Brew North Strong Craft Beer Festival (Tickets on sale) – Abbotsford


Growing up in Metro Vancouver I spent a lot of time at the Abbotsford International Airshow growing up.  The rumble of the planes and the aerobatics made for an exciting excursion as a child.

With Canada 150 being celebrated this year though there is a new exciting addition to the Abbotsford International Airshow.  This year they launch the Brew North Strong Craft Beer Festival.

The Airshow runs from August 11th – 13th, 2017.  The beer fest runs all three days as well.  The Airshow goes from 3-9pm Friday (Beerfest 3:30-9pm), 9am-6pm Saturday and Sunday (Beerfest 9am-6pm).  The Airshow will have a selection of food trucks on hand for a good selection of foods.

The beer festival costs $10 per day with drink tokens costing $1.5 each.  To gain access to the beer festival you will also have to have general admission tickets to the Airshow that will run you $26.25.  When you think about it $36.25 is a really good price to attend a beer festival in British Columbia.

Here are some promo photos that were provided by the organizers taken by Sequel Photography.

The breweries that are involved at this point are as follows: Old Abbey Ales, Ravens Brewing, Hathi Brewing, Highway 97 Brewing, Chaos & Solace Brewing, Mt Begbie Brewing, Two Wolves Brewing, Cannery Brewing, Dead Frog Brewery, Granville Island Brewing and 4 Mile Brewing.

Here is their promo video that they shot

I would highly recommend that you check out this festival as it not only seems to have some really tasty beer that will be poured but there will also be some really planes preforming in the sky.

Purchase tickets at the link below.

Buy tickets here.

Learn more about the festival here.

Click here for more info.

Celebrate Craft… Beer! 2016 – Vancouver


Craft Beer can sometimes help support other Crafts.  That is where this event “Celebrate Craft… Beer!” comes in.

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Celebrate Craft… Beer! was held on Saturday November 5th between 7:30-10pm at Performance Works on Granville Island.  The event was held to raise funds for the delivery of the Craft Council of BC’s Craft Heritage & Me program for under-served youth.  Sixteen breweries showed up to pour their beers and help with this cause.  Here is the original list although Driftwood Brewery and Old Yale Brewing had to pull out due to differing issues.

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Being an event about Crafts there were also many artists selling their products in the middle of the room.  Here is a sampling of what they were selling.

There was also a blind silent auction with lots of good prizes to be won.

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This event was very well attended for the small venue it was held in.  The people both loved the crafts that were on sale and the craft beer that was served.

To top everything off the organizers of this festival held a competition for the best seasonal beer poured at the event.  The competition was judged by Rebecca Whyman, Chad McCarthy & Ken Beattie and the winning brewery won a a cool glass trophy as well as a handmade tap that will be designed and created by a noted local artist.

The winner of the award was Luppolo Brewing the brand new brewery on the block in Vancouver!

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I hope that the fundraising was as was as successful as the event itself as it was a great time with a great mix of people some very new to craft beer and some that know the local industry inside and out.

Celebrate Craft…Beer! (Get your tickets) – Vancouver


The Craft Council of BC is holding a fundraiser called “Celebrate Craft…Beer!” on November 5th between 7:30pm and 10pm.  18 Local BC breweries will be pouring beer during this fundariser to support the ongoing delivery of the Craft Council of BC’s Craft, Heritage & Me program.  There will be a silent auction to raise funds with lots of goodies to bid on.

Check out the press release:

Celebrate Craft … Beer!” is a charitable fundraiser celebrating the seasonal craft beer of 18 BC breweries, alongside a curated market of local artists. The funds raised will support the ongoing delivery of the Craft Council of BC’s ‘Craft, Heritage & Me’ program for under-served youth.

Craft brewers will be submitting their unique seasonal craft beer for an evening of tasting by judges and craft community enthusiasts. Jurors – Rebecca Whyman, Chad McCarthy & Ken Beattie – will select the winning beer. And the prize for the best in seasonal category will win an amazing handmade tap designed and created by a noted local craft artist.

This charitable event will be held 7:30pm November 5th @ Performance Works on Granville Island and will include live music by ‘Not You’ – an electronic duo composed of Sanford and Future Ghost, munchies, a blind silent auction of BC experiences and a curated craft market for you to peruse while enjoying the selection of seasonal craft beer!

You will get the chance to bid in the silent auction for prizes such as ‘Beer for a Year’, Brewery Tours & Tasting with Red Truck Beer, an Edible Canada gift basket full of local delicious goodies, dance lessons with Joe Ink Dance, generous gift certificates to Burgoo Bistro & The Latest Scoop amongst many other amazing local experiences! For a full list of silent auction items click here.  Join local artists and artisans at the craft market and find that perfect gift in time for the festive season: Bev Ellis, Julian DuerksenJoanna LovettOlympia KomianosCraftedVanGood MallowsHeather KonschuhZed Handmade & Charmian Nimmo!

Tickets include 4 tasters of beer & a 4oz tasting glass to take home.
Tax receipts issued for a portion of the ticket price.
$37 Regular 

Additional tasting tokens are available for purchase during the evening for $1.25 each

Click here for a list of participating breweries and artists.

Participating breweries' logos

Not You Banner

Craftedvan

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“We focus on creating characters that cheer you up and always stay where you’ve last left them.” Craftedvan specializes in magnetic bookmarks, magnets, and cards.

Goodmallows

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The all natural marshmallows that are on a mission to bring a whole new level of appreciation to everyone’s favourite squishy sweet. With flavours inspired by everything we love to eat, they are memories and smiles in a single bite.

Joanna Lovett

joanna-lovett

“The west coast of British Columbia Canada has always been my home and I have been involved in jewelry making for most of my life. As my work progresses and evolves, I have become increasingly focused on the world around me. My pieces capture both my love of nature and of the materials I work with.”

Julian Duerksen

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Julian Duerksen is intrigued by the ancient craft of glassblowing which has grown into a modern day art form requiring technical skill, physical stamina, and persistence. He works from his studio in Burnaby, BC, in Canada’s Pacific Northwest, where he creates glass objects and stemware with close attention to artistic and technical detail. He is intrigued by the vibrancy of lushly coloured glass as well as by the clean and simple reflective qualities of clear glass.

Olympia Komianos

olympia komianos studio

“I create jewellery which inspires my soul, my mind and all that radiates from my heart out of silver and gold. I am not shy to express that the pieces I create ignite the fervour within. My work is eclectic yet contemporary and has a touch of pizzazz. I love movement and feel; I adorn my pieces with balls, with texture, and some have a splash of patina.”

Heather Konschuh

heather-konschuh

Internationally recognized Canadian artist, Heather Konschuh is actively making her glass work and instructing at Terminal City Glass Co-op in Vancouver, BC. Her wide portfolio includes flowing forms and vibrantly coloured hand blown and sculptural glass pieces.

Zed Handmade

Zed Handmade

Zed Handmade is a small independent studio based in South Surrey, Canada. All Zed pieces are designed and hand knit by Diane Zwickel, using 100% Peruvian Highland sheep and alpaca yarn and fair trade Uruguay merino wool. The designs, colour palette and attention to detail reflect a love of texture , organic colours and natural fibres.

Bev Ellis

bev-ellis

Accomplished painter, mixed media artist, ceramic sculptor, and jewelry designer, Bev’s artwork is in university, television, corporate and private collections.  Bev studied Fine Arts at UCFV, where she took a major interest in painting, printmaking and ceramic sculpture.  She continues to take courses and create.

This is a 19+ event

With thanks to our media sponsor – The Georgia Straight!

 

I will be at this event and I hope to see lots of familiar faces!  Purchase you tickets from the link below!

Eventbrite tickets

Craft Brew Cruise 2016 – Vancouver


For the last few years the Craft Brew Cruise has been held in Vancouver but I have been unable to attend until this year.

 

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The cost of the ticket was $50 for the cruise and it went for around 3 hours if I remember correctly.  Beer tickets were $1 and the samples were either 1 ticket for half a glass or 2 tickets for a full 6oz glass.  There were three sailing for the boat cruise including Friday August 19th at 7pm and two on Saturday August 20 at 2pm and 7pm.  I attended the August 20th sailing at 7pm.  The sailing departed from right behind the Edgewater Casino in False Creek near the Plaza of Nations.  The boat consisted of three levels with the top level being a full open deck and the other two being enclosed.  The two enclosed decks had beer stations set up.  The breweries pouring included Lighthouse Brewing, Parallel 49 Brewing, Strathcona Beer Company, Hearthstone Brewery, Callister Brewing, Lightheart, Red Truck Beer, Steamworks Brewing, Granville Island Brewing and Old Abbey Ales.

Lets start with the views that the boat tour had.

Of course the main event of the brew cruise is not the view but the beer itself.  Some of the breweries only brought their standard lineup but some brought some new and interesting creations.  There was even a new brewery for me in Lightheart Brewing who brought a cask of Terry’s Chocolate Orange Ale.

This Craft Brew Cruise was not only a great cruise but it was a well run little beer festival and I look forward to attending next year!  My only quibble was that there was no free water available on board.  This is a good way to cause cases of alcohol poisoning as beer was cheaper than water.

http://craftbrewcruise.com/vancouver

If you live in Hamilton or Toronto they also hold Brew Cruises there also so check it out.

http://craftbrewcruise.com

 

Fest-Of-Ale 2016 – Penticton


With April comes one of my favourite beer festivals in the province in the Fest-Of-Ale.  This was the 21 annual event in Penticton and was once again a great party!  This two day festival took place on April 8th and 9th a Friday and Saturday.  Once again the festival was able to have an indoor and outdoor section that included beer, food and live music.  The Penticton Trade and Convention Centre was again the host location of the festival.

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Every year the festival invites new breweries to the festival.  This year there was just over 50 breweries and cideries in attendance.

This years brewery and Cidery list includes the following:
4 Mile Brewing
Bad Tattoo Brewing
Banff Ave Brewing
Barley Mill Brew Pub
BC TRee Fruits
BRB Brewing
Big Rock Brewery
BNA Brewing
Bomber Brewing
Bridge Brewing
Cannery Brewing
Canuck Empire
Category 12 Brewing
Central City Brewers & Distillers
Coal Harbour Brewing
Crannog Ales
Dead Frog Brewery
Dominion Cider Co
Driftwood Brewery
Fernie Brewing
Firehall Brewery
Four Winds Brewing
Hearthstone Brewery
Highway 97 Brewery
Howe Sound Brewing
Howling Moon Craft Cider
Hoyne Brewing
Lighthouse Brewing
Longwood Brewery
Marten Brewing Company
McClelland Premium Imports
Moody Ales
Mt Begbie Brewing
Old Abbey Ales
Old Yale Brewing
Orchard Hill Estate Cidery
Parallel 49 Brewing
Persephone Breiwng
Phillips Brewing
Powell Street Craft Brewery
R&B Brewing
Ravens Brewing Company
Red Collar Brewing
Red Truck Beer
Russell Brewing
Spinnakers Brewpub
Steamworks Brewing
Steel & Oak Brewing
Tin Whistle Brewing
Torchlight Brewing
Tree Brewing
Twisted Hills Craft Cider
Vancouver Island Brewery
Wards Cider
Yellow Dog Brewing

On the Friday I was able to get into the festival early as I was part of the Media for the festival.  It is nice to get some photos before the place gets packed!

The Friday event ran from 4pm until 9pm and was a great mix of people.  The crowd that comes after work to drink is quite civilized.  Friday’s crowd seems to be more interested in getting to know the flavours and brands on hand at the festival.

Once again the fist day of the festival was a total blast.  The breweries involved were great and the people attending where all really excited to be there.  Like always I took the Friday easy as I was once again one of the Judges for the festival.

After our session of Judging on Saturday the judges all headed back into the festival for day two.  For the general public the festival ran from 12-6pm.  Like always day two for me is more about the food and the people than the beer as we have judged so many beers.  There were still lots of great beer that I sampled though especially some of the beers that we judged as winners.  With the second day being during the day the crowd seems to both be younger and less knowledgeable about craft beer.  Saturday is more rowdy and there are way more costumes.  Something that seems to be very popular at some beer festivals and even more at music festivals.

At 3pm all of the judges had to be up at the main stage that is located in the middle of the indoor portion of the festival.  This is where the awards where given out to the winning breweries and cideries.  Kim of DogLeg Marketing sent me these following photos of the winning breweries.  I could not take them as I was standing on the stage in behind the winners.

Here is the list of winning beers as chosen by the judging panel.

Best in Class, Judges’ Choice Awards:

Pilsner/Golden Lager – Bohemian Pilsner – Hearthstone Brewery, North Vancouver
Pale Ale – Persephone Pale Ale – Persephone Brewing Company, Gibsons
Wheat Ale – Smoked Hefeweizen – Steel & Oak Brewing Company, New Westminster Belgian Golden/Saison – Old Barn Saison – Fernie Brewing Company, Fernie
Amber/Dark Ale – A Wee Angry Scotch Ale – Russell Brewing, Surrey
IPA – Slingshot Session IPA – Fernie Brewing, Fernie
Dark IPA – Disruption Black IPA – Category 12 Brewing, Victoria
Dark Lager – Black Lager – Tree Brewing, Kelowna
Belgian Strong – Delirium Tremens – McClelland Imports
Stout/Porter – Dry Irish Stout – Ravens Brewing, Abbotsford
Blender – Smoke & Mirrors Imperial Smoked Ale – Coal Harbour Brewing, Vancouver
Sour – Sour Raspberry – Old Abbey Ales, Abbotsford
Ciders – Calville’s Winter – Twisted Hills Craft Cider, Cawston
Fruit Beer – Tropic Vice Tropical Fruit Ale – Dead Frog Brewing, Aldergrove

Best in Show, Judges’ Choice Award: 

Persephone Pale Ale – Persephone Brewing Company, Gibsons

Here are some more photos from Kim of DogLeg Marketing.

Full sized photos

Once again the Fest-Of-Ale was a massive success in 2016.  If you can only make it to one beer festival in the province next year this is a great contender!  I forgot to take photos this year of the pop up liquor store but it was once again had an amazing selection of great beers.  I was able to pick up some from Torchlight Brewing that is usually only available in a small area in the Nelson area.