N/A
Sweet and complex, this malt-forward ale will warm your bones on a cold day.
WHat’s in a name? Mighty Peace takes its name from the mighty Peace River, the only river that completely passes through the Rocky Mountains. Part of the Mackenzie river system (the second longest in North America), the Peace River region is also a major center of malting barley production, with some of that barley making it into Mighty Peace's beers. 112
Now open in fort st. john! We’re proud to be your craft beer oasis. We have more taps than any brewery in northern B.C.. Whether you live here, or you’re just passing through, we’re the place to visit for interesting craft beer, cider, spirits and wine. We look forward to seeing you at B.C.’s most northern brewery! 10128 95 Ave, Fort St John • mightypeacebrewing.ca
100 MILE HOUSE
FORT ST JOHN
JACKSON’S SOCIAL CLUB & BREWHOUSE 175 Hwy. 97 | JacksonsSocialClub.com
BEARD’S BREWING CO.
10408 Alaska Rd. N. | BeardsBrewing.ca
Rumour has it that the old garage has a ghost in it. There’s nothing scary about the smallbatch beers or friendly, casual atmosphere, though!
It’s far from grim up north, especially when you’ve got a welcoming local brewery to ease you out of hibernation and toast the long summer days.
COPPERTOP
PHILSNER
FSJ AMBER
WHITE BEARD
MILD SESSION ALE
PILSNER
D RY- H O P P E D A M B E R ALE
C I T R U S W H E AT A L E
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
Availability: Seasonal
4.8% 24
ABV IBU
Availability: Year-round
5.5% 15
PRINCE GEORGE
ABV IBU
Availability: Small batch
5.0% 24
ABV IBU
5.1% 9
PRINCE GEORGE
TRENCH BREWING & DISTILLING
CROSSROADS BREWING
508 George St. | CrossroadsCraft.com
399 2nd Ave. | TrenchBrew.ca
Owned by the dudes who brought you Prince George’s first ever craft beer fest, these smallbatch brews are putting northern B.C. beers on the map.
In Prince George, they love beer. But they also love vodka and gin, so watch for an expansion to distill spirits this summer.
CINDERS RED RYE
CLOUD 9 WITBIER
ARCTIC PILSNER
PINE PASS PALE ALE
R E D RY E A L E
WITBIER
PILSNER
H A Z Y PA L E A L E
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
114
6.0% 35
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
4.4% 12
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.5% 30
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% 35
PRINCE RUPERT
QUESNEL
WHEELHOUSE BREWING CO.
217 1st Ave. E. | WheelhouseBrewing.com
BARKERVILLE BREWING CO.
185 Davie St. | BarkervilleBeer.com
If you find yourself in the ocean, you’ve gone too far. The vision of three friends who fell in love with a remote North Coast town is the westernmost brewery in all of B.C.
Women are still underemployed at breweries, but Barkerville bucks the trend: five of six employees there are female, including the head brewer and general manager.
FIRST MATE WHITE IPA
HIGH STAKES
WHITE GOLD
IMPERIAL INDIA PA L E A L E
WITBIER
W H I T E I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
SCURVY DOG SPRUCE ALE BLONDE SPRUCE ALE Availability: Seasonal
6.8% 40
ABV IBU
5.8% 32
SMITHERS
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
8.0% 80
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
4.9% 12
SMITHERS
BULKLEY VALLEY BREWERY
SMITHERS BREWING CO.
3860 1st Ave. | BulkleyValleyBrewery.ca
3832 3rd Ave. | SmithersBrewing.com
Joining passion for the outdoors with a love of beer, this new brewery is a place for locals and tourists to kick back and enjoy life.
One of the few purpose-built breweries in B.C., SBC is looking to bring some creativity to the northern craft beer scene.
DRIFTWOOD WHEAT ALE
FLOWER POWER KETTLE SOUR
W H E AT A L E Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.0% 25
E.I.P.A. I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.5% 67
HIBISCUS SOUR ALE Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.3% N/A
BOOTLEGGER BROWN B R OW N A L E Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.0% N/A 115
TERRACE
VALEMOUNT
SHERWOOD MOUNTAIN BREWHOUSE
THREE RANGES BREWING CO.
Unit 101 - 4816 Hwy. 16 West | SherwoodMountain.beer
1160 5th Ave. | ThreeRanges.com
Way up north, nestled deep between snowcapped peaks and green forest lies a friar who not only brews, but now cans his wares, as well.
Three Ranges is proof that if you build it, and you have great beer, they will come. Brewer Michael Lewis is even working on an expansion to his tasting room.
SKEENA SUNSHINE SAISON
COAST MOUNTAIN PILSNER
MUDBOGGER
ISA
DA R K L A G E R
INDIA SESSION ALE
SAISON
PILSNER
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
6.0% 20
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
5.2% 32
Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU
5.5% 20
Availability: Year-round ABV IBU
3.8% 40
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BEER GROUND To the
There’s new breweries opening up across the province every week it seems. Here’s the latest intel from our vast network of beer spies.
ANOTHER BEER CO.
New Westminster (2018) We’re hoping ABC opens soon and Sapperton’s Brewery District finally gets the brewery it deserves! AnotherBeerCo.com
CAT & FIDDLE BREWPUB
Port Coquitlam (2018) Port Coquitlam’s favourite pub will soon be brewing its own beer after getting approval from the city to add a 3,200 sq. ft. microbrewery on site. CatAndFiddlePub.ca
FRASER MILLS FERMENTATION CO.
Coquitlam (2019) This brewery/cidery/winery/ distillery will be the centerpiece of the sparkly new 85-acre development on the site of a former lumber mill off of United Blvd. FraserMillsFermentation.com
HOUSE OF FUNK BREWING
North Vancouver (fall 2018) Focusing on wild ales and funky brett beers, this brewery will be setting up shop right next to Beere’s and will be using its brewhouse.
ÎLE SAUVAGE BREWING COMPANY
Victoria (2018) The City of Victoria's newest brewery in many years will be focusing on wild ferments and barrel-aged beer.
LOUDMOUTH BREWING CO.
Abbotsford (summer 2018) From the ashes of Old Abbey Ales comes this brewery started by some of the former employees. The opening date is slated for June 21. LoudmouthBrewingCompany.ca
NORTHPAW BREW CO
Port Coquitlam (summer 2018) The tanks are in the building, and the beer is already being brewed at nearby Foamers’ Folly. It won’t be long now! NorthpawBrewCo.com
PEMBERTON VALLEY BEER WORKS
Pemberton (2018) The Miller family farm has been in operation for 120 years and now it’s growing organic barley and hops for the brewery on site. TheBeerFarmers.com
STANLEY PARK BREWING
Vancouver (2019) The renovations to the historic former Fish House are coming, as AB InBev-owned Stanley Park Brewing finally gets a brewery in its namesake park. StanleyParkBrewing.com
STREETCAR BREWING
North Vancouver (fall 2018) Lonsdale is becoming the new Port Moody with breweries popping up everywhere! Streetcar joins Beere, Black Kettle, Green Leaf and House of Funk all within walking distance of the SeaBus terminal. StreetcarBrewing.ca
TAYLIGHT BREWING
Port Coquitlam (fall 2018) Construction is coming along at this new PoCo brewery, located near Mary Hill Bypass and Coast Meridian. TaylightBrewing.com
UCLUELET BREWING CO.
Ucluelet (fall 2018) Housed in a former church, this craft brewery promises divine beers and heavenly food.
VICE AND VIRTUE BREWING COMPANY
Kelowna (summer 2018) The corner of Richter and Baillie might be losing Tree Brewing, but it’ll be gaining this new brewery, which will join Kettle River and Red Bird in the ‘hood. ViceAndVirtueBrewing.ca
WILD AMBITION BREWING
Kelowna (summer 2018) Mitchell Kehoe’s Wild Ambition will be joining Boundary Brewing in the Reid’s Corner neighbourhood at the north end of town.
WILDEYE BREWING
North Vancouver (late 2018) Beer is already being contract brewed and canned, and the brewery tasting room will be opening up this fall on Main Street. WildeyeBrewing.ca • Got a hot brewery tip? Let us know at editor@thegrowler.ca j
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