The Growler B.C. • Volume 6 Issue 2 • Fall/Winter 2020

B.C. CRAFT BEEr & cider guide

BRITISH COLUMBIA

VANCOUVER

PUBLISHER

Gail Nugent gnugent@thegrowler.ca

INTERIM E DITOR

Joe Wiebe editor@thegrowler.ca

E DITOR

Rob Mangelsdorf (on leave)

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Crystal Luxmore

Noëlle Phillips

PRODUCTION & DESIGN MANAGER

Tara Rafiq tara@thegrowler.ca

ADVERTISING SALES

Kristina Mameli kmameli@glaciermedia.ca

COVER ILLUSTRATION

Cynthia Frenette

COMICS

John Heim

SOCIAL MEDIA

Danielle Boileau

DISTRIBUTION

Kristina Mameli ordersbc@thegrowler.ca

SUBSCRIPTIONS

bc.thegrowler.ca/subscribe

Copyright

PUBLISHED

LOWER MAINLAND

VANCOUVER

VICTORIA / GULF ISLANDS

THE "HERSTORY" OF BEER

WHY CAN'T B.C. HAVE A DOG-FRIENDLY BREWERY?

SEE YOU AT BEER FEST?

BREWER VS. BREWER: THE LANGLEY EDITION

A BRIEF HISTORY OF CIDER IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

CHANGE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH BOOZE

Welcome back!

Since the last issue of e Growler came out just before the pandemic arrived, the world has changed radically. Your favourite beer and cider guide was forced to hit pause for a bit, but we’re happy to be back now.

If you’re wondering why my face has replaced Rob Mangelsdorf’s here, don’t worry, Rob’s fine. He’s taking parental leave and asked me to fill in for him. It was a no-doubter for me to say yes—I’ve been writing for e Growler since the first issue and I am enjoying the opportunity to sit in the big chair even if it’s only for a couple of issues.

Over the past eight months since COVID-19 entered our lives, I have marvelled at the resiliency and ingenuity of B.C.’s craft breweries and cideries. Many quickly pivoted to packaging and delivering beer directly to consumers, and then added or expanded their patios to give their customers a safer outdoor alternative.

Equally impressive is the fact that a dozen new breweries have opened since March alone, with many more still in the works. ere are now more than 200 craft breweries in B.C. and you’ll find each and every one of them listed in these pages.

But most breweries and cideries are still struggling to get by, and winter weather will likely mean fewer customers on their patios, so it’s still important to support your local. Remember, we’re all in this together—it’s Time to Buy B.C. now more than ever. Cheers!

—Joe Wiebe, Interim Editor

Brewery Details

GROWLER FILLS

BOTTLES / CANS

TASTING ROOM

ON-SITE KITCHEN OR FOOD TRUCK

TOURS

ONLINE SALES / DELIVERY

PATIO / OUTDOOR SEATING

GLUTEN-FREE BOOZE OPTIONS

Suggested Glassware

STANGE

Kolsch

Marzen

Gose

PILSNER

Lager

Pilsner

Witbier

NONIC PINT

Stout

Pale ale

Most ales, actually

WEIZEN

Hefeweizen

Wheat ales

Fruit beer

TULIP

IPA

Saison

Strong ales

GOBLET

Dubbel

Tripel

Quad

SNIFTER

Barleywine

Sours

Anything funky

TEKU

Dry-hopped sours

Fruited sours

Heirloom ciders

SIDRA

Still cider

Basque cider

by Noëlle Phillips

Beer has long been thought of as a man’s drink. Growing up in the 1980s, I recall a Budweiser ad featuring three “Bud girls” lying on a towel, with “Budweiser: King of Beers” spelled out across the torsos of their swimsuits. e message was clear: girls were decoration and beer was for the guys. e stats are slowly changing, but beer drinkers remain predominantly male, and beer branding – both craft and corporate – often embodies “masculine” values. In other words, the modern beer industry has forgotten the vital importance of women in brewing.

Archaeological records of brewing stretch back 6000 years, and much of the earliest artistic and documentary evidence of it (from approx. 2100 BCE) links beer with women. e Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest written stories, features the tale of a wild man, Enkidu, who is brought into civilization by a woman named Shamhat who

insists that he learn how to drink beer (and he does—a lot!). Even in this very early story, beer is already associated not only with being human, but with female power.

Around the same time, e Hymn to Ninkasi honoured the Sumerian goddess of beer. is famous poem is essentially a recipe for beer, and one that was recreated thousands of years later by Anchor Brewing in 1989. But Ninkasi is far from the only goddess associated with beer; other Sumerian and Egyptian beer goddesses are Siris, Siduri, Tenenet, and Nisaba, and Sekhmet, whose wrath was mitigated by her beer consumption. She awoke not with a hangover, but as the gentle Hathor. e goddess Mut received beer tributes from wealthy and revered Egyptian head brewer Khonso Im-Heb and his wife (c. 1000 BCE).

ese ancient cultures associated beer with women, who were often tasked with baking and its

Ever since beer has been brewed, women have played an important role in brewing.

cousin, brewing. Artwork depicts women not only brewing, but also drinking and even engaging in sexual behavior while drinking. e earliest legal text, the Code of Hammurabi (ruler of Babylon, 1792-1750 BCE) has laws governing the behavior of tavern-owners – always referred to as female. Women had control over brewing, even in these early patriarchal cultures.

While the Greeks and then the Romans preferred wine over beer, brewing nevertheless flourished over the centuries, particularly in areas of Europe that didn’t benefit from the Mediterranean’s warmer weather. After the Roman empire’s collapse, women

were still closely associated with brewing. Since Christianity was sweeping over Europe in the early medieval period, there were no longer gods and goddesses blessing the beer—but there were saints. Brigid, an early medieval Irish saint, miraculously produced beer out of her bathwater, and an early medieval poem depicts her imagining heaven as a great ale-feast—a beer-drinking party, with God, Christ, the angels, and the saints partaking of a “lake” of ale. e twelfth-century German abbess Hildegard of Bingen, canonized later as a saint, famously was one of the first writers to recommend the use of hops in beer (which Victoria’s Driftwood Brewery celebrates in its Naughty Hildegard ESB).

Because monasteries brewed beer throughout the Middle Ages, we often think of monks when imagining beer’s history. However, while monks were brewing for a larger consumer base and scaling up production using their substantial financial resources, home brewers kept up a small but steady beer supply for their own households and neighbourhoods. e majority of this was done by female “brewsters.” Women’s skill in brewing even sometimes enabled them to become aletasters, who enforced brewing standards, or to be a court witness if a woman was charged with selling faulty beer.

Between 1300 and 1600, brewing in Western Europe changed dramatically for women. Brewsters were gradually excluded from beer’s profitability and those who continued to brew either publicly or privately were often mocked. But why this shift? For one, the devastation of the Black Death from 1346-1348 caused grain prices to decrease, which increased ale consumption and allowed beer production to be scaled up (if one had the resources). In addition, civic brewing guilds increased across Europe, which contributed to the increasing standardization and regulation of brewing (Bavaria’s 1516 Reinheitsgebot, the beer purity law, is one example). Finally, the increased use of hops enabled beer to be stored longer and shipped greater distances, which supported the increasingly industrialized brewing profession. Brewing as an industry was becoming larger and more expensive. Men had the access to money and guild membership, and the ability to draw up business contracts—but women often had none of these privileges (only widows, for example, had the legal right to create a contract). In one example from a town in Essex, 100 percent of the 21 ale-sellers and brewers were female in 1464, but by 1500 there was only one woman among the 15 brewers in town.

An early modern print of Mother Louse. ©Trustees of the British Museum. LEFT: Medieval alewife. © British Library Board BL Royal 10 E IV f. 114v

ese ancient cultures associated beer with women, who were often tasked with baking and its cousin, brewing.

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, beer was popular and alehouses were raucous “nurseries of naughtiness,” according to William Lambarde. Women who sold or made beer were objects of suspicion. John Skelton’s poem “ e Tunnyng of Elynor Rummyng,” about a disgusting alewife who corrupts other women with her brews, is a famous example of anti-alewife literature. Brewing illegally could land you in jail, which is what happened to Mary Arnold, who was sent to London’s notorious Fleet Prison in 1639 for brewing in her home. Women were certainly drinking beer—Queen Elizabeth I had beer throughout the day—but producing it was no longer women’s work. It had become a profitable—and public—industry, and thus belonged to men.

e popularity of distilled spirits during the Industrial Revolution turned beer into a drink of moderation rather than drunkenness. Beer, therefore, was ripe for increased production using newly available technologies. England’s classic styles, such as porters, bitters, and India pale ales, were created during this time, but women had little involvement in the industry. Across the Atlantic, North American settlers rejected English beer in favour of American beer as an act of political resistance, and by the late nineteenth century there were over 4,000 breweries in the United States (40,000 in Europe). With the industry booming, where were the women? For the most part, they were brewing at home, without recognition or reward—with a few exceptions. Martha Jefferson became well known for her brewing, which was accomplished, of course, through the unrecognized labour of enslaved people, but many other women brewed in private, as they had centuries earlier.

e beer industry slowed to a crawl during Prohibition and the temperance movements of the early twentieth century. When alcohol became legal again in North America, the only breweries left were the largest ones (such as Pabst, Coors, and Anheuser-Busch), all dominated by men. In the UK, the Institute of Brewing had just three female members until 1945, although more women worked in brewing laboratories and marketing after World War II. By the 1970s, however, women entered the workforce in greater numbers than ever before and made their mark on the emerging craft beer scene. For example, while Jack McAuliffe is credited as the founder of the first American craft brewery, New Albion, it was only with the help of his partners Jane Zimmerman and Suzy Denison that he funded the brewery and made the beer. e same can likely be said for many of the craft breweries that have opened here in British Columbia.

Now, in 2020, women constitute a growing segment of the craft beer industry, and advocacy groups such as the Pink Boots Society support women’s education and participation in brewing. I would love to see more breweries creating beers that honour both women’s role in the history of brewing, and brewing’s history as “women’s work.” Women have an important role in the future of craft beer, but they are also the forgotten element of its past. j

• For sources and further reading, find this story at thegrowler.ca

Noëlle Phillips' book Craft Beer Culture and Modern Medievalism is now available in paperback from Arc Humanities Press and Amsterdam University Press.

Barkerville Brewing’s Aunt Florence Gruit and Driftwood Brewery’s Naughty Hildegard ESB. Supplied photos

WHY CAN'T B.C. HAVE A

DO G -FR I EN D LY

CRAFT BREWERY?

by Rob Mangelsdorf

Acraft beer taphouse in Oregon is catering to our four-legged friends on a whole other level, and B.C. should take note. Not only is Fido’s tasting room in Southwest Portland (of course) totally dog-friendly, it actually operates as a foster home for shelter dogs where you can adopt a new best friend.

Fido’s bills itself as “ e World’s First Dog Taphouse,” and features 40 taps of craft beer, cider and wine, as well as a full kitchen—but the dogs are the big draw. e bar’s onsite “Fido Room” hosts homeless doggies from a local dog shelter, Oregon Friends Of Shelter Animals, which rescues the dogs who then live at the bar until adopted. e bar also features a huge dog-friendly patio and regularly hosts fundraisers for dog welfare charities and adoption drives.

"All the pictures in the taproom are dogs," owner Scott Porter told Willamette Week. " ere's not one beer sign. Even when you go to the bathroom, there's a dog rescue story."

Before you get the wrong idea, though, no, you can’t get totally wasted at the bar and then adopt a puppy. Because that would be a terrible idea.

"[Oregon Friends of Shelter Animals] won't let anybody adopt while they're here. ere's a two- or a three-step process,” says Porter. “But I joke about this: We don't want anybody here with a couple drinks, then you wake up in the morning with a leash in your hand and somebody licking your face."

As brilliant an idea as a dog shelter bar is, sadly a similar venture will likely never happen here in B.C.

Local health authorities here have effectively banned dogs from pubs and brewery tasting rooms.

e Food Premises Regulation of the B.C. Public Health Act states, “an operator of food premises must not permit live animals to be on the premises.” Breweries are considered food premises because they manufacture and sell a “processed substance intended for human consumption.” So they get lumped in with sushi restaurants and buffets, despite the fact that beer is considered to be “microbiologically safe” as the presence of alcohol, hop bittering compounds and carbon dioxide kill off foodborne pathogens.

So that means no dogs, as countless breweries have found out. Guide dogs and service dogs are cool, so long as they’re not in the food preparation area, and fish in an aquarium also get a pass, but beyond that, only animals that “a health officer determines will not pose a risk of a health hazard occurring on the premises” are permitted. Even on outdoor patios.

However, a number of B.C. craft breweries have taken advantage of the new outdoor picnic licence, which allows them to designate an outdoor area for the consumption of take-away products, like canned beer and growlers—and best of all, dogs are allowed! A number of rural breweries like Bad Dog Brewing in Sooke have lovely shaded areas with picnic tables and dog dishes so the whole family can enjoy an afternoon at the brewery—including the fur babies.

Hopefully the provincial government comes to its senses soon and removes the ban on dogs in breweries and lets brewery owners decide if they want to allow dogs in the tasting room.

Our best friends deserve better. j

See you at BeerFest?

e future of beer festivals in the COVID-19 age.

by Joe Wiebe

Back in February, I was helping to produce Victoria Beer Week (March 6-14) as news of a “new flu” began appearing. We got through most of the events, although ticket sales dropped to zero as the word “pandemic” began showing up in the media. en the province banned events above 250 people, which forced us to cancel our two final nights.

First to go was the Okanagan Fest of Ale in Penticton in April, followed by the postponements of Vancouver Craft Beer Week and Farmhouse Fest. No Great Okanagan Beer Festival or Whistler Village Beer Fest. No BC Beer Awards. I was going to emcee the Canadian Brewing Awards in Victoria at the end of June. Nope. at was rescheduled as a virtual event based in Toronto in September.

Depending on your perspective, all these cancellations might be merely disappointing—yet another fun thing we aren’t allowed to do—or devastating, as in there goes someone’s income for the next

year or two. e event production business has been decimated by COVID-19. Ask Jonny Evans, who produces Farmhouse Fest and Weathered annually, and supplements that by taking photos at other events: “I’m basically out of work for 12-18 months,” he told me over the phone in June when he should have been busy getting ready for Farmhouse Fest.

Same goes for Leah Heneghan, Festival Director for Vancouver Craft Beer Week. “It was going to be a big year,” she told me over Zoom during the darkest days of the spring lockdown. “We were really excited about it.” e plan was to move the VCBW Festival to Concord Community Park on the waterfront in downtown Vancouver, and to move to an all-inclusive model, eliminating the need for beer tokens just as Farmhouse Fest did earlier.

Heneghan said they intend to put on VCBW again when the authorities allow it, but their plan for 2020 envisioned up to 3,500 people attending

350 people jammed into the Victoria Public Market. Photo courtesy of Victoria Beer Week.

four different sessions over three days. at is not going to happen again until we have a vaccine or “herd immunity” to such an extent that life is essentially back to normal. e current maximum for events in B.C. is 50 people, and only if everyone can remain physically distant. It’s not actually clear if the government would even approve a beer event for 50 people given the outbreaks that have occurred at bars around the province.

en there’s the issue of glassware. We could check with Dr. Henry, but I can imagine what she’d say about the old model of handing someone a glass to carry around for an entire event—even if the glasses were dipped in a bucket of Star San between each pour. Single-use plastic cups will probably be the new norm, but what about the waste? Even if those throwaway cups are made from compostable plastic, they can’t be just dumped into the municipal composting program. Multiply 3,000 people by 10 cups each and we’re talking about 30,000 plastic cups.

Back in June, Evans speculated about running much smaller COVID-conscious sessions in an imaginary version of Farmhouse Fest: maybe 50 people seated in small groups at outdoor tables enjoying a guided tasting through several special beers. But when I checked in with him again in October, he admitted he could not see a way to make it work.

“I don't see any realistic way of holding an event,” Evans said, “until the government removes all restrictions and insurance companies offer cancellation protection.”

After all, putting on a beer festival isn’t cheap. Between venue costs, equipment rental, staffing, licensing, insurance, and so on, there are a lot of expenses before you even get to the cost of the beer. Economy of scale requires a big crowd so that each ticket only covers a small portion of those base costs. Staying under the 50-person limit would result in a ticket price double or triple what it used to be. Would people pay $150-$200 for what is arguably a glorified bottle share?

It’s also questionable if breweries will want to participate in beer festivals moving forward. With tasting rooms reduced in capacity or outright closed, and draft accounts cut significantly, some breweries are barely surviving. Given the costs of registration fees and their own staffing along with the potential health risks, many will likely decide

to stay away from beer festivals until the virus is not considered a threat any more and their own financial livelihood has improved.

When I spoke to Heneghan again in October she remained hopeful about 2021. “One thing I can say is if any big events are coming back, it’ll be outdoor events because that’s the place we all feel the safest. It keeps me hopeful that we will be among the first big festivals to come back.” She figured it will take her team about three months from getting approval to staging the next VCBW Festival, so let’s hope we get this virus licked by next spring.

In the meantime that leaves us with virtual beer festivals. Some events are attempting virtual versions, but when it comes right down to it, clinking glasses over Zoom or drinking together by the light of your phone screen isn’t quite the same as walking from booth to booth in a giant field filled with hundreds or thousands of fellow beer lovers.

It seems like we won’t be gathering together for a while yet, but once we have a vaccine or viral therapeutics or whatever it is that will allow us to return to some sense of normalcy, you can bet that beer lovers will want to celebrate. Big time. I’m sure there are a lot of people out there, me included, who can’t wait to say “See you at Beer Fest!” again. j

Dressing up at the Great Canadian Beer Festival. Joe Wiebe photo

Brewer Brewer Brewer Brewer

THE LANGLEY EDITION

by Joe Wiebe

Langley is one of the hottest beer towns in B.C. right now. Since Trading Post Brewing opened in 2016, there has been a surge of new breweries, including Five Roads, Farm Country, Camp Beer, and most recently, Smugglers’ Trail Cask Works. Add the KPU Brewing School and Dead Frog up by the highway, and there is a lot to celebrate.

For the Langley edition of Brewer vs. Brewer, we brought together Tony Dewald, the brewmaster at Trading Post, who goes back three decades as a brewer, with Dave Henry, head brewer at Camp Beer Co., which opened late in 2019. With COVID in effect, the interview was conducted by Zoom. Tony and Dave got to be in the same room, at least, sipping beers at Trading Post, while I was stuck in my home office in Victoria with no beers (boohoo!). I started off by asking how they first met.

Dave Henry: Tony was working at Old Abbey and held a contest for home brewers: open entry and the best beer got to be brewed at Old Abbey with Tony. Shortly after the contest, Tony left, but I did brew the beer with another brewer there.

Joe: Tell me how the Full Barrel Home Brewers Club came to be.

Dave: Tristan [Stewart] and I were looking for home brew clubs to join and the only one that was close was out in Port Moody. It seemed a little bit far to go back and forth so we decided to start our own in Langley. We gathered a whole bunch of guys together and just kicked it off.

Tony Dewald: at’s Tristan from Temporal by the way.

Joe: So was Tony a mentor for you then?

Dave: Even before that, I would go out to Old Abbey and ask him questions. Our first official meeting was actually at Trading Post just after it opened. He helped us out quite a bit.

Tony: Dave was an avid home brewer before he turned pro. He has a sweet setup. He constantly has four or five beers on tap at home. He’s one of those guys. You go upstairs and there’s a kegerator or a keezer conversion. And then he’s got a board with all the descriptions. [Both laughing.]

Joe: Tony, you’re an old hand in this business…

Tony: I completed 30 years back in May so now I’m working on 31.

Joe: You've seen a lot of changes over the years...

Tony: So many changes!

Joe: Can you highlight a couple turning points along the way?

Tony: Back in 1990 when I started we said we all should have patience because when the people who are drinking beer start to get a little bit older and start having kids, then their kids grow up and start drinking beer based on what their dad is drinking, and then the revolution will become fulfilled. And lo and behold, wait 22 years until about 2012—one generation—and all of a sudden the craft beer world is completely transformed from what it was back then.

Joe: You came out of the brewpub culture in Vancouver with your history at Dix and the whole cask beer movement. What do you think of casks kind of disappearing now?

Tony: Even we are going to drop our cask nights, not just because of COVID, but also because we’re finding there is less and less support for it. When I started making casks at Dix I always resisted making them “novelty casks.” Cask beer is quite special because it has less carbonation, it’s served a bit warmer so your palate’s not numb and you get to experience the full range of flavours. For me that was the purpose of the cask. But for many it became, “I’ve put elephant flowers and this rare type of saffron from a particular valley.” [Dave chuckles and nods.]

Dave: I agree. e cask movement was a good thing for a while there and then it just went off the rails. People were putting gummy bears and all sorts of stuff in them. e beer wasn’t even that good any more. I hope that it comes back at some point, but it seems to have slid off a cliff.

Joe: So what makes Langley so special?

Tony: Langley is one of the only places you can visit a brewery, a winery, a cidery, a meadery, and a distillery all in one day. I’m very proud of where we are. I like living on a farm, I like farming, and this is about as close as you can get to the city and live on farmland. It’s special to me. My hands go into the soil here; I drink water from a well.

Dave: I’ve lived in Langley for 12 years now. It’s a really cool area. It doesn’t matter which brewery you go to, they’re completely different from each other. And we all work with wineries and distilleries and collab with them to do all sorts of interesting stuff. It’s a really cool way to see an industry grow out here. It’s only going to get bigger.

Joe: KPU is down the road and they just started this Diversity in Brewing Scholarship.

Dave Henry and Tony Dewald zooming with Joe Wiebe at Trading Post Brewing in Langley, BC. Trading Post Brewing photos.

—Tony Dewald, Trading Post Brewing

Langley is one of the only places you can visit a brewery, a winery, a cidery, a meadery, and a distillery all in one day.

Dave: I think that’s a great movement. You’re starting to see that all over the world really. ere’s a lot of people in brewing — different colours, different everything — and sometimes people get overlooked. I think that doesn’t really happen that much here [in Canada], but it’s still nice to recognize that there are other people out there. We’ve done the KPU job fairs and the students are from all over the map. It looks like it’s almost 50% women now, too. It’s pretty cool to see so many different people getting into brewing.

Joe: How did COVID affect your brewery?

Dave: We opened on December 19th and got shut down on March 16th. A short, quick run. We had no plans of doing much off-site sales really. We were just doing a little bit of hand-canning to sell out of the tasting room. About a week later we went a full 180 degrees and started packaging everything. It kept us afloat. Once we were able to open at a limited capacity we just kept that going and it’s worked out really well. Eventually we were able to expand our patio a little bit into the parking lot. at was pretty amazing help because we were able to spread people out.

Joe: How about over at Trading Post?

Tony: We have a different business model than most other breweries with a central brewery and then we’ve opened two of our three satellite restaurants already, so we sell a lot of draft beer. e first month was a bit of a scramble, but like

everybody else we were able to pivot towards more packaging. We were very lucky that the mobile canning service was available. We started doing direct home deliveries, and at least we were able to stay afloat and no one got ill. And then we re-opened in mid-June and we were able to work with the local government and our landlords to increase our patio spaces.

We did have a few setbacks. We run a festival every year in Fort Langley that we’d sold out and we had to cancel that. We also run a big music festival in Fort Langley in September. Again, a fair amount of money was unfulfilled, let’s say, but right now we’re quite hopeful for coming back on track in terms of budget expectations. And our ability to sell packaged beer suddenly seems to have no ceiling on it.

Dave: Yeah, it’s pretty crazy.

Tony: So when we come back to “normal life” at some point I think we’ll have a nice little packaged business as well as the draft business that we had expected to take up most of our capacity at the brewery. So look for expansion along the way or maybe even contract brewing.

Joe: What about over at Camp?

Dave: Like I said, we weren’t planning on doing much packaging; we wanted to just sell out of the tasting room. at’s why we got the spot we did with the big patio and everything, and it was working really well. And now we have a packaging part of our business that we weren't planning on and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to go away. So we’re in that same stage where we’re trying to figure out how we can grow with both. In the future there’ll be more Camp around. We just gotta figure out how.

Joe: I think it’s great that we can talk about expanding even though we’re in the middle of this. Cheers to that! j

—Dave Henry, Camp Beer Co.

In the future there’ll be more Camp around. We just gotta figure out how.

All roads lead to beer according to this signpost at Camp Beer Co. in Langley. Supplied photo

cider cider A brief history of A brief history of in British Columbia in British Columbia

by Rob Mangelsdorf

While the craft cider craze in B.C. might be a recent happening, this province has a long and storied history with our favourite bubbly fruit beverage. Cider itself traces back to the apple growing regions of western Europe in Spain, France and England. French and English farmers brought their preferred libation with them when they came to North America.

Johnny Appleseed (real name, John Chapman) was well known for introducing apple cultivation across the central United States and Ontario in the early 1800s, but less well known was the fact that he was planting predominantly cider apples, allowing early settlers to easily make their own hooch. Soon the easy-to-grow, easy-to-make drink made it across the continent to B.C.

e Hudson’s Bay Company was the first to bring apples to the West Coast when they established cider apple orchards at Fort Vancouver near the mouth of the Columbia River (now Vancouver, Washington) in 1827. e HBC valued cider for its ability to fight scurvy in the winter months— some workers were even paid in cider. e HBC was also responsible for planting the first orchards in B.C. in the 1830s with the founding of Fort Langley on the Fraser River in what is now Derby Reach Regional Park, where some of the original heirloom cider apple trees are still thriving.

e establishment of Fort Victoria by the HBC in 1843 brought cider apples to Vancouver Island. anks to an influx of American prospectors passing through the area on their way to the goldfields of the Fraser Valley and the Cariboo in the 1850s, as well as the decision to base the British Royal Navy’s North Pacific Squadron in Victoria in 1865, demand for cider (any alcohol, really) exploded. Since Victoria was little more than a remote outpost that might as well have been on the moon, the city needed a cheap source of readily available booze to satisfy its thirsty new citizens. As a result, cider apple orchards were planted all over southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands to supply the new locals.

Cider production was still very much a farmbased venture in the late 1800s, with the first commercial cidery not appearing until 1922 with the Growers Wine Company in Saanich, which initially focused on loganberry wine. Close to 100 years later, the company is still around, as Growers Cider Co.

Meanwhile in the Okanagan, Catholic missionary Father Pandosy planted the first apple trees in what is now Kelowna in 1859, with the first commercial apple

farms established some 30 years later. B.C. premier “Honest” John Oliver’s audacious plan to build the Okanagan’s massive concrete irrigation canal— completed in 1923—soon helped to transform the area into Canada’s fruit bowl. Cider making in the Okanagan didn’t really take off until George Washington Ward decided to plant cider apples on his farm in Kelowna in 1918 to make the beloved off-dry cider of his native England. Five generations later, Ward’s Hard Cider is still producing cider from those very trees.

However, as B.C. became industrialized, farmbased cider production waned in favour of beer, which could more easily be produced in urban areas from ingredients that didn’t spoil. With the decrease in demand for cider, many cider apple orchards were ripped up in favour of sweet table or dessert varieties of apples, or more profitable grape vines.

Today, most of the cider made in B.C. is made with these dessert varieties, which produce a dry cider. However some of the original cider apple trees still remain, scattered around the province, many left derelict and growing feral. Cidermakers like Salt Spring Wild have sought out these heirloom varieties as they produce a more complex flavour due to their high tannin content. Some orchardists are even planting cider varieties again, marking a return for the humble cider apple in B.C. j

TOP: A wagon-load of apples being transported by workhorses in front of Wards Packinghouse in the early 1920s.

BOTTOM: Later in the century, the cidery switched to mechanical horsepower to transport the apples.

Photos courtesy of Wards Hard Cider

by Crystal Luxmore

Three years ago, Karen Belfry agreed to try her first Dry January. Belfry was a brewer at Lake Wilcox Brewing Co. in Vaughan, Ontario, working the early shift, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Alcohol had become a daily habit: “I had plenty of time to come home, do some chores, and polish off several beers or a bottle of wine,” she says.

“I was generally lethargic and didn’t have that ‘get up and go’ at 4 in the morning, not necessarily hungover, but not feeling my best,” she says.

“ rough the Dry January I felt awesome and realized it might be the key to feeling better.”

Here are 6 practices to reset your drinking habits in 2021:

1. Find Community

It wasn’t Belfry’s idea to do Dry January—she was part of a group of brewers that she met on Facebook and Reddit who talked about how the holidays are a heavy consumption period and decided to take a conscious break together.

Drinking can be a hardcore habit—and hard to break. It’s easier if you have support, finding like-minded friends, colleagues or internet buddies (try the Alcohol Change UK website) who want to change their drinking habits for the better can be a key part of success.

And taking a month off—while difficult for some of us—does a lot more than give your liver a four-

Now is the time to examine the role alcohol plays in your life and find the consumption that is right for you

week break. A 2019 study by the University of Sussex found that people who tried a Dry January drank one less day per week for at least six months afterwards, got drunk less often, and drank fewer units of booze than before.

Moreover, Dry January makes you notice how much you crave or use alcohol in your life and makes space and motivation to reset drinking habits. Belfry, who now works for Northern Canning, has certainly experienced this: “I replaced a lot of my mindless drinks, like a beer while vacuuming, with a sparkling water with fruit, I generally don’t drink alcohol from Monday to ursday, and if I’m going to a party I’ll bring a six-pack of zero alcohol beer to rotate it in.”

2. SUBSTITUTE WITH NON-ALCOHOLIC OPTIONS

Non-alcoholic beers are a great tool to help moderate intake—especially if moderation feels like a chore. Fourteen years ago, Ted Fleming, a beer lover who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in his late 20s, started collaborating with Durham College to design a non-alcoholic beer. He was tired of showing up at every party and just drinking water or pop, so his alcohol-free brewing company, Partake, was born. Not only are all of the beers—from pale ale to stout—alcohol-free, they’re also only 10 to 30 calories each.

3. DIRECT THAT EXTRA ENERGY SOMEWHERE

When many of us finally quit drinking we somehow expect our life to be instantly better. But drinking is often an escape, a way to shake off the boredom of an endless week of meetings, celebrate the end of a stressful project, or feel more confident at a party.

Quitting can fill you with anxiety—that’s why it’s helpful to direct that extra energy somewhere new. Find a new space to hang out in (a COVID-19 friendly one, of course), take up your favourite

sport or hobby again, or start a new practice like meditation or yoga to help with anxiety and managing emotions. As for socializing, find friends who also aren’t drinking, or suggest non-drinking activities like rock climbing or a socially distanced board game night instead of a bar—it’s not like they’re open anyway. Go to bed early and notice how much better you feel after many nights of sober sleep.

4. LOOK WITHIN

Our culture has normalized drinking to the point where people think you’re crazy for quitting— from the “hair of the dog” to cure a hangover, to gleeful “Drunk Mom” blogs, we don’t question whether alcohol nourishes us or just numbs us. To stay off the sauce, even for a day, you need to be clear on WHY you’re doing it, says Jason Ley, a Certified Cicerone and CEO at Better Drinking Culture, a Michigan-based company devoted to reducing alcohol abuse and promoting drinking in moderation.

“ ere’s nothing super sexy about it, but you’ve got to be willing to look yourself in the mirror when all of the dust from last night has settled, and really ask yourself if you’re doing more harm than good to yourself by how much you drink,” says Ley. His book, e Drinker’s Manifesto, gives you tools to moderate consumption and lists warning signs that signal alcohol use disorder including:

• Needing a drink to relax

• Lying to others about your alcohol use

• Feeling incapable of cutting back on the amount of alcohol consumed

• Losing time from work or school due to your drinking

• Worrying about running out of alcohol

“If you can look at yourself in the mirror and answer yes to any of these, then first and foremost, let’s pause and slow down our drinking, because otherwise those problems are going to grow, and it never ends well.”

Ley knows this firsthand. “I was the poster boy for binge drinking in college,” he says. “I’ve had to go to the hospital multiple times for drinking-related injuries. I’ve lost jobs and girlfriends because of the regrettable things I’ve done while intoxicated.”

In his early 30s, Ley finally faced up to his drinking habit and found a sweet spot for moderate consumption. “It wasn’t as easy as flipping a switch overnight, but I was so tired and ashamed of

rough the Dry January

I felt awesome and realized it might be the key to feeling better. —Karen Belfry

having to apologize to my wife for drinking too much, maybe throwing up in a toilet, or saying something hurtful,” he says.

5. TRACK YOUR DRINKS

You don’t have to do a dry month, but to cut down, you do have to track your drinks. e first thing Better Drinking Culture teaches is paying attention to what, and how much, you consume. Health Canada’s Low Risk Drinking Guidelines recommend that women consume no more than 10 drinks a week, no more than two drinks at a time and take at least two sober days per week. And for men, it’s maximum 15 drinks a week and no more than three a day. On special occasions, you can up it by one more drink. Staying within these guidelines means alcohol has no risk of harm to your health, relationships or work performance. And it’s key to know what “one drink” means. For beer, it’s a 341-ml bottle of 5% beer. So a 20-ounce pint of 6.5% IPA is equivalent to just over two units of alcohol.

6. SOMETIMES ZERO IS THE LIMIT

When he was 21, Michael Gurr, now president of Kensington Brewing Company, already knew drinking was a problem for him. “So I did what a lot of people do, I had a system of moderation, which for large periods of time was successful,” he says. “I would only drink on X number of days

GET YOUR NEAR BEER HERE

Dealcoholized Beer Available in British Columbia

RED RACER STREET LEGAL IPA & PILSNER

These dealcoholized craft styles are just as good as the real thing. The IPA even won a silver medal at the BC Beer Awards in the Experimental Beer category. Both are available in private liquor stores and the IPA sells in BC Liquor Stores too.

PARTAKE BREWING

Based in Calgary, Partake makes a Blonde, Pale, IPA, Red and Stout.

SOBER CARPENTER

This Montreal-based company makes a zero-alcohol IPA, Irish Red and White.

per week, or cut out drinking at home, I stopped drinking hard liquor, or tried taking a week off.”

Later, when he got into the beer industry, moderating became even harder: “ ere’s social pressure to partake all the time,” he says. And moderation felt like hell, “because when you step away you realize you’re just waiting to get drunk again.”

Gurr’s rock bottom came in September 2016, he’d been trying all year to cut back, but found himself seeking out excuses to be alone so he could binge drink. “I did a full inventory of where I was at and realized that alcohol was a problem, and moderation wasn’t working.” Initially, Gurr told his wife, and “a group of anonymous strangers on the internet,” slowly telling his friends and colleagues.

e reception from his friends wasn’t what he expected, “ ey were like, ‘Really? We didn’t think you had a problem at all,’ or ‘But I’m getting married in six months, so you’ll drink then, right?’”

“ ere’s still a belief that alcoholics are all homeless people drinking mouthwash,” he says, “but the majority are high-functioning professionals who own homes, hold down jobs and relationships, and appear very successful.”

If sobriety is something you know you need to explore, find a community and allies. If Alcoholics Anonymous turns you off, there are plenty of other options these days as a growing number of people are choosing sobriety over moderation. You can start by telling someone close to you, reading Sober Curious, calling an addictions hotline, or talking to a sober friend to start. j

Crystal Luxmore is an Advanced Cicerone® and co-founder of Beer Sisters Inc. Inspired to do #DryJanuary? Follow the Beer Sisters on Facebook and Instagram and go dry with us!

Street Legal IPA and Pilsner from Red Racer Beer. Supplied photo

— Mile 37 Craft Canning Co. presents —

THe guide to...the crowler®!

While it pains us to admit it, the end is near for the growler.

Not us, mind you. Not B.C.’s favourite craft beer and cider guide—we’re not going anywhere!

We’re talking about the ubiquitous big brown glass bottles cluttering up your closet and clanging around the trunk of your car.

e refillable growler has become a symbol for the freedom of the craft beer movement, and rightfully so. anks to the growler, no longer were craft beer consumers bound by what unrefrigerated, dusty cans and bottles they could find at the government liquor store. With a growler, for the first time you could take any draft beer home with you. And that meant tiny craft breweries could sell their beer to-go without having to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in a can or bottling line. Simply put, without the growler, craft beer as we know it wouldn’t exist today.

But the growler is far from perfect. It’s big. It’s heavy. It’s breakable. It’s expensive. And it’s not very good at preserving beer. ere must be a better way!

ankfully, there is: the crowler.

Crowlers are single use aluminum cans, but unlike the tallboys you buy at the beer store, these cans are BIG and are filled with the freshest of beer right before your eyes, just like a growler. Unlike a growler, however,

crowlers are mechanically sealed with a fancy machine to lock in flavour and carbonation and lock out oxidation and light.

We think crowlers are the best thing since, well, growlers (and not just because Mile 37 is paying us to say so, because they definitely are).

e future is now! And here’s why...

Better beer quality

Crowlers are mechanically sealed, whereas growlers just have that sketchy twist cap. at means a longer shelf life—up to a month or longer for crowlers, compared to 24 hours to two weeks for growlers. You can even get your crowler with an oxygen scavenging resealable lid, which is an absolutely brilliant way to ensure your beer stays fresh after you open it.

They’re cheaper

What’s an empty growler cost? $1,000? We have no idea because paying for your own beer packaging is for nerds. Crowlers cost pennies, and that’s the brewery’s problem, not yours.

Less responsibility

Growlers cost money, you have to keep them clean and constantly protect them from damage. It’s like having a baby that’s made out of glass that you occasionally drink sketchy beer out of. And if you don't do a good enough job cleaning it, your beer is spoiled. Some breweries will even deny filling your growler if it’s hella nasty. Lame.

It’s better for the environment or some junk

Aluminum is infinitely recyclable and crowler cans typically contain 70% recycled material, compared to 20-30% for glass bottles. So if you care about Mother Earth and the whole fate of our species or whatever, crowlers are the way to go.

But don't actually hold the flaming can, OK? Make sure it's placed on a firm and level surface.

They’re more versatile

While growlers are only useful for their intended purpose or as a pretty pathetic vase (unless you want to start a jug band, which we don’t recommend), crowlers can be turned into way-cool camping stoves! No, seriously, they can. Wildwoods Brewery in Boulder, CO, even has instructions for how to do it posted on its website. (Please don’t attempt to cut up your empty crowler while under the influence of its previous contents.)

Drinking a giant beer can looks hilarious

Seriously. It’s like having baby hands. Better yet, get yourself two crowlers and a roll of duct tape and it’s Edward Crowlerhands time! (Please drink responsibly.)

Portability

Taking glass camping or to the beach is a dick move and just plain dumb: you drop your growler and not only do you lose all of your beer, there’s foot-slicing shrapnel everywhere. Worst case scenario with dropping a crowler: a tiny pinhole leak. Just shotgun that baby and you’re good. (Again, please drink responsibly.) And when you’re done, it’s super easy to flatten the empty under your hiking boot so that you can toss it in your bag and pack it back out with you.

ere you have it folks. If you want draft beer to-go, it is our completely biased opinion that crowlers are the best option available. j

• To find out more about canning options, including crowlers, visit Mile 37 Canning at Mile37.com

Red chili tofu Banh mi

with Chaka Khan

Sour IPA from House of Funk Brewing

BY CHEF ROBERT LEE, SING SING BEER BAR

Photos courtesy of Sing Sing Beer Bar

Sing Sing Beer Bar opened in February 2019, adding its own unique vibe to the Main Street scene. It quickly established itself as a comfortable, relaxed place to grab some exceptional food and beer. e menu focuses on pizza and pho’, along with other snacks that go well with beer like chicken wings, calamari, BBQ chicken, and kimchi grilled cheese. e 20-tap beer list is dynamic and diverse with a wide range of B.C. breweries featured. Wine and cocktails are also available. While the food menu pretty much stays the same all the time (locals would complain if it changed), the bar staff keeps beers rotating so there is always something fresh and unique on tap.

For this recipe, Chef Robert Lee decided to make something new that features some of Sing Sing’s house recipes, including their red chili fried tofu, which is served with a house seasoning blend and Japanese mayo, as well as a house-made cashew cheese that is the sauce on their mushroom pizza. ey chose to pair it with the Chaka Khan Sour IPA from House of Funk Brewing in North Vancouver.

“I like this pairing for a couple reasons,” said Alvin Pillay, Food Director for the Donnelly Group, the owners of Sing Sing. “ e sandwich is bringing the richness of yeast-risen bread; tofu—fried to create a nice crunch and fatty flavour; fresh and pickled vegetables; and then herbs and mayo round out the flavour profile of the sandwich.”

“ e Chaka Khan Sour’s flavour of lacto culture and hops lends a nice cleanse to the palate without overpowering any of the elements,” Pillay continued. “I'm not a huge sour drinker, but I think House of Funk did a great job with that beer.”

Like many other restaurants and breweries in B.C., Sing Sing was closed for a time earlier this

year because of the pandemic, but it has done well since being able to re-open. An outdoor patio with umbrellas and heaters has certainly helped, and they are also looking into tenting options for the winter. e interior is wide open and airy, a place where everyone can feel comfortable even during COVID-19 times. —Joe

INgredients

• 1 demi baguette

Wiebe

• 4-6 pieces firm tofu, cut into 3” long rectangles, patted dry

• 4 tbsp grapeseed oil

• red chili powder (to taste)

• kosher salt (to taste)

• 1 cup red cabbage, finely shredded

• ¼ cup pickled carrots

• ¼ cup pickled daikon

• fresh cilantro (to taste)

• 4 tbsp spreadable cashew cheese

• sriracha hot sauce (to taste)

• hoisin sauce (to taste)

directions

1. In a small sauté pan heat the grapeseed oil on medium heat. Carefully place the tofu into the pan and fry on all sides. Once golden on all sides remove from the pan and place on a paper towel. Season the tofu on all sides with chili powder & salt.

2. Heat baguette until the crust is well toasted. Cut in half and begin to build the sandwich.

3. Spread cashew cheese on both sides of the bread. (Alternatives for the cashew cheese include: silken tofu seasoned to preference, oyster sauce, or good old mayonnaise.) Sriracha hot sauce and hoisin can be added to taste.

4. Layer in the fried tofu, vegetables & herbs. j

Sing Sing chef Robert Lee created this dish featuring his house recipe for red chili fried tofu.

STANLEY PARK BREWING RES TAURANT & B REW PUB

8901 Stanley Park Dr. | StanleyParkBrewing.com

DAILY 11AM-11PM

EST. 2009

is brewpub is based in a revitalized heritage building that was constructed in 1930 as a social sports pavilion. It has two large outdoor patios, along with cozy and bright indoor dining rooms serving beer made on-site along with food from a casual west coastinspired menu.

TRAIL HOPPER IPA

INDI A PALE A LE

Availability: Year-round

Full-bodied, aromatic and juicy. is delicious award-winning IPA gets its bold flavour from generous additions of Citra and Simcoe hops.

ELECTRO LAGER

LI GHT LAGER

Availability: Year-round

A clean, flavourful, low-cal/low-carb lager that is brewed with barley, oats and sea salt, and latehopped to add notes of citrus.

LAYER UP WINTER

WHEAT ALE

DARK WHEAT A LE

Availability: Seasonal

Lush layers of berry merge with citrus flavours in this auburn-coloured Wheat Ale.

WAYPOINT

H AZY PALE A LE

Availability: Year-round

Bursting with grapefruit citrus and tropical fruit flavours and aromas with a low perceived bitterness.

1897 AMBER

A MBER A LE

Availability: Year-round

e original Stanley Park branded beer, this amber ale has a soft caramel aroma and toasted malt flavour.

WINDSTORM

WEST COAST PALE A LE

Availability: Year-round

Tropical fruit and citrus hop character give this beer a medium body and full unfiltered flavour.

SETTLEMENT BREWING

55 Dunlevy Ave. | SettlementBuilding.com/SettlementBrewing

Previously Postmark Brewing, this brewery still operates out of the gorgeous Settlement Building, and plans to focus on creativity through small-batch production.

GOOD NEWS HAZY PALE

BIG ROCK BREWERY VANCOUVER

310 W. 4th Ave. | BigRockBeer.com

BOMBER BREWING CO.

1488 Adanac St. | BomberBrewing.com

One of Canada’s craft beer pioneers, Big Rock began brewing 35 years ago. e brewery’s success was built on solid beers like Traditional Ale, with a recipe that has gone untouched since 1985. HOPOPOTAMUS KVEIK

Bomber produces consistently delicious beers across the board. Look for some interesting new releases this winter, including Harvest Pilsner (brewed with rye) and a Biere de Garde (Keepsake).

SUNDAY BRUNCH (WITH

STONE

MAIN STREET BREWING CO.

261 E. 7th Ave. | MainStreetBeer.ca

OFF THE RAIL BREWING

1351 Adanac St. | Off eRailBrewing.com

Main Street continues to brew a diverse range of tasty beer in its historic location, which was originally part of the Vancouver Breweries complex dating back to 1913.

is brewery may be off the rail, but it’s definitely on the Adanac bike path, making it an ideal stop on a Yeast Van cycle tour—or on your commute home.

PARALLEL 49 BREWING CO.

1950 Triumph St. | Parallel49Brewing.com

STRANGE FELLOWS BREWING

1345 Clark Dr. | StrangeFellowsBrewing.com

e artwork is cartoonish, and the beer names are often silly, but P49 takes the craft of brewing very seriously so you can be confident the beer will be delicious.

From its standard line-up of core beers to the wood-aged wild ales, Belgian beauties, and everything in between, Strange Fellows’ beers are always excellent.

CYCLHOPS IPA SI NGLE HO P SER I ES

33

AC

RES BREWING CO.

15 W. 8th Ave., Vancouver

33AcresBrewing.com

BRASSNECK BREWERY

2148 Main St., Vancouver Brassneck.ca

33 AC

RES EXPERIMENT

25 W. 8th Ave., Vancouver

33BrewingExp.com

BREWHALL BEER CO.

97 E. 2nd Ave., Vancouver Brewhall.com

ANDINA

BREWING CO.

1507 Powell St., Vancouver AndinaBrewing.ca

CALLISTER BREWING CO.

1338 Franklin St., Vancouver CallisterBrewing.com

CONTAINER BREWING

1216 Franklin St., Vancouver

CBrew.ca

DOCKSIDE BREWING CO.

1253 Johnston St., Vancouver

DocksideVancouver.com

EAST VAN BREWING CO.

1675 Venables St., Vancouver

EastVanBrewing.com

ELECTRIC BICYCLE BREWING

CO.

20 E. 4th Ave., Vancouver

ElectricBicycleBrewing.com

DOGWOOD BREWING

8284 Sherbrooke St., Vancouver

DogwoodBrew.com

FACULTY BREWING CO.

1830 Ontario St., Vancouver

FacultyBrewing.com

GRANVILLE ISLAND BREWING

1441 Cartwright St., Vancouver

GIB.ca

SLOW HAND BEER COMPANY

1830 Powell St., Vancouver

SlowHandBeer.com

HASTINGS MILL BREWING COMPANY

403 E. Hastings St. PatsPub.ca

LUPPOLO BREWING CO.

1123 Venables St., Vancouver

LuppoloBrewing.ca

STEAMWORKS BREW PUB

375 Water St., Vancouver

Steamworks.com/Brew-Pub

STORM BREWING

310 Commercial Dr., Vancouver

StormBrewing.com

POWELL BREWERY

1357 Powell St., Vancouver PowellBeer.com

STRATHCONA BEER CO.

895 E. Hastings St., Vancouver

StrathconaBeer.com

R & B BREWING CO.

54 E. 4th Ave., Vancouver

RAndBBrewing.com

SUPERFLUX BEER CO.

505 Clark Dr., Vancouver

SuperfluxBeer.com

RED TRUCK BEER CO.

295 E. 1st Ave., Vancouver

RedTruckBeer.com

YALETOWN BREWING CO.

1111 Mainland St., Vancouver

MJG.ca/Yaletown

Tap into the Kootenay Rockies West Ale Trail

Rossland Beer Company ROSSLAND • 1990F COLUMBIA AVE

Trail Beer Refinery TRAIL • 1299 BAY AVENUE

Erie Creek Brewing SALMO • 117 FOURTH ST

Tailout Brewing CASTLEGAR • UNIT A 1810 8TH AVE

Lion’s Head Smoke & Brew Pub ROBSON • 2629 BROADWATER RD

Torchlight Brewing Co. NELSON • 125 HALL STREET

Backroads Brewing Company NELSON • 460 BAKER STREET

Nelson Brewing Company NELSON • 512 LATIMER STREET

Angry Hen Brewing KASLO • 343 FRONT STREET

RED MOUNTAIN SKIING/SNOWBOARDING

redresort.com

CASTLEGAR NORDIC SKIING

destinationcastlegar.com/nordic/

WHITEWATER SKI RESORT

nelsonkootenaylake.com/whitewater

KOOTENAY LAKE NORDIC SKIING

nelsonkootenaylake.com/nordic

KOOTENAY LAKE BACKCOUNTRY SKIING

nelsonkootenaylake.com/backcountry-skiing

Port Moody

DAGERAAD BREWING

114 - 3191 underbird Cres. | DageraadBrewing.com

SUN-THU 12-9PM ^ FRI 11AM-10PM ^ SAT 11AM-9PM

EST. 2014

When this brewery first opened, it was a risky proposition. Belgianstyle beer in a marketplace largely unfamiliar with what that even meant? Within five years, Dageraad was named Canada’s brewery of the year, and deservedly so. is is a brewery that truly deserves the “craft” designation.

ALONE UNDER THE VAST INDIFFERENCE OF THE SKY BELGIAN-STYLE I MPERIAL S TOUT WITH BRETT AND CHERRY JUICE

Availability: One-off

While you might think a description like “It tastes like goats rolled around in cherries” would turn people off, that sounds pretty fantastic to us!

ANNO 2020

BELGIAN-STYLE STRONG GOLDEN ALE WITH PEARS AND BRETT

Availability: Seasonal

A fantastic holiday beer that is perfect for Christmas sips or toasting in the New Year.

entropy

VELOUR TOBOGGAN BLACKBERRY D RY-HOPPED DARK ALE WITH B LACK B ERRIES

Availability: Seasonal

Last year’s velvety version was brewed with raspberries; no doubt, blackberries will work just as well.

IRRESOLUTION

D RY-HOPPED BELGIAN-STYLE

PALE ALE

Availability: Seasonal

is is brewed with whatever leftover hops they have at the brewery to celebrate the New Year.

Dageraad’s Entropy series of barrel-aged beers has featured 14 releases so far since it launched in 2016. e next one, playfully named “Bourbtwerpen,” will demonstrate what Dageraad’s Antwerpen

Abbey-style Tripel tastes like when aged in freshly emptied bourbon barrels. Our prediction: delicious!

DAGERAAD

KPU B REWING L AB

20901 Langley Bypass | KPU.ca/Brew

FRI 1-6PM

EST. 2014

e BC Beer Awards’ reigning Brewery of the Year has a 4,500-square-foot pilot brewery that is home to the KPU Brewing Diploma program. Students learn the art, science and business of brewing, and get jobs in the industry.

BIRRA ROSSA

A MERICAN AMB ER A LE

Availability: Year-round

A BV IBU 5.5%30

is first place winner at the 2019 BC Beer Awards is a malt-forward brew with New World hops.

DAS FEST P ALE G ERMAN LAGER

Availability: Year-round

A BV IBU 5.5%24

A crisp, traditional German Festbier. You don’t have to travel to enjoy this delicious beer. Pros’t!

FOUR WINDS BREWING CO.

4 - 7355 72nd St. | FourWindsBrewing.ca

Four Winds has installed a covered and heated patio space in the parking lot. is outdoor beer hall is perfect for sampling the brewery’s wide range of delicious beers.

HÜFTGOLD

LANGLEY

CAMP BEER CO.

19664 64 Ave. | CampBeer.ca

#5-20555 56 Ave. | FarmCountryBrewing.com

Camp Beer has a big outdoor patio with a retractable cover for the colder months, including a gas fire to keep you warm while you sip the delicious beer.

UPSTREAM PALE ALE PALE ALE

Farm Country has the largest tasting room in Langley and can safely seat over 60 people indoors and still meet all social distancing requirements. e brewery will celebrate its first birthday in December.

FIVE ROADS BREWING

6263 202nd St. | FiveRoadsBrewing.com

HOUSE OF FUNK BREWING CO.

350 E. Esplanade | HouseOfFunkBrewing.com

Part of the Langley Loop, Five Roads has a new patio that will stay open into 2021 to help with capacity restrictions. Look for select beers in fourand six- packs.

PERMANENT RESIDENT

Availability: Year-round

Every brew at House of Funk must spend time fermenting or conditioning in wood, or be subjected to an onslaught of wild yeast, souring bacteria and other funky micro-organisms.

SANGRIA SOUR SOUR BEER/WINE

Availability: Year-round

LA CERVECERIA ASTILLEROS

226 E. Esplanade | Cerveceria-Astilleros.com

WILDEYE BREWING

1385 Main St. | WildeyeBrewing.ca

is Mexican-themed brewery is joining the bustling beer scene along Esplanade. Its tasting room features gorgeous tiles from brewer Carlo Baroccio’s hometown in Guadalajara.

EL VALLE SALADO

SALTED LIME LAGER

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Year-round

Wildeye’s spacious tasting room and outdoor patio makes this brewery a great spot to visit during the pandemic. Watch for news on the new barrel program, coming soon.

OBERON’S ELIXIR BLACKBERRY PEA BLOSSOM DARK SOUR

Availability: Seasonal

DEVIL’S

Availability: Seasonal

3

DOGS BREWING

1515 Johnston Rd., White Rock

3DogsBrewing.com

BRIDGE BREWING CO.

1448 Charlotte Rd., North Vancouver BridgeBrewing.com

ANOTHER BEER CO.

#11 - 30 Capilano Way, New Westminster

AnotherBeerCo.com

BRITANNIA BREWING CO.

110-12500 Horseshoe Way, Richmond BBCO.ca

BARNSIDE BREWING CO.

6655 60 Ave., Delta | BarnsideBrewing.ca

DEAD FROG BREWERY

105 - 8860 201st St., Langley

DeadFrog.ca

BEERE BREWING COMPANY

312 E. Esplanade, North Vancouver

BeereBrewing.com

BIG RIDGE BREWING CO.

5580 152 St., Surrey

MJG.ca/Big-Ridge

BLACK KETTLE BREWING

106 -720 Copping St., North Vancouver

BlackKettleBrewing.com

DEEP COVE BREWERS AND DISTILLERS

170 - 2270 Dollarton Hwy., North Vancouver

DeepCoveCraft.com

FOAMERS’ FOLLY

BREWING CO.

19221 122A Ave., Pitt Meadows

FoamersFolly.ca

FRASER MILLS

FERMENTATION CO.

3044 Saint Johns St., Port Moody

FraserMillsFermentation.com

GREEN LEAF BREWING CO.

123 Carrie Cates Crt., North Vancouver GreenLeafBrew.com

NORTHPAW BREW CO.

2150-570 Sherling Pl., Port Coquitlam NorthpawBrewCo.com

HEARTHSTONE BREWERY

1015 Marine Dr., North Vancouver HearthstoneBrewery.ca

MAPLE MEADOWS

BREWING CO.

22775 Dewdney Trunk Rd., Maple Ridge MapleMeadowsBrewing.com

MARINER BREWING

1100 Lansdowne Dr., Coquitlam MarinerBrewing.ca

NORTH POINT BREWING CO.

266 E. 1st St., North Vancouver NorthPointBrewing.com

PARKSIDE BREWERY

2731 Murray St., Port Moody eParksideBrewery.com

PATINA BREWING CO.

2332 Marpole Ave., Port Coquitlam PatinaBrewing.com

MONKEY 9 BREWING

14200 Entertainment Blvd., Richmond Monkey9.ca

RIDGE BREWING CO.

22826 Dewdney Trunk Rd., Maple Ridge RidgeBrewing.com

MOODY ALES

2601 Murray St., Port Moody MoodyAles.com

SILVER VALLEY BREWING CO.

#101 - 11952 224 St., Maple Ridge

SilverValleyBrewing.com

SMUGGLERS TRAIL

140-9339 200a St., Langley

SmugglersTrailCask.com

THE BAKERY BREWING CO.

2617 Murray St., Port Moody

eBakeryBrewing.com

STEAMWORKS BREWING CO.

3845 William St., Burnaby

Steamworks.com

TINHOUSE BREWING CO.

550 Sherling Pl., Port Coquitlam

TinhouseBrewing.ca

STEEL & OAK BREWING CO.

1319 3rd Ave., New Westminster

SteelAndOak.ca

TRADING POST BREWING

107 - 20120 64th Ave., Langley

TradingPostBrewing.com

STREETCAR BREWING

123A East 1st St., North Vancouver

StreetcarBrewing.ca

TWIN SAILS BREWING

2821 Murray St., Port Moody

TwinSailsBrewing.com

STUDIO BREWING

5792 Beresford St., Burnaby

StudioBrewing.ca

WHITE ROCK BEACH BEER CO.

15181 Russell Ave., White Rock

WhiteRockBeachBeer.com

TAYLIGHT BREWING

402-1485 Coast Meridian Rd., Port

Coquitlam | TaylightBrewing.com

YELLOW DOG BREWING CO.

1 - 2817 Murray St., Port Moody

YellowDogBrew.com

FIELD HOUSE BREWING CO.

2281 West Railway St. | FieldHouseBrewing.com

RAVENS BREWING CO.

2485 Townline Rd. | Ravens.beer

Between the brewery itself and the barrel house on the Field House farm, there is so much great beer being created by this company.

SALTED

CHILLIWACK

Based on an 11.5-acre farm in the Greendale area of Chilliwack, this destination brewery has a custom-built facility with a tasting room, heated patio, and outdoor picnic area.

Ravens produces a wide range of excellent, award-winning beers. Now, the brewery has added a distillery and is making its own vodka, too.

FIELD HOUSE CHWK

#102-9251 Woolly Dog Alley |

FieldHouseBrewing.com

MOUNTAINVIEW BREWING CO.

390 Old Hope Princeton Way | MountainviewBrewing.ca

Congratulations to Field House for opening this new brewery and tasting room in downtown Chilliwack. It will showcase its own beers brewed on site.

You know how you always drive through Hope wishing there was a reason to stop? Well, those days are over. Expect Mountainview to open in November.

BRICKLAYER BREWING

46128 Yale Rd., Chilliwack

BricklayerBrewing.com

FLASHBACK BREWING CO.

TEMPORARILY CLOSED

1-9360 Mill St., Chilliwack

FlashbackBrewing.ca

MISSION SPRINGS BREWING COMPANY

7160 Oliver St., Mission MissionSprings.ca

OLD ABBEY ALES

30321 Fraser Hwy., Abbotsford

OldAbbeyAles.com

LOUDMOUTH BREWING

103 – 2582 Mt. Lehman Rd., Abbotsford

LoudmouthBrewingCompany.ca

OLD YALE BREWING CO.

404 - 44550 South Sumas Rd., Chilliwack

OldYaleBrewing.com

BATCH 44 BREWERY & KITCHEN

5561 Wharf Ave. | Batch44Brewery.com

BACKCOUNTRY BREWING

#405 - 1201 Commercial Way | BackcountryBrewing.com

Located in a beautifully renovated space highlighted by brick and wood, Batch 44 serves delicious beer and food in its spacious tasting room and outdoor patio.

HALF MOON PALE PALE ALE

In addition to its regular line-up, Backcountry expects to release more than 50 one-off beers in 2020—and each one seems to have a better name than the last.

MEDUSA LAGER GERMAN PILSNER

Availability: Year-round Availability: Year-round

WHISTLER

WHISTLER BREWING CO.

1045 Millar Creek Rd. | WhistlerBeer.com

WIDOWMAKER NEW

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Year-round

A-FRAME BREWING CO.

38927 Queens Way, Squamish AFrameBrewing.com

BREWHOUSE (HIGH MOUNTAIN BREWING)

You can find Whistler’s beers on tap and in stores throughout B.C. Be sure to stop by the brewery the next time you visit Whistler.

BLACK CHERRY

MARZEN

OKTOBERFEST LAGER

Availability: Seasonal

MIGHTY 90 LOW CAL PALE ALE

Availability: Year-round

43 4.0%

4355 Blackcomb Way, Whistler MJG.ca/BrewHouse

COAST MOUNTAIN BREWING CO.

2 - 1212 Alpha Lake Rd., Whistler CoastMountainBeer.ca

SECHELT SQUAMISH

37801

T

T

5824 Ash Ave., Powell River

TownsiteBrewing.com

Prohibition in B.C. only lasted four years (vs. 13 years in the U.S.)

Prior to Prohibition, there were more than 140 breweries in the province— compared to the 210 (or so) operating today.

537

CIDERIES

VA NCOUVER ISLA ND BREWING

2330 Government St. | VIBrewing.com

MON-THU 12-6PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-8PM ^ SUN 12-5PM

EST. 1984

Vancouver Island Brewing has a long history as one of the original trio of microbreweries to open in B.C. back in 1984, and it’s keeping its brand fresh with creative beer releases and community collaborations. Look for a new small-batch brewing system to come online in 2021.

Availability: Year-round

Always brewed carefully to style, this classic German-style Pilsner is delicious any time of the year.

Availability: Year-round

is Schwarzbier is as dark as the night sky seen from Saanich’s Dominion Astrophysical Observatory.

Availability: Seasonal

Dark chocolate and blackberry sweetness play off each other in this rich and robust stout.

Availability: Seasonal

A dessert-style beer showcasing the classic Nanaimo bar flavours of chocolate, vanilla and coconut.

CEllar SEries

If you’re smart, you’ve already been cellaring Hermannator yourself, but most of us can’t resist drinking it as soon as it comes out. ankfully, Vancouver Island has done the work for us! is winter you can buy the 2019 version of Hermannator and see how the flavours and body have evolved over the course of a year.

MAYNE ISLAND BREWING CO.

490 Fernhill Rd. | MayneIslandBrewingCo.com

HOWL BREWING

1780 Mills Rd. | HowlBrewing.ca

Plan a visit to check out this unique brewery with picnic tasting areas nestled in the forest. e beer is delicious—especially the barrel-aged specialties.

4TH ANNIVERSARY

is tiny brewery just north of YYJ specializes in obscure historical styles that haven’t been brewed in centuries, and also uses local produce, mushrooms, and herbs.

KOTTBUSSER

SAANICH SOOKE

TWA DOGS BREWERY AT VICTORIA CALEDONIAN

761 Enterprise Cres. | VCaledonian.com

BAD DOG BREWING COMPANY

7861 Tugwell Rd. | BadDogBrewing.ca

is Scottish-themed brewery and distillery on the outskirts of Victoria has a big tasting room and an outdoor heated patio under a big tent in the parking lot.

LIFE & LIBERTY PALE ALE

Bad Dog is expanding capacity with three new fermenters, and also hopes to make its pandemicfriendly covered patio a permanent expansion. 3rd anniversary party at the brewery on Dec. 5! LIQUID

MAYNE ISLAND

NORTH SAANICH

MOON UNDER WATER BREWERY

350B

SPINNAKERS BREWPUB

308

e Moon’s distillery will be releasing a single barrel of its first whiskey in February, 2021. e brewery will be brewing beer with local malted barley from Saanichton’s Field 5 Farms.

is historic waterfront brewpub serves delicious food alongside a range of beers and ciders produced on site. Spinnakers now makes its own spirits, too, including gins, crèmes, and vodka.

DRIFTWOOD BREWERY

450 Hillside Ave., Victoria DriftwoodBeer.com

SOOKE BREWING CO.

2057 Otter Point Rd., Sooke

SookeBrewing.com

HOYNE BREWING CO.

101-2740 Bridge St., Victoria

HoyneBrewing.ca

ÎLE SAUVAGE BREWING CO.

2960 Bridge St., Victoria IleSauvage.com

SOOKE OCEANSIDE BREWERY

1-5529 Sooke Rd., Sooke

SookeOceansideBrewing.com

SWANS BREWPUB

506 Pandora Ave., Victoria SwansHotel.com

LIGHTHOUSE BREWING CO.

2 - 836 Devonshire Rd., Esquimalt

LighthouseBrewing.com

PHILLIPS BREWING & MALTING CO.

2010 Government St., Victoria

PhillipsBeer.com

SALT SPRING ISLAND ALES

270 Furness Rd., Salt Spring Island

SaltSpringIslandAles.com

V2V BLACK HOPS BREWING

2323 Millstream Rd., Langford

V2VBlackHopsBrewing.ca

WHISTLE BUOY BREWING CO.

560 Johnson St., Victoria

WhistleBuoyBrewing.com

Vancouver Island

TWIN C I TY B REWING

4503 Margaret St. | TwinCityBrewing.ca

TUES-SAT 11:30AM-8PM

EST. 2017

Plan a visit to Port Alberni to enjoy the exceptional beer and food here. ey finally started canning so you can bring some beer home with you.

Availability: Seasonal

A BV IBU 8.5%24

is traditional German beer is a warming winter brew with bold flavours of caramel and sticky toffee.

Availability: Seasonal

A BV IBU 7.0%10

Conditioned on black currants and blueberries, and hopped with African Queen and Ella hops.

DISSIMULATOR DOPPEL B OCK

BATTY FANG BLACK C URRANT-BLUE B ERR Y S OUR

PORT

DOG MOUNTAIN BREWING

3141 3rd Ave. | DogMountainBrew.com

Port Alberni’s second brewery, which opened at the end of 2019, has a rooftop patio with sunset-facing views of the Alberni Inlet, plus great beer and delicious food, too. Road trip!

CAMPBELL RIVER COMOX

BEACH FIRE BREWING

594 11th Ave. | BeachFireBrewing.ca

LAND

& SEA BREWING CO.

2040 Guthrie Rd. | LandAndSeaBrewing.ca

During the summer, Beach Fire opened a large, partially covered back patio to augment its tasting room. Recently, they added a wood-fired pizza oven that “puts the fire in Beach Fire.”

e BC Ale Trail gave Land & Sea its 2019 Best Brewery Experience award. With a wide open tasting room, exceptional kitchen, and deliciously diverse beer list, you can’t go wrong.

ACE BREWING CO.

150 Mansfield Dr. | Facebook.com/AceBrewingCompany

RED ARROW BREWING CO.

5255 Chaster Rd. | RedArrowBeer.ca

Ace recently celebrated its first anniversary by winning a silver medal at the 2020 Canadian Brewing Awards for its Jet Fuel IPA in the highly competitive American Style IPA category. JET FUEL

Red Arrow now has a full-service lounge, offering a wide variety of locally produced wines and spirits, as well as guest tap features from across the province.

LONGWOOD BREWERY

101A-2046 Boxwood Rd., Nanaimo LongwoodBeer.com

LONGWOOD BREWPUB & RESTAURANT

5775 Turner Rd., Nanaimo LongwoodBrewpub.com

Longwood has been making some very interesting fruit and wine beers. Look for the Quince Tart Lager and Pinot Noir Wild Ale to return in 2021.

is brewpub in the Longwood Station Shopping Centre celebrated its 20th anniversary back in May. Cheers to two decades of serving great beers alongside delicious food!

WOLF BREWING COMPANY

940 Old Victoria Rd. | WolfBrewingCompany.com

MOUNT ARROWSMITH BREWING CO.

109-425 East Stanford Ave. | ArrowsmithBrewing.com

Visit

TRIDENT ESB EXTRA SPECIAL BITTER

Availability: Seasonal

Now with an on-site pizzeria and a new covered patio and picnic area where you can enjoy the delicious beer, Mount Arrowsmith has everything you need through the winter months.

HARVEST FRESH IPA FRESH HOP IPA

DIRTY HARRY CALIFORNIA COMMON WEEKEND

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Seasonal

UCLUELET BREWING COMPANY

1601 Peninsula Rd. | UclueletBrewing.ca

is long-awaited brewery based in a renovated church finally opened in February 2020 just in time to be closed by COVID-19 in March. Fortunately, it’s still standing.

RESURRECTION RED IRISH RED ALE

BELLE TOWER FARMHOUSE SAISON

Availability: Year-round Availability: Year-round

CLIFFSIDE BREWING CO.

11 Cliff St., Nanaimo CliffsideBrewCo.ca

RIOT BREWING CO.

101A - 3055 Oak St., Chemainus

RiotBrewing.com

CRAIG STREET BREW PUB

25 Craig St., Duncan CraigStreet.ca

SMALL BLOCK BREWING CO.

203-5301 Chaster Rd., Duncan

SmallBlockBrewery.com

CUMBERLAND BREWING CO.

2732 Dunsmuir Ave., Cumberland CumberlandBrewing.com

TOFINO BREWING CO.

691 Industrial Way, Tofino TofinoBrewingCo.com

GLADSTONE BREWING CO.

244 4th St., Courtenay

GladstoneBrewing.ca

WHITE SAILS BREWING

125 Comox Rd., Nanaimo WhiteSailsBrewing.com

LOVESHACK LIBATIONS

1 - 4134 Island Hwy. West, Qualicum

LoveShackLibations.com

NEW TRADITION BREWING

215 Port Augusta St., Comox

NewTraditionBrewing.com

On average, British Columbians consume approximately 58 litres of beer per year—the lowest of any province or territory except for Nunavut—but before Prohibition, British Columbians consumed roughly twice the national liquor average.

BARN OWL BREWING CO.

4629 Lakeshore Rd. | BarnOwlBrewing.ca

FREDDY’S BREWPUB

124 McCurdy Rd. | McCurdyBowl.com

Based in a gorgeously renovated centuryold barn in Kelowna’s Lower Mission neighbourhood, Barn Owl wisely brews a wide range of beers to satisfy all tastes.

Kelowna’s longest standing brewery has renovated its entire space, expanding its capacity to offer up to 14 in-house brands on tap, guest taps, and more.

VICE & VIRTUE BREWING CO.

1033 Richter St. | ViceAndVirtueBrewing.ca

CANNERY BREWING

198 Ellis St. | CanneryBrewing.com

What’s more enticing here: the food or the beer? It’s a toss-up. ey’re both fantastic so the smart play is to try them together. VERITAS

In addition to an ever-rotating selection of top-notch craft beer, Cannery’s tasting room also features a rotating selection of guest taps, local BC wines and ciders, plus locally inspired small bites.

HIGHWAY 97 BREWERY

954 Eckhardt Ave. | Hwy97Brewery.com

PENTICTON

SLACKWATER BREWING

218 Martin St. | SlackwaterBrewing.com

Very exciting news! is brewery is moving right next door to Cannery Brewing in Penticton’s central Brewery District, quadrupling the size of the taproom and brewery.

FIRESIDE

Slackwater’s brewery and beautiful two-storey tap room with two patios was the result of a major renovation of downtown Penticton’s last remaining nightclub.

MORROW BEER COMPANY

470 Lakeshore Dr. W. | MorrowBeerCompany.com

CRANNÓG ALES

706 Elson Rd. | CrannogAles.com

Salmon Arm is welcoming its second brewery this fall. Adam Morrow, the co-founder and Head Brewer, got his start working at the Moon Under Water and Driftwood Brewery in Victoria.

Canada’s first organic farm-based brewery celebrated its 20th anniversary this year. If you’ve never visited in person, put it on your bucket list for 2021.

BACK HAND OF

CITY SALMON ARM SORRENTO

MARTEN BREWING CO.

2933A 30th Ave. | MartenBrewpub.com

BARLEY STATION BREW PUB

20 Shuswap St. N., Vernon BarleyStation.com

As a converted nightclub, this brewpub is very spacious with lots of room to spread out. e beer and food are both excellent, as is the housemade line of Underground Kombucha.

SLOW & STEADY BARREL- A GED

ALCHEMY BREWING

650 Victoria St., Kamloops

AlchemyBrewingCompany.ca

BNA BREWING CO.

1250 Ellis St., Kelowna

BNABrewing.com

BREAKAWAY BREWING CO.

13224 Victoria Road N., Summerland

BreakawayBrewingCompany.com

CO.

BRIGHT EYE BREWING

292 Tranquille Rd., Kamloops

BrightEyeBrewing.com

BAD TATTOO BREWING CO.

169 Estabrook Ave., Penticton

BadTattooBrewing.com

COPPER BREWING CO.

102 - 1851 Kirschner Rd., Kelowna

CopperBrewingCo.com

BARLEY MILL BREW PUB

2460 Skaha Lake Rd., Penticton

BarleyMillPub.com

DETONATE BREWING

104 - 9503 Cedar Ave., Summerland

DetonateBrewing.com

ELEVATION 57 BREWING CO.

TEMPORARILY CLOSED

20 Kettleview Rd., Big White

SessionsTapHouseAndGrill.com

KELOWNA BEER INSTITUTE

1346 Water St., Kelowna

TreeBrewingBeerInstitute.com

EMPTY KEG BREW HOUSE

2190 Voght St., Merritt

EmptyKegBrewHouse.ca

KETTLE RIVER BREWING CO.

731 Baillie Ave., Kelowna

KettleRiverBrewing.ca

FIREHALL BREWERY

6077 Main St., Oliver

FirehallBrewery.com

KIND BREWING

2405 Main St., West Kelowna Facebook.com/KindBrewer

IRON ROAD BREWING

980 Camosun Crs., Kamloops

IronRoadBrewing.ca

JACKKNIFE BREWING

727 Baillie Ave., Kelowna

Facebook.com/JackknifeBrewing

KELOWNA BREWING CO.

975 Academy Way, Kelowna

KelownaBrewingCompany.com

LAKESIDER

BREWING CO.

835 Anders Road, West Kelowna

LakesiderBrewing.com

NEIGHBOURHOOD

BREWING

187 Westminster Ave. W., Penticton NeighbourhoodBrewing.com

RED BIRD BREWING

1086 Richter St., Kelowna

RedBirdBrewing.com

FERNIE BREWING CO.

26 Manitou Rd., Fernie

FernieBrewing.com

B.C.’s easternmost brewery recommends you visit to sample its wares and enjoy the Fernie Alpine Resort, which receives more snowfall annually than any other resort in the Canadian Rockies.

WHITETOOTH BREWING

623 8th Ave. N. | WhitetoothBrewing.com

ANGRY HEN BREWING

343

Fresh off winning the most medals at the 2020 Canadian Brewing Awards, Whitetooth should be at the top of your list of breweries to visit this winter. Get your snow tires on!

Angry Hen aims to be Kaslo’s living room, which is a bit challenging during a pandemic. By hosting pop-up dinners once a month they give their customers a safe option to gather together.

KIMBERLEY NELSON

OVER TIME BEER WORKS

136A Wallinger Ave. | OverTimeBeer.ca

BACKROADS BREWING CO.

460 Baker St. | BackroadsBrewing.com

Over Time took advantage of “time off ” during the pandemic to add a comfortable patio beside the brewery, complete with heaters for the winter.

MOUNTAIN STANDARD GOLDEN ALE

HOLD UP SCOTCH ALE

Availability:

Backroads now packages its core beers in tall cans with distribution to stores throughout the Kootenays and as far west as the Okanagan. EL DORADO GOLDEN ALE

ARROWHEAD BREWING CO.

481 Arrow Rd., Invermere

ArrowheadBrewingCompany.ca

ERIE CREEK

BREWING CO.

117 Fourth St., Salmo

ErieCreekBrewingCo.com

FISHER PEAK BREWING CO.

821 Baker St., Cranbrook eHeidOut.ca

RUMPUS BEER COMPANY

208 1st Street E. | RumpusBeerCo.com

TAILOUT BREWING

1800 8th Ave., Castlegar

TailoutBrewing.com

MT. BEGBIE BREWING CO.

2155 Oak Dr., Revelstoke

Mt-Begbie.com

NELSON BREWING CO.

512 Latimer St., Nelson

NelsonBrewing.com

ROSSLAND BEER CO.

1990 Columbia Ave., Rossland

RosslandBeer.com

TORCHLIGHT BREWING CO.

125 Hall St., Nelson TorchlightBrewing.com

TRAIL BEER REFINERY

1299 Bay Ave., Trail TrailBeerRefinery.ca

— x — KOOTENAYS

x

JACKSON’S SOCIAL CLUB & BREWHOUSE

175 Hwy. 97, 100 Mile House JacksonsSocialClub.com

Some of the reasons to visit Jackson’s besides just great beer: “ e Dreaded Kitchen“ offers locally sourced delicious food, house roasted coffees, and occasionally live entertainment in a funky atmosphere.

CROSSROADS BREWING & DISTILLERY

508 George St., Price George CrossroadsCraft.com

FOX MOUNTAIN

BREWING CO.

215 Donald Rd., Williams Lake

FoxMountainBeer.com

MIGHTY PEACE BREWING CO.

10128 95th Ave., Fort St. John MightyPeaceBrewing.ca

SHERWOOD MOUNTAIN

BREWHOUSE

101 - 4816 Hwy. 16 West, Terrace

SherwoodMountain.beer

TRENCH BREWING & DISTILLING

399 2nd Ave., Prince George TrenchBrew.ca

URSA MINOR

BREWING

45249 Ootsa Lake Rd. E., Burns Lake Facebook.com/Ursa-Minor-Brewing

WHEELHOUSE BREWING CO.

217 1st Ave. E., Prince Rupert WheelhouseBrewing.com

WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT LOCAL BEER, WINE & SPIRITS.

SMITHERS BREWING CO.

3832 3rd Ave., Smithers

SmithersBrewing.com

THREE RANGES BREWING CO.

1160 5th Ave., Valemount reeRanges.com

WARDS CIDER

2287 Ward Rd. | WardsHardCider.com

DAILY 12-5PM

EST. 1922

is fifth generation family-owned orchard has been producing heirloom cider apples for more than a century and now crafts its own cider in its historic 1922 packing house. Founder George Washington Ward would be proud!

WARDS WINTERSPICE SPICED DRY CIDER

Availability: Seasonal

ABV 6.0%

Made with a blend of cider and dessert apples and a secret blend of spices for notes of baked apple pie and citrus. Like a hug from Santa in a glass!

INFINITEA VANILLA HONEYBUSH

TEA-INFUSED CIDER

Availability: Year-round

ABV 5.0%

Like a vanilla cupcake in a glass without the sugar, InfiniTea has a smooth honey flavour rounded out by feel-good vanilla notes.

AFFINITY CIDERHOUSE

5155 Samuel Rd. | AffinityCider.com

Affinity is making small batch, farm-crafted cider with 100% local fruit and reclaiming the many lost heirloom cider apple trees and ghost orchards of the Cowichan Valley.

HERITAGE DRY SCRUMPY

Availability: Year-round

POME BLEND M ODERN DRY CIDER WITH PEAR S AND QUINCE

Availability: Small bartch

www.bchospitalityfoundation.com

COBBLE HILL DUNCAN

MERRIDALE CIDERY & DISTILLERY

1230 Merridale Rd. | Merridale.ca

VALLEY CIDER COMPANY

7661 Mays Rd., Duncan | ValleyCider.com

Vancouver Island’s oldest operating cidery has been producing all-natural ciders from its heirloom cider apple orchard for more than 30 years.

MO’MORO DRY-HOPPED SEMI-DRY CIDER WITH BLOOD ORANGE

Handcrafted, innovative farm-to-bottle ciders are on the menu at this bucolic Cowichan Valley cidery, where locally-grown ingredients showcase the local terroir.

WINTER SPICED CIDER

Availability: Year-round Availability: Year-round

SCRUMPY BARREL-AGED DRY CIDER ABV 6.0% ABV 11.0%

LOVE POTION MODERN CIDER

6.5% ABV 6.5%

GIBSONS KELOWNA

SUNDAY CIDER

1632 Sunshine Coast Hwy. | SundayCider.com

770 Packinghouse Rd. | ScenicRoadCider.com

Once based in East Van, Sunday packed up and moved to the Sunshine Coast, where it now grows its own apples on a 20-acre farm just outside of Gibsons. Stop and enjoy a glass on the grass of the new picnic area.

SUNDAY WILD WILD-FERMENTED CIDER

Availability: Year-round Availability: Small batch

Scenic Road’s small-batch ciders are made from apples grown on its 20-acre farm. e cidery just launched a new website with an online store.

CIDERMAKER’S SELECT SERIES CRANBERRY CIDER

82 Sponsored content

PEARY PERRY ABV 6/3% ABV 4.6%

Availability: Small batch Availability: Year-round

HOWLING MOON CRAFT CIDER

7952 BC-97 | HowlingMoon.ca

CREEK & GULLY CIDER

1053 Poplar Grove Rd. | CreekAndGully.com

Howling Moon’s Community Cider Boxes are the perfect way to sample a variety of their smallbatch, steampunk-inspired creations—delivered direct to your door. Join the cider revolution! BLACKBERRY

Creek & Gully ships its sublime organic ciders Canada-wide, so you don’t have to visit its fifthgeneration family orchard on the Naramata bench to get a taste—but you should!

SAANICHTON SQUAMISH

SEA CIDER FARM & CIDERHOUSE

2487 Mt. St. Michael Rd. | SeaCider.ca

GEO CIDER CO.

318-1201 Commercial Way | GeoCider.com

ere are more than 50 varieties of organic heirloom cider apples growing at Sea Cider’s 10-acre farm allowing it to produce dozens of different award-winning ciders.

WILD ENGLISH TRADITIONAL DRY CIDER Availability: Year-round Availability: Small batch

is Squamish cidery was founded by a couple of professional stuntmen who got tired of getting thrown out of windows. Make sure to check on social for updated hours for its 12-tap tasting room.

PUNCH BOWL APPLE CIDER FRUIT CIDER

Availability:

Availability: Year-round

BC TREE FRUITS CIDER CO.

880 Vaughan Ave., Kelowna

BCTreeFruitsCider.com

DEAD END CIDER

620 Sumac Rd., Cawston

ForbiddenFruitWine.com

THE BRICKER CIDER COMPANY

6642 Northwest Bay Rd., Sechelt

BrickersCider.com

DOMINION CIDER CO.

10216 Gould Ave., Summerland

DominionCider.com

BURTON CITY CIDER

5470 BC-6 , Burton

BurtonCityCider.ca

FARMSTRONG CIDER CO.

4305 Maw Rd., Armstrong

FarmstrongCider.com

CEDAR CIDER

340 184 St., Surrey

CedarCider.ca

CIDERWORKS

529 Fulford-Ganges Rd., Salt Spring Island

SaltSpringAppleCompany.com/Ciderworks

FAUSTINO ESTATE CIDERY

14000 BC-97, Osoyoos

FaustinoEstateCidery.ca

FRASER VALLEY CIDER CO.

22128-16th Ave., Langley

FraserValleyCider.ca

CLIFFSIDE CIDER

103-37760 2 Ave., Squamish

CliffsideCider.com

GABBIE’S PREMIUM CIDER

1120 Coats Dr., Gabriola Island

GabbiesCider.com

GREENHILL CIDER

55 Dunlevy Ave., Vancouver GreenhillCider.com

ORCHARD HILL ESTATE CIDERY

3480 Fruitvale Way, Osoyoos OrchardHillCidery.com

KOOTENAY CIDER WORKS

1638 Granite Rd., Nelson KootenayCiderWorks.com

LEFT FIELD CIDER CO.

Mamit Lake Rd., Logan Lake LeftFieldCider.com

THE NARAMATA CIDER

COMPANY

2370 Aikins Loop, Naramata NaramataCider.com

RAVEN’S MOON CRAFT CIDER

4905 Darcy Rd, Courtenay RavensMoonCraftCider.ca

RUSTIC ROOTS WINERY & CIDERY

2238 Hwy. 3, Cawston HarkersOrganicsRusticRoots.com

NOMAD CIDER

8011 Simpson Rd., Penticton NomadCider.ca

NORTHYARDS CIDER

CO.

9 - 38936 Queensway, Squamish NorthyardsCider.com

SALT SPRING WILD CIDER

151 Sharp Rd., Salt Spring Island

SaltSpringWildCider.com

TRUCK 59 CIDER HOUSE

3887 Brown Rd., West Kelowna

Truck59Cider.com

SOMA CRAFT CIDERY

4485 Sallows Rd., Kelowna

SomaCidery.com

SUMMERLAND HERITAGE

CIDER CO.

3113 Johnson St., Summerland SummerlandCider.com

TWIN ISLAND CIDER

5601 Lupin Rd., Pender Island

TwinIslandCider.com

TWISTED HILLS CRAFT CIDER

2080 Ritchie Dr., Cawston

TwistedHills.ca

TAVES ESTATE CIDERY

333 Gladwin Rd., Abbotsford

TavesFamilyFarms.com/Hard-Cider

THE BX PRESS CIDERY & ORCHA

RD

4667 E. Vernon Rd., Vernon eBXPress.com

UNTANGLED CRAFT CIDER

725 Mackenzie Rd., Cawston

UntangledCider.ca

UPSIDE CIDERY

2555 Gale Rd., Kelowna

UpsideCider.com

TONY’S CRAFT CIDERY

6167 Hwy. 6, Coldstream

TonysCraftCidery.com

WOODWARD CIDER CO.

5505 Westsyde Rd., Kamloops

WoodwardCiderCo.ca

To the

BEER GROUND

The Growler has collected info on all the new breweries and cideries expected to open across B.C. in the coming months. Surprisingly, COVID-19 hasn’t delayed the progress of that many. I guess that proves that booze is indeed pandemic-proof!

ALBERNI BRE w IN g

Port Alberni (early 2021) This will make three breweries in this small city at the heart of Vancouver Island. Facebook.com/ AlberniBrewingCompany

DEv IL's BAth B RE w IN g

Port McNeill (early 2021) This brewery is named for one of Canada’s largest cenotes (359 metres in diameter and 44 metres deep), which is located about 50km from Port McNeill. DevilsBathBrewing.ca

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Qualicum Beach (summer 2021) The folks behind Mount Arrowsmith Brewing in neighbouring Parksville are building this new brewery, so it’s bound to be good. FernAndCedar.ca

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White Rock (spring 2021) This sci-fi themed spot has a location right near the beach behind the Boathouse restaurant.

GalaxieCraftBeer.com

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Victoria (2021) All sorts of delays have slowed down this brewery’s development. Word is it’s close to opening, but no firm date could be pinned down at press time. HeraldStreet.com

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Hornby Island (spring 2021) While COVID-19 slowed down this nanobrewery’s plans to open in 2020, the founders have launched a mobile canning service for midand north Vancouver Island breweries while they develop their brewery plans.

HornbyIslandBrewing.ca

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Victoria (2021) Previously Tod Creek Cider, the new owners plan to turn this into a destination cidery. JunctionVictoria.com

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Langley (mid-2021) This farm-based brewery has been growing hops and malting its own barley for a few years already. LocalityBrewing.ca

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Victoria (2021) Merridale had just started the dig on this new building when COVID-19 hit, so they put construction plans on hold. Merridale.ca

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Osoyoos (2021) It’ll be great to see craft beer return to this beautiful southern Okanagan city. NorthBasinBrewing.com

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Radium Hot Springs (mid-2021) Construction recently started on this new brewery 15 minutes up the road from Arrowhead Brewing in Invermere. RadiumBrewing.ca

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Nanoose Bay (spring 2021) Plans for this farmbased brewery stalled for a while, but now they are back on track. RustedRakeFarm.com

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North Vancouver (spring 2021) Joining the Lower Lonsdale Brewery District next spring, this brewery will be led by Dave Varga, well known from his days at 33 Acres. ShaketownBrewing.com

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Pitt Meadows (2021) Expect craft beer with a Polynesian twist. TikiJons.ca

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Kelowna (2021) COVID-19 has slowed down this brewery’s progress. Hopefully, we’ll know more by our next issue. UnleashedBrewing.ca

• Got a hot brewery tip? Let us know at editor@thegrowler.ca