From waterfront decks and mountain-view taprooms to urban patios tucked into vibrant neighbourhoods, brewery patios offer some of the best places to gather, unwind, and enjoy the flavours of BC. Whether you’re meeting friends after work, sharing a meal with family, or spending an afternoon with your dog by your side, these outdoor spaces help make the most of the season.

With so many exceptional brewery patios across the province, narrowing down a list is no easy task and this list was created by polling you — our BC Ale Trail fans. This collection highlights some of BC’s most memorable brewery patios, each offering its own unique atmosphere and scenery. These are brewery patios worth adding to your summer plans. 

Barnside Brewing

Situated amongst the fields of hops, cranberries, and grazing sheep, Barnside Brewing’s four-season patio is one of the best places in BC to experience craft beer, conversation and community, according to craft beer fans. The dog-friendly space welcomes everyone in for award-winning craft beer, tasty eats and great company.

Originally built as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the patio was a way for the brewery to welcome customers while taking advantage of relaxed rules around outdoor service.  Since then, the space has evolved to include a covered, heated patio that’s cozy in all seasons, plus a grassy area perfect for soaking in the sun in a lounge chair with a cold craft beer in hand. Barnside won the BC Ale Trail Best Brewery Experience award in 2023, and the feature blog is well worth a read to learn more about the brewery’s origins and the team’s commitment to locally sourced ingredients and community.

But perhaps Barnside’s fans say it best:

“It is a place where hops have swagger, meals have personality, and time seems to lean back in its chair!” – @tamarastanderwick via Instagram

Find Barnside Brewing in Delta, BC, on the South of the Fraser Ale Trail

Locality Brewing

Locality Brewing has a truly unique outdoor space. Located on McInnis Farms, the brewery itself is housed in a converted barn, and is surrounded by spaces for visitors to enjoy – including a skate park! Sit overlooking the pond – complete with a floating stage in a natural amphitheatre – or nestled amongst the hop vines. Walk the trails to get a look at the ripening barley, and watch the progress of the hops growing next to the brewery. On rainy days, take advantage of one of the mini a-frame structures, or maybe a converted grain silo, each with its own heater or fire pit. Or, enjoy the sun at one of the many tables or benches around the farm. The new lounge area is the perfect shady spot to kick back and relax on hot summer days – comfy, covered, and made for sipping something cold. There’s a food truck on site serving up juicy bison burgers, and Locality is now producing its own cider as well! Locality is kid and pet friendly, and a great destination for that weekend ride or Sunday hike.

Find Locality Brewing in Langley, BC, on the Langley Ale Trail

Lillooet Brewing Company

The patio at Lillooet Brewing Company offers some of the best mountain views around, with the mighty Fraser River flowing right past — it’s truly a one-of-a-kind setting. Keep an eye out for the Rocky Mountaineer to go past as well! They’ve got a huge, pet-friendly space with sun protection and misters to keep cool on hot summer days, games, and a cozy fire pit for the colder months. The patio is open year-round and perfect for a pint in any season. When voting, many fans also made sure to note the tasty snacks available at the brewery, plus the Sowilo Food Truck that’s on site and open on weekends from May to October.

Find Lillooet Brewing Company in Lillooet, BC, on the Sea to Sky Ale Trail

The Patch Brewery

One of the newest additions to the BC craft beer community, The Patch Brewery has quickly become a fan favourite! Joining the small number of farm-based breweries in the province, they use their own barley in the brews, along with farm-grown ingredients in the kitchen that currently serves up artisan pizzas.

From the Beer Barn (the outdoor bar) to the picnic benches, the Patch’s spacious picnic-style patio features plenty of room for groups of all sizes to relax and enjoy the season. With exciting new menu additions on the way, it’s the perfect spot for friends, families, and beer lovers to gather, unwind, and soak up the community atmosphere over great food and fresh craft beer.

Find The Patch Brewery in Maple Ridge, BC, on the Maple Ridge Ale Trail

Driftwood Brewing

The Driftwood Brewery patio has organically become a bustling community hub in Esquimalt. Featuring 16+ taps of fresh beer, including one-off releases and pilot experimental beers, local cider and wine, and Driftwood Spirits crafted cocktails, plus a full menu from Dumpling Drop. The folks at Dumpling Drop work out of the Driftwood kitchen, serving a Thai-inspired menu featuring their famous hand-rolled dumplings and bao buns. Open year-round, the patio is always buzzing with regulars, visitors, and, of course, patio pups.

Find Driftwood Brewery in Victoria on the Greater Victoria Ale Trail

Camp Beer Co.

Camp Beer Co’s patio is the basecamp for good times in Langley – a laid-back space surrounded by greenery, picnic tables, string lights, and a fire pit that makes it feel like camping without leaving the city. With live music on the Camphitheatre stage, a retractable awning, glass walls for colder nights, and a dog-friendly atmosphere, the patio pairs perfectly with friendly table service to deliver craft beer adventures year-round.

Camp also won the BC Ale Trail Best Brewery Experience award in 2022 – it’s safe to say that their relaxing vibes and welcoming atmosphere make for the perfect urban escape.

Find Camp Beer Co in Langley, BC, on the Langley Ale Trail

Farmhouse Brewing Co.

Farmhouse Brewing Co. is another of BC’s unique farm-based breweries, with an expansive outdoor space perfect in any weather. Choose from the covered and heated patio – the firebowl is the perfect place to cozy up in the winter or during a summer rainstorm – or enjoy the tented picnic area in summer, or drinks-only tables by the chicken coop. The regular picnic area includes umbrella-covered tables and a wood fire pit, ideal for cozying up in the evening. Whether you want full shade, to soak in the sun, or something in between, there’s a table that’s perfect for you – and best of all, they’re all pet-friendly.

Bring the whole family – kids and dogs: there is a family-friendly picnic area conveniently located near the professional putting green, full-sized playground, and greenspace. Farmhouse is a perfect place to unwind, in sunshine or rain.

Find Farmhouse Brewing Co. in Chilliwack, BC, on the Fraser Valley Ale Trail

Fern + Cedar Brewing

Built from the ground up in downtown Qualicum Beach, Fern + Cedar Brewing isn’t just a spot for great beer; it’s a full-on community hangout. A little sanctuary where dogs are welcome, friendships are fuel, and craft runs deep. And the patio is a favourite spot for locals and visitors alike. Heated when it’s chilly, wide open and bright when it’s sunny. Good tunes, yard games, fire pits with lounge chairs, and a vibe that says “you’re exactly where you need to be” are what you’ll find every time you stop by. Bring your whole family (including your dog), your friends, or just your thirst for something local and delicious. Every pint and plate at Fern + Cedar is a testament to the brewery’s commitment to quality and community. “Come for the beer, stay for the comfort.”

Find Fern + Cedar Brewing in Qualicum Beach, BC, on the Central Vancouver Island Ale Trail

Abandoned Rail Brewing Co

Abandoned Rail’s expansive field- and trail-side patios offer a variety of options for you to relax in. There is a grassy area set right beside the brewery’s barley field with classic beer fest-style tables and lounge chairs. You could also opt to sit in the shade under the plum trees or the rows of cherry trees. You’ll also find a mini climbing wall and slide for the kiddos in this space. Lastly, there is the patio attached to the tasting room, equipped with its own bar and misters to beat the Okanagan summer heat.

Find Abandoned Rail Brewing Co in Penticton on the Penticton Ale Trail

Field House Brewing – ABBY

The Field House ABBY Patio is a slice of backyard bliss where cold beer, fresh food, and laid-back vibes meet under the open sky. Every Thursday, the lawn comes alive with Field Sessions: live music from local artists that turns an evening into a community gathering. Kick back in lawn chairs, stretch out on picnic blankets, or grab a spot at one of the rustic tables. With a covered, heated patio for those “summer-ish” days, and a family- and dog-friendly setup, it’s the perfect space for slow hangs, sunset beers, and all the fresh air goodness.

Find Field House Brewing ABBY in Abbotsford, BC, on the Fraser Valley Ale Trail

The Beer Farmers

The patio at The Beer Farmers brewery is a serene gathering spot tucked into the heart of the Pemberton Meadows farming community, with a view that just can’t be beat. Another of BC’s unique farm-based breweries, it’s located on a fourth-generation family farm. Guests will be surrounded by fields full of potatoes, barley, highland cows, hops, veggies, flowers and other amazing locally grown crops. Enjoy a glimpse of the country life as locals and tourists alike arrive by horse, bike, and tractor. Pemberton is well known for its hiking trails and extensive cycling opportunities – from challenging mountain biking to easy off-road trails. And cold beer on a patio with spectacular views after your hike or ride – what could be better?

Find The Beer Farmers in Pemberton, BC, on the Sea to Sky Ale Trail

Every Pint Tells a Story

Supporting Local. Celebrating Community.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2025 and was based on a compilation of audience submissions and recommendations. It has since been updated to reflect current information and provide a more comprehensive guide to some of BC’s best brewery patios.

The post Patio Perfection: The Best Brewery Patios in BC as voted by you! appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

Are you yearning for the delight of fresh experiences and flavours? Join us on a captivating journey — wander through vibrant streets and historical sites, immerse yourself in the enchanting sounds of the seaside, and connect with the lively and diverse restaurants, breweries and attractions that define the authentic Richmond experience. There’s never a dull moment in Richmond.

Five Roads Brewing Co – Steveston Tasting Room

Enjoy local craft beer with a farm-to-table food menu. At the intersection of good beer and great company, Five Roads Brewing is a crossroads of the community where people can connect, share, and explore, all while enjoying a delicious, rotating lineup of craft beers.

Steveston Village

This fishing village at the mouth of the Fraser River was voted Metro Vancouver’s best neighbourhood out of 192 in 2020. Steveston Village is Richmond’s charming “old town” waterfront area and is home to two National Historic Sites. It is also a working fishing village and is Canada’s largest small-craft commercial fishing port, making it a seafood lover’s paradise.

Gulf of Georgia Cannery

The Cannery brings to life the vibrant and diverse history of the fishing industry in Steveston. It commemorates the development of Canada’s west coast fishing industry from the 1870s to present. And it’s in the heart of the village so it is easy to explore the picturesque waterfront and artisanal shops afterwards.   

Hog Shack Cookhouse

Looking for a true BBQ restaurant serving amazing pork ribs, burger and poultry entrees? Look no further! The Hog Shack offers all of your favourite BBQ dishes, and of course don’t forget the burned ends, salads and corn bread. Hog Shack is located in the beautiful fishing village of Steveston. There are big screen TVs to watch your favourite team while you enjoy a glass of the world’s finest craft beers. Open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week.

Moon & Back Gallery 

Explore Metro Vancouver’s first mirror light gallery with unique, mesmerizing rooms. Get your camera ready because you will need it. Their new location is over 9000 square feet and features “Stargazing,” the mesmerizing infinity room, plus a 300 square-foot, oversize soccer-pool table, kids play area with interactive projectors, and much much more!

Little Mexico Cantina  

Little Mexico Cantina in Steveston Village serves fresh, flavourful, authentic Mexican food, including tacos. Enjoy the relaxing atmosphere and tasty food.

Richmond Public Market 

The Richmond Public Market is a lively marketplace with vendors offering fresh produce, flowers, gifts, and electronics. The second floor is a food court where you can find bubble tea, Szechuan cuisine, Taiwanese dishes, Xi’an noodles, and much more. Open daily from 9AM – 6PM. Individual food stalls have their own opening and closing times.

West Dyke Trail 

This 6 km (3.7 mile) trail runs between Steveston’s Garry Point Park in the south and Terra Nova Rural Park in the north. Popular with walkers, joggers, and cyclists, the trail’s flat terrain fringes the lush green marshlands of Sturgeon Banks, itself lapped by the Strait of Georgia and framed by the looming North Shore mountains and distant Gulf Islands peaks. Also a popular place to see migrating birds.

Fuggles Beer

Located in the Ironwood neighbourhood of southeast Richmond, Fuggles Beer was founded with the motto “Keep Beer Weird.” The brewery definitely lives up to that with creative recipes and eye-catching labels inspired by the furthest reaches of the pop culture universe, including video games, science fiction, and “geek culture.” Drop by the tasting room where you can play an assortment of old-school video games while you sip, or sit on the extended outdoor patio. The taproom also offers a food menu featuring paninis and snacks.

The Westin Wall Centre Vancouver Airport Hotel

The Westin Wall Centre Vancouver Airport Hotel is a modern, well-situated hotel located within minutes of the terminals of the world’s best airport, Vancouver International. Its location is ideal: near the area’s top attractions with easy access to the Canada Line rapid transit system that affords guests seamless access to downtown Vancouver.

Explore MORE: Richmond is on the South of the Fraser Ale Trail.

There’s never a dull moment in Richmond, because there’s always something new to discover.

The post Experience Richmond like a local. There’s never a dull moment! appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

A group of childhood friends who grew up on the flat farmlands of Delta, B.C. came together through agriculture and have brought that spirit of cultivation into brewing. By embracing hyper-local ingredients in their beer and providing an escape from daily digital dalliances, Barnside Brewing has earned the BC Ale Trail’s 6^th Annual Best Brewery Experience Award.

First things first, city slickers: to get to Barnside Brewing for their ‘farm fresh’ beer, you have to slow down.

Twenty-five kilometres south of downtown Vancouver, at the junction of highways 99 and 17A, you’ll drift down to 50 km/hr or less onto 60^th Avenue. It’s a two-lane road that is not curbed with sidewalks but by a mix of tall deciduous and coniferous trees, waving as you cruise by like onlookers at a parade.

You’ll pass farms that have, at various times over the past 100 years, converted from dairy production to vegetable and food farming. The cattle are gone, but the long red barns have been maintained, so you would be excused if you didn’t notice that one of them housed a brewery. The giveaways: a street-facing patio and a vintage wordmark that reads Barnside Brewing Co.

You can sit outside on that patio, lined with hay bales and planters of marigolds, or head inside to a tasting room featuring family farming photos and century-old maps drawn on the walls. You’ll find tables, walls, beams, and counters all made from reclaimed wood from two local barns, but you won’t find any televisions. Conversation, connection, and craft beer grow here.

The story of Barnside Brewing, which opened in 2020, starts with a reconnection of farming friends who grew up together in the same neighbourhood where the brewery now stands. As kids on the farm, their toys ranged from mini-bikes to full-size tractors. Instead of tree forts, they built hay forts, and the flat landscape was perfect for ball hockey.

Telling the story is one of those friends: hop farmer and Barnside’s co-founder Ken Malenstyn. He’s an energetic, compelling storyteller with no shortage of interests, and serves as Barnside’s general manager (and occasional landscaper). Conveniently, he lives across the street from the brewery and on the same property as his hop farm.

Speaking over the rhythm of an October rain and Shania Twain on the Barnside patio, Malenstyn recalled childhood memories about farming in the same area he’s sitting in now. Different families—from kids to grandparents—came together to help with harvest days, whether with manual labour or by sharing equipment. Coffee breaks involved great conversations, often paired with fresh baking from his mother.

“Cool memories, right?” Malenstyn said. “It was way more community-involved rather than people working, isolated. When we’re doing hops, we get quite a crew together. It’s kind of cool that a harvest still brings people together and that’s what I enjoyed about it.”

Delta remains an important agricultural area today. According to the City of Delta:

• Almost 80% of cereal crops, 62% of vegetables, and 22% of forage crops grown in Metro Vancouver are grown in Delta
• 9 out of 10 BC tomatoes come from only 200 acres in Delta
• Over half of BC’s green beans and potatoes are grown in Delta
• Nearly all farms in Delta are family-owned and operated

As Malenstyn’s generation of friends grew up, they took over their family farms. Unbeknownst to each other, they started growing crops that would cover off all brewing ingredients.

“The whole process of opening the brewery came about organically,” Malenstyn said. He was looking to grow hops as something new to do on the farm while another friend was growing grain. Another was delving into homebrewing. So, they figured, why not pool their resources, skills, and knowledge to open a brewery, since they had all the elements they needed—including an authentic backstory?

“We’re all farm families and have been here at least 70 or 80 years in the community,” Malenstyn said. “Growing the ingredients and making beer, that seemed like it could be a pretty good story. In a day and age where people like going to the farm to buy their food, why wouldn’t they want to buy their beer right where it’s made and grown?”

“We could have opened two years sooner if we had done this in an industrial area,” Malenstyn added, “but it really would have missed the mark.”

Starting a brewery by committee was helpful. Coming up with a brewery name by committee? Not so much.

“Honestly, it was over a year… everyone had a different idea,” Malenstyn said. Favourites like Cultivator and Barnraiser were already taken in one form or another in North America.

“When we finally got to Barnside, it was a bit of a compromise… but I liked the old signage on barns, so Barnside worked for that.” He pointed back to the barn doors adorned with the brewery’s name. “It feels obvious now.”

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, Barnside had to shut those barn doors only two months after opening. However, navigating the experience brought some clarity to their service model as the brewery opened back up. Table service, which was not part of the original plans, was permanently adopted and food offerings were improved. The patio was developed to take advantage of relaxed rules about outdoor service. As keg sales to restaurants slowed, a canning line was installed ahead of schedule.

What never changed was the dedication to brewing beer with their homegrown ingredients.

While economies of scale keep the brewery from exclusively using their own ingredients in all their beers, they aren’t far off. Some beers are indeed made with 100% locally grown ingredients; they are referred to as their “one-mile” beers, a little one-upmanship to the 100-Mile Diet. The yeast used in their sour beers, including their core Hop Yard Sour, is their own yeast that was gathered from the hop yard.

“A lot of brewers would find [using only local ingredients] limiting because they want to use hops from all over the world—and there’s nothing wrong with that!” Malenstyn said. “But the one thing I want people to take away is that the beer you’re tasting isn’t trying to be anything else but an expression of the land that you’re standing on: our terroir, our farming practices, our ingredients.”

“You can’t get this anywhere else, and that’s what we want you to appreciate about it.”

Speaking of hops: “We don’t buy any hops,” Malenstyn said. “We use the hops grown across the road. We use as much of our own grain as we can. We grow all of our own base malt and we do some specialty malting.”

If not grown on their own farms, fruit for fruit beers is purchased from other local and BC farms. The tasting room’s food menu features references to nearly a dozen local food providers and farms, and Oughtred Coffee—a BC company with a roastery in Delta—is the coffee of choice.

“The more you can support locally, the more you keep your local community vibrant and your local economy vibrant,” Malenstyn said. “We’re not going to be using stuff that’s grown in Florida. It just wouldn’t make sense.”

The description of the tasting room’s Caesar salad bears this out. Romaine lettuce is from Crescent Island Farms—60 metres down the road—while tomatoes are grown at Windset Farms, nine kilometres away. The crostini? It’s made by L’Aromas Bakehouse, 10 kilometres south of the brewery.

The farming spirit of collaboration can be seen among the brewery employees. Barnside employs two dozen staff, and chances are you’ll be served by multiple cheery members of the tasting room staff while visiting. The tasting room’s kitchen was recently expanded and often features a line of three cooks turning out comfort food and snacks, including Ladner lox flatbread, an in-house hopped cheese board, and—Malenstyn’s favourite—the Farmhouse Grilled Cheese Sandwich (*add bacon).

The brewing is run by a team of two: KPU graduate and Head Brewer Justin Larter (who spoke with Kim Lawton in March for the “Hops Among Friends” series) and Brew Ops Manager Calum Huntingdon.

“Sure, they have different titles,” Malenstyn said, but in the spirit of pitching in on the farm, “they do everything.” He added that the brewers have been given more freedom to work on limited releases and tasting room-only beers, but to always think within a farm structure.

“We really want to share the fact that we’re farming,” Malenstyn said, and referenced their Ladner Clay IPA, named after the productive soil in their region.

“The farm is our canvas to tell different stories.”

Malenstyn is hopeful to branch out into foraging-style beers and to do more farming collaborations. Their second annual Grainstorm Collab, a fresh hop white IPA, was released in early October and included pilsner malt from The Beer Farmers in Pemberton, malted white wheat from Locality Brewing, and Cascade hops from Barnside—all BC farm-based breweries.

The brewery is also collaborating with two post-secondary institutions on special hop projects. At Langley’s Kwantlen Polytechnic University, the Applied Genomics Centre is researching the breeding and development of new hop varieties. With Langara College in Vancouver, Barnside is working with researchers who have identified and collected different types of feral hops from around the province.  The goal is to identify commercially viable hops that have developed farming and flavour traits unique to British Columbia. Malenstyn noted that “[h]aving those new varieties to play with elevates our hop industry in BC when all growers have access to them.”

Growers and non-growers alike can get up close and personal with the Barnside hops. During the growing season, Barnside hosts hop yard tours, and culinary fans have been treated to food and drink pairings as part of the brewery’s “Between the Bines” dinner series.

In September, the inaugural Barnside Harvest Festival welcomed more than 23,000 music fans to Paterson Park in nearby Ladner for three days of music headlined by The Sheepdogs and 54-40. Putting together a multi-day music festival was a way to show appreciation for their hometown—one that supported their brewery through pandemic beginnings and growth into a craft beer destination.

And is Malenstyn cool with having a craft beer destination across the street from his house? Absolutely—just pay due attention to the tractors that still chug up and down 60^th Avenue during the harvest. Come by on a weekend and reconnect with friends—chances are he’ll cross the street to join you.

“Sunday brunch [at the brewery] is my favourite day,” Malenstyn said. “Dogs, families, all ages, a real mix of people.”

“These are the days when I can sit here and say, ‘This is the brewery I always wanted to visit,’ and we’ve built it like that.”

Four Barnside Beers to Bet the Farm On

• Batch No. 200 Estate Barleywine: grab one of the few remaining bombers of this silver medal winner at the Canadian Brewing Awards. Aged for 13 months in blackberry brandy barrels and released for the brewery’s third anniversary. Rich and robust.
• Raspberry Hop Yard Sour: BC raspberries pair perfectly with a balanced acidity that comes from a wild sourdough culture. Plus, beauty colour, eh?
• Shingle Mill ESB: a malty pub ale brewed with modern hops and taken to the next level using open fermentation in a coolship in the brewery. (Beer nerds are nodding.)
• Any fresh hop beers: it takes most breweries a few hours to a full day to get freshly harvested hops into their beers. Because their hop farm is across the street, Barnside’s hops go from pluck to pot in about 20 minutes. That’s fresh!
• Bonus: say ‘Dank you very much’ for their new ‘Road Pop,’ a sparkling hop water with no alcohol, sugar, or calories.

Barnside Brewing is part of the South of the Fraser Ale Trail. This trail features nine breweries and seven taphouses in Greater Vancouver communities south of the Fraser River: Delta, Richmond, Surrey, and White Rock.

The brewery is less than two kilometres from the intersection of highways 99 and 17A and, for folks visiting by ferry from Vancouver Island, only 15 km from the BC Ferries terminal at Tsawwassen. Pro tip: the roadways from Tsawwassen to Delta are almost completely flat, so consider travelling by bicycle!

Visit Barnside at 6655 60 Avenue, Delta, BC.

Driving (or Bicycling) Distances

Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal: 15 km

Vancouver: 25 km

Bellingham, WA: 65 km / 40 miles

Seattle, WA: 210 km / 130 miles

Kelowna: 390 km

The BC Ale Trail reminds you to drink responsibly and do not drink and drive.

The post Barnside Brewing Wins the 2023 BC Ale Trail Best Brewery Experience Award appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

My most recent Hops Among Friends interview was with Miguel Molina from Boardwalk Brewing in Port Coquitlam. At the end of our discussion, Miguel selected who I would interview next. He chose Justin Larter, the Head Brewer at Barnside Brewing. Established in 2020, Barnside Brewing is in Delta on the South of the Fraser Ale Trail.

As one of only a few BC farm-based breweries, it was fascinating to hear from Justin about Barnside’s philosophy and commitment to using ingredients from their property in their beer. This was a very interesting conversation because Justin talked about brewing techniques and processes that were new to me.

Like Miguel, Justin is also a recent KPU grad. It’s amazing to hear how these new brewers are helping to shape the future of BC’s craft beer industry.

KL: How did you get started in craft beer?

JL: I kind of found my way to craft beer in an unconventional way. I went from high school straight into university where I studied biology. I got my Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from UBCO in Kelowna. After graduating, I worked in the Okanagan wine industry for a bit. I worked for a season doing viticulture at the winery and in the vineyard at Summerhill Pyramid Winery. This experience really opened my eyes to how much fun you can have in the microbiology field producing alcoholic beverages.

From the wine industry, I looked to the craft beer industry. From the outside, craft beer seemed to be creative and open and fun. So, I enrolled in the KPU Brewing and Brewery Operations program in 2018 and graduated in 2020. Starting in the first year of the program, I worked at a couple of different breweries before joining Barnside in August 2020, just about right when the brewery opened. I joined the brewing team, and I was responsible for quality control, yeast management and yeast propagation. I was promoted to lead brewer, and then I was recently promoted to head brewer earlier in 2023.

KL: What do you love most about the craft beer industry?

JL: I really enjoy variety. I enjoy the different experiences of flavour and aroma, the different situations that beer can lend itself to. For example, you can enjoy lagers with a group of friends. You might open a barrel-fermented sour to enjoy with a candlelight dinner. I just find the variety, creativity, and history behind beer all so fascinating.

It’s a great industry to be a part of. There are always new, different, and interesting beers and techniques to discover.

KL: Tell me about one of your proudest accomplishments in craft beer.

JL: Barnside Brewing ended up being the perfect place for me because of my microbiology background. The owners really encouraged me to embrace terroir around here, as we grow our own hops, oats, and barley.

The owners were also really excited when I first talked about collecting our own yeast and bacterial cultures. Within my first year, I was successful at isolating and propagating a wild Saccharomyces strain suitable for brewing from a Chinook hop cone. We lovingly named it Hoppy Cone Surfer. After the isolation, and once we knew we had a viable brewing strain, we banked it with White Labs. It’s a proprietary strain, so we are the only ones who can use it. It is stored and preserved for us there throughout the year. We use it in our Hop Yard Sour and our Fresh Hop IPA.

KL: Barnside Brewing is one of only a few BC farm-based breweries. What does a farm-based brewery really mean?

JL: What it means to me is really embracing terroir. We are one of the few breweries that have a one-mile series: the grains, hops, and yeast that we use in our beers are all sourced from the farm. The owners really embrace this philosophy.

We have a strict rule that in all of our beers, at least 51% of all ingredients must be ours. This is for every recipe in our entire beer lineup.

But in our one-mile beers, including our Fresh Hop IPA and Hop Yard Sour, our local ingredients are much higher than 51%. Plus, both of these beers include the one-mile yeast strain as well.

Our Farmer’s Tap Lager is made with our 100% pilsner malted barley and our hops. It does of course have a German lager yeast strain.

Our Batch 200 Estate Barleywine is also a one-mile beer. It is made with our 100% pilsner malted barley, boiled for eight hours. It was then aged in blackberry brandy ex-Bourbon barrels for 12 months.

KL: What else makes Barnside Brewing unique?

JL: We welded up a “barn-gineered” open fermenter that allows for spontaneous and open fermentation. This vessel gets most of its use in the cooler seasons when temperatures are better for keeping the yeast happy and unwanted microbes out of the beer. We use this vessel to spontaneously inoculate wort for our sour barrel program. We also use it for our open fermented Shingle Mill, which is our “Pub Standard” ESB.

Open-top fermentation takes us back to historical brewing methods. It’s really interesting because this radically alters the tank geometries and flavours of the beer. It creates an environment where the yeast is extremely happy. Because the yeast is moving around more freely, it results in a lively flavour profile in the beer.

We also employ ancient brewing techniques where we brew a turbid mash during the winter and let it cool overnight. Then it’s transferred into barrels (wine puncheons or smaller sized oak barrels) where it ferments for one to three years. This becomes a base vinous sour for some of our different blended sours.

At Barnside, we want to take terroir to the next level. We want to be able to produce beautiful beers, but with historical techniques used in our own way to create modern farmhouse brewing.

KL: Tell me about something new you are brewing right now.

JL: We just released Distant Storm, which is a Double IPA. I had a lot of fun brewing it. While we had this label previously, this is a totally new beer, reimagined from the ground up. It’s a pilsner malt base with lots of wheat. We used mash hopping, and Omega Yeast’s new Thiolized strain, Helio Gazer.

Distant Storm Double IPA is a limited release. It is available on draught and in four-packs of 473ml cans at liquor stores in the lower mainland and on Vancouver Island.

Following the success of this brew, a lot of the techniques we used in this beer will trickle into our core IPA in the near future.

We also just brewed a beer called Spring Blossom Cherry Gose. This uses our house sourdough culture for souring. This was my COVID project. I made sourdough bread using my own wild bacterial culture. After reading about Scratch Brewing using a sourdough culture in their beer, I decided to see how the culture I had created would taste in a beer. It worked great as a souring culture and we now use this in all of our stainless-steel fermented sours. In this beer, we also used local Montmorency cherries. We used all of the cherries, including the pits. The beer has lovely vanilla and cinnamon spice notes from the pits, and a beautiful colour from the juice. It’s not too tart. It’s a sessionable, drinkable sour.

It will be released in early March on draught and in four-packs of 473ml cans at liquor stores in the lower mainland and on Vancouver Island.

We are also making some other recipe tweaks and changes to our core beers. We aren’t changing the bones of the beers, we are just doing a bit of a rework. For example, our Ladner Clay IPA will be a more accurate representation of an IPA with a juicy hop profile featuring our farm-grown hops and thiolized yeast.

KL: What’s your favourite beer style?

JL: I’m a lager man. All this terroir talk aside, I love a well-crafted lager. I enjoy almost any style whether it’s a Vienna lager, a pilsner, or a Czech dark lager. For me, I just love the drinkability of a lager.

I went full circle from lagers through the dark beers, IPAs, and now I’m back again loving lagers.

KL: What are some of your favourite craft beers going into spring?

JL: My favourite beers right now at Barnside are the Farmer’s Tap Lager and the new Cherry Gose. Outside of our brewery, I’m a huge fan of Bellingham, Washington. I love visiting the breweries there and looking for inspiration. They have a really cool lager scene down in Bellingham.

More locally, I love the beers from Strange Fellows and Four Winds. My favourite spot in BC is Luppolo Brewing.

KL: What’s your perfect spring beer and food pairing?

JL: Spring is all about getting the BBQ going. There’s a gentleman who runs Rebel Rebel Barbecue. Every two weeks he comes and smokes meat here at Barnside. There’s nothing better than his tri-tip sandwich, with a glass of lager in hand, soaking up the warm weather and beautiful scenery.

KL: What are some of your favourite craft beer festivals?

JL: My all-time favourite BC beer festival is Farmhouse Fest, followed by Weathered Beer. I love diving into the complexity of wild-fermented beers from across the globe.

KL: Where in BC do you want to travel next to discover their craft beer scene and why?

JL: I really want to head to Tofino and Ucluelet. I’ve been dying to check out both of the breweries there. I’ve been close, but it’s eating me up inside that I haven’t visited yet.

KL: What do you love about the craft beer scene in your area?

JL: I love the area in general. Our neighbours are Four Winds Brewing. They have such beautiful, classic beers. We’ve also got Fuggles Beer close by on the other side of the tunnel. Beyond the beer, it’s also such a gorgeous, natural area. You can look out and see the beautiful coastal mountains. In the summer when there’s a light breeze, you can smell the ocean.

It’s a really unique experience when you come and visit us here. You go from being in the city to open fields, working tractors, and helicopters working in the fields. I love that you can sit down and watch all of the farm work going on while enjoying a crisp, cold lager.

KL: What is a hidden gem in your area?

JL: We have a number of beautiful walking trails all along the inlet. We also have some great restaurants. My favourite restaurant in the area is called Il Posto. They have the best pizza and cocktails in Ladner.

KL: Besides brewing, what else do you enjoy doing?

JL: I love being out in nature. I used to be a passionate mountain biker, but after an injury, I’ve moved to hiking. I really enjoy getting out and hiking around the greater Vancouver area. I also enjoy road trips around BC and the Island. I enjoy adventuring. One of my favourites is paddle boarding at Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island. I love the beautiful glacial lake water, the gorgeous vegetation, and the big trees.

KL: Who in the craft beer industry should I interview next?

JL: I want you to interview my good buddy Connor Blanchard, a brewer at Luppolo Brewing. As I mentioned earlier, Luppolo is my favourite local taproom. I love their pizza and their slow-pour lagers. I think you’ll have a good conversation with Connor. Connor is one of the best lager brewers that I know in BC and I’d love for him to spread the word.

Stay tuned for the next instalment of the Hops Among Friends blog series, where I speak with Connor from Luppolo Brewing. Until then, cheers!

The post Hops Among Friends: Justin Larter of Barnside Brewing appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

This brewery was at the forefront of the craft beer movement in BC as it was one of the original 10 to open in the 1990s. Their core beers have become icons — A Wee Angry Scotch Ale, Blood Alley Bitter, and Russell’s Cream Ale — and are still on taps everywhere in BC today.

Over the years, Russell Brewing has seen a lot of changes. Now with its fourth owner, it is definitely a different brewery than it was 27 years ago. The craft beer industry has evolved so much that styles, flavours, and selections are endless around BC. Pre COVID, the brewery released 40 new beers in 2019. This year, the plan is for 25.

“We have to be more innovative than we have even been” said Jimmy Darbyshire, Marketing Director of Russell Brewing.

Russell Brewing is not content to sit back on its staple beer laurels. Although it has a loyal following of beer drinkers that have supported them from the beginning, the direction now is toward new beer, new flavour profiles, and new craft beer drinkers to help grow the business.

“Now with our tasting room, this allows us the opportunity to use our test batch system to do some tasting room exclusives,” Darbyshire said. “That way, we can try a whole bunch of beers that we haven’t been able to do previously, get those out to the public, and have them give us live feedback.”

Regarding Russell’s brewing staff, Darbyshire says, “They embody what craft beer is. They work long days. We start brewing at 4:30 am and we don’t finish till 6 or 7 pm. Everything they talk about is beer. They are always learning, studying, and looking for the next new and creative thing.”

So why was Russell Brewing so late to opening a tasting room? Well, back in the day, breweries only had a manufacturing license. When Russell Brewing opened in 1995, they weren’t able to have a tasting room. Kegs of beer were simply sent out to pubs and restaurants throughout the province, while bottles (and later cans) were sold through the government and private liquor store chains. Since then the model has changed and most breweries focus on having tasting rooms and/or food service so they can get people to come to the brewery for an experience.

“We are the very last brewery in B.C. to have a tasting room, in typical Russell fashion,” Darbyshire joked. “We are the last at the party, but turns out the timing is great!”

The tap room is warm and spacious, with lots of natural lighting. There is a warming kitchen that serves four flavours of tacos and basic snacks. Along with that are 14 beer taps, one cider tap, and two beer slushies.

In early July, Russell Brewing had the honor of hosting the 40th Anniversary of Craft Beer in B.C. celebration. Since four of Russell’s brewing staff graduated from the KPU Brewing program, it seemed to be the perfect brewery to brew the John Mitchell Signature Cascadian Dark Ale.

“We did a collaboration with KPU and we had an opportunity at Russell to showcase the founder, the creator of craft beer in BC,” said Derbyshire. “It is very exciting for us to educate the masses on what he was able to do for the industry and how he led the charge for craft beer. We are very proud.”

Rumours have it that now that the tap room has finally opened, an outdoor patio and expansion might not be too far off. Who knows, maybe this is the start of a “Brewers Row” in Surrey! Check out Russell’s website for up-to-date tap listings and menu items.

Russell Brewing is on the South of the Fraser Ale Trail.

The post Russell Brewing opens a tasting room — 27 years after the brewery opened! appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

Most recently I interviewed Marinna Perry, one of the Lounge Managers at Strathcona Beer Co. for my latest Hops Among Friends article. At the end of our discussion, Marinna picked who I would interview next, and she suggested Ashley Brooks. Ashley is the Quality Control Manager at Four Winds Brewing, which opened in 2013 in Delta on the South of the Fraser Ale Trail.

I really enjoyed my conversation with Ashley. I always enjoy connecting with other women who are passionate about working in the craft beer industry. It’s been a while since I’ve been to Four Winds, and after hearing about their upcoming beers, and updates on their plans for their new brewery and restaurant location opening in Tsawwassen, I’m excited to venture out that way again soon.

Kim: How did you get your start in craft beer?

Ashley: My background is in microbiology. I completed my Bachelor of Science undergraduate degree at UBC in 2011. During university, I worked as a server in a restaurant, and I started to learn more about craft beer from the brewery people who came into the restaurant. When the brewing program started up at KPU, I thought it would be perfect as it brought together my love of science and my love and passion for craft beer. I had looked into other brewing programs before, but having the KPU program so local was very convenient.

I started the KPU brewing program in 2014, so I was part of the first cohort. It was a real ah-ha moment for me. When I started at KPU, I got a job as an assistant brewer at Yaletown Brewing Co. with the Mark James Group. I learned a lot in the brewpub setting while learning at KPU. It was like an apprenticeship during school. By the time I graduated in 2016, I was running the Big Ridge Brewing Co. brewpub with MJG.

About a year after graduation, I started at Four Winds Brewing in April 2017, so I’ve been at Four Winds for almost five years now. Four Winds was looking for someone to take over the Quality Control program and manage the lab, so I thought it would be a great combination of my love for both science and beer.

Kim: What can people expect when they visit Four Winds?

Ashley: We always have a good selection of beers for anyone’s tastes. Fresh beer on tap is what we love to serve. We have a very friendly environment with a great vibe and great food to pair with our beers.

Kim: What do you love most about working at Four Winds?

Ashley: So many things. I love the beer, so that’s a good start. There’s always something new and fun going on. For example, new brewing and cellaring techniques to try. I enjoy being a part of putting these ideas into reality.

Coming from a microbiology background, yeast is my favourite thing in the beer production process, as this represents the living portion of beer.

Without yeast, you don’t have beer. I love getting to experiment with new yeast strains with different fermentation profiles. The more I research, the more I learn about how different yeast strains impact the beer. I really like keeping yeast happy, healthy, and viable so that the beer is fresh, clean, and quality tasting.

The brewing industry is exciting and constantly shifting. I love it when the product comes out because it’s a tangible product that you can see, taste, and smell. You can see what worked and you can think about what you can do next time. I really enjoy being a part of the craft beer industry, it’s friendly and helpful, and we share ingredients and knowledge. So it’s a production job, but with social elements. I love going to conferences and beer festivals, and the continual learning aspect.

Kim: What are some of your favourite craft beer festivals?

Ashley: Farmhouse Fest is one of my favourites. It’s in such a great location and I just love trying all the different beers. I really hope it is back again this year. I also love Okanagan Fest of Ale and the Great Canadian Beer Festival, so hopefully they’ll both be back again. I really miss getting together with everyone and seeing all my friends in the industry.

Kim: What is it like being a woman in a predominantly male industry?

Ashley: Since getting started in the industry, I’ve always had a very positive experience, I have never felt that I was treated differently at my job or at KPU as a student. I have been a part of the Vancouver Chapter of the Pink Boots Society since 2015, and I have always found the industry very inclusive. There are some physical barriers at times because of my height and size that I’ve had to overcome, but I’ve just figured it out. In my quality control role, I have less of the physically demanding roles, but I still get a nice mix of working on the floor, working in my lab, and working on spreadsheets for data collection/record keeping. I like running and checking the statistics and making sure everything is in spec for our beers.

Kim: What are your favourite beers right now?

Ashley: I’ve really been enjoying our Four Winds Porter. It’s an oat Porter, and it’s part of our OG (Original Series). It’s nice and smooth — it has a very approachable taste and flavour. We don’t brew this beer very often, and I’m just loving it on these cold, wintery days. It’s also a really easy drinking beer at 5.5% ABV.

Another of my favourites is our La Maison Tropical Ale. I love La Maison come springtime for its light-easy drinkability with hints of tropical fruit. It’s a delicious beer to enjoy after a long bike ride.

Kim: What’s your perfect winter beer and food pairing?

Ashley: I’m really enjoying our Extralux Hazy IPA right now. It’s a brand new recipe with a new yeast strain, made with new cellar techniques and a new mash profile. The tropical juicy flavour profile of this Hazy IPA with the tacos in our taproom is a great pairing. At 5.8% ABV, it’s very approachable for most people.

Kim: What is your favourite beer style?

Ashley: Lager. To some, it may seem like a boring style, but there is so much involved with making lagers. I really enjoy the lager program we’ve been working on. To make a good lager, it’s really important to use healthy yeast. A healthy fermentation is key to ensuring there are no unwanted off flavours in your final product and in making a really clean and delicious beer. It takes a lot of skill to make a good lager. The selection of good malt and hops is also very important.

Kim: What do you have planned for this spring at Four Winds?

Ashley: One of the reasons I like drinking lagers is because I like the clean, breadiness flavour from the yeast where the malt can really shine through. That leads me into Archetype, which is a limited release Czech Pale Lager. We’ve selected some beautiful Czech malt and performed a decoction mash, which is not our typical method. It is fermented in one of our neutral “open” foeders that has never had contact with wild yeast or brettanomyces. The different shape and surface area of the foeder creates a different fermentation profile and puts less stress on the yeast. After starting in the foeder, we moved it into steel tanks and lager it there. The result is an easy-drinking beer that is soft on the palate with some lightly spicy, floral, and bready notes. It will be out in early spring in 473ml cans. I really enjoyed being a part of the process of this new beer.

Kim: What’s the latest update on the new Southlands property?

Ashley: We’ll be breaking ground on the new brewery in Southlands Market Square within the next three months. We’ll have a full 6,000 sq. ft. restaurant and a 15 hL brewhouse. It’s a smaller-scale brewhouse for production.

This will let us brew more experimental beers to pair with some delicious new food items, so we’re really excited about that.

We also have an orchard and some hops on the property, so we’ll have a whole bunch of new projects to try. We’re at capacity with brewing our core and seasonal beers at our current location, so this will allow us to have some fun with more experimentals at the new location. We’re looking at an opening date in a couple of years for the new building.

Kim: What are you most proud of at Four Winds?

Ashley: I am really proud of the Quality Program I’ve been a part of developing here and the amount of quality beer we brew, cellar, and package daily. It takes a lot of hard work, and every position is integral to putting out product that meets our standards. I enjoy monitoring these specifications and ensuring each batch is dialed in for consistency and tasting excellent. I love building spreadsheets and graphs etc., being involved with developing our sensory program, and developing Standard Operating Procedures throughout production.

Kim: What do you love about the craft beer scene in Delta?

Ashley: We have just one other brewery in Delta, which is Barnside Brewing. They have been around since 2020. They are pretty close to us, just a quick bike ride up the street. We did a collab beer with Barnside last year called We heart Delta. It was pretty cool that both of our Delta breweries came together in support of our town. There are also other breweries in the surrounding cities. With the supply chain issues, it’s been beneficial to have brewery friends close by to support each other.

Kim: Tell me about some hidden gems in the Delta area?

Ashley:  I really enjoy mountain biking and cycling. I am part of Muddbunnies, a women’s mountain bike group on the North Shore. There are some easy mountain bike trails at the Delta Watershed. I hadn’t heard of these trails until a few years ago, so they are a bit of a hidden gem. They are within cycling distance from Four Winds, so you can go for a ride and then end up back here for a beer.

There’s a lot of farmland in the Delta area, so bring your bike for a nice easy ride along the farm roads to Ladner or further out to Tsawwassen.

I also recommend checking out Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Ladner. It’s a nice bike ride to Westham Island. Also, Deas Island is a great little park just up the street from us in the Tilbury area. Britannia Brewing Ladner is a great craft beer restaurant where you can also enjoy some delicious beer and food pairings. It’s also really nice to ride out to Centennial Beach in Tsawwassen in the summertime.

If you’re into boating or fishing, there is also some awesome boating right out of Ladner. The area is quite beautiful around here.

Kim: Who else in the craft beer industry do you find interesting and why?

Ashley: Dave and Kevin and our friends at Camp Beer Co. in Langley are always brewing up tasty beers. Being an outdoor camping enthusiast, I love their brand, and they have a great atmosphere at the brewery. We’re doing a Vienna-style lager collaboration brew with them very soon, so stay tuned.

For your next interview, I recommend you speak with Martina Solano Bielen from KPU Brew Lab. She’s one of my favourite people in the industry, and does both teaching and brewing.

Stay tuned for the next installment of the Hops Among Friends blog series, where I speak with Martina from KPU Brew Lab, which is on the Fraser Valley Ale Trail. Until then, cheers!

The post Hops Among Friends: Ashley Brooks of Four Winds Brewing appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.