An RV trip into the Kootenays in search of craft beer… What could be better? Retired and recovering from a four-month home renovation, I was in desperate need of a getaway. A two-week wander was just what I needed. I happen to have an RV well-suited for pretty much anything BC’s Kootenays can throw at … Continued
As the war in Ukraine rages on, many BC craft breweries are responding to an international brewery effort to raise funds for those affected by the war. The primary effort is led by Lyviv, Ukraine-based Pravda Beer Theatre. Pravda put a call out to breweries around the world asking them to raise money for humanitarian … Continued
Sarah Lord from Living Here tells the story behind Trail Beer Refinery, a brewery providing positive change in the community and keeping the glass half full. (This article originally appeared on LivingHere.ca.) As local as it gets Before Mike and Sheri Konkin started a brewery in Trail, British Columbia, in 2017, they had never made … Continued
On May 15, 2021, Nelson Brewing Company celebrates its 30th anniversary. We dive into the company’s “richer than a chocolate stout” history, and uncover the characters who made this neighbourhood brewery a stalwart of the BC craft beer scene. Nelson Brewing Company was founded in 1991. The history of brewing in this small Kootenay town, … Continued
You know what they say… behind every great beer name, there’s an even greater story. Once upon a pre-COVID time, I embarked on a road trip across the Kootenays. Dipping into breweries for crisp salvation, I came across a number of brow-furrowing, curiosity-sparking Kootenay beer names. Intrigued to discover the secrets and stories that lurk … Continued
The natural beauty, incredible vistas, and majestic mountains provide a warm and inviting welcome to Golden and Revelstoke in the East Kootenays. Ready for an adventure, my husband John and I decided it was time to hit the road and discover some of the incredible hidden gems in our own backyard in beautiful British Columbia. … Continued
West Kootenay Mountain Biking: Classic singletrack. Old-school downhill. Post-ride craft beer. When talking bikes and beer, does anywhere in particular come to mind? Worldwide, there are few places that fit the description like the region around Nelson, in the West Kootenay area of British Columbia. If true downhill biking and local craft beer are the … Continued
Combining a skiing adventure while exploring the Kootenay Rockies West Ale Trail from Penticton, we visited the Trail Beer Refinery along with a few other breweries nearby as we meandered to RED Mountain Resort. Trail Beer Refinery The 13 local business partners who opened Trail’s first craft brewery (March 2017) thought the name should embrace … Continued
The feeling of freedom on the open roads is not limited to actors in car commercials. You can re-live those feelings on the scenic secondary highways of British Columbia. In May, 2019, my intrepid partner Jocelyn and I set out from Vancouver Island on a road trip to visit new-to-us craft breweries in the southern … Continued
Like a jewel on the West arm of Kootenay Lake, Nelson is known as the “Queen City” and for having “more restored heritage buildings per capita than anywhere else in the province”. That’s one of the reasons I love it and it’s where I graduated from high school. Sadly, I don’t get back often. I … Continued