île Sauvage Brewing

Wild and sour beer on Vancouver Island.

Co-owner and brewmaster Stephane Turcotte learned his craft by managing a craft beer bar and then opening a brewpub in Busan, South Korea, which he ran for three years. When he decided to move back home to Victoria with his young family, he teamed up with two friends — they were all roommates at the University of Victoria — to open Île Sauvage Brewing in the Rock Bay brewery district, not far from Hoyne Brewing and Driftwood Brewery. The brewery was instantly successful; soon after opening, it was named Rookie Brewery of the Year at the BC Beer Awards.

Île Sauvage translates to “wild island,” which is a nod to both its home on this wild island on the west coast of Canada, as well as Turcotte’s approach to brewing. Indeed, it’s safe to expect a high level of sophistication and complexity in the beers you’ll taste here. The lineup always includes a range of sours, saisons and hazy ales, as well as any styles that are new and cutting edge. But don’t be intimidated if you don’t think of yourself as a “beer geek” — the friendly tasting room staff will be happy to help you explore the beer menu and discover your new favourites.

The brewery’s stylish, two-level tasting room occupies half of the building, with the brewing equipment, fermentation tanks and barrels right there to ponder as you sip and savour the delicious beers.