As December winds down and we look back at the last 12 months, it’s safe to say that 2019 was another big year for craft beer in B.C. with 30 new breweries opening across the province. It wasn’t all good news, sadly, as we also said goodbye (or at least, see you later, in some cases) to four craft breweries that shut their doors this year.
Here’s a look back at all the comings and goings of B.C. craft beer in 2019…
Openings
Ace Brewing Co. (Courtenay)
Ace Brewing is located in the Comox Valley, just a stone’s throw away from the Courtenay Airpark. Their tasting room is aviation-themed, showcasing Canadian Air Force history. Facebook.com/acebrewingcompany
Alchemy Brewing (Kamloops)
In addition to its massive selection of craft beer, Alchemy boasts its own barbecue smoker and wood-fired pizza oven. AlchemyBrewingCompany.ca
Another Beer Co. (New Wesminster)
New West’s newest brewery has not only delivering delicious brews since opening late July, but also offers artisanal cocktails based on their beers. AnotherBeerCo.com
Barn Owl Brewing (Kelowna)
Situated in a lovingly renovated century-old barn just steps from Okanagan Lake, Barn Owl is worth a detour just for its spectacular setting. BarnOwlBrewing.ca
Breakaway Brewing Co. (Summerland)
Breakaway has only been open for less than a year, but work is already underway to double its brewhouse and triple its seating capacity. BreakawayBrewingCompany.com
Bright Eye Brewing (Kamloops)
Kamloops’ newest brewery—and the only one on the North Shore—features an ever-rotating lineup of experimental and small batch beers in its bright, modern tasting room. BrightEyeBrewing.com
Camp Beer Co. (Langley)
You’re going to want to camp out at this brand new brewery, which features multiple fire pits and a massive 2,000-sq.-ft. outdoor beer garden. CampBeerCo.com
Cliffside Brewing (Nanaimo)
Nanaimo’s newest brewery is family-owned and right in the heart of the historic downtown, just steps from the ocean and seawall. CliffsideBrewCo.ca
Container Brewing (Vancouver)
This new addition to the Yeast Van scene has a split-level tasting room with lots of natural light and plenty of interesting beers to sample there. ContainerBeer.com
Copper Brewing (Kelowna)
Kelowna’s newest craft brewery (unless another one has opened this week) features approachable styles and a dog-friendly patio. CopperBrewingCo.com
Dog Mountain Brewing (Port Alberni)
This bright blue brewery in downtown Port Alberni is coming together nicely and is set to open just before the new year. The rooftop patio offers panoramic views of the Alberni Inlet, the perfect place to sample Dog Mountain’s wild and mixed-fermentation beers. DogMountainBrew.com
Empty Keg Brewhouse (Merritt)
Empty Keg Brewhouse is the only brewhouse in Merritt; some might call it a gateway to the interior craft breweries in the Cariboo and Okanagan. EmptyKegBrewhouse.ca
Farm Country Brewing (Langley)
After all manner of setbacks—from red tape to burglars—the beer is finally being brewed at Farm Country, and by the time you read this, they’ll probably be serving it, too. FarmCountryBrewing.com
Five Roads Brewing (Langley)
This new addition to the burgeoning Langley beer scene offers an ever-changing array of fresh options on tap along with pizzas, paninis, pretzels and other snacks. FiveRoadsBrewing.com
House of Funk Brewing Co. (North Vancouver)
Challenging the status quo and cultivating an environment of experimentation, House of Funk’s small batch system pushes boundaries to serve up fresh and unique flavours. Winner of Best New Brewery in the Growler’s 2019 B.C. Craft Beer Readers’ Choice Awards. HouseOfFunkBrewing.com
Kelowna Brewing Co. (Kelowna)
Check out this Kelowna brew pub that has something happening every night, including trivia, karaoke, DJs, and is now brewing beer. KelownaBrewingCompany.com
Land & Sea Brewing (Comox)
Fantastic beers, delicious food and tasting room that’s as cool as it is welcoming: what’s not to love at Land & Sea? LandAndSeaBrewing.ca
New Tradition Brewing (Comox)
This family owned and operated brewery was hand built with using scavenged and reclaimed materials with natural building features. Also, the beer is delicious! NewTraditionBrewing.com
North Point Brewing (North Vancouver)
North Point offers craft beer with a rustic, cabin-like vibe in the heart of North Van’s burgeoning Shipyards Brewery District. NorthPointBrewing.com
Rumpus Beer Co. (Revelstoke)
This tiny Revelstoke brewery hasn’t even been open for a year and it’s already planning a (much-needed) expansion for spring. Expect more beers and more space! RumpusBeerCo.com
Rustic Reel Brewing Company (Kelowna)
This expansive Kelowna brewery features daily fresh-baked spent grain breads and pastries available at its Tackle Box Marketplace. RusticReel.com
Slackwater Brewing (Penticton)
The Penticton craft brewery is quickly becoming the coolest place in town to hang out, thanks to great beers, delicious food, live music and a welcoming, friendly atmosphere. SlackwaterBrewing.com
Slow Hand Brewing (Vancouver)
While they don’t just make lagers anymore, Slow Hand does focus on making distinctive, balanced beers that you can, and actually might want to, drink a lot of. SlowHandBeer.com
Stanley Park Brewing (Vancouver)
You can now enjoy your next Stanley Park brew at their brand-new brick and mortar location! Nestled in Vancouver’s West End, just at the tip of its namesake, the Stanley Park Restaurant and Brewpub is serving up casual west coast fare and the same great beer, now brewed onsite. StanleyParkBrewing.com
Streetcar Brewing (North Vancouver)
Vancouver’s North Shore continues to surprise and delight with its growing craft beer community. Streetcar Brewing is a must when doing North Vancouver brewery crawl; now offering growler fills! StreetcarBrewing.ca
Tailout Brewing (Castlegar)
If you’re passing through the Kootenays, make sure to stop in at the newly-opened Tailout Brewing, Castlegar’s first and only craft brewery. TailoutBrewing.com
The Bakery Brewing Co. (Port Moody)
Brand new and already raking in the hardware. The Bakery Brewing Co took home a bronze at medal for their Cold Steeped Irish Stout at the 2019 BC Beer Awards. TheBakeryBrewing.com
Tinhouse Brewing (Port Coquitlam)
After a successful opening, the new founders club, the “Shed Society”, are looking for new members. Watch for their exclusive hoodies and stainless growler. TinhouseBrewing.ca
Wildeye Brewing (North Vancouver)
Congratulations to Wildeye Brewing who was recently named named Winner of the People’s Choice Award at the Whistler Beer Festival 2019. WildeyeBrewing.ca
Whistle Buoy Brewing (Victoria)
Victoria’s newest brewery is located in the bottom of historic Market Square where it proudly displays its first place award from the B.C. Beer Awards. At least it did, until some jerk stole it. WhistleBuoyBrewing.com
Closings
Doan’s Craft Brewing Co. (Vancouver)
This beloved local brewery closed its doors on Powell Street in February. But fear not, Doan’s is anything but dead, as it continues to contract brew its beers out of Craft Collective while it courts investors and finds a new brick-and-mortar location.
Forbidden Brewing (Comox)
After years of acrimony with its landlords resulting in padlocked doors and illegal eviction notices, the folks at Forbidden understandably decided not to renew their lease in September. Forbidden’s brewhouse will live on, however, ending up at the soon-to-be-opened Devil’s Bath Brewing in Port McNeill.
Savoy Brewery (Nelson)
Staff at Nelson’s Savoy Brewery were stunned after owners decided to permanently close the West Kootenay craft brewery in January. The Savoy Brewery was located in the recently renovated Savoy Hotel on Nelson’s lively Baker Street. Owner Jimmy Bundschuh cited the competitive local market as the reason for the brewery’s closure, as it was “unable to rise above a number of challenges in the industry.”
White Rock Brewery (Surrey)
This “brewery” was attached to a U-brew store where the beer was brewed. Apparently, that’s not allowed, so the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch found it to be in breach of its liquor licence, resulting in a $16,000 fine and cease-and-desist back in May. At the time, White Rock’s owner indicated that he’d be filing for bankruptcy and wouldn’t be reopening.
–With files from Mike Ansley, Ted Child, Kristina Mameli, Brittany Tiplady and Joe Wiebe.
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