Province-wide competition invites public to crown BC’s top beer community

Get ready to raise glasses and toast to the best of BC’s craft beer culture. The BC Ale Trail is excited to kick off the inaugural Best Beer Community Competition, where the heart and soul of British Columbia’s craft beer scene takes centre stage. This isn’t just about the brews—it’s about the vibrant, spirited communities that bring them to life. And the best part? British Columbians get to decide who wins. 

Are the breweries in your community a hub for gathering? Are they a space where your softball team celebrates or where your knitting group meets? Do they bring folks together with a stellar trivia night? Show your appreciation by crowning your favourite beer community The Best in BC!

Public voting runs from September 9 to October 6, 2024

Craft beer lovers across the province have the chance to cast their votes and support their favourite beer communities along the BC Ale Trail. The winners will be announced during BC Craft Beer Month on October 18 at the annual gathering of BC’s craft beer industry, BC Beer Con, where the top communities will be celebrated for their contributions to BC’s vibrant beer culture. 

Three Tiers, Three Chances to Win Big

The competition is divided into three tiers based on the number of breweries in each community:

Communities with 1-2 breweries

Communities with 3-5 breweries

Communities with 6+ breweries

By voting, you’ll not only help crown a champion in each tier, but you’ll also be entered to win a Grand Prize Sip + Stay package, including perks like complimentary stays, swag, and attraction passes. It’s the perfect way to experience the best that each beer community in BC has to offer.

How to Vote

Voting is simple and open to everyone. Participants can visit the voting platform September 9 to October 6, 2024 to select their favourite beer community in each tier. 

Winning Communities Score Big

The champions won’t just walk away with bragging rights. They’ll also be featured in exclusive content, including blogs, social media spotlights, and a mini-campaign to boost their profile. 

The BC Ale Trail serves as a comprehensive guide to exploring British Columbia’s craft beer culture, linking over 220 craft breweries across 21 self-guided Ale Trails. Each trail combines BC’s distinctive craft breweries with the province’s breathtaking natural landscapes, providing a complete experience for beer enthusiasts and adventure seekers. In partnership with Destination British Columbia and the BC Craft Brewers Guild, the BC Ale Trail showcases the finest of BC’s brewing scene through thoughtfully curated itineraries. Whether a local resident or a visitor, the BC Ale Trail offers an ideal way to plan a brewery tour holiday and discover why BC’s craft beer scene is world-class

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Here is a sampling of some autumnal beer styles to look for from your local brewery or to seek out on a fall getaway.

How Fresh Can You Get?

Each autumn, beer lovers await the arrival of a very special style of beer. Fresh hop (or wet hop) beers are highly anticipated because they can only be produced once a year during the hop harvest. Brewers work with nearby farms or hop distributors to get hops fresh from the harvest and into their brew kettles within 24 hours of picking them. The resulting fresh hop beers showcase bright, grassy flavours and a distinctly fresh quality that isn’t present in dried hops. However, the volatile flavour compounds in these beers break down quickly, so fresh hop beers should be refrigerated and consumed immediately.

The first fresh hop beer produced commercially in British Columbia was Driftwood Brewery’s Sartori Harvest IPA, which dates back to 2009. In fact, Driftwood brewed its first batch of Sartori before it ever brewed Fat Tug IPA, the beer it is now best known for. Driftwood always uses Centennial hops from the Sartori Cedar Ranch in Chilliwack.

While the Sartori Harvest IPA is undeniably the most sought-after fresh hop beer in BC each fall, many other breweries make fresh hop beers, too.

Here are some more fresh hop beers to look for in the coming weeks:

• Bright Eye Brewing (Kamloops) Fresh Prince Cold IPA brewed with BC Comet hops and fermented with clean lager yeast.
• Cannery Brewing (Penticton) Fresh Hop Extra Pale Ale brewed with Cascade hops from Northwest Hop Farms in Chilliwack, as well as frozen fresh cryo hops from Yakima Chief Hops, and Golden Promise malts.
• Dageraad Brewing (Burnaby) Wet-hopped Blonde Blonde Ale brewed with locally harvested Centennial hops from Sartori Hop Farms.
• Hoyne Brewing (Victoria) Wolf Vine Fresh Hop Pale Ale brewed with copious quantities of local, fresh, hand-picked Centennial and Cascade hops straight out of the field.
• Jackknife Brewing (Kelowna) Death Wish IPA showcasing a blend of kveik cultures selected to enhance the tropical notes of frozen fresh hops from Yakima Chief.
• Locality Brewing (Langley) Local Kicks Fresh Hop West Coast Hazy Pale Ale collaboration with Sidekick Brewing that is packed with local hop aroma.
• Longwood Brewery (Nanaimo) Wet Hop Smash IPA brewed with Island-grown hops from Maple Bay Hop Farm and Island craft-malted barley.
• Nelson Brewing (Nelson) Dank Trip North West IPA using fresh Cascade and Tahoma hops from a small new hop farm in Argenta, BC, dry hopped with some Rakau hops.
• Phillips Brewing (Victoria) Green Reaper Fresh Hop IPA.
• Spinnakers Brewpub (Victoria) Fresh Hop ESB features a blend of fresh hops grown at Spinnakers’ own hop farm in Sooke.

Many other breweries will also be releasing fresh hop beers at this time of year so ask for one at your local.

Oktoberfest!

The annual Oktoberfest celebration in Munich is famously the world’s biggest beer event with more than six million people attending the event every year. Typically, it runs for nearly three weeks, beginning in mid-September until early October. It was first held in 1810 to celebrate the wedding of Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese, and has been an annual event ever since. For more than 200 years, it has only been cancelled because of wars, economic disruption in the 1920s, and now, sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic.

For now, we can only fantasize about being part of a crowd of happy people in one of the giant tents, hefting enormous one-litre steins of beer and singing along to the oompah band. However, many BC craft breweries produce German-style beers, including their own versions of the traditional Festbiers or Märzens served at Oktoberfest each autumn. These are delicious lagers that are brewed to be slightly stronger and darker (more amber than yellow) than the typical Helles (light) lagers that German breweries make year-round. 

Several BC breweries have produced Festbiers that you can sample as part of your very own Oktoberfest celebration at home.

Pros’t!

Vancouver’s Parallel 49 Brewing is throwing a massive Oktoberfest party from September 16 to October 8.

It features a 120-seat Biergarten with tasty German food, live entertainment, and, of course, some special beers brewed for the occasion. If you can’t make it to Vancouver you can also look for P49’s special Bierfest Mixer pack, which includes two cans each of these four special beers:

• German Pilsner – Refreshing and citrusy with a rich yet light malty finish.
• Hefeweizen – A hazy wheat ale that’s slightly bready and leaves you with a creamy mouthfeel.
• Schwarzbier – A dry, dark lager with dark chocolate notes and a delicate roasty flavour.
• Festbier – A slightly malt-forward pale lager with floral and spicy hop notes/

Moody Ales & Co in Port Moody has released a special Oktoberfest Pack that features four beers designed to celebrate the season:

• Oktoberfest (5.9% ABV) Brewed with German Pilsner and Dark Munich malts, along with Hallertau hops. Pairs perfectly with bratwursts and soft pretzels.
• German IPA (6.5% ABV) Showcasing a suite of German hop varieties, this bold IPA features complex notes of bitter pine, fresh raspberries, and crisp white grape.
• Schwarzbier (4.8% ABV) A dark lager with a light side, this brew features warm notes of roasted malt, coffee, and bittersweet dark chocolate.
• Helles Lager (4.7% ABV) This German-style lager is smooth with a crisp, clean finish.

For Glory Festbier – Container Brewing (5.8% ABV | 22 IBU)

An Oktoberfest lager brewed with a blend of Magnum and Hallertau Mittelfrüh hops, imparting a balanced bitterness and a delightful floral aroma. This beer and others from the Container line-up will be featured at Oktainerfest, two days of Oktoberfest beers and German food taking place at the Vancouver brewery on October 6th and 7th.

Look for more Oktoberfest-style beers at BC breweries.

Enjoy A Taste of the Harvest

Craft breweries also love to celebrate the arrival of autumn with special beers featuring the agricultural bounty of the harvest season, including fruits, grains, and even squash.

Spruce Tip Saison – 33 Acres Brewing in Vancouver (4.9% ABV)

Foraged Sitka Spruce tips contribute fragrant red fruit and bubblegum aromas nestled among a bed of fresh pine needles. Brewed with Field Five Farm barley and straw, then bottle-conditioned with Brettanomyces, this Saison is an expression of the Cascadian bioregion.

Schrute Farms Beet Farmhouse Ale – Bridge Brewing in North Vancouver (5.8% ABV | 22 IBU)
Beets. Beer. Battlestar Galactica. This Farmhouse Ale was brewed with 100lbs of beets, resulting in a beer with a vibrant pink colour, an earthy aroma, and a dry finish.

Look for more harvest-themed beers from BC breweries this fall.

Pumpkin Time?

Last but not least, many breweries make pumpkin beers, incorporating the popular fall flavours of pumpkin pie spice in a wide variety of beer styles. Here are a few to try:

Squash Gourdon – Red Collar Brewing (6.5% ABV | 20 IBU)
Squash Gourdon is a pumpkin beer made exclusively with sugar pumpkins grown at Thistle Farm in Kamloops and lightly spiced with allspice, nutmeg, and ginger.

Full Patch Pumpkin Saison – Longwood Brewery (9% ABV | 30 IBU)
A Belgian-style saison brewed with pumpkins and spices.

PumpkinEater Imperial Pumpkin Ale – Howe Sound Brewing (8.0% ABV)
Howe Sound has been brewing this deliciously dark and rich pumpkin beer for a long time, and this year it will be packaged in cans as well as the usual 1-litre bottles.

Can’t get enough Pumpkin??

Here are a few more BC pumpkin beers to look for:

• Fernie Brewing (Fernie) Ghostrider Pumpkin Brown Ale
• Parallel 49 Brewing (Vancouver) Lost Souls Chocolate Pumpkin Porter and Schadenfreude Pumpkin Oktoberfest Lager
• Phillips Brewing & Malting (Victoria) Crookeder Tooth Barrel-Aged Pumpkin Ale

What’s your favourite BC beer of the autumn? Post it on social media and tag #BCAleTrail to let us know!

The post Enjoy the Tastes of Autumn appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

We asked the folks at Torchlight Brewing to tell us a bit about their brewery — and to also let us know how they like to eat a peach. Because, you know, the beer has peaches in it.

1. What’s the story behind the name of your brewery?

The concept of the name Torchlight is all about showing people the way and guiding them toward great beer.

2. What sets your brewery apart from others in BC?

It’s certainly not unique among craft brewers in BC, but the beer comes first. Well-made and innovative beers are what it is all about. We aren’t afraid to try new things. We’re not held to classic styles or the big trends of the moment. We experiment and make something new. Balance and drinkability are key, even if the balance you are looking for is an imbalance.

That and we’re super involved with the community and put on a lot of creative events, which brings me to your next question.

3. How do you interact with your local community?

We just finished putting on the first Kootenay Beer Fest here in Nelson. We collaborated with all the local breweries to do that. We like to be involved in community events. On October 12th we are hosting a local government candidates forum done in a speed dating style. It should be a fun twist. We are big into nerd culture. Some of our beer names and labels really show that. On October 30th we are running a Dungeons and Dragons event with a Halloween-themed adventure that we created in-house. We’ve done these kinds of events before and we pack the brewery with people all playing the same game.

4. Are there any unique challenges to brewing in your area/region?

Being out in the Kootenays, our biggest challenge is distribution to the rest of the province. It’s a long drive from here down to the coast so it’s not easy to get our beer to all the places we would like to.

5. What did you bring to this collaboration (a unique ingredient, idea, technique?) or what does it mean to you to be part of this collaboration?

I was pushing for the peaches pretty hard in this beer. We love making, and drinking, fruit beers and we have used peaches quite a bit.

6. What was your favourite part of the Brew Day?

My Zoom tour of the brewery and introduction to everyone. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it down to the lower mainland for the brew day so I was just a floating head being carried around on a laptop.

The post EXPLORE BC Brewery Snapshot: Torchlight Brewing appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

We asked the folks at Ravens Brewing to tell us a bit about their brewery — and to also let us know how they like to eat a peach. Because, you know, the beer has peaches in it.

1. What’s the story behind the name of your brewery?

The Raven obviously has been an important inspiration for the Ravens Brewing Company. The Raven is a highly intelligent and innovative problem solver. Throughout history, it has been considered the trickster or the joker, never taking itself too seriously. The Raven is incredibly versatile and can adapt to many changing conditions. They are known to be committed to their family groups and are part of cultures all over the world. The Raven helps guide our core values of Innovation, Family, Pride, Quality and Celebration.

2. What sets your brewery apart from others in BC?

In creating our beers and spirits, we strive to source as local as possible. We consistently use Abbotsford-grown hops, fruit and herbs, and grains from Peace River in our beers and gins. We partner with chocolate and coffee suppliers in Abbotsford for collaborative products and projects.

3. How do you interact with your local community?

We love the opportunity to interact with our local community. We work closely with many different groups through sponsorships and partnerships. We collaborate with local brewers on projects and have worked directly with farmers and growers in the community. We are fortunate to live and work within our community. We volunteer with local groups and sporting programs.

4. Are there any unique challenges to brewing in your area/region?

We are often considered “rural,” which makes developing certain partnerships difficult. But Abbotsford is the agricultural hub of the Fraser Valley so we have access to hops, fruit and unique opportunities we wouldn’t have if our brewery were elsewhere.

5. What did you bring to this collaboration (a unique ingredient, idea, technique?) or what does it mean to you to be part of this collaboration?

We were thrilled to host this collaboration and have the chance to connect with a bunch of amazing breweries from around the province. BC has so much to offer. We are proud to be in the best province in the country, and this is an excellent opportunity to show what we have to offer here.

6. What was your favourite part of the Brew Day?

It was all about collaboration and fellowship. We were able to gather over the shared experience of the brew while meeting great new brewers from each corner of the province. As hosts, we enjoyed having everyone come down and meet over beers and burgers.

The post EXPLORE BC Brewery Snapshot: Ravens Brewing appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

We asked the folks at Fox Mountain Brewing to tell us a bit about their brewery — and to also let us know how they like to eat a peach. Because, you know, the beer has peaches in it.

1. What’s the story behind the name of your brewery?

Fox Mountain is the name of the mountain right across the road from the brewery. It’s a beautiful, dry Douglas Fir forest right in town that’s loaded with great mountain biking and hiking trails. It’s a real gem for Williams Lake. I live at the bottom of Fox Mountain and spend much of my free time there with my family, so there’s a personal connection as well.

2. What sets your brewery apart from others in BC?

Other than distance? We’re the only brewery in Williams Lake. Our beers are awesome, but there’s no shortage of great craft beers in BC these days. I think what sets us apart is our taproom experience. We have great food, super friendly staff, and our beautiful patio. The brewery is perched up on a hill and we have an awesome view with consistently great sunsets. A few beers with friends and great homemade food on a sunny patio can’t really be beat. We’re also family friendly and have a dog friendly patio, so it’s great to be able to provide a location where everyone can gather and enjoy themselves.

3. How do you interact with your local community?

We have had excellent support from the community since we opened in June 2020. This was early days of Covid which was pretty scary for us as a new business, but the community came out and stood behind us, braving the cold temperatures on the patio when that was the only option, and ordering lots of growlers and takeout. Now that we’ve weathered the worst of Covid we’re trying to give back where we can.

We work closely with the Williams Lake Cycling Club and help them with things like beer and food specials on trail maintenance days. We’re also donating prizes for bike-to-work week and offering discounts to people who ride in. Williams Lake is a big mountain biking town, so we look to support that wherever we can.

We’re also really excited about a new disc golf course that is going in at Boitanio Park, right next to the brewery. We’re working with the Williams Lake Disc Golf Association to sponsor one of the new baskets. We’re really excited to have a new disc golf course right in the middle of town.

4. Are there any unique challenges to brewing in your area?

We aren’t known as a great hop-growing region so we aren’t able to get out to see our local hop suppliers as much as I would like. Other than that, freight is an issue that all breweries have to deal with, but it did pose a challenge when the Fraser Canyon and the Coquihalla both washed out last year.

5. What did you bring to this collaboration (a unique ingredient, idea, technique?) or what does it mean to you to be part of this collaboration?

It was a lot of fun kicking around ideas for the collaboration beer and developing the recipe. We came together pretty quickly on a recipe that would showcase the best of BC. After that it was just a bit of fine tuning and everyone worked well together to come up with the final recipe.

We’re really excited to be involved in this collaboration as the beer will be available across BC. We currently only distribute within the Cariboo so we’re looking forward to showing people who may not have heard of us before that we make great beer.

6. What was your favourite part of the Brew Day?

Getting to meet and hang out with everyone. Being a relatively new brewery it was great to make connections with other breweries across the province.

The EXPLORE BC Peach Farmhouse Ale is a collaboration between six breweries from across British Columbia. BC peaches present a beautiful golden-orange colour, while the Lærdal Kveik yeast and BC hops provide fruity, floral flavours above a clean rounded malt base that elevates the whole beer. Lastly, a pinch of BC sea salt makes this ale sparkle. This limited edition Peach Farmhouse Ale is a true representation of our province that pairs perfectly with BC’s natural beauty.

The EXPLORE BC Beer Series, brought to you by the BC Ale Trail in partnership with Destination B.C., celebrates the fall season with a new limited-edition craft beer, and new special offers to explore the province’s vast Ale Trail network. Created for BC Craft Beer Month, the EXPLORE BC Peach Farmhouse Ale, is a collaboration by six breweries representing all of the province’s major tourism regions, and produced by Ravens Brewing Company, will be available at select liquor stores, restaurants and craft breweries across the province.

“EXPLORE BC is an Official Mark of Destination BC Corp., used with consent.”

The post EXPLORE BC Brewery Snapshot: Fox Mountain Brewing appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

We asked the folks at Deadfall Brewing to tell us a bit about their brewery — and to also let us know how they like to eat a peach. Because, you know, the beer has peaches in it.

1. What’s the story behind the name of your brewery?

We are biology nerds that were opening a brewery in a forestry town and we wanted something that captured that. Not only does deadfall make great firewood, it creates habitat for all sorts of wildlife.

2. What sets your brewery apart from others in BC?

I think it’s our backgrounds. Three of the four owners have PhDs in biology, including microbiology! You can see that scientific training in the beer. We’re also tiny (30-person taproom) so we are super intimate: if you visit, it’s likely that your pints will be poured by the owners.

3. How do you interact with your local community?

We are new so are still building these relationships… but we have already supported and hosted a meeting of the BC Community Bat Program!

4. Are there any unique challenges to brewing in your area/region?

Shipping and logistics. As a start-up, money is tight and fuel surcharges are rough! Also, the craft beer scene in Prince George is still pretty new (~5 years) so we are still doing a lot of education about craft beer and beer styles.

5. What did you bring to this collaboration (a unique ingredient, idea, technique?) or what does it mean to you to be part of this collaboration?

We’ve only been open four months so being included in this was HUGE for us and we are incredibly humbled and honoured.

6. What was your favourite part of the Brew Day?

Meeting everyone and geeking out about beer.

In a lake or over the sink!

The post EXPLORE BC Brewery Snapshot: Deadfall Brewing appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

Many breweries work with local farms to use freshly harvested hops — the resulting fresh hop or wet hop beers are unique to the season so this is the only time of year when you can taste them. Some breweries celebrate the traditions of Oktoberfest with Märzens or Festbiers. Others incorporate unusual ingredients to celebrate the harvest, and then, of course, there is also the connection to Hallowe’en with pumpkin beers and other spooky creations.

Look for these BC fall beers at your favourite local liquor store or taphouse, or directly at the brewery.

EXPLORE BC Peach Farmhouse Ale (4.8% ABV | 18 IBU)

This special beer is a collaboration between six breweries from across British Columbia. BC peaches present a beautiful golden-orange colour, while the Lærdal Kveik yeast and BC hops provide fruity, floral flavours above a clean rounded malt base that elevates the whole beer. Lastly, a pinch of BC sea salt makes this ale sparkle. This limited edition Peach Farmhouse Ale is a true representation of our province that pairs perfectly with BC’s natural beauty.

Do Good Hazy IPA (6.5% ABV | 40 IBU)

This Hazy IPA was brewed in collaboration with all of Penticton’s 8 craft breweries to celebrate the 4th annual Penticton Beer Week. It was brewed with Citra and Mosaic hops and dry hopped with Spectrum. This is a limited release, fundraiser beer. Partial proceeds will go to support the great work of the Dragonfly Pond Family Society.

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Chilliwack Common (5% ABV | 18 IBU)

Brewed collectively by Chilliwack’s six local breweries, this Golden Lager is mildly hoppy and brimming with toasted malt and caramel malt flavour — alongside a finish that can best be described as outdoorsy.

Chilliwack is part of the Fraser Valley Ale Trail.

Nightmare Fuel Black IPA by Ace Brewing (6.5% ABV | 57 IBU)

Lightning crashed and thunder boomed! An ominous, dark presence is approaching to pull you into its grasp. You will never be the same again. This storm and this beer are not like the rest. Dark in colour but dripping with citrus, pine, berries and stone fruit, Nightmare Fuel will truly haunt your dreams (in a good way).

Ace Brewing can be found on the Vancouver Island Part II Ale Trail.

Brown Pow! Kootenay Brown Ale by Backroads Brewing (5.2% ABV | 53 IBU)

This dry-hopped brown ale features rich chocolate and caramel notes balanced by an assertive citrus and pine nose with hints of mandarin orange and honeydew melon. Starts with a clean and understated bitterness and finishes with nothing but smooth and fruity chocolate goodness. Loosely based on a Cascadian Dark Ale, it is a celebration of the best time of year for riding bikes in the Kootenays!

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

Pecan Pie Nut Brown Ale by Counterflow Brewing [brewed at Bad Tattoo Brewing] (5.2% ABV | 15 IBU)

This beer is pecan pie in a can. Combining the rich flavours of a classic Nut Brown Ale with the smooth sweetness of buttered pecan, Counterflow’s Pecan Pie Nut Brown Ale is the perfect complement for your Thanksgiving cornucopia.

Bad Tattoo Brewing can be found on the Penticton Ale Trail.

Farm. Fresh. Hop. IPA by Barnside Brewing (5.3% ABV | 15 IBU)

This IPA combines the massive flavours and aromas of Barnside’s own Cascade and Chinook hops with both grains and yeast all sourced on their farm.  Over the past year they have been working with a yeast strain isolated and propagated from their Chinook cones, lovingly named “Hoppy Cone Surfer.”  The result? A truly unique, 100% Barnside Fresh Hop, highlighting the best of what they grow with over 500 lbs of FRESH hops.  And when they say FRESH, they mean it — 20 minutes from field to kettle!

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

Two Oktoberfest-themed lagers from BNA Brewing:

• Festbier (5.6% ABV | 16 IBU) A light, German-style lager representative of what’s served at the modern Oktoberfest.
• Helles Bock (5.9% ABV | 20 IBU) A stronger, maltier lager that is amber gold hued with a predominantly caramel aroma and a touch of herbal hops on the nose.

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

4 Fall-themed beers from Camp Brewing:

• Fall Camp Smoked Amber Ale (5.6% ABV) Lightly smoked with a malty smoothness that’ll take you back to sitting next to the fire at your favourite campground.
• Wet Coast Fresh hopped IPA (6.8% ABV) A golden wet hop ale made with the freshest Simcoe & Mosaic hops delivered straight to the tank.
• Crimson Crush (5/1% ABV) A crisp and dry champagne-like beer that is brewed with Mandarina Bavaria hops, fresh cranberry juice and sweet orange peel.
• Lagerkoller Vienna Lager (5% ABV) Brewed with premium imported German malt and hops to create a dry and crushable drink.

Camp Brewing can be found on the Langley Ale Trail.

Two Autumn beers from Cannery Brewing:

• Fresh Hop West Coast IPA (6.5 % ABV | 45 IBU) This classic West Coast IPA was brewed with fresh Centennial and Cascade hops from Northwest Hops Farms in Chilliwack.
• Zombie Cocktail Inspired Sour (6% ABV | 20 IBU) Zombie is a tropical sour inspired by the heavy hitting tiki cocktail, the Zombie with notes of rum, falernum, pineapple, passionfruit and lime.

Cannery Brewing can be found on the Penticton Ale Trail.

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

Highlights of fresh grapefruit hop flavour with an undercurrent of dank earthy pine are complemented by a smooth clean bitterness and deep woods forest aromas all via Fresh Chinook hops.

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

Three Autumn beers from Copper Brewing:

• Pumpkin Spice Latte Nitro Stout (7% ABV) Yes, pumpkin spice, and yes, coffee all in a nitro stout.
• Mystery Milkshake (5.5% ABV) Guess the fruit(s) — there could be one or many! — in this beer to get entered into a draw for a $350 prize pack!
• S’mores Stout (7% ABV | 20 IBU) Copper added marshmallows, graham cracker and Lindt chocolate into this beer.

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

Wet-Hopped Blonde by Dageraad Brewing (7.5% ABV)

Dageraad’s classic Belgian-style blonde brewed with fresh Centennial hops grown by the Sartori family in Chilliwack. They are added to the kettle the same day they’re harvested, giving the Wet-hopped Blonde juicy, herbaceous BC hop notes that truly blend our Belgian inspiration with West Coast brewing sensibilities.

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

Vanilla Coffee Porter by Dead Frog Brewery (7.5% ABV)

A rich and creamy porter with flavours of fresh roasted coffee and a sweet hint of vanilla. Brewed with fresh medium roast Columbian coffee beans from Spent Grounds Coffee Roasters in South Surrey.

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

187 Oktoberfestbier by Faculty Brewing (5.5% ABV | 25 IBU)

Celebrating Faculty’s 6th birthday and the 187th Oktoberfest, this golden German-style lager is inspired by beers consumed in one-litre steins in Munich during the second half of September. A delicately sweet and floral malt profile is the star of the show here, supported by a super clean fermentation profile and subtle European noble hops.

Faculty Brewing can be found on the Vancouver – Brewery Creek Ale Trail.

Three Autumn beers from Farm Country Brewing:

• Blackberry Pear Sour (5% ABV) Packed with tons of blackberries and pears, the fruity flavour in this brew is powerful.
• Dark Horse (5% ABV | 20 IBU) Black as night with notes of chocolate and molasses yet light in body with a clean crisp finish — the perfect brew to kick off dark beer season.
• Sausage Party (5% ABV | 22 IBU) This smooth, clean pale lager has a delicate malty flavour with light floral hop notes and a golden hue. Prost!

Farm Country can be found on the Langley Ale Trail.

Two Fall beers from Fernie Brewing:

• Ghostrider Pumpkin Brown Ale (5% ABV | 13 IBU) Named after a local Fernie legend, Ghostrider is brewed with pumpkin, spice, and all things nice.
• Ridgewalk Red Ale (5% ABV | 25 IBU) Rich, red, and robust, eight specialty malts go into the making of this classic FBC brew.

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

Two Autumn beers from Five Roads Brewing:

• Oktoberfest Märzen (5.5% ABV | 30 IBU) Rich in malt with a balance of clean, hop bitterness, this is a beautiful amber colour and very easy to drink.
• Pumpkin Stout (6.1% ABV | 18 IBU) A bold, smooth stout with delicious fall flavours of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chocolate.

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

Beetlejuice Sour Ale by Foamers’ Folly Brewing (5.5% ABV | 18 IBU)

This vibrant sour has been pumped up by the addition of beetroot, blackberry, and blueberry, creating a puckeringly sour and deliciously juicy beer.

Foamers’ Folly Brewing can be found on the Maple Ridge Ale Trail.

Märzen by Giant’s Head Brewing (5.9% ABV | 20 IBU)

A classic German-style Märzen made with Mt. Hood hops and lagered for two months.

Giant’s Head Brewing is located in Summerland, BC.

Fresh-Hopped Castaway Blonde Ale by Hornby Island Brewing (5.5% ABV)

Our easy-drinking blonde ale with an exclusive blend of Hornby Island grown fresh Centennial, Pacific Jade and Cascade hops. The hops were added to the whirlpool to allow a pure expression of the local terroir.

Hornby Island Brewing is located on Hornby Island, BC.

A classic Pumpkin Ale plus two series showcasing dark beers from Howe Sound Brewing:

Pumpkineater Imperial Pumpkin Ale (8% ABV)

An imperial ale brewed with pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.

Robust Porter Series:

• Sea Salt Porter (6.5% ABV) A dusting of sea salt enhances and enriches the malt depth.
• Cherry Porter (6.5% ABV) A healthy dose of cherry puree that layers bright fruit notes in with all of those delicious chocolaty malt flavours.
• Habanero Fudge Porter (6.5% ABV) Cocoa and habanero peppers enhance the natural chocolate notes, and offset it with a lingering spiciness.

Barrel Stout Series:

• Hollow Leg Barrel Aged Stout (6% ABV) Aromas of dark chocolate, oatmeal, rye bread, dried fruits and nuts.
• Storm Watching Barrel Aged Stout (10.4% ABV) With aromas of dark chocolate, honey, biscuit and oak.
• Powder Keg Barrel Aged Stout (10.6% ABV) Conditioned on cold brew coffee from Counter Part coffee — flavours of bourbon, tiramisu, and a hint of cherry.
• Phantom Ship Barrel Aged Stout (10.8% ABV) Silky smooth notes of vanilla bean, sea salt, raisin, cookie dough and bourbon.

Howe Sound Brewing can be found on the Squamish Ale Trail.

Two Autumn beers from Hoyne Brewing:

• Wolf Vine Wet Hopped Pale Ale (5.3% ABV) brewed annually following the fresh hop harvest in September, this is the culmination of a great friendship between Hoyne Brewery and the Hope Bay Hop Farm on Pender Island.
• Svec (6.1% ABV | 18 IBU) A Czech-style half dark lager.

Hoyne Brewing can be found on the Victoria Ale Trail.

Dying Wish by Jackknife Brewing (5% ABV | 35 IBU)

A fresh hopped Nordic IPA showcasing Chinook and Centennial hops, throwing out big hits of spice and citrus, and rounded out with some cryo Ekuanot to give it a little bit more resinous character.

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

2 Autumn beers from Locality Brewing:

• Back to our Roots Ginger Saison (7% ABV | 12 IBU) A spicy, gingery and dry Belgian saison.
• Community Harvest Fresh Hop Sour (5.5% ABV | 10 IBU) This collaboration with Field House Brewing is a refreshingly tart sour with a hint of citrus from grapefruit peel. Brewed with 37 pounds of fresh hops including Cascade, Centennial, Chinook and Wild hops grown at Locality, Field house and CN Rail.

Locality Brewing can be found on the Langley Ale Trail.

Two Autumn beers from Longwood Brewery:

• Full Patch Pumpkin Saison (9% ABV | 30 IBU) This seasonal Belgian-style Saison is not for the faint of heart. Slaughtered pumpkins and a whole lotta spice were boiled in a cauldron of barley, hops and anything else they could find lying around.
• Three Farms Hazy IPA (6.8% ABV | 32 IBU) Made with Island-grown barley from Casawood Farms in Courtenay and hops from Bredenhof Hop Farms and Maple Bay Hop Farm.

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

Festa Oktoberfest-Style Lager by Luppolo Brewing (5.5% ABV)

Brewed with a unique blend of malts, noble hops, and Luppolo’s house lager strain. The result is a complex, malty and flavourful yet refreshing amber lager. Enjoy aromas of caramel and toffee leading to flavours of biscuit, graham cracker and honey with a subtle malt sweetness and balanced bitterness.

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

Oktoberfest by Moody Ales & Co. (5.9% ABV)

Brewed with entirely German Pilsner and Dark Munich malts, each sip boasts toasty flavours of biscuit and crusty bread.

Moody Ales & Co. can be found on the Port Moody Ale Trail.

Anchor Lights American Amber Ale by New Tradition Brewing (5.5% ABV | 38 IBU)

This amber-hued ale has light caramel notes with an assertive fruity and floral hop aroma and a smooth, rich finish.

New Tradition Brewing can be found on the Vancouver Island Part II Ale Trail.

Oktoberfest Lager by Persephone Brewing (5.8% ABV | 20 IBU)

A traditional strong German-style amber lager with notes of bread crust and toffee that pairs well with a nice wurst from your local butcher.

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

Two Spooky beers from Phillips Brewing:

• Crooked’er Tooth (7.3% ABV) This pumpkin ale is brewed with beautifully roasted malt and then carefully aged in freshly-emptied bourbon barrels for a slightly sweet, gently spiced brew that blends fresh pumpkin flavours with soft velvet vanilla.
• Eclipse Black Velvet Stout (4.5% ABV) This dark roasty stout delivers a pleasant coffee aroma and a silky, bittersweet chocolate malt-forward profile that is deep and complex but sits light and dry on the palate.

Phillips Brewing can be found on the Victoria Ale Trail.

R&B Brewing’s First Ever Pumpkin Beer + Two Fresh Hops:

• Porch Ornament Pumpkin Ale (6% ABV | 20 IBU) Finally, after 25 years, R&B decided to do a Pumpkin Ale! This strong, rich, flavourful pumpkin beer contains pumpkin puree, five different spices, and has a rich velvety palate that tantalizes the tongue with the spices.
• So Fresh & So Green (7% ABV | 45 IBU) A classic west coast IPA dry-hopped with fresh Cashmere from Bredenhof Hop Farm in Abbotsford.
• Freshly Stolen Bike (4.5% ABV | 30 IBU) R&B’s Stolen Bike Lager dry-hopped with fresh Sterling hops from Bredenhof Hop Farm in Abbotsford.

R&B Brewing can be found on the Vancouver – Brewery Creek Ale Trail.

Three Autumn beers from Red Collar Brewing:

• “Hop Comet” Fresh Hop Hazy Pale Ale (6% ABV | 45 IBU) A hazy pale ale brewed with fresh hops from Bredenhof Farms in Abbotsford.
• Marzen Bavarian Lager (5.2% ABV | 28 IBU) A crisp and clean German lager that is lightly hopped with a medium body with hints of honey and malt sweetness.
• Squash Gourdon Pumpkin Ale (6.5% ABV | 20 IBU) A squashing good ale created using locally grown sugar pumpkins from Thistle Farms in Kamloops that brings together the flavours of allspice, nutmeg and ginger in seasonal harmony. Many gourds were smashed in the production of this beer.

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

Golden Hour Cranberry Ale by Red Truck Beer Co. (5% ABV | 10 IBU)

A beautiful pink wheat ale that’s loaded with real cranberry, orange and coriander.

Red Truck Beer Co. can be found on the Vancouver – Brewery Creek Ale Trail.

Altbier by Shaketown Brewing (5% ABV)

This collab beer with the team at Rewind Beer Co., which just opened in Port Moody, has a wonderful, freshly baked banana bread nose that leads into flavours of biscuit, light caramel and subtle baking spices with a pronounced, clean bitterness on the finish.

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

Smashing Pumpkin by Shore Line Brewing (5% ABV | 20 IBU)

An amber ale base made with pumpkin puree, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and vanilla. This limited release is available in the taproom only.

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

Martin Marzen by Small Block Brewing (6.5% ABV | 20 IBU)

This Bavarian Oktoberfest classic is a light bodied, slightly sweet lager that is amber in colour with a rich crackery malt profile. Named for the Martin Mars water bomber that did so much to protect forests and homes on the Island and far beyond.

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

Two Autumn beers from Steel & Oak Brewing:

• Zonophone Chocolate Raspberry Porter (6% ABV) Dark malts with additions of oat and rye give a full mouthfeel that provides the perfect bass line for the local raspberry and Tanzanian cocoa nibs sourced from East Van Roasters to stand on.
• Smoked Honey Doppelbock (7.9% ABV) Honey sourced from New Westminster and beechwood-smoked malt add depth to this complex strong German-style that is lagered for eight weeks to fully develop and mature.

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

Zinnhaus Vienna Lager by Tinhouse Brewing (5.2% ABV | 25 IBU)

A traditional Oktoberfest beer, this Vienna Lager has a beautiful caramel colour, well-rounded malt profile, and subtle hop bitterness for a very drinkable, balanced beer.

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

Century Grove Chocolate Espresso Stout by Townsite Brewing (6% ABV)

Named after a local second growth forest south of Powell River, this stout has lovely chocolate notes from the added cacao nibs plus local espresso beans brewed and added from River City Roasters.

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

Two Autumn beers from Trading Post Brewing:

• Festbier (5.9% ABV | 20 IBU) This copper coloured lager uses slightly darker grains to give it a maltier taste and deeper colour than a standard lager.
• Tart Cranberry Ale (5.9% ABV | 7 IBU) This wheat ale is kettle soured with Lactobacillus and features a medium malt body with a bold tart cranberry flavour, perfect for the holiday season.

Trading Post Brewing can be found on the Langley Ale Trail.

Two Fall Releases from Twin City Brewing:

• Pyramid Scheme Hazy Kveik Pale Ale (5.5% ABV | 35 IBU) This pours an opaque hazy straw colour with huge aromas of fresh squeezed citrus cocktail and juicy sticky dankness from copious amounts of Vic Secret, Cryo Citra, and Cryo Mosaic Hops. Voss Kveik yeast brings out the juice esters while keeping hops as the star. This is one juicy hop bomb of a pale ale.
• Postscript Munich Helles Lager (5% ABV | 17 IBU) This crisp Munich-style lager is well-lagered over 6 weeks with a careful balance of subtle cracker-like Pilsner malt and Saaz Hops’ nuanced herbal-spice character.

Twin City Brewing can be found on the Vancouver Island Part II Ale Trail.

Embers Oak-Smoked Porter by Wildeye Brewing (7% ABV)

This luxurious porter is rich and full-bodied — the smoked malts add a delicate touch of balance to this complex brew.

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

The post Autumn is Harvest Beer Season appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

We asked the folks at Whistle Buoy to tell us a bit about their brewery — and to also let us know how they like to eat a peach. Because, you know, the beer has peaches in it.

1. What’s the story behind the name of your brewery?

On a foggy west coast day, three friends were freediving and spearfishing near the remote community of Bamfield off the west coast of Vancouver Island. We could barely see anything around us, but could hear the whistle buoy that marked a reef we were fishing, and is slowly became visible as we moved towards the sound. What started as an ominous and hairy adventure turned to productive fishing, bluebird skies, and unforgettable memories with friends as the fog lifted and disappeared. We started our brewery one year later.

2. What sets your brewery apart from others in BC?

Our taproom location in the heart of downtown Victoria is really what makes our business unique. Producing an ever changing list of beers using local ingredients and serving it in a large beautiful setting of Market Square.

3. How do you interact with your local community?

We are very connected to our amazing community. We love this city and we are proud of it. We host events with local artists, collaborate with other small local businesses, and purchase the majority of ingredients from local farmers and producers.

4. Are there any unique challenges to brewing in your area/region?

We are brewing in a shoebox in the bottom of a 140-year-old building that is four stories high and made of brick. The building we are in was not intended for a production facility, so we have to get very creative with how we operate and grow our production.

5. What did you bring to this collaboration?

We were excited at the opportunity to work with other like-minded breweries across the province. In the recipe development process, we were really keen to push the idea of using local ingredients as much as possible. We ended up with some great BC barley and peaches. We also suggested the idea of using sea salt, since we love to use it in our sours as we find it balances the finished product. The ocean inspires us and provides amazing ingredients, so we used Vancouver Island Sea Salt in this beer.

6. What was your favourite part of the Brew Day?

Meeting a bunch of new friends and eating chicken sandwiches together. Chicken sandwiches are the best

7. Where can folks buy your beer? 

The best place to try our beer is in the taproom in Victoria. We also sell draught at a few bars in town here, and deliver to customers locally everyday at 5. We ship our beer in the mail anywhere in BC for those who don’t live in Victoria. Check out our website for full details.

8. What is your favourite way to eat a peach?

Soak peaches in an ice bath, cut off bite-sized chunks that are super juicy and refreshing.

Whistle Buoy Brewing can be found on the Victoria Ale Trail.

The EXPLORE BC Peach Farmhouse Ale is a collaboration between six breweries from across British Columbia. BC peaches present a beautiful golden-orange colour, while the Lærdal Kveik yeast and BC hops provide fruity, floral flavours above a clean rounded malt base that elevates the whole beer. Lastly, a pinch of BC sea salt makes this ale sparkle. This limited edition Peach Farmhouse Ale is a true representation of our province that pairs perfectly with BC’s natural beauty.

The EXPLORE BC Beer Series, brought to you by the BC Ale Trail in partnership with Destination B.C., celebrates the fall season with a new limited-edition craft beer, and new special offers to explore the province’s vast Ale Trail network. Created for BC Craft Beer Month, the EXPLORE BC Peach Farmhouse Ale, is a collaboration by six breweries representing all of the province’s major tourism regions, and produced by Ravens Brewing Company, will be available at select liquor stores, restaurants and craft breweries across the province. Where to find the beer HERE.

“EXPLORE BC is an Official Mark of Destination BC Corp., used with consent.”

The post EXPLORE BC Brewery Snapshot: Whistle Buoy Brewing appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

A Beer Inspired by BC and Brewed for You

The EXPLORE BC Peach Farmhouse Ale is a collaboration between six breweries from across British Columbia. BC peaches present a beautiful golden-orange colour, while the Lærdal Kveik yeast and BC hops provide fruity, floral flavours above a clean rounded malt base that elevates the whole beer. Lastly, a pinch of BC sea salt makes this ale sparkle. This limited edition Peach Farmhouse Ale is a true representation of our province that pairs perfectly with BC’s natural beauty.

Every year, British Columbia’s diverse and exciting craft beer industry is celebrated during October, which was officially proclaimed as BC Craft Beer Month by the provincial government in 2011. The EXPLORE BC Beer Series, brought to you by the BC Ale Trail in partnership with Destination B.C., celebrates BC Craft Beer Month with a limited-edition craft beer, and Sip & Stays to encourage exploration of the province’s vast Ale Trail network. The EXPLORE BC Peach Farmhouse Ale, a collaboration by six breweries representing all of the province’s major tourism regions, and produced by Ravens Brewing Company, will be available at select liquor stores, restaurants and craft breweries across the province. During a collaborative recipe planning process, the six breweries chose a style to truly showcase British Columbia’s craft beer scene and its connection to the agricultural communities of BC: the EXPLORE BC Peach Farmhouse Ale.

“EXPLORE BC is an Official Mark of Destination BC Corp., used with consent”

Brewed with BC Ingredients

Ravens Brewing in Abbotsford acted as the Host Brewery for this special collaboration beer. Head Brewer Dan Marriette developed the loose framework for the beer and then consulted with the partner brewers to create the full recipe. All of the ingredients showcase the wealth of agricultural bounty that British Columbia has to offer.

“I wanted to focus on as much BC product as possible. What sort of local BC-grown fruit can we use?”

They chose Country Malt’s BC Select Malt as a base malt and peach purée from the Okanagan. To brew this farmhouse ale, they selected Lærdal Kveik yeast. For hops they decided on nugget and triumph varieties from Bredenhof Hops Farms “five minutes down the road” in Abbotsford.

Finally, they were excited to add some Vancouver Island Sea Salt: “It’s definitely not too briney — just a light sparkle of salt.”

Six Regional Breweries Collaborated to Create the EXPLORE BC IPA

Marriette was tasked with picking five partner breweries — one representing each region of British Columbia. He says when he considered which breweries to invite, he decided to focus on smaller companies.

“I didn’t want to pick any big well known names. I’d much rather ask somebody small who could use the lift up.”

Each of the six participating breweries is based in a different region of BC, and each brings its own unique story and contribution to the beer.

Cariboo Chilcotin Coast: Fox Mountain Brewing (Williams Lake)

Founded by a biologist who studied brewing in England, Fox Mountain Brewing is based in Williams Lake’s old Greyhound Station, which was extensively renovated to accommodate the brewing equipment and taproom. In addition to a wide range of beers, Fox Mountain serves up delicious food, including burgers, nachos, sandwiches, wings, and smoked ribs.

Fox Mountain Brewing can be found on the Northeast BC Ale Trail.

Kootenay Rockies: Torchlight Brewing (Nelson)

This popular brewery grew from small “nanobrewery” origins into the full-size facility it is today. Torchlight has a kitchen and tasting lounge serving 20 taps of beer along with craft sodas, syrups and bitters for cocktails, all made in-house.

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

Northern BC: Deadfall Brewing (Prince George)

One of the newest breweries in BC, Deadfall opened early this past summer. It is the third brewery in Prince George, along with CrossRoads Brewing & Distilling and Trench Brewing & Distilling. Three out of four of Deadfall Brewing’s owners are PhDs — the two couples who teamed up to build this brewery include three biologists with doctorates. (We’re sure the fourth is pretty smart, too…)

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

Thompson Okanagan: Slackwater Brewing (Penticton)

Located in downtown Penticton, Slackwater Brewing features two floors of seating surrounding the central main room and bar, including rooftop and streetside patios. With 12 taps, including some guest beers and cider, it is a welcoming space to meet with old friends or make some new connections, to sit back, relax and listen to live music, or to just hang out and enjoy a beer and some food.

Slackwater Brewing can be found on the Penticton Ale Trail.

Vancouver Coast & Mountains: Ravens Brewing (Abbotsford)

Respect for craft beer and the ingredients that go into it is the focus at this Abbotsford brewery. Proud of its place in the community and its heritage as an aboriginal-owned company, Ravens has won multiple awards, including a Gold Medal at the 2018 World Beer Cup for its Corvus Lingonberry Lime Gose.

Note: Ravens’ new tasting room and restaurant is still under construction, but the brewery itself is fully operational. Currently, its onsite store is available for beer to go only.

Vancouver Island: Whistle Buoy Brewing (Victoria)

This small brewery in Victoria’s historic Market Square has a welcoming tasting room and a sun-drenched patio. The unusual name comes from the diving location where its three founders first decided to open their own brewery. There they liked to go spear fishing for rock cod while free diving (i.e. without scuba equipment). Hence the spear guns mounted on the wall of the tasting room.

Whistle Buoy Brewing can be found on the Victoria Ale Trail.

Thank You!

Many thanks to our other partners on the project: Glenmore Custom Print and Packaging (boxes), Royal Labels (labels), Country Malt Group  (malt) and Crown Cork & Seal Canada (cans).

Where you can find the EXPLORE BC Peach Farmhouse Ale

The EXPLORE BC Peach Farmhouse Ale is a single-batch beer so once it sells out it will be gone for good. Starting October 3rd, the beer will be distributed to liquor stores throughout BC, including 50 government stores and numerous private liquor retailers. It will also be on tap at the partner breweries that collaborated on its production, as well as at select taphouses and craft breweries all around the province. The full list of places where it will be available can be found below. Nothing close to you? Order it from Ravens to be shipped HERE.

Distribution List

BC Government Liquor Stores:

• BCLS New Westminster #031, New Westminster
• BCLS Nelson #032, Nelson
• BCLS Revelstoke #045, Revelstoke
• BCLS Sidney #050, Sidney
• BCLS Harbour Centre #053, Vancouver
• BCLS Cloverdale #070, Cloverdale
• BCLS Hillside #082, Victoria
• BCLS Nicola Station #089, VPort Coquitlam
• BCLS Jericho Village #090, Vancouver
• BCLS Bute Street #094, Vancouver
• BCLS Tsawwassen #098, Tsawwassen
• BCLS Westview #107, North Vancouver
• BCLS Commercial Dr #111, Vancouver
• BCLS Collingwood #113, Vancouver
• BCLS Broadway & Maple #117, Vancouver
• BCLS Tofino #118, Tofino
• BCLS Kingsgate #123, Vancouver
• BCLS Gorge/Tillicum #124, Victoria
• BCLS Westshore #125, Lanford
• BCLS Albernie & Bute #129, Vancouver
• BCLS Vernon #135, Vernon
• BCLS Kelowna Mission Park #148, Kelowna
• BCLS Como Lake #153, Coquitlam
• BCLS Parksville North #157, Parksville 
• BCLS Langley #158, Langley
• BCLS Westwood Centre #163, Port Coquitlam
• BCLS Orchard Park #167, Kelowna
• BCLS Fairfield #178, Victoria
• BCLS Whistler Market Place #179, Whistler
• BCLS Peninsula Village #183, Surrey
• BCLS Village #189, Abbotsford
• BCLS Byrne Road #193, Burnaby
• BCLS Salmo #207, Salmo
• BCLS Squamish #208, Squamish
• BCLS North Burnaby #217, Burnaby
• BCLS Fort Street #218, Victoria
• BCLS Highgate #220, Burnaby
• BCLS Park Royal #228, West Vancouver
• BCLS Robson Street #233, Vancouver
• BCLS 28th & Main #237, Vancouver
• BCLS Lynn Valley #247, North Vancouver
• BCLS Broadway/Lillooet #300, Vancouver
• BCLS Whistler Village #302, Whistler

Private Liquor Retailers:

• Brewery Creek, Vancouver
• Cascadia, Nanoose Bay
• Cascadia, Langford
• Cedar Cottage Liquor, Vancouver
• Garrison Wine & Liquor, Chilliwack
• Greenrock Liquor Store, Nanaimo
• JAK’S Cherry Lane, Penticton
• JAK’S Coquitlam, Coquitlam
• JAK’S Granville, Vancouver
• JAK’S Mission, Mission
• JAK’S, New Westminster
• Jake’s Crossing, Port Moody
• Jimy Mac’s, Langley
• Lansdowne Central, Kamloops
• Liberty Wine Merchants, Vancouver
• Lulu Island Liquor, Richmond
• Marine Gateway Liquor, Vancouver
• Nesters Liquor, Whistler
• Noble Spirits Liquor, Prince George
• Parkway Liquor Store, Vancouver
• Riverside Liquor, Penticton
• Vessel Liquor, Victoria

Breweries:

• Ravens Brewing Co, Abbotsford
• Bayview Brewing Co, Ladysmith
• Bomber Brewing, Vancouver
• Cannery Brewing, Penticton
• Category 12 Brewing, Victoria
• Deadfall Brewing, Prince George
• Fox Mountain Brewing, Williams Lake
• Sherwood Mountain Brewhouse, Terrace
• Slackwater Brewing, Penticton
• Torchlight Brewing, Nelson
• Whistle Buoy Brewing, Victoria
• Brookswood Brewing, Langley

Restaurants/Taphouses:

• Alibi Room, Vancouver
• Brgr Brgr, Abbotsford
• Church St Taphouse, Comox
• Cordo resto + Bar, Kamloops
• Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier, North Vancouver
• Prestige Hotel, Kamloops
• Refuge Tap Room, Victoria
• The Barley Merchant, Langley
• The Wildwood Public House, Powell River

Sip & Stay Packages

In celebration of BC Craft Beer Month, October, we are partnering with hotels around the province to offer Sip & Stays. Pairing BC travels with a hotel stay, and BC craft beer — it’s an Ale-venture!

This also coincides with our 2022 EXPLORE BC Peach Farmhouse Ale collaboration beer release. Some hotels will be offering the EXPLORE BC beer as part of their Sip & Stay, others are offering locally made BC craft beer or visit to a local brewery.

Valid for bookings October 1 – November 30. All offers are unique to the hotel. See details HERE for the offerings and for booking instructions.

The post The EXPLORE BC Peach Farmhouse Ale Collaboration Beer appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

What started off with a smattering of events put on by some of the approximately 40 breweries open then has turned into 31 days of fall beer releases (fresh hop and pumpkin to name a few), special events, tap takeovers, beer weeks, and of course Oktoberfest celebrations at many of BC’s 230+ breweries today!

Normally October is also the month for the BC Craft Brewers Guild Conference and the BC Beer Awards, but challenges with the tails of Covid pushed them both to November this year. New this year in the world of awards is the first annual Canada Beer Cup, and while this inaugural event is being held back east, those in Vancouver can head over to Container Brewing for a live stream of the whole event with real-time commentary from viewers across the country. The live stream will also be available at the Barley Merchant Taproom & Kitchen in Langley — or you can tune in from to the interactive event from the comfort of your own living room.

There are also five separate Tasting Passport promotions across the province running through the month that will give you the the chance to win some great prizes after collecting stamps at local breweries and other businesses. Check this blog to learn more!

October Beer Weeks

Kelowna Beer Week — October 1 – 8

This year October is starting off strong with the inaugural Kelowna Beer Week. Now with 18 breweries and counting,  many of which opened up over the last two years, Kelowna has a lot to celebrate. There will be Oktoberfest punch cards to fill out and passports to get stamped while you visit each of the breweries with entries going in for a grand prize! The week of events wraps up at BNA Brewing on October 8 with a mini beer fest.

Check out the Kelowna and West Kelowna Ale Trail to plan your next visit.

Penticton Beer Week — October 14 – 22

This will be the 4th Annual Penticton Beer Week — and the first with the city’s new Penticton Beer Block branding. To start off the beer week will be the launch of Do Good Hazy Pale IPA, a collaborative fundraising beer with partial proceeds going to a local charity, available at all 8 breweries. There are 20+ events happening throughout the city at brewery locations.

Check out the Penticton Ale Trail to plan your next visit.

Oktoberfest Celebrations

What better opportunity to showcase fall beer releases and some new menu changes than turning your brewery into a Biergarten and celebrating Oktoberfest? Many breweries started the festivities in September, as they do in Germany, but you can enjoy the last three days of the traditional dates at a variety of breweries across the province.

Oktoberfest @ BREWHALL

Join the folks at BREWHALL until October 10th for daily food and drink features including soft pretzels, currywurst, schnitzel sandwiches, and some great Oktoberfest and german beers!

Reserve your seats ahead of time! HERE 

Stein &Dine @ The Victoria Public Market

Live accordion player, Oktoberfest dancers, beer pong, giant Roast Jenga, giant connect 4 & live music. In the tradition of the classic Oktoberfest style, Roast Meat & Sandwich Shop will be preparing popular Germanic favourites to make Stein and Dine 2022 an event to remember!

Get your tickets HERE 

Oktoberfest @ Mountainview Brewing

Looking for a traditional Oktoberfest in Hope? Mountainview Brewing will have it all. Ticket prices include a beer stein, beer, and a pretzel, with prizes to be awarded for the best Oktoberfest outfit. Tickets are available at the brewery ONLINE.

And More…

Lots of other locations across the province will be celebrating Oktoberfest, including  Another Beer Co, the newly opened Small Gods Brewing, in Sidney, Shore Line Brewing in West Kelowna, and Wild North Brewing Co. in Creston.

Beer Festivals

Brewhalla North Vancouver — October 7

Brewhalla has already had several festivals earlier this year and this will be the last of their series. Held in the Shipyards in North Vancouver with over 22 breweries, live music, and food trucks. Tickets are available HERE.

Hoptoberfest at Camp Beer Co — October 8

Camp Beer Co in Langley will be hosting a one-of-a-kind celebration of BC’s hoppy ales. There will be 12 taps and two sessions (3 – 6 pm and 7 – 10 pm).
Tickets are available HERE.

Check out the Langley Ale Trail to plan your next visit.

Island Craft Festival at The Sticky Wicket — October 9

Showcasing the best that Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands have to offer with over 60 local craft beers, ciders, and spirits. The event will be showcasing the new Wicket Hall and Clubhouse. Tickets are available HERE.

The Victoria Beer Society presents Fresh to Death — October 16

What would October be without a fresh hop festival?? Fresh to Death is coming back in a  new location and with an opportunity to have an exclusive guided tasting with our very own Joe Wiebe! The beer lineup will be focused on fresh hop beers, but it will also feature pumpkin beers, Oktoberfest lagers, and other harvest-themed seasonals.

Tickets are available HERE.

Check out the Victoria Ale Trail to plan your next visit.

Special Beer Releases

The EXPLORE BC Peach Farmhouse Ale launching on October 3

This is the second EXPLORE BC beer that has been released for BC Craft Beer Month. This year’s version is a Peach Farmhouse Ale, which is a collaboration between six breweries from across BC. This limited edition beer is a true representation of our province that pairs perfectly with BC’s natural beauty.

Penticton Beer Week Special Fundraiser Collaboration Beer

This is Year Four of Penticton Beer week and this year’s version was brewed at Cannery Brewing with all eight breweries. The “Do Good Hazy IPA” is a fundraiser beer with partial proceeds going to the Dragonfly Pond Family Society. It will be on tap at all eight locations starting October 14th and available in cans at select liquor stores throughout the province.

And More…

Ch’illiwack Common Golden Lager

A. special release brewed by the Chilliwack breweries with proceeds going to support the Chilliwack Park Society. Available in 4-packs at Old Yale Brewing and Chilliwack liquor stores

Educational Tastings

Vessel Zooms Home: Brew School-Oktoberfest — October 20

Our very own Joe Wiebe hosts a monthly series of educational tastings online through zoom. October’s class will feature harvest-themed beers, including fresh hop, pumpkin, Oktoberfest lagers and more.

Matter of Beer ~ Blind Justice Guided Beer Tasting – October 22

Matt Poirier will be hosting a live event at the Vessel Liquor store in Victoria focused on unique ingredients.

Beer Style of the Day

Do you want to celebrate, but you just can’t get out to many of these events? Check out the “Beer of the Day” with 31 beer styles, descriptions, tasting notes, and a great selection of breweries from around the province. Create your own event! Oh, so many options!

Want More?

Events are getting added daily, so for an up-to-date list of BC Craft Beer Month events, check out the website at BCCraftBeerMonth.com.

The post BC Craft Beer Month 2022 appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.