BC celebrities are just like us… They love BC craft beer. Unfortunately, Seth Rogan and Ryan Reynolds have not yet responded to our Twitter enquiries, but we still got the details from some other BC celebs! We caught up with a few media personalities and musicians from around the province to see what their favourite beers of the moment (or all-time) are.
If you’re subscribed to our newsletter, you’ll know each month we feature BC celebrities, influencers, or beer industry pros to ask them about their favourite beer of the moment. It’s always so fun to see what others are crushing on so we can get inspired to try certain brews we might not have otherwise!
In this blog post, we’re highlighting a few favourites from some big local names in music and media. So cosy up (perhaps put on some tunes by the featured musicians) and see what these BC celebs are sipping on! Then keep an eye out for their favourites in your local liquor stores and breweries.
Hotel Mira on Light Organ Records, Musicians
Hotel Mira, born from mastermind Charlie Kerr, have taken the sound out of the garage and into a considerably lusher landscape. Having worked with Grammy-award winning producer Eric Ratz (Billy Talent, Arkells), Hotel Mira are producing songs that boast anthemic, soaring choruses while sacrificing none of their sheer rock ‘n’ roll energy.
What are your all-time favourite BC craft beers?
Mike: I gotta say with hometown pride that one of my all-time favourites is the Blueberry Sour by Mariner Brewing, founded by a fellow Charles Best Secondary alumni. Other than that, I’m a big fan of East Van Brewing’s Jive Farmhouse Ale and Superflux Candyland, which I haven’t seen on shelves for a little while, and I think about it every time I go to a liquor store.
Cole: The always trusty Steamworks Flagship IPA.
Clark: Moody Ales Lavender Sour, Strathcona Love Buzz, anything sour and/or fruity from Andina (I think Peach Apricot was my favourite), Old Yale Mango Wheat, Bomber Brewing Sunday Brunch (and if that ain’t local enough because of the Stone Brewing San Diego collab, then Bomber’s Parklife Passionfruit Ale).
What are your favourite beers of the moment and why?
Mike: I’m a big sours guy, so the Spectrum Brewing sours pack is always a go-to for me. Other than that I love experimental breweries, so a lot of Bakery’s beers have been a go-to for me as of late, specifically the Peach Cobbler Sour. So good.
Cole: Any cold pale ale has been doing the trick lately. At the end (or middle) of a rough day I just want something crisp and refreshing, but with more flavour than a stock lager.
Clark: I keep coming back to the Lavender Sour! It’s super refreshing and unique.
What do you love most about BC’s craft beer scene?
Mike: I love that it’s all so accessible, experimental and inviting. The locations of all of them are very walkable, you can sit in East Van’s great taproom and then walk over to Storm and see what unique creation they’ve created. I also want to give a shout-out to the Port Moody Brewers Row, because, as a Tri-City boy myself, it’s nice seeing that area become a destination for people who live in the cities.
Cole: I just love how many small breweries there are, and that most are willing to take risks, and see through a vision, even if it’s wild and niche.
Clark: I love that there are enough local craft breweries that at least ONE of them is brewing a good sour, wheat ale, or fruit ale at any given time. SUMMER BEERS DON’T STOP TASTING GOOD JUST CAUSE IT AIN’T SUMMER, PEOPLE!
What’s your best BC craft beer memory?
Clark: I had a really nice time exploring the plethora of breweries local to the Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood with my fiancée and our dog last summer. Shoutout to Bomber Brewing, the park life with a Parklife, and a Sunday Brunch after Sunday brunch.
Cole: My favourite BC craft beer memory is a bit hazy (IBU around 35-40), but I do remember playing a cover gig at a brewpub tap takeover in Squamish where the drink tickets were little golden coins, redeemable for one of something like 30 one-off BC craft beers. Very fun. This was a far cry from many backstage areas where a request of “do you have any craft beer?” usually meant a choice between Rickard’s Red or Sleeman Honey Brown.
Mike: My favourite BC craft beer memory is early on when my partner and I were dating, I took her on an East Van Brewery tour, and it was a few hours of drinking in the sun later that we decided to be an actual, official couple.
Richard Zussman, Global BC Reporter
Richard Zussman is a TV reporter for Global BC.
“I grew up in Ontario and I have now hit the point where more than half of my adult life (beer-drinking life) has been spent in B.C., half in Vancouver and half in Victoria. My long time crush has been the Tricycle Radler from Parallel 49. It’s not just a summer fling for me, I drink it all year round. My new crush is anything from Twin City Brewing in Port Alberni on Vancouver Island. The Run of the Mill West Coast IPA and the Bottlecap Cherry Cola Sour are especially delicious.”
David Webb, Editor of Explore Magazine
Established in 1981 and nominated for over 190 media awards, Explore Magazine is devoted to Canadian adventure and travel storytelling. David Webb is the editor in chief and Head of Publishing at My Passion Media.
“I live in an area of East Vancouver that has me surrounded by amazing craft breweries. It’s often hard to decide [what my favourite is]! However, the brew I return to over and over is Talisman West Coast Pale Ale by Strange Fellows Brewing. It’s balanced, hoppy, full of flavour and a little citrusy—yum. I appreciate that it’s a session ale (low ABV), meaning I can have a couple and still wake up early the next morning with my kids, sans headache. In my mind, Talisman is the perfect pale ale.”
Gail Johnson, food, wine, and culture writer, co-founder of Stir
Gail Johnson is a seasoned food and drink writer who has contributed to outlets such as The Globe and Mail, the Vancouver Sun, Georgia Straight, and more. She also founded Stir, a Vancouver culture media company.
“Confession: I’m no beer connoisseur, which makes me even less hip than I already am. (It all goes back to a bad first-alcohol experience involving canned Pilsner in small-town Alberta.) BUT, I do love wine and cider, and I believe strongly in supporting local, so I am happy to share my fondness for the hybrids at Field House Brewing. They do such crazily creative stuff!
I’m pretty sure they’re always changing up their flavours—ever experimenting in wildly inventive ways—but one of their standout hybrids was a Field House x Sperling Vineyards Natural Amber Wine Hybrid. It was made in collaboration with Sperling Vineyards in the Okanagan Valley (love these kinds of partnerships), using natural organic yeast from its Natural Amber Pinot Gris in 2018. The Chardonnay Farmhouse has pressed Chardonnay grape juice combined with a sour ale, which was steeped on dried elderflower and sweet woodruff and fermented with a saison yeast. Whoa! Nice and tart. Another fab collab is Wild Golden Cider Ale with Summerland’s Nomad Cider. It’s sparkling and lip-smacking, a unique and fresh merging of styles and flavours.
With current health restrictions, Field House is doing Friday deliveries throughout Greater Vancouver, and both its Chilliwack and Abbotsford locations have licensed patios.”
Emma Choo, Influencer and Founder of @VancouverFoodie
Known as Vancouver Foodie to many, Emma is a food blogger and founder of the Instagram page that has garnered over 78,000 followers.
“I can’t stop thinking about the PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE PORTER I had at Bad Tattoo Brewing in Penticton, BC! It’s medium-bodied with a smooth malty peanutty finish reminiscent of a classic Reese peanut butter cup. A must-try pairing with the porter has to be their thin crust CHEESEBURGER PIZZA – think deconstructed Big Mac!”
Hanna Maclean, Dished Editor, Western Canada – Daily Hive Vancouver
Dished is the official headquarters for Daily Hive’s food content.
“While we patiently wait for the arrival of the warmer months, I’ve been indulging in some brews that bring me summer vibes in can-form. Driftwood Brewery’s White Bark Witbier will forever be one of my favourite year-round easy drinking beverages (freshly-ground coriander and Curacao orange peel, anyone?). I also can never say no to a good sour: enter Mariner Brewing’s Venture Blueberry variety.”
Jon and Roy, Musicians
Jon and Roy (Roy Vizer and Jon Middleton) are a folk, roots, and reggae duo from Victoria, BC. Their tunes are very west coast and evoke images of fog-shrouded mountains, lush green forests, and sun-soaked beaches. With over 30 million streams worldwide, the duo has clearly captivated many with their music and stories. We’ve just included Roy’s picks here because Jon is also in the band Ocie Elliot, who we have featured below!
What are your all-time favourite BC craft beers?
Roy: Hoyne Down Easy Pale Ale, Category 12 Juicy Data or Critical Point Pale Ale and Townsite Brewering’s Shiny Penny IPA
What are your favourite beers of the moment and why?
Roy: I’m loving the Good Fellows Talisman Ale as of late. It’s on the light side but doesn’t taste like it’s lacking anything.
One awesome “beer moment” is when we were all hanging out at a lake about an hour up a dirt road from Ucluelet and we had beer but it was all warm. We were hanging out on a bridge with a rushing river beneath and we found some fishing wire. So we tied the wire to the beers and lowered them down into the rushing river and let them dangle and cool for about 10-15 minutes. Then we reeled them in and drank ’em. We didn’t even suffer any beer casualties.
What do you love most about BC’s craft beer scene?
Roy: That it seems like every city, neighbourhood and town has its own brewery that local support and are proud of. Plus, we have excellent water in B.C. Beer IS mostly water.
Ocie Elliot, Musicians
“Ocie Elliot is a musical duo featuring Jon Middleton and Sierra Lundy from Victoria, B.C. The two have come a long way in a short time since a chance encounter in a Salt Spring Island café led to a spark, collaboration, and their ultimate partnership in music and beyond.” They’re now a cherished treasure in their hometown and beyond.
What are your all-time favourite BC craft beers?
Driftwood Fat Tug IPA, Driftwood Raised by Wolves IPA, Category 12 Disruption Black IPA
What are your favourite beers of the moment and why?
As you can tell we are IPA lovers, but we’ve also been enjoying the Driftwood Arcus Pilsner, (Sierra usually would need to be strapped down and force-fed pilsner, but she willingly took a sip of this one). Other favourite beers lately have been the Chromatic IPA from Category 12 and the Yellow Dog Play Dead IPA. We dig them because they are delicious!
What do you love most about BC’s craft beer scene?
We love the extensiveness and quality of BC’s craft beer scene. There are so many good beers and so many places to get them.
Lindsay William-Ross, Editor of Vancouver is Awesome
Vancouver is awesome is a popular media company covering news, culture, and more.
“My heart belongs to summery beers, so I have been giddy the last few years as it seems fruit beers have grown in popularity. Pretty much if it has a fruit in the name, I’m going to want to try it. While Superflux’s Colour & Shape doesn’t have fruit in its name, the absolutely stunning lip-smacking juiciness of this year-round offering from the Vancouver brewer jumped to the top of my favourite list thanks to its grapefruit notes and how fantastically it pairs with salty, spicy eats (the BEST companion for beer, IMHO).
I’m eagerly awaiting what summer 2021 releases bring and catching some rays and trying some brews on the parking lot patio at Four Winds and on the lawn at Barnside Brewing (Delta, represent!), but my runners-up right now would be Fuggles & Warlock’s The Last Strawberry Wit, Parallel 49’s Tricycle Grapefruit Radler, and Twin Sails’ Would Crush Raspberry Wheat Ale.”
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