The Rise Of Canned Beer

My favourite part of the craft beer industry is seeing the evolution of the industry and all the new businesses that it creates in my home town.  As much as I love craft beer, I have an interest in seeing businesses flourish and in that, the how and the why.

As craft breweries started to pop up across Canada we started to see these things called “Growlers” that all the breweries sold and we could take fresh beer home in.  What people didn’t really see behind this fad was why it was actually happening.   Let me tell you a story…

The Rise and Fall of the Growler

Once upon a time in Canada, around the beginning of the 1900’s, there was a guy named Jim.  Jim would go to his local tavern and after a night of only a few Jim would use an old paint pail to bring beer back home with him to drink that night and maybe even tomorrow before dinner.   On the way back the pail would smash against his horse and as the carbonation builds up the pail would GROWL like dog.  This is how we got the name growler.

When craft breweries started to pop up across the world it wasn’t feasible for them to spend $50,000-$500,000 on a canning unit so they had the idea of bringing back the growler.   This glass could be sold for more than they bought it for and also help them sell “To go” products.

Flash forward 10 more years and as coke and Pepsi spend hundreds of millions of dollars in R&D to stop the “beverages” from oxidizing in the can and changing flavor they finally had it.  They developed a vegetable film, that is on the inside of the can that stops the beer from touching the medal.  Now we could put beer in cans and it would stay fresh for (Upto) months.  There was only one problem.  Every Dad told their son, and Mom told their Daughter that bottles and draft were better and cans were not as good.

When breweries tried introducing the can back in 2005 and again through 2010 the public just wasn’t going to accept it until something odd happened.  What if we tried a larger can?  What if we told people cans were actually better?  Crazy thinking eh, but it worked.  Classic “Wag the dog”, look over here, it’s not a can it’s a “Tall can”, totally different technology.

Now the public would finally accept cans and breweries could sell their beer to go.  But how do we come up with $125,000 for a canning unit?  Enter mobile canning.

Now we cans we can change the label and design unlike the growler.  We can sent it further too.  Our eye is always drawn to the most unique, artistic and fun things that we see, and the
labels the breweries across Canada have begun to produce are some of the best we’ve
ever seen. Who doesn’t gravitate towards the can with the swirling blue and pink lines
with bright yellow letters or a crazy-looking graffiti design? We all do, even if it’s at least
only to look at it.

 

Now my friends, we have mobile canning like Mile37 that will pull up to your brewery and package your beers for around $0.25 each making it so breweries can now sell beer that stays fresher for longer.  The economics even work better when there are only 4 tall cans in a pack instead of 6.  Now lets all go to the breweries and buy a couple of canned

beers.

 

Yes! Many of our brewery partners are open for business and some remain closed for now. Until we resume our regular brewery tours, we’ve put together a handy list of the current status of all our brewery and distillery partners. Drop by and have a pint and support your local breweries!

OPEN – tasting room is open
Take Out – tasting room closed but brewery open to purchase beer for take out
Delivery – tasting room is closed but order beer online or by phone for home delivery

Andina – OPEN
Bomber – OPEN
Big Rock Vancouver – Take Out and Delivery Only
Brassneck – Take Out Only
Bridge Brewing – OPEN
Callister – OPEN
Container – OPEN
Deep Cove – OPEN
East Van Brewing – OPEN
Electric Bicycle – OPEN
Faculty – OPEN
Luppolo – OPEN
Main Street Brewing – OPEN
Odd Society – OPEN
Off The Rail – OPEN
Parallel 49 – OPEN
Postmark – Closed
Powell –Take Out and Delivery Only
Red Truck – Tasting Room will open Friday June 26th
Slow Hand – Order online through BEERVan
Steamworks Burnaby – Take Out and Delivery Only
Storm Brewing – Take Out Only, Patio Coming SOON!
Strange Fellows – OPEN
Strathcona – OPEN
Wildeye – OPEN

 

Effective March 17th , we have made the difficult and necessary decision to halt all brewery tours effective immediately.

While we are confident in the measures that both our company and brewery partners were taking to address this issue, the fact is that our business model promotes unnecessary risk to our staff, guests and brewery partners, and the public’s health and safety must come before the financial interests of our company.

All guests that have tours booked until mid May have been contacted and refunds issued. We will be in communication with guests outside of this time frame in the coming weeks as the situation develops.

 

Now in our 7th year with Dine Out Vancouver, we’ve handpicked four of our favourite locally owned businesses for two special tours this year!

Coffee, Brunch, Donuts and Beer Tour

To kick things off, we’ll wake you up with the smell of freshly roasted certified organic beans at Modus coffee shop for some behind the scenes coffee tasting and info about bean sourcing and roasting processes.

Now that you’re awake, it’s time for the main course – we’ll travel to the Red Truck Diner for a tasty brunch. Next up, we get the party going with a tour and a flight of beer at Brassneck Brewery. To end the tour on a sweet note, you’ll enjoy a yummy donut from Cartems Donuts.

What’s included? Each tour includes coffee at Agro, full brunch (including vegetarian option) at the Red Truck Diner, beer flight at Brassneck and a donut at Cartems. Additional beverages can be purchased at each stop. Full transportation is also included with the Vancouver Brewery Tours bus including pick up and drop off, and our knowledgeable and fun beer guides will lead the brewery tour at Brassneck Brewing.

January 18,19,25,26
February 1,2
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
$105.99*

BBQ, Fried Chicken and Brewery Tour

Your journey begins with some delicious free-range chicken and more at Juke Fried Chicken – voted #1 for Best Chicken in the Georgia Straight Golden Plates Awards 2019. Next on down the line is another award winning pit stop at Memphis Blues for some messy, low and slow cooked barbecue – napkins required!

And finally, we visit Vancouver’s newest craft brewery Container Brewing to wash down all those tasty meats with a flight of beer and a behind the scenes tour that includes some brewing 101 and more. Yum and done!

What’s included? Lots of meat! Each tour includes a meal and beer at Juke Fried Chicken, meal at Memphis Blues, along with a flight of beer at Container Brewing. Optional drinks can be purchased at each restaurant. Full transportation is also included with the Vancouver Brewery Tours bus including pick up and drop off, and our knowledgeable and fun beer guides will lead the brewery tour at Container Brewing.

January 17,18,24, 25, 31
February 1
4:00 PM to 7:30 PM
$105.99*

 

 

2019 BC Beer Awards Winners

This past Saturday October 19th was a big night for BC beer as the 10^th annual BC Beer Awards returned to the Croation Cultural Centre in East Vancouver. This popular event not only crowns some of the best brews in BC, but also doubles as a beer festival giving beer lovers the opportunity to taste many of the top beers in the province.

This year over 100+ breweries submitted over 1000 beer entries for a chance to win from 36 different categories.

So who won?  Thanks to the Growler we have a full list of all the winners across all categories, enjoy!

Brewery of the Year

Kwantlen Polytechnic University Brewer Diploma Program

Best in Show

Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks – Pixel Pils

Rookie of the Year

Île Sauvage Brewing Company

People’s Choice

Azedo Tropical Fruit Sour, Brewhall Beer Co.

Brewers Challenge

Cherry Operis, Four Winds Brewing Co.

International Lager

1. Vidal, Townsite Brewing
2. Elementary Lager, Four Winds Brewing Co.
3. Hashtag Basic, Electric Bicycle Brewing

Pale German Beer

1. Köl Story Bro Kölsch, Brewhall Beer Co.
2. Skyline Lager, Bomber Brewing Co.
3. The Adams Family Festbier, Kwantlen Polytechnic University

German Pils

1. Pixel Pils, Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks
2. Simple Things, Steel & Oak Brewing Co.
3. Beldame, Strange Fellows Brewing

Amber European Beer

1. Marzen, R&B Brewing Co
2. Red Pilsner, Steel & Oak Brewing Co.
3. Helles Lager, Trading Post Brewing

Dark & Strong European Beer

1. Hermannator Ice Bock, Vancouver Island Brewing
2. May the Schwarz Be With You, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
3. Dominion Dark Lager, Vancouver Island Brewing

German Wheat Beer

1. Heftechnik, Brassneck Brewery
2. Chefs Hef, R&B Brewing Co.
3. 50/50 Hefeweizen, Kwantlen Polytechnic University

UK Pale Ale

1. Papa G’s ESB, The Noble Pig Brewhouse
2. Bomber Pale Ale, Bomber Brewing Co.
3. Backroads Brewing Pale Ale, Backroads Brewing Company

UK Brown Ale

1. Wee Angry Scotch Ale, Russell Brewing Company
2. Rail Ale Nut Brown, Howe Sound Brewing
3. Outboard Motor Oatmeal Porter, The 101 Brewhouse + Distillery

UK Stout

1. Sasquatch Stout, Old Yale Brewing
2. Tactical Turtleneck, Another Beer Company Inc.
3. Cold Steeped Irish Stout, The Bakery Brewing

Strong Ale

1. Woolly Bugger, Howe Sound Brewing
2. Melle Meo, Howe Sound Brewing
3. Wayfarer, Strange Fellows Brewing

Fruit Beer

1. Tropical Tart, Steamworks Brewing Co.
2. Corvus Lingonberry Lime Gose, Ravens Brewing Company
3. Moon Dance Mango Wheat, Old Yale Brewing

Specialty Fruit Beer

1. Late Bloomer Strawberry Hibiscus Sour, Twin City Brewing Company
2. Asking For A Friend, Backcountry Brewing
3. De Witte, Dageraad Brewing

Spice Beer

1. Yoga Pants Cucumber Basil Sour, Electric Bicycle Brewing
2. Flex Mex, Twin Sails Brewing
3. Nightwatch, Lighthouse Brewing Co.

Smoke- & Wood-Aged Beer

1. The Great Gratzer, Moody Ales
2. Ignis Lichtenhainer, House of Funk Brewing Company
3. Loral Brett Saison, Île Sauvage Brewing Company

Specialty Wood-Aged Beer

1. Punch’s Farmhouse Ale, Mayne Island Brewing Company
2. Debauchery Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout, House of Funk Brewing Company
3. Scarlet, Steamworks Brewing Co.

European Sour

1. Shiro Shiro, Île Sauvage Brewing Company
2. Troika, Parallel 49 Brewing Co.
3. Little Red One, Strange Fellows Brewing

Specialty Beer

1. Whiskey Sour Ale, Field House Brewing Co.
2. Pilsbo Baggins New Zealand Pilsner, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
3. Gulagubben, Whistle Buoy Brewing Co.

North American Light Beer

1. No Brainer, Brassneck Brewery
2. Red Racer Summer Crush Hopped Lager, Central City Brewers + Distillers
3. Cream Ale, Gladstone Brewing Company

North American Blonde Ale

1. Bastion Blonde Ale, White Sails Brewing
2. Ballpark Blonde, Red Arrow Brewing Company
3. Royal City Ale, Steel & Oak Brewing Co.

North American Pale Ale

1. Hazy Citra Pale Ale, 4 Mile Brewing Co.
2. Palida, Andina Brewing
3. Hazy Pale Ale, Steamworks Brewing Co.

North American Amber & Brown Ale

1. Birra Rossa, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
2. Easy Amber, Nelson Brewing Co
3. Midnight Umber, Red Arrow Brewing Company

North American Porter & Stout

1. Porter, Gladstone Brewing Company
2. Rye Stout, Doan’s Craft Beer Company
3. Bomber Russian Imperial Stout, Bomber Brewing Co.

North American IPA

1. Bomber IPA, Bomber Brewing Co.
2. Shipwreck, Lighthouse Brewing Co.
3. Play Dead IPA, Yellow Dog Brewing

Specialty IPA

1. Ferocious Wild IPA, Yellow Dog Brewing
2. Sipasaurus Rex, Backroads Brewing Company
3. Slingshot Session IPA, Fernie Brewing Co.

Hazy IPA

1. Exp.003.Mkvi – Fluffy Cloud IPA, 33 Brewing Experiment
2. Neon Lights Pale Ale, Brewhall Beer Co.
3. Dreamboat Hazy IPA, The Parkside Brewery

Imperial IPA

1. Psychosis 7 DIPA, Whitetooth Brewing Company Ltd.
2. Numbskull, Lighthouse Brewing Co.
3. One Trick Pony, Brassneck Brewery

Belgian Ale

1. Burnabarian, Dageraad Brewing
2. La Tenace Belgian Single, Whitetooth Brewing Company Ltd.
3. Icefields Pale Ale, Whitetooth Brewing Company Ltd.

Honorable Mention: Jongleur Strange, Fellows Brewing

Saison

1. Five, Dageraad Brewing
2. Small Wonder, Brassneck Brewery
3. The Pass, Dageraad Brewing (collab w/ Blindman)

Strong Belgian Ale

1. 10°, Dageraad Brewing
2. Rosetta, Dageraad Brewing
3. Blonde, Dageraad Brewing

Honorable Mention: 33 Acres of Euphoria, 33 Acres Brewing Co.

Wild Ale

1. Strange Resemblance, Strange Fellows Brewing
2. Mixtape Series: Dry Hopped Sour, Boombox Brewing
3. Pinkies Out Tropical Sour, Foamers’ Folly Brewing Co.

Specialty Wild Ale

1. Mountain View Black Currant Sour, Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks
2. Noble Blend Mixed Culture Saison, Yellow Dog Brewing
3. Rose Changeling, Brassneck Brewery

Dan Small Homebrew Award

Andrew Swanton, The Answers to Life The Universe and Everything Dark Mild

Best Flight Paddle

Andina Brewing

Best Growler Design

Andina Brewing

Best Merch/Apparel

Mount Arrowsmith Brewing Company

Great Canadian Beer Festival founders John Rowling and Gerry Hieter accept their Legend awards. Rob Mangelsdorf photo

Best Tasting Room Design

Electric Bicycle Brewing

Best Tap Handle Design

Boombox Brewing

Best Label Design – Can

Dageraad Brewing – Murder City

Best Label Design – Bottle

Dageraad Brewing – Antwerpen Tripel

Dageraad Brewing. Rob Mangelsdorf photo

Best Packaging Design

Vancouver Island Brewing – Pod Pack

Best Website Design

Brewhall Beer Co.

Best Social Media Presence

Backcountry Brewing

Innovator of the Year

Twin Sails Brewing

Legend Awards

• John Rowling & Gerry Hieter
• Nancy More
• Gerry Erith