In this episode of the Cascadian Beer Podcast, Aaron visits Small Block Brewing in Duncan, BC. Back in early March, just before the COVID-19 pandemic arrived here in British Columbia, Aaron Johnson visited Vancouver Island. After enjoying Lift Off!, the first night of Victoria Beer Week, Aaron headed Up Island. This episode of the Cascadian Beer … Continued
New Experiences are Brewing Nearby… As Phase 3 of BC’s Restart Plan begins, more of the parks and places we know and love are continuing to reopen. There are a handful of changes coming into effect in cities around the province including expanding patio licensing, allowing public consumption of alcohol in some designated areas, and … Continued
Halloween has been celebrated in one form or another since the time of the ancient Celts, around 2,000 years ago. Observing their new year on November 1st with a festival called Samhain, a Gaelic word that’s pronounced sow-win, Celts celebrated the harvest and welcomed in the “darker half” of the year. On October 31st, it … Continued
We’ve got a hand for you the next time you want to head out for a stellar night in Port Alberni. The hand – a khamsa in Moroccan – will chase away evil and negative energy, which your hosts Dan and Buchara Savard, owners of the Swept Away Inn, would rather you leave behind when … Continued
UPDATE: Island Craft has been shortlisted for the 2020 Taste Canada Award in the Culinary Narratives category. Jon Stott, author of Island Craft: Your Guide to the Breweries of Vancouver Island, had his first legal beer in Victoria in 1960. The windowless room, with an entrance for the “gentlemen” and a separate entrance for the “ladies … Continued
Back in 1922, a Bavarian innkeeper named Franz Kugler built a bicycle trail that ran 12 miles from Munich directly to his beerhall, hoping to lure cyclists from the city. But legend has it that 13,000 cyclists showed up on one June day and he didn’t have enough beer for all of them. Acting quickly, … Continued
This year’s Victoria Beer Week promises a balanced mix of beer-ducation, exploration, and plenty of chances to eat, drink, and be merry. Running from March 1st to 9th, VBW 2019 features over 20 events that will showcase more than 40 BC craft breweries, hosted at various venues throughout Victoria. Kick off with Lift Off! The … Continued
The Great Canadian Beer Festival, Canada’s longest-running annual beer festival, takes place every September in Victoria, British Columbia. Nearly 10,000 people, cup in hand, swarm the grass fields of Royal Athletic Park for two days of the best in B.C. brewing. Standing front and center since day one is co-founder and festival chairman Gerry Hieter, … Continued
September marks the beginning of the new school year, and also the graduation of freshly harvested hops into popular fresh-hopped beers. The craft beer community in British Columbia is ravenous for these beers. While most beers are traditionally brewed with dried hops, some breweries will prepare a beer during the late-summer hop harvest that involves … Continued
There are two sides to Vancouver Island, geographically speaking; two distinct coasts whose characters are defined by the seas that erode their shores. The tranquil east coast on the Strait of Georgia has the bulk of the Island’s industry, agriculture and population; the west coast is wild, battered by Pacific storms and relentless waves. Highway … Continued