capITaL cRAfT - Thirsty Writer

Capital Craft
90
Victoria’s
Breweries
joe wiebe
Joe Wiebe is the Thirsty Writer. Look for Craft Beer Revolution, his guidebook to BC’s craft breweries,
in bookstores now (www.craftbeerrevolution.ca). Follow along on Twitter @ThirstyWriter
and @CraftBeerRevolu.
In three decades…four other brewpubs and five
microbreweries have opened in BC’s capital, making it
one of the top craft beer cities in North America.
S
pinnakers, Canada’s first modernday brewpub, opened on the shore
of Victoria’s picturesque harbour
30 years ago in 1984, kicking open
the door to the craft beer revolution
in Canada. In the three decades since
then, four other brewpubs and five
microbreweries have also opened in
BC’s capital, making it one of the top
craft beer cities in North America.
Paul Hadfield, Spinnakers’ original
architect, took over as publican a
few years after it opened and has
remained in charge of the seminal BC
microbrewery ever since. One of his
daughters, Kala Hadfield, is also part of
the brewing team. Anyone interested
in craft beer in BC should visit this
“cradle of the revolution” at least once.
Among the other brewpubs in
Victoria, Moon Under Water, which
opened in 2010, bottles its beer for
sale in BC Liquor Stores, but the
others – Swans Brewery, the Canoe
Brewpub and the Four Mile Brewpub,
a popular View Royal pub that just
added a brewhouse to its facility
earlier this year – are all still worth
a visit in person. Each has its own
unique ambience, but all recognize the
importance of providing great food
along with well-made craft beer.
Vancouver Island Brewery is also
celebrating its 30th anniversary in
2014, but it actually had a different
name when it opened – Island Pacific
Brewing – and was originally based
outside the city in Central Saanich.
The brewery changed its name when
it moved into its current location on
Government Street in downtown
Victoria in 1991, and it has thrived ever
since. VIB has built up a loyal following
over the decades for its core brands,
including the popular Piper’s Pale Ale
and Hermann’s Dark Lager, as well as
the famously strong Hermannator Ice
Bock, which was named 2013 Beer of
the Year at the BC Beer Awards last fall.
Next to open in 1998 was
Lighthouse Brewing. It followed VIB’s
lead by producing a core group of safe
beers for the Vancouver Island market
that did not change much over the
years, but the arrival of Australian
brewer Dean McLeod in 2010 marked
a change in Lighthouse’s direction.
McLeod has already brewed 20 different
beers in his first three years. Last year,
Lighthouse added a top-notch IPA
called Switchback to its core group.
Along with the more seasonable Tasman
Ale, both of which prominently feature
Southern Hemisphere hops. Topping
that off was the return of Siren Red
Ale, which the brewery now offers in
unique-to-BC four-packs of cans.
Perhaps the most remarkable
brewing story in Victoria is the Legend
of Matt Phillips. After working at other
breweries, including Spinnakers, Phillips
decided to start up his own brewery in
2001. When the banks and credit unions
turned down his loan applications, he
maxed out every credit card he could
get to buy some used equipment and
even slept in the brewery to save on
rent. Since then, Phillips Brewing has
grown into one of BC’s most popular
and successful operations, renowned
for inventiveness and creativity.
Similarly, Kevin Hearsum and Jason
Meyer used to dream about opening
their own place while working night
shifts together as assistant brewers at
Lighthouse Brewing. In 2008, they
decided to make it a reality, and the
result was Driftwood Brewery, which
has quickly grown into one of BC’s most
exciting craft breweries. Their original
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Capital Craft
focus was Belgian-style beer, but once
they added Fat Tug IPA to their beer
list in 2010, there was no looking back.
Driftwood puts out Belgian styles,
including some barrel-aged sour beers,
but Fat Tug is their biggest seller by far –
and many beer lovers consider it the best
beer in BC, or even in all of Canada.
Latest to join the Victoria brewing
scene in 2011 were the Moon Under
Water brewpub and Hoyne Brewing.
Sean Hoyne’s brewing history in
Victoria dates back to 1989, when
he became the first brewer at Swans
brewpub. He went on to brew at the
Canoe brewpub for 14 years before
finally opening his own place right
next door to Driftwood in the Rock
Bay neighbourhood. The nearby Moon
Under Water has strong German lagers
and wheat beers, thanks to brewer Clay
Potter, who fell in love with German
brewing techniques while completing
his training and internship in Scotland.
The recent explosion of interest in
craft beer in Vancouver means that city
now has more breweries (12 to Victoria’s
10), but the fact that most of Victoria’s
brewpubs and microbreweries are
located within a mile-long loop close to
downtown certainly makes it an ideal
destination for thirsty travellers. But,
if you can’t make it over to the capital,
you’ll find products from Victoria in BC
Liquor Stores throughout the province.
Phillips Amnesiac Double IPA
BC $5.50 172163 650 ml
This big and bold IPA is not easily
forgotten, with its pungent, hoppy
aroma of pine and citrus and prominent
flavours of tropical fruits and tangerine.
Creamy and surprisingly easy drinking
considering its potency (8.5 percent
ABV), hopheads should keep their
fridges stocked with this one.
Spinnakers India Pale Ale
BC $5.35 967257 650 ml
More of an English-style IPA than the
explosively hoppy west coast IPAs
that have come to dominate the craft
beer world, this is a well-rounded,
full-flavoured pale ale with an
assertive but not overpowering hop
character. (7.1 percent ABV, 55 IBU)
Lighthouse Siren Red Ale
BC $8.99 679852 4 x 355 ml
Originally a limited release in 650 ml
“bombers,” Lighthouse has brought
this exceptional beer back year-round
in four-packs of cans. It is an amplified
version of the traditional Irish red
ale style with extra malt and a big
addition of west coast hops. Heed the
siren’s call. (8 percent ABV, 70 IBU)
Hoyne Hoyner Pilsner
BC $5.23 208751 650 ml
Sean Hoyne’s version of the world’s most
popular beer style tastes exactly like the
ones brewed in Plzen, Czech Republic,
where the style was created in 1842 – rich
and malty with a spicy hop bitterness
and a clean finish. Sip, savour, repeat.
Driftwood Farmhand Saison
BC $5.25 528141 650 ml
Driftwood is famous for its incomparable
Fat Tug IPA, but when the brewery
first opened in 2008, this Saison
was its most interesting and unusual
beer – and it’s still great. Brewed with
a partial sour mash and added black
pepper, it pairs well with cheese,
nuts, meat and roasted vegetables.
Vancouver Island Hermann’s
Dark Lager
BC $12.15 902320 6 x 341 ml
VIB won the 2013 BC Beer of the Year
award for its Hermannator Ice Bock
and this traditional Bavarian Dunkel
is also excellent. Malty and dark, but
lighter bodied and not as sweet as its
appearance implies, this refined German
lager is a sophisticated and tasty brew.
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