Two breweries, a packed fall calendar, and a neighbourhood built for wandering between pours
When you think of Whistler, mountains rising above the Village, days spent on the slopes or trails, and a well-deserved après-ski are probably what come to mind. Head south from the Village to Function Junction, though, and Whistler takes on a different, edgier vibe.
Function Junction is where Whistler goes to get things done, and these days, that includes brewing. In the community’s old industrial core, Coast Mountain Brewing and Whistler Brewing Company sit a few blocks apart, and are the only two stops on the Sea to Sky Ale Trail within Whistler’s town limits.
This fall, both craft breweries have a lot going on, and with so much to see, do and taste in a relatively small area, visitors will find it easy to spend a few hours in the neighbourhood.
Craft Brewing in Function Junction
Coast Mountain Brewing and Whistler Brewing Company have been pouring in the neighbourhood for years, and this fall there’s plenty to celebrate and raise a pint.
Coast Mountain Brewing Turns 10
Coast Mountain Brewing opened in Function Junction in 2016, and its cabin-inspired taproom with a covered patio has been a neighbourhood fixture ever since. This fall marks the brewery’s 10th year, and naturally, they’re celebrating with a season full of events and releases, such as:
- 10th Anniversary Party: Friday, September 18
- Featuring a free show with The Hairfarmers, a parking lot jam, and the debut of Decade, a new West Coast IPA brewed for the occasion.
- New UCI World Cup MTB Downhill Collabs: September 25 – 27
- Two new white-label beers land alongside the World Cup: one made with Whistler mountain biker Finn Iles, the other with RockShox, tied to its Boxxer fork.
- Coastoberfest: Saturday, October 3
- Featuring an Oktoberfest band, a stein-holding competition, and a lineup of seasonal beers including a Kölsch and a German Pilsner.
If these events weren’t enough, Coast Mountain Brewing has a new everyday addition: the Mountain Mixer, an 8 x 473 mL variety pack of Coast Mountain’s core lineup, launched in late summer and picking up steam since.
Whistler Brewing Company
Down the block, Whistler Brewing Company has been part of Whistler’s beer scene since long before Function Junction had much of a beer scene at all, and this season’s releases give it a lineup all its own:
- Chestnut Ale (coming late September)
- This fall seasonal beer is built on caramel and crystal malts for a deep amber colour, with roasted chestnuts giving it a nutty edge and a light hop finish. It’s a recent award winner too, taking gold and a Canada country win at the 2025 World Beer Awards.
- Rambler Pack (coming October)
- A mixed 12-pack for shoulder-season trips, with three cans each of the Mountaineer Pilsner, Variable Conditions Hazy IPA, Chestnut Ale, and the Black Tusk Ale, back in the pack after time away.
- Forager Gluten Free Dark Lager (coming October)
- A new release this year, this sorghum-and-rice dark lager has notes of coffee and chocolate, but is still light-bodied and an easy-drink, with every batch tested gluten-free.
- Winter Dunkel (coming early November)
- Chocolate and wheat malts with orange zest and coriander steeped in during the boil, finishing rich with a chocolate-orange edge. Another repeat award winner, with medals at both the 2024 and 2026 World Beer Cup.
- Carrot Cake Ale (coming mid-to-late November)
- A new seasonal release built around carrot cake and cream cheese flavours. It’s medium-bodied and balanced rather than overly sweet.
There’s also plenty of reasons to stop by the taproom beyond the shelf. Trivia returns to the monthly schedule, starting on October 15. While Happy Hour runs every Monday through Friday from 3 to 7pm.
Together, the two breweries are what put Function Junction on the Sea to Sky Ale Trail, and this fall gives beer-focused visitors an unusually good reason to turn a stop here into a longer trip through the region.
Getting to Function Junction from Whistler Village
Getting to Function Junction doesn’t require a car. Whistler’s Valley Trail network links neighbourhoods across the community, and the route south from the Village takes about 25 minutes by bike. Local transit covers the same ground in roughly the same time, so the trip is easy either way.
If you do drive down, one parking spot is all you’ll need. Most of Function Junction sits within a few blocks, so coffee, lunch, a brewery stop and a browse through the shops are close enough to string together in a single visit without moving your vehicle between them.
Either way, it’s a simple way to trim the carbon footprint of your day in Whistler and see more of the community along the way.
Around the Breweries: More to See and Do
Function Junction’s personality isn’t limited to its two taprooms. Some of the other things to do in the neighbourhood are just as unexpected.
Forged Axe Throwing opened its Whistler location in Function Junction in 2017. Inside, the venue features multiple throwing lanes where staff walk guests through technique, safety and scoring before they try their hand at it in a controlled setting. It’s also another place the neighbourhood’s beer turns up: the menu pours Coast Mountain’s Crystal Chair Lager, Nocturnal Dark Lager and Hope You’re Happy alongside Lumberjack Kviek Ale, a beer Whistler Brewing made specifically for Forged Axe. Walk-in friendly, it’s an indoor alternative to the mountain-based activities Whistler is best known for, with a local pint never far from the throwing lane.
For something outdoors, the Whistler Train Wreck offers a very different connection to the area’s past. The short trail follows part of the Sea to Sky Trail through the forest before crossing a suspension bridge above the Cheakamus River. On the other side, seven boxcars that have remained in the forest since 1956 are now covered in colourful artwork. Make sure to bring your camera! The contrast between the peaceful forest and the artwork makes for some stunning photography.
Both fit easily on either side of a brewery stop, and both are a short walk from the rest of the neighbourhood.
Come Hungry (and Thirsty)
Function Junction restaurants, cafes and bakeries offer plenty of options for breakfast, lunch, coffee or something to grab on the go, and most of it travels well to a brewery patio.
Forecast Coffee brings a contemporary café feel to the neighbourhood and makes an easy starting point for a morning in the area.
When you need something more substantial, Functional Pie Pizzeria serves classic East Coast-style pizza made with fresh and local ingredients. It’s been voted Best Pizza in Whistler by Pique Newsmagazine several years in a row, and with no delivery service, you’ll have to make your way to Function Junction to try it.
Wild Wood Cafe has been serving Whistler locals from Function Junction since 2002 and is well known for its breakfast, with a menu that ranges from eggs Benedict and omelettes to banana bread French toast, alongside lunch options.
BC-born Purebread Bakery + Coffee has takeaway available, while Delish Cafe adds another casual option to the neighbourhood. Then there’s Camp Lifestyle + Coffee Co., where an espresso bar shares space with a Canadian collection of design and lifestyle goods, with an emphasis on makers and businesses with sustainable, ethical or humanitarian initiatives.
Made, Reused and Found in Function Junction
Function Junction’s industrial roots mean people have long come here to make, fix and build things. Today’s collection of retailers continues some of that tradition.
One of the most interesting examples is the Re-Build-It Centre, a social enterprise operated by Whistler Community Services Society. Thrifters and upcyclers will enjoy the thrill of the hunt, since the store gives donated furniture, appliances, electronics and building materials another chance at being put to use. The store also houses a Tool Lending Library. Revenue helps fund WCSS programs and services while keeping usable goods and materials out of the landfill.
Function Junction is also closely tied to Whistler’s mountain-bike culture. Chromag Bikes designs bikes and components from their Alpha Lake Road headquarters, using the Coast Mountains as both home and testing ground. Their products are designed around function, durability and performance, with most of their bikes built by hand in BC. It’s a connection that shows up in this fall’s brewery lineup too! Coast Mountain Brewing’s UCI World Cup collaborations, including one with local rider Finn Iles, tie back to the same downhill culture Chromag has built its name on.
Function Junction’s small-batch reputation extends beyond beer and bikes. Montis Distilling crafts spirits in small quantities using traditional distillation methods, right alongside the neighbourhood’s breweries and makers.
The neighbourhood’s shops cover plenty of other interests, too. There are pre-loved fashion finds at Deja Vogue, handmade treats from Turner’s Chocolates, furniture and homewares at Patina Home Interiors and Mountain Home Decor, and snowboard equipment from Snowboard Addiction.
Plan a Trip Around Function Junction
Function Junction doesn’t look or feel like Whistler Village, and with two breweries at the centre of the neighbourhood, it doesn’t taste the same either. For returning visitors, Function Junction offers something different in a destination they may already know well. For first-time visitors, it’s another part of the Whistler experience beyond its best-known attractions.
Between anniversary parties, seasonal releases, and annual events like Coastoberfest, there’s rarely a quiet week at either brewery. Giving you plenty of reasons to add Function Junction to your Sea to Sky Ale Trail trip through the region.
Experience more on the Sea to Sky Ale Trail.
Every Pint Tells a Story
