Happy Spring!
As flowers bloom and warmer weather arrives, let’s embark on a tasting tour of the many special beers BC’s breweries are releasing this spring.
There is a wide assortment of styles to choose from, including sours, IPAs, saisons, and a variety of fruit-infused beers. Browse this list to find something from your local brewery or plan a trip to explore a new one.
Claim Jumper Hoppy Sour by Barkerville Brewing (3.75% ABV | 17 IBU)
This year’s version of Claim Jumper is a refreshing kettle sour dry hopped with Vic Secret, Amarillo and Cascade hops.
Barkerville Brewing can be found on the Northeast BC Ale Trail.
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Why Can’t You Be Happy For Me And Then Go Home And Talk About Me Behind My Back Like A Normal Person? Passionfruit, Orange & Guava Sour by Backcountry Brewing (5.5% ABV | 8 IBU)
The name of this rather tasty beer is inspired by the movie Bridesmaids.
Backcountry Brewing can be found on the Squamish Ale Trail.
First Cut Hazy IPA from Barnside Brewing (6.2% ABV | 40 IBU)
This super hazy and juicy hop bomb takes the hyper-local hop yard experience to a new level. Big, bold, and deliciously dank, featuring Barnside’s own farm-grown Triple Pearl and Cascade hops, Pilsner malt, and oats.
Barnside Brewing can be found on the South of the Fraser Ale Trail.
But My Mom Says I’m Cool Italian Pilsner from Bayview Brewing in Ladysmith (5.3% ABV | 30 IBU)
Light, refreshing, and crystal clear, this lager has beautiful flavours of melon and orange thanks to the use of Mandarina Bavaria and Huell Melon hops in the whirlpool and dry hop, complemented by a touch of sweet orange peel late in the boil.
Bayview Brewing can be found on the Vancouver Island Part I Ale Trail.
Two tasty beers from Beva Brewing & Blending, a new brewery that recently opened in North Vancouver:
- Alpenhaus Helles Lager (5% ABV | 25 IBU) A Munich-style lager brewed utilizing traditional German brewing techniques, grain, and hops.
- Sprezza Saison Sauvignon (6.5% ABV | 30 IBU) A farmhouse ale fermented with Beva’s house mix culture, dry-hopped with Nelson Sauvin, and re-fermented with sauvignon blanc grape must.
Beva Brewing & Blending can be found on the Vancouver’s North Shore Ale Trail.
Olde Ellis by BNA Brewing (7.5% ABV | 10 IBU)
A nod to the classic Olde English malt liquor. The label, which is an homage to the original OE 40s, was designed by Myron Campbell (@notsosimpleton). This is an Imperial Pilsner that cascades into the glass with a luminous golden yellow hue, boasts exceptional clarity, and is crowned by a pristine white head.
BNA Brewing can be found on the Kelowna & West Kelowna Ale Trail.
Okanagan Adventure Pack from Cannery Brewing
This brand new mixed pack contains a collection of three cans each of four of Cannery’s most popular beers: Lakeboat Lager, Muse Pale Ale, Trellis West Coast IPA, and the ever-popular Naramata Nut Brown Ale.
Cannery Brewing can be found on the Penticton Ale Trail.
Two spring beers from Container Brewing in Vancouver:
- Tokyo French Kiss / French Saison with Yuzu (6.5% ABV) Expressive French Saison yeast finishes dry showcasing notes of cracked pepper, clove, apple, and pear along with citrusy tartness from the yuzu.
- RAD – Pineapple + Passionfruit Radler (3.8% ABV) A radler-inspired beer featuring pineapple and passionfruit.
Container Brewing can be found on the Vancouver – Yeast Vancouver Ale Trail.
Four Spring Beers from Dageraad Brewing:
Dead Frog’s new Juice Box Sour Mixer pack features four tart & tasty beers:
- Field Theory (4.2% ABV) This dry-hopped table saison is bone-dry and heavily dry-hopped with European noble hops.
- Tous Les Jours (3.2% | 10 IBU) Light and easy drinking, with a bright and bubbly carbonation, herbaceous hops, and a touch of brettanomyces.
- Enology Series No. 3 – Malbec (8.6% ABV)
- Enology Series No. 4 – Cabernet Franc (8.6% ABV)
Dageraad Brewing can be found on the North of the Fraser Ale Trail.
Juice Box Sour Mixer from Dead Frog Brewery
Dead Frog’s new Juice Box Sour Mixer pack features four tart & tasty beers:
- Mango Sorbet Sour (4.5% ABV | 18 IBU)
- Watermelon Warhead Imperial Sour (9% ABV | 22 IBU)
- Rocket Pop Sour (5% ABV | 8 IBU)
- Blueberry Lemonade Sour (5% ABV | 10 IBU)
Dead Frog Brewery can be found on the Fraser Valley Ale Trail.
Aurora Session Pale Ale by Deadfall Brewing (4.2% ABV | 16 IBU)
This session ale is citrusy, balanced, and refreshing.
Deadfall Brewing can be found on the Northwest BC Ale Trail.
Razamanaz Raspberry Sour by Driftwood Brewery (3% ABV)
Berliners put a shot of raspberry syrup in Berliner Weisse just before serving, so Driftwood decided to put it in the can. Tart, refreshing and bursting with raspberry flavours.
Driftwood Brewery can be found on the Greater Victoria Ale Trail.
Two Spring Beers from Farm Country Brewing in Langley:
- Put Me In Kölsch (5% ABV | 25 IBU) This crisp, clean, and easy-drinking beer is perfect for sunny days and baseball season.
- Johnny Smash Vol 11 (3.8% ABV | 25 IBU) The newest edition of Johnny Smash is a tribute to traditional English ales.
Farm Country Brewing can be found on the Langley Ale Trail.
Raspberry Lemonade Sour by Farmhouse Brewing (8% ABV | 6 IBU)
This fruited sour beer is tart and sweet. After souring with the brewery’s house lacto culture, a large helping of raspberry and lemon was added to provide additional sweetness and fruitiness.
Farmhouse Brewing can be found on the Fraser Valley Ale Trail.
Three beers from Fernie Brewing:
- Traverse IPA (5.9% ABV | 45 IBU) Chock-full of select southern hemisphere hops, this IPA is crisp, dry and fruity.
- Tunnel Creek Kolsch (4.8% ABV | 21 IBU) This tasty beer recently took home a gold medal at the Okanagan Fest of Ale.
- Backpedal Raspberry Sour (5% ABV | 10 IBU) Jam packed with juice and a tangy twist, this beer is pretty in pink to boot!
Fernie Brewing can be found on the Kootenay Rockies East Ale Trail.
Agave Passion Fruit Sour by Field House Brewing (5.3% ABV)
Inspired by a favourite cocktail, this beer is soured using the brewery’s house culture and features Vancouver Island sea salt, real passion fruit, agave nectar, and a touch of lime.
Field House Brewing can be found on the Fraser Valley Ale Trail.
Una Mas Mexican Lager by Five Roads Brewing (4.6% ABV | 15 IBU)
This lager is light in colour and body, highly carbonated, and extremely crushable. Best served with a lime wedge to enhance the citrus flavour.
Five Roads Brewing can be found on the Langley Ale Trail.
Mango Mango Nectarous from Four Winds Brewing in Delta (5.9% ABV | 3 IBU)
In this iteration of Four Winds’ popular Nectarous Dry-Hopped Sour ale, the brewery added both real mangoes and mango terpenes for an over-the-top mango party in every sip.
Four Winds Brewing can be found on the South of the Fraser Ale Trail.
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Wily Gose by Grey Fox Brewing (7.5% ABV | 10 IBU)
It’s rare to see a gluten free sour beer, but Grey Fox is always pushing the boundaries with their delicious GF brews. This one, which was released for the Celiac Awareness event “Brews For All,” is a salted Gose with a lemony sourness.
Grey Fox Brewing can be found on the Kelowna & West Kelowna Ale Trail.
Jam Session Raspberry Cream Ale by Howe Sound Brewing (5% ABV | 25 IBU)
An American-style Cream Ale with tart notes and a smooth mouth feel, brewed with natural raspberries.
Howe Sound Brewing can be found on the Sea to Sky Ale Trail.
Sitka Sour by Île Sauvage Brewing (6% ABV)
This beer evokes spring on the west coast like no other thanks to the addition of freshly harvested Sitka spruce tips that are added to the brewery’s golden sour base.
Île Sauvage Brewing can be found on the Greater Victoria Ale Trail.
Blanche Deveraux French Blanche from Kettle River Brewing (5% ABV | 11 IBU)
This is a “simple” farmhouse ale, that is straw coloured with notes of clove and citrus. Finished with lemon juice, it is a thirst quenching patio crusher
Kettle River Brewing can be found on the Kelowna and West Kelowna Ale Trail.
Two Tasty Beers from Lakesider Brewing in West Kelowna:
- Summer Crush Pineapple IPA (6% ABV | 45 IBU) Featuring a tropical blend of hops with the soft kiss of pineapple.
- Okanagan Special Euro Pilsner (5.5% ABV | 32 IBU) Brewed in the classic Bohemian style using only premium floor-malted Bohemian barley and choice Noble hops.
Lakesider Brewing can be found on the Kelowna & West Kelowna Ale Trail.
Double Cold IPA by Lighthouse Brewing (8% ABV)
A light-bodied clear IPA with assertive bitterness, fruit/tropical hop flavour, and a dry finish. It was fermented with a lager yeast strain and then dry hopped with El Dorado, Mosaic and Citra.
Lighthouse can be found on the Greater Victoria Ale Trail.
Citra Dragon Hazy Pale Ale from Longwood Brewery (6% ABV | 35 IBU):
This special “Year of the Dragon Pale Ale” blends the flavours of Citra, Mosaic, Rakau and Sabro hops. The mild malt backbone lets the hops run wild while keeping Citra Dragon from scorching your palate.
Longwood Brewery can be found on the Vancouver Island Part 1 Ale Trail.
Okanagan Peach Wheat Ale by Marten Brewing (4.2% ABV)
Taste delicious Okanagan peach in every sip.
Marten Brewing can be found on the Southern Interior Ale Trail.
Faux Paw Cherry Saison by Mt. Begbie Brewing (6.5% ABV | 25 IBU)
A beer inspired by the bear whose “faux paw” was walking across the brewery’s freshly poured concrete floor. This kettle sour saison is crafted using wheat malt and cherry puree, and has been fermented with an authentic Belgian saison yeast. It has a refreshing flavour and a delicious fruit aroma that is sure to be bear approved.
Mt. Begbie Brewing can be found on the Kootenay Rockies East Ale Trail.
Two Spring Beers from Patina Brewing in Port Coquitlam:
- Peach Passionfruit Sour (5% ABV | 3 IBU) A delightful blend of BC peaches and tangy passion fruit.
- Thai Lager (4.5% ABV | 10 IBU) This thirst-quenching rice lager takes inspiration from the cuisine of Southeast Asia: spicy ginger and an aromatic citrus trifecta of lime leaf, lemongrass and calamansi.
Patina Brewing can be found on the North of the Fraser Ale Trail.
Aloha Amigo from RAD Brewing (4.2% ABV | 10 IBU)
This is a super light lager brewed with rice that finishes dry and crisp with a touch of Noble hops to balance this refreshing crusher. Tastes like “I want another!”
RAD Brewing can be found on the Vancouver Island Ale Trail Part 2 Ale Trail.
Fidelle “Floofy” IPA by Red Collar Brewing (5.6% ABV | 34 IBU)
Fidelle, affectionately known as Fifi, is a husky cross rescue from Baja in Mexico, now little sister to Diana the Black Lab and resident Red Collar guard dog. She is the inspiration for this hazy-style IPA.
Red Collar Brewing can be found in Kamloops on the Southern Interior Ale Trail.
The Grisette by Shaketown Brewing (4% ABV | 13 IBU)
This Szechuan peppercorn and blood orange grisette won bronze at the 2023 World Beer Cup Awards in the Herb and Spice Beer category. It was brewed with spelt malt, blood orange purée and Szechuan peppercorns.
Shaketown Brewing can be found on the Vancouver’s North Shore Ale Trail.
Sherona by Sherwood Mountain Brewhouse (4.5% ABV | 18 IBU)
With a hint of lime, this Mexican-style lager is sure to be a hit on a hot, sunny day.
Sherwood Mountain Brewhouse can be found on the Northwest BC Ale Trail.
Uncertain Kin Pink Guava Hazy Pale Ale by Small Gods Brewing (4.8% ABV)
This Hazy Pale Ale is loaded with Pink Guava puree, as well a massive dry-hop using 2024 Pink Boots hops blend, resulting in a beer that is full of tropical flavour.
Small Gods Brewing can be found on the Greater Victoria Ale Trail.
Scrumpers- Blueberry Peach Sour by Smugglers Trail Caskworks (4.5% ABV | 10 IBU)
This refreshingly light sour beer was brewed with blueberries and peach.
Smugglers Trail Caskworks can be found on the Langley Ale Trail.
Boysenberry Bloom by Sooke Oceanside Brewery (4.2% ABV)
A enticingly rosé session sour brewed with boysenberries and pale malt.
Sooke Oceanside Brewery can be found on the Greater Victoria Ale Trail.
Sunglow Hefeweizen by Steel & Oak Brewing (4.8% ABV)
This delicious wheat beer was brewed with the traditional double decoction method using only the highest quality German malt (60% Wheat and 40% Pilsner) and fermented with a classic Weizen yeast strain that gives notes of banana and clove, then hopped with Saphir and Mandarina Bavaria for a hint of citrus. Finally, it was naturally carbonated a little higher than most beers for a delightful effervescence and a pillowy head.
Steel & Oak Brewing can be found on the North of the Fraser Ale Trail.
Cool Ship by Strange Fellows Brewing (6.2% ABV)
Brewed in February 2021 using the orthodox methods of traditional Belgian lambic breweries, this beer began with a labour-intensive turbid mashing, followed by air cooling and inoculation in Strange Fellows’ open Koelschip vessel. Whatever wild yeasts and organisms that happened to be around the brewery that night inoculated a spontaneous fermentation in the cooling wort, which was then racked into oak barrels to ferment and age. All this, along with the addition of aged hops (2016 Tardif de Bourgogne, France) result in a beer with a uniquely delicious and complex character.
Strange Fellows Brewing can be found on the Vancouver – Yeast Vancouver Ale Trail.
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Let’s Get Take-Out Thai Wit by Tinhouse Brewing
This Belgian-style wheat beer pours slightly cloudy with a creamy smooth head and subtle flavours of lemongrass, lime, galangal and ginger.
Tinhouse Brewing can be found on the North of the Fraser Ale Trail.
Suprazunga! from Townsite Brewing:
This is Townsite’s super-popular Zunga Blonde Ale fruited up with passionfruit, orange and guava.
Townsite Brewing can be found on the Sunshine Coast Ale Trail.
Daymaker Guava Sour by Twin Sails Brewing (5.1% ABV | 10 IBU)
Daymaker is a fruit-forward sour that pours a hazy pink hue, with a bright aroma and the flavour of ripe guava in every sip.
Twin Sails Brewing. can be found on the Port Moody Ale Trail.
