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

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

Barnside Brewing

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

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

But perhaps Barnside’s fans say it best:

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

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

Locality Brewing

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

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

Lillooet Brewing Company

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

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

The Patch Brewery

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

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

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

Driftwood Brewing

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

Find Driftwood Brewery in Victoria on the Greater Victoria Ale Trail

Camp Beer Co.

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

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

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

Farmhouse Brewing Co.

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

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

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

Fern + Cedar Brewing

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

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

Abandoned Rail Brewing Co

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

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

Field House Brewing – ABBY

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

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

The Beer Farmers

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

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

Every Pint Tells a Story

Supporting Local. Celebrating Community.

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

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

While Vancouver takes centre stage as a host city, communities across the province are joining the excitement with fan zones, watch parties, beer gardens, live entertainment, and plenty of opportunities to cheer alongside fellow fans.

So, whether you’re looking for a lively place to catch a match, gather with friends, or soak up the atmosphere, you’ll find plenty of ways to join the celebration this summer in our Match Day Pints Guide. We’ve created this list of the best fan zones, watch parties, and community events happening around British Columbia. Click on any participating brewery below for event details, or find all of these events in the BC Ale Trail app. Don’t have it yet? Download it today and take BC’s craft beer scene with you.

Cheers to a summer of great matches, great beer, and memorable moments!

Metro Vancouver & Fraser Valley

Vancouver

FIFA Fan Festival

The official FIFA Fan Festival at Hastings Park will be BC’s largest tournament celebration, featuring giant screens, live entertainment, food vendors, cultural programming, and interactive fan experiences throughout the tournament.

Granville Island

One of Vancouver’s most iconic destinations is getting into the soccer spirit with free public match screenings throughout the tournament. Between games, explore the Public Market, waterfront patios, and vibrant craft beverage scene.

R&B Brewing

Watch matches on a massive 140-inch screen while enjoying special Team Canada food and beer pairings.

Parallel 49 Brewing

One of Vancouver’s largest breweries has transformed its 250-seat patio and event space into an outdoor viewing area for all of the games this June and July, featuring a giant outdoor screen, DJs, food, and more.

Luppolo Brewing Company

Showing select matches in the tasting room. Table reservations are highly encouraged.

Steamworks Brewing Co.

Serving as Vancouver’s unofficial Swiss headquarters, welcoming fans of all nations throughout the tournament.

Steamworks Mount Pleasant Kitchen & Taphouse

Showing matches in the taphouse throughout the tournament

Strathcona Beer Co.

Offering watch parties, snacks, and match-day drink specials.

Container Brewing

Enjoy patio parties for every game, all tournament long.

East Vancouver Brewing Company

Enjoy a pint and good food while they show matches all tournament long. Table reservations encouraged.

Strange Fellows Brewing

Watch the world’s best teams compete all tournament long while enjoying Strange Fellows’ award-winning beers.

Main Street Brewing

Enjoy all the Team Canada matches along with select tournament games. Open early for select games.

Howe Sound Brewing

Showing every match in the brewery throughout the tournament and offering $12 double Caesars and $20 jugs of Howe Sound Lager during the games. Enjoy a $20 burger and beer special from Monday to Friday. Open 30 minutes before early games.

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North Vancouver

Uber Eats Canada Soccer House

The Shipyards will become home to Uber Eats Canada Soccer House, a waterfront gathering place featuring match screenings, special events, entertainment, food, and plenty of opportunities to celebrate Canada’s biggest soccer summer yet.

Strathcona North

Showing every match with early openings for select morning games, true 20oz pours, and daily happy hour specials.

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Surrey

Public Watch Parties and Community Events

Three free Soccer Fan Zones at Surrey Civic Plaza, Cloverdale Agriplex, and South Surrey Athletic Park will feature giant screens, food trucks, family-friendly activities, and licensed beer gardens.

Way Back Brew Co.

Showing matches all month long, making it easy to settle in with a locally crafted pint and soak up the match-day excitement.

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New Westminster

Public Watch Parties and Community Events

New Westminster is Fired Up for soccer with public watch parties, cultural programming, community events, and activities taking place throughout the tournament.

Howe Sound Taphouse & Kitchen

Showing every match in the brewery throughout the tournament and offering a special $8.50 breakfast menu and $12 double Caesars, as well as a $20 burger and beer special every day. Open 30 minutes before early games.

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Delta

Public Watch Parties and Community Events

Watch matches from Ladner’s Chisholm Street Wharf or the North Delta Recreation Centre while enjoying community programming and activities.

Four Winds Brewing Co.

Showing every match in the taproom.

Four Winds Beach House & Brewery

Catch every match on large projectors and TVs overlooking Boundary Bay.

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Coquitlam

Public Watch Parties

Public match viewings will rotate between several outdoor locations, creating neighbourhood gathering spaces for fans throughout the tournament.

Mariner Brewing

Showing every tournament match on the big screen with full sound, plus daily soccer-themed T-shirt giveaways and Team Canada jersey raffles on select match days.

Side Quest Brewing Co.

Showing all matches (that start between 12-7 pm) with the sound on. No cost to come, happy hour from 12-6 pm with $5 pints.

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Port Moody

Train Wreck Brewing

Join fellow fans for match screenings throughout the tournament.

Yellow Dog Brewing

Showing all matches throughout the tournament and hosting special giveaways during every Canada match. Grab a pint and join fellow supporters as Canada takes on the world’s best.

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Port Coquitlam

Taylight Brewing

Extended hours, international match celebrations, and tournament-themed food and beer specials throughout the tournament.

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Langley

Camp Beer Co.

A massive outdoor watch party experience featuring every match, special soccer mug club perks, custom cask beers, food features, and a final match celebration.

Dead Frog Brewery

Catch all the action throughout the tournament while enjoying a lineup of locally crafted beers.

Five Roads Brewing

Watch Vancouver-hosted matches while enjoying specials on their soccer-themed Mexican lager. Team Canada goals unlock $5 beers.

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Chilliwack

Sidekick Brewing

Showing every match in the taproom, with $15 60oz pitchers during Team Canada games.

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Pitt Meadows

Foamers’ Folly Brewing

Showing every single match LIVE. Grab a $5 pint and enjoy the festivities!

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Squamish

Howe Sound Brewing

Showing every match in the brewery throughout the tournament and offering a special breakfast menu and $12 double Caesars, as well as a $20 burger and beer special from Monday to Friday. Open 30 minutes before early games.

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Pemberton

Bridge Brewing

Catch every match on multiple screens, full sound, delicious handcrafted eats, and a pint of your favourite craft beer in hand.

Sunshine Coast

Gibsons & Sechelt

Public Watch Parties and Community Events

Both Gibsons and Sechelt have received provincial funding to support free celebrations. Keep an eye on local event listings for details on community viewing parties and special programming throughout the tournament

Persephone Brewing Company

Join fellow fans for watch parties and receive 10% off on match days when you mention “Match Days.”

The Spare Room at The Alley

Pair all the action with Persephone pints and a full pub menu featuring burgers, wings, and more.

Vancouver Island

Victoria

Public Watch Parties and Community Events 

Downtown Victoria is embracing the tournament with outdoor watch parties, street activations, and community events hosted in partnership with local businesses throughout the city.

Driftwood Brewing

Enjoy all the games on their new 75″ TV, starting at 12:00pm daily. Select matches shown with sound.

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Langford

Public Watch Parties and Community Events

Langford’s cultural district will come alive with public match screenings, local vendors, food trucks, live entertainment, and a licensed beverage garden. It’s an ideal stop for soccer fans travelling through southern Vancouver Island.

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Comox Valley

Public Watch Party

Celebrate Canada’s opening match with a community gathering featuring live music, cultural performances, and a shared viewing experience in one of Vancouver Island’s most scenic regions.

Interior BC

Kamloops

Public Watch Parties and Community Events

Riverside Park will serve as Kamloops’ soccer headquarters, with matches broadcast on a large outdoor screen at the Rotary Bandshell. Team Canada games and the tournament final will feature enhanced programming, including food trucks, family activities, live entertainment, and a beer garden.

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Kelowna

Kelowna Beer Institute

Transforming into “England House” for every England match, complete with a dedicated viewing room, prizes, food specials, and a pint included with admission.

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Penticton

Yellow Dog Brewing

Catch Canada’s matches with fellow fans while enjoying locally crafted beer and the vibrant atmosphere of Penticton’s brewery district.

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Salmon Arm

Public Watch Parties

Salmon Arm is planning a series of free community watch parties, giving visitors another reason to spend time in the Shuswap region during the tournament.

Ricochet Brewing & Taphouse

Join the After the Pitch celebrations with an expanded street-side patio, food specials, outdoor games, and 36 BC craft beverage taps.

———

Cranbrook

Public Watch Parties and Community Events

The East Kootenays will join the celebration with public viewing opportunities and soccer-themed community events throughout the tournament.

Northern BC

Prince George

Public Watch Party

Prince George will host a community watch party for the soccer final, bringing fans together to celebrate the culmination of the world’s biggest sporting event.

Join the Celebration

One of the best things about the beautiful game is how it brings people together. This summer, communities across BC are creating spaces where fans can gather, cheer on their favourite teams, and be part of the excitement.

Whether you’re watching from a waterfront fan zone, a community watch party, or your local brewery patio, there’s no shortage of ways to experience the soccer spirit. And while the tournament may be a global event, it’s also a great opportunity to celebrate local. BC’s craft breweries are producing world-class beer in communities across the province, and many are opening their doors for match-day festivities.

So pull on your lucky jersey, gather your crew, and raise a locally crafted pint to a summer of great beer, unforgettable moments, and world-class soccer.

For further resources, visit Super, Natural BC.

The post Match Day Pints: Where to Celebrate the Beautiful Game in BC appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

This easy road trip makes it the ideal weekend getaway for anyone looking to explore their own backyard without the hassle of a long drive or flight.

Nestled on the traditional territories of nine First Nations communities, this region spans from Agassiz to Harrison Hot Springs, Harrison Mills, and beyond. In just 48 hours, you can fully immerse yourself in everything the valley has to offer: biking scenic mountain trails, paddling mighty rivers, sipping farm-fresh ciders, experiencing a taste of place on the Circle Farm Tour, and unwinding in the famous healing hot springs. The valley also boasts a vibrant cultural scene, from mouthwatering cuisine at diverse local restaurants to world-class events like the renowned Harrison Festival of the Arts. Whether you’re craving outdoor adventure on Harrison Lake, authentic local experiences, or simply a peaceful escape surrounded by magnificent mountains and scenic beaches, here’s your ultimate guide to choosing your own adventure in the Harrison River Valley — all possible in two unforgettable days.

Day 1

Pedal and Play at Sasquatch Mountain

Kick off your Harrison River Valley adventure with a morning on the trails at Sasquatch Mountain Resort. Famous for its snowy slopes in winter, the resort transforms into a mountain biker’s playground in summer. From adrenaline-pumping descents to laid-back scenic rides, there’s a trail (and view) for every rider. Afterward, refuel at Stumpy’s Bar & Grill at the base of the mountain with a snack or a refreshing drink.

Step Back in Time at Kilby Historic Site

Your next stop is the Kilby Historic Site, where you can explore a preserved glimpse of early 1900s life. The grounds tell the story of the region’s farming roots, while feeding the chickens, ducks, and goat is always a hit with visitors. At the center of it all is the 1906 Kilby General Store, now an engaging museum featuring original merchandise, hands-on activities, and costumed interpreters. Don’t miss popping into the Kilby Café for a quick bite to eat! 

Sip and Savour at Cedar Cider*

The Harrison River Valley is known for its fertile farmland and abundant orchards, and you’ll taste that firsthand at Cedar Cider. Tucked into a scenic corner of the Valley, this farm-based cidery crafts small-batch, natural ciders using wild yeasts, barrel aging, and unfiltered methods that let the fruit shine. Both vegan and gluten-free, their ciders range from crisp and classic to adventurous and fruity. With over 100 varieties of apples, pears, and quince, every glass reflects a passion for traditional processes, seasonal ingredients, and bold, complex flavours. Stop in for a pint or flight, and with their expansive tap list, you’re sure to find a cider to love. 

Editor note: Unfortunately due to a series of mishaps and equipment breakdowns, they have decided to remain closed for 2026, reopening in Spring 2027. Details.

Tee off at the Sandpiper Golf Course

For golf lovers, the Sandpiper Resort Golf Course offers an unforgettable riverside 18-hole course that provides both a challenge and a stunning backdrop. Cheam Mountain frames the course on one side with the Harrison River on the other, creating a picture-perfect setting for any round. Whether you’re swinging clubs or simply soaking in the scenery, it’s hard to imagine a more idyllic place to play.

A Dreamy Stay at the Sandpiper Resort

With its fresh, West Coast-inspired cuisine, Sandpiper’s River’s Edge Clubhouse is the perfect place to settle in for dinner and a sunset view. Enjoy a delicious meal, and end the evening with a nightcap before retreating to one of the resort’s cabins or a room at Rowena’s Inn. From rustic charm to modern luxury, the cabins provide the perfect escape with the soothing sounds of nature outside your window. With a variety of one- to three-bedroom setups, they’re perfect for your small family or larger group. The Inn is a historic, English-style manor turned boutique inn, and was the home of the Pretty family, the original owners and founders of the Sandpiper Resort. 

Day 2

Morning Pick-me-up at Agassiz Corner Café

Good morning! Start the day the way locals do, by visiting Agassiz Corner Café. This community favourite is known for its warm hospitality and delicious breakfast options. Whether you go for a pastry, a breakfast sandwich, or just a strong cup of coffee, it’s the spot to fuel for the day ahead.

Explore the Circle Farm Tour

The Harrison-Agassiz Circle Farm Tour is one of the Valley’s most authentic offerings, a perfect way to soak up the region’s agricultural charm. Spend your morning on a self-guided tour, strolling through fragrant fields at Harrison Lavender, sampling artisanal cheeses at Creekside Cheese & Creamery, and exploring the trails and gardens at Earthwise Society’s Agassiz Farm. Each stop offers its own unique experience, while together they highlight the Valley’s rich farming heritage and strong sense of community.

Refresh with a Flight at Homestead Cider*

By now, you’re probably thirsty, and what better way to take a break than at Homestead Cider. This charming farm-based cidery serves flights of handcrafted ciders made from farm-grown apples and local BC ingredients. Open seasonally from April to October, this cozy spot offers a relaxed vibe, friendly staff, and often a food truck on-site, so you can enjoy a tasty bite without going far for lunch.

*Be sure to check Homestead Cider’s website and/or social media for seasonal opening and closure dates

Choose Your Own Adventure in Harrison Hot Springs

In the afternoon, it’s time to head back to Harrison Hot Springs, where the options are endless. If you’re a history buff, don’t miss the Sasquatch Museum, which digs into the lore, sightings, and cultural significance of this legendary local enigma. Looking for more action? Book a jetboat tour on the river with Harrison Eco Tours, or cool off at Harrison Watersports, an inflatable waterpark complete with slides, trampolines, and obstacle courses that promise pure summer fun (and likely a few wipeouts).

End with a Soak at Harrison Hot Springs Resort

After two days of exploration, unwind in the healing waters at Harrison Hot Springs Resort. Long celebrated by the Sts’ailes People as a healing place, these naturally heated waters have been soothing weary travellers for centuries — and one dip makes it easy to understand why. The resort’s five distinct pools offer something for every kind of soaker, from the toasty indoor hot pool to the sprawling outdoor family pool. Adults seeking something a little more serene can slip into the intimate outdoor adult pool, nestled in a natural spring setting with an underwater seating ledge and mountain views in every direction.

And the resort itself more than lives up to its surroundings. Choose from elegantly appointed rooms and suites across two towers, many with private balconies overlooking Harrison Lake and Mt. Breckenridge. When hunger strikes, the historic Copper Room delivers a memorable dining experience complete with local cuisine and live music, while the Islands Bar is the perfect spot for a sunset cocktail on the lakeside patio. When you’re finally ready to peel yourself away from the pools, retire to your room for a well-earned rest before the drive home — you’ll leave refreshed, recharged, and already planning your return.

Another Stellar Stay: Harrison Beach Hotel

If you’re looking for a lakeside base that puts you right in the heart of the action, the Harrison Beach Hotel is a fantastic alternative. Sitting steps from Harrison Lake, this newly renovated boutique-style hotel combines modern comfort with an unbeatable location — beaches, shops, and dining are all just outside your door. Stylish suites come equipped with fully-equipped kitchenettes and offer stunning views of either the Pacific Coastal Mountains or the shimmering waters of Harrison Lake, so every morning feels like a postcard. On-site amenities include an indoor pool, outdoor hot tub, and fitness room — perfect for winding down after a full day of exploring the Valley. Families, couples, and even four-legged companions are all welcome, making it one of the most versatile stays in Harrison Hot Springs.

From outdoor thrills and scenic vistas to unique local experiences and cozy retreats, Harrison River Valley is the ideal destination for a quick getaway. Whether you’re here for golf, hot springs, or farm-to-table craft ciders, one thing is sure: you’ll be planning your return before you’ve even left.

Continue your travels along the Fraser Valley Ale Trail. 

Every Pint Tells a Story

Supporting Local. Celebrating Community.

The post Sip, Soak & Explore: Choose Your Own Adventure in the Harrison River Valley appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

In this 24th instalment, I chat with Josh Vanderheide (aka JV), founder of Field House Brewing in East Abbotsford and downtown Chilliwack.

Josh was chosen by my last guest, Gary Brucker from Barn Owl Brewing, as the next interviewee in this ongoing “tag-you’re-it” style series. Although this was our first time connecting, our conversation via Google Meet felt like we were sharing a beer in person. We covered everything from Field House’s beginnings in 2015 to Josh’s thoughts on the future of BC craft beer.

It’s a longer read, but full of insight — so grab a pint and enjoy.

And if you’ve missed any previous interviews, you can catch up on them here.

Kim: I always find it interesting to hear how people got started in the industry. Josh, how did you get started in craft beer?

Josh: Yeah, you’re right. There are a lot of different pathways to craft beer. Mine started not in brewing but on the marketing side of things. My career was in marketing. It’s what I went to school for, and then I moved into graphic design, then branding, and brand strategy. I had a boutique design studio called Also Known As in Gastown with my business partner Jesse Bannister. We worked with hospitality businesses, and we ended up specializing in consumer products, including wineries, distilleries, and breweries. Early on, we did the branding for Yellow Dog and Twin Sails. We did a rebrand for Fernie. We did some work for Russell and Steel & Oak. We also helped Small Gods with their branding. I suppose I made my way around the industry in this way early on, before I decided to take the leap and start my own brewery.

We were watching this industry evolve, and we were like, man, this looks like fun. One day, we were on a road trip to the Great Canadian Beer Festival in Victoria because our clients were there. On that trip, Jesse asked if there were any breweries in Abbotsford, and when I realized there weren’t any, he suggested that we open one. By this time, I had moved from the city back to Abbotsford with my family, and thought, yes, let’s do this.

So that was really the first conversation about the possibility of opening a brewery. That was in September. I wrote the business plan in November and December, and then my wife, Gina, and I launched the business. Within a year, we found the building, raised the funds, completely renovated an old car garage, and opened Field House.

With my background, I knew what we needed to do to get open and get all of the permits, and I had some great industry connections to help get through the process. At that time, there was a reason there wasn’t a brewery in Abbotsford. It related to an older bylaw that you could have a brewery, but you couldn’t have a tasting room. But then City Council modernized the bylaw, and three of us opened up within about a year. Field House, Ravens Brewing, and Old Abbey Ales.

For me, coming from the brand and marketing side, of course, we needed a great brewer. So, my first hire was Parker, our head brewer, and he’s still with us 10 years later. He’s been an awesome partner and collaborator for a long time now.

What we went through back then is a bit different than what breweries have to go through today to open a new brewery. I feel like everything has gotten a lot more complicated and much more expensive. At the time, we could open a brewery for $600-700K. Now, new breweries are looking at more like $1.5-2 million to open.

Kim: I understand you built your brewery with crowdsourced funding. Tell me more about this.

Josh: We were running a lean budget. We were putting our money into the business, along with money from whoever we could find that would come along with our crazy idea. With my marketing background, we decided to do a Kickstarter to find more people who would be willing to support us. It was really fun. It’s still online and it features my wife’s ‘Dutch Oma’. She’s the main character in the video, and she’s quite a fun person. We intentionally made it look low-budget to actually make it look like we needed the money. The reality is that we didn’t have lots of money, so it was easy to make it look that way.

You can watch the video by clicking here, or click on the graphic below.

If you watch the video, it actually came right after one of our lowest points. We were in the middle of renovating, and we had ripped off the roof. We had this small window to do the repairs and re-roof it. But in that window, it started pouring rain. And we ended up with a foot of rain in our office area the day before we were going to film inside. I knew we couldn’t show this. No one would believe that we could open the brewery because it was so bad.

Kim: So, is crowdsourced funding a model that you would recommend to other breweries? Was it worth it in the end for the investment of time you put into it?

Josh: I do. Our goal was to raise $20K, and we ended up raising almost $30K. We really needed those funds. Other breweries like Firehall, Persephone, and Container have also gone with a crowdfunding model.

We’re actually looking at another one as we expand our business. We’re looking to go back to crowdfunding again to raise capital, but in a different way. I think if you look at the economy right now and the state of the industry, it’s really hard to convince people to invest in a brewery today.

So, yes, I would encourage it. But you need to know that it’s going to take some work and time, but you can reap the rewards of that work and be a bit more efficient from an equity perspective. We did a Kickstarter campaign, which is great for a small crowdfunding project in the $30-50K range. There are other good crowdfunding platforms out there, too. I’d say there’s also been an evolution of crowdfunding. It’s actually a mix of your crowdsourcing campaign, investment from your friends and fans, and also people who are actually real investors that are writing significant cheques.

Kim: Your brewery has been around since 2015. What makes Field House so special?

Josh: Well. Good question. How do I say these things in the most humble way? I’m not the brewer, but I do think our beer program stands out in the industry. We still release one, two, three, or six new beers on a regular basis. We released nine new beers in a week for our anniversary.

Apart from that, every week we have a new beer or two. It might seem exhausting, and I don’t know that there’s anybody else who can keep up with the pace of innovation that our team can.

And again, I say this humbly, but I really feel like with all of those beer releases, none of those beers are ever a miss for me. There’s very rarely a beer that we try and think it is not up to our standards. That’s because the beers all build on each other. We’ve developed expertise in sours and IPAs, and we have good technical expertise with these styles. We are still trying new things and innovating with techniques and ingredients – pushing the limits on flavour and innovation. I’m super proud of the team and how they can continue to innovate at such a rapid pace, while also maintaining quality. I’d say that’s probably why I think we’ve been successful over the last 10 years.

I think what we do is quite unique in the market. I’d say Backcountry is probably similar to us. We probably make about the same amount of beer, give or take. And we probably have about the same amount of new releases, and we make some awesome beers, and kill it on the marketing side of things as well.

In addition, another thing I think makes us special is that we have another whole area of our business. We’re expanding right now and building out our portfolio. We just acquired NiceLife Cocktail Company through a merger last year, and so now we’re doing the same thing with cocktails. We’re releasing innovative, high-quality craft ready-to-drink cocktails under the NiceLife brand. We’ve launched four new brands in the last three months since that acquisition. We have a new tequila RTD line called The Sunrise Hotel. We have a new cider line called Rest & Recreation Cider. We have a new full Gin & Juice line-up with multiple products.

Now we’re building out our non-alcoholic portfolio, which is up next, and we’re really excited about it. We’re a bit late to the party, but we have been testing a lot of things, and we just released our first product.

While we continue to innovate on the beer side, we are pushing the portfolio wider, and in each of those portfolios, we are going deep as well.

Kim: Wow. That is absolutely incredible. Being in the industry myself, I know what it takes to keep releasing new products, and you guys are doing it every week. Are all your new releases packaged, or are some of them draft only?

Josh: There’s the occasional beer that we release from our Chilliwack location, which is our R&D brewery, that we do draft releases only, but it’s usually on top of another packaging release. Otherwise, all the releases are packaged. The team really pushes the envelope of what can be done at that pace and frequency. It’s been cool to watch it and just try to keep up with it. Honestly, I don’t even drink every beer that we release. I can’t even track them all down.

We used to have a really fun program when we had our smaller test system. We called it “crew beers,” and anybody could propose a concept for a beer. Then that crew member would work with one of the brewers to refine the idea and make the beer, so we always had a new crew beer as well, which was really fun. Then, when we released it, we’d have a party, and the crew would invite their friends and family down. It was a really cool program. Unfortunately, it just became inefficient to keep using this smaller test system.

Kim: Not only do you have multiple brands, but you have multiple locations. How do you manage two separate locations?

Josh: Abbotsford is our main production brewery. Our Chilliwack location is more of a smaller brew pub, and this is where we do our R&D brewing. We also have a brewery at our farm. We have a 5-acre farm, 10 minutes from Abbotsford, where we have our barrel room and all of our wild stuff. We also have fruit and various ingredients on the farm, which we use in our beers. Plus, we have wine grapes, which we’ll be using for a new product we are launching this fall. And we also have the NiceLife site in Port Coquitlam. So yes, I guess you could say we have a lot on the go.

Kim: What else are you working on?

Josh: We are creating a new warehouse distribution hub. We’re going to be running a new direct-to-customer online store so people can buy all of our products online and have them shipped direct. It’s sort of a decentralized model, which means we can produce small batches of different products. This gives us a lot of flexibility to run the innovative beer program that we have. We can produce a lot of beer, but it’s not a lot of one beer, and I think this will help us maneuver and be more innovative.

Kim: You talk about being ‘purveyors of the good life’. What does a good life mean to you?

Josh: The good life concept has been part of our concept since day one. Our original tagline was ‘good beers + good times’. We expanded that when we started our food program to ‘good beers + good eats + good times’. And then that became what we referred to as ‘the good life’, so when we combined beer and cocktails and now these new brands, we needed an umbrella name, hence the Good Life Brand Collective – which is how we refer to the portfolio now.

The Good Life brand sits as the umbrella over Field House, NiceLife, Rest and Recreation, Sunrise Hotel, and the new brands that are coming.

Conceptually, the good life for us is the coming together of the simple, but good things in life. If you just need a win during the week and that looks like grabbing a pizza and a beer, hanging out with friends or your kids and family… or bringing your dog down to hang out with, that can be a win … that’s the Good Life. To enjoy simple moments with high-quality products. I feel like it’s really important to create those wins for our community.

Kim: Amazing. So now I want to dig into JV here. So, how do you define a good life for you, personally?

Josh: Well, that’s a good question. I think I’ve had to learn that life is not about silos. If you’d love your work to be here, and your friends to be here, and your family to be there, and you could just focus on those things, that’s one thing. But I’ve learned that life is more like an integrated concept where you flow in and out of things. You can enjoy that thing, but move to the next thing and enjoy that. So, I think that’s how I’ve had to learn to ebb and flow in my life. And I think the good life is being able to do all those things.

For example, I was just at my daughter’s track meet during ‘work hours’, and I was able to work in between her races. I love that my work allows me the flexibility to do that. Sometimes my team needs me, and I say to my family, I know it’s Saturday, but they need some help down at the brewery. So, I think it’s the ability to do the things that are important and move through those things as effortlessly as possible. It’s not always perfect, and sometimes it’s a little bit of a hot mess. Having said that, I’m super grateful for all of those buckets of my life, and how they work together.

Kim: How important is it for you to work with local ingredients and ingredients that you grow yourself?

Josh: Well, we bought a farm in the valley, and we’re in an agricultural and food community. When we built the food program specifically, we realized it wasn’t just about buying local and saying local. We realized we had to understand what that actually means.

Farming is not an easy job, and agriculture is not easy. The original Field House name referred to the house next to the field where you work in the day, then you go back to the house after work. Here you have a meal or a beer, and it tastes so much better because you earned it after a hard day of work.

Our commitment to the farm and understanding what local farms do, and the challenges they face, has really helped us embrace working with other partners and other local suppliers. Because we’ve walked a mile in the same shoes as them, we can tell an authentic story. We can take you to the farm and show you where this stuff comes from, and you can meet the farmer who grows it. It feels really good to go to that level.

We know we’re not going to change farming. We’re not going to change agriculture. We can’t do that. But we believe we can act as a megaphone for why it’s important. I’ll give credit to Josh from 33 Acres. He said something I remember reading years ago, and it stuck with me. He said that beer is part of the conversation, but it’s not the whole conversation. And the conversation’s about community. It’s about food. It’s about culture. It’s about building great businesses that can contribute positively. And beer plays a huge role in that. And if you follow us on Instagram, you’ll see that it’s not just beer. It’s a lot of different storylines around our people, around our community, around our food, around our farm, and around all the things we do.

Being 100% local is not really that sustainable from a business perspective, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. We need to have a balance between running a healthy business and being sustainable, and we want to land somewhere in between.

Kim: Gary mentioned how collaborative you are and how much you are willing to help other breweries. Why do you think the craft brewing industry is so collaborative?

Josh: Yes, it is unique. I think we’ve realized that when you’re not fighting each other, it’s in your best interest to help each other to establish the industry. The other reason is recognizing that the craft beer drinker is not truly a loyal drinker. They don’t just drink one flavour of beer or one brand of beer. So we don’t have to say drink ours and not theirs, and instead we can say you should drink ours and theirs. I think we’re really lucky to be in an industry that allows us to say that, right?

We’re in the collaboration over competition era, which is a healthy model. Craft beer has proven that it works. We wish other people would pay attention to that.

Kim: So, tell me about what’s next for the Good Life Brands?

Josh: We have a lot to say about what’s next. We are coming into our 10-year anniversary, and we had to do a gut check. We had to look at ourselves in the mirror and ask, What have we done? What can we be proud of? We had a conversation with our team and said we should high-five ourselves, but not just rest on our laurels. We can’t assume that whatever we did for the last 10 years is going to work for the next 10.

We looked at the shifts in drinking habits and behaviours, and we looked at where the market’s going, and we realized we needed to expand our perspective. So that’s when we got into discussions with NiceLife. This is where we go back to the Jesse Bannister story. Jesse was one of our original investors in Field House. He went on to found NiceLife Cocktails and was doing something great there. Like us, they were focused on innovation and quality. Everything that NiceLife did really aligned with what Field House was doing, so we decided to merge under the same umbrella. But we weren’t doing this to stay static; we did this to grow and create new opportunities.

Very quickly, we integrated the team and then launched these new brands. Jesse is now our Director of Growth and Business Development, and he works with Parker, our original employee number one, who is now our Director of R&D. They work together on all the R&D projects. So, it’s nice having a team that is actively working on what’s next, while we’re working on solving today’s problems.

Originally, our goal was to offer one of the best craft beer experiences in BC. And we worked really hard to hopefully earn our spot there. With the merger, we had to reset, and we asked, “What is our next big goal?”

So, our next big goal is to develop a leading portfolio of brands and beverages across Canada. Over the next 5 to 10 years, we are trying to broaden our portfolio of craft beverage brands, all with a focus on innovation and quality, and then bring those to as many communities across Canada as possible.

While this is a big goal, we know we grow from being in those uncomfortable spots. When we looked at why we should grow, it was because we wanted to take care of our people and their families, give them great jobs, give them a chance to stay in this industry, make a good living, and work for a good company. So, we have to grow to do that. And we’re trying to do it in the most authentic way possible.

The next portfolio for us is non-alcoholic beverages, and we’re definitely behind in that. But we’ve been maxed at production capacity for about 18 months, so we haven’t had any tank space to put out non-alcoholic beers. We’re starting to explore more brewery partnerships to brew liquid in different spaces.

We already brew in a few different contract brewing situations. We realized that we’re not going to be able to make it in-house, so we’ve got to create some good partnerships.

Kim: You talked a lot about what’s happened over the last 10 years. Where do you think the industry is going in the next 5 to 10 years?

Josh: Craft beer has established a foothold, and I don’t think it’s going away. Having said that, I don’t think we’ll have as many independent breweries as we do right now. I think that number will go down because we’ll see some mergers and acquisitions, and there will probably be some fallouts, and the frequency with which people are opening new breweries will go down. With that, I think that the number of craft breweries will normalize to a proper number. You see this in the US as well.

On the beverage side, I think we’ll continue to see innovations. But I’m really curious about what the next big jumps look like. Where does the industry make fundamental shifts, and what are some examples of that? Hazy IPA is a great example. When we started our businesses, Hazy IPA wasn’t the IPA, but it is the IPA now, from a sales volume perspective.

There are lots of theories around what the biggest trends will be. But I think one of the insights I learned about a year ago at the craft beer conference was that we used to think of people as non-drinkers, cocktail drinkers, or beer drinkers, but the actual data is saying that beer drinkers drink cocktails, and cocktail drinkers drink beer, and beer people sometimes choose non-alcoholic drinks. It’s a weird, interesting mishmash, and I really love that.

I think the biggest trend will probably be cannabis-based beverages. If you look down south, there are THC and CBD lifestyle beverages. In BC, those drinks come with a lot of large warning labels. While it’s not my drink of choice, I can see why people are going to it from a health benefits perspective.

I think there will be some notable changes in hospitality as well. It’s been kind of the same for a long time. But we’re seeing a lot of really cool, experiential concepts coming out of the States right now that just haven’t hit Canada yet. I would say a leader in hospitality concepts in BC is BNA Brewing. They’ve been providing really unique experiences in hospitality, and I think we’ll see more concepts like that.

Human beings always want to gather somewhere, and we moved from gathering at bars and lounges to gathering at craft breweries. But I think there will be a new version of gathering. It’ll look different, but the purpose will be the same – for humans to gather. And I think it’s really important in a very digital world that we still gather as human beings, not digitally gather together.

So, I don’t know the answer. If I had it, I’d be building it right now. But I have a notebook of random theories, and maybe one of them is right.

Kim: Tell me about your favourite beer.

Josh: It’s cliche, but I will order an IPA, or a hazy IPA is really my preference. I will usually drink the IPA that’s on tap wherever we are. That’s my go-to. A stand-out for me is Superflux. They have a good reputation for a reason. I also like Small Gods on the Island. Chris has been in the industry forever, and Johnny, who came from Deep Cove, they are so good at what they do, and their products are honestly so good. They had this California IPA that I loved. I think Small Gods is making some of the best beers in BC. They’ve got some great accolades right out of the box, and it’s really fun to see them succeed.

Kim: And when you’re not drinking beer, what are you drinking?

Josh: I love cheap white wine. I don’t like sweet white wines, but if it’s cold and dry and if it’s cheap, I’ll drink it. There are also some adaptogenic soda waters with some interesting flavours and ingredients that I’m interested in.

Kim: What are your thoughts on the non-alcoholic trend?

Josh: I’ll go out on a limb, and it’s okay if I’m wrong, but I think this is more of a trend than a permanent thing. I like to anchor back to things that have been around for decades and decades. Alcohol is one of those things. I think it is somewhat trendy to be sober-curious. But I do think it’s brought about some good alternatives and healthy products. And I think it’s leading to more mindful drinking.

In the non-alcoholic space, we just made our first non-alcoholic Salted Mexican Lime Lager. One of the insights we learned is not to try to make these taste exactly like beers, but rather to make them taste like really good drinks that give you the feeling of drinking a beer. On the craft side, I think it’s really important to look at non-alc, and ask if it’s a good beverage, not if it’s a good beer.

Kim: What do you love about the craft beer scene where you live?

Josh: If you look at Field House and our fellow breweries out here, Farmhouse Brewing and Old Yale, we all have these big open spaces. Whether it’s an indoor play area or a backyard space, the breweries out here give people open spaces to hang out and chill. And I think it’s very reminiscent of having wide open agricultural fields and land, so it kind of fits with that.

Kim: If we step outside the craft beer scene, what do you love about the area that you live in?

Josh: The shift that happened in the last 10 years is that we were moving from these rural areas that were well-designed for families and livability, but they didn’t have any cool businesses. We had the mall, the big box stores, and the strip malls, but we didn’t have cool, trendy things that you would see in Gastown in Vancouver. But now, 10 years later, we have really cool coffee shops, cool breweries, new wine bars, and cool boutiques. We have all the things that Vancouver had. In Vancouver, they have all those things, but they’re not very connected because Vancouver is so big. What’s really unique about the business community we have is that we’re all independent craft businesses, and we’re all very aware of what everybody’s doing. We support each other, tell stories, and recommend each other.

So now we have all the cool businesses, but all those cool businesses are kind of your friends, which is kind of cool.

Kim: And what do you enjoy doing with your family that’s not work-related?

Josh: We definitely have an outdoor playground out here. Chilliwack has this amazing offering of trails, rivers, and mountains. So, in 10 minutes, you can be at a trail head, or you can go to a lake or ride your bike.

I think we can have a really complete community because we are family-friendly, but we also have these outdoor things to do. And now we have these creative businesses that you can go to after a hike for a beer or a great meal.

Kim: Is there anything else you want to share?

Josh: I think it’s important to talk about the fact that it’s been hard for small and medium-sized businesses. I don’t want to be whiny, but it’s been a long haul. It’s been over 5 years since the good old days of 2019. And I think everybody’s tuned out to the support local messaging, which is kind of sad. We’ve all heard it over and over again. But at the same time, if you want to have coffee shops and breweries in your community, a portion of your money has to be spent in these businesses.

The economy has been tough. People are going out less and spending less money, and there are just not enough visits to go around for all the restaurants and the coffee shops that we have. We need to ask ourselves if these businesses build the communities and the culture that we want. That doesn’t just magically happen. If you look at all the businesses closing, there’s only one reason that they’re closing, and it’s because they don’t have enough customers.

It doesn’t really take a lot to be a customer in our industry. A beer is still an affordable luxury.

I don’t want people to feel guilty about shopping at Costco or Amazon, but just make sure that you’re also spending a portion of your dollars locally as well. If we can do that, we’ll be able to save a few more local businesses. So, I think it’s important that people are really mindful of this.

Kim: Anything else you want to put out there?

Josh: We are excited to really start sharing the story about the Good Life Brand Collective in the next six months. Everybody kind of knows Field House and NiceLife, but we’re going to take people on this journey with us. Going back to your earlier question, we started with crowdfunding as a way to take people along on the journey of building a brewery. And we’re planning to do that again with the Good Life Brand. We’re going to use a crowdfunding model and hopefully get people to come along on this next crazy journey with us.

Kim: I would normally end this interview by giving Josh a chance to pick who I will interview next. But this time I’m planning to do something different. Josh is my 24th Hops Among Friends interview since 2017. The next one is the big 25, and I’m going to do something different. A bit of a retrospective. So, the person Josh recommends will be number 26. You’ll have to wait to hear who Josh picks for me to interview once the 25th blog is live.

Stay tuned for the 25th instalment of the Hops Among Friends blog series. Until then, cheers!

The post Hops Among Friends with Josh Vanderheide of Field House Brewing appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

What is it about craft beer and dog lovers? Maybe it’s just that good people have great taste both in what they consume and who they hang out with. I’m not sure exactly what brings the two together, but it definitely seems like a lot of craft beer people are also dog people. And a lot of breweries in BC have dog-friendly patios and spaces!

Consider this list: Yellow Dog Brewing, Unleashed Brewing, Bad Dog Brewing, 3 Dogs Brewing, Twa Dogs Brewery, Red Collar Brewing, and Dog Mountain Brewing. OK, sure, that last one is an actual mountain and not a giant pile of puppies, but I’m counting it since they have a dog-friendly rooftop patio. There are a bevy of dog-themed breweries to explore in BC.

Aside from the dog-themed breweries themselves, many others have taken steps to welcome our furry friends. Take the weekly Dogs of Camp Club Night at Camp Beer Co, for example, encouraging owners to bring their pets down for a visit. And then there’s Barkside, sorry, Parkside Brewery, who have made their love for dogs a public affair. At various breweries around the province, there are spent-grain dog treats; branded dog bandanas, collars, and leashes; and often community water dishes available to borrow.

And there’s just no way to talk about dogs at breweries without acknowledging Unleashed Brewing in Kelowna. Unleashed was BC’s first brewery to get permission to have dogs in the tasting room, and they’ve had to fight hard to keep that designation. It works for them, and their patrons. Perhaps one reason is the canine code of conduct that they have crafted.

Bringing your pooch along to happy hour can be a great outing on a rainy day, a way to socialize, and just an overall fun way to spend an afternoon with your favourite companion. But keeping in mind some basic etiquette rules and manners is crucial to making it an enjoyable time for everyone.

Exposing a dog, especially a big one, to unfamiliar territory carries with it certain inherent risks. There are people bustling about with trays of drinks and food — often food that is not dog friendly (an errant bone from a chicken wing could be disastrous) — and dogs can be a tripping hazard. Never mind a surprise visit from a small child who snuck away from their parents, an encounter with another reactive dog, and of course the broken glass caused by an overly enthusiastic tail wag.

Does that mean we shouldn’t bring our four-legged friends with us to the patio? I think it’s crucial to know your dog, know their limits, and decide from there.

Here are some tips for making your next brewery visit with Fido as enjoyable as possible.

Know your dog and come prepared.

Knowing what your dog needs to be comfortable on a public patio can vary widely from dog to dog. If you have a high energy dog, making sure they get a good walk in before your visit is a great idea. Bringing a toy or chew to keep them engaged and happy at your table works well for some, but maybe less so for those with guarding tendencies. A blanket or small bed might be a big plus for dogs without the benefit of a thick coat in these early spring days.

And don’t forget the essentials: a water bowl, waste bags, and leash.

Be prepared to leave if necessary.

Dogs are social animals and enjoy spending time with their people. It’s natural for us to feel the same way, and to want to spend time with our dogs. However, not all dogs are suited to public outings. If you know your dog can be reactive towards others, or if they bark non-stop when overstimulated, pull continually on the leash to go say “Hi” to others, they may be more comfortable at home.

Leaving the patio earlier than intended, or even leaving your pooch at home, isn’t admitting defeat. It’s more about knowing your dog’s limitations and not putting them in a stressful situation needlessly. Grab a four- or six-pack to go, and head home to unwind with your pooch in a more calm environment.

Keep your dog on a leash and at your table.

Breweries are busy places, and a dog, no matter how friendly, that’s blocking the way for servers and other patrons can be problematic.

Keeping your dog close by ensures that they stay safe (no one wants to accidentally step on a paw or tail!) and that they aren’t able to help themselves to unattended snacks at the next table over. And of course, there are some people who simply don’t like dogs or may have allergies. Having our dogs with us on patios is a privilege — keeping your dog with you and not allowing them to wander ensures that other patrons are comfortable, and therefore less likely to object.

Go for potty breaks and clean up any accidents.

If you’re planning to stay for a while, be sure to take your dog for a potty break. If you’ve had to use the facilities during your stay, your dog very well might as well. Keep an eye out for cues that they may need a break. And this might seem obvious, but if an accident does happen, clean it up. You should be prepared with bags for any, shall we say, solid deposits, but ask staff for the best way to deal with a liquid oopsies.

We’d be remiss not to include some reminders for humans as well. As much as we might want to pet all the dogs, it’s not always welcomed or appropriate.

Always ask before approaching.

This applies to kids, adults, and everyone in between. Just because the adorable little fluff ball at the table next to you looks to be eyeing you up for a snuggle, doesn’t mean that they welcome attention. Consider this scenario: as much as we all want to love on adorable, wiggly, puppies, they may be working on training at the time. Teaching a young dog to lie calmly at your side without jumping up every time someone approaches is a valuable and necessary behaviour. Approaching a dog and allowing them to do that very behaviour can set back training in a frustrating way for the owners.

There are many reasons why someone may trust their dog to come to the brewery, but not to be approached by strangers — always ask, and always respect the answer given by the dog’s handler.

Never, ever feed a dog anything without permission.

Maybe you’ve always snuck your furry friend the odd tidbit from your plate, especially on special occasions. Maybe that choice is OK for you and your dog. But feeding others might result in anything from an upset tummy to a full-on allergy attack or gastro episode requiring veterinary intervention. It might seem like a harmless little treat, but it can do damage. Check with the handler, and again: respect their answer.

Now that the formalities are out of the way, let’s talk about dog-inclusive offerings and events

There are packs of breweries around the province going above and beyond to welcome canine guests. Since humans visit breweries for a ‘treat’, why not offer something for their four-legged companions as well? Moody Ales, Smugglers Trail, and Steel & Oak all offer doggy flights. Steel and Oak have taken it one step further and are donating proceeds from their flights to New Westminster Animal Services.

Some breweries have year-round fundraisers on, like Farmhouse Brewing in Chilliwack. They have stickers available for purchase featuring their unofficial, but should be official, mascot Mr. Monty who is the owner’s pup, and a frequent presence around the brewery. Proceeds from sticker sales support the BC SPCA. Another way to help animals in need is to get them out of the shelter. What better way to do that than adoption events? Five Roads Brewing, Rustic Reel, Patina Brewing, North Point Brewing, Steamworks, Parallel 49, East Van Brewing, and so many more have all hosted adoption events. Parkside Brewery is especially committed to finding homes for pups in need. In partnership with Barks ‘n Brews, they host adoption events on the third Saturday of every month throughout the summer and into September. While you can’t take a dog home directly, it’s a chance for meet and greets, to raise funds for the featured rescue, and an opportunity for the dogs to socialize and hopefully meet their future fur-ever humans.

And some breweries, like Camp Beer Co, take it to the next level with their weekly Dogs of Camp Club Night. Featuring a dog-friendly drink special, food specials for the humans, and entry into a monthly prize draw, it’s the perfect excuse to take your dog out for an evening of socializing.

Many, if not most, breweries are family-friendly. And what are dogs, if not members of the family? It’s getting increasingly common to see dog-friendly patios filled with happy wagging tails and smiling humans.

And the more we can do to be responsible dog owners and keep this momentum going in a positive way, the better.

The post Patio Etiquette for Dogs at Breweries appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

Just Here for the Beer is Canada’s original dedicated beer radio program. The show has been running since 2010 and airs on the second and last Saturday of each month on Sportsnet AM 650. In April, they visited Abbotsford to explore some of the local breweries, cideries and wineries that call the city home.

Recorded at Old Yale Brewing’s Abbotsford Craft Brewery + Kitchen, hosts Joe Leary and Rick Mohabir were joined by:

• Clare from Tourism Abbotsford
• Nick from Old Yale Brewing
• Loren from Taves Estate Cidery
• Gurauv from Maan Farms Estate Winery
• Matt from Field House Brewing
• Paul from Ravens Brewing

The post Guest Podcast: Just Here for the Beer Radio visits Abbotsford appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

Chilliwack is the perfect place for a brewery: a landscape teeming with rivers and lakes where steep, rugged mountaintops give way to far-reaching farmland crops, and a recreational haven with adventure at its doorstep. You couldn’t be any closer to fresh local produce, and craft beer and adventure go hand in hand.

Sidekick Brewing is perched upon the banks of the Chilliwack River and is so close that I was sorely tempted to grab my fishing rod and cast from their outdoor patio. It also sits at the gates to Chilliwack’s biggest playground, the Chilliwack River Valley, which makes it the perfect pit-stop for adventurers. 

Their beer aims to explore a range of flavours inspired by the local area with everything from hazy IPAs to their classic Corn Lager available on tap, and if you’re craving something sweet, why not skip dessert and try ‘Barb’, Sidekick’s Caramel Cookie Brown Ale, instead—you won’t be disappointed. 

When it comes to the food here, it’s as much of a draw as the beer itself. Using locally sourced ingredients, Sidekick provides an ever-evolving food menu that is continuously rotating with the seasons to ensure the freshest produce. Fraser Valley smoked duck wings, roasted fingerling potatoes harvested from Ryder Lake, and a panzanella salad with roasted beer bread made from organic whole wheat and ancient khorasan grain. Delicious food, grown locally, and served from farm to table. Oh, and when it’s in season, don’t forget to try their steelhead trout “Detroit-style” pizza—it’s pretty famous already.

Sidekick offers far more than a place to just kick back and enjoy some craft beer. Sure, the beer is great and the food is also exceptional, but as soon as you walk through their front doors you’re greeted with the comfort and warmth of a local brewery seeking to bring the community together. That’s what craft beer’s all about, right? 

But if visiting one Chilliwack brewery isn’t enough, then we’ve got you covered. As part of the Fraser Valley Ale Trail, you could spend a whole weekend exploring Chilliwack’s many watering holes, with a brewery for every occasion. Take in the area’s natural beauty while sipping craft beer that’s been moulded by the surrounding landscape. 

Only a short bike ride from Sidekick, you’ll come across Old Yale Brewing. Take the path less travelled and follow the Vedder Rotary Trail that weaves alongside the Chilliwack River, bringing you within earshot of Old Yale—and if you time it just right, you can experience the magic of the salmon run. Old Yale Brewing has been making hand-crafted beer since the late ’90s and they sure know what they’re doing. Serving delicious campfire-style foods with a hefty list of 15 beers on tap, this classic Chilliwack brewery has no shortage of options. With Christmas just around the corner, now might be the best time to try their Limited Edition Eggnog Spiced Cream Ale.

A stone’s throw away and you’ll find Farmhouse Brewing, one of only a handful of BC breweries that farms, brews, and pours their own craft beer—all in one place. Experience the taste of Chilliwack in this unique, local craft brewery. And as the weather gets colder, it might be a good time to try the newly released Coconut Vanilla Stout and indulge in a Farmhouse S’more, whilst sitting around one of their cozy outdoor fire pits. Now that’s a good way to warm up on a cold winter’s day. 

In the newly revitalized downtown area on the other side of Chilliwack you can find another pocket of breweries that are almost within touching distance of one another — convenient if you want to hit up a few breweries all at once — creating a bustling and vibrant atmosphere. Whether you’re looking for a quirky, modern hangout spot, a farm-meets-city style brewery, or an old-school, traditional pub, downtown Chilliwack is not short on options. 

For good beer and good times, head on over to Field House Brewing CHWK for tasty craft beer, ranging from complex barrel-aged brews to refreshingly tart sours; and if you’re feeling peckish, their pizzas are pretty darn good too. Still thirsty? Why not stop by Bricklayer Brewing (almost literally next door) with good people, good vibes, and even better craft beer. And if that wasn’t enough, only steps away, feel the historic vibes of downtown Chilliwack and sip on “fresh beer with old school values” at the aptly named Flashback Brewing. 

Whether you’re kayaking, climbing, fishing, biking, or backcountry skiing, I think we can all agree, it’s thirsty work. But once you’re done exploring Chilliwack’s backyard, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to finding somewhere to rest, refuel, and rehydrate. Let the BC Ale Trail be your guide. 

The post (Side)Kicking it with Chilliwack’s Newest Brewery 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.

“But I can have a beer after a hike without registering for this!” you might respond. True. But the fun of this challenge is the curated information and guidance you receive for each trail, the free ice cream gift card, and the knowledge that your registration fees support the Chilliwack Park Society, which maintains the region’s hiking trails. Plus, your completion of the hikes gets you entered for prize draws throughout the summer.

For me, the detailed information provided about each hike—including distance, specific directions, the quality of the trail, and features to look for—is itself worth the registration fee. I hadn’t heard of many of these hikes so, when the challenge was unlocked on June 18, it was like finding a treasure trove of BC outdoors experiences. And I’ll never say no to prizes and free ice cream!

This is not the first time Purves has organized a Chill and Thrill hiking challenge. The first one was in Summer 2021. After his years of running the Chilliwack Hiking Club, he wanted to find a new, fresh way to put his comprehensive knowledge of the Fraser Valley’s trails to use while still being covid-safe. His brainchild was the first Chill and Thrill, which simply challenged hikers to complete his curated list of ten trails in ten weeks. People loved it.

Given the success of the first challenge, Purves decided to launch a new one in the fall of 2021, this time with a coffee shop theme. After an autumn hike, participants would head to the nearest independent coffee shop for a warm drink. Two more challenges happened in winter and spring, both with great success. Acts of kindness and dog-friendly trails were the respective themes of these. According to Purves, the intent of these challenges is to inspire people to get outside and enjoy what BC has to offer while being able to connect with others, whether virtually or in person. Participants receive digital badges with each trail they complete plus a prize draw entry when they post the badge using #tentrailchallenge on social media.

This new challenge inspires participants with two summery treats: local beer and ice cream. Purves began with beer only, since it’s such a popular post-hike tipple, but decided to include ice cream for those who aren’t beer fans or don’t drink. The trails are organized by difficulty level. The first five are the easiest (the “chill” hikes), and the second five are more challenging (the “thrills”). Some of the most challenging hikes have alternative options to make them doable for more hesitant hikers, so there are actually choices beyond the ten trails. For example, if the Gloria trail is too much, you can do the 3 Bears instead.

Purves’ goal is to make BC’s outdoors accessible, safe, and approachable for more people. He’s not catering to hard-core, DIY hikers. He’s reaching out to those who may be newer to hiking, or perhaps who enjoy hiking but just don’t have the time to find the best trails and figure out whether they can fit them in. As he put it, “Real life doesn’t allow most people to be gone for 15 hours on Saturday.”

I certainly fall into that category. With a full-time job, a houseful of animals, and two kids, I can’t do a hike that requires my entire day—especially if I don’t know the trail. I also don’t have a lot of spare time to dig through different websites to find information about trails. The great thing about this summer’s Chill and Thrill is that it gives me everything I need to assess what hike I can do and when. Am I in the mood for an intense workout that will take a good half of the day? Harrison Grind it is. Do I just want to stroll with my kids and do some birdwatching? The Cheam Wetlands would be perfect.

To kick off the Summer 2022 Chill and Thrill Ten Trail Challenge, my friend Kate and I chose the Duck Farm Loop trail just outside of Yarrow. I had never heard of this trail, but it was a hidden gem, despite (or perhaps because of) being slightly overgrown and less maintained than more popular trails. Kate and I saw no one else during our nearly six-kilometre trek through fern-blanketed forests, steep narrow trails, and numerous creek crossings. Thanks to the detailed instructions provided on the Chill and Thrill site, we managed to avoid making any wrong turns and were able to enjoy the scenery with confidence, from the Fraser Valley views, to the waterfall halfway through the hike, to the beautiful (yes!) slugs and snails who greeted us from the trailside. Birdsong and silence were our only aural accompaniment. After we finished, I marked the trail as complete in my account on the website, received and posted my completion badge, and added the #tentrailchallenge hashtag to be entered into the prize draws (I’m keeping my fingers crossed!).

Since it was our first trail of the season, we felt we should try both an ice cream shop and a craft brewery following our hike. The Duck Farm Loop trail info on the Chill and Thrill website recommended Mighty Moose Ice Cream, Farmhouse Brewing, and Old Yale Brewing. Fortunately, Mighty Moose was only a two-minute drive from the trailhead. A single scoop on a waffle cone turned out to be more like a double scoop anywhere else, so I was nearly full when we left Mighty Moose for Old Yale Brewing, about ten minutes away by car. Fortunately, I had room for a pint of their excellent West Coast IPA, a style they have truly nailed down. Farmhouse wasn’t open, but it is on my list for my next post-hike excursion.

This challenge will help me plan my outdoor adventures this summer and give me the satisfaction of checking trail after trail off my list. I’m also happy to know that in registering for the challenge, participants are contributing financially to trail maintenance in the Chilliwack region. If you’re interested in joining me in completing ten trails this summer (and visiting some ice cream shops and breweries along the way), you can register HERE.

Remember to hashtag the challenge when you finish your hike, and tag the BC Ale Trail as you’re sipping on your beer afterwards! #ChillandThrill #BCAleTrail

The post The Ten Trail Challenge pairs hikes with ice cream and craft beer appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.

I spoke with Ashley Brooks, the Quality Control Manager at Four Winds Brewing in my most recent Hops Among Friends interview. At the end of our discussion, Ashley selected who I would interview next. She chose Martina Solano Bielen from Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) and the KPU Brew Lab. KPU’s Brewing and Brewery Operations program offers BC’s only Brewing Diploma program and was the first brewing program in Canada recognized by the Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) for a standard of excellence in brewing education. The KPU Brew Lab was established in 2015 in Langley on the Fraser Valley Ale Trail.

It was a fascinating conversation with Martina. I really enjoyed learning more about the Brewing Diploma program at KPU, their hands-on learning, and the brewing projects the students complete. It provides an exciting look at the future of BC’s craft beer industry.

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

Martina: I have my master’s degree in microbiology, which I received from McGill University in Montreal. One of my colleagues at the time was doing his PhD in microbiology and he was also a big home brewer. It was the first time I had seen someone home brewing, and I got really interested in brewing. When I finished my degree, I decided that I wanted to apply my knowledge in the brewing field. I thought it would be a cool industry to be a part of and I was excited to use my knowledge of microbiology to make beer.

While I was doing my degree in Montreal, I also did some mentoring, and I was doing some teaching in labs that I really enjoyed. So, when the opening came up at KPU in the microbiology and chemistry part of the brewing program, it felt like a great way to get into the scene. My then-boyfriend, now husband, was from BC, so we moved to BC in 2015 and I started working at KPU soon after. It was a perfect fit for me to be both teaching and working in the brewing field.

I really enjoy working at KPU because it’s a great place to learn. When I started at KPU, I had so much to learn about brewing, beer styles, and brewing techniques. And I did learn. I soaked up knowledge from our faculty, I put it to use when I brewed, and I always learned something new when I taught as an instructor. Plus, as the students coming to the program were really interested in craft brewing and talking about breweries, I got to learn about the craft beer scene in BC very quickly.

Kim: What do you love most about working at KPU?

Martina: On one side, I love the opportunity that I have to work with a whole new group of students every year that are open-minded and excited to learn. The students always have really good questions and I learn from their experiences too.

Our students come from diverse backgrounds. I think this diversity adds so much to the program. We are all learning about brewing together.

On the other side, I love the learning and culture of education at KPU. There is a lot of opportunity for growth, with space to explore, learn new ideas, to think things through, and make mistakes and learn from them. Not only with the students but for myself as well, so I appreciate the opportunity for continued self-development.

When I started at KPU, I wanted to learn as much as possible about brewing, so while I was teaching, I was also taking the online Brewing Diploma from the Institute of Brewing. Once I finished that, I started a diploma in education (Provincial Instructor Diploma Program). In this field, you have to be an expert in both brewing and teaching. They are both equally important. So now I’m learning about how to improve my teaching. It’s great to have this opportunity to be constantly learning.

Kim: What are you most proud of about your work at KPU?

Martina: I think because I’ve been at KPU for so long, I’ve been able to see the progress of the program, and that has been great. This last year, something that made me really proud was the first time we had a KPU ‘tap takeover’ event at The Barley Merchant here in Langley. The event featured all the signature beers from our graduating students. Most students start this program with no brewing knowledge at all, and so at the end of their two years, it’s amazing to be able to taste their incredible beers. Seeing their beers on the beer list right beside beers from craft breweries made me so proud.

Kim: Congratulations on being named BC Brewery of the Year and Best Teaching Brewery in North America in 2019. How does that feel?

Martina: Going back before those awards, when we received our first award in 2017, it was a huge shock. After ironing out kinks with some of the equipment in our brewery, we started the summer of 2017 with another problem: one of our instructors I was supposed to brew with suffered an injury. We were shorthanded the whole summer. All of the brewing was up to just me and a student assistant. Yet somehow, we created a wheat beer that won us bronze at the BC Beer Awards. It was absolutely incredible. I started that summer with doubts about my abilities to make beer, let alone an award-winning beer. Then going on to receive those awards in 2019, it was almost unbelievable. It made me feel very proud of our staff and our team. It was amazing to see how far we had come from the start of the program.

For the US Open College Beer Championship awards, we submit beers that are made by our students, so it made me very proud in 2019 to see how many of our students were awarded for the beers they made in competition with so many other brewing schools.

Kim: How does it feel to see students from KPU now going on to do great things in the craft beer industry?

Martina: Seeing our students get their first brewing jobs or open their own breweries is so fulfilling. I’m so happy that they get to work wherever they want to. I am also very happy that I can help contribute to their success.

It’s all so rewarding, and it makes me so proud. I’m very hopeful that we are going to have a better culture in craft beer going forward, and better beer going forward.

The students are learning the science behind the brewing. And we know that means better tasting beer and better-quality beer. Strong quality control is an important part of the diploma program, so hopefully this enhances beer quality in the world in general.

Because there are many students in each cohort, there are these bonds that develop within classes, as well as with other students that attended KPU. I feel like this common background helps to create a more friendly and tight-knit industry going forward.

Kim: How do you manage both teaching and brewing?

Martina: That’s one of the good things about KPU. I do have a lot of flexibility. From September through April, my focus is on the teaching component. It’s a very hands-on program, so I’m teaching the students and they are putting it into practice in the lab.

In the summer months, when we don’t have classes, I focus more on the brewery. I do more maintenance, organization, and brewing projects.

This summer, for example, we are collaborating with the Applied Genomics Centre from KPU which is working on developing new varieties of hops. They’ve got some great candidates that they’ve been growing at Barnside Brewing in Delta. They’ve turned the hops from last year’s crop into hop pellets, and now we are going to use them in our pilot brewery to see how they do as an ingredient for beer. They are experimental hops, so it’s exciting to collaborate on this project to see how these local hops will work in actual test batches.

It’s hard to separate teaching and brewing. I do try to bring real-life brewing scenarios or problems into the classroom to create more teachable moments. Sometimes I bring the brewery to the class. Sometimes I take the class to the brewery. I try to make it as real-life as possible. They can learn how to use one of the tools I’m talking about in the classroom to address a real problem in the brewhouse. For me, I think it’s very important for people to understand something in order to learn it.

Kim: How can people try the beers made by students in the KPU Brew Lab?

Martina: You can purchase KPU’s beers at the KPU Brew Lab on Friday afternoons all year long. There is a rotating selection of small-batch craft beers on tap. We have a very small brewing pilot system, a 2-hL system, so we end up with about eight 20L kegs, depending on the style. In the spring semester, from January through April, our second-year students develop their own signature beers. They package their final project beers in cans. You can also get a growler fill of your favourite.

When you visit the KPU Brew Lab on Friday afternoons, you can try experimental beers and sometimes even some collaboration beers. Recently some students came back to brew their signature beers again so that we could submit them to beer competitions. One that stands out for me was the beer that Kyle Jansen (who works at Five Roads Brewing) and Kayla Gibson (Faculty Brewing) made. It was a brown ale that tasted like a liquid biscuit. It was so delicious.

Kim: How is today’s future generation of brewers looking?

Martina: The future generation of brewers is looking really great. We have students that are curious and creative. They are making such creative beers for their final projects. We had a Vanilla Chai Latte Stout made by Lindsey Bartram (who is now working at Field House Brewing) and Kevin Reid. Colton Yakabuski (Parkside Brewery) and Jacob Wideman (Farm Country Brewing) made a New Zealand Belgium Pale Ale. One of the final projects this year won an award recently at the Canadian Brewing Awards. It was called Summertime by Mike Patterson (Parkside Brewery) and Michael Hodgson (Russell Brewing). Students are creative, innovative, and enthusiastic. They are curious and they ask lots of questions to understand what I’m teaching them. These are such great traits in students that are so keen to learn because they’ll continue to help improve the industry going forward. It’s really rewarding to see these students questioning the current methods and current practices.

Kim: What are you seeing from a diversity perspective in your program right now?

Martina: Over the last few years, the diversity has increased a little bit each year. We have a few more women. We are up to about 20% women in the program now. We also have about 25% that are from diverse backgrounds (Latin, Asian, and Indian). I hope the diversity continues to grow every year, so we have a representation of our community in the classroom.

Kim: As an industry, what can we be doing to encourage more diversity?

Martina: KPU has added the Nancy More Award and the Diversity in Brewing Award as well as others that encourage students from diverse backgrounds to apply. These awards are helping to lower the financial barrier. I think that one of the most important things to get more women in the brewing program is to have more female role models from the industry. As there is more diversity in breweries and the brewing program, it welcomes and encourages more diversity. Female students see me and Nancy More on staff and see more opportunities for themselves.

Also, I think it’s important to see women students like Ashley Brooks go on and get jobs in brewing. Another example is Emily Kokonas, who was a student at KPU. She went on to work at Bakery Brewing and is now working in the brewing program at KPU. We are increasing the number of role models that will help attract more women to the program.

Nancy More is such a pioneer in the craft beer industry. We are so lucky and grateful to have her as part of our team. Not only is she an amazing leader, but she also has tons of experience from being in the industry for 40 years. She’s such a great example for the students to see.

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

Martina: I really enjoy the Great Canadian Beer Festival in Victoria. It has such diversity in the beer offerings, featuring breweries in BC, Alberta, and beyond. It’s a cozy festival with such a big mix of breweries from places that I can’t necessarily go and visit myself. I also really enjoy the Fort Langley Beer and Food Festival. I enjoy seeing and connecting with my students at this local festival.

Kim: Now that people are beginning to travel again, where in BC is your next spot to go adventuring?

Martina: I love Victoria and I am really looking forward to visiting again soon. It’s such a quaint and walkable city. I love riding my bike there along the boardwalk. The brewing scene is so awesome in Victoria and I’m excited to go check out the breweries again. île Sauvage Brewing is a brewery I love to visit, and I also enjoy going to Spinnakers Brewpub for a late breakfast and beer. I’m also excited to see KPU alums Amara Houle who’s now working at Category 12 Brewing and Kyle York at Craft Beer Market, once they’re open in Victoria.

In addition to checking out the craft beer scene in places that I visit, I also enjoy hiking, being outside, and visiting lakes.

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

Martina: It has developed so much in the last few years. There were very few options to go for a beer after work. Now there’s Farm Country Brewing, Camp Beer Co., Trading Post Brewing, and Five Roads Brewing just five minutes away from work, as well as Dead Frog Brewery, which was one of the first in Langley. These breweries are offering some really tasty beers and great experiences. The industry is friendly, and as there are a number of students and alumni from KPU working in these breweries, it feels very friendly and collaborative in these locations.

Even after students graduate, KPU Brewing instructors stay connected with alumni, often visiting the breweries they work at. Recent grad Kyle Jansen is now a brewer at Five Roads Brewing in Langley and instructors Martina Solano Bielen, Emily Kokonas and Nancy More stopped by to taste some of his work.

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

Martina: I discovered this ramen place in Langley called Akedo Showten Ramen+Gyoza. It was a delicious surprise. The Barley Merchant also has really tasty food, especially the wings, and a really great selection of craft beers. The Raving Gamer is also a fun spot to go to if you are looking to pair your beer and food with some board games. Additionally, every Thursday in the summer, KPU hosts a veggie sale where they sell the produce grown in the greenhouses by students. Their raspberries are amazing!

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

Martina: I was thinking about this a lot because there are so many interesting people in the brewing industry. Miguel Molina used to be one of our students. He was working for 33 Acres Brewing, and he’s now the head brewer at Boardwalk Brewing in Port Coquitlam on the North of the Fraser Ale Trail. He’s very passionate and really enjoys brewing science. I think he’s pretty cool, and I think he would be a great person for you to speak with next.

Stay tuned for the next installment of the Hops Among Friends blog series, where I speak with Miguel from Boardwalk Brewing. Until then, cheers!

The post Hops Among Friends: Martina Solano Bielen of KPU Brew Lab appeared first on The BC Ale Trail.