British Columbia’s breweries, cideries and distilleries are gaining a global reputation for making award-winning beer, tasty ciders, and premium sprits.
Beer festivals such as Hopscotch, the Okanagan Fest-of-Ale, the Canada Cup of Beer and the Great Canadian Beer Festival are great places to sample local specialties.
Breweries, Cideries and Distilleries in BC's Regions and Cities:
Vancouver Coast & Mountains: Includes the Pemberton Distillery, Howe Sound Brewing in Squamish, Mission Springs Brewing and Dead Frog Brewery.
Vancouver Island: Includes craft breweries in Nanaimo and on Salt Spring Island, Merridale Cider, and vodka and gin made from botanicals grown on Hornby Island.
Kootenay Rockies: Includes Columbia Brewing (Kokanee) in Creston and numerous craft breweries in Nelson, Fernie and Revelstoke.
Thompson Okanagan: Includes small batch ciders, fruit liqueurs from Okanagan Spirits, and beer from Tree Brewing and Crannog Ales.
Northern British Columbia: Plan B craft brewery in Smithers and the large, commercial Pacific West Brewing.
Vancouver: Includes Granville Island Brewing, Artisan Sake, many brewpubs, and more.
Whistler: Includes Whistler Brewing and the Brewhouse at Whistler.
Victoria: Unofficially nicknamed "the Beer Capital of Canada." Home to many brewpubs and craft breweries, Sea Cider and Merridale Cider, and Victoria Spirits.
Breweries
BC beers are a far cry from generic, watery lagers. Craft brewers offer bold and flavourful ales, stouts, bitters and porters, along with inventive creations: try huckleberry wheat ale in Fernie, hoppy IPA in Kelowna, pumpkin ale in Squamish or espresso stout in Victoria.
Most breweries offer tours and sampling, often with the chance to meet the brewmaster.
Cideries
While BC is famous for its superb wineries, its cideries can offer a similar experience: Sprawling orchards return abundant harvests of apples, which are used to craft a selection of artisan ciders. Cideries are found on Vancouver Island and in the Thompson Okanagan region.
Stay for lunch at a cidery restaurant with scenic views, or even partake in an orchard spa treatment.
Distilleries
Distilleries use BC’s fruit and wild botanicals to create smooth, sipping vodka, gin, fruit liqueur and even absinthe. Pick up sake in Vancouver, fruit brandies at Okanagan Spirits in Vernon, organic vodka at the Pemberton Distillery, and small-batch gin in Victoria.
Practical Points
- The legal drinking age in BC is 19. Two pieces of valid I.D. are required as proof of age.
- Some tours are available by appointment only.
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