Central Vancouver Island Offers a Bounty of Exceptional Experiences! From Cowichan through Nanaimo to Parksville Qualicum Beach, Central Vancouver Island offers a variety of exceptional experiences, including spectacular beaches, hiking and mountain biking trails, and coastal paddling. From February 1 through March 8, 2026, explore the region and the diverse mix of breweries. Fill Your … Continued
Central Vancouver Island Offers a Bounty of Exceptional Experiences! From Cowichan through Nanaimo and Parksville Qualicum Beach to the Comox Valley, Central Vancouver Island offers a variety of exceptional experiences, including spectacular beaches, hiking and mountain biking trails, and coastal paddling. From February 1 through March 9, 2025, explore the region and the diverse mix … Continued
To help celebrate the holiday season, many craft breweries in British Columbia have been busy brewing up something special. Some of these holiday-themed beers are made with spices, cranberries, chocolate — or even candy canes! These wintry beers are often a little darker and stronger, making them well suited for colder, darker days. Here are … Continued
The 19th Annual Canadian Brewing Awards were given out on September 18th, 2021, at an event held at the Hilton Québec in Québec City, and brewers from British Columbia took home 40 trophies. The big wins came from the Prairies this year, with a repeat for Alberta with The Establishment Brewing Company taking home Brewery … Continued
Writer Lucas Aykroyd surveys 10 BC authors about which local craft beers might go down particularly well with their books. Pairings are truly a matter of personal choice. Whether you’re into oyster and wine pairings, cheese and chocolate pairings, or even NHL defence pairings, it’s anything goes in 2021. That philosophy inspired us to ask … Continued
Variety is the spice of life. It’s time to mix up some craft beer cocktails for Valentine’s Day. In our home, my guy does most of the cooking and I tend to be the purveyor of drinks. (And usually have to do the washing up — it’s only fair.) It’s a good dynamic, and it’s … Continued
With the arrival of December, many craft breweries in British Columbia are releasing special beers for the holiday season. These beers are often a little darker and stronger, making them perfectly suited for colder, darker days, and some incorporate spices or ingredients that invite holiday nostalgia. In fact, 2020 might as well be called the … Continued
Waterfalls and craft beer are a winning combination. They both light your sense of adventure, bring you into the moment, and turn a mundane weekend into something to celebrate. Let’s face it. In many parts of BC, November can bring a lot of rain. But, this is what makes chasing waterfalls an ideal fall activity. … Continued
Winning three golds, one silver and one bronze medal, Whitetooth Brewing from Golden, BC, was the big winner at the 2020 Canadian Brewing Awards, which were announced in an online ceremony on Saturday, September 12. Originally planned to be held in Victoria, BC, in May, the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of … Continued
With the arrival of summer, here are 60+ ideal summer beers from British Columbia’s craft breweries. Enjoy from the comfort of your own back yard or visit your local brewery’s tasting room, which may have a new patio! BC’s brewery tasting rooms are cautiously reopening with the guidance of the bc craft brewers guild once … Continued
The time for holiday cheer is near and what better way to get in the spirit than with craft beer?! It’s nearly December and your local craft brewery is likely hosting a festive event or pouring a winter-inspired beer near you. Get in the spirit with a great brew and check out what’s happening this … Continued
The 10th Annual BC Beer Awards were announced on October 19, 2019 in Vancouver, BC. Awards were given in 31 beer-style categories during the ceremony held at the Croatian Cultural Centre. This was the largest competition to date with 1200 entries from 121 breweries around British Columbia. The big winner of the night was actually … Continued
Vancouver Island Brewing leads collaboration between five Island-based craft breweries. The orca — or killer whale — is synonymous with Vancouver Island culture. Tourists travel to the Island to go on whale watching tours, and locals still gawk out the windows of BC Ferries’ vessels hoping for a glimpse of a breaching whale. Southern … Continued
Central City Brewers & Distillers Wins 2019 Beer of the Year! The 2019 Canadian Brewing Awards were announced at a gala ceremony in Toronto on Saturday, May 4, 2019, and the big winner from British Columbia was Central City Brewers & Distillers, which won three medals including a gold in the Experimental Beer category for … Continued
October is not just the month of pumpkin-spiced everything and Thanksgiving: Since 2011 it has been proclaimed BC Craft Beer Month. Beer lovers province-wide enjoy a month brimming over with beer events, perfectly timed to keep their minds off the return of darker, wetter days. Pull out your favourite sweater, dust off your stylish … Continued
The BC Ale Trail has launched the new Vancouver Island Ale Trail, featuring 14 craft breweries showcased in two separate itineraries, following the addition of new ale trails in Northern BC, Richmond and the Kamloops-Shuswap-Vernon region over the past few months. When joined together with the Victoria Ale Trail, beer lovers can explore 24 different … Continued
The plan was to tour via motorcycle to one of the most beautiful parts of Canada and hit world-class breweries along the way. Vancouver Island really does have it all: brilliant fishing, stunning beaches, diverse wildlife, and of course some of the best beer brewed in Canada. Our starting point was Nelson BC, so after … Continued
If you have been motivated to visit the BC Ale Trail blog, you probably fall into one of two camps: a dedicated craft beer fan or a newcomer to the scene, looking to learn. On Valentine’s Day, we found a Vancouver Island couple that represented those ends of the spectrum and asked how they balance … Continued
The newly expanded BC Beer Awards and Festival took place in Vancouver on Saturday, with six-month-old Mount Arrowsmith Brewing Company of Parksville taking the inaugural Brewery of the Year prize. The other big winner in the eighth annual BC Beer Awards ceremony — a highlight of the province’s annual beer calendar and the showpiece event of BC Craft … Continued
September marks the beginning of the new school year, and also the graduation of freshly harvested hops into popular fresh-hopped beers. The craft beer community in British Columbia is ravenous for these beers. While most beers are traditionally brewed with dried hops, some breweries will prepare a beer during the late-summer hop harvest that involves … Continued
The annual Great Canadian Beer Festival is returning to Victoria for the 25th time Sept. 8-9, 2017. Canada’s longest running craft beer festival was first held indoors at the Victoria Conference Centre in 1993, with 2,000 people attending. After 10 years, organizers moved it outdoors to Royal Athletic Park, which plays host to 9,000 thirsty beer … Continued
BC beer won yet more accolades last week, when the World Beer Awards 2017 style winners were announced in London. White Sails Brewing of Nanaimo earned the title of world’s best black IPA for its Snake Island CDA, while Mt. Begbie Brewing of Revelstoke recorded another big win for its highly decorated High Country Kolsch, … Continued
When the weather is wet and windy it’s the perfect time to go inside and drink delicious craft beer. Craft beer enthusiasts on the Sunshine Coast did just that on Saturday, November 12, when a crowd of local residents, as well as visitors from Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, gathered for the 2016 Powell River … Continued
