As we slowly but surely transition into the summer season, we are trading in our cozy and comfortable warm beverages for something more cool and refreshing, which is where Terminal City Brewing comes in.
While many view the summertime as an opportunity to kick back and relax, others use it as an ideal chance to try their hands at adopting a new hobby. Terminal City Brewing presents the perfect venue and activity, with the added bonus of being able to consume the end product – responsibly, of course!
Operating as the largest U-Brew facility in Vancouver and the only one that offers craft beer made from scratch, Terminal City Brewing has been offering quality beer, wine and cider for over 30 years. Needless to say, much like their products, their knowledge is aged to perfection.
How it works
When you hear the term ‘U-Brew,’ depending on your demographic, you may have a somewhat outdated interpretation of how things used to be in the late 90s or early 2000s. If you’re younger than that - must be nice - there’s a strong likelihood that you don’t even know what it is.
Allow us to educate you! U-Brew is a liquor-permitted business platform where customers can purchase ingredients and services to make their own wine, beer, coolers and cider for private consumption.
It’s a fun and interactive process that allows you to be directly involved by bottling your preferred beverage yourself. Terminal City Brewing also offers custom labels to put your unique personal touch.
Not only is it an engaging and rewarding experience, but it can also save you a ton of money. Since the products are for personal use, they are tax-exempt, meaning that you can save a substantial cost compared to what you would pay in a standard liquor store.
Homegrown heroes
No matter your preference, you can rest assured that Terminal City Brewing provides top-quality products.
For the peace of mind of craft connoisseurs, their beer is made entirely from scratch using locally-sourced ingredients, just like any of your other favourite craft breweries, with no preservatives. For the savant cider lovers, Terminal City uses pure B.C. apple juice pressed in Chilliwack, with no sulphites or sweeteners, just clean, delicious juice.
However, where Terminal City Brewing truly shines is in its wines. Blended by some of the most prominent players in the industry, Terminal City’s wine kits utilize grapes sourced across the globe from some of the best grape-growing regions in the world. Receiving consistently fantastic quality grapes from suppliers, Terminal City clients can choose from various options to meet their specific price points and needs.
Kicking things off, the WineXpert Classic package supplies premium table wines ready in as little as four weeks. The most popular and biggest seller, these are a fantastic yet economical option for price-conscious customers.
For those with a bit broader budget, the WineXpert Reserve offers a more complex and fuller-bodied option, with wines taking six weeks to ferment. Wines in this series utilize more regional grapes from some of the best vineyards in the world. These reserve wines will appreciate bottle aging for a few months and will continue to develop if kept longer.
Finally, for the ultimate wine wizards, the WineXpert Private Reserve offers the finest quality wines, which take eight weeks to ferment and should be bottled for at least six months. These wines are specifically intended for cellaring, with many customers opting to build up their own wine cellar and hold onto these blends for two to three years. Patience is absolutely a virtue with these wines. That said, as with most good things, they are well worth the wait.
Always getting better
Celebrating its anniversary on May 10, Terminal City Brewing prides itself on its over 30 years in the industry. However, it also realizes the value of consistently pursuing further education and innovation.
Continuously improving its products and production system, it works diligently to ensure customers receive the best possible product while saving themselves money. It prides itself on its loyal customer base, and once you’ve gone through the process yourself, it’s not difficult to understand why people keep coming back.
If you’d like to try your hand at the U-Brew experience, and feel the satisfaction of being a part of the process, visit tcbrewing.com or visit in-person at 1616 Clark Drive in Vancouver.
