{"id":25067,"date":"2021-12-29T00:01:12","date_gmt":"2021-12-29T08:01:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bcaletrail.ca\/?p=25067"},"modified":"2022-09-22T08:42:00","modified_gmt":"2022-09-22T15:42:00","slug":"instant-getaway-langleys-north-side-tap-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bcaletrail.ca\/instant-getaway-langleys-north-side-tap-tour\/","title":{"rendered":"Instant Getaway: Langley’s North Side Tap Tour"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stepping Out For a Walkable Weekend in the Fraser Valley’s Craft Beer Capital<\/b><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s an observation. By offering British Columbians a nifty way to plan short or long \u2018staycation\u2019 getaways, therefore bypassing the hassle of expensive border tests, quarantining, and guilt, the BC Ale Trail represents a potentially vital service to a population that\u2019s been more or less locked in their province for the past couple of years. Said population simply needs to take advantage of this opportunity.<\/p>\n

Case in point: we\u2019ve noticed that a giant chunk of BC\u2019s population resides in the Lower Mainland, where breweries are plentifully clustered in areas such as East Vancouver, the North Shore, and Port Moody. We\u2019re also aware that crawling these hubs is a nice way for a Metro Vancouverite to spend a leisurely day off work.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, though, a day out just isn\u2019t enough to scratch that itch to get away from home. For those times when you can\u2019t book an extended vacation but still crave the luxury of a two- or three-day getaway, we\u2019ve got a weekend plan within easy striking range for a great number of Lower Mainlanders. It\u2019s in one of the last places some folks might look.<\/p>\n

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Langley\u2019s Must-Do Craft Beer Destinations<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Quiet Suburb Reaches Double Digit Beer Glory<\/h3>\n

As a BC beer fan, you might be familiar with some of the aforementioned hotspots of craft beer, like Port Moody<\/a> with its six breweries. That\u2019s a lot. But would you have guessed that unassuming Langley, sandwiched between Surrey and the farther reaches of the Fraser Valley, is about to boast ten (10!) craft brewery outlets, all on its own?<\/p>\n

BC Ale Trail contributor Tim LaHay once wrote on this very website that his mild, quiet home of Langley BC might be BC\u2019s Next Craft Beer Boomtown<\/a>. Tim\u2019s apparently no slouch at predictions, but in this case he had something to do with that self-fulfilling prophecy. You see, this past summer, Tim opened The Barley Merchant Taproom & Kitchen<\/b><\/a> to much fanfare due to its 50 taps of craft beer and cider. The fact that his pub is located directly between two nearby craft breweries resulted in the immediate creation of a very convenient beer crawl.<\/p>\n

Clusters like this are what Ale Trails are all about, and this is not Langley\u2019s first. Ever since Camp Beer Co<\/a>.<\/b> joined Trading Post Brewing<\/b><\/a> and Five Roads<\/b><\/a> in the centre of town almost two years ago, there\u2019s been a natural nexus for Langley locals to crawl. Now, the area of North Langley close to Highway 1 has achieved that same distinction, and we\u2019re about to explore it.<\/p>\n

The North Langley Walking Tour<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s start our tour at a brewery that debuted in 2017 but didn\u2019t open its doors until three years later.<\/p>\n

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Smugglers Trail in Langley on the BC Ale Trail<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Stop One: Smugglers’ Trail<\/h3>\n
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Serving from the Caskworks Beer Engines!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Extending The Tradition<\/h4>\n

In the fall of 2020, after years of brewing out of other locations, the nomadic Smugglers Trail Caskworks finally became Smugglers’ Trail Brewery and Restaurant<\/a>,<\/b> a full-fledged brick-and-mortar brewery sitting north of the freeway in a quiet spot not far from the action.<\/p>\n

Smugglers made sure to honour the legacy of the name \u2018Caskworks\u2019 when they planned their stunning tasting room. Within the very impressive bar area is quite likely the Lower Mainland\u2019s largest array of traditional, English-style beer engine handles, replete with pump clips. These sturdy cask-style ales are a fantastic way to start your beer tour. Respect to founders Stephen Gregorig and Jamie Overgaard for keeping this up.<\/p>\n

Of course, Smugglers has a nice range of modern options on their fancy beer board (the general theme of variety will come up again at each stop on this tour). They\u2019re also a full-service kitchen, so you can grab lunch here to fortify you for the (admittedly short) walk to your next stop.<\/p>\n