2015 marks the fifth instalment of BC Craft Beer Month, and what a wild five years it’s been for the craft beer industry. Last year saw 22 new breweries open up in BC, with an additional 20 estimated to have opened by the end of 2015.
With more than 90 craft breweries currently in operation across the province, British Columbian beer lovers have never had it so good.
And it keeps getting better. This month sees craft beer events pouring across the province in support of the local craft beer industry, culminating in the big shebang on Oct. 24: the BC Beer Awards.
Here’s your guide to Vancouver area BC Craft Beer Month events. For full province-wide listings, visit BCCraftBeerMonth.com.
Thursday, Oct. 1 - Vancouver
BC Craft Beer Month Launch Central City on Beatty St. (871 Beatty) is hosting the kickoff party for BC Craft Beer Month from 6-10pm. Meet the movers and shakers from the BC beer industry and taste some of their finest work while you’re at it. Tickets are $20 and include four BC craft beers.
Saturday, Oct. 3 – Abbotsford
BC Hop Fest The divine vine takes centre stage at the inaugural BC Hop Fest, Canada’s first fresh beer festival. Held on the fertile Sumas Prairie where sun, water, and gentle breezes contribute to one of the best hops growing environments in the Pacific Northwest, the BC Hop Fest celebrates the hop harvest, the resurgence of BC’s hop growing industry and fresh hopped beer produced by 15 spectacular BC craft breweries. Fresh beer tastings, hop farm tours, food trucks, entertainment, and main stage presentations highlighting “all the things you can do with hops” will provide a fun-filled afternoon to start off BC Craft Beer Month. Totally worth the drive.
Wednesday, Oct. 21 – Vancouver
Seasonal Craft Tap Takeover The Devil’s Elbow (562 Beatty) is hosting this event, which features 20 different seasonal brews on tap. Tickets are $30 and include five drinking tickets and your own drinking jar. There will be live music too, courtesy of Devil’s Elbow’s in-house band, The Hot Devils.
Thursday, Oct. 22 – Vancouver
Craft Year, Craft Beer The Craft Council of BC is celebrating everything handmade and artisanal as part of Craft Year 2015, and that includes beer! More than 10 local breweries will be on hand offering samples, with food by EastSide Beer Food. Tickets start at $35 and include six beer samples, appetizers, and a souvenir tasting glass. The event takes place at VanDusen Botanical Garden, so try to keep it classy.
Saturday, Oct. 24 – Vancouver
BC Beer Awards & Festival This is the big one, the red carpet night that caps off the entire month’s worth of events and another year of craft beer success. This year’s theme is the The Year of the Sour, and BC brewers have been challenged to create their best example of this enigmatic style. In addition to the awards ceremony hosted by CBC’s Stephen Quinn, the event features a craft beer tasting festival (of course) with more than 50 BC breweries (and ciders!) taking part. It all goes down from 4-9pm at the Croatian Cultural Centre. Last year’s event sold out and this year’s likely will too, so don’t leave it until the last minute, Vancouver. Partial proceeds will benefit the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, so that’s nice.
