The Best of Vancouver’s Breweries.
September 13 2021, Mercedes-Benz Vancouver
Every season is beer season, and with heat lamp-outfitted patios and tasting rooms open for business, we’re all for an autumnal tasting experience. Here are a few of our favourites for your hops-laden pleasure, along with some of their must-try autumn beer releases.
East Van Favourites
Those with an eye for design will love the tasting room at Superflux, which resides in a converted print shop on Clark Drive in brewery-heavy “Yeast Van”. Look around the custom millwork interiors to see the working brewery in action while sipping on a Colour & Shape IPA or a classic Superflux Lager. Don't skip the food menu, either; it includes Two Rivers dry-aged beef hot dogs with creative toppings galore. (If you’re travelling to Victoria this fall, keep an eye out for sister restaurant Superflux {Cabana}, opening soon.)
Also situated in a historic heritage building, but this one upon the site of Vancouver’s very first brewery row, Main St. Brewing is pouring a selection of special spy-themed beers this fall. Mid-October’s release is the Norwegian Rendezvous, a Nordic IPA with notes of pine resin and tropical fruits. Pro tip: If the Burgerland Smash Up food truck is parked out front, don’t miss out on a fresh burger grilled up by owner Bodhi Valentine—it’ll be love at first bite.
Speaking of new autumnal releases, Bomber Brewing has two new lagers on the docket this fall: the Oktoberfest, which is an ode to a traditional Munich lager, and the German-style Harvest Pilsner. For fans of sours and other tart beers, Bomber’s fan-favourite Parklife Passionfruit Ale, is one of the city's best.
Over at Strathcona Brewing, order a few of their excellent pizzas and get comfortable in one of the city’s biggest (and chic-est) brewery tasting rooms. For fall they’re releasing a special Fresh Hop Sour but if you’re more of an IPA fan, the Big Sexy Funk Hazy IPA is one to write home about. Speaking of home, pick up a few tall cans on the way out to stock your personal minibar.
Further Afield
Hosting friends from out of town this fall? A walk around Stanley Park is a must—as is a visit to the Stanley Park Brewing Restaurant & Brewpub located in a revitalized 1930s building in the park. Here you’ll find not one but two expansive covered patios along with a West Coast-geared food menu, and a fine selection of rotating taps brewed on-site.
If you’re in North Vancouver, stop by the tap room at Wild Eye Brewing to taste their ever-changing experimental series beers, which are always a boisterous bunch. You may find a Blackberry Mojito Sour on tap, or a Blackcurrant Stout —either way, you can’t go wrong.
Port Moody’s Brewers Row on Murray St is worth the drive. With five great breweries all in a short three-block walking distance, the row is perfect for an afternoon of brewery hopping. Stick with the well-known Parkside and Yellow Dog breweries, where you can sip on classics like the Chase My Tail Pale Ale, or try the newest brewery on the row, Bakery Brewing, where you can feast on experimental creations like the seasonal Pumpkin Spice Porter. All breweries offer both inside and outside seating, and be sure to check out the food trucks along the way.
For those planning fall road trips, be sure to check out the BC Ale Trail website. This series of self-guided itineraries highlights over 150 local craft breweries across our beer-loving province, so you don’t have to do the research yourself.
