Greater Victoria Ale Trail

Greater Victoria is home to Canada’s first brewpub. The region spans Victoria, Sidney, Saanich, Sooke and the Southern Gulf Islands. Beer has been brewed in Victoria longer than anywhere else in British Columbia. Since Canada’s first contemporary brewpub, Spinnakers, opened in 1984, a burgeoning local beer community has thrived in Victoria. The local love for “microbrews” led to the creation of the Great Canadian Beer Festival in 1993, an annual event that is still going strong in its fourth decade. Today, more than a dozen breweries operate in the Greater Victoria area, each with its own style and approach. Visit nearby Sooke to discover another terrific trio of breweries or hop on a ferry to the Southern Gulf Islands to find two more idyllic island-based breweries.For a full travel itinerary to inspire your Greater Victoria ale-venture, head to the BC Ale Trail website: Greater Victoria Ale Trail