There’s no debate that the US is leading the craft beer scene right now. Yes, there are great beers around the world and yes, some of the best beers ever made are not American. But it’s hard to debate that any nation has more innovation, quantity and quality than the US.
That all being said, every now and then you come across some brew haven, a black sheep that outdoes everything you would possibly expect from any beer market.
My friends, I am here to tell you that Vancouver, BC has one of the greatest craft beer scenes that I’ve ever experienced.
Here’s a little taste of what I got to taste.
Breweries To Visit In Vancouver, BC
When I first got to Vancouver I asked everybody who lived in the area which brewery I should visit. The answer was always the same: Brassneck Brewery. Brassneck had an awesome vibe, nice people and the best haze that I could find in the city. Oh, they also had incredible beers across the board, haze or non-haze.
From Brassneck, there are another 5 or so breweries within walking distance. I headed over to Faculty Brewing Co., a very modern brewery that reminded me of a lot of Seattle places. It made me miss home for a bit…until I started trying their beer. Oh, and they were the only brewery in Vancouver where I found brut IPA, which is one of my favorite up-and-coming styles.
There was more to see in the Main Street area (meaning more breweries), but I was recommended to visit East Vancouver, aka East Van, aka Yeast Van. Why Yeast Van? Because there are breweries everywhere, centered around a great bike trail that goes right through the city.
Bomber Brewing was my first stop there. They did everything incredibly well, particularly their pils which is available year-round. They also had a few rotating taps that I tried and greatly enjoyed, but I was told they wouldn’t be up much longer, so I won’t make you jealous with the details.
There were more breweries in this tour, but I want to skip right to my last stop: Luppolo Brewing Co. The nice servers there told me that their best beers were sours and saisons, if I liked those. I said yes and continued to try half the beers on the menu. If you’re looking for a bitchin sour beer, Luppolo is the place to go.
Other places that deserve love:
- Off The Rail Brewing (for their location)
- Main Street Brewing Co. (for their tasty beer)
- Electric Bicycle Brewing (for their name)
- 33 Acres Brewing Company (for their consistency in quality and beer names)
- Steamworks (for being two blocks from where I stayed)
- Parallel 49 Brewing Company (for their great beer that I tried at…)
- CRAFT Beer Market (not a brewery, but for serving over 100 local craft beers)
Beers To Drink In Vancouver, BC
With so many rotating taps, it’s difficult to find a beer style that is year-round, or at least consistent enough to have whenever you’d like. Trying my best to name beers that might be there if/when you visit, here’s what you need to try:
- Brassneck Brewery Nebulousness Hazy IPA
- 33 Acres Brewing Co. 33 Acres of Life
- Bomber Brewing Pilsner
- Off The Rail Brewing Rah Mahal India Ale
Have you checked out Vancouver before? Live in Vancouver? Did I do well with my breweries or did I miss anything completely? Mention anywhere missed in the comments below!
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