Whether you’re a die-hard hop head or just love a good excuse to experience a new corner of the province, this year’s lineup has something for everyone. From intimate community celebrations to sprawling multi-brewery showcases, BC’s craft beer festivals bring together the best local breweries, cideries, and distilleries under one roof — paired with great food, inventive non-alc options, live music, and the kind of good vibes that only come from a crowd of fellow beer lovers.

Why not make a proper getaway out of it? BC’s festival circuit spans the entire province, giving you the perfect reason to explore a new town, support local businesses, and discover what makes each region’s beer scene one-of-a-kind.

Here are the spring and summer beer festivals worth marking on your calendar right now — because the best fests have a way of selling out fast.

Brewhalla Beer & Music Festival • Fort Langley

June 13

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Parksville Beer Festival • Parksville

July 4

Indulge in your love for craft beer, connect with like-minded individuals, and support local businesses, all within a festival atmosphere curated for enjoyment and discovery. At the Parksville Beer Festival, it’s not just about exceptional beers – it’s also a haven for foodies! Get ready to complement your craft beer experience with a fantastic selection from the specially curated food trucks.

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Phillips Backyard Music Festival • Victoria

July 10 – 12

Phillips’ multi-day music festival is back again, blending craft beer culture with live music in a fun, inclusive, community-centred atmosphere. This year’s lineup includes big names like Chance the Rapper and Father John Misty, among many others. Weekend passes are sold out, but single-day tickets are still available — get yours before they sell out!

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Battle of the Brews • Surrey

August 15

The Surrey Fire Fighters’ Charitable Society and 93.7 JR Country are hosting the 8th Annual Battle of the Brews.  This fun charity event will offer attendees a great afternoon of craft beer tasting and food trucks.  Attendees will get the chance to help choose their favourite beers, and all proceeds from the event will help fund Surrey Fire Fighters’ Charitable Society youth initiatives.

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Cowichan Craft Beer and Food Festival • Chemainus

August 15

The Cowichan Craft Beer & Food Festival is a community-rooted, non-profit event bringing together 30+ BC breweries pouring 100+ craft beverages alongside ciders, non-alcoholic options, and 15+ food trucks and local eats — all set to live music. With shuttle service available for a safe ride home, it’s a great reason to explore the Cowichan Valley and support local.

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Squamish Beer Festival • Squamish

August 29

Located at the Loggers Sports Ground, the Squamish festival brings together more than 55 breweries and cideries for craft beer lovers to celebrate great beer and mountain culture with food, games, axe throwing, DJs, an artisan marketplace, live music, and more.

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Barnside Harvest Festival • Ladner

September 11-13

More than just a beer festival, Barnside Harvest Festival is a celebration of local food, craft beverages, music, and community. Held at Paterson Park in Ladner, this three-day event features an impressive lineup of live music alongside a curated selection of BC craft breweries, cideries, wineries, and food vendors. It’s the perfect way to savour the final days of summer.

Shuswap Brewers Fest • Salmon Arm

September 13

Hosted at Northyards Cider Co., the Shuswap Brewers Fest brings together craft breweries, cideries, distilleries, food vendors, and live entertainment for a relaxed afternoon celebrating the region’s thriving beverage scene. As an added bonus, the event supports the Salmon Arm Rescue Society, making every sip a chance to give back to the local community.

Whistler Village Beer Festival • Whistler

September 16-20

Set against the stunning backdrop of Whistler’s mountains, the Whistler Village Beer Festival combines craft beer, cider, seltzers, live music, and mountain-town energy into one unforgettable weekend. The festival features a series of events throughout the village, culminating in the Main Event at Whistler Olympic Plaza, where dozens of beverage makers come together for an afternoon of sampling, food trucks, games, and good times.

The post Cheers! 2026 Summer Beer Festivals appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

Get inspired for a spring road trip with this look back at Hanna Irvine’s visit to Rossland in the West Kootenays.

The May long weekend is the undisputed unofficial start of the summer in BC. In the Okanagan, it’s the date when old-timers deem it safe to plant out tender seedlings, restaurants and breweries start to set up their patio seating, and the seasonal wineries and cideries open their doors for the summer season. It also seems to be the first major camping weekend for many, and while I prefer my accommodation to be a little more luxurious than a tent these days, the promise of warm sunny days ahead has me itching to go on an adventure. 

On this particular “May Long”, my husband Tom and I chose the West Kootenays to be the focus of our adventure. We know (and love) the popular destination of Nelson very well, but this time we wanted to explore a new area, so we opted to stay in Rossland, a little further south. 

Rossland is a city, but in name only, and all the better for it. What it lacks in size, it makes up for in character. This cute mountain town has a fascinating heritage that is reflected in the buildings and statues in the diminutive downtown area. The main street is lined with beautiful heritage buildings, all of which have plaques detailing their history. For a self-confessed history nerd like me, this was heaven; the stories give the town a sense of place and add to a sense of connection with the area. 

Rossland is known for its outdoor activities, with Red Mountain Ski Resort on its doorstep and over 200km of hiking and biking trails surrounding the town. Despite arriving in a snowstorm (I think someone forgot to tell Mother Nature that this was supposed to be the start of summer!), we had missed the ski season, but we were looking forward to exploring the trails with the dogs and rewarding ourselves with a well-earned beer afterwards.

Beer in Rossland means one thing…. the Rossland Beer Company. Founded in 2012 by two childhood friends, Petri Raito and Ryan Arnaud, this local hub is right in the heart of the town, both literally and figuratively. Petri told me that they both love Rossland, feeling lucky to have their business in this “little slice of paradise,” and this appreciation of the town is obvious in the brewery they’ve created. I’d been following the brewery’s social media pages prior to the trip, and I love their close connection with the community. Their sponsorship of local athletes, promotion of other local businesses, collections for the food bank, and helping with maintenance of local trails all demonstrates a commitment to their hometown. This is clearly more than just a brewery. 

We visited the taproom on the Saturday evening of our stay, and it is exactly what a mountain town brewery should be — rustic, friendly and comfortable. The wooden décor echoes the forests that encompass the area, while the wall art showcases the local natural environment. Even the light fitting, which is made of skis, reflects the outdoorsy vibe of a mountain town. Don’t go there expecting the airs and graces of a fancy city bar; instead, you can expect to find a warm, welcoming space, where locals and visitors alike congregate to share stories and enjoy a beer together — a home from home. 

Tom and I settled down with a flight apiece and were delighted with the seven beers on tap that day. These are all well-crafted and delicious brews, suggestive of an experienced and talented brewer at work here. The Genuine Draft was a malty delight, while Uncle Vinny’s Cream Ale was as smooth as silk, with notes of vanilla.

The New Zealand Pilsner was faithful to the style with a fresh, herbal, almost grassy taste, and the Best Day Ever had the characteristic flavours of an IPA, but was smooth, well-balanced, and accessible. My favourite had to be the Red Zeppelin Raspberry Wheat Ale, with all the distinctive flavour of a wheat beer combined with a subtle hint of raspberry — not too sweet, not too tart, but a delicious beer with fruit notes, rather than a fruit drink. We couldn’t leave without taking a few beers to share with friends back home, so we bought some cans of the sublime Green Jacket Pale Ale and a crowler of Uncle Vinny’s before bidding farewell.

Our home for the weekend was in the aptly named Happy Valley, right at the head of a vast trail network. We awoke on Sunday morning to a damp, misty day, but after two hours of hiking through lush forests, we were rewarded with the sun breaking through the clouds to reveal glimpses of mountain tops and spectacular scenery. 

It was still too early for a beer (even for us!) so we refuelled at The Alpine Grind Coffeehouse with freshly brewed coffee and the most divine scones I’ve ever tasted, before heading over to check out the Rossland Museum and Discovery Centre. 

The museum is on the Kootenay Rockies West Ale Trail, and when we looked around, it became evident why — Rossland has a rich tradition of craft beer, and the museum has a whole exhibit dedicated to the business of brewing. The exhibit features a detailed history of the town’s breweries, artifacts including old barrels and taps, historical photos, and even a recreation of a bar. The highlight for me, however, was the wall of back-lit glass bottles, which included beer bottles from Victoria Brewing Company, alongside bottles from the pre-prohibition Rossland breweries. The museum is much more than beer, though; it’s huge and covers Rossland’s fascinating history from the early gold rush boom years to the more recent incarnation of mountain sport resort town.

Our time in the Kootenays was too brief to visit all the of breweries in the area, and we were disappointed to miss nearby Tailout Brewing in Trail. Thank goodness for the well-stocked liquor store in Rossland then, which allowed us to sample a few beers from the other superb local craft breweries from the comfort of our vacation hot tub. We are already planning a return trip to visit these breweries in person, and maybe check out one of the numerous festivals that take place in the area during the summer. The Beer Goggles Craft Brew Festival, held at Red Mountain Resort, was being advertised during our stay and certainly piqued our interest*. Maybe that’s the weekend we should return.

*Editor’s note: the 2026 Beer Goggles festival date has not been announced yet. This blog was originally published in June, 2024 – brewery menus and offerings are subject to change since publication. 

Every Pint Tells a Story

Supporting Local. Celebrating Community.

The post A Long Weekend in the West Kootenays appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

The hallmark of a great ski town is its après culture.

Where do you go for that post-ski drink? The traditional après is right off the slopes to the closest pub, but not everyone wants to party in their ski boots. And, not everyone wants to drink all night. What about an après massage? What about something more low-key, chilled out?

On a recent weekend trip to Revelstoke, my much younger sister Victoria became my après ski partner-in-crime. Victoria, 30 years old, still enjoys the traditional bright lights and beer pitchers vibe. She has boundless energy and late-night endurance. But as a child of the ‘80s, the massage and cocktails speak to me. Let’s see who survives the weekend. 

Luckily, in Revelstoke, aka Revy (said with your pinkie, index and thumb out), the après culture has both rejuvenation and celebration. Revy’s après culture has enough cocktails to satiate a bougie, hibiscus-infused crowd like me, but it also has the bumping traditional après culture. 

Four hours from Calgary and an eight-hour drive to Vancouver, the town of Revelstoke, population now over 8,000, started as a railway and mining town. Today, this ski hub boasts the biggest vertical skiing – 1,713 metres—in Canada. It also has the most snowfall on record. Mount Copeland got 24 metres back in 1972!

Driving up from Rossland, we make sure to hit the Halcyon Hot Springs before the debauchery begins. I call it the “avant” to the “après” weekend.

The hot springs feed from the mineral water in the Upper Arrow Lake – the Indigenous called it the “great medicine water” because it contains sodium, magnesium, calcium, strontium and lithium – all considered therapeutic.  

Dipping my shoulders down into the cold pool feels like tiny knives hitting me at once—it’s 14º  Celsius.

I can’t stay in longer than a minute before running in to the hot pool. That’s more like it; at 40º, my skin tingles immediately. Is it working? Am I healed? Who knows, but lying back with my head on the edge of the pool, looking out onto the snowy Monashee Mountains as the steam rises all around me, I feel no pain.

The spa still bottles and sells the water as a health tonic, but be careful, I felt a bit lightheaded from all that healing — nothing a little drink can’t fix. On to Revelstoke!

The Swiss Chalet Motel, not to be confused with the chicken, isn’t what you’d expect of a motel not far off the highway. The crisp white sheets, fluffy comforter, and curated art on the walls make it cozy-chic. It’s a two-minute walk to the downtown action, and there’s a convenience store across the street for late-night snacks. Or, you can grab a juice or coffee from the breakfast station, which stays open all day. Nice touch.

After arriving in Revelstoke, we ask around for locals’ favourite après spots. They say the words Monashee Spirits, then close their eyes as if remembering their first love. This place is well-loved. 

Inside the dark interior, with tiny sepia lights, hundreds of bottles line the walls on slabs of wooden planks. The cocktails are made from fresh ingredients and some of the gin or vodka that they make in-house. And each cocktail comes with a story; you just have to find one that speaks to you. My signature cocktail: Topless Girl on a Bike in Paris. The story begins: “Who the hell stole our painting of that topless girl riding a bike from the bathroom? Why won’t you give it back?” 

My sister orders the Huck Me Baby One More Time. Millennials. 

And just when you think it cannot get any cooler, each cocktail comes with a stencilled imprint lying on top; mine has an almost topless woman. “It’s edible!” says the waitress. I try it, but decide against it—it tastes like a soggy piece of paper. 

The next day, as my sister gets ready for the slopes at the Revelstoke Mountain Resort, I get ready for my first hot stone massage at the Sointula Massage & Day Spa (Soyn-too-la). Like any traditional massage, it’s soothing, but the heated stones sliding all over feel like a full-body hug. The heat glides along your skin, pulling the stress out. It’s glorious. 

I assume only hotel guests or resort types get massages, but Candace, my therapist, corrects me.   

“We get all kinds of people in here for massage. The Revy crowd is really tuned to their well-being and body—most of the people I know here are athletes of some kind, so they want to take care of themselves.” She adds that many skiers come right off the hill for a massage, then hit the après bars nearby.

The Rockford Grill, dubbed “The Après Zone,” is the classic après place, and it’s just across the street from the spa.

“It’s so easy to head there right off the slopes and then before you know it, it’s 2 am and you’re still wearing your ski boots!” says Candace. 

The official après between 2 pm and 5 pm has drink specials, but the restaurant is après with a sophisticated twist: imagine a truffle burger or truffle fries. The drinks include local beer from Mt. Begbie Brewing, an impressive selection of nearby Okanagan wines, and fancy urban cocktails like a pomegranate hibiscus cosmopolitan. 

When we finally make it downtown, about a 10-minute drive from the ski hill, The Village Idiot is bright and open-spaced with skis and snowboards tacked to the wall. Energetic and welcoming, it’s the classic après vibe with live music and a wide selection of British Columbia ales.

It’s got perogies and other sharables, but if you walk away without eating their homemade dough pizzas, with toppings like bison and locally grown arugula, you’re a fool! Similar to Monashee, however, the menu names rule. Read them. Miss Piggy’s Luah pizza professes: This pizza is specifically designed to destroy all diets.

Speaking of piggies, I switch up the après scene and return to the spa. This time, my pedicurist is a young woman who moved here three years ago from Czechia. “You’d be surprised to know that there is a huge Slovak and Czech community here,” says Hannah. “Revy reminds me of my home—there is so much snow! Last year I shovelled every day!”

I ask her about her customers, assuming it’s just the women who stay at the resort: “Oh no, we get men and women and young and old… those downhill ski boots are horrible on your feet.”

I wonder what she thinks of my feet: “I’ve seen worse,” she says. “You’re wonderful,” I tell her.

Before leaving, she recites a list of après spots and restaurants. “The international scene is amazing here.” With this in mind and a huge appetite, we head to Seoul Street, a Korean street food restaurant. The vibe is definitely après with giant pitchers of beer and sizzling plates of food, but the menu has amazing diversity and spice. My dakgalbi is an enormous hot plate of sauteed spicy chicken and peppers. I can’t help but steal from my sister’s plate of fried chicken. She slaps my hand away, but not before I sink my teeth into a giant drumstick. 

And of course, you can get local beer, but I opt for a Gangnam Cosmopolitan made from soju (Korean alcohol, typically sweet and clear). My sister contemplates the Shaft Shot. Unbeknownst to us, it’s the signature B.C. cocktail of vodka, Kahlúa, Bailey’s and coffee. It’s more dessert than drink. 

Continuing the downtown après pub crawl, Rumpus Beer Co. opened in 2019 and was named “The Best Après Adventure Spot” by Forbes. Wowza! This place is all about post-ski fun—the patio is hopping on a bluebird day with live music, pretzels, and a DIY growler fill station.

As a child of the ‘80s, I can’t help but love the vintage tabletop videogame while sipping on an Acid Drop Sour beer. My sister wasn’t even born when this game came out. 

We definitely can agree on the late-night snacks so we head over to another après haunt, the Taco Club. Even late at night, this place has a line-up. Tonight a group dressed up in flowery dresses for a birthday party take over the bar; looking around, it’s a sea of people wearing toques eating enchiladas the size of your head. I opt for something non-alcoholic: their sodas are made in-house and my blackberry soda helps put out the fire in my mouth—hot sauce overload! 

The next day, I feel invigorated enough to try hot yoga. My sister, who found a house party the night before, sleeps in. Makes sense—she’s 30; I’m 51. Revy has tons of yoga studios, but the deciding factor: baked goods. The Alchemy Studio shares space with Flourish Bakery. Walking into the smell of hot cinnamon is worth sweating for. It’s also gluten-free. Inside the studio, I immediately start sweating. “Take a child’s pose when you need it,” says the instructor. I take her advice, often. Between the dim lights, the instructor’s soothing voice and the calming music, I almost fall asleep on my mat. 

The final stop for our Revy après trip is an award-winning brewery. Canadian Brewery of the Year in 2017, Mt. Begbie Brewing took home a gold from the Canadian Brewing Awards for its Kolsch and Cream Ale.

Located outside of town in a giant meadow, there’s a bright yellow house and a pink shed next door. “It’s an Airbnb,” my waitress reveals. “We get lots of weddings and groups of friends.”   

We’re both exhausted on the drive home, and we only scratched the surface of Revy’s après scene. I hear another road trip calling. 

Interested in checking out the apres scene in Revy?

For more information on Revelstoke’s craft beer and spirits scene check this out.

Every Pint Tells a Story

Supporting Local. Celebrating Community.

The post Revy Après appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

An adventure in the Kootenays along the BC Ale Trail with hot springs and cold beer

One of my favourite B.C. pastimes is a good long soak in a hot spring. Summer or winter, the hot, mineral-rich water is refreshing and invigorating, especially after a day in the mountains, whether it’s spent hiking, skiing, or even just driving around a car full of screaming children.

The Kootenays are home to six hot spring resorts and dozens more backcountry hot springs accessible only by 4×4 or hiking in. The tectonic activity that resulted in the stunning mountain vistas that stretch skyward on all sides is also responsible for the abundance of geothermal activity in the area.

Last summer, my wife and I decided to explore what the Kootenays have to offer in terms of liquid refreshment—be it liquid one soaks in or liquid one drinks—roughly following the provincial Hot Springs Route. 

Naturally, this route is also home to a plethora of delicious craft breweries. The BC Ale Trail provides prospective pursuants of primo pilsners and pale ales with the Kootenay Rockies East and Kootenay Rockies West ale trails, covering dozens of award-winning breweries in the area.

As we were to discover, the only thing more refreshing than a delicious locally brewed craft beer is one you’ve had after a refreshing hot spring soak.

Canyon Hot Springs / Whitetooth Brewing Co.

Since we had our two small children in tow, we opted to focus on the hot spring resorts for this trip. Our first stop was Canyon Hot Springs, roughly in the middle of nowhere between Revelstoke and Golden, yet highly accessible given its location just off the Trans-Canada Highway. 

We pulled into the expansive RV park and resort in the early evening as the sun was setting after a long but mercifully uneventful drive up from the coast. With the children starting to get restless in the back seat, a pool break was the perfect opportunity for everyone to stretch their legs and get their sillies out.

In fact, given its location roughly halfway between Vancouver and Calgary, anyone road-tripping over the Continental Divide would be well advised to stop off at Canyon Hot Springs for an hour or two to rest and recharge.

The resort itself features more than 100 RV and campsites, as well as dozens of cabins. But we were just here for the hot springs, and like at all of BC’s hot springs resorts, pool passes are available for those not staying overnight. 

The pool facilities at Canyon Hot Springs feature a 55,000-litre hot pool for soaking up all that mineral goodness, and a much larger, 225,000-litre swimming pool for when it’s time to cool off. The water itself is sourced from a natural hot spring three kilometres away in Albert Canyon and piped into the resort at a piping hot 40°C.

We watched the sun set behind the Monashee Mountains to the west and with the greasy film of a long day’s drive sufficiently washed away, we continued on down the road to Golden, home of the award-winning Whitetooth Brewing Co.

Our hotel for the night was conveniently located directly behind the brewery, so the next day after checking out, and after a short jaunt around the picturesque mountain town’s many riverside walking trails, we sidled up to Whitetooth’s sunny and expansive outdoor patio for some wood fired pizza and some ice cold beer.

The Icefields Pale Ale went down a treat, with its sturdy off-sweet malt profile of cracker and toast, classic West Coast hop character, and moderate bitterness complemented by fruity ester notes. As we sat in awe of the sunbathed mountains surrounding us, it was hard to imagine a more delicious and refreshing start to the day.

Radium Hot Springs / Arrowhead Brewing*

An hour down the Rocky Mountain Trench is historic Radium Hot Springs, located in Kootenay National Park, as well as the town of the same name. You know a hot spring is going to be legit when they name the whole town after it.

The hot springs here have been enjoyed for thousands of years, with evidence of the indigenous Ktunaxa people visiting the springs for millennia. It was previously known as Sinclair Hot Springs, named after the leader of the Métis community that settled in the area in the 1840s, before being renamed Radium Hot Springs in 1915 after the discovery of radon in the water. Thankfully, the radioactive radon levels are very low and completely harmless, with a half-hour soak equivalent to eating about a dozen bananas in terms of radiation exposure.

The hot springs are located in the middle of a literal canyon, with the facilities jammed into either side of Highway 93. The modern facilities were first built in 1949, and while they’ve been continuously updated to current standards, they still retain a certain vintage charm.

The pools are technically part of the national park system and the facilities could not be more top-notch. The hot pool is roughly the size of a football field, providing more than enough room for my frolicking children to frolick without frolicking into folks who were not interested in frolicking. Flanked by the steep cliffs of the Rocky Mountains on all sides, you could easily imagine bighorn sheep pondering the curious hairless apes soaking below. Sadly, we didn’t see any bighorns on our visit, but a local regular soaking beside us said they were frequent visitors.

The cold plunge pool was invigorating after a long soak in the hot pool. My seven-year-old son certainly thought so, and was inspired enough to cannonball into the frigid waters, much to the dismay of the more timid guests in the tiny, ice-cold tub. After apologizing profusely, I ushered the kids to the Olympic-sized cool pool, which was equipped with swim lanes and waterslides. 

Radium Hot Springs is open year-round, and while the hot sunshine and blue skies on our visit were lovely, I couldn’t help but imagine the mountains blanketed in snow, steam rising from hot pools in the cold air. I think we’ll definitely be back in the winter. It would be a great excuse to check out some of the world-class skiing nearby, too.

After a few dozen bananas, we carried on our merry way south down the broad, expansive Columbia River valley running parallel to the majestic Rocky Mountains to the east. Fifteen minutes down the road we found ourselves at Arrowhead Brewing’s old-timey gas station-themed taproom and pulled in for a fill-up. 

*editor’s note: In spring 2025, Arrowhead Brewing was purchased by the team at Calgary’s Village Brewery and has reopened as Invermere Brewing Co.

“Invermere Brewing Co. is a love letter to the golden days of après-adventure—a time when ski lodges had wood-panelled walls, golfers walked the course, and lake days stretched endlessly into the evening with nothing but good company and a cold brew in hand.” – Invermere Brewing Co.

With a plethora of reasonably priced motels to choose from, we backtracked to Radium Hot Springs for the night feeling refreshed and relaxed.

Fairmont Hot Springs / Encore Brewing

A short 30-minute drive from Radium Hot Springs is the year-round hot springs resort of Fairmont Hot Springs (which curiously has no connection to the Fairmont luxury hotel and resort chain). While the resort boasts a ski hill, three golf courses, a driving range, mini-golf, seven restaurants and bars, horseback riding, hiking trails, mountain biking, ziplines, a hotel, cabins and cottages, an RV park, and a campground (phew!), we were here for the hot springs.

With 1.2 million gallons of piping hot spring water gushing from its source daily, Fairmont Hot Springs is the largest natural mineral hot spring in Canada.

The resort features three public hot spring pools (as well as a guest-exclusive pool), with a large, shallow warm pool perfect for the kiddos, as well as a deeper diving pool and 40 C hot soaking pool, so there was an option here for everyone. While there was no cold plunge pool, there was something even better: In the middle of the hot soak pool, a man-made geyser that poured ice-cold water. We sat next the geyser in the steaming hot mineral pool while the ice-cold water ran over our heads and shoulders, staring at the gloriously blue sky above, relaxed to an extent almost unknown to parents of small children. 

I asked my son what could be better than this, and he replied, “Fresh homemade donuts?” which I thought was rather specific. Turns out, he had spied a sign for the poolside snack bar advertising the delicious treats.

After a generous hours-long soak, I conceded that fresh homemade donuts did sound like a pretty good idea. And wouldn’t you know it, he was right!

An hour’s drive further south we found ourselves in Cranbrook hungry, thirsty and in want of activities to entertain the kids. Thankfully, Encore Brewing provided on all fronts.

Located in a converted bowling alley, Encore Brewing might take the gold medal for the coveted BC’s Most Fun Brewery Award, which I just invented. There’s five-pin bowling, a vintage arcade, skeeball, basketball, board games, oversized table games like Connect Four, live music and events—oh yeah, and there’s delicious beer and food, too! 

The kids were entertained, leaving me and my wife to sample a flight of Encore’s lineup of hop-forward IPAs and pale ales in relative peace.

The Jam Jam Sour was our favourite, a tart and fruity raspberry kettle sour with balanced acidity and lovely juicy berry notes. At 4.7% ABV, it was one of many beers at Encore that clock in at under 5.0%, much to our delight.

Encore also features a full food menu with elevated versions of bowling alley classics like pizza, hot dogs, tacos, and sandwiches. With so many delicious options, we were a little unsure of what to order, so we just kind of got everything! We’re talking soft pretzels, chilli dogs, Szechuan pork shoulder tacos, and a large pizza with Calabrese and Genoa salami, double-smoked sausage, pepperoni and mozzarella, because why the heck not.

I regret nothing. If Encore wasn’t roughly a 12-hour drive from my front door in Victoria, I would be here every dang day.

Unfortunately, Encore was so awesome that we ended up spending WAY more time there than we intended, which meant that it would be too late for us to set up camp that night at Kootenay Lake (again, no regrets). Since the sun was already setting, we instead decided to drive to Nelson and get a hotel there.

Ainsworth Hot Springs / Nelson Brewing

I’m not sure if Nelson is the steepest town in BC, but it has to be right up there. 

Once we got checked out of the hotel, we popped in to visit with some friends and let the kids have a bounce on their trampoline before going for a lovely walk around their Nelson neighbourhood of Mountain Station. The walk down to Nelson Brewing, which is literally built into the steep hillside, was easy enough. The walk back up the hill loaded with beer, however, was a workout. I really earned that Hooligan Pilsner, I told myself. Crisp and refreshing with subtle, balanced notes of cracker, spice and floral hops, it’s easy to see why nearly every establishment in town has it on tap.

As it had been nearly 24 hours since our last dip in a hot spring, we said our goodbyes and headed north out of town and up picturesque Kootenay Lake to Ainsworth Hot Springs for our mineral water fix.

While the pools at Ainsworth might be small compared to the vast facilities at Fairmont and Radium, they have something the others don’t: caves. That’s right, looping under the steep hillside is a steamy, swim-in underground cave, complete with stalactites and all sorts of dark nooks and crannies to relax in. After countless circuits of the cave loop, we had a dip in the ice-cold plunge pool to cool off and took in the view of Kootenay Lake below.  

Halcyon Hot Springs / Angry Hen Brewing

Continuing up Kootenay Lake, we arrived in the historic and absolutely adorable town of Kaslo. This tiny lakeside village is home to many things: the popular Kaslo Jazz Festival; the world’s oldest surviving sternwheeler, the SS Moyie; more antique shops per capita than anywhere I’ve ever seen… But we were here for the beer!

Kaslo’s Angry Hen Brewing was founded by Vancouver craft beer legend Shirley Warne. If that name doesn’t ring a bell, it should. Shirley is responsible for teaching many of BC’s craft brewers everything they know, including Conrad Gmoser at Brassneck, Harley Smith at Longwood, Vern Lambourne at Parkside, and the late Tony Dewald of Trading Post.

The brewery is a must-visit pilgrimage for craft beer lovers. We got a table on the sunny patio overlooking Kaslo’s historic “downtown” and Kootenay Lake below. Unsurprisingly, the beers were absolutely phenomenal. In particular, Up the Kriek, Angry Hen’s take on the classic Belgian sour, was tart, funky, complex and delightful with a balanced acidity and lovely bright cherry notes. Just a delight to sip in sunshine while taking in the beauty of the Kootenays.

As if the beers weren’t good enough, the smash burgers and Korean-style hot wings similarly didn’t disappoint, while the kids loved the housemade raspberry soda and ginger ale.

With full bellies we ventured up and over the Selkirk Mountains towards our destination for the night at the Nakusp Municipal Campground on Arrow Lake. But first, we made a detour to the scenic ghost town of Sandon. The former silver mining boom town dates back to the late 1800s, and once boasted a population of 5,000 people, making it one of the biggest towns in BC more than 125 years ago.

Today, the population is less than 10. However, a number of the original buildings remain and some have been restored by the small but dedicated group of folks that still live there. The kids enjoyed looking around the remnants of the town, including the 20-odd former Vancouver electric trolley buses that now call Sandon home. My four-year-old daughter, however, was quite disappointed that we didn’t get to see any actual ghosts (but it was nothing some ice cream couldn’t fix, thankfully). 

After a scenic drive through the West Kootenays, we set up camp in Nakusp for the night before heading out in the morning for our final hot spring visit of the trip. The Nakusp area is home to a handful of hot springs, including the rustic St. Leon Creek and Halfway Hot Springs, and the Nakusp Hot Springs Resort. However, we opted for the aptly named Halcyon Hot Springs Resort perched above the shores of Arrow Lakes, right off Highway 23, pretty much in the middle of nowhere.

The resort itself was a perfect spot to spend a few hours relaxing, with a variety of pools at varying temperatures, including a lazy river and a splash park for the kids. Looking out onto the postcard-perfect mountains that surrounded us, my wife and I vowed to return in the winter when snow would completely cover the landscape.

The spring water at Halcyon is unique in that it contains trace amounts of naturally occurring lithium, which in its pharmaceutical form is a prescription mood stabilizer. So perhaps it was no surprise that with our hot spring adventure coming to close I couldn’t help but feel an immense sense of calm and peace as I looked out upon the soaring mountains and the tranquil lake below from the warm comfort of the hot springs pool. 

Mind you, hot springs and cold beers in the Kootenays tend to have that effect.

Every Pint Tells a Story

Supporting Local. Celebrating Community.

The post Hot Springs and Cold Beers in the Kootenays appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

The May long weekend is the undisputed unofficial start of the summer in BC. In the Okanagan, it’s the date when old-timers deem it safe to plant out tender seedlings, restaurants and breweries start to set up their patio seating, and the seasonal wineries and cideries open their doors for the summer season. It also seems to be the first major camping weekend for many, and while I prefer my accommodation to be a little more luxurious than a tent these days, the promise of warm sunny days ahead has me itching to go on an adventure. 

This “May Long” my husband Tom and I chose the West Kootenays to be the focus of our adventure. We know (and love) the popular destination of Nelson very well, but this time we wanted to explore a new area, so we opted to stay in Rossland, a little further south. 

Rossland is a city, but in name only, and all the better for it. What it lacks in size, it makes up for in character. This cute mountain town has a fascinating heritage that is reflected in the buildings and statues in the diminutive downtown area. The main street is lined with beautiful heritage buildings, all of which have plaques detailing their history. For a self-confessed history nerd like me, this was heaven; the stories give the town a sense of place and add to a sense of connection with the area. 

Rossland is known for its outdoor activities, with Red Mountain Ski Resort on its doorstep and over 200km of hiking and biking trails surrounding the town. Despite arriving in a snowstorm (I think someone forgot to tell Mother Nature that this was supposed to be the start of summer!), we had missed the ski season, but we were looking forward to exploring the trails with the dogs and rewarding ourselves with a well-earned beer afterwards.

Beer in Rossland means one thing…. the Rossland Beer Company. Founded in 2012 by two childhood friends, Petri Raito and Ryan Arnaud, this local hub is right in the heart of the town, both literally and figuratively. Petri told me that they both love Rossland, feeling lucky to have their business in this “little slice of paradise,” and this appreciation of the town is obvious in the brewery they’ve created. I’d been following the brewery’s social media pages prior to the trip and I love their close connection with the community. Their sponsorship of local athletes, promotion of other local businesses, collections for the food bank, and helping with maintenance of local trails all demonstrates a commitment to their hometown. This is clearly more than just a brewery. 

We visited the taproom on the Saturday evening of our stay, and it is exactly what a mountain town brewery should be — rustic, friendly and comfortable. The wooden décor echoes the forests that encompass the area, while the wall art showcases the local natural environment. Even the light fitting, which is made of skis, reflects the outdoorsy vibe of a mountain town. Don’t go there expecting the airs and graces of a fancy city bar; instead, you can expect to find a warm, welcoming space, where locals and visitors alike congregate to share stories and enjoy a beer together — a home from home. 

Tom and I settled down with a flight apiece and were delighted with the seven beers on tap that day. These are all well-crafted and delicious brews, suggestive of an experienced and talented brewer at work here. The Genuine Draft was a malty delight, while Uncle Vinny’s Cream Ale was as smooth as silk, with notes of vanilla.

The New Zealand Pilsner was faithful to the style with a fresh herbal, almost grassy taste, and the Best Day Ever had the characteristic flavours of an IPA, but was smooth, well-balanced, and accessible. My favourite had to be the Red Zeppelin Raspberry Wheat Ale, with all the distinctive flavour of a wheat beer combined with a subtle hint of raspberry — not too sweet, not too tart, but a delicious beer with fruit notes, rather than a fruit drink. We couldn’t leave without taking a few beers to share with friends back home, so we bought some cans of the sublime Green Jacket Pale Ale and a crowler of Uncle Vinny’s before bidding farewell.

Our home for the weekend was in the aptly named Happy Valley, right at the head of a vast trail network. We awoke on Sunday morning to a damp, misty day, but after two hours of hiking through lush forests, we were rewarded with the sun breaking through the clouds to reveal glimpses of mountain tops and spectacular scenery. 

It was still too early for a beer (even for us!) so we refuelled at The Alpine Grind Coffeehouse with freshly brewed coffee and the most divine scones I’ve ever tasted, before heading over to check out the Rossland Museum and Discovery Centre. 

The museum is on the Kootenay Rockies West Ale Trail, and when we looked around it became evident why — Rossland has a rich tradition of craft beer, and the museum has a whole exhibit dedicated to the business of brewing. The exhibit features a detailed history of the town’s breweries, artifacts including old barrels and taps, historical photos, and even a recreation of a bar. The highlight for me, however, was the wall of back-lit glass bottles, which included beer bottles from Victoria Brewing Company, alongside bottles from the pre-prohibition Rossland breweries. The museum is much more than beer though; it’s huge and covers Rossland’s fascinating history from the early gold rush boom years to the more recent incarnation of mountain sport resort town.

By the time we dragged ourselves away from the museum, lunch was fast approaching. The sun had now come out in full force and it was a beautiful day for a drive, so we set off along the Columbia River towards Salmo. Erie Creek Brewing was our destination and as we sat down to tasty pizzas and a couple of flights, we were very happy with our choice. 

Salmo is a tiny village with barely over 1000 residents, but in 2020 Colin and Lynn Hango saw the need for a community hangout and decided to open a craft brewery there. With a stage at one end of the tap room, posters advertising live music and open-mic nights, an inviting fireplace, and a foosball table, the vibe the Hangos have created at Erie Creek Brewing is certainly one of a welcoming local hub. 

The building that houses the brewery was once a bank, complete with a bank vault which has now been turned into a cozy snug — perfect for those snowy winter days. The website states that they have “No crazy brews, just easy drinkers that will leave you asking for another,” and that was reflected in the flights we sampled. There are no gimmicks here, just clean, refreshing crowd-pleasers, ranging from the crisp Victory Pilsner to the approachable Erie Mist IPA. Our favourite was Cold Waters Kolsch, and we left Erie Creek with a six-pack to enjoy in the hot waters of the spa later that evening.

Our time in the Kootenays was too brief to visit all the of breweries in the area, and we were disappointed to miss Trail Beer Refinery (this brewery is closed on Sundays and Mondays so plan accordingly if you’re thinking about visiting) and Tailout Brewing in Castlegar. Thank goodness for the well-stocked liquor store in Rossland then, which allowed us to sample a few beers from the other superb local craft breweries from the comfort of our vacation hot tub. We are already planning a return trip to visit these breweries in person, and maybe check out one of the numerous festivals that take place in the area during the summer. The Beer Goggles Craft Brew Festival, held at Red Mountain Resort on 6th July, was being advertised during our stay and certainly piqued our interest. Maybe that’s the weekend we should return.

The post A Long Weekend in the West Kootenays appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

Shirley Warne may be a self-declared bitch, but she is warm, welcoming, and clearly loved by the staff at her brewery. I’ve just driven nine hours from Vancouver to reach the tiny village of Kaslo, tucked away on the shores of Kootenay Lake and just an hour’s drive from Nelson. On Kaslo’s main drag, populated by Gold Rush-style shops and shadowed by snow-topped mountains, sits Angry Hen Brewing, opened by Shirley in December 2017. On this quiet Saturday night, as I’m relaxing after the long drive, Shirley joins me in the brewery for a pint and a chat. She puts our beers — a Fowl Play Hazy IPA for me and Straw Man Lager for her — on her tab and tosses some coins in the tip jar for the staff. The woman running the tasting room gives her a quick hug before they close up for the night.

These small details reveal that Shirley has cultivated a positive relationship with her employees. After decades of working in the beer industry and dealing with difficult bosses, she knows the value of a safe and warm working environment. From homebrewer and bottom-of-the-ladder brewery grunt to brewery owner and brewmaster in the village she loves, Shirley has seen it all — and she’s put all that knowledge to use. As one of BC’s first female craft brewers, she fearlessly trailblazed in a male-dominated industry. Even though she’s never been interested in public attention and therefore rarely makes it into beer publications (Lundy Dale’s interview with her for What’s Brewing is a notable exception), she’s had a deep influence on craft brewing here in BC.

Climbing the Brewing Ladder in Ontario

Shirley’s career began not in BC, but at Conner’s Brewing in Mississauga, Ontario. After years of homebrewing with her twin sister Pat and beer tasting across Europe, she decided to pursue brewing full-time. A friend introduced her to Paul Hoyne — eventual co-founder of Lighthouse Brewing in Victoria — who got her in the door at Conner’s, a production brewery that opened in 1985 but closed by 1990. She didn’t stay long; there was little room for creativity, but, unfortunately, plenty of room for sexism. Paul and the other brewers were wonderful mentors, but the company’s owners were crude and misogynistic to the young female brewer-in-training. She quit within a year, but shortly afterwards met Amsterdam Brewing’s Joel Manning. She made sure she tried his beer before she took a job with him (it passed the test).

“Joel was such a great guy,” Shirley recalls. Manning ended up being a valued fellow brewing colleague for several years. While brewing at Amsterdam, and its sister brewery, Rotterdam, she trained Tony Dewald and Harley Smith, brewers who would make their mark in BC brewing. “When Harley first started, he made some kind of off-colour joke and I jumped right on him,” Shirley laughs. “But we ended up being best friends.”

Bootlegging and Brewpubs in Vancouver

By the early ‘90s, Shirley decided to leave the brewing scene in Toronto to join her sister Pat in Vancouver. Just as they had during university, Shirley and Pat took up homebrewing in their apartment again. “We would bootleg beer from that apartment! We had these big parties,” she recalls. “I don’t think I can get in trouble for it now though.” Their homebrew was so popular that tipsy neighbours would come knocking late at night, looking for whatever they were selling. “That was when I first brewed the Old Bitch,” Shirley says, referring to the Old Bitch Bitter she later brewed for Brassneck and Angry Hen. “It was one of our most popular beers back then.”

Finding brewing opportunities in Vancouver proved to be a challenge. “BC and Ontario were stagnant for a while,” Shirley says, referring to the 1990s beer scene. When Yaletown Brewpub opened in 1994, she applied for the job of head brewer but lost out to Iain Hill, now co-owner of Strange Fellows Brewing. However, she was soon contacted by Eli Gershkovich, a lawyer who was opening a new brewpub in Gastown. He’d visited Dan’s Homebrewing Supplies on Hastings — a haven for all Vancouver homebrewers — and asked for brewer recommendations. Dan gave him Shirley’s name. When she showed up for her interview, she brought some of her homebrew: a bitter, a brown, and a lager. They hired her that same day, and Shirley Warne became the first brewer at the new Steamworks Brewpub.

At Steamworks, Shirley had free rein over the brewing programme as well as the freedom to shut down unwelcome suggestions or interference (she didn’t fear losing her job — Eli wanted to keep her on). In her first week, she met Conrad Gmoser, a young man who was working as an assistant to the architect and moonlighting as a carpenter but swiftly developed an interest in brewing. Vern Lambourne, now of Parkside, and her old friend Harley Smith also both worked under her at Steamworks. When she left Vancouver in the late ‘90s for opportunities in the Maritimes, she trained up Conrad to take her place as brewmaster. And when she returned to Vancouver in the early 2000s, she took up homebrewing again — this time in Conrad’s garage.

Back in Vancouver after a few years away, Shirley was itching to open her own brewery.  After purchasing brewing equipment, she spent several years trying to find investors. Leads that were initially promising gradually dried up. By 2007 she was fully disheartened; she gave up her dream and sold the equipment. For close to a decade, she helped new breweries start up and did occasional brewing jobs. The Ridge Brewpub in Osoyoos, for example, would fly her out for brew days (they gave her no creative license in the brewhouse though). Shirley helped Conrad and his friend Nigel Springthorpe open Brassneck Brewing in 2012, and her Old Bitch Bitter was one of the first beers they put on tap (unlike Eli at Steamworks, they were fine with the “offensive” name). She was also behind the scenes at Bomber Brewing in Vancouver and Crannóg Ales in Sorrento.

Finding Her Passion: Angry Hen Brewing

But Shirley still wanted her own brewery. Gradually, after multiple visits and a lot of planning, she and a small group of friends purchased a storefront property in Kaslo for $165,000. The village was the home of her sister-in-law, and it was also a place that resonated with her: the close-knit community, the picturesque high street, the nearby mountains and lake.

In December 2017, with fellow Brassneck brewer Jeff Leake along for the ride, Conrad made the snowy drive out to Kaslo to help Shirley set up and get through her first few brews. After they left, she had to do her first solo brew before opening day. She was on her own — sleep-deprived and “going a bit crazy,” in her words. Things started going wrong. She was about to chill the beer into the fermenter then realized she hadn’t sanitized the tank. Everything needed to stop. The hops were left in the kettle far longer than planned while she got the fermenter clean, resulting in a beer that was more bitter than expected. She called it “Freak Out” as a homage to her state of mind at the time. “But there are people who still ask for it!” she says, smiling.

On December 17, 2017, opening day, Shirley and her staff were so pressed for time that brown paper was still on the taproom windows in the mid-afternoon. Jolayne and Brenda, a couple from the nearby village of Balfour, had planned a visit to the new brewery after their afternoon hike and were disappointed to find the windows papered and the doors locked.

Jolayne called the brewery from its own front steps: “Hey, are you guys open today?” “Yes….” “Well… when?” When Shirley realized the two women were standing right outside, she decided to open up a bit ahead of time — why not?

After the window paper came down and the doors were unlocked, Jolayne and Brenda eagerly entered to try Angry Hen’s first lineup of beers: a Christmas Ale, the East Meets West IPA, a Pale Ale, a Helles, a Kolsch, and (of course) the Freak Out. It was a memorable evening, and the couple remain good friends with Shirley and her wife Fran to this day.

The Ethos of Angry Hen and Reflections on a Life in Brewing

Angry Hen is a brewery borne of skill, diligence, passion, and personality. The name itself was generated years before, in the mid-2000s when Shirley was homebrewing in Conrad’s garage and wanted to make her own homebrew brand. A friend’s suggestion of “Old Hen or something” (in Shirley’s recollection) was close but not exactly what she wanted. She found herself inspired by Feathers McGraw, the goofy-looking yet villainous penguin in the Wallace & Gromit cartoons. She loved the way he was both silly and aggressive — so she turned Old Hen into Angry Hen. “After all, I get angry!” she laughs. Shirley asked a friend who lived in her building, graphic designer Terry Sunderland, to sketch a cute yet mean chicken for her logo. This devil-eyed hen is now the face of Shirley’s brewery; with its chubby body and comically stick-thin legs, it holds a cleaver and stares menacingly to the side.

As the logo — and my conversations with her — might suggest, Shirley doesn’t feel the need to placate jerks or ignore bad behaviour just because she’s a woman. Fortunately, the jerks have been limited. While some owners have been dismissive or derogatory because of her gender, her fellow brewers have always respected her.

“Those guys never treated me like I was less than or second class,” she says.

Her willingness throughout her career to help other brewers, accept help in return, and maintain confidence in her own decisions, has solidified her reputation in the industry.

When she needs to defend her choices, however, she has no problem doing so. Shirley recalls one customer entering Angry Hen feeling, well, angry. “I’m really offended by that name! It’s very sexist!” the woman said to Shirley, pointing to the Old Bitch Bitter on the tap list. Shirley’s response was frank: “Well, I’m the brewer. It’s my beer — and I’m an old bitch! I’ll call my beer what I want.” It may be a bit shocking, perhaps offensive, but I personally find the beer’s name — and her attitude — refreshing. She’s transformed a traditionally derogatory term into an empowering one. Sometimes we’re angry. Sometimes we’re bitchy. Shirley gives herself (and other women) permission to acknowledge that.

Angry Hen has brought new life to Kaslo over the past six years. It draws tourists into the village, of course, but it’s also a hub for the locals. “Kaslo’s living room” is its affectionate nickname. In having her own brewery, Shirley now has full creative freedom in what she makes and how she markets it — something that she longed for decades ago in Vancouver. It’s not just the creativity of brewing she loves, though; it’s also the physicality.

“I like moving around. I can’t sit still,” she says. “I like everything analog when it comes to brewing — I don’t want to brew with buttons.”

Moving and touching and feeling are the things she loves about making beer. Most breweries’ mash tuns have a mechanized stirring arm, but Shirley still stirs the mash herself with a large paddle. “I can feel the thickness of it, the viscosity,” she says when I ask her why she mashes by hand. “I can tell if there’s any balling. I can control the flow of the grist. I know what’s happening with it at every stage.”

This “hands-on” instinct seems to characterize much about Shirley. She is deeply involved in all aspects of her brewery, from front-of-house to brewhouse. She cares about it — and about the people. She extended her care and generosity to me, inviting me to share a meal at her home where she cooked up some amazing burgers, introduced me to her sister, her pets, and her friends, and even tried my homebrew (my skills are woefully inadequate compared to hers, but she was gracious in her feedback).

If you want some good beer, you’ll certainly find it at Angry Hen — but you’ll also find a deep sense of community and connection. Kaslo’s little brewery truly is home to a hidden legend of BC craft brewing and an inspiration to women in craft brewing everywhere. Are you ready for your next road trip?

Along with many breweries in BC, Angry Hen is faced with imminent repayment deadlines of the federal CEBA loan that kept them afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic. In an effort to assist this small BC business, a GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up by a friend of the brewery.

The post Angry Hen Brewing and the Legacy of Shirley Warne appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

The auditorium goes crazy as Margo Mayhem steps onto the stage with an inflatable flamingo around her tiny waist. Underneath, she’s wearing a corset and not much else. She strikes me as a Betty Boop character with her black curly hair and bright red lipstick. Next up: her partner both in life and burlesque, Samson Night. New Yorkers might recognize him as Mustafa from Broadway’s Lion King. The audience screams as Samson Night drops his luggage and so much more for the Nelson crowd. 

It’s fitting we’re in the Capitol Theatre—built in 1927, the vaudeville house matches the exotic 1940s burlesque vibe. The duo, called Midnight Mayhem when they perform together, are internationally recognized burlesque dancers, but also regulars in Nelson’s burlesque scene. 

Over the century and a half since gold miners first dropped their pickaxes into local dirt, Nelson, BC, has become the cultural hotspot of the West Kootenays region. It became a beacon for counterculture and cool artsy types. Eight hours from Vancouver, through countless mountain passes, Nelson is called, “the best small arts town in Canada.” 

The town also got huge artsy credibility as the location of Steve Martin’s 1986 movie, Roxanne.

“The setting, which is as much a part of the film’s appeal… is the gorgeous, homey-looking little town of Nelson,” wrote Janet Maslin of The New York Times. 

Much of the energy and creativity is palpable and apparent walking through the alleyways, which serve as giant canvases for murals: cartoon cats, Indigenous art, historical figures and so much more. 

Since it began six years ago, the Nelson International Mural Festival has attracted world-class artists to paint the alleyways. A popular piece called Silver King by Kelowna-based graphic artist and illustrator, Benji Andringa, aka Lowclassart, is a mural that represents the multilayers of Nelson. The trout, named Gerrard, reveals Nelson’s claim to have the largest rainbow trout in the world. The campfire and turtle reveal the fun-loving festival culture. The toad is a nod to nearby Toad Mountain, home of the Silver King Mine. 

And that fun-loving wizard driving the bus of bears and van dwellers? “Those are some of the characters you might run into around town,” says Benji.

It’s true. Nelson locals are a stylish bunch and they aren’t afraid to dress up. At night, I’ve seen everything from feathery boas to puffy orange jackets and odd colourful outfits – likely found at a local thrift shop. There are many consignment shops in Nelson, but none weirder than Moon Monster’s Secret Cave. Walking down into the store is like entering another dimension – the walls and shelves are full of animal masks, twisted-looking baby dolls, religious iconography, buddhas, glass penises and so much more. Vintage clothes hang alongside crystal pendants and amulets of fortune and mystery.

The town itself has unique architecture: giant stone turrets, red brick archways and ornate stone cornices. Thanks to an 1897 bylaw stipulating only brick and stone to avoid fire damage, the buildings are some of the best-preserved architecture in the province.

One of my favourite corners of town – the Hume Hotel is on one side with its name in giant bright letters on the top of the hotel beside the Nelson Museum Archives & Gallery, which has a giant, grand turret. Its meticulously restored chateau-like Richardsonian Romanesque-style architecture is made from granite, nearby Kaslo marble, locally made brick, and pink brick from Spokane, Washington. Inside the history is just as intense.

The permanent exhibit reveals bits of local Sinixt and Ktunaxa culture – a meticulously stitched moccasin bootie, a black-and-white photograph of Chief Edward, the last hereditary Sinixt chief dating back to 1872 dressed entirely in animal skins. 

Across the street in the lobby of the Hume Hotel, completed in 1898, a picture of pioneer J. Fred Hume and his wife Lydia resides over the stairwell. Throughout the hotel are giant black-and-white photographs of locals fishing and hiking in bygone days. And, in a glass cabinet near the restaurant—monogrammed dishes from the turn of the century. The Hume’s own dishes! 

I’m not surprised: Nelson takes its food and restaurants seriously. According to Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism, Nelson has more restaurants per capita than Toronto, Manhattan or San Francisco, including a rainbow of diversity (hippie pun intended). 

I’ve tasted Vietnamese Pho at Yum Son, with broth that simmered for 24 hours; indulged in key lime gelato topped with marshmallow and torched like crème brulé at Gina’s Gelato; and eaten mountains of duck, fig jam and multiple cheese trays of charcuterie at The Black Cauldron whose spooky cocktails are potions of tasty herbs, fruits and booze. 

For a town of just over 10,000, there are three craft breweries each with their own brand of cool vibe. Backroads Brewing is a great spot to people-watch on Baker Street, and the bathroom walls are plastered with magazine images of mountain bikers. Meanwhile, Nelson Brewing Co., based in a historic building that housed a brewery back in 1897, has tastings, taproom tours and special artists’ nights. Torchlight Brewing is a fun open space with video games and trivia nights every Sunday. 

My favourite activity is catching the energetic vibe on Baker Street, the main street and heart of the city. At Broken Hill, I pick away at a smoked meat platter and listen to street musicians from Mexico. We meet tourists from Kelowna. “Every server has a side hustle, a passion project,” says Lauren Christoffersen, our server, who repurposes clothes on the side. 

The hallmark of any civilized and artsy urban centre: coffee. Nelson is blessed with so many. John Ward Fine Coffee on Baker Street attracts an afternoon crowd closing at 3 pm on Saturdays. Down the hill, No6 is a boutique micro-roastery that has a tasting bar, but don’t expect a take-out cup – the eco-minded owners don’t have them! And way up the hill is the ultimate space for reading, working or daydreaming. With its wooden beams and twirly iron fixtures, Oso Negro feels like you’re having java in the forest with the birdies. When owner Jon Meyer renovated the café 18 years ago, the details were important: “Seventeen different metal workers left their mark here; I wanted it to be all or nothing.” 

Arriving by motorcycle from Montreal in the late ’70s, Meyer was fascinated with two things: roasting good coffee and being around good people. They pay fair wages to coffee producers in Guatemala, and every morning seven employees serve upwards of 1,000 customers a day. 

But the coolest thing about Nelson is the mystery and surprises—what’s around the corner, what will happen if you just wander? On our last night in Nelson, it happens—along Baker Street, we discover The Royal’s anniversary: free live music! Inside, it’s packed. A guy playing a ukulele strums amidst the noise and laughter. A giant screen behind the bar plays reruns of Bob Ross painting. 

The next morning, the weirdness doesn’t stop: as we’re walking our dog near the airport, alongside Kootenay Lake and a community of boat garages, we notice the water is exceptionally low on the beach. Walking onto the sand, we see a huge labyrinth: an underwater spiral of rocks. Aliens? I wasn’t able to find who made them, but locals have a variety of names for the formation: Eye of Neldor, The Nelson Lines, The Kootenay Labyrinth. Whatever the name, it makes me giggle. Why are they there? Why not? This is Nelson. Weird? Definitely. Cool? Unquestionably.

Want to explore Nelson this fall? The timing couldn’t be better to take advantage of our Fall Sip & Stay deals, including a great package at the Savoy Hotel in Nelson! Available for stays between October 15 to December 20, 2023.

The post Cool Nelson appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

KOOTENAY BEER FESTIVAL

Saturday, September 16, 2pm – 7pm
Tickets $40 + include entry and 5 drink tickets.

Taking place in Nelson’s Railtown, the 2nd annual Kootenay Beer Festival is set to be the perfect event to cure what ales you. Add it to your calendars and get ready for an unbeerlievable evening celebrating local craft drinks and their makers. Tap into more than 16 breweries, cideries and distilleries from 14 communities from across the Kootenay Rockies at this brewtiful festival. Attendees will be well fed by food vendors and trucks, and entertained with live music performances from local bands throughout the day. Not to forget many garden games to keep you hoppy!

This outdoor festival will be set in Railtown, a short walk from downtown Nelson along Baker Street. Just don’t forget when the train passes by, and honks, to give it a cheers!

WHO’S POURING?

From stouts to lagers, IPAS to sours, and everything in between, our craft breweries are bringing both their classic and experimental brews for you to sample. Be the first to test out new releases from your favourite local breweries, or crack open something completely different.

For tickets or more information visit the festival website, facebook or instagram pages.

You can also find a place to stay here.

Then, one week later, celebrate in Cranbrook at Canada’s oldest beer festival on tour!

GREAT CANADIAN BEER FESTIVAL ON TOUR: Cranbrook

Saturday, September 23, 12pm – 5pm
Tickets $45 includes entry and 10 beer tokens.

After celebrating in Victoria on the weekend after Labour Day as usual, GCBF will hit the road for the first time ever in its 29-year history. You’ll be able to experience tasting Canadian craft beer from coast to coast in the basecamp of the Kootenay Rockies.

GCBF On Tour will bring forth a line-up of close to 100 beers from breweries in BC and across Canada, including a few ciders and non-alcoholic brews. This festival will also have food available for purchase from local food trucks, music and entertainment, plus local businesses with booths you can browse as you sip on your delicious craft beer.

Who’s Pouring?

Wild North Brewing Company
Whitetooth Brewing Company Ltd.
Fernie Brewing Co.
Lillooet Brewing Company
Mt Begbie Brewing Co
Grist & Mash Brewing
Over Time Beer Works
Naito Brewing
Encore Brewing
Fisher Peak Brewing
Three Ranges Brewing Co

*AND breweries from Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Foundland and Nova Scotia

PLUS the BC Ale Trail-er pouring an additional 8 breweries from around BC.

For more information or to order tickets visit the event website.

Book a Sip & Stay package to enjoy a weekend in Cranbrook.

The post End of Summer Kootenay Road Trip to Festivals appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

I approached the first trailhead for my latest book, Beer Hiking: Canadian Rockies in early ’22. What lay ahead for the rest of the year, as I wound my way through fairy forests, summited mountains, and wandered through valleys, were (at least) 30 hikes and 30 craft beers from breweries around both BC and Alberta.

The Rockies are my old stomping grounds — they’re where I grew up. My hometown of Banff was my base, from where I mapped out craft breweries and their hike pairings prior to spending whatever free days I had hitting the road to track, photograph and note take my way through this novel and utterly enjoyable route in the Canadian West. 

The perfect hike-and-brewery pairing has more to do with proximity than serving up the most epic climb, and often offers a unique aspect of either cultural or geographical significance. Choosing favourites is a nearly impossible task but highlighting a few that deliver a variety of both landscapes and ales in BC is a simpler task. 

Stoke Climb (Revelstoke) 14 km  

Known for its long runs and legendary powder, Revelstoke has been on my radar, primarily, as a winter destination. Stepping off the gondola to join the trailhead mid-mountain, mid-summer, at the Revelstoke Mountain Resort can be disorienting. With the Pipe Mountain Coaster descending downward over grassy slopes to one side and mountain bikers propelling themselves down the other side, I sauntered upward towards the sign marked Stoke Climb, and was soon surrounded by old growth in the middle of the world’s only inland temperate rainforest. Although the gain in altitude for this hike is substantial, the path meanders gently through such a variety of terrain, the climb seems — almost — inconsequential. Higher up, as the grade steepens, alpine meadows bursting with wildflowers gave me reason to pause and to soak up the layered diversity of this region. A few switchbacks later, I was delivered to my destination, the sub-summit, with stellar views of the Columbia River valley, the Monashee mountains to the west and the Selkirks to the South.    

Rumpus Beer Co. 

I found the taproom at Rumpus Beer Co to be a cozy and comfortable place to relax after what amounted to one of my longest hikes. Located in the heart of Revelstoke, it’s named so because the atmosphere is meant to be casual and fun, like that of a rumpus room. It’s solely an on-premise brewery with pints and flights of beer served in-house. The line-up is posted on a blackboard above the bar and frequently erased and replaced with new rotations of draught. You can, however, purchase growlers and crowlers, fill them with what’s on tap, and take them with you. My pick was the citrusy and crisp Space Nugs Pale Ale, one of the draughts that can almost always be found on rotation. 

Another brewery to visit in Revelstoke is Mt. Begbie Brewing. Both breweries can be found on the Kootenay Rockies East Ale Trail.

Creston Marsh Loop and Wildlife Tree Wander: 7.6 km.  

Exploring a river delta wetland wasn’t what I, at first, imagined for a book about hiking in the Rockies, but as I navigated the beautiful and lush Creston Marsh Loop in a valley surrounded by the Selkirk and Purcell mountain ranges, I knew this impressive region was going to help me showcase the incredible environmental diversity of the Rockies. The loop is located in a 7,000-ha conservation area called the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area. Stepping foot onto the boardwalk at the trailhead, I was greeted by a sudden rustling in the bushes and a menagerie of birdsong. In total, the area is home to 392 different wildlife species including many fish, amphibians, birds, insects, and reptiles as well as deer, moose, elk, and bears.

Early on, I climbed a three-story wildlife lookout tower that provided a spectacular view of the wetlands and surrounding mountains before I continued on the trail through tall grasses, cattails, ponds, and channels. At the back of the loop, I left the marsh area behind to hike among tall and picturesque cottonwood trees on the Wildlife Tree Wander. Look out for a big wooden box called the “bat condo” just before turning back through a corridor of shrubs and trees on a stretch called Beaver Boulevard. It was mid-day and I didn’t see any beaver activity nor turtles lounging about in the mid-day sun so I think I’ll have to return again, some day! 

Wild North Brewing

A tart and jammy Kootenay River Raspberry Sour at Wild North Brewing was exactly what I needed after a hot afternoon walk in the wetlands. Creston locals, and husband and wife team, Lisa and Craig Wood, started Wild North Brewing with four high school friends. Despite Creston being home to the international heavyweight, AB-InBev/Labatt Brewing’s Columbia Brewery, they perceptively recognized a need for a local small-batch craft brewery in the community. In 2021, while in the middle of a global pandemic, they made the decision to provide an enduring gathering place to sip delicious beer and to share stories when their community needed it most. An old transit spot was transformed into a brewery and taproom and they haven’t looked back. 

Wild North Brewing can be found on the Kootenay Rockies East Ale Trail.

Pulpit Rock (Nelson): 4.1 km

Pulpit Rock is an energetic ascent to panoramic views over the city of Nelson. Dubbed by the locals as a “walk in the park,” I heard that Pulpit Rock has had Nelsonites hiking it for nearly a century since there used to be mining sites on the mountain. The hike runs up the spine of a mountain that locals refer to as Elephant Mountain. The well-worn trail meanders through a series of short switchbacks that efficiently elevate you over 300 metres to an unobstructed view of the city and surrounding mountain ranges. If you don’t have your own hiking poles and you feel you might need some extra support, there’s often a stash of them at the trailhead — yours to borrow on the honour system.

This was my final hike for Beer Hiking: Canadian Rockies and a bench solidly perched atop the ridge provided me with the perfect spot to take a load off and to absorb the beer hiking pilgrimage I’d been on for months. 

Nelson Brewing 

This brewery is 125 years old and BC’s largest fully certified organic brewery. In 1892, the original Nelson Brewing and Ice Company was founded in the same building on Latimer Street that today houses the Nelson Brewing Company. Left unoccupied for 40 years in 1956 when the brewery moved a little way down the road to Creston, it eventually reopened in 1991 in its original historical building. I made the choice to crack open a gritty, caramel-y can of Hooligan Pilsner which had the following written on its side: “A classic Pilsner that’s bold and built for adventure.” After a summer of hiking, this author highly agrees! 

To read more about the history of Nelson Brewing check out this blog.

Nelson Brewing can be found on the Kootenay Rockies West Ale Trail.

About the Author – Kendall Hunter

Kendall grew up in Banff National Park in Alberta, and the hiking trails and ski slopes of the area were her backyard playground. She learned to walk and ski simultaneously—frozen diapers and all—when her parents strapped skis to her feet when she was all of 13 months old. Throughout her teenage years, she was a competitive ski racer, training in the French and Italian Alps and on the perennial snowfields of the Pacific Northwest during the off-season, and competing in the Rockies every winter. In Kendall’s final semester as a political science major at the University of Calgary, she worked in Johannesburg as a news photographer for an independent Black newspaper. At the time, South Africa was preparing for its first democratic elections. She was asked by her editor to stay on through the elections, and thus covered one of the most important stories of the 20th century: the demise of apartheid rule in South Africa. Kendall’s first book, Black Taxi: Shooting South Africa, is a photographic memoir about her experience. She wrote her second book Switzerland: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture, for the CultureSmart series while raising a family in Zurich.

She returned to her home-town in the Rockies in 2009 with her two daughters and began working on her next project, a memoir about traveling with her children to meet some of the world’s top women photojournalists. After a few years in Toronto, where she ventured into the start-up world with plans to develop an online platform for traditional artisans, Kendall once again felt the pull of the Rockies. In 2022, she learned about the Beer Hiking series. Realizing that there were few better places for hiking and beer than her old stomping grounds, she headed west to explore the trails and develop a taste for the Rockies’ finest craft beer. When Kendall is not writing, she’s probably doing her next favourite thing: focusing her camera on the paradoxes and natural beauty of the world around her.

The post Beer Hiking in the Canadian Rockies  appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

Keen to get a closer look at why shredding pairs so well with beer, I interviewed five beer-loving, BC-based riders to get the in on their favourite brews, breweries, and what’s keeping them stoked this winter season.

Dylan Siggers

Local resort: Fernie Alpine Resort
Go-to brewery: Fernie Brewing Co.
Instagram: @dylansiggers, @burrrlapz, @electricblanketbandclub
Fun fact: I play in a band called Electric Blanket Band Club

Can you describe your passion for skiing in three words?

I always use the word spastic for my skiing. And I don’t want to use the word creative but I want something to tie in making videos … so maybe collaborative. And powder.

Sweet, what’s your best trick?

I don’t know if I have a best trick because I’m more of a powder guy, but I do tricks in powder. My favourite trick is probably a 180, but usually that’s off something that makes a 180 a hard trick to do. I like to do them off big cliffs or something.

How long have you been shredding in Fernie?

I actually grew up here. My parents moved here when they were in their 20s — I was born here and just haven’t left.

So you’re one of those rare locals. I noticed you also ride for Fernie Brewing Co. What’s your favourite beer?

I’m not even biased, but Hit The Deck [Hazy IPA] is my favourite beer out of all the local breweries. I also like Finish Line [Hazy Pale Ale], but I like Hit The Deck more.

If you were a Fernie Brewing beer, which would you be?

Hit The Deck… I think cause I’m kind of tangy, and like, a lot to handle.

What’s your favourite way to drink a can of the good stuff?

With my thumb and then shotgunning.­­

Brenna Donaldson

Local resort: Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
Go-to brewery: Whitetooth Brewing Co.
Instagram: @bkesleyd
Ambassadorships: Orage, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
Fun fact: I competed in the Junior Freeride circuit in my teens

What are three words that describe your stoke for shredding?

Fun, creativity, and longevity.

Do you have any go-to tricks?

Big ol’ powder turns, and slashes that get all the snow up in your face are my go-to.

Where do you go to kick back with a beer after a long day on the slopes?

Whitetooth Brewing Company! I’m a little biased — I’m the tasting room manager and marketing manager there. It’s one of my absolute favourite places to go after a day of riding. That being said, I do enjoy a lot of BC breweries. I’m currently sippin’ on a Kelp Stout from Tofino Brewing and the Con Leche Horchata Style Milk Stout from Twin Sails has been a bit of a staple in my après beers this year.

So if you were a Whitetooth Brewing beer, which would you be?

I think I would be Thread the Needle Witbier. A light and refreshing beer, made with lemongrass, coriander, and szechuan pepper. Easy-going, but just a little spicy.

What’s your favourite way to crack open a bottle of Thread the Needle?

My favourite way to crack a cold one is pretty chill. Post ski, fire going, gear drying, dinner cooking, and most of the time my beer is paired with some sort of board game. Just the absolute best way to wind down!

Is there anything, in particular, you’re looking forward to this season?

My aim is to stay local, to try to enjoy everything my wonderful backyard has to offer, and to ski as much as I possibly can!

Kyle James

Local resort: Sun Peaks Resort
Go-to brewery: Bright Eye Brewing
Instagram: @kylejamesimages
Youtube: KyleJames1
Fun fact: I was 26 when I learned to snowboard…at an indoor slope in Glasgow

Describe your stoke for shredding in three words…

Relentless, constant, and frothy!

Do you have a favourite, frothy trick? 

Can’t beat a smooth backy for feeling feisty and free.

Speaking of free, paint me a picture of your favourite way to crack a cold one…  

Picture this: I’ve been riding with the crew all day, finding the purest of lines. We reach the bottom of the hill on the last run of the day. We think the good times are over when one of the boys pulls out a cooler — it’s stacked with brewskis, we’re talking IPA, pale ale, weissbier, you name it. The sun begins to set, we all turn to one another, nodding in appreciation of a stellar day. Right as we cheers, the clouds ignite in a fiery glow. We stare in amazement. This is perfection. End scene.

You mentioned you like Bright Eye. If you were one of their beers, which would you be?
I would be their Napoleon cause just like that stout I’m tall, dark, and handsome (and love walks on the beach). For real though, that flavour combo — milk stout with coffee, caramel and sea salt — is a good personality match. Punchy and smooth, classic Scotsman.

Anything you’re looking forward to this season?

I’m stoked on many more amazing powder days riding and getting banger shots of my homies, then kicking back and chilling in the hot tub with a cold one.

Aut-Lin Foster

Local resort: Sun Peaks Resort
Go-to brewery: Bright Eye Brewing
Instagram: @autlinfoster
Ambassadorships: McSporties, Armada
Fun fact: This year I became the Armada ambassador for McSporties – one of my lifelong ski career goals has been achieved and I’m incredibly stoked and hyped.

Describe your stoke for skiing in three words?

I’m actually staring at the words on my fridge right now — they’re live, freedom, and ski. Years ago, I went and picked up a car on the Island, and on the way back at the terminal there was a stand with a bunch of these little laser-cut metal magnets. I saw them and picked out the three that jumped out to me right away. And yeah, they were live, freedom, and ski.

 Do you have a favourite trick?

I’d have to say my favourite trick to do is a cork seven.

Fancy! What’s your favourite way to crack a cold one?

I’d have to say I’m a huge fan of the après, not even just after a good day, it could be a bad day, just after any day skiing with friends.

Do you have a go-to brewery?

I’d say my favourite one would be Bright Eye.

What’s your typical order?

It changes all the time, but usually my go-to is the darkest beer they have on the menu. Anything that’s a stout — they usually have really good stouts. Most times I go there I don’t even look at the beer menu, I just say “Give me the darkest beer you guys have.”

If you were a beer from their menu, what beer would you be?

I’m trying to think of a beer that would have layers of flavour to it … actually I would be a flight of beer, because there’s lots going on. There are definitely lots of different layers to me, lots to get to know and understand.

PJ Hunton

Local resort: Kimberley Alpine Resort
Go-to brewery: Container Brewing
Occupation: Senior design engineer for Norco Bicycles
Youtube: Less Work, More Play
Fun fact: I do a bunch of different types of shredding: skiing, noboarding, snowmobiling, and of course mountain biking

Describe your stoke for shredding in three words…

Love doing skids. Because basically all of the things that I do are about doing skids.

Apart from skids, what do you love most about winter adventures?

I like to go to places where I feel really small and totally insignificant. Then the other part of it is the actual shredding — it’s those moments of bliss where you’re two-wheel drifting or carving a big fat high G-force turn on skis. The combination of those two…life doesn’t get much better than that.

Do you ever bring beers on your adventures?

There are many great times to drink beer, but after a day of shredding, ideally in the backcountry…nothing really tastes better than that. Like yesterday, I went ski touring with a good buddy of mine, and because I’m a good snowmobiler I know you should always bring beer with you. I mean, it is a bit of a religious thing to be able to do.

Do you have a go-to local brewery?

I’m not dedicated to one brewery, but certainly, some of my local favourites would be Over Time Beer Works in Kimberley. Fernie Brewing is doing an amazing job with a lot of their beers these days, and same with the Nelson Brewing Company. I was also in some ways sad to leave the city from a beer perspective, because a couple years ago two of my good buddies started Container Brewing, and I have a real hankering for the beers those guys make.

Do you have a favourite Container Brewing brew?

Their Forty Footer is a super good one.

What’s the run you love to shred at your local ski hill — and what’s your favourite local beer to enjoy afterwards? Post your pics and tag the @bcaletrail!

Don’t live near any of the mountain resorts listed above? Please use this as a resource for planning your next winter trip. Some of these beers are also available in liquor stores throughout British Columbia, so you can seek them out there or check the individual brewery’s website for possible delivery or shipping options.  

Know before you go: Plan ahead so you can travel safely and responsibly. On this page, you can learn about the latest updates to provincial health orders & recommendations, air travel, weather alerts, and more.

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