Victoria March 2 10 2018 - Victoria Beer Week
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Victoria
March 2 – 10
2018
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FROM THE EDITOR 2
WILD ISLAND 8
VBW EVENT LISTINGS 16
VBW SCHEDULE AT-A-GLANCE 30
THE VBW SCHOLARSHIP 33
MEET THE WOMEN BREWING VICTORIA’S BEER 34
MAKE A BEER RUN TO SOOKE 42
VOLUNTEER 47
The Victoria Beer Week Guide
Editor: Joe Wiebe
Design: The Number
Printing: Mitchell Press
Writers: Ian Lloyd, Sonia Motisca, Travis Paterson
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FROM THE EDITOR
Cheers to
5 years!
VICTORIA BEER WEEK TURNS FIVE YEARS OLD THIS
YEAR. BACK IN THE SUMMER OF 2013 WHEN WE
STARTED DREAMING AND BRAINSTORMING WHAT A
WEEK-LONG, CITY-WIDE FESTIVAL OF CRAFT BEER
MIGHT LOOK LIKE, WE NEVER IMAGINED IT WOULD
GROW SO MUCH SO QUICKLY.
When Victoria Beer Week launched in March 2014, there were
about 60 craft breweries in B.C., including 10 in Greater Vic-
toria where the 4 Mile Brewpub had just opened. Today, there
are close to 150 breweries in the province, and a few more have
opened here: the Axe & Barrel Brewhouse, Category 12 Brewing
and Victoria Caledonian/Twa Dogs Brewery. Look for another
called Île Sauvage Brewing to open soon — and find out all
about it in Travis Paterson’s article, “Wild Island,” on pg. 8.
Speaking of new breweries, have you heard there are three
breweries in Sooke now? To learn more check out Ian Lloyd’s
story, “Make A Beer Run to Sooke,” on pg. 42 and then consider
booking tickets on the Sooke Beer Run, which will be put on by
West Coast Brewery Tours on March 10.
The other article you will find here is Sonia Motisca’s “Meet
the Women Brewing Victoria’s Beer” on pg. 34. Each year,
International Women’s Day takes place during VBW (March 8).
This is a great way to meet some of the women who work
behind the scenes to make the beer you will be enjoying at our
events.
As we planned this year’s events we decided a few changes
were in order. First of all, after last year’s frigid winter weather,
we agreed that there would be no more outdoor events!
(I just guaranteed a week of unseasonably warm weather
this March…) This year we will stage seven events in our
“headquarters,” the Victoria Public Market, including two that
were previously held outdoors (Lift Off ! and Taco Tuesday) and
2
one that was in an unheated venue (All
About the Wood).
Also, when we decided to move Lift
Off ! indoors we realized that it was the
ideal opening night — what better way
to kick off the week than with an event
launching a dozen brand new beers?
But don’t worry, cask beer lovers can still get their fix at Friday Night
Casks on March 9.
Sour beer lovers might wonder what happened to Pucker Up. Fret
not, sour beers will be found on the beer list pretty much every night
during Victoria Beer Week. The best event for tasting sours is All About
the Wood, which features wood- and barrel-aged beers exclusively —
not all will be sours, but many will, and we’ve asked some of the best
breweries in BC to empty their cellars for us so there will be some
amazing beers to sample there. #BeerGeekAlert.
Another exciting change to announce is the partnership we have
formed with Brink Events, the local event design agency behind Diner
en Blanc and many other upscale galas, receptions and parties. It has
been a pleasure working with Aidan Henry and his team, and I’m sure
you will appreciate his flair over the course of VBW2018.
Speaking of which, we will close out VBW2018 with Hoppy Birthday, a
new event we have designed to celebrate our 5th birthday in style. We
encourage everyone to dress up for this swanky, all-inclusive event.
The Susannah Adams Trio will be performing and breweries will be
serving something special so it’s sure to be a night to remember. I’m
still trying to track down a powder blue tux in XXL…
On behalf of the VBW Board of Directors, sponsors, breweries, partners
and volunteers, I invite you to join us in celebrating five years of
cheers with Victoria Beer Week.
Cheers,
Joe Wiebe
Co-Founder and Producer, Victoria Beer Week
3
VBW 2018 Breweries
Axe & Barrel Brewhouse • bad dog brewing
Bomber Brewing • Brassneck Brewery • Cannery Brewing
Canoe Brewpub • Category 12 Brewing
Central City Brewers & Distillers • Dageraad Brewing
Driftwood Brewery • East Van Brewing
Faculty Brewing • Fernie Brewing • Four Winds Brewing
Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks • Gladstone Brewing
Hoyne Brewing • Lighthouse Brewing • Longwood Brewery
Love Shack Libations • Luppolo Brewing • Moody Ales
Moon Under Water Brewpub • Parallel 49 Brewing
Parkside Brewery • Phillips Brewing & malting co.
Powell Brewery • Ravens Brewing • Red Arrow Brewing
Red Truck Beer • Riot Brewing • Sooke Brewing
Sooke Oceanside Brewery • Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub
Steamworks Brewing • Steel & Oak Brewing
Strange Fellows Brewing • Swans Brewpub
Tofino Brewing • Torchlight Brewing • Twa Dogs Brewing
Twin City Brewing • Vancouver Island Brewing
Whistler Brewing • White Sails Brewing
Yellow Dog Brewing
4
Thank you!
Without the generous support of these amazing
sponsors, Victoria Beer Week might never have made it to
five years. Whether helping fuel our events with cash or
in-kind support, they make a huge difference.
Cheers to that!
PLATINUM LEVEL
GOLD LEVEL
SILVER LEVEL
PARTNERS
5
VBW
Memories
Adam Mills of Four Winds Brewing enjoys a
beer during VBW2014
Gary Lohin, Matt Phillips and Paul Hadfield at the
Craft Beer Revolution Town Hall during VBW2014
“You’ve got a little something...” at Lift Off!
2016
Seeing double? Tanny Lopez graced the cover
of last year’s magazine.
Julia Hanlon (Steamworks
Brewing), Chloe Smith
(Townsite Brewing) and Karen
Kuzyk (Category 12 Brewing)
at the 2016 Drink in the Story
on International Women’s Day
at the Drake
6
From March 2-10, swing by our
Vic West (Westside Village) location
between 2pm-8pm for a sweet deal.
$
10 BURGER
& BEER*
* 16oz pour. Deal only valid at Westside
Village location (210-172 Wilson St.) during
specified times.
REAL. FOOD. FAST bigwheelburger.com
Île Sauvage’s sour
beers and tasting
room will be a fresh
take for Victoria
BY TRAVIS PATERSON
8IT’S BEEN SEVEN YEARS SINCE THE LAST
BREWERY OPENED IN VICTORIA PROPER,
BUT THE NEXT ONE IS FINALLY HERE.
Standing in the soon-to-be Île Sauvage site on Bridge Street, it’s easy to
imagine how the former Prima Strada pizza restaurant will look once the
tasting room and brewing setup are complete. Especially if you stand
next to head brewer and co-owner Stephane Turcotte, 36, who brought
the business model from Korea, where he introduced craft beer, includ-
ing his trademark Belgian-inspired sours, to Busan, a city of 3.5 million.
“For us, the tasting room is central to our business plan,” Turcotte said.
“It will be here on the main floor and we want it up on the mezzanine,
too. We want people to experience more than one drink, and you can’t
have that without a tasting bar.”
Just a minute’s walk from Hoyne and Driftwood breweries and not far
from the Moon Under Water brewpub, this new addition now confirms
Rock Bay as Victoria’s de facto brewing district. Vancouver Island and
Phillips are only a few blocks around the corner on Government.
That Turcotte and company found the Bridge Street location was a mat-
ter of luck and patience.
“We looked in Langford, we looked in Saanich, we looked all around, but
we needed the right place,” said Turcotte, who’s leading the operation
with two of his former UVic roomates, Ian Ibbotson and Adam Gres-
ley-Jones, as business partners. “We said if it’s in Victoria it has to have
a tasting bar. As soon as we came in here it looked like a tasting room, it
looked like a brewery; we didn’t think we were going to find something
like this.”
For now, the giant silver kettles and mash tun remain wrapped in plastic.
But the charm of the 30-foot-high ceilings, the building’s rustic garage
doors and the dozens of oak barrels stacked in wait, all combine for a
tantalizing preview of what will be.
“Unfortunately, we won’t be ready for Victoria Beer Week,” Turcotte
said. “We’re not setting up the brewing half of the place until the permits
come in from City Hall. We want to do this right.”
A former ESL-teacher and hobby brewer in Korea, Turcotte’s story might
be the most unique of any brewer on the South Island. About six years
after arriving in Busan, Korea, he took a gamble setting up the first craft
beer bar. It was 2013 and, with the help of his wife Jinah Jeon, they
nailed it. Galmegi bar earned great success pouring sours and IPAs to a
population that was previously married to lager. They invested further,
opening Galmegi Brewing, with Turcotte regularly keeping three IPAs
and a sour on tap.
9“I was told we were crazy to open a craft beer bar,” he said. “They told
me everyone drinks lager, only lager, but we kept three IPAs on tap and a
(sour) Gose, and they sold.”
By the time Turcotte sold his majority shares in Galmegi they had opened
four more tasting houses serving their beer around Busan. The tasting
houses did so well, the new owners have since opened two more.
“It’s not really something we have here, but it really works for a big city.
And the business model is great, you keep the profits that you’d other-
wise lose selling your kegs off to a bar [at wholesale].”
“IF YOU SHOVE A SOUR IN SOMEONE’S FACE, THEY’RE
NOT READY FOR IT. BUT IF YOU CAN TAKE FIVE
MINUTES TO EXPLAIN IT, PEOPLE WILL WELCOME IT,
APPRECIATE IT.”
– STEPHANE TURCOTTE
With that, Turcotte has every reason to believe he’s making the right
jump with Île Sauvage. The name, for one, translates as wild island,
which is fitting as it will be the first destination brewery in Victoria, which
means, to start, its beer will only be available on site, be it by growler,
can or bottle. It’s also set to become just the third tasting bar in the area
following Victoria Caledonian Brewing in Saanich (2016) and the coming
Phillips tasting room next to the brewery on Government.
Compare that to Vancouver, where nearly every brewery has a tasting
bar, and many started as destination-only breweries.
Turcotte’s goal is to have 12 of his own beers available at any time. Six of
those will be sours, and six will be IPAs and stouts, etc., with a selection
of guest taps brought in.
If six sours seems like a lot, you haven’t had Turcotte explain them to
you.
“This is a young, exciting subsection of the industry,” Turcotte enthused.
“Understand, if you shove a sour in someone’s face, they’re not ready for
it. But if you can take five minutes to explain it, people will welcome it,
appreciate it.”
One of the beers Turcotte is itching to put into production, and has been
working on at home, is a hazy IPA.
10I’D TAP THAT. OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK VICTORIAPUBLICMARKET.COM
“It’s only three weeks to greatness. There aren’t any in Victoria yet. Yeah,
it’s trendy and there’s a reason for that: they’re delicious.”
It’s important to note the importance of turning around three-week
brews as many of the flagship sours will take up to a year. When ready,
they’ll sell in 750ml bottles and will break the double-digit barrier in
price, though hopefully not too far over $10.
“Sours are not a beer you session, it’s like wine, you split one with a
friend, and then move on to some IPAs.”
Île Sauvage will also run a barrel-aged stout (or porter) program, but
if you find a lager on tap, which is likely, it won’t be theirs. It’s another
reason for hosting guest taps.
“There’s already all kinds of really good lagers and other beers in town,”
Turcotte pointed out. “We would love to host some of them.”
TRAVIS PATERSON IS A LOCAL NEWS
REPORTER AND CRAFT BEER FAN.
WWW.BELFRY.BC.CA
SPARK · 250-385-6815
TORQUIL CAMPBELL (TRUE CRIME), DANIEL MACIVOR
(WHO KILLED SPALDING GRAY?), NORAH SADAVA AND
AMY NOSTBAKKEN (MOUTHPIECE) AND ERIC ROSE,
MATTHEW WADDELL AND DAVID VAN BELLE TOMORROW'S
CHILD) HEADLINE THE BELFRY'S 2018 SPARK FESTIVAL.Mitchell Press - BW - Dark Background
CRAFT
BEER,
CRAFT
PRINT
SERVING VANCOUVER ISLAND
(RESPONSIBLY) SINCE 1928
info@mitchellpress.com | 1-888-528-9882Iain Hill (Strange Fellows Brewing) speaks at Drink In the Story 2017
at the Victoria Harbour Airport
Getting out for Lift Off! 2017 in Centennial Square
The Craft Beer Thunderdome at Wheelies
Motorcycle Cafe in 2015
152018
Event TICKET INFORMATION
Listings All tickets are available through our local
ticketing partner, Ticket Rocket.
For more details and updates on all Available online at:
Victoria Beer Week events check vicbeerweek.ticketrocket.co
www.victoriabeerweek.com
Over the phone at (250) 590-6291
All events 19+, ID required or toll-free at 1-855-842-7575.
Please drink responsibly
*All prices + tax and service fee. Or in person at their box office at
101-804 Broughton Street, Victoria.
BEER
COMICS
FOOD
MUSIC
RUGBY
SUPPORTING YOUR LOCAL EVENTSFRIDAY, MARCH 2ND
Hoprocket illustration:
Lift
Anja Werner – bravecreative.ca
NEW LOCATION
Off!
Victoria Public Market
1701 Douglas St
Friday, March 2nd
7:30pm to 10:30pm
$ 5 0*
Kick off Victoria Beer Week
at this special beer launch
event where you can be
the first to taste up to a
dozen brand new beers
from some of BC’s best
breweries.
PA RT I CI PAT ING Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks Ravens Brewing
BREWER IE S: + Britannia Brewing Riot Brewing + Sooke
Brassneck Brewery (collaboration) Oceanside Brewery
Category 12 Brewing The Growler + Faculty Brewing (collaboration)
Faculty Brewing (collaboration) Spinnakers Brewpub
Fernie Brewing Lighthouse Brewing Vancouver Island Brewing
Four Winds Brewing Love Shack Libations Yellow Dog Brewing
Spinnakers Spirit Merchants will be on-site selling all of the Lift Off!
beers for you to take home after the event.
Lift Off! Tap Takeover
Garrick’s Head Pub/The Churchill Pub
If you don’t get to taste all the beers at Lift Off! or if you
want to try your favourite again, head over to the
Garrick’s Head/Churchill Pubs where all the Lift Off! beers
will be on tap throughout Victoria Beer Week (starting
March 3).
17SATURDAY, MARCH 3RD
Brewmasters
Brunch
Swans Brewpub
506 Pandora Ave
Saturday, March 3rd
11:00am to 1:00pm
$ 3 0*
Gather for some craft beer, food and
good ol’ Island socializing. Each table is
hosted by a BC brewmaster.
Fishing for
Beer
Victoria Public Market
1701 Douglas St
Saturday, March 3rd
7:30pm to 10:30pm
$40/60 w i t h c r a b b o i l p l at e *
Fish and seafood lovers rejoice! Sample
a variety of craft beers along with the
freshest fish and shellfish from local
vendors.
PA R TICIPATING BREWERI ES:
Driftwood Brewery
Lighthouse Brewing
Moody Ales
Sooke Oceanside Brewery
Spinnakers Brewpub
18SUNDAY, MARCH 4 TH
Homebrewers Workshop
Category 12 Brewing This entertaining and comprehensive
2200 Keating Cross Rd homebrewing workshop is led by Michael
Sunday, March 4th Kuzyk, homebrewer-turned-brewmaster
11:00am to 5:00pm at Category 12 Brewing in conjunction
$ 1 0* ( i n c l u d e s l u n c h ) with BrewVic.
CLASS #1: LET’S GET BREWING
Beer School Swans’ brewer, Chris Lukie will provide
you with a quick classroom-style
introduction to brewing and then take you
Swans Brewpub back into the brewhouse for a hands-on
506 Pandora Ave demonstration. It’s a great opportunity to
Sunday, March 4th see the inner workings of a brewery and
11:00am & 2:00pm (2 classes) see up close how beer is actually made.
$ 20* e a c h o r $ 3 0* b o t h
CLASS #2: SENSORY TASTING WORKSHOP
Prepare your taste buds for a guided tour
of some of the most common beer flaws.
Vancouver Island Brewing’s Danny Seeton
will also introduce basic sensory theory
and how various flavours interact in beer.
If you want to understand and be able
to explain exactly why you dislike some
beers, here’s your chance!
20MONDAY, MARCH 5TH
Beer, Pizza, and Gelato TWO SEATINGS
Pizzeria Prima Strada
1990 Fort Street
Monday, March 5th • 5:30pm & 8:00pm
$35*
We took our already amazing event featuring four courses of gourmet
pizza paired with four different craft beers and made it even better by
adding a gelato-and-beer pairing for dessert. We offer two seatings to
accommodate your growling stomach.
Ultimate Craft Beer Quiz
Northern Quarter
1724 Douglas St
Monday, March 5th • 7:30pm to 10:00pm
$15*
Victoria’s Quiz Master Benji Duke hosts this fun and
entertaining evening. Bring your own team of experts (up
to 6 people per team) to try to defeat VBW’s own Thirsty
Writer, Joe Wiebe. He is out for revenge in 2018 after
being narrowly defeated last year by a team of super beer
geeks.
22TUESDAY, MARCH 6TH
Taco
Tuesday
Victoria Public Market NEW LOCATION
1701 Douglas St
Tuesday, March 6th PA R TICIPATING BREWERI ES:
7:30pm to 10:30pm Bomber Brewing
$35* Cannery Brewing
Hoyne Brewing
We launched this event last year and it Longwood Brewery
was a big hit despite being outdoors in Parkside Brewery
some pretty nasty weather. In 2018, we Red Arrow Brewing
have moved it into the cozy confines of Red Truck Beer
the Victoria Public Market where you will Swans Brewpub
be able to enjoy a range of delicious tacos Twin City Brewing
from some of Victoria’s best restaurants Vancouver Island Brewing
paired with craft beers from top BC Yellow Dog Brewing
breweries. Spinnakers Brewpub
23WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7TH
Beer, Cheese,
More Beer NEW TIMES
Victoria Public Market PA R TICIPATING BREWERI ES:
1701 Douglas St Axe & Barrel Brewhouse
Wednesday, March 7th Cannery Brewing
7:00pm & 9:00pm (2 sessions) Canoe Brewpub
$35* Category 12 Brewing
Dageraad Brewing
One of our most popular events from past Four Winds Brewing
years will be even better this year. Pick the Gladstone Brewing
time you prefer and enjoy a less crowded Phillips Brewing
environment — each 90-minute session Powell Brewery
will feature the same delicious cheese- Torchlight Brewing
and-beer pairings. Twa Dogs Brewing
Whistler BrewingTHURSDAY, MARCH 8TH
All About
the Wood
Victoria Public Market
1701 Douglas St
NEW LOCATION
Thursday, March 8th
7:30pm to 10:30pm PA R TICIPATING BREWERI ES:
$ 5 0* Central City Brewing
Dageraad Brewing
This smash hit from 2017 moves into Driftwood Brewery
the warmer and roomier Victoria Public Four Winds Brewing
Market in 2018. Taste the difference that Luppolo Brewing
barrels make in a wide range of beer Parallel 49 Brewing
styles, including sours, Brett-conditioned Powell Brewery
beers, barley wines, imperial stouts and Spinnakers Brewpub
others. Some breweries will be serving Strange Fellows Brewing
multiple selections from the barrel cellars. Torchlight Brewing
Vancouver Island Brewing
Yellow Dog Brewing
25FRIDAY, MARCH 9TH
Friday
Night
Casks
Victoria Public Market
1701 Douglas St
Friday, March 9th • 7:30pm to 11:00pm
$ 5 0*
Celebrate craft beer creativity with a selection of 25
unique cask-conditioned beers from BC breweries, along
with food from the Victoria Public Market’s fantastic
vendors.
PA RTI CI PAT IN G B R E W E R IE S:
Cannery Brewing Lighthouse Brewing Steamworks Brewing
Category 12 Brewing Longwood Brewery Strange Fellows Brewing
Central City Brewing Moon Under Water Brewpub Swans Brewpub
Driftwood Brewery Phillips Brewing Tofino Brewing
East Van Brewing Red Truck Beer Torchlight Brewing
Fernie Brewing Sooke Brewing Whistler Brewing
Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks Sooke Oceanside White Sails Brewing
Hoyne Brewing Spinnakers Brewpub
26SATURDAY, MARCH 10TH
The Sooke Following the opening of two more
Beer Run
breweries late in 2017, suddenly Sooke
has one of the most concentrated craft
brewing scenes in all of BC! This guided
Departs from Swans Brewpub trip includes round-trip transportation
506 Pandora Ave from Victoria to Sooke with beer tastings
Saturday, March 10th and tours at Bad Dog Brewing, Sooke
1:00pm to 5:00pm Oceanside Brewery, and Sooke Brewing.
$ 4 9*
We might be late to the mob ile app party,
but think USED first!
Finally,
get the Used app:Hoppy
Birthday
FIVE YEARS OF CHEERS WITH
VICTORIA BEER WEEK
Victoria Public Market Victoria Beer Week turns 5 years old this
1701 Douglas St year and we are going to party in style! So
Saturday, March 10th break out your tuxes and prom dresses,
8:00pm to 11:00pm your wedding suits and bridesmaid’s
$ 75 * gowns, your kilts and cotillion frocks, and
join us for a dressed-up celebration of
PA RTI CI PAT IN G B R E W E R IE S: Victoria’s beer scene at the Victoria Public
Axe & Barrel Brewhouse Market.
Bomber Brewing
Central City Brewing This is our party and we want to celebrate
Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks with our crew — that means local
Hoyne Brewing breweries and out-of-towners who have
Lighthouse Brewing been involved with VBW since Year One.
Phillips Brewing Breweries will be serving something
Swans Brewpub special, and admission is all-inclusive.
Vancouver Island Brewing Please dress formal-and-fun, and instead
a r s of
White Sails Brewing Ye 2 0 1 4 Ch of a birthday gift, why not bring a toonie
e
ee
to donate to our Scholarship Fund.
Fi v
Yellow Dog Brewing
rs
Featuring a live performance by the
Susannah Adams Trio.
k
Vi
to
ee
c
2018
ria W
Beer
29VBW2018
Schedule
At-a-Glance
F R I DAY, M A R C H 2
Lift Off!
Victoria Public Market
7: 3 0 p m - 10: 30 p m
S AT U R DAY, M A R C H 3
Brewmasters Fishing for Beer
Brunch
Swans Brewpub Victoria Public Market
11 :0 0 a m - 2 :00 pm 7: 30 p m - 10: 30 p m
SU NDAY, M A R C H 4
Beer School Homebrewers
Swans Brewpub Workshop
11 :0 0 a m - 1 :00 p m & Category 12 Brewing
2 :0 0 p m - 4 :0 0 p m 11:00 a m - 5:00 p m
M O NDAY, M A R C H 5
Beer, Pizza, and The Ultimate
Gelato Craft Beer Quiz
Pizzeria Prima Strada (Fort St) Northern Quarter
5: 3 0 p m - 7: 30 p m & 7:00 p m - 10:00 p m
8:0 0 p m - 1 0 :0 0 p m
30T U E SDAY, M A R C H 6
Taco Tuesday
Victoria Public Market
7: 3 0 p m - 10: 30 p m
W ED NE SDAY, M A R C H 7
Beer, Cheese,
More Beer
Victoria Public Market
7:0 0 p m - 8: 30 p m & 9:00 p m - 10: 30 p m
T HU R SDAY, M A R C H 8
All About the
Wood
Victoria Public Market
7: 3 0 p m - 10: 30 p m
F R I DAY, M A R C H 9
Friday Night
Casks
Victoria Public Market
7: 3 0 p m - 11:00 p m
S AT U R DAY, M A R C H 10
The Sooke Hoppy Birthday
Beer Run
Pickup/Drop-off at Swans Brewpub Victoria Public Market
1:0 0 pm - 5 :00 pm 8:00 p m - 11:00 p m
31Join us in Support
of Craft Beer! Monitor
Monitor laws and regulations to
protect consumer rights,
Promote and seek improvement
Promote quality craft breweries where required
and neighbourhood pubs
Monthly organized
meet-ups
Encourage Enjoy
Promote the responsible
VIP brewery tours Encourage the appreciation
enjoyment of craft beer
of craft beer
Guest speakers
Exclusive offers for For complete information regarding CAMRA Victoria visit
www.camra.ca
local beer events
GiveawaysVictoria Beer Week
Scholarship
In 2017 we were proud to launch the Victoria Beer
Week scholarship at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in
Langley. We asked participating breweries to chip in $50
each and then topped up those funds from our revenues
to create an award for a student from Vancouver Island
studying in KPU’s Brewing and Brewery Operations pro-
gram. This two-year program is training the next gener-
ation of craft brewers in British Columbia. Graduates can
already be found working in local breweries, including
Canoe Brewpub and Category 12 Brewing.
The inaugural winner of the $2,000 scholarship was Sa-
mantha Rose. We hope she will be on hand serving beer
of her own creation at some point during VBW2018.
33Meet the
Women Brewing
Victoria’s Beer
BY SONIA MOTISCA
In the days of ancient civilizations, women were almost
exclusively the brewers of beer. Back then they were
called brewsters and were the gatekeepers of the recipes
that created the beverage used for both hydrating and
medicinal purposes.
As the industrial revolution took over and brewing beer
became more about mass production and distribution,
and less about making unique beers in small batches,
the beer industry changed and so did the role of women
within it. The marketing surrounding beer shifted to
almost exclusively present men as beer drinkers and
women as the ones serving that beer, but never brewing
or enjoying it themselves.
But the resurgence of women making beer is alive and
well, no more so than here in Victoria. Our special little
craft beer community has a lot to show for itself when
it comes to women brewers and, because International
Women’s Day (March 8th) occurs during Victoria Beer
Week, we wanted to say “cheers” to the ladies who brew
some of our city’s fantastic beers.
34Nicole MacLean
TWA DOGS BREWERY
(VICTORIA CALEDONIAN)
Nicole is head brewer at Twa Dogs Brewery,
half of the whole that makes up Victoria
Caledonian Brewery & Distillery. This unique
combination is just as unique as Nicole’s
story of how she became a brewer to begin
with.
A native Scot, Nicole was living in Vancouver
when she discovered a taste for craft beer.
She would go down to her neighbourhood
liquor store with one goal in mind: always try
to get something different than the last time.
After moving back to Scotland and beginning
to study environmental science, she also
discovered that “yeast makes beer!” and she
began delving further into the fermentation
process and the science behind brewing.
An obvious passion in the making, Nicole
started homebrewing and experimenting
with her love of beer. She ended up working Photo: happydesigns.com
at BrewDog, beginning with filtration and cellar work
before moving into the research and development side of
the house.
Scotland, land of peaty whisky, limited sunshine, and
historic and natural beauty alike, taught Nicole how
to brew proper beer, but, funnily enough, Canada is
teaching her how to distill proper whisky. Nicole made
the journey across the pond (and continent) once more,
starting to brew at Driftwood Brewing for a year before
joining the team at Victoria Caledonian Distillery & Twa
Dogs Brewery.
An active job with challenges and problem-solving,
coupled with a lot to learn in a constantly growing and
evolving industry, has made Nicole’s experience of this
still male-dominated sector a positive one. She sees more
women enjoying beer here than back in Europe and is
pleased to work alongside fellow female brewers in town.
35Kala Hadfield &
Lieve Peeters
SPINNAKERS GASTRO BREWPUB
Kala and Lieve are brewers at Spinnakers
Brewpub, Canada’s oldest brewpub which
opened in 1984.
Kala is the daughter of Paul Hadfield,
the brewpub’s architect and co-founder.
Getting into beer seemed destined for
her. She began bartending and working at
the front of the house, but always had a
strong desire to move to the back and start
brewing the beers she’d wish they were
brewing. And she’s been in overalls and
galoshes, lifting bags of grain and thinking
of creative ways to brew new flavours ever
since.
Lieve is from Belgium and brings a lot of the
country’s brewing traditions and styles with
her. She’s an experienced gueuze blender
and is particularly fond of sours and Trappist
beers, with plans to introduce more of these
styles to the craft beer scene here. Lieve Peeters and Kala Hadfield
Also beginning her career in beer by bartending before
studying brewing and malting in Belgium, Lieve is
interested in the biochemistry aspect of brewing. Much
like Nicole, she’s interested in the science behind how
beer gets made and says that was a lot of the learning
aspect of starting to work as a brewer.
Kala is currently working more on the cider side at
Spinnakers and she says the artistry there is really in the
blending of flavours. But she’s always up for an exciting
new brew and is constantly looking for inspiration,
drawing on flavours found in pub-style food especially to
make perfect pairings. The two ladies were busy brewing
a new oyster stout during my visit to Spinnakers, with
Lieve having the honour of trying the first freshly shucked
oyster for the batch.
37Lisa Drapaka
LIGHTHOUSE BREWING COMPANY
Lisa is the main brewer at Lighthouse
Brewing. She has always been a craft beer
lover and has even done a cross-Canada
craft beer pilgrimage, taking her from
Tofino all the way to Halifax, to experience
all of the beers that our majestic land has to
offer. The industry has changed and grown
a lot since she became a part of it about
five years ago and Lisa is happy to see this
slow permeation as craft beer continues
to expand into new areas like her home
province of Alberta.
Lisa was part of the first group of graduates
of the Brewmaster & Brewery Operations
Management program at Alberta’s Olds
College and was the only woman to
participate in the program in its first year.
She’s happy to see more women get
involved in the industry and has been surprised to see how many women
are brewers here in Victoria after making the move from Edmonton just
over a year ago.
Lisa’s love for beer and brewing has kept growing over the years. She
was part of a few brewpub teams before becoming a brewer at Situation
Brewing in Edmonton and then moving on to Lighthouse. She loves the
creative aspect of brewing, even though she gravitates towards more
classic styles that are made from a couple of grains and a couple of
hops.
“Creating something and seeing other people enjoy it is addicting”
according to Lisa who, like Nicole, has had the pleasure of working in
different areas of breweries, from the packaging line to the cellar to the
brewery itself.
If she were stranded on a desert island, Lisa’s preferred style of beer to
be stuck with would be a Dunkel that features prominent flavours and
has a wide variety of interpretations (so it wouldn’t get too old too fast!).
38Loyal to Craft Beer for 10 Years
Check out our new store at 304 Cook Street
and sign up for our customer
rewards program!
250-995-2665 cookstliquor.com
@cookstliquorFront: Jordyn Godin, Rear:
Dominique Jones and Karen
Kuzyk (Category 12 Brewing)
INTERESTED IN
BECOMING A
WOMAN WHO
BREWS?
For other women interested in getting into the craft beer industry, Lisa,
like Lieve, suggests working out and stretching. Lifting 70 kg (155 lbs) full
kegs is no easy task without some preparation and both Lieve and Lisa
recommend being fit enough to do that before committing to brewing
as a career.
Nicole and Kala also suggest experimenting with different flavours and
styles, initially starting small with a home brewing kit and an online
course or two to learn the science behind making beer. They also
recommend paying attention to the flavours found in food especially,
where both of them draw a lot of their inspiration.
All four ladies encourage other women who are interested in the
industry to get involved wherever they can within a brewhouse, starting
on the packaging line or in the cellar or at the front of the house before
getting to play with different ingredients and styles on a larger scale. And
all four are thrilled that the craft beer scene in Victoria is welcoming,
friendly, and has a knowledgeable community of people that are willing
to help.
Besides these four women, we also have Julie Lavoie brewing beer
at Driftwood Brewery and Jordyn Godin who brews at Category 12
Brewing. C12 is co-owned and managed by Karen and Michael Kuzyk;
Michael is the brewmaster there and Karen keeps things running
smoothly with the help of great staff like Dominique Jones.
There are many roles for women who want to get involved with the
world of beer, whether as brewers, craft beer sellers, or administration
and support staff. Victoria is a great example of just how big (and small)
the industry that fuels our love for craft beer really is.
Cheers to you, ladies!
40105 D R AU G H T TA P S W I T H I N
T WO E S TA B L I S H M E N T S
•
69 BA S T I O N S Q UA R E
•
1140 G OV E R N M E N T S TBY IAN LLOYD
CERTIFIED CICERONE
42What is We know about the natural beauty, great hiking and the
Potholes. But suddenly it has become a flourishing area
it about for craft brewing, too. With three craft breweries now
open in this small community 45 minutes from Victoria,
Sooke? it might have the highest ratio of craft breweries to
people in Canada. All of these breweries will be serving
their craft at Victoria Beer Week, so in the spirit of
research, a road trip to Sooke was undertaken.
The initial success of the Sooke Oceanside Brewery is
legendary. If I remember correctly, it sold out of all its
beer on the opening weekend back in 2016. A busy
tasting room is always a good sign. There was a non-stop
stream of people picking up growlers of SOB’s core four
brands and two seasonals. Ryan Orr, co-owner, happily
greeted everyone with a smile and often a first name.
The LeechTown Lager was my favourite. It is hard to
find a good flavourful lager. This one hit the mark with
a sweet and floral nose closely followed by a crisp, spicy
hop bite tempered with cracker sweetness. Ryan attri-
butes the outstanding flavour to the multi-temperature
mashing process they use, which is hard to replicate in a
large-scale brewery. One day Ryan Orr and Karri Jensen
hope to build a destination brewery and restaurant on
the waterfront. Big ambitions for a small brewery built
next to a gas station.
The next stop along Highway 14 is Sooke Brewing Com-
pany, which opened last November. This is a stunning
modern brewing facility with experienced brewer John
Adair, who grew up in Victoria, handling the stainless.
Like most breweries they opened with four core brands
and a few seasonals. This is also one of the few brew-
eries on southern Vancouver Island with a full tasting
lounge endorsement. Yari Nielsen, co-owner, spoke to
the diversity of Sooke-ites.
“This town is home to all sorts,” Yari said.
“Loggers and fishermen, farmers and fami-
lies… All the people who have discovered
what a great part of the world this is.” One
standout seasonal was the West Coast
Belgian, a mix of equal parts juicy tropical
hops, chewy malts, and spicy yeasts with
just a hint of warmth. A feeling of déja vu
encompassed my palate as I drank their
beers. Sooke residents will be glad to have
this as a cornerstone of their community.
43“A place of their own where they can
relax with a fresh local brew at the end
of the day,” as Yari put it. These beers
are not well travelled yet so bring your
growler to take fill. Yari says they hope to
start bottling soon.
Last on the way into wilderness is Bad
Dog Brewing Company, which also
opened late in 2017. Rosie and John
Lyle had some insight into the success
of breweries in Sooke: “Sooke-ites in
general enjoy beer more than any other
adult beverage.” This was demonstrated John Adair - Brewer, Sooke Brewing
by the many people who made the long
trek to pet their rescue dogs and sample
“SOOKE-ITES IN some beer.
GENERAL ENJOY BEER While there is no growler bar yet, Rosie
MORE THAN ANY OTHER was a perfect host and opened a few cans
ADULT BEVERAGE.” for us to try. Some of Bad Dog’s canned
beers can be found in Victoria, like the
- Rosie Lyle Old Red amber ale, which puts a west
Bad Dog Brewing coast spin on the amber/red ale style.
This family-owned brewery is located on
their property on Tugwell Road in Otter
Point. Rural brewing in the CRD does
provide some challenges. Rosie ex-
plained, “We had to certify the purity of
our well water for brewing, upgrade our
septic system. We are also restricted to a
640 square feet brewery building on our
property.” This made the tour very short
as you can see the whole brewery from
the entranceway. Hopefully the planned
growler filling station will happen soon.
But Sooke is so far away for a brewery
tour, and there’s that narrow, winding
road... No worries about that! During
Victoria Beer Week, you can partake in
the Sooke Beer Run put on by West Coast
Brewery Tours on Saturday March 10th.
It leaves from Swans and will visit each
of these fine breweries. And yes, they
will bring you back to Victoria, if you so
desire.
44Thanks to
our amazing
volunteers!
Victoria Beer Week wouldn’t exist without the support
our generous and hardworking volunteer corps. Thanks
for donating your time and energy and being so happy
while you do it!
If YOU would like to volunteer for VBW2018, please visit:
victoriabeerweek.com/volunteer
The VBW2018 Volunteer program is supported by 365
Day Media.
47About Victoria
Beer Week
Victoria Beer Week is a nine-day series Our team consists of a few beer-fanatic
of events highlighting a broad selection characters, each infamous in their own
of BC craft breweries while educating way for their passion and dedication to
Greater Victoria residents about craft Victoria’s craft beer scene. Bringing the
beer. The week is bookended with large same discerning eye to our programming
events that pair BC craft beer with local calendar as they do to a fresh pint of
Victoria food vendors, with a clear focus beer, the board of the Victoria Beer
on showcasing quality BC craft beer Week Society works year round to plan
and educating beer enthusiasts. Smaller and ensure that Victoria Beer Week is
tastings, seminars and micro-events providing Victoria’s craft beer community
happen at various venues throughout the with engaging, adventurous events that
week. look to educate beer enthusiasts as well
as introduce them to new and exciting
The Victoria Beer Week Society is a non- beers.
profit organization whose mission is to a r s of
facilitate various beer-related events at Ye 2 0 1 4 Ch
e
ee
locations around Greater Victoria. We aim
Fi v
rs
to educate and build “beer ambassadors”
out of craft beer newcomers and
seasoned beer geeks alike, as well as
increase business for all facets of the BC
craft beer industry. k
Vi
to
ee
c
2018
ria W
Beer
ABOUT THE VBW’s Board of Directors is: Sheleena Gutierrez, Ryan
Malcolm, Chris Nohr, Jay Nowak and Glen Stusek.
VICTORIA
Victoria Beer Week is produced by Joe Wiebe in conjunction
BEER WEEK with Aidan Henry and Melissa Reid (Brink Events) with
invaluable assistance from these fine people: Dan Ball,
SOCIETY Heather Leary, Jeremy Nemanishen, Andrew Reesor, Chris
Silvestri, and Kyle York.
Special thanks to Brittany Davies, Jeff Kendrew, Julie
Lavoie, Chris Long, Lori Muñoz Malcolm, Donald Pillon, Lon
Sheehan, and all the great folks at The Number who helped
get us to where we are today.
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