Canada’s best beers were feted at the Canada Beer Cup Awards Gala in Québec City on November 10.

While the trophy for Best Beer in Canada went to Québec’s own Microbrasserie Charlevoix for its Flacatoune Belgian Blonde, breweries from British Columbia took home the majority of the beer awards by a wide margin.  

Overall, BC craft breweries won 36.8% of the prizes, almost twice as many as the next best province, Québec, which won 19.7% of the awards. Alberta was third at 18.4%, and Ontario claimed 13.8%, with Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan all coming in around 3%.

Judging for the Canada Beer Cup took place in mid-September in Calgary, Alberta. The panel of 44 judges included international adjudicators from Belgium, Germany, Scotland, Mexico, and the USA, as well as across Canada. The Best in Show panel featured a group made up entirely of BJCP Grand Master judges. 

In total, BC breweries won 56 out of the 152 beer-specific awards, including first place in 18 of 51 different categories. Breweries from BC swept four of the categories, including the Feature Category: Western Canadian Gambrinus Pilsner Malt; American Amber Beer; Single Packaging; and, fittingly, the highly contested West Coast IPA style. Notably, BC breweries also took first and second in the Canadian Spruce Tip Pale Ale category, a style that has a strong connection to our west coast forests.

Notable BC Winners

Four BC breweries each won three awards in total, including Deadfall Brewing from Prince George, which previously took home the Canada Beer Cup in 2023; Courtenay’s Gladstone Brewing; Smithers Brewing, which recently won Best in Show at the 2025 BC Beer Awards; and Steamworks Brewing of Burnaby.

Deadfall Brewing from Prince George won one gold and two bronze awards:

• Gold – Basal Brown Ale (2023 Canada Beer Cup winner)
• Bronze – Circinate Kettle Sour
• Bronze – Aurora Session Pale Ale

Gladstone Brewing from Courtenay won three silvers:

• Silver – Gladstone Pilsner
• Silver – Gladstone Marzen
• Silver – Gladstone Red Ale

Smithers Brewing won one gold and two bronze awards:

• Gold – Morning Star Coffee Lager
• Bronze – Cucumberliner Weisse
• Bronze – Speciální Tmavé 14º, Výčepní Světlé 10º, Polotmavý Ležák 12º (Series Packaging category)

Steamworks Brewing won one gold and two bronze awards:

• Gold – Heroica Red Ale
• Bronze – Triple Berry Sour
• Bronze – John Oliver Pale Ale

Beva Brewing & Blending from North Vancouver won top marks for:

• Gold – Old Days
• Gold – Mambo Italiano (Single Packaging category)

Kelowna’s Jackknife Brewing won two awards:

• Gold – Hair Straight Back
• Bronze – Whiskey Throttle

Whistler’s Coast Mountain Brewing won two awards:

• Gold – Miki’s Rice Lager (Community & Collaborations Packaging)
• Bronze – Green Therapy West Coast IPA

Victoria’s Whistle Buoy Brewing won two awards:

• Gold – Fuzzy Peach
• Silver – Spruce Tip Pale Ale

For the complete list of winners, check the Canada Beer Cup site. Here are a few more winners from British Columbia…

The post B.C. Breweries Celebrate Excellence at the 2025 Canada Beer Cup appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

The 2025 BC Beer Awards were announced on October 17 in New Westminster, BC.  Taking top honours were Camp Beer Co. (Brewery of the Year) and Smithers Brewing (Best in Show).

Since opening in 2019 just before the pandemic, Camp Beer Co. has developed a fantastic reputation and a devoted following in the local community. Well known for its creative range of beers and its popular tasting room, Camp was awarded the BC Ale Trail’s Best Brewery Experience Award in 2022.

Camp won five BC Beer Awards, including one gold and four silvers:

• Gold: Barrel Aged Flannel Pyjamas 2025 (American Porter and Stout)
• Silver: Camp Light (American Light Lager)
• Silver: S’mores Milk Stout (Amber and Dark British Beer)
• Silver: Merchants of Barley (Strong American Ale) 
• Silver: Tequila Sunrise (Alternative Fermentables Beer)

Best in Show went to Smithers Brewing for its Smithersbräu Festbier.

This follows Smithers Brewing winning Brewery of the Year at the Canadian Brewing Awards earlier this year. In other words, Smithers is on quite a run right now!

Overall, Smithers Brewing won three awards:

• Gold: Smithersbräu Festbier (Pale Malty European Lager)
• Gold: Hipster Fuel IPA (American IPA)
• Bronze: Let’s Get Ready to Crumble (Specialty and Historical Beer)

Checkerhead Brewing was named Rookie Brewery of the Year.

Checkerhead Brewing in Shirley, west of Sooke on the southern end of Vancouver Island, got the attention of the judges and the BC Craft Brewers Guild. The founder of Checkerhead Brewing, which is a solo operation, showcased passion, enthusiasm, and great patience to get the brewery open during difficult economic times. It probably helped that he is a professional comedic juggler so he knows how to manage multiple challenges simultaneously!

Spinnakers’ Paul Hadfield wins Legend Award

As the original architect, co-founder and longtime publican of Spinnakers Brewpub in Victoria, Paul Hadfield has played a huge role in the ongoing growth and development of the craft beer industry in British Columbia. Hadfield worked with craft beer pioneer John Mitchell, who opened the first microbrewery in Canada in 1982, Horseshoe Bay Brewery, to get Spinnakers started in 1984.

During the 1990s, he guided Spinnakers to be an early founder of the Slow Food movement in Canada, working with local farmers and producers to supply ingredients for Spinnakers’ kitchen, which remains one of Victoria’s leading restaurants today. He also successfully fought unfair laws that didn’t allow brewpubs to package and sell their own beer through the government liquor store system.

Over the past 40+ years, Paul Hadfield has always worked hard to promote beer tourism in BC and is a big part of why Victoria is the recognized “craft beer capital” of Canada. And throughout numerous challenges, including multiple fires at Spinnakers, he has rallied and shifted strategies to keep Spinnakers successful while also paying its staff a living wage.

Paul Hadfield is truly a Legend in BC’s craft beer community.

Multiple Award Winners

The awards were well distributed among 61 different breweries from all over the province. All in all, 90 awards were given in 30 different categories. In addition to Camp Beer Co. and Smithers Brewing, several other breweries won multiple awards. Most notable are Penticton’s Tin Whistle Brewing, which won 5 awards, and Burnaby’s Dageraad Brewing, which took home 4.

Tin Whistle Brewing won two golds, one silver and two bronze awards:

• Gold – Black Widow
• Gold – Cherry Blossom Japanese Lager
• Silver – Glorious Hazelnut Coffee Milk Stout
• Bronze – Coyote Lager
• Bronze – Real Good Light Beer

Dageraad Brewing won four awards, including two golds:

• Gold – Field Theory
• Gold – Blonde
• Silver – Dart Lager
• Bronze – Antigoon

Victoria’s Phillips Brewing + Malting  won three awards:

• Gold – Dinosour Dragonfruit Lychee
• Bronze – Crooked Tooth Nitro
• Bronze – Dinosour Dragonfruit Lychee

Mountainview Brewing in Hope won two golds for two different versions of the same beer — so it must be exceptional!

• Gold – Serpent’s Back Caribbean Stout
• Gold – Barrel-Aged Serpent’s Back

For the full list of awards, visit the BC Beer Awards website.

This annual event celebrates excellence in British Columbia’s craft beer industry, serving as the premier awards ceremony and festival for BC’s craft brewers. As part of the BC Craft Brewers Conference and BC Craft Beer Month, the BC Beer Awards shine a spotlight on the province’s top craft breweries and brewing talent. At its core, the BC Beer Awards is a province-wide competition spanning a wide range of beer styles, judged by certified beer experts.

The post The 2025 BC Beer Awards Crowns Camp Beer Co as Brewery of the Year! appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

The air is cooler, leaves are changing colour, and the sun is setting a bit earlier each evening. Sweater weather features a distinct range of seasonal beers, including Oktoberfest-themed lagers, pumpkin-infused ales and fresh hop IPAs.

Here is a selection of fall-themed beers from B.C. craft breweries. Look for them from your favourite breweries or on local liquor store shelves.

Every Pint Tells a Story — Supporting Local. Celebrating Community.

Fresh is Best!

September is fresh hop season, when many BC breweries create special beers using hops fresh from the harvest at local farms. Best known is likely the OG from Driftwood Brewery, Sartori Harvest IPA, but many other breweries also make fresh hop beers.

Storm Brewing embraces its location in the industrial heart of East Vancouver by utilizing hops grown in its own neighbourhood.

The resulting Fresh Hop IPA is only available for a short period of time — until it runs out.

Storm Brewing can be found on the Yeast Vancouver Ale Trail. 

See below for other fresh hop beers, along with other fall seasonals from BC craft breweries.

Two fall releases from Cannery Brewery:

• Vees Edition Lakeboat Lager (5% ABV | 20 IBU) This is a special edition German-Style Lager to celebrate the Penticton Vees and their inaugural 2025-2026 season in the WHL.
• Cannery Zombie Swarm Double IPA (8.5% ABV | 80 IBU) This Double IPA is packed with a hoard of Cascade, Centennial, Columbus, Simcoe and Amarillo Hops.

Cannery Brewing can be found on the Penticton Ale Trail.

Fresh Coast Fresh Hop IPA – Container Brewing (6% ABV)

A citrusy grapefruit-like bitterness sets off a satisfying base of earthy pine and wood aromatics provided by the fresh Centennial hops. Lightly malty with a hint of honey like sweetness for balance.

Container Brewing can be found on the Yeast Vancouver Ale Trail.

Three fresh hop beers from Yellow Dog Brewing:

• Alpha Dog Fresh Hop Pale Ale (5.2% ABV | 60 IBU)
• New Tricks Fresh Hop Hazy IPA (6.8% ABV | 50 IBU)
• Little Dog Syndrome Fresh Hop Double IPA (8.2% ABV | 80 IBU)

Yellow Dog Brewing can be found on Brewers Row in the Port Moody Ale Trail and on the Penticton Ale Trail.

Three harvest-themed beers from Locality Brewing:

• Provenance Melon Hazy IPA (6.5% ABV | 50 IBU) Fresh cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon from A Rocha Farms paired with Vista and Huell Melon hops.
• Cranberry Cherry Haywire Cherry Sour(5% ABV | 10 IBU) Tart cranberry juice from the BOG riverside farm paired with cherries and a touch of lemon.
• “Not Sorry” Nanaimo Bar Brown Ale (5.7% ABV | 15 IBU) Smooth layers of milk chocolate and toasted coconut make each sip taste like a liquid Nanaimo bar.

Locality Brewing can be found on the Langley Ale Trail.

Three harvest beers from The Patch Brewery:

• New Traditions Fresh Hopped Pale Ale (5.5% ABV) A 100% Laity Farms beer using the farm’s own Laity Pilsner Malt and farm-grown Cascade Hops.
• Oktoberfest Lager (5.7% ABV | 28 IBU) A medium bodied malty amber lager with flavours of toasty biscuit malt.
• Pumpkin Patch Pumpkin Ale (5.8% ABV | 25 IBU)

The Patch Brewery can be found on the Maple Ridge Ale Trail.

Three fall beers from Howe Sound Brewing:

• Pothole Filler Imperial Stout (9% ABV) Bold and decadent, this Imperial Stout pours deep with flavours of roasted coffee and dark chocolate.
• Pumpkineater Pumpkin Ale (8% ABV) An imperial ale brewed with pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.
• Seasonal Confusion Strata IPA (6.8% ABV) Brewed with Strata hops, this IPA bursts with strawberry, passion fruit, grapefruit and melon.

Howe Sound Brewing can be found on the Sea to Sky Ale Trail.

Three autumn beers from Mariner Brewing:

• German Export Lager (5%| 20 IBU ABV) A fest bier that captures the essence of Oktoberfest with its crisp and malty flavor profile, balanced by a hearty amount of noble hops.
• Lights at Lafarge Dark Lager (5.6% ABV) With notes of dark caramel and hints of rich chocolate, balanced by spicy noble hops and a flinty, dry finish. 
• Belgian Tripel (8% ABV) A beautiful Belgian-style tripel brewed with pear and honey.

Mariner Brewing can be found on the North of the Fraser Ale Trail.

Layer Up Apple Pie Brown Ale from Beacon Brewing (5.5% ABV)

A spiced brown ale with notes of cinnamon along with big apple flavour. Served on Nitro for an extra special treat/

Beacon Brewing can be found on the Greater Victoria Ale Trail.

Ghostrider Pumpkin Brown Ale by Fernie Brewing Co. (5% ABV | 13 IBU)

Named after a local Fernie legend, Ghostrider is brewed with pumpkin, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and allspice.

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

Two fall releases from Dead Frog Brewery:

• Pumpkin Spice Creamsicle (4.2% ABV) A smooth, creamy, and cozy seasonal brew packed with pumpkin and perfectly balanced with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
• Nutty Family Pack (6.1% ABV) This 4-pack includes 2 cans each of Nutty Uncle Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout and Nutty Auntie Chocolate Hazelnut Porter.

Dead Frog Brewery can be found on the Langley Ale Trail.

Two beers from Backcountry Brewing:

• Maple Bay IPA⁠ (6.5% ABV | 30 IBU) Brewed with fresh Cascade and Centennial hops from the Maple Bay Hop Farm. The gorgeous label was created by local Métis artist Jean Paul Langlois.
• It Was the Style at the Time⁠ (5% ABV | 20 IBU) Celebrate Oktoberfest with this delicious Bavarian-style Festbier.

Backcountry Brewing can be found on the Sea to Sky Ale Trail.

Nitro Blackheart Oatmeal Stout – Nelson Brewing (5.7% ABV)

A classic full-bodied stout with notes of chocolate and coffee, elevated by a creamy-smooth Nitro finish.

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

Buckwild Stout from Grey Fox Brewing (5% ABV | 23 IBU)

The gluten-free Buckwild Stout is a classic available year round but perfect for the fall season. 

Grey Fox Brewing can be found on the Kelowna and West Kelowna Ale Trail.

Celtic Ember Scottish Red Ale from Silverstar Brewing (5.5% ABV)

This Scottish Red Ale embraces rich malt character with a warming blend of butterscotch, caramel, and toffee, evoking the essence of a traditional Scottish brew.

Silverstar Brewing can be found on the Southern Interior Ale Trail.

Lederhoser Festbier from Encore Brewing (5.5% ABV)

Ditch your ball caps and grab your toques, ya hosers! The Lederhoser is a German-style festbier brewed exclusively with Canadian ingredients. Prost!

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

Crooked Tooth Nitro Pumpkin Ale from Phillips Brewing (7% ABV | 24 IBU)

This seasonal classic is a full-bodied ale brewed with fresh pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Phillips Brewing can be found on the Greater Victoria Ale Trail.

Also, look for the Hop Selection Mixed Pack  currently available in the Phillips retail store and coming soon to private liquor stores across BC. It includes four hazy IPAs designed to showcase the unique character of three standout hop varieties:

• Luminosa Single Hop Hazy IPA (7% ABV | 30 IBU)
• Galaxy Single Hop Hazy IPA (7% ABV | 30 IBU)
• Strata Single Hop IPA (7% | 30 IBU)
• Luminosa, Galaxy, Strata Hazy IPA (7% | 30 IBU)

Twilight Bliss Dark Cream Ale from Off the Rail Brewing (5% ABV | 26 IBU)

This is a smooth and comforting Dark Cream Ale that boasts gentle notes of roasted malt, caramel and a touch of chocolate — rounded out by a velvety mouthfeel.

Off the Rail Brewing can be found on the Yeast Vancouver Ale Trail.

Cali Common by Field House Brewing (5.5% ABV)

Originating in San Francisco, and traditionally brewed for “the common man,” this lager is fermented at ale temperatures. Crisp and malty with a golden amber colour. 

Field House Brewing can be found in Abbotsford on the Fraser Valley Ale Trail.

Fresh Hop IPA from Category 12 Brewing (6% ABV)

Capturing the peak of the hop harvest, Centennial hops grown at Topp’s Hops in the Chilliwack Valley were picked at their prime and rushed to the brewery the very same day!

Category 12 Brewing can be found on the Greater Victoria Ale Trail.

Nebenstrasse Festbier – Backroads Brewing (5.7% ABV)

A clean, smooth and complex malty lager featuring bready notes and a slightly spicy hop profile from German noble hops.

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

Three fall-themed beers from Patina Brewing:

• Marzen (6.5% ABV) Brewed and lagered in the traditional Munich style.
• Blueberry Wheat (5.6% ABV) Fermented with 500 lbs of local blueberries and finished with the oil of 838 cold-pressed lemons. 
• Horchata Cream Ale (5.5% ABV) Notes of vanilla and cinnamon will light up your tastebuds and then let them down easily with its smooth finish.

Patina Brewing can be found on Brewers Row in the North of the Fraser Ale Trail.

Pumpkin Pie Ale – Storm Brewing (5% ABV)

Pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, clover, black pepper, and vanilla in an ale that packs all the flavour you can expect from Storm. 

Storm Brewing can be found on the Yeast Vancouver Ale Trail.

Three fall beers from PoCo Brothers Brewing:

• Dark Lager (4.5% ABV) An award-winning Schwarzbier with notes of toasted caramel, a hint of bitter chocolate, and a beautiful dark copper colour.
• Thiolized Wheat Ale (4.5% ABV) Brewed with 40% German malted wheat, this ale boasts a smooth texture and a crisp finish. Infused with coriander for a subtle spice and dried orange zest for a zesty kick.
• Easy Pale Ale (4.5% ABV) A crisp, refreshing pale ale that highlights Canadian malt and classic West Coast hops in perfect harmony.

PoCo Brothers Brewing can be found on Brewers Row in the North of the Fraser Ale Trail.

The post Autumnal Ales, Fresh Hop IPAs & Oktoberfest Lagers appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

When it comes to drinking a specific beer on a certain day of the year, there is no better-known example than drinking stout on St. Patrick’s Day. The tradition goes back a long time, mainly because of the marketing efforts of the Dublin-based Guinness brewery. The craft beer community tends to avoid some of the overdone aspects of St. Patrick’s Day boozing (eg. green-coloured macro-lager), but there’s nothing wrong with celebrating the day by enjoying a pint of your favourite stout (or porter) brewed by a local brewery.

What’s the difference between stouts and porters anyway?

Not much. No, seriously, they are pretty darn similar. Try doing a blind tasting sometime and see if you can identify a porter in a line-up of stouts or vice versa. Ask a few different brewers and you might find you’ll get contradictory answers, too.

According to the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) Style Guidelines, porter is “a moderate-strength brown beer with a restrained roasty character and bitterness. May have a range of roasted flavours, generally without burnt qualities, and often has a chocolate-caramel-malty profile.” Meanwhile, Irish Stout is described as “a black beer with a pronounced roasted flavour, often similar to coffee.” The main difference here seems to be the colour but, in my experience, most porters are just as dark as stouts.

That’s because porters and stouts evolved together over the course of the last 300 years or so, shifting as technology and society changed, and nearly dying out entirely (except for Guinness) before the styles were revitalized during the craft beer revolution of the past 40 years. And once craft brewers get their hands on a beer style, well, you know what happens next… (Consider the IPA and all of its offspring: Hazy IPA, Black IPA, White IPA, Sour IPA, Wild IPA, Imperial IPA, Session IPA, Cold IPA, etc.)

Most BC breweries brew a stout or a porter, and some even brew both regularly. I reached out to Tak Guenette, Head Brewer at Gladstone Brewing in Courtenay and asked him to help us learn how to tell them apart. (Note: At the time of our original conversation back in 2021, Guenette was making both styles of beer at Gladstone. Unfortunately, the brewery does not have the stout in its lineup currently.)

Joe: What do you think the difference is between a stout and a porter?

Tak: Porters generally will be more chocolate-forward, while stouts exhibit more coffee notes. Of course, there’s a bit of overlap in those flavours.

Joe: What sort of different ingredients or techniques do you employ in brewing them?

Tak: With our porter and Irish stout, the brewhouse process and fermentation are pretty similar. To achieve the desired flavour profiles, we use about 9% chocolate malt, 6% crystal malt, and 3% black malt in our porter, while our Irish stout contains 10% roast barley and 4% chocolate malt. Both contain a bit of wheat as well for body.

Joe: What do you hope your customer would notice if they tasted them side by side?

Tak: The Irish stout is served on nitrogen, which really helps differentiate the two beers. Even if both beers were served the same way, I’m confident that each beer would be noticeably different. What would be more interesting is asking our patrons how they would classify the two beers.

Brewing evolution through technology

History tells us that porters evolved first. In fact, originally, stouts were just strong porters, as in “stout porters.” The word stout was used to describe stronger versions of all kinds of beer: stout ale, for instance. So is a stout simply a strong porter? Well, it was once, but not anymore.

Porter has a mythical origin story. Back in 1722, according to the Oxford Companion of Beer, a brewer named Ralph Harwood decided to create a special blended beer for “a publican who ran the Blue Last, a working-class watering hole on Shoreditch’s Great Eastern Street.” The pub was popular with so-called “porters,” strong men who carried goods unloaded from ships at the docks to markets, shops and warehouses in the heart of London. The new beer was a hit and came to be named after the porters who loved it.

Beer historians argue that porter wasn’t created in one day, but rather evolved as the population of London swelled and new technological advancements allowed for breweries to grow larger and larger. According to Sean Hoyne, owner-brewmaster at Hoyne Brewing in Victoria, the first breakthrough was the brewer’s hydrometer, which was invented in the late 1700s. Prior to that, brewers could only guess at the efficiency of the malts they used, with the results varying considerably from batch to batch. Hoyne explained that using a hydrometer showed brewers that they could get much better extract out of pale malt than from the brown malt they had mainly been using before that.

Another technological advance in the early 1800s led to the creation of “black patent” malt, which brewers could use to give porter its dark colour while using higher quality (and cheaper) pale malt to make up the majority of the grain bill. It also gave the beer more of a roasted, coffee-like flavour.

Porter was the most popular beer style in England during the 18th and 19th centuries, and one of the many brewers who made it was Arthur Guinness in Dublin, which finally brings us to stout. Guinness started brewing porter in the 1770s, including a stout porter, and his brewery has been making it ever since.

Eventually, with the rise of pale styles like IPAs and pilsners in the late 1800s, porters and stouts dwindles in popularity. In the early 20th century, British beers became dominated by lower alcohol styles like milds and bitters, and porters disappeared almost entirely. Guinness dropped the “porter” part of the name at some point but kept calling it stout, even though it lowered the alcohol content to 4.1% ABV.

Many BC breweries serve stouts using nitrogen gas, just like Guinness, and some even package their stouts in nitrogenated cans, allowing you to enjoy the effect at home. Aside from making the beer extremely photogenic, nitrogen’s smaller bubbles help create a creamy body and pillowy head in the beer.

There are several variations on stouts and porters, including:

• Milk stout, which is brewed with unfermentable lactose to give it a sweet taste and creamy texture
• Baltic porter, a stronger version often brewed with lager yeast; and
• Russian imperial stout, which is very strong (above 10% ABV) and often aged in whisk(e)y barrels for added flavour and booziness.

Craft breweries also like to add ingredients like coffee/espresso, chocolate/cacao nibs, coconut, vanilla, and fruit to stouts and porters. There is even a style called white stouts where breweries brew a beer with only pale malts but try to emulate the flavours and body of a stout with ingredients like vanilla beans, cacao nibs and coffee beans.

Today’s stouts and porters likely don’t resemble the original versions from 200 years ago but, then again, who cares? Find your favourite version of each and there you have the perfect example of the style—for you.

Here are some fine examples of porters and stouts from the BC Ale Trail. Sláinte!

Both stouts and porters are often served on nitro taps at brewery taprooms and pubs, emulating the old Guinness tradition, which results in an ultra-creamy head and body. If you want a Guinness-style stout from your local craft brewery, look for an Irish Stout or Dry Irish Stout on the menu. If you want to try something stronger, ask for an Imperial Stout or Russian Imperial Stout — but be careful, sometimes those are bolstered by being aged in whiskey barrels, resulting in alcohol levels rising well above 10% ABV!

Hoyne Brewing (Victoria) – Finnegans Irish Stout (5.1% ABV)

Hoyne uses nine different malts in this stout: “My base pale malts are a couple of varieties from the UK, and then I have five different colouring malts, including black malt and roasted barley, and two different types of chocolate malts.” Although Hoyne does not make a porter regularly, he said, “I’d probably use less Black Patent malt and more roasted barley, and aim for a higher original gravity and final gravity to bump up the sweetness and accentuate the creamier mouthfeel.”

Crannóg Ales (Sorrento) – Back Hand of God Stout  (5.2% ABV)

Long considered one of the best stouts in BC, Back Hand of God is hard to find, but if you can find it on tap in your region, you won’t be disappointed.

Container Brewing (Vancouver) – All Season Dry Nitro Stout (4% ABV)

This delicious nitro stout features four different can designs to suit the seasons. Container also brews an imperial stout called Seawise Giant.

Old Yale Brewing (Chilliwack) – Sasquatch Stout (5% ABV)

Named “Best Beer in Canada” at the Canadian Brewing Awards in 2014, Old Yale’s Sasquatch Stout is smooth with notes of chocolate, espresso and dark roasted malts.

Townsite Brewing (Powell River) – Perfect Storm Oatmeal Stout (5.5% ABV | 30 IBU)

Townsite’s Belgian brewer, Cédric Dauchot, makes one of the tastiest stouts around. This is a rich, round and roasty oatmeal stout using flaked oats and roasted barley along with Columbus, Cascade, and Golding hops.

Persephone Brewing (Gibsons) – Dry Irish Stout (4.5% ABV)

Nitrogenated for a smooth texture, this has a coffee-like aroma with undertones of freshly baked oatmeal cookies and toast with a subtle bitterness.

Barkerville Brewing (Quesnel) – 52 Foot Stout (7% ABV)

This delicious stout, which is brewed with birch syrup, has won multiple awards, including 1st place at the 2022 BC Beer Awards — adding to the trophies pictured above!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Look for some of these stouts and porters in your local stores or check your local craft brewery to see if they brew one. Most breweries do.

The post Seek Local Stouts & Porters for St. Patrick’s Day appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

Read on to learn more about side pours and slow pours before you seek them out to taste for yourself. 

FŌM, the World Acknowledged® Lager Tour, kicked off February with foamy lager tap takeovers at The Magnet in Vancouver and The Drake Eatery in Victoria. The Barley Merchant in Langley also joined the foamy festivities as of February 10. As the month progresses, tap lists will shift from golden lagers to darker, maltier styles. The participating venues will also feature gravity pours (similar to cask ales poured from a bartop but from a keg instead) and even a Beer Poking Day — which involves inserting a red-hot poker into a glass of beer to caramelize the sugars, adding smoky, roasted or toasted marshmallow notes to the beer. Yes please, you can poke my beer any time!

What’s All the Fuss About Foam?!

OK, maybe you have already encountered one of these specialty pours “in the wild.” You can be forgiven if you considered complaining to the server about a short pour when your pint of Czech-style lager arrived with three fingers of foam on top — hopefully, you restrained yourself and took a sip because then you probably lost any desire to complain considering how delicious it was.

Much of the foamy fanaticism is focused on a special so-called side-pour (or side-pull) tap, manufactured in Plzen, Czechia, that is the cause of all this free-flowing froth.

As American beer writer, Ruvani da Silva, writes in her 2023 article, Less Beer, More Foam, 

“No longer seen as a fault in service, foam is being reconsidered stateside as a sought-after indicator of sophisticated serving and an integral part of the beer-drinking experience—all thanks to a single, purpose-built tap. The Lukr has landed.”

Lukr is the Czech company that manufactures the taps that have been showing up in breweries all over North America over the past few years. According to da Silva, sales of these taps have topped 5,000 in the U.S. and we can assume that several hundred have been shipped to Canadian breweries, too. 

Lukr was founded in Plzeň in 1991, just a couple of years after the Velvet Revolution, which is the name given to the peaceful movement that marked the end of the Communist era in Czechoslovakia in November 1989. The Czech brewing industry and associated technology had not changed much over the previous 50 years of Communist rule so Lukr saw an opportunity to adapt and update traditional Czech beer taps for the modern market. 

Compared to a typical beer tap with a plunger valve that is either open or closed, Lukr side-pour taps employ a ball valve, compensator and strainer. The system gives the tapster much more control over the mix of beer and “wet foam” going into the glass. 

This “wet foam” is what it’s all about, according to Brent Mills, the brewmaster at Four Winds Brewing who was an early adopter of Lukr taps. Mills first encountered a side-pour in Plzeň while he was on a beer-and-cycling trip in 2016. Later, he installed one at Four Winds in 2020 where they used it off and on during the pandemic.

As Four Winds built its second location, the Four Winds Beach House & Brewery that opened in Tsawwassen last summer, Mills designed the brewhouse there for Czech decoction-style brews and ordered a custom tap tower from Lukr for the bar. On a subsequent trip to Czechia as part of a trade mission for brewers put on by the Czech government, the delegation visited the Lukr factory in Plzeň. After getting a one-on-one pouring tutorial, Mills said he spotted his own custom tap tower under construction in the brass tower manufacturing area. (He actually got in trouble for picking it up because it wasn’t sealed and polished yet. They were worried he would leave fingerprints on it, but he said if that happened, they would be his own fingerprints so he wouldn’t care.)

This was in April. A few months later, he was installing the beautiful burnished brass tower (without any fingerprints) at Four Winds’ new Beach House & Brewery ahead of its opening that summer. That tower has eight “nostalgie” taps, which is the most traditional one Lukr makes, and the brewery also has another set of eight “freedom” taps, which are designed for the North American market (the tap handle swings forward rather than to the side so the taps only need three inches between each other whereas the traditional side-pour taps need four or five inches of space).

Proper side pours result in gorgeous and photogenic glasses of beer topped with cream-like foam, but according to Mills, the beer doesn’t just look good, it also tastes great. 

“First, the foam that sits on top is a controlled foam with really tight bubbles. It’s kind of similar to the foam of a latté. It’s really silky and soft. Once you get that foam cap there you fill the beer underneath, and with that foam on top, you’re not allowing as much C02 to dissipate. And then under that silky, smooth foam is really bright, vibrant, carbonated beer that’s protected from oxygen as well. So you can sip the foam, which is really lovely, you can go through the foam and get some really crisp beer, or you can mix the two and it’s another unique experience.”

Mills has trained his staff on proper pouring techniques and they actually pour most of their beers through Lukr taps, including IPAs, which he says are “an elevated version of a regular IPA.”

Mile Zero Brewing — Certified Lukr Tapsters

Mile Zero Brewing installed a traditional Lukr tap shortly after it opened in 2022, and eventually expanded its tap lineup with five Lukr freedom taps. Co-owners Michelle and Mike Morgan also travelled to Czechia to attend Lukr’s Perfect Pour Academy. The each attended a three-day intensive course where they spent 20 hours learning hands-on at Lukr’s Beer Training Facility before the “final exam,” which required them to pour pints at a busy beer cellar in Plzen, side by side with a professional tapster. In the end, Mike and Michelle both earned the title of “Lukr Certified Tapster.”

How to Order Czech-Style Pours

Hladinka (“standard”): two to three fingers of foam on top of gorgeous golden lager.
Šnyt (from German “schnitt” for “cut”): two parts beer, three parts foam, and one part empty space at the top of the glass.
Mlíko (“milk”): a mug of mostly wet foam that tastes sweet and smooth. Drink it in one go!
Řezané (“cut”): similar to a British “black & tan” this is a layered beer with a light lager on the bottom and dark lager on top.

Slow Pour or Side Pour?

Another similar but different pouring technique is known as a “slow pour.” You might already be familiar with this technique because of a certain well-known Irish stout’s marketing campaign, “Good things come to those who wait.” Like Guinness, which is poured slowly in stages using a typical beer tap but with a nitrogenated gas mix, a Lukr side-pour can also be used to pour beer in steps that result in a meringue-like foam cap that rises well above the rim of the glass.

Brent Mills says the foam generated by a slow pour is more bitter and acrid. He likens it to the foam on a cappuccino while wet foam is more like the sweet foam on a latté. To each their own. I’ve been known to cycle up to Sidney for a slow-pour Neverending Pilsner at Small Gods Brewing and then stop for a side pour of Westy Czech Pilsner at Category 12 Brewing. 

(Video: courtesy of Luppolo Brewing – a time-lapse view of a slow pour).

Where Can You Try a Side Pour?

Several BC breweries (and taphouses) offer specialty pours through Lukr side-pour taps. Here is as complete a list as we could compile – we will update it as more breweries add these specialty pours to their beer lineups.

The Barley Merchant • Langley

• Check out their IG video talking about their three side pour taps, and FŌM feature brews

Brassneck Brewery • Vancouver

Category 12 Brewing • Saanichton

The Drake Eatery • Victoria

Driftwood Brewery • Victoria

Fuggles Beer • Richmond

• Pixel Pilsner is available on side pour; watch for rotating lagers throughout February

Luppolo Brewing Company • Vancouver

The Magnet • Vancouver

Mile Zero Brewing • Metchosin (Greater Victoria)

The Parkside Brewery • Port Moody

• Side pours are always available, usually the Dawn Pilsner

Small Gods Brewing • Sidney

• At Small Gods, they love their side pours so much they made a custom logo!

Tinhouse Brewing • Port Coquitlam

• Watch for a rotating selection of brews to be featured, like the PoCo Pivo Italian Pilsner and the Czech Your Head Tmave Pivo (Dark Lager) which will be back later this summer

The post Move Over Dry January — Welcome to Foamy February! appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

After winning Beer of the Year at the 2018 BC Beer Awards shortly after it opened, Twin City Brewing won the BC Ale Trail’s Best Brewery Experience award in 2020 before winning Brewery of the Year at last year’s BC Beer Awards.  Twin City Brewing is located in Port Alberni, which is home to two other craft breweries, and is part of the Vancouver Island Part II Ale Trail.

Overall, Twin City won five awards, including two golds for Falltoberfest in the Pale Malty German Lager category and Out On A Limb (Specialty Fruit Beer), two silvers (Swedish Gymnast and Big Yikes!) and a bronze (Spruce Tip Swedish Gymnast).

Best of Show Goes to Strange Fellows Brewing

Sharing the podium with Twin City Brewing was Vancouver’s Strange Fellows Brewing, which won Best of Show for its Coolship Lambic beer as part of a four-award haul. Notably, Strange Fellows won one of its awards for a non-alcoholic beer, Nevertheless IPA:

• Gold – Coolship Lambic (Sour & Wild Ale )
• Silver – Ludwig Festbier (Pale Malty German Lager)
• Silver – Jongleur Wit (Belgian Ale)
• Bronze – Nevertheless IPA (Specialty/Experimental Beer)

North Vancouver’s Beva Brewing & Blending Wins Rookie of the Year

Beva Brewing  & Blending has been garnering lots of attention for its beer and food. The North Vancouver brewery won two awards, including one gold and a bronze:

• Gold – Brico (Malty UK & Irish Ale)
• Bronze – Figurati (Sour & Wild Ale)

Judge’s Choice Award Goes to Dageraad Brewing

Burnaby’s Dageraad Brewing was highlighted by the judges who selected Dageraad’s Blonde for special attention in addition to awarding the brewery two gold medals:

• Gold – Blonde (Belgian Strong Ale)
• Gold – Burnabarian (Belgian Ale)

Legend Award Honours Tony Dewald Posthumously

The BC Beer Community mourned the loss of a longtime brewer, mentor and friend in 2024. Tony Dewald began brewing in Ontario after an early career as a touring musician with Deja Voodoo, and then followed his friend Harley Smith (Longwood Brewery) to BC. Tony began brewing at Dix BBQ & Brewery in 2002 and developed a great reputation there, helping to turn Dix into one of the go-to venues for beer lovers and local brewers alike. Later, Tony brewed at Dead Frog Brewery and Trading Post Brewing in Langley.

Last year, Tony Dewald received the inaugural John Mitchell Lifetime Achievement Award for Brewing Excellence. For the full story check out our blog.

Multiple Winners

Several other breweries had strong showings as well, taking home multiple awards. Notably, Bayview Brewing of Ladysmith won three trophies, including two golds and one silver:

• Gold – Famous Ladysmith Blonde (North American Light Ale)
• Gold – Cowichan Valley Common (North American Amber & Brown Ale)
• Silver – Bayview Brunette (North American Amber & Brown Ale)

Vancouver’s Brassneck Brewery also won two golds and a silver:

• Gold – No Brainer (North American Light Lager)
• Gold – Rose Changeling (Specialty Wild Ale)
• Silver – Umlaut (Weissbier)

Gladstone Brewing (Courtenay) won three awards, including one gold:

• Gold – Gladstone Glad Light (Pale Bitter German Lager) 
• Bronze – Gladstone Kolsch (Kölsch)
• Bronze – Gladstone Red Ale (North American Amber & Brown Ale)

Nearby in Comox, Land & Sea Brewing also won three awards: 

• Bronze – Goldfinch Helles (Pale Malty German Lager)
• Bronze – Glacier Cream Ale (North American Light Ale)
• Bronze – Westward IPA (North American IPA)

Smugglers Trail Caskworks (Langley) also won three third-place awards:

• Bronze – Flaskers British Ale (Hoppy UK Ale)
• Bronze – Picnic (Specialty Fruit Beer)
• Bronze – Scrumpers Blueberry Peach Sour (Fruit Beer)

Based in Burnaby, Steamworks Brewery won three awards including two golds:

• Gold – Halo (Specialty IPA)
• Gold – Empress (Imperial IPA)
• Silver – John Oliver Lager (North American Light Lager)

Port Moody’s Yellow Dog Brewing won a gold, silver and bronze:

• Gold – Chase My Tail Pale Ale (North American Pale Ale )
• Silver – Retriever Golden Ale (Hoppy UK Ale)
• Bronze – Rollover Cerveza Negra (Amber Lager)

Also of note, Parallel 49 Brewing (Vancouver) won two gold medals:

• Gold – Bierfest Hefeweizen (Weissbier)
• Gold – Filthy Dirty (North American IPA)

For the full list of awards, visit the BC Beer Awards website.

The post Twin City Brewing Repeats as Brewery of the Year at the 2024 BC Beer Awards appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

After two straight years of being won by BC breweries, the Canada Beer Cup is moving to Saskatchewan.

Pile O’ Bones Brewing of Regina wins with its Quark, Strangeness, Charm Witbier. Congrats to Pile O’ Bones!

Brewery representatives from across Canada were in attendance at the Gala Awards Night, which was held in New Westminster on October 18, and many of those folks from British Columbia were hoping to see the Canada Beer Cup stay in BC for a third year (Callister Brewing won in 2022 and Deadfall Brewing won in 2023).

Judging for the Canada Beer Cup took place in mid-September in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The panel of 32 judges included three from British Columbia, along with others from across Canada, the United States, Mexico and Europe. As one of three Head Judges, I helped pick the panel and organize the judging ahead of time, but unfortunately, I came down with COVID just before the judging itself so I was unable to travel and participate in that part. 

The Best of Show judging session featured an all-female panel of judges, including BC’s own Noëlle Phillips, a regular contributor to the BC Ale Trail blog.

Overall, breweries from British Columbia won 65 trophies out of a total of 166 awarded, including 18 gold awards, 24 silvers, and 23 bronze. BC breweries also swept two of four Packaging categories, a separately judged component that was added to the Canada Beer Cup this year.

Burnaby’s Dageraad Brewing came closest to keeping the Canada Beer Cup in BC with Tous Les Jours, a mixed-culture fermented table beer, which took a gold in the Low-ABV category and then was the bronze winner (second runner-up in the Best of Show judging that determined the overall winner). Dageraad also won a silver for Antigoon in the Belgian Golden Strong category.

Last year’s Canada Beer Cup winner, Deadfall Brewing from Prince George, took home the most awards of any single brewery in the competition, snagging five in total:

• Gold – Succession NEIPA
• Silver – Dark Mild
• Bronze – Belgian Dark Strong
• Bronze – Basal Brown Ale (2023 Canada Beer Cup winner)
• Bronze – Aurora Session Pale Ale 

Penticton’s Tin Whistle Brewing was also a big winner with three beers winning awards and one packaging award:

• Silver – Cherry Blossom Sake Lager
• Silver – Core Series (series packaging)
• Bronze – Peach Cream Ale
• Bronze – Real Good Light Beer

Four Winds Brewing of Delta, BC won three silver awards:

• Silver – Nectarous Dry-Hopped Sour
• Silver – Ultralite IPA
• Silver – BBNOALC Non-Alcoholic Sour Beer

Gladstone Brewing from Courtenay, BC also won three awards:

• Silver – Gladstone Glad Light
• Silver – Gladstone Festbier
• Bronze – Gladstone Cerveza

Another notable winner was Vancouver’s Brassneck Brewery, which won two gold medals:

• Old Money – Brown British Ale
• Rosé Changeling – Specialty Fruit Beer

And two BC breweries also swept the Gluten-Free category:

• Gold: Grey Fox Brewing – Humble Lager
• Silver: Whistler Brewing – Forager Gluten-Free Lager 
• Bronze: Grey Fox Brewing – Buckwild Stout

** Kelowna’s Grey Fox Brewing swept this category last year.

A new component to the Canada Beer Cup for 2024 was the Packaging Awards. BC breweries swept two of the four categories:

Packaging Single 

• Gold: Showboat – Beva Brewing & Blending (North Vancouver)
• Silver: Neon Panther – Parallel 49 Brewing (Vancouver)
• Bronze: Flannel Pyjamas Grand Cru – Camp Beer Co. (Langley)

Packaging Series

• Gold: Tart Wild (Serie Selvatica) – Luppolo Brewing (Vancouver)
• Silver: Adventure Series – Tin Whistle Brewing (Penticton)
• Bronze: Branded Series – Main St. Brewing (Vancouver)

For the complete list of winners check the Canada Beer Cup site.

The post BC Breweries Win Big at the 2024 Canada Beer Cup appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

Music and beer lovers have a wealth of options when it comes to combining their two favourite things. Check out this list of amazing concerts being hosted by breweries on the BC Ale Trail.

Red Truck Beer Co.’s Truck Stop Concert Series:
July 20 & August 17

This long-running concert series features three events this summer, including one that already took place in June, plus two more dates in July and August. The events are held in the parking lot out front of the Red Truck Beer Co.’s Truck Stop tasting room, and it is a pretty epic party with some great bands, food, and of course, lots of delicious beer.

Check out this recap from 2023:

Here is the lineup for July 20:

• Jeremie Albino
• Colleen Rennison
• J & The Causeways
• The Bankes Brothers
• SOSOROMEO

And here are the bands performing on August 17:

• Trey Lewis
• Logan Mize
• Shaela Miller
• Kendra Kay
• Mark Ledlin

Tickets and more information can be found here.

CrossRoads Summer Street Fest:
July 27 & September 7

CrossRoads Brewing & Distillery is bringing back its annual Summer Street Festival for its 4th year.

The concert series features a diverse lineup of bands from across Canada, and are held on the crossroads between historic 5th Avenue and George Street in downtown Prince George.

The lineup for ​Saturday, July 27 includes July Crowd, Coastal Drifters, and The Wild.

The lineup for ​Saturday, September 7 features Five Alarm Funk with opening acts: Scribbens and Crones.

Phillips Backyard Music Festival:
Reverb Weekend – August 9-11

Victoria’s Phillips Brewing has a grand tradition of hosting big concerts in their Backyard.  Earlier this summer, they held their first weekend called Tilt.

Coming up in August is Reverb with another amazing lineup:

Friday, August 9:

• Black Pumas
• Current Swell
• The Bankes Brothers
• Surf Hat
• Trophy Dad
• DJ Bill Stuart

Saturday, August 10:

• Earl Sweatshirt
• Cautious Clay
• Astrocolor
• jungle bobby
• TK, the Artist
• DJ Devlin

Sunday, August 11:

• Jungle
• DRAMA
• Murge w/ Saundra Williams
• Nicky MacKenzie
• Posh Coat
• DJ Neil Jam3s

Barnside Harvest Festival:
September 13-15

Delta’s Barnside Brewing is bringing back its epic weekend festival again this September with an amazing lineup of bands.

Friday, September 13 is headlined by The Glorious Sons with several other great acts performing as well, including The Trews, Couch, Yukon Blonde and others.

Saturday, September 14 features  the Sam Roberts Band, Sloan, Billy Bob Thornton (!) & the Boxmasters, plus several others.

Sunday, September 15 closes with Loverboy as the final headliner, along with Wide Mouth Mason, Odds, and some other great bands.

For more information on the festival including how to get tickets visit the website here. Also check out their promo video.

Tailout Brewing Summer Send Off:
Saturday, September 7

Castlegar’s Tailout Brewing is hosting the second annual Summer Send Off party in their parking lot.

Music will be starting at 2pm and finishing off at 11pm with headliner Fake Shark. Food and drinks will be available all day.

The post Concerts on Tap: This Summer’s Live Music Events Hosted by BC Craft Breweries appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

We asked our faithful followers on social media to tell us about the food they love at their favourite breweries. The results absolutely poured in. More than 90 breweries were mentioned, and the dishes they highlighted were definitely drool-worthy. Whether seafood or smoked meats, hand-made pizzas or pulled pork sandwiches, cheeseburgers or charcuterie trays, and plant-based or gluten-free, the food options at breweries on the BC Ale Trail are simply spectacular. Searching for good food and beer near you? 

Down on the farm — Finding delicious food at a farm-based brewery on Vancouver Island

Rusted Rake Brewing was one of the breweries that received the most mentions for its kitchen. Located on Vancouver Island in beautiful Nanoose Bay between Nanaimo and Parksville Qualicum Beach, this is a family-owned-and-operated business where the team does everything from planting and harvesting barley to brewing and pouring the beer in the beautiful tasting room and outdoor patio setting.

The Rake also has a superb kitchen that serves a wide range of dishes using locally sourced ingredients first and foremost. The menu features fresh, unpretentious West Coast fare, lovingly prepared with the most delicious local ingredients available by head chef Nick and the rest of the team. Highlights include the very popular seafood chowder, a brisket dip sandwich, and the chicken truffle bacon burger. Veggie-forward options include beet sliders, mushroom calamari, and the falafel plate.

Rusted Rake Brewing is open 11:30 am to 9:00 pm seven days a week. Find them on the Vancouver Island Part II Ale Trail.

Team up for delectable dishes – This Kelowna brewery partners with an amazing local catering company

Tucked away in Kelowna’s North End, Kettle River Brewing is a small-batch neighbourhood brewery that prides itself on experimenting with new recipes and ingredients, making for an ever-evolving collection of beers on tap. Kettle River is also famous for its food, which is produced by an on-site partner called Provisions Kitchen & Catering.

The kitchen offers a menu that changes monthly, but always features wings along with staples like burgers, falafels, and daily specials. Weekend specialties include the Ribeye for Two, Sunday brunch, and a special Big Board for Two option that must be ordered in advance. 

Kettle River Brewing is open Wednesday to Sunday. Find it on the Kelowna and West Kelowna Ale Trail.

Visit this hidden gem in Ladysmith for a smorgasbord of delicious dishes paired with a creative beer lineup

Bayview Brewing was founded by four friends including two local high school teachers. After winning some awards in a homebrewing competition they decided to use that success as a springboard for launching their own brewery. And since one of the teachers taught culinary arts, they decided to include a kitchen in their plans when they designed the brewery. Although they initially envisioned the place being beer-focused, it quickly became clear that their customers were just as excited about the food. Check out Bonnie Todd’s blog from shortly after the brewery opened in 2022.

Bayview’s Instagram is replete with photos of the bearded owners’ smiling faces as well as delectable-looking dishes. The menu changes often but often includes popular treats like tacos, subs, donairs and bao buns. There are always some gluten-free and vegetarian options, too. 

Bayview Brewing is open 7 days a week. Find it on the Vancouver Island Part I Ale Trail.

“Finish up your work, throw your laptop out the window, and bring your friends to The Office Brewery.” 

OK, maybe don’t throw your laptop out the window, but do head over to The Office Brewery in Kelowna’s North End Brewery District for delicious beer and an extensive food menu that will definitely get your stomach rumbling and mouth-watering.

Highlights picked by fans on social media include the bacon-wrapped jalapenos, spicy halloumi tacos, and dill pickle nachos. But those delicious treats barely scratch the surface of what The Office’s kitchen has to offer. How about donairs, sliders, chimichangas or a pulled brisket sandwich? Yes, please!

The Office Brewing is open 7 days a week with a Happy Hour daily Monday to Friday from noon to 5:00pm. Find it on the Kelowna and West Kelowna Ale Trail.

Taco-licious! These breweries draw crowds for their tacos. 

Four Winds Brewing in Delta had already made a name for itself by making some of the best beer in BC … and then it opened its own kitchen.

Four Winds’ tacos quickly became just as popular as the beer. More recently, they expanded the menu to include burgers and bowls so there are even more great options to choose from. 

Also watch for its new location, Four Winds Beach House & Brewery, to open this summer.

Four Winds Brewing Co. is open from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm daily, and can be found on the South of the Fraser Ale Trail.

Auténticos Tacos Mexicanos

Naturally, you’d expect authentic tacos at a Mexican-themed brewery, and that’s exactly what you’ll find at La Cerveceria Astilleros in North Vancouver. “The Shipyards Brewery” strives to bring the colourful, rich Mexican culture straight into the heart of Vancouver’s North Shore in the form of delicious craft beer and food.

The menu includes a wide variety of tacos, burrito bowls, and burritos (available Monday to Friday only).

La Cerveceria Astilleros is open seven days a week. You can find it on the Vancouver’s North Shore Ale Trail.

At Land & Sea Brewing, the amazing nachos are just the beginning.

This Comox brewery has a kitchen that draws folks from near and far.

Land & Sea Brewing is a fantastic brewery with a beautiful, open-concept tasting room located in Comox on Vancouver Island. Since it opened in 2018 it has become well known not only for its beer lineup but also for the whole Land & Sea experience. Indeed, the brewery won our annual Best Brewery Experience award in 2019.

Locals and visitors alike love the food options with the main highlight being a stellar range of nachos along with salt & pepper wings, salads and bowls.

Land & Sea Brewing is open daily. You can find it on the Vancouver Island Part II Ale Trail.

It’s worth the drive for the pizza!

Lots of breweries make great pizza. Some develop such a reputation for their pies that people plan road trips around them. For instance, when my son and I visit Cumberland to play the excellent disc golf course there a couple times a year, we also make sure we time it for a day when we can also visit Riders Pizza, the sister restaurant to Cumberland Brewing Co., which is right across the street. (FYI Cumberland Brewing also offers excellent food through its own kitchen.)

Back in 2022, Colby Mahood wrote about some of the other amazing pizza options to be found at breweries on Vancouver Island, including Devil’s Bath Brewing in Port McNeill, Twin City Brewing in Port Alberni, and Mount Arrowsmith Brewing in Parksville.

Over on the Mainland, check out the za at Rewind Beer Co in Port Moody, and the very authentic style pizze at Vancouver’s Luppolo Brewing in partnership with Local Pizzaiolo. Kelowna’s Jackknife Brewing is almost as famous for its amazing pizza as it is for its “weird beer.”

Looking for great food and craft beer near you? This is just a short list, but there are many more breweries in BC that offer delicious food to go with the fantastic beer they make. 

The post Searching For Good Food and Beer at A Brewery Near You? Well, Look No Further… appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

As flowers bloom and warmer weather arrives, let’s embark on a tasting tour of the many special beers BC’s breweries are releasing this spring.

There is a wide assortment of styles to choose from, including sours, IPAs, saisons, and a variety of fruit-infused beers. Browse this list to find something from your local brewery or plan a trip to explore a new one.

Claim Jumper Hoppy Sour by Barkerville Brewing (3.75% ABV | 17 IBU)

This year’s version of Claim Jumper is a refreshing kettle sour dry hopped with Vic Secret, Amarillo and Cascade hops.

Barkerville Brewing can be found on the Northeast BC Ale Trail.

Why Can’t You Be Happy For Me And Then Go Home And Talk About Me Behind My Back Like A Normal Person? ⁠Passionfruit, Orange & Guava Sour⁠ by Backcountry Brewing (5.5% ABV | 8 IBU)

The name of this rather tasty beer is inspired by the movie Bridesmaids.⁠

Backcountry Brewing can be found on the Squamish Ale Trail.

First Cut Hazy IPA from Barnside Brewing (6.2% ABV | 40 IBU)

This super hazy and juicy hop bomb takes the hyper-local hop yard experience to a new level. Big, bold, and deliciously dank, featuring Barnside’s own farm-grown Triple Pearl and Cascade hops, Pilsner malt, and oats.

Barnside Brewing can be found on the South of the Fraser Ale Trail.

But My Mom Says I’m Cool Italian Pilsner from Bayview Brewing in Ladysmith (5.3% ABV | 30 IBU)

Light, refreshing, and crystal clear, this lager has beautiful flavours of melon and orange thanks to the use of Mandarina Bavaria and Huell Melon hops in the whirlpool and dry hop, complemented by a touch of sweet orange peel late in the boil.

Bayview Brewing can be found on the Vancouver Island Part I Ale Trail.

Two tasty beers from Beva Brewing & Blending, a new brewery that recently opened in North Vancouver:

• Alpenhaus Helles Lager (5% ABV | 25 IBU) A Munich-style lager brewed utilizing traditional German brewing techniques, grain, and hops.
• Sprezza Saison Sauvignon (6.5% ABV | 30 IBU) A farmhouse ale fermented with Beva’s house mix culture, dry-hopped with Nelson Sauvin, and re-fermented with sauvignon blanc grape must.

Beva Brewing & Blending can be found on the Vancouver’s North Shore Ale Trail.

Olde Ellis by BNA Brewing (7.5% ABV | 10 IBU)

A nod to the classic Olde English malt liquor. The label, which is an homage to the original OE 40s, was designed by Myron Campbell (@notsosimpleton). This is an Imperial Pilsner that cascades into the glass with a luminous golden yellow hue, boasts exceptional clarity, and is crowned by a pristine white head.

BNA Brewing can be found on the Kelowna & West Kelowna Ale Trail.

Okanagan Adventure Pack from Cannery Brewing

This brand new mixed pack contains a collection of three cans each of four of Cannery’s most popular beers: Lakeboat Lager, Muse Pale Ale, Trellis West Coast IPA, and the ever-popular Naramata Nut Brown Ale.

Cannery Brewing can be found on the Penticton Ale Trail.

Two spring beers from Container Brewing in Vancouver:

• Tokyo French Kiss / French Saison with Yuzu (6.5% ABV) Expressive French Saison yeast finishes dry showcasing notes of cracked pepper, clove, apple, and pear along with citrusy tartness from the yuzu.
• RAD – Pineapple + Passionfruit Radler (3.8% ABV) A radler-inspired beer featuring pineapple and passionfruit.

Container Brewing can be found on the Vancouver – Yeast Vancouver Ale Trail.

Four Spring Beers from Dageraad Brewing:

Dead Frog’s new Juice Box Sour Mixer pack features four tart & tasty beers:

• Field Theory (4.2% ABV) This dry-hopped table saison is bone-dry and heavily dry-hopped with European noble hops.
• Tous Les Jours (3.2% | 10 IBU) Light and easy drinking, with a bright and bubbly carbonation, herbaceous hops, and a touch of brettanomyces.
• Enology Series No. 3 – Malbec (8.6% ABV)
• Enology Series No. 4 – Cabernet Franc (8.6% ABV)

Dageraad Brewing can be found on the North of the Fraser Ale Trail.

Juice Box Sour Mixer from Dead Frog Brewery

Dead Frog’s new Juice Box Sour Mixer pack features four tart & tasty beers:

• Mango Sorbet Sour (4.5% ABV | 18 IBU)
• Watermelon Warhead Imperial Sour (9% ABV | 22 IBU)
• Rocket Pop Sour (5% ABV | 8 IBU)
• Blueberry Lemonade Sour (5% ABV | 10 IBU)

Dead Frog Brewery can be found on the Fraser Valley Ale Trail.

Aurora Session Pale Ale by Deadfall Brewing (4.2% ABV | 16 IBU)

This session ale is citrusy, balanced, and refreshing.

Deadfall Brewing can be found on the Northwest BC Ale Trail.

Razamanaz Raspberry Sour by Driftwood Brewery (3% ABV)

Berliners put a shot of raspberry syrup in Berliner Weisse just before serving, so Driftwood decided to put it in the can. Tart, refreshing and bursting with raspberry flavours.

Driftwood Brewery can be found on the Greater Victoria Ale Trail.

Two Spring Beers from Farm Country Brewing in Langley:

• Put Me In Kölsch (5% ABV | 25 IBU) This crisp, clean, and easy-drinking beer is perfect for sunny days and baseball season.
• Johnny Smash Vol 11 (3.8% ABV | 25 IBU) The newest edition of Johnny Smash is a tribute to traditional English ales.

Farm Country Brewing can be found on the Langley Ale Trail.

Raspberry Lemonade Sour by Farmhouse Brewing (8% ABV | 6 IBU)

This fruited sour beer is tart and sweet. After souring with the brewery’s house lacto culture, a large helping of raspberry and lemon was added to provide additional sweetness and fruitiness.

Farmhouse Brewing can be found on the Fraser Valley Ale Trail.

Three beers from Fernie Brewing:

• Traverse IPA (5.9% ABV | 45 IBU) Chock-full of select southern hemisphere hops, this IPA is crisp, dry and fruity.
• Tunnel Creek Kolsch (4.8% ABV | 21 IBU) This tasty beer recently took home a gold medal at the Okanagan Fest of Ale.
• Backpedal Raspberry Sour (5% ABV | 10 IBU) Jam packed with juice and a tangy twist, this beer is pretty in pink to boot!

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

Agave Passion Fruit Sour by Field House Brewing (5.3% ABV)

Inspired by a favourite cocktail, this beer is soured using the brewery’s house culture and features Vancouver Island sea salt, real passion fruit, agave nectar, and a touch of lime.

Field House Brewing can be found on the Fraser Valley Ale Trail.

Una Mas Mexican Lager by Five Roads Brewing (4.6% ABV | 15 IBU)

This lager is light in colour and body, highly carbonated, and extremely crushable. Best served with a lime wedge to enhance the citrus flavour.

Five Roads Brewing can be found on the Langley Ale Trail.

Mango Mango Nectarous from Four Winds Brewing in Delta (5.9% ABV | 3 IBU)

In this iteration of Four Winds’ popular Nectarous Dry-Hopped Sour ale, the brewery added both real mangoes and mango terpenes for an over-the-top mango party in every sip.

Four Winds Brewing can be found on the South of the Fraser Ale Trail.

Wily Gose by Grey Fox Brewing (7.5% ABV | 10 IBU)

It’s rare to see a gluten free sour beer, but Grey Fox is always pushing the boundaries with their delicious GF brews. This one, which was released for the Celiac Awareness event “Brews For All,” is a salted Gose with a lemony sourness.

Grey Fox Brewing can be found on the Kelowna & West Kelowna Ale Trail.

Jam Session Raspberry Cream Ale by Howe Sound Brewing (5% ABV | 25 IBU)

An American-style Cream Ale with tart notes and a smooth mouth feel, brewed with natural raspberries.

Howe Sound Brewing can be found on the Sea to Sky Ale Trail.

Sitka Sour by Île Sauvage Brewing (6% ABV)

This beer evokes spring on the west coast like no other thanks to the addition of freshly harvested Sitka spruce tips that are added to the brewery’s golden sour base.

Île Sauvage Brewing can be found on the Greater Victoria Ale Trail.

Blanche Deveraux French Blanche from Kettle River Brewing (5% ABV | 11 IBU)

This is a “simple” farmhouse ale, that is straw coloured with notes of clove and citrus. Finished with lemon juice, it is a thirst quenching patio crusher

Kettle River Brewing can be found on the Kelowna and West Kelowna Ale Trail.

Two Tasty Beers from Lakesider Brewing in West Kelowna:

• Summer Crush Pineapple IPA (6% ABV | 45 IBU) Featuring a tropical blend of hops with the soft kiss of pineapple.
• Okanagan Special Euro Pilsner (5.5% ABV | 32 IBU) Brewed in the classic Bohemian style using only premium floor-malted Bohemian barley and choice Noble hops.

Lakesider Brewing can be found on the Kelowna & West Kelowna Ale Trail.

Double Cold IPA by Lighthouse Brewing (8% ABV)

A light-bodied clear IPA with assertive bitterness, fruit/tropical hop flavour, and a dry finish. It was fermented with a lager yeast strain and then dry hopped with El Dorado, Mosaic and Citra.

Lighthouse can be found on the Greater Victoria Ale Trail.

Citra Dragon Hazy Pale Ale from Longwood Brewery (6% ABV | 35 IBU):

This special “Year of the Dragon Pale Ale” blends the flavours of Citra, Mosaic, Rakau and Sabro hops. The mild malt backbone lets the hops run wild while keeping Citra Dragon from scorching your palate.

Longwood Brewery can be found on the Vancouver Island Part 1 Ale Trail.

Okanagan Peach Wheat Ale by Marten Brewing (4.2% ABV)

Taste delicious Okanagan peach in every sip.

Marten Brewing can be found on the Southern Interior Ale Trail.

Faux Paw Cherry Saison by Mt. Begbie Brewing (6.5% ABV | 25 IBU)

A beer inspired by the bear whose “faux paw” was walking across the brewery’s freshly poured concrete floor. This kettle sour saison is crafted using wheat malt and cherry puree, and has been fermented with an authentic Belgian saison yeast. It has a refreshing flavour and a delicious fruit aroma that is sure to be bear approved.

Mt. Begbie Brewing can be found on the Kootenay Rockies East Ale Trail.

Two Spring Beers from Patina Brewing in Port Coquitlam:

• Peach Passionfruit Sour (5% ABV | 3 IBU) A delightful blend of BC peaches and tangy passion fruit.
• Thai Lager (4.5% ABV | 10 IBU) This thirst-quenching rice lager takes inspiration from the cuisine of Southeast Asia: spicy ginger and an aromatic citrus trifecta of lime leaf, lemongrass and calamansi.

Patina Brewing can be found on the North of the Fraser Ale Trail.

Aloha Amigo from RAD Brewing (4.2% ABV | 10 IBU)

This is a super light lager brewed with rice that finishes dry and crisp with a touch of Noble hops to balance this refreshing crusher. Tastes like “I want another!”

RAD Brewing can be found on the Vancouver Island Ale Trail Part 2 Ale Trail.

Fidelle “Floofy” IPA by Red Collar Brewing (5.6% ABV | 34 IBU)

Fidelle, affectionately known as Fifi, is a husky cross rescue from Baja in Mexico, now little sister to Diana the Black Lab and resident Red Collar guard dog. She is the inspiration for this hazy-style IPA.

Red Collar Brewing can be found in Kamloops on the Southern Interior Ale Trail.

The Grisette by Shaketown Brewing (4% ABV | 13 IBU)

This Szechuan peppercorn and blood orange grisette won bronze at the 2023 World Beer Cup Awards in the Herb and Spice Beer category. It was brewed with spelt malt, blood orange purée and Szechuan peppercorns.

Shaketown Brewing can be found on the Vancouver’s North Shore Ale Trail.

Sherona by Sherwood Mountain Brewhouse (4.5% ABV | 18 IBU)

With a hint of lime, this Mexican-style lager is sure to be a hit on a hot, sunny day.

Sherwood Mountain Brewhouse can be found on the Northwest BC Ale Trail.

Uncertain Kin Pink Guava Hazy Pale Ale by Small Gods Brewing (4.8% ABV)

This Hazy Pale Ale is loaded with Pink Guava puree, as well a massive dry-hop using 2024 Pink Boots hops blend, resulting in a beer that is full of tropical flavour.

Small Gods Brewing can be found on the Greater Victoria Ale Trail.

Scrumpers- Blueberry Peach Sour by Smugglers Trail Caskworks (4.5% ABV | 10 IBU)

This refreshingly light sour beer was brewed with blueberries and peach.

Smugglers Trail Caskworks can be found on the Langley Ale Trail.

Boysenberry Bloom by Sooke Oceanside Brewery (4.2% ABV)

A enticingly rosé session sour brewed with boysenberries and pale malt.

Sooke Oceanside Brewery can be found on the Greater Victoria Ale Trail.

Sunglow Hefeweizen by Steel & Oak Brewing (4.8% ABV)

This delicious wheat beer was brewed with the traditional double decoction method using only the highest quality German malt (60% Wheat and 40% Pilsner) and fermented with a classic Weizen yeast strain that gives notes of banana and clove, then hopped with Saphir and Mandarina Bavaria for a hint of citrus. Finally, it was naturally carbonated a little higher than most beers for a delightful effervescence and a pillowy head.

Steel & Oak Brewing can be found on the North of the Fraser Ale Trail.

Cool Ship by Strange Fellows Brewing (6.2% ABV)

Brewed in February 2021 using the orthodox methods of traditional Belgian lambic breweries, this beer began with a labour-intensive turbid mashing, followed by air cooling and inoculation in Strange Fellows’ open Koelschip vessel. Whatever wild yeasts and organisms that happened to be around the brewery that night inoculated a spontaneous fermentation in the cooling wort, which was then racked into oak barrels to ferment and age. All this, along with the addition of aged hops (2016 Tardif de Bourgogne, France) result in a beer with a uniquely delicious and complex character.
Strange Fellows Brewing can be found on the Vancouver – Yeast Vancouver Ale Trail.

Let’s Get Take-Out Thai Wit by Tinhouse Brewing

This Belgian-style wheat beer pours slightly cloudy with a creamy smooth head and subtle flavours of lemongrass, lime, galangal and ginger.

Tinhouse Brewing can be found on the North of the Fraser Ale Trail.

Suprazunga! from Townsite Brewing:

This is Townsite’s super-popular Zunga Blonde Ale fruited up with passionfruit, orange and guava.

Townsite Brewing can be found on the Sunshine Coast Ale Trail.

Daymaker Guava Sour by Twin Sails Brewing (5.1% ABV | 10 IBU)

Daymaker is a fruit-forward sour that pours a hazy pink hue, with a bright aroma and the flavour of ripe guava in every sip.

Twin Sails Brewing. can be found on the Port Moody Ale Trail.

What’s your favourite spring beer this year? Share your pick on social media and be sure to tag @bcaletrail.

The post Discover Over 50 Spring Beers from BC Breweries! appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.