The Growler B.C. • Volume 2 Issue 2 • Summer 2016

Hey! You! Craft Beer Lover! Just wanted to say a HUGE thanks for your support. On May 29th the Alibi Room turned 10 years old. We couldn’t have done it with outcha! Thanks for the (fuzzy) memories!

Breweries by Region

GROWLER APPROVED BADGE

Keep an eye out for our five favourite beers this spring!

Brewery

LOUNGE

i.e. you can order a pint or flight

THOMPSON

KOOTENAYS

EVERYWHERE ELSE (IN B.C.)

Editor’s Note

Oh gawd, I don’t even know what to say in this space anymore. We’re six issues deep, and I’m fairly certain I’ve addressed everything that needs to be addressed.

Does anyone even read this? Are you there?

Have you noticed you need to pay for this book now?

Of course you have , unless you’re blind. If you are blind, how are you reading this? Have you noticed that the craft beer industry has not slowed down one iota? You haven’t? OK, well that’s new.

OH! We’ve funnelled brew pubs back into our trusty Brew Pub Page(s), partly for space issues, but also because I’ve heard feedback from people that missed the convenience of having the brewpubs clumped together like that. Well, OK. Only one person provided that feedback, but that’s enough for me.

We’ve expanded the Brew Pub Page(s) to include brewpubs that were never included there in past issues. However, we’ve included a few in the general population of brewery listings – these are businesses that straddle the line between brewery and brewpub a little too closely to properly determine if they are spiritually breweries or brew pubs (If that last sentance isn’t the geekiest sentance you read in this issue, I’ll give you a cuddle). Determining this was done more on intuition than any clear study of facts. Yes, I am a journalist. Go team.

- Stephen Smysnuik

GLUTEN-FREE BOOZE OPTIONS

Suggested Glassware

THE GROWLER GUIDE TO

WIT HOU T BEIN G A DINK ABOU T I T

Hello and welcome. It’s time to learn. Don’t be frightened. Your brain could use the stretch.

Right – before we offer you some advice on how to review beer (without being a dink about it), here are some tips on how to properly taste the stuff. You should find these pointers useful-ish, whether you find yourself judging in your first Beer Judge Certificate Program-sanctioned competition, or simply hanging with the pals who may or may not be super freaky beer nerds and want to analyze what they’re drinking rather than just, y’know, enjoying it.

We remember the beer scene when it was just starting to take off in Vancouver. “Craft Beer Enthusiasts” loved to remind their swishy, sniffy, spitty, wide-nostriled wine-sluggin’ counterparts what a gaggle of snobby lah-dee-dahs they were, and that they should all just unplug that cork from its unholiest of positions and enjoy a relaxed beer for once.

My, how the seasons have turned. The uptight, elitist attitude of these new-era Craft Beer Enthusiasts shaped us into thinking certain beer-rating websites should be completely rebranded. Like Ratebeer.com – how about Hatebeer.com? Or Hate95%ofBeer.com ?

Or how about a new app (patent pending) called Starburrpd, which gives beer-drinking or -sipping users the ability to rate the resulting belches out of five stars, giving points for aroma, flavour, body, etc.? Fractions of stars not OK.

So anyway… here are those promised tips on how to properly taste beer:

FIND THE RIGHT GLASSWARE. Ideally a tulip, or something in which you can get some turbulence going to release the aroma, and wide enough to stuff your big ol’ conk (that’s a nose) right in there.

S ERVE AT THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE. Beer at 3º C tastes completely different at 8º C .

CARBONATION IS IMPORTANT. Pour the beer carefully, and make sure the beer you’re tasting hasn’t been sitting out too long (a.k.a. gone flat) and before you bestow your ultimate, all conquering final judgment on it and condemn it to the fire pits of Mordor and/or Hatebeer.com

W ET THAT WHISTLE! G O ON! TAKE A BIG OL’ GULP! Swallow, don’t spit. This is the opposite of a wine tasting…and any other disgusting thoughts going through your head right now.

H AVE BREAD AND WATER. Palate cleansing between tastings is a good idea.

B RING F RIENDS! Beer tasting shouldn’t be an individual sport. Let’s make it a party. Remember? You need to swallow anyway, so why not get all pissed up with your friends while carrying out this very important duty. All the real judges do it.

E XPERIMENT A LITTLE. Try tasting blind, so as not to be swayed by brand loyalties.

(B ONUS R OUND) O UT F OX YOUR SNOBBIEST F RIEND. Pour a few of the exact same beers in a tasting flight and watch them

choose the best one, then laugh at their expense. That’s it. Make sure your tasting panel is drinking the same beer at the same time. Chat about it, but be confident in your own assessment and, especially, your preferences. Try not to be swayed by the power of suggestion.

Avoid this scenario, if possible:

Taster Person #1: *sniff sniff* *slurp slurp* Oooh, I get a real peachy aroma, guava too, with a wonderful dry finish. Not too sweet. Just right. Delicious.

Taster Person #2 (who has a cold and just had an oyster omelet for a snack, washed down with an espresso): Meh. I got zero nose worth mentioning. Taste is burnt rubber, chicory, Band Aids and buttered popcorn on the palate. How can you like this train wreck?

Taster Person #1: *second sip* Oh yeah, I totally get that now. Not peaches and delicious tropical fruit at all. Definitely Band Aids, chicory and *BUUUUURP*opcorn. I’ve giving this one star on Starburrpd!”

Now that you have the basics of tasting beer down, please join us for a crash course in Reviewing Beer Without Being a Total Dink About It. >>

FEW T IPS, I LLUSTRATED AND E LABORATED:

*

from Tasting B eer by R andy Mosher

To keep things confusing, each style of beer has its own ideal serving temperature, which can be anywhere from 0.5-4.5 º C for light lagers, to 7.0-12.5 º C for stouts, porters and Belgian dubbels.*

THE G ROWLE R G U IDE T O REVIEWIN G BEE R WIT HO UT BEIN G A D INK A BO UT IT

And so it is with tongue planted firmly in cheek that we proceed. Please follow our advice and if you're having some of the following unsavoury thoughts, please think twice before putting your review on the World Wide Web. While possibly meaning well, you may just end up publishing “A Dink Review”.

Before reviewing this/these beers, decide: will you be trying to find all the things you LIKE about it/them or all the things you HATE about it/them?

A double espresso at Matchstick, then I walked over to Sal y Limon and ate the beef tongue sandwich with extra tripe accompanied by all 12 of those delicious spicy salsas, after which I polished off two boxes of Tic-Tacs, plus a packet of spearmint Excel gum because my mouth felt funny and the billboard says bad breath isn't sexy.

A LTERNATE ENDING

After which… I went home to brush my teeth because my mouth felt funny and put some toilet roll in the freezer because my belly felt funny.

A G LASS O F WATER

Are you planning on reviewing this beer after a small sample-size glass?

I am planning on drinking at least a full pint and to be honest I’ll probably be polishing off a sixpack before I pass any judgement.

I’m an omnivore. I like all styles. I just wish these local breweries could make a REAL IPA...I think I’ll review this local IPA.

I usually only like IPAs but I’m going to review this pilsner I’m probably gonna hate.

Are you prejudiced toward certain beer styles?

Am I thirsty for more when I’ve had three already? That to me is the sign of a beer worth reviewing.

I’ve had a decent-sized sample of this beer and I’m feeling completely satisfied with the fireworks exploding on my tastebuds. I couldn’t drink a full pint, but I don’t think that’s the idea.

It’s clear what the brewer was trying to achieve and I know what I like but this brew just doesn’t cut the mustard. But like my granny always told me “If you don’t have anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all.” I’m still gonna tell Starburrpd I drank it so I can get my badge, but maybe I’ll just elect not to give it a star rating.”

Do you find yourself carefully considering your criteria for what makes a good beer?

A LWAYS

Do you consider whether the beer is true to style and/or what the brewer is trying to achieve?

If I find what I suspect to be off flavours in a beer, I give the benefit of the doubt. I don’t review it, I make a mental note to go back to it at a later date. If there are still problems, I probably won’t drink it again. I’ll talk shit about it to my beer nerd buddies, but I won’t give a negative review online.

DINK R EVIEW

I’ve never really liked anything I’ve ever had from this brewery but I’m going to review their latest release because: a) I’ve never had it before and I need to get my badge on Starburrpd; b) I must be the first to review everything; c) It’s basically my job to review it; d) The brewer could really benefit from my expert opinion.

Sure, that stuff crosses my mind, but how can a pilsner, no matter how well made or true to style, possibly get more than 3.6 stars on Starburrpd?

I don’t give a flying fart if it’s true to style or what the brewer is trying to achieve, if I don’t get my face blown off with every sip…

Have you just added “recognizing off flavours” to your impressive arsenal of beer expertise? Now you’re finding phantom traces of diacetyl and acetaldehyde in every single beer you drink?

I like exploring all different styles, it just depends what I’m in the mood for.

Uhh, yeah kinda.

I just love exploring what’s out there and I judge each beer on its own merits.

A RE YOU PREJUDI C ED TOWARD C ERTAIN BREWERIES?

33 ACRES BREWING CO.

15 W 8th Ave. | 33acresbrewing.com

MON-FRI 9AM-11PM ^ SAT-SUN 10AM-11PM

EST. 2013

The wizards of hip at 33A just won a silver at the World Beer Cup for their Belgian tripel, proving the brewery has style AND substance.

33 ACRES OF NIRVANA

I NDIA P ALE ALE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 7.0%80

It “smells like dreamed spirits” and is far tastier than smelling like the other Nirvana’s teen spirit.

33

B ELGIAN TRIPEL

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 9.2%18

33A’s silver-placing-in-the-World-Beer-Cup beer is potent, fruity and dangerously drinkable.

We regret the errot...

Every issue so far, we’ve printed numerous errors. Most of these are embarrassing typos or incorrect IBU information – but occasionally, we just plain get the facts wrong. For those, we are sorry.

In the Volume 2, Issue 1 story “The Growler Guide to Lawsuits and Legal Squabbles,” we reported that Red Truck had taken Phillips to court over the latter’s use of the name Blue Truck. In fact, Red Truck has only issued a Cease and Desist order. We regret the error

Also in Volume 2, Issue 1, we wrote in its profile that Hoyne Brewing has “long been powered by Dark Matter,” when in fact the brewery’s Hoyner Pilsner is its top-selling beer. We regret the errer

ALSO in that issue, in the Recipe (page 137) under Step 1, rather than pouring half a can of Strange Fellows Talisman into the pot, you’re supposed to pour two cans instead. We also forgot the photographer credit (Jamie-Lee Fuoco). We certainly screwed that one up. Really regrit the error.

In our Volume 1, Issue 4 story “Sorry Beer Nerds, the Cans Vs Bottles Debate Is Pretty Much Settled,” we erroneously reported that kegs are made from aluminum, when in fact kegs have long been made out of steel. And for that we regret the errot

We mean error.

ACRES OF EUPHORIA

NEW PRODUCT EVERY WEEK

THE BEST SELECTION OF SEASONAL CRAFT BEER LARGE ROTATING SELECTION

VANCOUVER

BIG ROCK URBAN

B REWER Y

310 W 4th Ave. | bigrockurban.com

SUN-THU 11AM-12AM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-12AM

EST. 2015

It may not be the hipster’s brewery of choice, but it’s popular with beercurious types seeking a full-flavoured introduction to craft.

WHITE ROCKET

W HITE I NDIA P ALE A LE

Availability: Seasonal

Galaxy hops and Belgian yeast result in a rocket ride into citrus and clove.

VANCOUVER

MOSAIC LAGER

I NDIA P ALE L AGER

Availability: Year-round

A payload of flavour from the citrus, tropical and pine notes of the fabulous Mosaic hop.

BOMBER BREWING CO

1488 Adanac St. | bomberbrewing.com

.

DAILY 12-11PM

EST. 2014

Bomber brewer Blair Calibaba (say that all five times fast) keeps the beer lineup playful and adventurous at this ever-busy tasting room.

BIKE ROUTE BEST BITTER

B ITTER

Availability: Seasonal

A hoppy session beer that won’t slow you down, no matter where you’re headed.

PARK LIFE

B LONDE A LE WITH P ASSION FRUIT

Availability: Seasonal

Tart and tropical, this summer beer is ideal for the beach, park, backyard or balcony.

VANCOUVER

BRASSNECK BREWER Y

2148 Main St. | brassneck.ca

MON-FRI 2-11PM ^ SAT-SUN 12-11PM

EST. 2013

It’s a rite of passage waiting to get into this usually-packed tasting room. But it’s all worth it to sip some of the best brews around.

AMBIGUATION

T ART B ELGIAN W HEAT A LE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.0% N/A

A Belgian wit, with wild Saccharomyces used during primary fermentation.

VANCOUVER

FARMHOUSE S AISON

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 6.5% N/A

A saison kidnapped and held hostage in a foudre and conditioned it in Brettanomyces.

CA LLIS T ER B REWING CO .

1338 Franklin St. | callisterbrewing.com

SUN 1-8PM ^ MON-THU 2-9PM ^ FRI 2-9PM ^ SAT 1-10PM

EST. 2015

A one-stop brewery tour with four different breweries under the same roof. Two new, TBA brewering teams will arrive in August.

BREWERY CREEK

CALLISTER BREWING

Availability: Until July Availability: Always

ABV IBU - -

Canada’s first cicerone Chester Carey is brewing Belgian table beers and wild-fermented styles.

ABV IBU - -

Brewer Chris Lay focuses on European styles, while Diana McKenzie handles home-made sodas.

VANCOUVER

COA L HARBOUR BREWING CO

.

1967 Triumph St. | coalharbourbrewing.com

HOURS TBD

EST. 2010

Sure, Coal Harbour has prime Yeast Van real estate with no tasting room (yet), but they’ve got a focused line of dependable brews.

WOODLAND SAISON

S AISON GOSE

G OSE

Availability: Seasonal

IBU 5.2%21

Spiced with coriander, orange, Szechuan peppercorns and balanced with West Coast hops.

VANCOUVER

DOAN’ S CRAF T BREWING

CO .

1830 Powell St. | doanscraftbrewing.com

Availability: Seasonal

IBU 3.9% 8

Citrus tartness from kettle souring, with coriander added and a slightly salty finish.

SUN-THU 2-9PM ^ FRI 2-11 PM ^ SAT 12-11 PM

EST. 2015

Pop in to Doan’s tasting room for a glass and a growler fill, and play a couple of video games or build a Lego creation while you’re there.

WEST COAST IPA

I ’M PISSED ALREADY! KÖLSCH

K ÖLS CH

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 6.5%71

This one’s for the hop heads: citrus, pine and tropical fruit aromas up your nose.

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%20

This German ale will keep you sipping. Easy-drinking like a lager but with some malt character.

VANCOUVER

DOGWOOD BREWING

8284 Sherbrooke St. | dogwoodbrew.com

WED-THU 11:30AM-7PM ^ FRI-SAT11:30AM-9PM

SUN11:30AM-7PM

EST. 2015

Lay to rest those stereotypes of expensive produce and hemp shirts. At Dogwood, “organic” means delicious pizza and a $3.50 happy hour (!).

ORGANIC IPA

I PREFER APPLEBEE’S

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.9%50

A full-flavoured IPA with uplifiting hop aromatics and a sturdy, bready malt base.

VANCOUVER

ORGANIC HONEY LAGER LAGER

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 4.5%15

Support your local bees with this lager, given added body and gentle sweetness by organic honey.

FACULTY BREWING CO.

1830 Ontario St. | facultybrewing.com

MON-FRI TBD

EST. 2016

School’s out for summer, which is great because Faculty should be open any day now. Time to study up on some new beers…

109 KOLSCH KOLSCH

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 4.5%17

With their beers numbered by difficulty, similar to university courses, this will be a good intro “course.”

323 BERLINER WEISSE

KETTLE SOUR

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 3.7%30

Greek yoghurt is used as souring bacteria, giving the beer a tart taste with lemony-citrus sharpness.

NIGEL VS NIGEL

Well, here we are again, speaking with two brewers about brewery-related things. It’s always a fun time, but we needed to shake it up a bit. Gain some new perspective. Whatever.

So we collected a couple of brewery owners (rather than actual brewers) to interview each other: Nigel Springthorpe from Brassneck Brewery and Nigel Pike from Main Street Brewing, where the conversation took place.

The pairing is ideal for this series, for a few reasons. Both co-own/operate breweries in Vancouver’s booming Brewery Creek district; both had long careers in the restaurant industry (Springthorpe with the Alibi Room; Pike with the Cascade Room, among others) prior to opening these breweries; and both are named Nigel, which is as convenient a gimmick as The Growler could hope to exploit. Enjoy.

GROWLER: Did you both intend to open up in this neighbourhood?

NIGEL PIK E: [To other Nigel] Do you want to tell that story? Because you looked at this place first.

NIGEL S PR I NGTHORPE: Yeah, we did. We looked at so many places. That place that Brassneck is in, and this one, these were the first two places that we ever looked at. It was three years later that it came back to us. The real estate guy from that [Brassneck] spot called me out of the blue and said, “It’s come back up again.” It went through a total massive cycle. We got close on a couple other spots – we did our due diligence on a couple other locations. When we were looking at this place, and if the city said yes, and we tried to do it, I probably wouldn’t have been ready and we would have completely crashed and burned before we ever got off the ground.

I think we were really naïve about how much money we were really going to need to set it up.

- Nigel Pike

Even once ground is broken and you get going, there’s just things that you have no idea that you’ll be totally blindsided by. You can budget within a certain degree, but –

NP: It’s shocking how the bills add up. There’s something else and then something else, and then something else.

NS: Everything just seems like a $30,000 cheque.

NP: My thing with the restaurants was always like, oh, five grand, five grand, five grand. When building the restaurant, it was always five grand. But this one was, you’re right, 25 grand, 30 grand [laughs].

NS: People have asked what the biggest challenge was with opening the brewery, and that was one of them – adjusting and coping with things that

come from left field with these giant bills. The one that sticks out for me is when you turn on the light switch and the lights come on – why would we need lights in the budget? Then all of a sudden the city needs them to be up to the newest specs, then you’re upping the code, suddenly you have a $35,000 lighting bill for new ballasts. It just like, how is that not even on our mind, you know? >>

Timing is the bit that killed us. Trying to get it open on time with city politics was a bit of a challenge.

NP: We’ve done a lot more builds. One of our partners is an architect and a designer, so he had a lot more of an understanding of that side of it going into it. Still, timing is the bit that killed us. Trying to get it open on time with city politics was a bit of a challenge.

NS: We were lucky, because we got to sit at a table with the city, right when they were looking to make some changes. If it had been the state of affairs that we have now, there would have been 50 of us at that table, but as it happened, there was 33 Acres, the Bomber guys [and Main Street Brewing], we all got to sit at the table with the city and explain to them why certain things made sense, why certain things didn’t. They had already done their recommendations [to council] and there were all these things, like we could be open between noon and 8 o’clock. And at the table, at that meeting, our argument was that patios are allowed to be open until 11, how about we also say 11 for breweries? And they were like, “OK, 11 o’clock” [mimics scribbling in a notebook].

NP: It was as simple as that. It was the weirdest thing!

NS: Conrad and I just had disgusting huge beards that were super gross, and we were with our architects who were in their pressed pants. We came out of the meeting and they were like, we don’t know how you guys are doing this, or what the

fuck’s going on, but how are you managing to get these things changed? These things were changing in front of our eyes.

NP: They [the city] were receptive, which was awesome. At the time, I think we were all like, did that just happen? Because we were totally expecting the opposite. They went with everything that we suggested. I don’t think there was anything… well there was the patio thing, that was the only thing that was kind of a weird one.

NS: I mean there was the size, too –

NP: Oh right, the 60-seat thing. [Editor’s Note: At the time, the City permitted 60 seats maximum for tasting rooms.]

NS: But at that point, everything was a bonus. It went from being zero to quite a bit of freedom. And I think that was a moment, that day, was when the floodgates opened, as far as this [industry goes].

I remember, when we first opened, we’d get so many guys coming in. You just got this feeling from them where they’re [thinking] “This is just a license to print money! And look at this!” As soon as we got that lounge licence and people saw the busyness and what was happening, I think you had some guys who had some money to put somewhere, and that [a brewery] is where they put it.

NP: Yeah, I guess it came in vogue, didn’t it? You always know somebody who potentially has the skill to open up a brewery. Money wasn’t hard to find. People were literally throwing money. I’ve never been in this scenario. When you build restaurants, nobody wants to give you money, but when you build a brewery, I was turning people down in the end to get involved. j

We were lucky, because we got to sit at a table with the city, right when they were looking to make some changes.

- Nigel Springthorpe

LUPP OLO B REWING C O.

1123 Venables St. | luppolobrewing.ca

HOURS TBD

EST. 2016

Ciao, Luppolo! Italian style comes to Vancouver’s brewery scene with a grand 850-square-foot tasting room and traditional appies.

DUNKELWEIZEN

D UNKELWEIZEN

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.5%17

This promises to be a traditional dunkelweizen, with a spiced banana-bread character.

BELGIAN RYE IPA

B ELGIAN R YE IS PER FECTLY A CCEPTABLE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 6.5%90

Tropical West Coast hops will counter the spicy rye, while Belgian yeast esters balance the lot.

MAIN S T REE T BREWING

C O.

261 E 7th Ave. | mainstreetbeer.ca

MON-THU 2-11PM ^ FRI-SUN 12-11PM

EST. 2014

Main Street converted a 1913 heritage building into a 60-seat lounge that’s easily one of the city’s most comfortable spaces – and arguably one of the most critically underappreciated breweries in B.C.

NAKED FOX

I NDIA P ALE A LE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 6.8%55

Main Street’s newest addition to its core line up offers a dryness on the malt side that lets the bold and bitter hop profile shine through.

MAIN STREET PILSNER

P ILSNER

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%22

MSB’s staple brew existed long before the brewery was built. Bright straw in colour, it’s a no-fuss pilsner that’s easy to sip one back. Then another.

CHECKPOINT CHARLIE

B ERLINER WEISSE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 4.0%15

Looking for the idea intro to sour beers? Charlie us a crisp and refreshing kettle soured ale with citrusy flavours.

OLD KNIGHTS

P ALE A LE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.5%50

A Pacific Northwest remix of a classic English pale ale. Hop forward with citrus and big piney hits.

SAISON NO. 7

S AISON

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 6.0%15

S#7 has a light golden haze made for summer. We’re talking fruity esters, pepper and citrus flavours, here.

BELGIAN BONSAI

BELGIAN ALE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 6.9%70

A hybrid Belgian/North American ale featuring lemon and dill flavours and aroma from the Sorachi Ace hops.

VANCOUVER

OFF T HE RAI L BREWING

1351 Adanac St. | offtherailbrewing.com

SUN-THU 12-8PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-10PM

EST. 2014

No better place to pour one out for The Railway Club’s demise than at the former owner’s hopping new venture. (Note: Don’t actually pour one out.)

NUR EIN KÖLSCH

G ERMAN A LE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 4.8%21

Bright and straw yellow. Just enough hops to be noticed, but with a low bitterness.

VANCOUVER

PARALL EL 49 BREWING CO.

1950 Triumph St. | parallel49brewing.com

DAILY 11AM-11PM

EST. 2012

KAMA CITRA ALE

S UMMER A LE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 4.4%33

It’s officially summer in Vancouver when the citrusy, easy-to-slam Kama Citra begins to flow.

Community-minded, collaboration- friendly, creative beer: These whizkids of wort check all the boxes for a successful, modern craft brewery.

TRICYCLE

GRAPEFRUIT

R ADLER

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 3.5%11

Sun is shining, must be time to take to the trike –P49’s blend of lager with ruby red grapefruit juice.

JERKFACE 9000

N ORTHWEST W HEAT ALE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%37

A frisky wheat ale packed with tropical Mosaic hop character. Now available in tall can singles.

P OS T MARK BREWING

55 Dunlevy Ave. | postmarkbrewing.com

MON-FRI 11AM-11PM ^ SAT-SUN 10AM-11PM

EST. 2014

Brewer Dominic Giraldes has been crafting a line of accessible and primarily sessionable beers that pairs well with Postmark’s hip #brand. The brewery’s launching Hiatus Music Fest on July 26 in partnership with Space + Time marketing agency.

ISA

I NDIA S ESSION A LE

The Azacca hop gives a bright, tropical hop profile that won’t scare off a hop-newbie.

Availability: 4.3% 4.2% 6.0%

Availability: Year-round ABV IBU 4.7%17

Year-round 30 18 52

A little sweet and a little tart from the addition of local all-natural raspberry puree.

Crisp and clean with a light, spicy and floral aroma from Bravo and Perle hops.

28 V AN C OUVER

Single hopped with Falconer’s Flight, with a decent citrus and floral kick.

No, Postmark’s name has nothing to do with the U.S. Postal Service. “Post” refers to the fact that the brewery was “post” the team’s other businesses (including FreshTap and Belgard Kitchen) while “mark” suggests their ambition to make an impact on the industry.

VANCOUVER

POWELL STREET CRAFT BREWERY

1357 Powell St. | powellbeer.com

MON-THU 12-9PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-10PM ^ SUN 12-8PM

EST. 2012

Powell Street’s come a long way in four years, and is one of only two B.C. breweries to place in the World Beer Cup in April.

OLD JALOPY ALE

PALE ALE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.5%40

The beer that put PS on the map is the beer that also won bronze at the World Beer Cup.

VANCOUVER

R & B BREWING CO.

54 E 4th Ave. | r-and-b.com

WHITE IPA

WHITE IMP POSTULATES AGAIN!

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 6.0%56

Spicy yeast of a Belgian-style ale, with orange peel, coriander and juicy hop notes from Citra.

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

EST. 1997

Mount Pleasant’s original craft brewery may be older, but a cool new lounge proves it can comfortably hang with the new generation.

STOLEN BIKE LAGER

EURO LAGER

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%25

A clean and crisp draught-only lager. Different hopped-up versions are planned.

MOUNT PLEASANT WHITE IPA

I’M PRIME ANIMAL

Availability: One-off

ABV IBU 6.5%70

The latest release in the Mount Pleasant Series employs pear juice to ramp up the fruitiness and body.

Chris Lennon, Carlos Mendes, Aneez Devji, Joe Chan

VANCOUVER

RED T RUCK BEER CO.

295 E 1st Ave. | redtruckbeer.com

MON-THU 11AM-10PM ^ FRI-SAT 10AM-11PM

SUN 10AM-10PM

EST. 2005

Red Truck’s revving up for its second summer concert series, if you needed another reason to fuel up at their Brewery Creek facility.

GOLDEN ALE

W HEAT A LE

Availability: Seasonal

Light bodied with honey, coriander, and orange flavours and a mild citrus aroma.

VANCOUVER

RED TRUCK LAGER

L AGER

Availability: Year-round

Crisp and clean, it’s a no-frills lager. Makes sense that it’s seemingly on tap at pubs everywhere.

ST ORM BREWING LT D.

310 Commercial Dr. | stormbrewing.org

TUE-SAT 10AM-6PM ^ SUN 1-6PM

EST. 1994

From barrel-aged Belgians to off-the-wall concoctions, Storm has been brewing up some of B.C.’s most interesting beer longer than most.

IMPERIAL FLANDERS

S OUR R ED A LE

Availability: Year-round

Brewer James Walton was making barrel-aged sours before some of you readers were out of diapers.

PRECIPITATION

Availability: Year-round

An honest-to-Odin German-style pilsner – crisp, clean and tasty as a lager should be.

by Daniel Coles, esq.

After Prohibition ended in B.C. in 1921, new legislation was passed in its wake that provided stringent government control over how liquor was sold, consumed and advertised. And wouldn't you know it? Those laws have had a lasting effect to this day.

CUSTOMERS STANDING AT T HE BAR?

Infraction! While all bars had a counter, patrons were prohibited from approaching it to order. That behaviour was thought to be too “saloon like” – an appearance that had to be avoided. The rule was designed to discourage fights and buying rounds. Patrons couldn't stand up and move around with drinks.

FOOD BEING SERVED?

Infraction! No food, cigarettes or soft drinks could be sold in bars for the first 30 years of licensed drinking in post-Prohibition B.C. This was meant to encourage working men to return home for dinner. Everyone drank to excess instead.

O PEN BETWEEN 6 AND 7 PM?

Infraction! During the war years, in order to conserve beer, bars had to close over the dinner hour between 6-7p.m.

SINGLE WOMEN SITTING WITH MEN?

Infraction! Gender segregation regulations varied greatly in the post-Prohibition era. At various periods separate entrances, sitting areas and physical dividers were required in bars. Single or unescorted women mixing with men was thought to promote prostitution.

FEMALE BARTENDERS OR SERVERS?

Infraction! While women were never technically prohibited from entering bars by law (although many bar owners made their own restrictions) women could not serve beer unless they had an ownership interest in the establishment.

P INBALL MA C HINE? DAN C ING? LIVE BAND OR PER F ORMER?

Infraction! No games or entertainment, singing or dancing, nor musical instruments were permitted in bars. Lawmakers thought the absence of these would make hanging out in a bar all day less appealing. Instead it meant there was literally nothing else to do but drink. Most bars didn’t even have photos or paintings on the wall.

B OOTH F RATERNIZATION?

Infraction! Though booths were not prohibited by letter of the law, the Liquor Control Branch strongly discouraged them as they allowed for “intimate contact” between patrons.

MULTIPLE BRANDS O F BEER AVAILABLE OR ADVERTISED?

Infraction! Bars were only permitted to serve one brand of beer at a time, and that brand could not be advertised.

ST RANGE FELLOWS

BREWING

1345 Clark Dr. | strangefellowsbrewing.com

MON-THU 2-11PM ^ FRI-SUN 12-11PM

EST. 2014

These guys have nailed it: Beautiful design and branding, an atmospheric tasting room that hosts artists, and a top brewmaster (Iain Hill) who’s created an impressively varied lineup of Belgian and North American styles.

GUARDIAN W HITE I NDIA P ALE A LE

Availability: Seasonal

A fruity brew, thanks to Belgian yeast, Curacao orange and generous dry-hopping with Citra.

Limited

This long-awaited Flemish sour brown ale has been sitting on French oak for a year.

Goldilox is smooth but boozy with a deep fruit and spice profile.

A sturdy malt base sets the stage for an assertive performance from citrus- and tropical-fruit hops.

What’s in a name?

Strange Fellows was originally called Low Countries Brewing, which refers to a coastal region of Western Europe that includes the Netherlands, Belgium, parts of France and Germany. The owners changed it to Strange Fellows –coined by Christine Moulson, wife of brewmaster Iain Hill – after realizing nobody liked the original name.

STRAT HCONA BEER C O.

895 E. Hastings St. | strathconabeer.com

HOURS TBD

EST. 2016

This brewery plans to open in June with a large tasting room and growler station. Expect three core beers and three rotators with food on-site.

BELGIAN GOLD

B ELGIAN G OLDEN A LE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 6.66%30

Bright, fruity and balanced, with a candi sugar sweetness and a clean finish.

STRATHCONA PILSNER

CZE C H P ILSNER

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%28

This promises to be one of those classic beers you can enjoy any day of the year.

BL ACK KE TTLE BREWING

106 -720 Copping St. | blackkettlebrewing.com

MON-SAT 11AM-7 PM ^ SUN 1-5PM

EST. 2014

North Van’s hidden brewery is worth seeking out for its expanding range of brews in U.K. and North American styles.

WHEAT ALE

W HEAT ALE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 4.8%15

An effervescent, headily aromatic wheat ale with hints of bitter orange and coriander.

INDIA CREAM COBRA

I NDIA CREAM A LE

Availability: Limited

ABV IBU 6.0%50

Well, here’s something new: a crisp cream ale base with a hop attack of U.S. and German varietals.

BRIDGE BREWING C O.

1448 Charlotte Rd. | bridgebrewing.com

SUN-THU 1-7PM ^ FRI-SAT 1-9PM

EST. 2012

Big changes! Hamish MacRae (ex-Red Truck) is the new brewmaster, while the brewhouse is expanding to produce more stellar seasonals.

LEMON GIN SAISON

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.5%24

Juniper aromatics combine with coriander, pink peppercorns and spicy saison yeast.

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 7.3%59

Bridge brings the latest beer-style craze to B.C. with this super juicy, fruity and cloudy IPA.

DEE P COVE BREWERS AND DIS TI LLERS

170 - 2270 Dollarton Hwy. | deepcovecraft.com

DAILY 12-11PM

EST. 2013

Just in time for its third anniversary, Deep Cove has finally received its lounge endorsement. And to celebrate, they’ve opened their new patio and full-service kitchen (mmmm, mac n’ cheese.) Or, if lounging in the sun isn’t your thing, ask about a brewery and distillery tour.

GOLDEN SOUR

B ARREL-AGED S OUR

Availability: Small Batch

ABV IBU 5.8%10

Oak barrel-fermented with yarrow and coriander, it’s been more than a year and half in the making. Get on this tart taste of summer before it’s gone.

SCOUT

RYE I NDIA PALE ALE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 7.0%82

Brewed with rye malts, this bold, juicy IPA is worthy of exploration, offering a tinge of spice that’s nicely balanced with tropical hop notes.

BELGIAN XPA

B ELGIAN E XTRA P ALE A LE

Availability: Limited release

ABV IBU 6.1%52

This Old World blonde with New World sass is only available through the tasting room...

SUN KISSED

T EA S AISON

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.0%20

An interesting take on the saison with to the addition of green tea and tropical and fruit notes of mango, papaya and apple.

DEEP COVE LAGER

L AGER

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 4.7%12

A prime gateway craft beer that’s light, clean, and refreshing as you hope you expect from a lager. Makes an ideal companion for patio times.

YUZU WIT

Y UZU WITBIER

Availability: Limited release

ABV IBU 4.5%20

...as is this this farmhouse-style wheat ale. It features spicy and Asian fruit flavours.

now serving

CRAFT COCKTAILS

TIN CAN PALE ALE

SCOUT RYE IPA

SUN KISSED TEA SAISION

THE CRAWL STOUT

LOOKOUT SESSION ALE

live music craft beer & high FIVES

CELEBRATE.

EVERYDAY.

GREEN LEAF BREWING CO.

123 Carrie Cates Ct. | greenleafbrew.com

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

EST. 2013

Have we mentioned before how great the view of downtown is from this Lonsdale Quay tasting room? Of course we have. But it’s that good.

7 SEAS HONEY ALE

HONEY ALE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 4.5%30

A full-bodied blonde brewed with Brett yeast and honey that adds sweet and fruity notes.

CHAIN LINK

INDIA PALE ALE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 7.0%80

All the hits of an IPA with a slightly sweet twist in the finish from English yeast.

HEARTHSTONE BREWERY

1015 Marine Dr. | hearthstonebrewery.ca

HOURS TBD

EST. 2014

A six-pack of any of Hearthstone’s brews should tide you over until their tasting room finally opens (which will be soon, we promise).

WYLD RASPBERRY

BERLINER WEISSE

BERLINER WEISSE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 3.2% 0

Tart, light and refreshing. Includes over 200 pounds of local raspberries thrown in the brew.

PSEUDO

AMERICAN WHEAT ALE

Availability: One-off

ABV IBU 4.5%28

A wheat ale recipe that opts for a house-ale yeast strain. Honeydew and citrus notes.

THE MUSIC GEEK’S “GUIDE” TO

Beer and music have lots in common: both are creative pursuits; both inspire levels of obsession outsiders could easily describe as “unhealthy”; and both can make (or break) a party. For certain kinds of people – e.g. list-addicted super nerds who overthink certain topics that have little-to-no meaningful impact on the real world – breweries and bands are ripe for comparison.

We are these people. So let’s play a game.

Match (in pencil, we suggest) each of the bands and the breweries listed on the bottom of the next page to the description that best suits it. The first person to Instagram all 16 correct matches with the tag @thegrowlerbc will win a Growler sweatshirt.

ONE // Weirdos with a playful sense of humour, a refined sense of craft and a whole lot of heart who’ve been doing this for a long, long time and don’t seem to give a shit if you like them or not.

BAND BREWERY

TWO // Sort of like a cool uncle – influential vetereans who had a smash critical success that they rely on for notoriety, despite remaining consistently excellent.

BAND BREWERY

THREE // They’re straight ahead, free of gimmicks, with a masterful approach to craft – but with enough edge to straddle the line between way hip and totally approachable.

BAND BREWERY

FOUR // They’re an inventive cult favourite with an eye-popping – some might say weird – visual aesthetic. They also aren’t afraid to embrace scientific geekery.

BAND BREWERY

FIVE // Sibling underdogs whose charm and attention to craft have won fans over and over. Their success continues to grow, even if it’s all been done the hard way.

BAND BREWERY

SIX // Rustic, perhaps a little precious, but intelligent with a keen eye for craft and form – a combination that appeals to the mainstream and the niche oriented alike.

BAND BREWERY

SEVEN // Through a world-building, trippy aesthetic and wild experimentation – with varying degrees of success – they’ve managed to capture a devoted, fan base after years of hard work that manifested in a very popular hit.

BAND BREWERY

EIGHT // Something for everyone – stuff that gets a bad rap for no particular reason, except maybe because it’s been around a long time and lunkheads tend to like it. But at its core, it’s dependable, inventive, very consistent and extremely popular.

BAND BREWERY

NINE // They’ve gained a huge amount of favour with an idiosyncratic aesthetic that incorporates various world influences, a playful spirit and the neurotic meditations of the man behind it all.

BAND BREWERY

TEN // A group of nerds with punk roots that evolved into a mainstream act without ever really selling out (though many would claim they have), with integrity, creativity and a bombastic visual aesthetic.

BAND BREWERY

ELEVEN // An ephemeral aesthetic that’s helped cultivate a surprising amount of success, with a hip, intelligent audience that some – i.e., people who don’t understand what all the fuss is about –could find, uh, pretentious.

TWELVE // A group of dudes approaching middle age who toiled away in virtual anonymity for years and years, before the culture caught up with them and they found huge critical success. Boring to some, but beloved by many.

BAND BREWERY

THIRTEEN // Punching way above its weight class, but has had some trouble distinguishing itself – seems too much like this or a bit too much like that. Those in the know realize just how consistent and excellent they can be, however.

BAND BREWERY

FOURTEEN // They found street cred on a technicality, but they’re mainstream in spirit, with huge marketing muscle to push them out in the public, and they sell very well as result.

BAND BREWERY

FIFTEEN // Critical and commercial darlings, where everything they release is of the highest quality. Just perfect, mind-blowing stuff, time and again, to the point where their many fans salivate over any news of a new release.

BAND BREWERY

SIXTEEN // Influential and beloved, with a leader who’s not too comfortable being seen as a leader or a spokesman of any kind of movement. Still, they manage to get all sorts of cool kids together for a rocking good time.

BAND BREWERY

A FRAME BREWING CO.

38927 Queens Way | aframebrewing.com

HOURS TBD

EST. 2016

Squamish’s newest brewery will feature a welcoming, relaxed tasting room showcasing brewer Andrew Sawyer’s beers.

CREAM ALE

CREAM A LE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%15

The classic, refreshing lawnmower beer given a little oomph with some Cascade hops.

PORTER

B ALTI C P ORTER

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.5%30

A brooding porter with prominent chocolate notes, subtle roast and a silky smoothness.

H OWE SOUND BREW I NG CO.

37801 Cleveland Ave. | howesound.com

DAILY 11AM-12AM

EST. 1996

If you opened a brewpub in Squamish 20 years ago, you’d’ve been called crazy, but look! Howe Sound is one of B.C.’s biggest success stories.

KING HEFFY

W EIZENBO CK

KALAMANSI CITRUS

BLONDE ALE

B LONDE ALE

Availability: Seasonal Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 7.7%20

A dense but highly drinkable mélange of banana, apple, caramel, honey and clove.

ABV IBU 5.0%20

A new seasonal that promises tropical and citrus notes from the addition of calamansi oranges.

C OAS T M OUN TAIN

B REWING C O.

Unit 2 1212 Alpha Lake Rd. | coastmountainbeer.ca

HOURS TBD

EST. 2016

Here’s a hint of what might be pouring from former Mission Springs brewer Kevin Winter’s new venture opening (hopefully) mid-July.

IPA

I PANTOMIME AWKWARDLY

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 6.5%60

Winter made solid IPAs at Mission Springs, so expect that to continue here.

SAISON S AYZ ON

Availability: N/A

ABV IBU 6.5%30

A French saison, with a deep golden hue and a thick white-cap foamy head. Sounds delicious.

W HISTLER BREWING CO .

1045 Millar Creek Rd. | whistlerbeer.com

MON, TUE & THU 1-8PM ^ WED & FRI 1-10PM

SAT-SUN 12-8PM

EST. 1989

An extensive brewery expansion is underway for this Function Junction location, including a renovation for the tasting room.

PINEAPPLE EXPRESS

WHEAT ALE

W HEAT A LE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.0%15

Pineapple aplenty here, with the fruit blended into the mash and juice added in the fermenter.

LOST LAKE IPA

I PA C KAGE ALMONDS

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.9%70

Brewed with Nugget and Chinook hops, it’s a worthy IPA for all to dive into.

DAGERAAD BREWING

114 - 3191 Thunderbird Cres. | dageraadbrewing.com

MON-WED 4-8PM^ THU-FRI 2-8PM ^ SAT 12-8PM

SUN 12-6PM

EST. 2014

As close to a taste of Belgium as you’ll get in B.C. Dageraad’s beers are refermented in the bottle, true to style – and bloody delicious.

RANDONNEUR SAISON S AISON

Availability: Seasonal

A complex saison – fruity, peppery, bready, effervescent – that always invites one more sip.

ST EAMWORKS BREWING

CO .

3845 William St. | steamworks.com

SUN-WED 12-10PM ^ THU-FRI 12-11PM

EST. 1995

Availability: Seasonal

A summertime hit brewed with passionfruit then dry-hopped with Citra for tropical goodness.

Hey, Vancouverites! Crossing Boundary Road needn’t be like crossing the River Styx, especially when Steamworks is laying out all the goods.

YVR ISA

I NDIA S ESSION A LE

Availability: Year-round

It says YVR but tastes like Down Under, thanks to a spectacular tropical-citrus blend of the hops.

Availability: Seasonal

A hybrid balancing the crispness of a pilsner, the perfume of a wit and a saison’s spicy complexity.

ST EE L & OAK BREWING CO .

1319 Third Ave. | steelandoak.ca

SUN-WED 12-8PM ^ THU-SAT 12-10PM

EST. 2013

It’s a beautiful thing when a city rallies around a brewery like New West has here – though it’s easy when its beers are consistently stellar.

RED PILSNER P ILSNER

Availability: Year-round

Floral aroma accented with notes of lavender and honey. Finishes with a crisp, spicy bitterness.

Year-round

West Coast meets the U.K. Well-balanced malt and toffee flavours with bright hoppy aromas.

FUGG L ES & WAR L OCK CRAF T WORKS

103-11220 Horseshoe Way | fuggleswarlock.com

SUN 11AM-7PM ^ MON-SAT 11AM-9PM

EST. 2012

Like the next Game of Thrones book, the wait for F&W’s tasting room seemed cruel. Unlike GoT though, there’s now a happy ending.

PIXEL PILS CZE C H P ILSNER

Availability: Year-round

A refreshing and crisp pilsner that’s got more hop bite than a jumping Pac-Man.

THE LAST STRAWBERRY

Availability: Year-round

An ideal summer thirst-quencher – a little sweet and a little tart – brewed with fresh strawberries.

10% off for CAMRA members*

We

*Just

by Stephen Smysnuik

It’s collaboration brew day at Steel & Oak and of course I’m late. The plan was to come early and watch the whole process from start to finish – to pull back the curtains and see what’s at the heart of local beer collaborations.

Beer “collabs” have become for beer nerds what music collaborations are for music fans – a chance to geek out over the fact that your favourite artists have come together to create something, even if that something isn’t very good.

For me – a person who understands the brewing process far, far less than the editor of a province-wide beer magazine probably should –there’s a romance to beer collaborations. Because brewers are like musicians, who collaborate in order to discover new avenues of creativity for their chosen craft, to service something larger than themselves.

But, like I say, I’m late. It’s 9:20 a.m. and I’ve missed them putting the mash in, which seems

at first (to my uneducated mind) like missing the birth of something beautiful.

Which of course it isn’t. S&O’s brewing staff are milling about, handling tasks that one would have a very difficult time describing as “romantic.” One of them is adjusting some plumbing. Another is rinsing some metallic equipment that looks complicated, important, and easy to break. Peter Schulz, S&O’s (now former) brewmaster, is on the stairs leading the brewers office, sweeping.

Looking around, the collaboration brew day looks…well, just like any other day. Strange Fellows, S&O’s collaborators for this particular brew, are nowhere to be seen. I ask Schulz where they are. “They just called and said they’re going to be late,” Shulz says.

Me: “Huh. Well, this isn’t much of a collaboration then, I guess?”

He explains to me that the real action – the collaboration part – happened weeks before, when they figured out what style they would brew, and with what ingredients.

It was clear at this point 13 minutes after my arrival that I’d come to investigate a profoundly eventless non-story. Thankfully, this isn’t just any collaboration brew day, but the brew day for Vancouver Craft Beer Week’s annual collaboration beer, and there’s going to be a big party starting in a few hours.

The problem is, I’m writing this story primarily as promotion for VCBW as per The Growler’s sponsorship agreement, and there doesn’t appear to be a story here.

I press Schulz further. Surely, if Strange Fellows showed up, there’d be more action here, today?

But Shulz shrugs, sweeps.

“If Iain [Hill, Strange Fellows’ brewmaster] was here, we’d just be standing around talking,” he says. “The act of actually brewing is rather unimportant. Look, if you’re a baker, how many times do you need to mix water and flower to know it’s done right?”

The truth is, head brewers do very little actual brewing the higher they rise up the chain, and there’s even less to do when two head brewers get together.

“Everyone’s surprised how little work there is,”

Parallel 49 brewmaster Graham With tells me

several weeks later. He’s in the middle of promoting P49’s Brews Brothers collaboration pack, one of the most ambitious collaboration projects in BC: 12 different handpicked B.C. craft breweries each create a new recipe that is brewed and sold exclusively in the limited edition mixer pack. There’s no standard, but the common mode for beer collaborations looks like this:

#1 - T HE P LANNING S TAGE

Where the brewers sit or stand around, shoot the shit while tossing ideas around for styles and ingredients. Collaborations are primarily social endeavors, and only the most unsociable and hard-nosed brewer would attempt to focus solely on creating a recipe. At press time for this issue, The Growler has not met such a brewer.

#2 - T HE B REWING S TAGE

Which With can explain better than anybody: “Normally there’s just one person brewing. So when we do a collab, there’re two or three of us [from P49], there’s two or three of them [from the other brewery]. Yeah, there’re six people doing one person’s job.”

Typically – perhaps obviously – beer is consumed, which is understandable, as there’s basically nothing else to do in this kind of situation but indulge in the one thing everyone has in common.

I don’t know what else I was expecting, but this clearly wasn’t it. Strange Fellows eventually shows up 11 a.m. In the meantime, I learn new words such as “sparging” and “lautering,” the meanings of which I forget almost immediately, what with all that beer and such.

And that’s how you write a VCBW promotional piece make a collaboration beer. j

FOUR WINDS BREWING

4 - 7355 72nd St. | fourwindsbrewing.ca

SUN-MON 12-5PM ^ TUE-SAT 12-7PM

EST. 2013

What’s next for Four Winds after being crowned the country’s best brewer? It’s hard to say. We’re going to guess further innovations with the consistantly great Zephyrus series. There’s also those new French oak foeders for sours. Oh...and tacos!

LA MAISON

WILD SAISON

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 4.5%30

Brewed with spelt and rye, then fermented with wild yeast for pepper and tropical fruit notes.

FOUR WINDS PALE ALE

PALE ALE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.2%38

A balanced, malty pale ale with a nice bite from the Cascade and Centennial hops.

BERLINER WEISSE

SOUR GERMAN WHEAT ALE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 3.5% 6

An ode to the sour wheat ales of Berlin –light-bodied with a sour lemon touch.

JUXTAPOSE

WILD INDIA PALE ALE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 6.5%50

Still one of our favourites. Smooth, fruity and underlined by a mild Brett funk.

WHat’s in a name?

Four Winds refers to an Old World nautical saying, “Scattered to the four winds,” which means “going in many or all directions.” Brewmaster and co-founder

Brent Mills thought this summed up his approach to brewing rather well. The name also refers to the four basic ingredients of beer.

CENTRAL CITY BREWERS + DISTILLERS

11411 Bridgeview Dr. | centralcitybrewing.com

MON-FRI 11AM-9PM ^ SAT-SUN 10AM-9PM

EST. 2003

Between its various locations, Central City has something for everyone, it seems. And the beer’s good, too.

ACE OF

GOLDEN ALE

HOKKAIDO

Availability: Seasonal

A single-hopped golden ale featuring the unique lemony-dill qualities of Sorachi Ace hops.

SURREY

SUPER STELLAR IPA

I’M POTENTIALLY ALIEN

Availability: Year-round

Slotting in between the Red Racer ISA and IPA, this new IPA is out of this world!

RUSSELL BREWING CO.

202 - 13018 80th Ave. | russellbeer.com

HOURS TBD

EST. 1995

Still no tasting room (yet), but at least Russell’s excellent and diverse assortment of beers is widely available throughout B.C.

WHITE RABBIT

HOPPY HEFEWEIZEN

Availability: Seasonal

“Hefeweizen meet IPA. IPA meet Hefeweizen.” This is the delicious result of their illicit liaison.

PUNCH BOWL

NORTHWEST INDIA PALE ALE

Availability: Year-round

Citra, Mosaic and Amarillo hops create tropical, fruity flavours in this CBA gold medal winner.

WHITE ROCK

WHITE ROCK BREWING LTD.

13 - 3033 King George Blvd. | whiterockbrewing.ca

SUN 11:30AM-5PM ^ MON-SAT 11:30AM-7PM

EST. 2015

Having started life as nano as nano gets, WRB is expanding and aims to have 10 tasting room taps to keep the locals happy.

WHITE ROCK OCEAN LAGER

EUROPEAN STYLED LAGER

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%22

A no-nonsense lager with a lick of spicy-herbal hops.

WHITE ROCK

WHITE ROCK BEACH BEER CO.

15181 Russell Ave. | whiterockbeachbeer.com

U-13 RED IPA

I’M PROBABLY ARGENTINIAN

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 6.5%94

This intensely hopped ale is proof that these guys aren’t scared to go MASSIVE on flavour.

FRI 4:30-7PM ^ SAT11AM-3PM ^ SUN10AM-3PM

EST. 2014

After a couple of part-time years, the Beach boys are scaling up to a 15-barrel system and opening a new lounge this summer.

EAST BEACH ‘NUT’

AMERICAN BROWN ALE PIER

INDIA PALE ALE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%32

Caramel and chocolate notes balance out a nimble hop bitterness.

Availability: Small batch

ABV IBU 5.5%80

Classic piney-citrus notes abound courtesy of the Cenntenial and Cascade hops in this smooth IPA.

MOOD Y A L ES

2601 Murray St. | moodyales.com

SUN 12-8PM ^ MON-TUE 3-9PM ^ WED 1-9PM

THU 1-10PM ^ FRI 12-11PM ^ SAT 11AM-11PM

EST. 2014

If more than a dozen beers on tap isn’t enough, Moody Ales was the first tasting room in Canada to offer “Crowlers” – fillable cans, natch.

SOCIABLE PALE ALE

W EST COAST P ALE A LE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 4.8%28

A crowd-pleaser that’s light and crisp with a tasty hop bite on the finish.

P ORT M OODY

SUBLIME PINEAPPLE

HEFEWEIZEN

P INEAPPLE HEF EWEIZEN

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 4.8%22

American hops and pineapple juice add subtle bitter and tropical notes to this wheat beer.

THE PARKSIDE BREWER Y

2731 Murray St. | theparksidebrewery.com

SUN 10AM-9PM ^ TUE-THU 2-10PM ^ FRI 12-12PM SAT 11AM-12AM

EST. 2016

Anticipation is high for ex-GIB brewmaster Vern Lambourne’s new venture on PoMo’s Brewers Row.

PARKSIDE DAWN

P ILSNER

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 4.9%22

A balanced German-style pilsner amped up by American hops.

GRAFFITI IPA

I ’M (THE) PRISONOR (O F ) AZKABAN

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 6.9%70

A no-holds-barred Pacific Northwest IPA featuring grapefruit, pine and floral hop notes.

T WIN SAI L S BREWING

2821 Murray St. | twinsailsbrewing.com

MON-TUE 2-10PM^ WED-FRI 12-11PM

SAT-SUN 11AM-11PM

EST. 2015

Run by twins Cody and Clay Allmin, Twin Sails has an accessible line of German-style beers and a cozy tasting room.

TWIN SAILS IPA

I PEED A GAIN

Availability: Seasonal

Brewed with Azacca an El Dorado, it’s got a solid hop punch, balanced with German malts.

PORT MOODY

TWIN SAILS DRY HOPPED KÖLSCH

K ÖLS CH

Availability: Seasonal

An easy-drinker with a nice hit of bright melon and berry notes from dry-hopping.

YE LLOW DOG BREWING

1- 2817 Murray St. | yellowdogbeer.com

MON-THU 2-10 PM ^ FRI-SAT 11-11 PM ^ SUN 11-8 PM

EST. 2014

Yellow Dog’s canine-themed beers are so freakin’ good, you’ll just have to go fetch another. And another. And another.

GO FETCH

S AISON

Availability: Seasonal

A “hoppy saison” – more refreshing than classic saisons, with a kick of citrus and tropical fruit.

TAKE A WALK

Availability: Seasonal

An ideal summer simmer that’s cloudy and pale, with citrus flavours that go down smooth.

1-866- 549 -1 323 sal es@ t hin kuni versal .co m ww w. thin kunive rsa l. co m

The c urious case o F

how Port Moody turned from a sleepy 'burb to a beer Mecca

by stephen smysnuik

It was once a sleepy, little suburb that’s mutated suddenly into a craft beer hotspot. Since 2014, three breweries have opened along Port Moody’s Murray Street – Yellow Dog, Moody Ales and Twin Sails – revitalizing a declining industrial area into a thriving beer district, which locals dub Brewers Row. The breweries are jammed on any given weekend with young families, escapees from brewery-free Coquitlam, Vancouverite beer-snobs, retirees out for a bike ride and a pint.

The city’s fourth (and largest) brewery, Parkside Brewing, is opening this summer. Parkside’s

noteworthy for several reasons, not least because this is the long-rumoured and –awaited new project from the influential former Granville Island Brewing head brewer Vern Lambourne. And with 6,500-square-feet, a 100-person seating capacity and an outdoor picnic area, Parkside will undoubtedly become a destination brewery for beer fans across the Lower Mainland and beyond. It signals the arrival of Port Moody – and Murray Street specifically – as a major player in Canadian craft beer.

But how did it happen?

“Well, I don’t think it’s ‘how,’” says Yellow Dog founder Mike Coghill. “For every community, really right now it’s a matter of when, and how much the community gets behind it.”

When Yellow Dog opened in 2014, it joined Aldergrove’s Dead Frog Brewing and Chilliwack’s Old Yale Brewing as one of only three Lower Mainland breweries operating east of Vancouver. It was an immediate hit, and also offered a glimpse at the craft beer fervor that has swept most other municipalities since.

“Once everyone saw how busy we were, and how successful Yellow Dog was right out of the gates, they figured [Murray Street] was a good neighbourhood for breweries,” Coghill says.

Of the Tri-Cities, only Port Moody has the correct bylaw zoning required for breweries. And in Port Moody, Murray St. is the only neighbourhood that carries that zoning. It’s also a community

made up of young, urban-minded families – many of whom have moved here from Vancouver – and where most businesses are locally owned and supported. Add to this the swell in popularity of craft beer throughout North America, and you have the ideal environment for a beer district to flourish.

“Before the breweries opened, I had no idea we had a pent-up demand for craft beer,” Port Moody mayor Mike Clay says. “But from the day Yellow Dog opened, it’s been very well received. Probably the most popular thing in the area is the breweries, for visitors and locals.”

He says that it’s “dramatically” changed the dynamics of the neighbourhood – there’s foot traffic along Murray St. that it’s never seen, and once-vacant buildings are no longer shuttered.

It’s also cultivated a new kind of community that’s unique to the craft beer industry. “We’ve already meet as a unit,” says Sam Payne, Parkside’s

co-founder and sales director. “We have monthly Brewers Row meetings to see how we can help each other and what events we’re going to go into, and those sorts of things.”

Through these meetings, the four breweries have agreed to do at least one collaboration beer per year to support an organization or event in Port Moody, starting with a schwarzbier to support the Port Moody Arts Centre.

They’ve also been working together in tandem with the City of Port Moody and the BC Craft Brewers Guild to promote Port Moody and Brewers Row as a tourism destination through the Destination BC Ale Trail project, which has considerable potential for the city once the Evergreen SkyTrain Line opens in 2017.

“It opens up a block and a half away from us, so it’s in our best interest to drive people to the area,” Payne says. “The more people that are at Yellow Dog are more people that are at Parkside, are at Moody Ales and Twin Sails.” j

- with files from shawn connor

Before the breweries opened, I had no idea we had a pent-up demand for craft beer...

- Mayor Mike clay

FOAMERS’ FOLLY BREWING CORP.

19221 122A Ave. | foamersfolly.ca

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

EST. 2015

Three brewers, two brewing systems, one tap room with 20 taps to fill. (And a new patio.) You’ll never see the same lineup twice.

HEAT KINK SAISON

SAISON

Availability: Small batch

A citrusy, floral saison gets a spicy twist from scotch bonnet peppers.

MAPLE RIDGE

MAPLE MEADOWS BREWING CO.

BEST BITTER

ENGLISH BITTER

Availability: Year-round

Malt forward and sessionable, featuring a variety of English hops.

22775 Dewdney Trunk Rd. | maplemeadowsbrewingco.com

TUE-THU 2-7PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-8PM ^ SUN 12-6PM

EST. 2014

It’s been a steady first year for MM, now producing more adventurous styles as it continues to convert locals to craft.

DDDIPA

DOUBLE INDIA PALE ALE

Availability: Seasonal

Unveiled at MM’ first anniversary party, this bruiser of a DIPA goes down smooth.

LA AUSTRIACA (THE AUSTRIAN)

VIENNA-MEXICAN LAGER

Availability: Seasonal

A Canadian take on a Mexican-made Austrian lager. Toasty malt with a citrusy hop lilt.

RIDGE BREWING CO .

22826 Dewdney Trunk Rd. | ridgebrewing.com

MON-THU 2-8PM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-8:30PM

SUN 11AM-6:30PM

EST. 2015

Maple Ridge’s second brewery employs a general focus on styles from the British Isles, with the odd crazy experiment.

AY CARAMBA!

J ALAPEÑO I NDIA PALE ALE

Availability: Seasonal

Don’t forget the chips and salsa to pair with this pepper-laden pale ale.

LANGLEY

Availability: Year-round

A full-flavoured North American craft pilsner with a citrusy hop profile.

TRADING POS T B REWING

107 - 20120 64th Ave. | tradingpostbrewing.com

SUN 12-7PM ^ MON-THU 2-10PM-8:30PM

FRI-SAT 12-11PM

EST. 2015

Langley got its first tasting room when Trading Post opened earlier this year. Next up for Trading Post: a taphouse in Fort Langley.

THREE BEARS BREAKFAST STOUT

B REAK F AST S TOUT

Availability: Year-round

Jet-black oatmeal stout with notes of chocolate and espresso, fueled by cold-extracted coffee.

1827 HELLES LAGER

Availability: Year-round

Lightly malty, made with Bohemian floor-malted barley and Hallertau Mittelfruh hops.

PUSSY CAT BLONDE P ILSNER

DEAD FROG BREWER Y

1 - 27272 Gloucester Way | deadfrog.ca

MON-FRI 10AM-5PM ^ SAT 12-4PM

EST. 2005

Dead Frog, like any veteran, has mellowed from its crazy youthful days – and has established a solid line of consistently well made beer.

TROPIC VICE

FRUIT A LE

Availability: Seasonal

This mango and passionfruit ale won people’s choice and best fruit beer at the 2016 Fest of Ale.

ABBOTS F ORD

RED DRAGON

RED LAGER R ED L AGER

Availability: Year-round

A malty, crisp lager that’s a lighter take on the brewery’s imperial red ale.

F IE LD H OUSE B REWING CO .

2281 West Railway St. | fieldhousebrewing.com

TUE-WED 12-8PM ^ THU-SAT 12-10PM ^ SUN 12-5PM

EST. 2016

East Van comes to East Abby: Clean white and wood lines inside, a large picnic area outside and an intriguing lineup of skillfully made beer.

COOLSHIP COMMON CALI F ORNIA COMMON

Availability: Small batch

This robustly malty, warm-fermented lager is brewed the traditional steam beer way.

SOUR WHEAT GOSE

Availability: Year-round

A traditional East German brew, in which salt, coriander and elderflower balance the beer’s sourness.

OL D ABB EY AL ES

1A - 30321 Fraser Hwy. | oldabbeyales.com

DAILY 11AM-8PM

EST. 2015

A changing of the guard has hardly put Old Abbey off its stride –quite an achievement when you have 30 draught lines to fill.

SOUR RASPBERRY

S OUR

Availability: Small batch

ABV IBU 7.0% 7

Fast becoming an Old Abbey signature beer, this berry-stuffed sour is juicy yet crisp and refreshing.

COASTAL IPA

I ’M PI C KLED, ABSOLUTELY

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 6.5%50

A full-flavoured IPA with a judicious balance between honeyed caramel malt and citrus hops.

RAVENS BREWING CO.

2485 Townline Rd. | ravensbrewing.com

SUN 1-5PM ^ MON-THU 12PM-6PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-7PM

EST. 2015

With a stable of brews that’s heavy on fresh, local ingredients, it’s worth swooping in to see what Nick Fengler’s brewing.

RASPBERRY

HEFEWEIZEN

FRUIT B EER

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.0%15

Taking advantage of the local valley raspberry fields, this is a fragrant and refreshing hefe-fruit blend.

GOLDEN ALE

E NGLISH B ITTER

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 4.8%18

Crisp and refreshing, it’s an ideal beer to help beat the summer heat.

C HAOS & SOL ACE C RAF T

B REWING C O.

1 - 9360 Mill St. | chaosandsolacebrewing.com

DAILY 11AM-7PM

EST. 2016

The Valley’s latest is steered by champion homebrewer Calvin Quaite, who’ll be brewing batches of experimental beer and established styles.

LUCKAKUCK KOLSCH

K OLS CH

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.2%16

Quaite’s intended flagship is this clean, crisp and subtly fruity straw-coloured ale.

CHILLIWA CK

PARAMOUNT PORTER

R OBUST P ORTER

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 6.3%38

Named after an iconic Chilliwack theatre, Paramount promises to bring the roast.

OL D YAL E BREWING CO .

404 - 44550 South Sumas Rd. | oldyalebrewing.com

SUN 11AM-3PM ^ TUE-WED 11AM-6PM

THU-SAT 11AM-9PM

EST. 2000

By the time you read this it should be all systems go for Old Yale’s brand new, 6,500-square-foot, purpose-built brewery.

OLD PADDLE PILSNER

CZE C H P ILSNER

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%35

A classic Czech-style pilsner named in honour of the brewery’s now-broken stirring paddle.

MOON DANCE

MANGO WHEAT

W HEAT ALE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%10

Nine-hundred mangos died in their prime just so you monsters could drink this luscious fruit ale.

Unsung Heroes of Beer:

Vancouver Craft Beer Week’s events director and co-founder Leah Heneghan has the thankless task of pulling more than 100 breweries and tens of thousands of people together for one of the city’s largest annual events. It’s a beastly project, and one that takes more patience than any one person could possibly have been born with. And yet, she manages. Somehow.

What were you doing prior to your involvement in the beer industry?

I was transporting Iron Maiden and then I was transporting Picasso.

No, really, what were you doing?

I’m serious. I was working at a record label in London, Sanctuary, which was started by one of the guys in Iron Maiden. Directly after that, I got a job as the global exhibitions coordinator at Christie’s Auction House in London, so I was organizing all their art to go around the world on these tours, pre-sale.

But realistically, I was working in chemicals. That happened when I got back [to Vancouver] and I couldn’t find a job in events or art, which was what I was looking for, and I ended up temping at this chemical plant, which technically I consider to be in the beer industry because I was looking after caustic soda. Technically, that was beer.

What’s your favourite aspect of beer culture?

It’s the collaborative nature that everyone has. Everyone’s working together right now, especially in Vancouver. People borrow each other’s hops and they borrow each other’s yeast and malts, and everybody’s friends.

What are your thoughts on how popular the beer industry is right now?

I know that when I talk to people for the first time, they’re super excited to hear about what I do for a living. It’s tough for me to get other people to talk about what they do a lot of the time because they’re so interested in beer, and so interested in beer in B.C.

Are these beer drinkers?

Not necessarily, no. I’m talking about anyone

from the wine drinker or cocktail drinker that you might meet at a bar, to my mom’s friends at dinner when I go over to [Vancouver Island] to visit her.

What’s your most memorable beer-related experience?

Oh God. Memorable and beer? Those things don’t always go hand-in-hand. j

Photo by Dan Toulgoet

AX E AND B ARRE L

B REWING CO .

2323 Millstream Ave. | axeandbarrel.com

DAILY 11AM-7PM

EST. 2015

Axe & Barrel’s Barbecue Brewhouse is finally open. The brewery’s beers are as good as ever, but now there’s a rack of ribs to go with them.

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%10

This light and tasty patio beer offers hints of lemongrass, lime and bitter orange.

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.2%30

Fresh and summery with a spicy rye character and lots of citrusy hops.

CAT EGOR Y 12 BREWING

Unit C - 2200 Keating Cross Rd. | category12beer.com

TUE-SAT 12-6PM ^ SUN 12-4PM

EST. 2014

Founder Michael Kuzyk has a PhD in microbiology and biochemistry and is using his brains for the worthiest of scientific pursuits: beer!

WAVEFORM

W ITBIER

INSUBORDINATE

S ESSION INDIA PALE ALE

Availability: Seasonal Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.3%19

Soft wheat body with a burst of grapefruit and a subtle hint of cardamom.

ABV IBU 4.5%54

Crisp and piney-citrus hop goodness with a dry finish that makes it easy to go back for more.

CITRUS WITBIER

RYE PALE ALE P ALE ALE

DRIF T WOOD BREWER Y

450 Hillside Ave. | driftwoodbeer.com

TUE-SAT 11AM-6PM

EST. 2008

Driftwood continues to lead the Victoria brewing community with inventive seasonal creations and occasional sour masterpieces.

Availability: Seasonal Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 7.0%50

A hoppy hefe, combining the best of old-world German brewing with cutting-edge craft creativity.

ABV IBU 5.0% 8

Slightly salty and sweet-tart, this effervescent wheat ale is the epitome of the summer sipper.

HO Y NE BREWING CO.

101-2740 Bridge St. | hoynebrewing.ca

MON-FRI 12-6PM ^ SAT 11AM-6PM

EST. 2011

Whether it’s Dark Matter, Hoyner Pilsner or Appleton ESB, Hoyne keeps its fans happy by brewing some of Victoria’s favourite beers.

SUMMER HAZE

H ONEY HEF EWEIZEN

ENTRE NOUS

B ELGIAN CHERRY W ITBIER

Availability: Seasonal Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.1% N/A

Brewed with local Victoria honey, this hazy wheat beer is light and tasty.

ABV IBU 5.1% N/A

Organic black cherries from B.C. give this wheat beer a delightful colour and flavour.

L IGH T HOUSE BREWING CO.

2 - 836 Devonshire Rd. | lighthousebrewing.com

MON 8AM-4:30PM ^ TUE-FRI 8AM-6PM^ SAT 11AM-6PM

EST. 1998

Big changes! Lighthouse’s Esquimalt plant has a new 50hL brewhouse in place, and we might see tasting room expansion sometime this year.

JACKLINE RHUBARB GRISETTE G RISETTE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.5% 5

Fraser Valley rhubarb imparts an additional tartness to this crisp, dry and refreshing table saison.

VICTORIA

DISCOVERY COFFEE LAGER

COFFEE L AGER

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.1% 8

Local roaster Discovery Coffee’s cold brew concentrate infuses this light lager with a coffee zing.

MOON UNDER WAT ER BREWER Y

350B Bay St. | moonunderwater.ca

SAT-THU 11:30AM-11PM ^ FRI 11:30AM-12AM

EST. 2012

Merging European tradition with West Coast creativity, Moon’s lineup includes German styles, barrel-aged Belgians and sours.

THIS IS HEFEWEIZEN

HEF EWEIZEN

SANG

DU

MERLE 2016

B ARREL- A GED S OUR

Availability: Seasonal Availability: Small Batch

ABV IBU 5.5%14

Save the airfare – this tastes exactly as weizenbier does in Bavaria. Das schmeckt aber gut!

ABV IBU 7.0% N/A

The second vintage of the Moon’s barrel-aged sour, fermented on sour cherries for 12 months.

PHILL IPS B REWING &

M A LT ING

C O.

2010 Government St. | phillipsbeer.com

MON 10AM-5PM ^ TUE-THU 10AM-6PM

FRI 10AM-7PM^ SAT 11AM-6PM

EST. 2001

Would there be a B.C. brewing scene without Matt Phillips? Well, yeah, obviously...but it’d be a hell of a lot less fun and inventive. Plus, Phillips’ onsite maltworks means its beer is as local as humanly possible.

PHILLIPS PILSNER

P ILSNER

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%25

A patiently crafted, clean and crisp pilsner, brewed with Phillips’ in-house malted barley. Available in six-packs!

SOLARIS

W HITE P EA C H A LE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 4.3% N/A

Need a patio beer? Look no further. Bright, light and crisp, with huge juicy notes that make for a refreshing summer session beer.

RASPBERRY WHEAT ALE

W HEAT A LE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.0% N/A

Loaded with B.C. raspberries, with a big berry aroma and crisp dry finish. Another ideal summer /patio sipper.

ELECTRIC UNICORN

W HITE I NDIA PALE ALE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 6.5%65

A little wit and a lot of hops make for a hell of a trip on Phillips’ “mystical mono-horned laser beast.” A strong contender for our favourite beer label.

BOTTLE ROCKET

I NDIA SESSION ALE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0% N/A

A hoppy beer for people that think they hate hops, with modest grapefruit notes and a dry finish.

SHORT WAVE

W EST COAST P ALE A LE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0% N/A

An easy-drinking pale ale that balances the sweetness of the malts with a subtle hop bitterness.

by Jan Zeschky

It’s the city of newlyweds, nearly-deads and die-hard hopheads. Victoria has laid claim to B.C.’s craft beer throne ever since Spinnakers opened as Canada’s first brewpub in 1984 and it’s given the city a cutting edge to slice through those musty stereotypes.

But a kind of malaise now seems to be creeping over its beer scene as well. At least, that’s the impression when compared to what’s happening on the other side of the Salish Sea, where breweries are sprouting like crazy across the Lower Mainland.

Fuelled by the B.C. government’s introduction of the brewery lounge endorsement in 2013, Vancouver and its suburbs all the way east to Abbotsford have seen upwards of 30 new openings. The City of Vancouver alone has doubled its number of breweries to two-dozen over the past three years. That’s twice the number currently operating in Greater Victoria, which, over the same period, saw just two breweries open.

What’s particularly conspicuous is that Greater Victoria doesn’t yet have a single brewery lounge, which has been such a principal cause of growth in breweries across the province.

So, has B.C.’s grand old dame had her fill of beer?

Well, the fact is that the provincial capital still aces Vancouver when it comes to number of breweries per capita: there’s roughly 1 per 9,800 people compared to Vancouver’s 1 per 26,000 (in Greater Victoria it’s around 1 per 29,000; in Metro Vancouver 1 per 48,100; all using 2011 census figures).

So Vancouver has actually been catching up over

the past three years. If anything, the numbers suggest there’s still plenty of scope for more breweries in the Lower Mainland.

Conversely, there’s likely less appetite for start-ups in brewery-dense Victoria.

“I wouldn’t say we’re saturated, but there’s probably a little more hesitation to come into the market,” says Matt Phillips, owner of Phillips Brewing Company on Victoria’s Government Street.

Victoria’s more sustainable pace of growth since the mid-1980s has seen it become home to many of the province’s veteran craft breweries, several of whom – led by Phillips – have consequently become among B.C.’s biggest.

This partly explains why they don’t have lounges: Firstly, because the floor plans of the likes of Phillips, Vancouver Island Brewery, Driftwood Brewery and Lighthouse Brewing Co. were drawn up well before the lounge concept was introduced; and secondly, having kept pace with demand by continuously expanding, these breweries have simply run out of space in which to set up a dedicated lounge.

“We’re all shoehorned into these spaces that made sense to us in terms of production under the regulatory model at the time,” Phillips says. “… None of us took space we didn’t need and so, as a result, none of us have space to use.”

Yes, you can fill your growler at these breweries, but their tasting rooms are functional nooks that would be challenging and expensive to transform into cost-effective service areas. For Phillips to create a viable tasting lounge, “I’d have to move

Brewery lounges are booming everywhere in B.C... except in its capital

my brewhouse and a bunch of fermenters,” says Phillips. “It’s pretty daunting. I guess it’s whether we make beer or seats for people to drink it.”

There’s also not as much of a financial incentive for the bigger craft players to open a lounge, says Victoria brewing legend Sean Hoyne, who opened Hoyne Brewing Co. in 2011. Lounges are hugely beneficial for smaller breweries as it gives them a vital revenue stream, but the benefit fades as the operation gets larger, Hoyne believes.

“If we were to throw in a tap room it might be a nice thing to do, but it’s not going to change our overall financial picture because the main thrust of our business is relatively larger production,” he says.

Bear in mind, too, that Victoria has a considerable ratio of brewpubs compared to production breweries. The central locations of veterans Spinnakers, Swans and Canoe have undoubtedly been part of their success over the years – but the

fact they’ve recently been joined by brewpubs in outlying areas (Rock Bay’s Moon Under Water in 2011, View Royal’s Four Mile in 2014 and Langford’s Axe & Barrel in April) indicates that there’s something more appealing about the brewpub model in Victoria.

This, in turn, highlights a distinct difference between the drinking cultures of Victoria and Vancouver. >>

While Victoria may be abundant in traditional neighbourhood pubs and long-standing brewpubs (such as Swans, pictured at top), it lacks the modern brewery lounges that have gained popularity on the mainland in recent years.

We're all shoehorned into these spaces that made sense to us in terms of production under the regulatory model at the time... None of us took space we didn’t need and so as a result none of us have space to use.

- Matt Phillips

Brewpubs are alternative forms of Victoria’s many well-established neighbourhood pubs, which have long served as meeting places for their surrounding communities, in the tradition of the British local. Victoria-based brewing historian Greg Evans can reel off a list of storied pub names, including Christie’s Carriage House, the Fernwood Inn, the Beagle, the Penny Farthing and the Bent Mast.

“These places are neighbourhood hubs,” Evans says. “If you want to know what’s going on in Fairfield you go to the Penny Farthing or Christie’s Carriage House. ... They’ve got quiz nights, they’ve got darts leagues, they’ve got it all, and they’ve been around for a long, long time.”

Vancouver and its suburbs, on the other hand, have lacked the same concentration of these kinds of establishments, says Evans, who once lived in Richmond for five years and frequented the Flying Beaver, but found little in the way of other good local pub options.

Brewery tasting lounges are now arguably filling this niche with their casual atmosphere and welcoming community feel. Again, it can be argued that Vancouver is playing catch-up – and that there’s simply less need for brewery lounges in pub-rich Victoria.

That’s certainly reflected in the simple fact that City of Victoria staff have yet to handle a single lounge endorsement application, according to spokeswoman Katie Hamilton. (VIB is a slight exception, having recently been granted a special event area endorsement – like a lounge endorsement for events only – for its hospitality room.)

It’s not as if the process is any more onerous than other bureaucratic procedures facing breweries in B.C. On the city’s end, staff would simply take into account “noise and community impacts” such as zoning and parking, Hamilton says, before providing any comments to the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch, which has the final say on the application.

City councillor Ben Isitt, for one, sees no problem giving the go-ahead for a lounge endorsement. “There aren’t really issues about public order or excessive drinking with those kinds of establishments as far as I know, so I think they would be supportable,” Isitt says.

It looks like it’ll be up to new breweries to launch lounge culture in Greater Victoria. Category 12 Brewing near Saanichton has applied for an endorsement, while Victoria Caledonian distillery and brewery aims to operate a lounge when it opens in Saanich later this year.

But let’s take a step back. Instead of aiming to replicate Vancouver’s brewery model in Victoria, perhaps we should just celebrate the difference between the cities’ respective beer scenes: Vancouver’s vibrant, modern brewery lounges and Victoria’s cosier, more traditional brewpubs and neighbourhood pubs. Variety is a cornerstone of craft beer, after all.

In any case, the tasting room, brewery lounge and brewpub are just slightly different points on the same spectrum, according to Phillips. “I always argue that we have tasting rooms, they’re just called brewpubs here,” he says.

And if none of those options satisfy your thirst in Victoria, just head to your local.

“It seems logical [to have tasting lounges] in the city, with the beer culture we have,” Evans says. “But maybe we’ve got another beer culture, which is these neighbourhood pubs that have been around for 15, 20, 25 years now. They’re very strong, they’re very busy, they’re very buoyant and they’re hard to get into on a Saturday night.” j

I always argue that we have tasting rooms, they’re just called brewpubs here. - Matt Phillips

VANCOUVER IS L AND BREWER Y

2330 Government St. | vibrewery.com

DAILY 10AM-6PM

EST. 1986

One of B.C.’s original trio of microbreweries, VIB is going strong in the heart of Victoria’s “Beer Mile” more than three decades later.

BLACK BETTY BLACKBERRY SAISON S AISON

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.5%15

Ideal summer beer, this is dry, crisp and slightly tart with a delightful aroma of blackberries.

PIPER’S PALE ALE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%27

This copper-coloured English pale ale has a caramel malt flavour with a medium hop bitterness.

V IC T ORIA CAL EDONIAN

B REWERY AND D IS TI LLERY

761 Enterprise Cres.

HOURS TBD

EST. 2016

Listen: Victoria Caledonian is the name of the brewery, but it’s beer will be sold under the Twa Dogs brand. A little confusing, but you’ll get there.

TWA DOGS PILSNER

N EW-WORLD P ILSNER

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0% N/A

A modern Keller-style pilsner brewed with New Zealand hops.

S OOKE O CEANSIDE BREWERY

TWA DOGS IPA INC IDENTS PREVENTING ASSHOLE-ERY

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 6.0% N/A

You gotta have a strong West Coast IPA. Will McCleod top his previous successes?

1-5529 Sooke Rd. | sookeoceansidebrewery.com

HOURS TBD

EST. 2016

Ultimate plans are for a full-scale brewery and restaurant on Sooke Basin, but this summer SOB will open as a nanobrewery. STIFF

I

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.5%37

This will be a well-balanced, approachable pale ale with a distinct British malt profile.

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%20

Ruby red with a subtle caramel flavour balanced with just enough bittering hops.

RED ARROW BREWING C O.

5255 Chaster Rd. | redarrowbeer.ca

SUN-THU 11AM-6PM ^ FRI 11AM-8PM ^ SAT 11AM-6PM

EST. 2015

Red Arrow’s tasting room is the best on the Island, and the beer’s getting better and better.

HERITAGE RIVER

HEF EWEIZEN

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 4.8%25

This cloudy wheat beer boasts citrus and bubblegum flavours, courtesy of the Weihenstephan yeast.

CHEMAINUS

R IO T B REWING C O.

101A - 3055 Oak St. | riotbrewing.com

HOURS TBD

EST. 2016

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 7.5%95

Supercharged with enough Zeus and Mosaic hops to satisfy even the hoppiest of hopheads.

Riot will finally open in July after being in the works for far too long. Expect a solid beer lineup from brewmaster Fabian Specht.

LIP SLIDE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 4.8% N/A

A malty, balanced German lager that finishes dry and spicy.

PUNCH

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 6.0% N/A

Expect pine, citrus, tropical fruit and lemon notes thanks to Cascade and Sorachi Ace hops.

L ONGWOOD BREWER Y

101A-2046 Boxwood Rd. | longwoodbeer.com

WED-FRI 2-6PM ^ SAT 12-5PM

EST. 2013

Longwood is “obsessively local,” working with three Nanaimo-area farmers to produce much of the core ingredients for the brewery.

ISLAND TIME LAGER

“U LTRA- LOC AL” P ILSNER

Availability: Year-round

This obsessively local brew uses barley and hops grown and malted within 20km of the brewery.

ONE THAT

Availability: Seasonal

Brewed with wheat and crystal malt, giving it a toasted caramel sweetness.

W HI TE SAI LS B REWING

125 Comox Rd. | whitesailsbrewing.com

SUN 12-7PM^ MON-THU 12-9PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-7PM

EST. 2015

Since opening last year with a large tasting room, White Sails has given thirsty Nanaimo another craft option to embrace.

OLD CITY SMASH ALE

S INGLE M ALT AND S INGLE H OP A LE

Availability: Seasonal

The single malt and single hop in this brew create a simple, quaffable ale.

GALLOW’S POINT

Availability: Seasonal

Big chocolate and tasty caramel notes in the malty profile with a touch of roastiness.

WO L F BREWING CO .

940 Old Victoria Rd. | wolfbrewingcompany.com

SUN-MON 12-5PM ^ TUE-THU 12-6PM^ FRI-SAT 12-7PM

EST. 2010

The new tasting room is attracting new customers, and brewer Kev Ward is keeping them plied with old favourites and interesting new creations.

BLACK AND TAN

T RADITIONAL B RITISH B LEND

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.5%25

The best of both worlds: a blend of Wolf’s Golden Honey Ale and dark Porter.

CUMBERLAND

CUMBER L AND BREWING CO.

CERBERUS

I MPERIAL INDIA PALE ALE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 8.8%80

This three-headed beast is triple-dry-hopped to keep you howling for more.

2732 Dunsmuir Ave. | cumberlandbrewing.com

SUN-WED 12-9PM ^ THU - SAT 12-10PM

EST. 2014

Every summer bucket list should include an afternoon on Cumberland’s welcoming patio. New beer constantly and excellent food.

CBA

CAS C ADE B ERRY A LE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 4.2% N/A

The tart raspberry flavours of local Cascade berries star in this refreshing fruit ale.

SOUR-CHERRY SAISON

S AISON

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 4.3% N/A

Low on sour, high on refreshment. Another good intro to sour beers.

BEST ENJOYED ALL YEAR

Our newest Small Batch release balances hops upfront with a solid malt base for a refreshing Pale Ale to enjoy year round.

Try it at Vancouver Craft Beer Week!

FORBIDDEN BREWING CO .

1590 Cliffe Ave. | forbiddenbrewing.com

WED-SUN 3-10PM

EST. 2015

Nano size doesn’t mean nano aspirations. There’s plenty of variety at Forbidden, including organic beer options.

BLACK IPA

B LA C K IC E PROMPTS A CCIDENTS

Availability: Seasonal

A fine balance of masses of malt and masses of hops makes for a massive ale.

CHOCOLATE MILD

Availability: Seasonal

Smooth and sessionable, this malt-forward English-style ale has hints of raisins and roastiness.

GL ADS T ONE BREWING CO

244 4th St. | gladstonebrewing.ca

DAILY 10AM-12AM

EST. 2015

There’s great beer, amazing pizza and...well, that’s it, but what else could you need? A nice patio? OK, well they have that, too.

IPA

PACIFIC N ORTHWEST (IS) PRETTY AWESOME ( OK?)

Availability: Year-round

This potent IPA will clean out your carburetor, leaving a pine-and-citrus air freshener aroma.

EVIL SPIRIT

B

Availability: Seasonal

Listen to that devil on your shoulder and try this strong beer with its citrus-peppery zing.

P ORT ALBERNI

TWIN C I TY BREWING CO.

4503 Margaret St. | twincitybrewing.ca

EST. 2016

RUN-OF-THE-MILL

INDIA PALE ALE

I PLAY A CCORDION

Availability: Year-round

A “quintessential India Pale Ale” with all those citrus and resin notes your hop-addled body craves.

HAYBURNER

S MOKED

T OFINO BREWING CO

DAILY 11AM-9PM

EST. 2011

A wild new take on a French saison, employing U.S. and New Zealand hops, rye and smoked malt.

.

Units C & D, 681 Industrial Way | tofinobrewingco.com

No matter where you are, a taste of any of Tofino’s beers can send you on a (figurative) wave straight to the nature-and-surf-loving beach town.

TOFINO LAGER

L AGER

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU ABV IBU 5.0% 7.7% 20 65 ABV IBU ABV IBU 6.5% 5.9% 50 22

SPRUCE TREE ALE

Conditioned with locally picked Sitka spruce tips, it’s full-bodied with piney hops.

93

Setting the bar through tasting room design

by Kelsey Klassen

You would be forgiven for thinking that tasting room design has to date been mostly about which kind of wood you want on the walls and how shiny the concrete should be.

Look closer, though: amid the many superficial similarities lie design subtleties that – unnoticed at first – add up to establish the vibe of each brewery and reflect the surrounding community.

Take Brassneck, for example.

If the Main Street microbrewery – one of the first craft breweries in Vancouver to have a distinctly “designed” aesthetic – hadn’t decided in 2013 that they wanted their tasting room to force strangers together into conversations about beer, the social nature of the craft beer boom that came after might have been very different.

“I have to say, I really tip my hat to Nigel [Springthorpe] and Conrad [Gmoser] at Brassneck. There was a lot of design intent to making sure that, in some ways, people were uncomfortably forced to be social,” says architect Marko Simcic, one half of the firm Simcic & Uhrich,

which designed the brewery space. “We spent a lot of time talking about how you could get strangers to talk to each other.”

They accomplished that through interesting sight lines into the heart of the brewery operations, chance encounters with the brewer, intimate seating areas to discuss the latest seasonal, and by utilizing Vancouver creatives, such as the late woodworker Joseph Peters and illustrator Maggie Boyd, to add detail.

In hindsight, the success of the room, and other eloquent spaces such as 33 Acres, helped set the tone for what tasting rooms could and should accomplish.

“What’s been really interesting for us has just been seeing its impact on neighbourhood development,” says Bill Uhrich (the other half of Simcic & Uhrich, which boasts subsequent work with Strange Fellows, Dageraad, Andina, Faculty, Strathcona and a yet-to-be-named brewery at Manitoba and 5th in its portfolio, as well).

“Before the microbreweries started there was the expression, ‘No Fun City’ – Vancouver was a little bit archaic in terms of its approach to nightlife and the pub – and I think the way in which the microbreweries have grown [has] created a much larger sense of community. It’s had a spillover effect.”

Not only does the aesthetic of shiny equipment, polished concrete floors and textured wood walls reaffirm Vancouver’s familiar, organic, somewhat masculine design ideals, but it enriches the perception of craft beer as an honest, DIY endeavour, as well. As the industry expands into new markets in smaller cities around B.C., these design clichés also offer a proven way for new business owners to attract an audience.

“We always remind ourselves that what’s been done in Vancouver hasn’t been done in Abbotsford,” explains Josh Vanderheide, founder and creative director of Abbotford’s newest brewery, Field House.

- Bill Uhrich

Vanderheide, a former Vancouver resident who moved out to the Fraser Valley with his family three years ago, had worked extensively with craft breweries in his career as a graphic designer, and found himself missing aspects of the scene he had left behind. To recreate it, he and interior designer Jennifer Eden incorporated concepts that are clearly referential to spaces like Brassneck, 33 Acres, Steel & Oak and Strange Fellows, but also worked to transform them into something new and beautiful for their market.

“We said, we love these experiences, but what we need to do is run them through a filter of what would work in Abbotsford in order to be a good business for the community,” says Vanderheide. “We took ideas of modern design, but then we said how do we make it comfortable?”

That meant siding the walls of the former car garage with rough, resawn cedar to add Old World texture, wrapping the wood-burning fireplace in unapologetically raw sheet metal, and serving

their beer in those ubiquitous mason jars at the reclaimed long table or concrete bar.

Fear not, though. Just as these design tropes break out of Vancouver and take root in smaller towns, Bill Uhrich contends that the urban breweries will keep driving tasting room design forward.

“I think as the microbrewery world matures, there is more of an interest in taking some chances and doing something a bit different,” the architect says. “I think that when you’re starting out, there’s a lot of risk already on the table so you tend to fall back on things you know. There’s a way of building tasting rooms that people are inherently comfortable with […] but I think we’re more turning away from it now.” j

Each of these tasting rooms carries its own unique appeal: (opposite page) Main Street Brewing Co.; (this page) Field House Brewing, Brassneck Brewery

As the microbrewery world matures, there is more of an interest in taking some chances and doing something a bit different.

T OWNSI T E BREWING

5824 Ash Ave. | townsitebrewing.com

DAILY 11AM-7PM

EST. 2012

The brewery that transformed a town. Where macro once ruled, these days you’ll more likely find proud PR peeps sipping a Townsite brew.

ZWARTE WHEAT

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.2%20

Midnight wheat lends a brooding colour and complexity to this bready, gently fruity witbier.

G IBSONS

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 9.0%34

Big, boozy but graceful in its pear and pepper yeast profile and dry finish.

P ERSE P HONE BREWING CO .

1053 Stewart Rd. | persephonebrewing.com

DAILY 11AM-7PM

EST. 2013

Summer is the perfect time to visit this idyllic Sunshine Coast brewery with its verdant hop fields, picnic tables and damn fine beer.

PERSEPHONE

PALE ALE

P ALEZ A LEZ

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.5%33

A balanced, malty brew, picked as Best in Show at the Okanagan Fest of Ale in April.

KELLER PILSNER

P ILSNER

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.0%33

A light lager with lots of character: floral aroma, bready malts and herbal, spicy hop bitterness.

CHARLESTON B ELGIAN T RIPEL

SA LT SP RING I SL AND AL ES

270 Furness Rd. | saltspringislandales.com

DAILY 12-5PM

EST. 1998

Heaven is a brewery based in a rustic barn, nestled under Mount Bruce, that uses organic malts, local hops and water from a nearby spring. Got it?

SPRING FEVER GRUIT ANC IENT ALE

HEATHER ALE ANC IENT ALE

Availability: Seasonal Availability: Year-round

3

Gruit is an ancient style of ale using a blend of herbs that predates hops.

COASTAL ALE TRAIL

The ancient Picts of Scotland drank heather ale before battle. You can drink it before bed.

RED COLLAR BREWING CO .

355 Lansdowne St. | redcollar.ca

TUE-WED 4-10PM ^ THU-FRI 3-10PM ^ SAT 1-10PM

EST. 2014

Trailblazer David Beardsell’s latest venture is a family affair. So it’s fitting that it’s named after the family dog Goosey’s long-time accessory.

CHERRY KETTLE SOUR

S OUR FRUIT A LE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 7.2%10

A nicely tart kettle sour, fermented on cherries, giving it a slight pink hue.

WIT

W ITBIER

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.0%15

A cloudy Belgian wheat, brewed with Seville oranges and coriander. Citrus and spice aromas.

CRANN ó G A L ES

706 Elson Rd. | crannogales.com

DAILY 8:30AM-4:30PM

EST. 2000

Now’s the time to check out Crannóg’s certified organic farm and brewery: tours started in May (by appointment only).

PEAT BOG BROWN ALE

B ROWN A LE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 4.8%20

An earthy brown ale, the colour of an Irish peat bog. Makes big use of chocolate malts.

RED BRANCH

IRISH ALE

R ED A LE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.3%24

Fuggles hops provide the floral aroma. Caramelized malts are present in the complex but mild body.

BNA BREWING CO .

1250 Ellis St. | bnabrewing.com

EATERY 4PM-LATE ^ TASTING ROOM 1-8PM

EST. 2015

The small capacity led to beer shortages in year one, but an expansion is underway. Meanwhile, enjoy the gorgeous space and creative line-up.

CHECK YOUR HEAD

S TOUT

Availability: Small Batch

ABV IBU 4.5%20

A medium-bodied “Belgian summer stout” with spicy, fruity hops and aged on Kelowna cherries.

KE TTL E R IVER B REWING C O.

731 Baillie Ave. | kettleriverbrewing.ca

DAILY 12-10PM

EST. 2016

DON’T LOSE YOUR DINOSAUR

I NDIA P ALE A LE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 6.2%70

Another medium-bodied brew, with loads of hops gushing with tropical and stone-fruit flavours.

Vowing to represent all styles ranging from “the mild and the wild.” Looks like Kelowna’s getting another brewery to pay attention to.

MABELLE TABLE

B ELGIAN T ABLE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 4.2%25

A Belgian table beer/pale ale hybrid. Fresh citrus aromas, dried fruit and spicy yeast flavours.

FENOUIL

FREN C H S AISON

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 6.5%30

Hints of anise and grapefruit in this dry-hopped saison, which finishes dry.

TREE BREWING BEER INSTITUTE

1346 Water St. | treebeer.com

SUN-TUE 11AM-9PM ^ WED-SAT 11AM-10PM

EST. 1996

Tree operates its original production brewery as well as the Beer Institute, with several taps serving a mix of regular and experimental brews.

MELLOW MOON

PINEAPPLE HEFEWEIZEN

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.0%20

Pineapple is a natural fit with the German wheat beer yeast’s banana and citrus flavours.

PENTICTON

HELLES

HELLES LAGER

Availability: Small batch

ABV IBU 5.0%18

This German-style lager is light-bodied and smooth.

BAD TATTOO BREWING CO.

169 Estabrook Ave. | badtattoobrewing.com

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

EST. 2014

Two new 80-hl fermenters show how indelible Bad Tattoo’s stamp on the beer scene has been. Come for beer, stay for pizza, take leftovers to beach.

TRUE LOVE

KÖLSCH

TRAMP STAMP

PALE ALE

Availability: Seasonal Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 4.5%25

Subtle yet enticing fruity and floral notes draw in the drinker to this refreshing lagered ale.

ABV IBU 5.3%45

A fruity pale with a big Aussie influence: namely, Super Pride, Galaxy and Summer hops.

It doesn’t get any better than a craft brewery tour with Coen Brothers references. Or at least that’s what we thought when we heard about a local Big Lebowski-themed event that paid tribute to “The Dude” by pairing delicious craft beer with bowling. In fact, we were so inspired by this idea that we aimed to brainstorm other staggeringly brilliant ways to mix booze with film and TV favourites. But this was the best we could come up with:

by Ryan Ingram

S PEED

Do your best Keanu impression and hop on the 99 B-Line after a tour through Brewery Creek’s finest tasting rooms. There’s zero chance the horribly crowded bus will explode, but your bladder might before you can get to your stop.

FARGO

Honour another Coen Bros. classic by orchestrating a fake kidnapping with a buddy. Hit the road with them and hide out in sleazy dive bars

throughout the province. Pretend a pregnant police chief is on your trail for added effect. And seriously: do not actually kidnap someone, or someone’s going in the wood chipper.

2001: A S PA C E O DYSSEY

Get ready to have your mind blown as you precisely mirror Kubrick’s masterful cosmic odyssey through heavy drinking. Begin by walking down Granville Street any given night to watch bros fight each other, reliving that scene where all the

apes get angry at each other. Then, have a homicidal artificial intelligence (Siri) be your guide along the strip as you pay exorbitant cover, then pay even more for pricier, watered down drinks. End up at the planetarium for a laser light show (and contact high) that’ll mirror the film’s final psychedelic scene.

FIGHT CLUB

Rule number one of Fight Club-Themed Pub Crawl is you do not talk about Fight Club-Themed Pub Crawl. Rule number two is you do not talk about Fight Club-Themed Pub Crawl. Rule number three: No actual fighting. Fightng’s lame, bro.

M R. R OBOT

The exact same as the Fight Club one, but do something computer-y, probably.

T HE R EVENANT

Wake up to discover that your friends have left you behind in the middle of nowhere. Find the nearest rustic pubs to fill up on beer nuts and the cheapest off-sales available as you begin your soul-crushing hike back home across treacherous, horrible nature. Watch out for bears.

L ORD O F T HE R INGS

The most epic of beer tours: walk to every single brewery in the province. After you’ve completed your quest, hurl the One Ring into Mount Doom. Or just hurl.

T HE W ALKING D EAD

Stumble your way through as many Yeast Van breweries as possible. Cap off the night by falling asleep in a cemetery. Be reborn the next morning as a bleary-eyed, head-pounding, foul-smelling member of the living undead. Then bang on the windows of Brassneck until they let you in.

BAC K TO THE FUTURE

After a tour through Vancouver’s thriving craft beer scene, hop in your DeLorean (a cab) and “travel” 30 years into the past, a.k.a. to Shenanigans on Davie Street. Let loose on the dance floor to swinging hits by Huey Lewis, Hall & Oates and Tina Turner.

M AD M AX

There’s no better way to live out your post-apocalyptic beer-tour fantasies than by roaming

through the desolate Okanagan heat in the middle of summer, scavenging for booze – the only liquid that will be more precious than gas in the wasteland. (If only there were some biker gangs around to make this theme more authentic…)

M AD M EN

Leave work at lunchtime and get as hammered as possible, preferably at a high-end cocktail bar. Follow that up with a bottle of vodka you keep stashed in your desk, immediately before a big meeting. Deliver a career-defining idea, or blubber something about Hershey’s chocolate. Probably get fired.

H OUSE O F CARDS

A tour for those on the Island who want to live out their favorite Netflix series. After a few rounds, head to the Parliament building to watch some rousing politicking.

B OARDWALK E MPIRE

Relive the Prohibition era though the HBO series’ most memorable character – no, not Nucky Thompson, Al Capone or Lucky Luciano – but psychopathic Prohibition Bureau agent Nelson Van Alden. Bust into as many “gin joints” as possible and get furious at people drinking and having a good time.

I NSIDE O UT

Finally, a brewery tour you can do from the comfort and privacy of your own house as you go on a journey through your feelings – exactly like the hit Pixar family film. Experience Joy as you dive into your beer collection and crack open your prized possession, that Westvleteren 12 you’ve been cellaring for years. Then, let Anger take over as you think about how all your friends called all your ideas for pop culture-themed brewery tours “the stupidest” and refused to ever call you back. Then experience Fear that you’ll probably be drinking alone forever, especially after your wife left you because you wouldn’t stop bugging her to go on pop culture-themed beer tours. Oh, and wait, here comes good ol’ Sadness when you realize you’ve drank everything in your cellar, and Joy is probably just an illusion anyway. Finally, complete your delightful Disney adventure with Disgust, vomiting in the bathroom after finishing that bottle of Wild Turkey you found in the back of the cupboard, wondering if you’ll die alone. j

CANNER Y BREWING

198 Ellis St. | cannerybrewing.com

SUN 11AM-8PM ^ MON-THU 12-8PM ^ FRI 12-9PM

SAT 11AM-9PM

EST. 2000

Cannery’s new tasting room is a haven for folks who like board games, music and/or plain old conversation along with delicious beer and food.

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.0%25

A hazy wheat ale with B.C. apricots to give it an Okanagan twist.

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 6.5%40

German Maibocks are malt-forward, amped-up lagers. Cannery’s twist is to dry hop it.

HIGHWAY 97 BREWERY

954 Eckhardt Ave. W | hwy97brewery.com

DAILY 11AM-9PM

EST. 2016

With plans to open its doors in July, Penticton’s newest brewery takes its name from one of the province’s longest highways.

HIGHWAY 97

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%31

This Bohemian-styled pilsner has the honour of being Highway 97’s first brew.

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.5%35

Bitter off the start, with a clean, refreshing finish Brewed with chocolate malt and Cascade hops.

STUMBLING GOAT M AIBO CK

THE TIN W HISTL E B REWING

C O.

112-1475 Fairview Rd. | tinwhistle.ca

MON-SAT 11:30AM-5:30PM

EST. 1995

It’s often forgotten in the current craft beer noise, but Tin can pull off an impressive limited release to remind us what it’s capable of.

RATTLESNAKE

E XTRA S PE C IAL B ITTER STAG APPLE SCOTCH ALE

SC OT C H A LE

Availability: Seasonal Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 6.5%45

A Northwest-style ESB, with caramel malt ale balanced by the citrus-pine hops.

FIREHALL BREWER Y

6077 Main St. | firehallbrewery.com

DAILY 12-8PM

EST. 2012

ABV IBU 8.0%50

This is full of rich caramel-honey malty depths and brightened by a splash of apple juice.

Firehall is adding a new Beer Shop, which should help this earnest and energetic brewery connect with its community even more.

HOSER LITE

“B ASTARDIZED L AGERALE”

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 4.3% N/A

Brewed for the locals, this gateway beer is a great palate-cleanser between stouts.

BACKDRAFT BLONDE

B LONDE A LE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.2%15

With complexity and character, this bold blonde is one to be reckoned with.

A stress-free cruise through the mountains

Do you need an escape? Of course you do. Everyone does. Your back hurts, stress is clawing at your chest like a demented lover, and your head is so cluttered you can hardly form a coherent thought, let alone a sentence. Right…? …right? And between the dismal Canadian dollar and that pesky Zika virus, your options for where to go are limited. May we suggest a Kootenay beer tour road trip? Of course we can. We just did.

The Growler logged around 23 hours of driving recently, starting from Vancouver with the Kootenays in our sights. No matter where you depart from, though, you’ll pass through dusty landscapes reminiscent of the Wild West, one-horse towns, ego-shattering mountain ranges and lush river valleys the scope and scale of which are impossible to fully comprehend, especially while driving (unless you’re keen to roll your vehicle down any of the endless embankments of which the region’s windy roads have in great supply).

Given the length of travel between towns, and the exhaustion that comes with it, you likely won’t be drinking to excess, unless you’re a reckless party animal. Early nights come easy, as do restful sleeps. And all that driving gives you plenty of time to untangle those stresses, which you can then suppress (healthily) with some fresh beer and good conversation with small-town locals.

DAY 1 // ROSSLAND

DRIVE TIME 7 HOURS 20 MINUTES (FROM VANCOUVER)

Rossland is built into the side of a hill and surrounded on all sides by mountain peaks, which gives it an untethered feel, like you exist in a dreamland. It’s a town where children roam freely, where the homes are all a century old and built close together like one enormous townhouse complex held over from the booming mining days.

The locals have a deep sense of pride about their town, and there’s an enthusiastic devotion to Rossland Brewing, a tiny, charming microbrewery in the town centre, with alley-only access. The beers are all balanced and easy-drinking (even the IPA) that never offend with too much or too little flavour.

STAY SWEET DREAMS HERITAGE INN

A family-operated B&B located in a well-pre-

served Victorian home. There are only three rooms available, and it feels as though it could be haunted, which was of grave concern to The Growler when he had to pee at 3am.

DAY 2 // NELSON

DRIVE TIME 1 HOUR

Nelson’s a metropolis compared to Rossland. The town centre has an authentic Haigh-Ashbury vibe, and is even structured similar to the San Francisco neighbourhood, with the hills rising from the main road (complete with dope-smokin’ ragamuffins of every age) and lined with brightly painted Victorian homes.

It’s in these hills that you’ll find Nelson Brewing Co. – but be sure to call ahead. While it does offer tours, NBC has no tasting room or growler-fill station. The facility is deceivingly large and historic – it was built in 1898 as the home of the original Nelson Brewing.

Torchlight Brewing – a 10-minute walk down the hill – is a very different beast. It’s a tiny nano brewery that was launched in 2014 by friends Craig Swendson and Josh Secord. The tasting room is charmingly ramshackle, complete with mismatched furniture and décor, giving it the ambiance of a man cave. The beer names are riddled with puns and the tap list is constantly rotating and evolving.

STAY THE H UM E HOT EL

An historic building, originally built in 1898 as a hotel that has recently been converted into luxury suites in the city’s downtown core.

DAY 3 // FERNIE

DRIVE TIME 4.5 HRS (INCLUDES FE RRY)

There are two routes to take, but we suggest driving via the Kootenay Lake Ferry – known for being the longest free ferry ride in the world – for the more scenic route.

Fernie Brewing is the largest brewery in the region, having undergone a rapid expansion since 2012. The tasting room is modest – the sort of space that gets cramped real quick in the peak season après hours. It’s also the most sophisticated and stylized of the region’s breweries, backed by a wide range of beer styles with sleek marketing, and a real sense of muscle behind the efforts.

STAY PA R K PL AC E

A ski lodge with spacious rooms, a swimming pool in the foyer and a hot tub with a totally ‘80s metal gazebo.

DAY 4 // INVERMERE

DRIVE TIME 2 H OURS 10 M IN UTES

It’s about this point in the trip that the fatigue will catch up with you – from the driving, from >>

the poor food choices, from all the mind-melting natural beauty. But it’s also around this time when the terrain opens up to wide river valleys, bordered on either side by mountains (so many mountains). The scenery is so powerful the brain cannot sufficiently make sense of it, let alone put it in a sentence. It’s also very remote. There’s nothing on the way to Invermere except Invermere – a ski- and rodeo-town propped up by vacationing Albertans.

Arrowhead Brewery is easily one of the most impressive tasting rooms in the province, with an encompassing retro aesthetic crammed full of mid-20th century ephemera: metal Pepsi chalk-

board, a vintage gas pump, a cash register from 1925, still in use. Arrowhead is its own little world – a roadside diner that happens only to serve beer.

STAY THE B ES T WES T ERN

What’s there to say? It’s a Best Western.

DAY 5 // REVELSTOKE

DRIVE TIME 3 H OURS

Revelstoke’s missing the hardcore ski-bum vibe of some other towns – perhaps because its only been a ski town since 2007, when the mountain opened – but makes up for it in the well-preserved mining-town architecture in the town core.

And the Mt. Begbie Brewery is right in the centre of this – for now. By summer, the brewery will have moved into its brand new purpose-built facility a few minutes outside of town. But when The Growler visited, the business was still downtown, serving beer. The brewery turns 20 this year, and has retained its core philosophy – no weird beer, just dependable, well-crafted brews that can please the novice and the nerd alike.

STAY THE R EGEN T H OT EL

Another heritage hotel that’s been expanded and remodeled in recent years into comfortable, accommodating suites.

Obviously, these 1,000 words can’t adequately convey how beautiful the drive is, or how how effectively it can bust up whatever psychic knots may be troubling you. You’ll just have to trust us.

And you can thank us later. j

R OSSLAND

R OSS L AND BEER CO .

1990 Columbia Ave. | rosslandbeer.com

SUN-THU 12-7PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-9PM

EST. 2012

It’s tough enough for Rossland to keep up with local demand, let alone ship beer out to the coast. But summer is the ideal time for a road trip, right?

SEVEN SUMMITS

Availability: Year-round

Can’t argue with the the old medal this beer won at last year’s Canadian Brewing Awards.

N ELSON

NEL SON B REWING CO .

512 Latimer St. | nelsonbrewing.com

DAILY 8:30AM-4:30PM

EST. 1991

This Kootenay craft beer pioneer is running strong a quarter century in, keeping things fresh (and organic) with new styles and old favourites.

BENT POLE IPA

I ’M POSTIVIELY ASTOUNDING

Availability: Year-round ABV IBU 5.5%

Availability: Year-round

5.9% 55

20 ABV IBU

Bend your elbow to enjoy this new brew that is full of organic fruity hops.

ABV IBU 5.0%

55 110

Orange and apricot aromas lead to tropical pineapple and citrusy hop flavours in a balanced IPA.

6.5% 22

Now available in a 12-case of cans for the first time, this is killer camping beer.

TORCH L IGH T BREWING CO.

511 Front St. | torchlightbrewing.com

TUE 11AM-6PM ^ WED-THU 11AM-7PM

FRI-SAT 11AM-9PM

EST. 2014

Torchlight has brewed 42 different inventive beers in the last year. Not too shabby for the two Nelson natives that founded the joint.

WARP 8.5 CDA

CAS C ADIA D ARK A LE

Availability: Year-round

ELEVENTY ONE IMPERIAL STOUT

I MPERIAL S TOUT

Availability: Seasonal ABV IBU 8.5%100 ABV IBU 10.0%

Boldly hopped with Galaxy, it’s dark and roasty but the fruity hops get to shine.

60

If the rich and complex blend of grains don’t fire you up, the big ABV definitely will.

* breakfast & lunch *

* dinner *

* beer & wine * 1423 ELLIS STREET

F ERNIE BREWING CO .

26 Manitou Rd. | ferniebrewing.com

MON-SAT 10AM-6PM

EST. 2003

Back in 2003, you’d have to visit the converted-barn tasting room for a sip of Fernie’s brews. They’ve undergone a rapid expansion since then, which gets as cramped as a New York subway car during the ski season. And their beers have come a long way, too.

OLD BARN S AISON

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 6.0%35

Light but flavorful: spice, pepper and fruity notes. Peppercorns and orange peel added during brewing.

SLINGSHOT

I NDIA S ESSION ALE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 4.5%45

Galaxy and Mosaic hops power this sessionable IPA, which won best in its category at the 2016 Fest of Ale. Offers tropical, citrus and pine notes.

SLOW DRIFT WITBIER

B ELGIAN WHITE ALE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%10

This witbier is brewed with coriander and orange peel. Hazy, but light, crisp and citrusy with a pleasant Belgian spiciness.

KICKSTAND HONEY KÖLSCH

K ÖLS CH

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 4.8%25

A classic kolsch levelled up with sweet touch of organic honey. You want a daytime camping beer? Here it is. Crisp and refreshing.

WHAT THE HUCK

HUC KLEBERRY W HEAT A LE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%15

A wheat beer blended with local huckleberries. The berries balance flavours between subtle sweetness and tartness.

LAST CAST SUMMER

I NDIA PALE ALE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 6.7%70

Hoppy citrus, pineapple and stone fruit notes. It’s another solid entry to (though a little lighter in body than) their Bucket List series.

A RROWHEAD BREWING CO .

481 Arrow Rd. | arrowheadbrewingcompany.ca

MON-SAT 11AM-6PM

EST. 2012

Arrowhead lures in the patrons with a 1950s diner-style taproom and a range of beer from no-nonsense lager to intensely hopped ales.

BERRIES OF THE NIGHT

R ASPBERRY W HEAT

I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT GETTING THE BAND BACK TOGETHER

Availability: Seasonal Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 4.5% N/A

With B.C. berries, this refreshingly tart and crisp fruit beer is designed for summertime swigging.

ABV IBU 5.0%45

Hopheads who like a slow burn will dig this lighter, citrus-juicy, hop-forward ISA.

MT. B EGBIE BREWING CO .

521 1 St. West | mt-begbie.com

DAILY 9AM-5PM

EST. 1996

ATTILA THE HONEY

Availability: Seasonal Availability: Seasonal

After 20 years, Mt. Begbie will soon open a huge new facility with a dedicated tasting room and full kitchen. Happy anniversary! 19

ABV IBU 5.0%11

Specialty malts and local clover honey make this an ideal summer sipper.

ABV IBU 5.2%

Crisp and refressing made with B.C.-grown barley and hops and Revelstoke’s pure mountain water.

BROKE ’N ROAD BREWING CO.

175 Cariboo Hwy 97 | brokenroadbrewing.com

TUE-SAT 11AM-6PM

EST. 2016

Kevin and Tara Grinyer’s brewery brings fresh craft beer to 100 Mile House locals and a welcome rest stop between Kamloops and Quesnel.

MY BROTHER FROM ANOTHER MOTHER

BLONDE CREAM ALE HYBRID

Availability: Year-round

A hybrid featuring the subtle spice of Tettnanger and Hallertau hops balanced by a biscuity malt base.

QUESNEL

BARKERVILLE BREWING CO.

185 Davie St. | barkervillebeer.com

WINTER MOSQUITO & THE BREWERY GHOST

Availability: Year-round

This “Canada West IPA” utilizes local malts and piney Chinook and tropical Topaz.

TUE-THU 12-6PM ^ FRI 12-8PM ^ SAT 11AM-6PM

EST. 2014

The brewery’s named for the nearby historic town of Barkerville, a gold rush boom town (founded 1862). Stake your claim!..on their beer.

MUCHO ORO

LAGER

Availability: Year-round

WHITE GOLD

BELGIAN WIT

Availability: Year-round

15

Slake your thirst after a long day in the mines. Now available in tall cans.

This refreshing and citrusy wheat beer took first place at the 2015 BC Beer Awards.

How to Use that Unused Growler

Do you have too many freakin' growlers cramping your limited cupboard and shelf space? Fret no more! Here are some handy alternative uses for those unused growlers.

LI GHT UP A ROOM

Grab a lamp kit from your local hardware store, along with a funky lamp shade and just like that, you have a maybe kinda ugly lamp.

B OUQUET IN A BOTTLE

Who needs a vase? Surprise your "boo" with a bouquet in a growler! Go that extra mile by painting it first. Or just leave it as is.

G OLD F ISH IN A G ROWLER

The verdict is still out on whether or not this is actually humane, but with some quality aquarium gravel and a carefully placed plant or two, we think your clean, clear growler could make a pretty nice home for Nemo.

S TORE YOUR STAPLES

Easy pouring and stylish storage for dry pantry staples such as rice, lentils, nuts (and staples, we suppose). For the homebrewer, we can't think of a better vessel for storing your assorted malt collection.

ANC HOR A BAL L OON

Never again will you watch another helium-filled balloon float up to the heavens. This becomes a legitimate concern once you've entered the realm of toddler birthday parties.

COLLE CT LOOSE C HANGE

Then spend it all on more beer. Or food for your toddler.

TAKE ON A TERRARIUM

Terrariums are all the rage right now. Why not give your tiny ecosystem a cozy home in a discarded growler? Instructions are readily available online, just stick to a clear glass growler and make sure to clean it thoroughly before breaking soil.

H 2O D ISPENSER

This one's so obvious, we shouldn't have to explain it. But we do recommened you not drink from your new water jug while inside the car, especially if you're the driver. Optics are everything on the highway.

THREE R ANGES

BREWING CO .

1160 5 Ave. | threeranges.com

WED-SAT 3-8PM ^ SUN 1-6PM

EST. 2013

Valemount has embraced its own brewery wholeheartedly, demonstrating just how far-reaching the craft beer revoltion really is.

MUDBOGGER

Availability: Seasonal

Pull on your gumboots and get out of the muck with this slightly smoky dark lager.

SACRIFICE RED ALE

Availability: Year-round

This red ale is dedicated to service members, veterans and their families, past, present and future.

S HERWOOD M OUN TAIN BREWHOUSE

Unit 101 - 4816 Hwy .16 W | sherwoodmountain.beer

MON-FRI 11AM-7:30PM ^ SAT-SUN 12-6PM

EST. 2014

SM has established itself as a community hub with concerts and other events at the brewery to go along with a tasty range of beers.

FRIAR HOUSE LAGER

Availability: Year-round

A light lager perfect for those new to craft beer seeking a fresh local taste.

PARKER’S IPA

Availability: Year-round

A hop-forward ale that is well balanced between toasty malts and a citrusy hop medley.

W HEELHOUSE

B REWING CO . 217 1 Ave. E | wheelhousebrewing.com

THU, FRI 4-11PM ^ SAT 2-11PM ^ SUN 2-6PM

EST. 2013

In the game of B.C. brewery Pokemon, Wheelhouse is the rarest. It’s got some pretty special moves, too.

SCURVY

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.3%25

A tangy, refreshing, amber-coloured brew featuring freshly picked spruce tips.

FIRST MATE W

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 6.5%55

Citra. Mosaic. Witbier yeast. Orange peel. On paper alone, this beer is worth the drive up Hwy 16.

Hands

What the heck is a brew pub anyway...?

Back by popular demand – here’s the Brew Pub Page(s)! Here’s a list of all the bars, restaurants and other establishments that also make beer. Some make great beer! Some sell it in bottles! Some you’ve never heard of! And look, there’s no science to determining which brewpubs should be included in what section, so we’re just kind of winging it. There. Now you know the truth.

VANCOUVER

DOCKSIDE BREWERY

1253 Johnston Street

Ah, Vancouver’s forgotten brewpub, tucked away at the end of Granville Island, looking over False Creek and the Cambie Street Bridge. With big beautiful bay windows showcasing the splendour. With eight beers, made in house, on tap. Wait…so why’s it forgotten, exactly?

VANCOUVER

STEAMWORKS BREW PUB

375 Water Street

Yes, the Steamworks focus seems to be on the production facility over in Burnaby, pumping out packaged product like you woodent belief. But the Gastown brewpub offers some excellent pub fare, brews available only at this location, and exquisite views.

VANCOU V ER

STEEL TOAD BREWERY

97 E 2nd Ave.

Perched on the edge of the Olympic Village, this vast and stylish beer hall serves up good food along with an eclectic, interesting and well-tuned beer list.

RASPBERRY SOUR

B ERLINER W EISSE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%05

This kettle-soured wheat beer is loaded with real raspberries.

VANCOU V ER

YALETOWN BREWING CO.

1111 Mainland Street

A fine sanctuary from Yaletown yuppiness and tiny dogs. Good food with a solid line of beers on tap.

BLUE GOOSE

FARMHOUSE S AISON

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 6.6%20

A thirst quencher, brewed with yeast sourced from the Blaugies farmhouse brewery in Belgium.

WHISTLER HIGH MOUNTAIN BREWING

4355 Blackcomb Way

You might not expect the BrewHouse to be this good, but brewer Derrick Franche is one of B.C.’s best kept secrets: His beers are all rock solid and some are gems.

5 RINGS

I NDIA P ALE A LE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 7.5%70

Worth the drive to Whistler, this award-winning beer is close to IPA perfection.

S

URREY

BIG RIDGE BREWING CO.

5580 152 Street

This Mark James Group brewpub is a good option for craft beer in Surrey: the food is solid and brewer Ashley Brooks makes sure the beer is tasting great.

RODEO RED

R ED A LE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%14

Hey cowboy, this full-bodied beer will quench your thirst after a ride on the dusty trail.

We’re just getting started... turn the page!

CENTRAL CITY BREW PUB + RESTAURANT

13450 102 Avenue

Central City’s original location doesn’t get as much media attention lately, what with the enormous production facility and fancy new bar in downtown Vancouver.

BRB CO. BREWERY + EATERY

180-14200 Entertainment Blvd

BRB is continuing its transformation from post-movie munchies hangout to destination brewpub, with interesting beer styles and well executed food.

KÖLSCH

K ÖLS CH

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 4.7%24

A smooth, gently sweet and fruity, straw-coloured ale designed for easy drinking.

MISSION

MISSION SPRINGS BREWING CO.

7160 Oliver Street

Still a criminally neglected brewery, but Mission won’t hold it against you. Locals have been loving the Springs since 1996.

CITY OF DREAMS

V IENNA L AGER

Availability: Limited release

ABV IBU 5.0%23

Toasted breadcrust and gentle earthy notes meld marvellously here.

DUNCAN

CRAIG STREET BREW PUB

25 Craig Street

W ith good food and a welcoming ambiance, Craig Street is a nice place for lunch. Hopefully Red Arrow’s influence will push the safe beer list towards some more interesting styles.

ARBUTUS PALE ALE

P ALE A LE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%40

This is a British-style pale ale with a light West Coast hop finish.

VICTORIA

4 MILE BREWING CO.

199 Island Highway

Four Mile’s pub embraces its historic (and haunted!) 150 year-old building with a line of mostly Britishstyle beers.

4 MILE GRAPEFRUIT

IPA

I 'M PLOTZED AGAIN!

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 6.0%70

Pressed cactus juice and grapefruit peel add a punch to this hoppy, quaffable IPA.

VICTORIA CANOE BREWPUB

450 Swift Street

This beautifully restored heritage building offers a good range of beers and has one of the best patios in Victoria for summer sipping and watching the old Blue Bridge get replaced.

HONEY WHEAT ALE

A MERI C AN W HEAT A LE

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 4.5%10

Bask in the summer heat with this quaffable wheat ale, brewed with honey and cardamon.

VICTORIA

SPINNAKERS GASTROPUB

308 Catherine Street

The OG of the province’s craft beer revolution. They fought for the right to brew in 1984, and they’re still innovating and brewing classics.

RED FIFE

HEFEWEIZEN

W HEAT

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 4.5%17

Light and refreshing with hints of vanilla, banana and clove, featuring Vancouver Island wheat.

VICTORIA SWANS BREWPUB

506 Pandora Avenue

This old beauty has declined a bit since its heyday in the 1990s, but it still has its charms. The beer list is highlighted by some very tasty seasonal releases.

SUCKER PUNCH

D RY H OPPED S OUR

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.5%12

Tart and citrusy with aromas of pineapple, mandarin and apricot. Great label, too!

KA M LOOPS

THE NOBLE PIG

650 Victoria Street

Beer aside, interesting things are brewing at the esteemed Kamloops brewpub, as it teams up with Hearthstone and Mission Springs to conquer thirsts.

WALLONIAN PIG

B ELGIAN P EPPERED A LE

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%20

Brewed with yeast from a Trappist Monk Abbey, it’s cloudy with raisiny, spicy and sweet notes.

There’s still more! Turn the page...

MARTEN BREWING CO.

2933 30th Avenue

Mixing the flavours of the Vaterland with hop-forward West Coast ales. It all pairs well with a superbly executed food menu

TICK TOCK

D UNKEL BOCK

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 5.5%24

An admirably restrained bock that conjures up a delectable fruitiness from its malty depths.

P ENTICTON

BARLEY MILL PUB

2460 Skaha Lake Road

Barley Mill is in this section on the technicality that they do make beer onsite. However, it functions realistically as a sales venue for Molson and other macro brands, so…

KELO W NA

FREDDY'S BREW PUB

124 McCurdy Road

Is Freddy’s worth visiting? We’ll let you decide. Write us an email.

THE HEID OUT

821 Baker Street

A.K.A. Fisher Peak Brewing Co. The food is incredible, and the beer is dependable and sessionable.

WILD HORSE

B ELGIAN W IT

Availability: Year-round

ABV IBU 5.0%11

An unfiltered and flavourful wit, brewed with cloves, coriander and fresh Valencia orange peels.

BARLEY STATION BREW PUB

20 Shuswap

Street North

You might not expect much from this place, but the food and beer are actually quite good.

BRAVEHEART IPA

I MPER FEC T PEC AN A PPETIZER

Availability: Seasonal

ABV IBU 7.0%55

They may take our lives but they’ll never take our IPA! We’ve used that line once before. Whatever.

THE SAVOY BREWERY

198 Baker St.

Coming soon: Nelson’s very first brewpub is also a swanky lounge and music venue, owned and operated by those crazy folks behind the Shambhala Music Festival.

That’s it for brewpubs. Until next issue...

Cedar Plank Salmon with 33 Acres

of Sunshine (French Blanche)

BY DARCY WIE BE

This beer-infused cedar plank salmon is sure to be a crowd pleaser. I used wild sockeye but any wild caught or Ocean Wise salmon will do the trick.

Serves 4-6

Cedar plank soaking 2-4 hours

Cooking time 30 minutes

INgredients

1 six-pack of 33 Acres of Sunshine*

1 side of sockeye salmon

1 cedar plank

3 tbsp of your favourite mustard

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp finely grated ginger

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

3 chopped scallions

* You may also use the pale ale for this recipe

Step 1

Pre-soak your cedar plank in a mixture of water and beer. Be sure that your plank is fully covered in the liquid. I used a deep pan similar in size to the plank. Leave to soak for 2-4 hours. For this recipe I used 3 bottles (330ml each) of the sunshine beer and 3 cups water to submerge the plank.

In a small saucepan add your maple syrup, 1/4 cup beer, mustard, ginger, salt and pepper. Mix well and cook over medium-to-low heat, stirring constantly for 7-10 minutes or until the beer has dissolved. Set aside and allow to cool.

Step 2

Preheat your grill to 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit, or to medium-high heat. After the plank has been soaked, remove and pat dry. Lightly oil and season the top surface with salt and pepper. Place the salmon skin side down on the plank. Brush the top of the salmon with half of the beer-mustard

glaze. Serve the remainder of the glaze on the side. Top the glazed salmon with the chopped scallions.

Step 3

Place the cedar plank on the grill and close the lid. Have a spray bottle full of water handy in case of flare ups. Check the salmon briefly every five minutes. Resist peeking to avoid losing all the cedar- and beer-infused smoke. Cook for about 15-20 minutes.

You can also bake the salmon in the oven. Place your plank on a baking sheet and roast in a pre-heated 450 degree Fahrenheit oven for 15 minutes.

Step 4

Remove the plank from the grill to a baking sheet and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve warm with your favourite summer salads and corn on the cob. Be sure to have a growler or two on hand...or drink the other 2.75 beers you didn’t use.

Enjoy!

Photos by Jamie-Lee Fuoco

THE UGLY TRUTH

by Chuck Hallett

Craft Beer is IN. It’s hip, it’s local, it’s environmentally friendly, and to top it all off, it gets you drunk. What’s not to like? I think Oprah even mentioned it (Ed. Note #1: We have not yet verified the veracity of this statement).

So, you’re ready to do this. You’re ready to take the plunge and become an authentic Craft Beer Nerd, a.k.a. a member of the Craft Beererati. You have your plaid button up shirt, up-cycled shoes and you haven’t shaved in weeks. Let the oat soda flow!

Or…er, maybe not. There are definite downsides to becoming one of the Beery Elite. Perhaps you should consider the following before taking the plunge into the mash tun (Ed. Note #2: We do NOT recommend plunging into a mash tun; it’s, like, 60 degrees C in there. You will burn alive.).

YOU’RE ABOUT TO RUIN MACRO BEER FOREVER

Yeah! Cheap beer! Super Bowl commercials featuring animated frogs or slow-motion horses!

Cheerleaders! Summer barbecues! U-S-A! U-S-A! The one thing that ties all that together is American-style Pilsners such as Budweiser, Molson or Labatts.

They’re not fancy-sniffing beers, but they sure taste good after a hot afternoon mowing the lawn, right? Wrong. These beers are swill: the desiccated, slightly fermented extract of horse urine filtered through straw.

Once you have craft beer, and once your taste buds become accustomed to the wild flavour party that is a finely crafted pale ale, there is no going back. You will hate Macro Swill and all that it represents.

Every slightly sweet sip of a can of Molson will taste every bit the god-awful corporate horse piss and cheapest-available ingredients that it is. You will reach a point where drinking that can of Macro isn’t even an option, and you will find yourself having wine out of a plastic cup at said summer barbecue instead, because all they have in that ice-filled cooler is Michelob Ultra.

BEER MAKES YOU FAT(TER)

Of course beer makes you fat. That’s why you can have Lite beer instead. It tastes the same and doesn’t make you quite as fat.

Well, once you go craft, Lite beer is off the menu. There is no Lite craft beer. Not only that, but regular craft beer has about twice as many calories as even the full strength Macro Swill equivalent. Plus, it’s so good you drink more.

Add all that up, and suddenly we understand why craft beer geeks all wear tight jeans. All jeans are tight jeans…

YOU WILL LOSE THE ABILITY TO HAVE A NORMAL CONVERSATION ABOUT BEER

I have a saying: “If you want to be slightly frightened, ask me about beer.” I love craft beer. I’ve made it an obsessive hobby of mine. If I start talking about beer, the people around me start off acting politely interested… then after a few minutes they start trying to change the subject… then a few minutes later they stop talking and just turn around and leave.

This will be you. You will be so immersed and obsessed about beer that your friends will use an entire breathless sentence to introduce you to new acquaintances: “ThisIsChuckDon’tAskHimAboutBeer”

YOU WILL HAVE GROWLER STORAGE ISSUES

The resurrection of the growler is the best thing to happen to beer in many decades. Fresh beer, straight from the place it was brewed, briefly to your fridge, then into your face.

However, you’ll sometimes forget your reusable growler at home, so you’ll have to buy a new one. They’re only about $5, so no biggie. That’s how it starts. Then growlers start piling up.

You might rationalize an entire kitchen cabinet given over to growlers by saying that you’re “collecting them.” They’re all a bit different, after all, and some are rather nice. That’s all the justification you need to bleed your collection over into the living room.

Fast forward a few months and anyone who walks into your house will assume you have developed a serious drinking problem (except, you know, the growlers are empty).

(Ed. Note #3: See page 116 for ideas on how to grapple with this problem in a practical way.)

YOU WILL DEVELOP A SERIOUS DRINKING PROBLEM

No, no, not THAT kind of problem (well, okay, maybe that kind of problem). I’m talking about something more aligned with the Airplane Drinking Problem: purchasing more beer than you can physically drink.

Special releases, rare one-offs, great deals on case-lots of Eclipse 50/50… all these will begin accumulating somewhere in your house. You will buy a cheap fridge off Craigslist to keep these purchases in, then you will research and buy an actual liquor cellaring cabinet to store what you have begun referring to as “my cellar.”

Spreadsheets will be filled out with particulars on your collection, and then, as your harem expands, you’ll start eyeing up a corner of your basement to insulate and cool to make a walk-in cellar. Then, stuck with a cellaring cabinet you no longer need, you’ll start writing beer articles for periodic circulars just to convince other beer geeks they need a “cellaring cabinet” so they’ll buy yours.

Which, unrelated note, anyone need a cellaring cabinet?

So yeah, that about sums it up. Still interested? That’s on you, wo/man. j

Once you have craft beer, and once your taste buds become accustomed to the wild flavour party that is a finely crafted pale ale, there is no going back.

BEER GROUND To the

A NDINA B REWING CO.

Vancouver (Fall) A Columbian-themed brewery located on Powell Street.

BA C K C OUNTRY B REWING

Squamish (TBD) We don’t know much. Or anything, actually.

BACKR OADS B REWING CO.

Nelson (Winter) A nano brewery and tasting room that shouldn’t be confused with the brewery directly above.

B EA C H FIRE B REWING

Campbell River (Fall) Good beer is finally coming to Campbell River.

B OUNDARY B REWING COMPANY

Kelowna (Late Summer) Say hello to B.C.’s first craft brewery and B&B.

B RITANNIA B REWING COMPANY

Richmond (No idea) We don’t know much, but the tanks are in and the brewery is being built near Ironwood.

CROSSROADS B REWING

Prince George (Late fall) PG’s first craft brewery has landed Central City’s original brewhouse equipment.

FA C TORY B REWING CO.

Vancouver (Winter) A hybrid contract / production facility with full tasting room that’ll make global and Canadian beers locally.

H ATHI B REWING

Abottsford (?) An Indian-themed gypsy brewery is planning to open its own facility one day, but will likely be contract brewing for at least 18 more months (out of Old Abbey Ales).

L OVE S HA C K L IBATIONS

Qualicum Beach (2017) A small nano-brewery producing small batch, unfiltered, bottle conditioned beers, with a tasting room to come.

O NE DUC K B REWING

Squamish (Still no idea) If we don’t hear from them next issue, we’re booting them off this page.

O VER T IME B EER W ORKS

Kimberley (Sometime in 2016) – A nano in Canada’s highest city should open this year.

P ROTOTYPE B REWING

Coquitlam (On Hold) – Coquitlam’s first appears to be on hold until the municipality can agree on zoning bylaws for craft breweries.

S ILVER VALLEY B REWING CO.

Maple Ridge (2017) – A group of homebrewers already have a lineup of brews and plan to open MR’s third brewery sometime this year.

S OOKE B REWING CO.

Sooke (Winter) – Sooke’s second brewery should be ready to go by December.

S TARKHUND B REWING

Kelowna (Winter) – This thing is going to be a monster, located downtown and including a tasting room and pub.

T REN C H BREWING & DISTILLING

Prince George (Winter) Another PG startup, but this one will make vodka and gin in addition to the brews.

T WISTED S HARK B REWERY

Aldergrove (TBD) This Fraser Valley startup seems to’ve gone dark on its social media accounts, so we don’t know much.

W HITETOOTH B REWING

Golden (Sometime in 2016) This business is still in the works, but it’s taking far longer than the owners had expected to get up and running.

“W ORKING T ITLE” B REWERY

Vancouver (TBD) Rumour has it there’s supposedly a brewery arriving in Brewery Creek at 5th and Ontario.

Look at all these new and rumoured breweries. Just look at ‘em. So many. Too many! And these are just the ones we know of....

HONEST BEER. MADE THOUGHTFULLY BY CRAF TS PEOPLE WE’RE PROUD T O CALL FRIENDS.