Two breweries, a packed 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. One’s been pouring since 1989, the other opened a decade ago, and both have stories worth knowing, such as how they got started, what keeps them brewing, and what’s happening at each taproom these days. 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: Built on Community
Coast Mountain Brewing opened its doors in Function Junction in September 2016 with one goal: build a gathering spot inside Whistler’s creative industrial hub. The beers scream West Coast, brewed by people who share a deep love for the mountains, great music and good company. Step into the taproom and you’ll find wood-lined walls, a cozy cabin feel, and a partially covered patio with a laid-back mountain energy, rain or shine.
Instead of a full kitchen, you will find a steady rotation of fresh-baked pretzels, pepperoni sticks and Hawkins Cheezies, plus a Bring Your Own Food policy so relaxed that most regulars just grab takeout from a Function Junction neighbour and bring it right back to their table. Well-behaved, leashed dogs are welcome on the patio too, and don’t be surprised if the brew crew pays extra attention to your table if you bring yours.
If it’s your first time visiting the brewery, start your tasting tour with The Surveyor, Coast Mountain Brewing’s West Coast IPA. The beer is named after the founder’s dad, a retired BC land surveyor who spent the late ’60s and early ’70s mapping out the property lines for Whistler’s subdivisions. Without him, there might not be much of a Function Junction to brew in at all. Next on the list, try one of their newest releases: Decade, a beer brewed to celebrate the brewery’s 10th year in 2026. Finally, for anyone who has trouble choosing, the Mountain Mixer variety pack is a great option to get an overall taste of what the brewery is all about.
Once you wander around Function Junction, you’ll find Coast Mountain Brewing’s name attached to half the neighbourhood’s events. They host WORCA’s (Whistler Off-Road Cycling Association) Toonie Après hangouts, sponsor local trail builders, and serve as the title sponsor for the Whistler Pulse Podcast with Laura Hanlon. Every September, the brewery hosts their birthday party for the public to enjoy. And the brewery also backs Whistler Community Services Society and WAG (Whistler Animal Galore) with space, beer and proceeds, proof that giving back is as much a part of the business as brewing.
Whistler Brewing Company: A BC Craft Beer Pioneer
Down the block, Whistler Brewing Company has been pouring since 1989, which makes it one of the pioneers of BC’s craft beer scene. It’s still 100% BC-owned and brewed, and the philosophy hasn’t budged since day one: small batches, no high-gravity shortcuts, and nothing in the mix that isn’t malt, hops or water.
The food leans casual and shareable, with pizzas and samosas that even the team can’t get enough of. If you have a food intolerance, feel free to ask for an adjustment. Most menu items can be altered to suit your needs. As for seating, the brewery has two patios. The front one stays open all winter, snow and all, while the back patio stays open from spring through fall. Both patios welcome dogs, so don’t hesitate to bring your canine companion along.
Pop by on a weekday and you’ll catch happy hour running Monday to Friday, with trivia nights rolling through roughly once a month. For community-led events, Whistler Brewing is proud to sponsor Bard on the Beach every year, and teams that cover everything from Whistler Search & Rescue to the Nordic ski team to a running race called the Tenderfoot Boogey. If there’s a local team or cause in Whistler, odds are decent that Whistler Brewing has had a hand in it.
If it’s your first time visiting the brewery, try their Whistler Black Tusk Ale. It’s an original 1989 recipe, one of the brewery’s very first beers, named after the jagged black peak visible across the valley. Considered a tribute to the majestic landmark, the brewery admit only crazy ski, snowboard and craft beer-loving outdoor enthusiasts would open a craft brewery close to a volcano, albeit an extinct one!
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
