A Guide to BC Ski Town Craft Breweries

Ski season has finally arrived in BC—and what better way to celebrate after a great day on the slopes than with a delicious, locally brewed craft beer? Happily, most of the province’s ski resorts are located near towns with craft breweries, and some of them even work together to stage beer events on the mountains. Here’s a guide to some of BC’s ski town breweries.

Whistler

A beer with a view at Roundhouse Lodge in Whistler. Photo: @its_mandaa via Instagram

Whistler‘s world-class resort, Whistler Blackcomb, was named North America’s #1 resort by Ski magazine. Enjoy an après-ski beer brewed on premises at the High Mountain Brewing Company Brewhouse, located right next to the Olympic Plaza, or look for something from Whistler Brewing on tap in Village restaurants and pubs. You can also visit the brewery in Function Junction for a tour and tasting. Just down the way, don’t miss Coast Mountain Brewing, also located in Function Junction.

Thompson Okanagan

The Thompson Okanagan is home to three ski resorts and a strong craft beer community. After visiting Big White Ski Resort, head into Kelowna to check out the Beer Institute, or have dinner at BNA Brewing. Vernon is home base for SilverStar Mountain Resort as well as Marten Brewing Co. And Penticton has three breweries to offer after a day on the slopes at Apex Mountain Resort: Bad Tattoo Brewing, Cannery Brewing, and Tin Whistle Brewing.

SilverStar Mountain Resort in the snow. Photo: @chaletski via Instagram

In Kamloops, skiers can enjoy the snow at Sun Peaks Resort, and then eat and drink at the Noble Pig Brewhouse and sample beers at Red Collar Brewing.

Kootenay Rockies

Heading east into the Kootenay Rockies, there are some great ski and beer towns to visit, including: Revelstoke, home of Mt. Begbie Brewing and Revelstoke Mountain Resort; and Golden, where Whitetooth Brewing Co. satisfies the thirsts of skiers at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. The Columbia Valley offers great skiing options at the Panorama Mountain Resort and Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, with Arrowhead Brewing located in nearby Invermere.

View from Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. Photo: @dwitts via Instagram

Also in this region, enjoy beer from Nelson Brewing and Torchlight Brewing following a great run at Whitewater Ski Resort, or pop into Rossland Beer to fill a growler after visiting RED Mountain Resort, which hosts a two-day craft beer event called Beer Goggles every March. There’s a wealth of skiing options available in Fernie, either at Fernie Alpine Resort or through local cat-skiing operations, and Fernie Brewing Co. has plenty of different beers to sample once you’re back in town.

Vancouver Island

Mount Washington Alpine Resort on Vancouver Island. Photo: @genevievefreeman via Instagram

Don’t forget Mount Washington on Vancouver Island. The region has recently experienced a brewery boom with the likes of Forbidden Brewing Co. and Gladstone Brewing Company in Courtenay, Cumberland Brewing Company in the charming, historic coal mining town of Cumberland, and many more.

Vancouver

Green Leaf Brewing Co. in North Vancouver. Photo: Julia Crawford

And if you are enjoying the convenience of staying in Vancouver and skiing or snowboarding on Cypress, Grouse or Mt. Seymour on the North Shore, you have an abundance of craft beer options to sample—too many to list here thanks to the recent boom that has seen many breweries open in North Vancouver and Vancouver itself.

Featured photo: Longhorn Pub in Whistler via Tourism Whistler