East Vancouver brewery tour: 10 must-see spots for craft beer fans
Recently Yellow Pages launched an article promoting the craft breweries of Yeast Van, one of our favourite brewing districts in town. When they went looking for advice and tips for first timers on how to visit the breweries in the area, they interviewed our very own VBT Owner Ryan Mackey!
See the article by Megan Jones on the Yellow Pages site entitled East Vancouver Brewery Tour, or keep reading below!
From the Yellow Pages Website:
Visitors have historically flocked to Vancouver for its gorgeous natural parks, beaches and ski hills. But more recently – thanks to the city’s flourishing craft beer scene – one can add a tour of a local brewery to the must-see list. “Vancouver has experienced an explosion of new craft breweries since 2012,” explains Ryan Mackey, owner of Vancouver Brewery Tours, which takes guests on inspired, informative journeys to the city’s breweries. Many of Vancouver’s most popular breweries have congregated on the city’s east side, in neighbourhoods such as Mount Pleasant and Hastings-Sunrise, where industrial-chic buildings abound and dense pockets of breweries support and encourage one another – hence the district’s latest nickname, Yeast Van.
“East Van is by far our largest brewing district with 10 craft breweries and more on their way,” Ryan explains. “You can sample many beer styles in a short time without travelling far between stops,” he continues. So, next time you’re in the city, head to East Van for a well-deserved tour of the area’s finest breweries. [Photo credit: Vancouver Brewery Tours]
1. Doan’s Craft Brewing Company
Start your brewery tour in eclectic Hastings-Sunrise with a little-known local favourite, Doan’s Craft Brewing. Doan’s was started by three university friends who began brewing in their apartment, and later opened their own brewery and tasting room. Offering four German-style beers, Doan’s is the place to go if you love gaming: the intimate tasting room offers tabletop and arcade games to enjoy with your beer and vegan/vegetarian snacks. Artwork by local illustrator Ola Vola adorns the walls in this whimsical, wonderful brewery; it’s an ideal spot for nerdy-types and beer fans from all walks of life.
2. Storm Brewing
For a highly unique beer, Ryan suggests the Imperial Flanders Sour Ale at Storm Brewing, an outfit much older than others in the area (in operation since 1994, to be exact) that uniquely lacks a tasting room, chairs, tables or food. Rather, visitors sip samples right in the thick of the action (the brewing room itself) by donation or free of charge. Storm’s beers are stocked at bars throughout East Vancouver including Alibi Room, The Brickhouse and The Foundation
3. Callister Brewing
According to Ryan, “Vancouver’s craft beer scene is very supportive and collaborative,” and this one-of-a-kind brewery encapsulates that indestructible community spirit. A co-working brewery, Callister offers independent brewers the tools and commercial facilities necessary to grow their business, without having to set up shop themselves. Between the four brewers represented – Callister, Boombox, Lightheart and Real Cask – the cozy tasting room in Hastings-Sunrise offers more than 10 beers on tap most days of the week.
4. 33 Acres Brewing Company
This ultra-minimalist brewery and tasting room/café is appropriately located in the heart of Mount Pleasant, home to Vancouver’s booming tech, architecture and design industry. Most evenings, 33 Acres is packed with creative-types, who love the brewery’s smooth ambience and beers with creative names – such as 33 Acres of Sunshine and 33 Acres of Nirvana, two beers that get lots of play in this tight-knit community. Gourmet menu items range from in-house roasted pear salad to hot pizza from rotating food trucks out front.
5. Brassneck Brewery
Another popular Mount Pleasant spot, this wedge-shaped brewery and tasting room is less minimal, more Twin Peaks of the future, with its geometric wood paneling, live-edge bar and industrial fixtures. Brassneck‘s tasting flights are especially divine, and well priced at under ten bucks, and growler fills are a reasonable $12 per litre (and that includes the stylish growler). Taps change regularly, which means you’ll never have the same experience twice.
6. Strathcona Beer Company
Once upon a time, a group of 10 friends – who bonded over a love of craft beer and Vancouver’s Strathcona neighbourhood – opened their own brewery in the historic residential area. Strathcona Beer Company‘s four in-house beers – IPA, Belgian Ale, Mild and Seasonal – are excellent and even award-winning, but it’s the brewery’s location that really turns heads: this 12,000-square-foot building constructed in 2016 offers a 67-seat tasting room, gourmet pizza kitchen, and retail area for apparel and brand collaborations.
7. Red Truck Beer Company
The grandfather of Yeast Van, Red Truck Beer Company dates back to 1946, when its founder, Weird Arnold named the brewery after his first vehicle, a 1946 Dodge truck, which he used to transport kegs to the Minor League baseball stadium. Today, the company supplies hundreds of liquor stores, bars and restaurants across the country, and operates weekend tours and tastings at its impressive brewery in Mount Pleasant. The on-site Truck Stop Diner offers all-day beers and food as well as nightly entertainment.
8. Parallel 49 Brewing Co.
This brewery’s story all started with three friends who grew up in East Vancouver, just blocks away from where the brewery now stands just off Victoria Drive. Parallel 49‘s tasting room is open from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm each day – a good thing, too, because prices are excellent. For example, enjoy a 4 oz. glass for just a buck, 12 oz. for three, and four 4 oz. glasses for just four dollars in total. Now, that’s a delicious deal!
9. Strange Fellows Brewing Company
Taking inspiration from the Old World brewers, Strange Fellows’ barrel program provides aged beers and plenty of sour beers that suit those who adore traditional flavours. Depending on the day, you’ll find about seven packaged beers in the cooler, and just as many on tap in a tasting room that also offers locally-sourced snacks and meals. Around the corner, the brewery’s Charles Clark Gallery shares rotating exhibitions from local artists.
10. Postmark Brewing
Postmark Brewing takes inspiration from rugged West Coast lifestyles to produce traditional beers with surprising twists born of collaborations with local groups. Take, for instance, the Oyster Stout: connecting with Fanny Bay Oysters, Postmark added their oyster shells to the boil of this traditional stout beer, gifting it with a delicious, briny flavour. Postmark’s spacious Railtown tasting room offers unique beers, comfort food, and an upbeat, social atmosphere that will entertain for hours.
From intimate tasting rooms to large-scale companies, these 10 breweries offer meaningful experiences for expert beer enthusiasts and casual sippers. And for those new to Yeast Van, Ryan’s three-step advice is indelible for first-timers:
- Plan ahead. “If you’re looking for someone else to the driving and planning, then one of our popular Vancouver Brewery Tours is a great way to get introduced to our craft beer scene. Alternatively, check out Beer Me BC for a list of breweries in the area, and plan your own walking adventure.”
- Avoid peak times. “If you arrive at peak times [weekend evenings] you may have to wait in line. So don’t expect to roll in with a large group on a Saturday evening!”
- Expand your horizons. “Most importantly, keep an open mind and try something new!”
What’s in a Brew? 8 Craft Beers for Wine Lovers
/1 Comment/in Brewery Tours8 Craft Beers for Wine Lovers (and my personal tips)
It’s not unusual to have the odd person on our Vancouver Brewery Tours who declares themselves a “true winer lover” over a beer lover. We do our best to open their eyes to the beer world and suggest styles that are milder and less hop-forward to get started. This article from the Chronicle Herald gives some great suggestions for beers if you’re trying to win over a wine lover. Find out what their favourite type of wine is and try one of their suggested substitutes. We’re sure you’ll find a suitable example from our Vancouver breweries. You can read the full article here.
There’s really no reason to think there isn’t a local craft beer that will appeal to them — they just may not have been introduced to the right style.
Like a Cabernet Sauvignon? Try an India Pale Ale
If you like Cabernet Sauvignon you are likely not afraid of flavour or a little bit tannic bitterness. Tannins, found in grape skins and oak, provide red wines their appetizingly dry finishes much like hops do for beer. India Pale Ale is the beer world’s Cabernet Sauvignon, as they possess elevated hop bitterness in the finish.
(So many great local Vancouver Brewery examples. Try the BC Beer Awards Best in Show – Steamworks Brewing Flagship IPA. Other fine examples include Doan Craft Brewing Co’s West Coast IPA and Strathcona Beer Co’s English IPA)
Like a Reisling? Try a Wit
(Local examples – Strange Fellows Brewing Jongleur Wit or Big Rock Urban Rhubarb Wit)
The biggest overarching difference between wine and beer is the natural acidity of wine, but there is any number of beer styles that have a tart character.
Personally, I’ve introduced my wine loving friends to kettle sours. Easy WIN! Good examples are Brassneck Brewery’s Changeling or Powell Street Craft Brewery’s Sour Series (any of them). I even had one friend turn from wine to beer after trying the VERY flavourful Storm Brewing Flanders Imperial Sour. You just never know!
Both sour beers and Burgundian Pinot Noir have a sort of Holy Grail element to them, as when they strike the right chord of controlled funk and edgy sourness that can teeter on vinegary disaster they are sublime. David Flaherty, in an article published in Serious Eats, once said:
“It smelled of horse butt, dabbed with vinegar and blue cheese” as a positive description of his first experience with a legendary sour beer.
Good luck! Remember, just go slow. If in the end, they don’t find something they like, just be patient (and try, try again). Don’t forget to “Drink Locally.” 😉
Cheers, Monica
Cross that Bridge!
/1 Comment/in Brewery ToursExploring the Craft Breweries of North Vancouver – Updated February 2017
Unless you’ve lived under a rock for the last 4 years, you’ve probably heard of Vancouver’s exploding craft beer scene. Support for our local breweries continues to pour in and new breweries continue to open in neighborhoods like the famous Brewery Creek District, Yeast Van and even around the Downtown core with breweries like Postmark and Strathcona Beer Co. But did you know there is another neighborhood of craft breweries not far from these areas just waiting to be discovered? Like how about less than a 10 minute drive from Yeast Van? That’s right; currently with 6 North Vancouver craft breweries, the North Shore is exploding in beer popularity and we’d like to introduce you to what’s happening.
While famous North Vancouver brewpubs Taylor’s Crossing and Sailor Hagar’s have both closed their doors in recent years, a new generation of craft breweries has risen to meet rising demand for craft beer on the North Shore. Vancouver’s first nano-brewery Bridge Brewing opened first, followed by Deep Cove Brewers and Distillers with many more following suit in the years to come.
NEW for 2017 – And the good news keeps coming: North Vancouver is getting two new craft breweries in 2017! Lower Londsdale will see the opening of two new North Vancouver craft breweries with Streetcar Brewing and Beere Brewing Co. set to open their doors later this year.
So if you walk into a Yeast Van brewery and the entire staff know your name and prepare your favourite beer even before you get to the bar, we suggest you “Cross that Bridge!” and check out the craft breweries of North Vancouver for something new!
NEW for 2018 – Wildeye Brewing Co.
Website: Wildeye Brewing Co.
Location: Coming Soon, North Vancouver, BC
NEW for 2017 – Beere Brewing Co.
Website: Beere Brewing Co.
Location: 312 Esplanade E., North Vancouver, BC
Bridge Brewing Co.
Website: Bridge Brewing Co
Location: 1448 Charlotte Road, North Vancouver, BC
Deep Cove Brewers and Distillers
Website: Deep Cove Brewers and Distillers
Location: #170-2270 Dollarton Highway, North Vancouver, BC
Green Leaf Brewing Co.
Website:Green Leaf Brewing Co.
Location: Lonsdale Quay Market, North Vancouver, BC
Black Kettle Brewing Co.
Website: Black Kettle Brewing Co.
Location: 720 Copping Street – Unit 106, North Vancouver, BC
Hearthstone Brewery
Website: Hearthstone Brewery
Location: 1015 Marine Dr., North Vancouver, BC
NEW for 2017: Streetcar Brewing
Website: Streetcar Brewing
Location: 123A East 1st Steet, North Vancouver
Map of North Vancouver Craft Breweries
New Brewery Partner – Luppolo Brewing Co
/1 Comment/in Brewery ToursLuppolo Brewing Co. is owned and operated by two couples: Eleanor Stewart and Ryan Parfitt, and Anique Ross and Federico (Fede) Stucchi. Ryan, Anique and Eleanor were born and raised in Vancouver and Anique and Eleanor have been friends for over twenty years.
Luppolo (pronounced loop-o-lo) means hops in Italian. We chose an Italian name because of the Italian heritage of two of our owners, but also because many of the values associated with Italian culture – quality, craftsmanship, community and family – really fit with what we’re trying to create at our brewery.
Luppolo Brewing Co. Head brewer, Ryan, enjoys experimenting with different yeasts and hop varietals in both new and old world styles. They have a rotating selection of 8 different beers for customers to enjoy in their lounge. Beer styles including: Fresh Hop Belgian IPA, Dunkelweizen, New World Sour, Saison, Mild, West Coast Farmhouse Ale, Robust Porter and Pale Ale.
There is also a small kitchen at Luppolo Brewing Co. on site producing Italian inspired food such as Italian charcuterie, antipasto, and Italian flatbread sandwiches called piadine. Head in on weekend mornings and you may find fresh Italian baked goods and coffee!
An interesting note about their brew house is that some of the fermentation tanks were purchased from R&B Brewing in Brewery Creek. These are actually horizontal dairy tanks converted for use in making beer, and are very unique in Vancouver.
We can’t wait to get started tasting and touring!
Cheers, Monica
East Vancouver Brewery Tour
/1 Comment/in Brewery ToursEast Vancouver brewery tour: 10 must-see spots for craft beer fans
Recently Yellow Pages launched an article promoting the craft breweries of Yeast Van, one of our favourite brewing districts in town. When they went looking for advice and tips for first timers on how to visit the breweries in the area, they interviewed our very own VBT Owner Ryan Mackey!
See the article by Megan Jones on the Yellow Pages site entitled East Vancouver Brewery Tour, or keep reading below!
From the Yellow Pages Website:
Visitors have historically flocked to Vancouver for its gorgeous natural parks, beaches and ski hills. But more recently – thanks to the city’s flourishing craft beer scene – one can add a tour of a local brewery to the must-see list. “Vancouver has experienced an explosion of new craft breweries since 2012,” explains Ryan Mackey, owner of Vancouver Brewery Tours, which takes guests on inspired, informative journeys to the city’s breweries. Many of Vancouver’s most popular breweries have congregated on the city’s east side, in neighbourhoods such as Mount Pleasant and Hastings-Sunrise, where industrial-chic buildings abound and dense pockets of breweries support and encourage one another – hence the district’s latest nickname, Yeast Van.
“East Van is by far our largest brewing district with 10 craft breweries and more on their way,” Ryan explains. “You can sample many beer styles in a short time without travelling far between stops,” he continues. So, next time you’re in the city, head to East Van for a well-deserved tour of the area’s finest breweries. [Photo credit: Vancouver Brewery Tours]
1. Doan’s Craft Brewing Company
Start your brewery tour in eclectic Hastings-Sunrise with a little-known local favourite, Doan’s Craft Brewing. Doan’s was started by three university friends who began brewing in their apartment, and later opened their own brewery and tasting room. Offering four German-style beers, Doan’s is the place to go if you love gaming: the intimate tasting room offers tabletop and arcade games to enjoy with your beer and vegan/vegetarian snacks. Artwork by local illustrator Ola Vola adorns the walls in this whimsical, wonderful brewery; it’s an ideal spot for nerdy-types and beer fans from all walks of life.
2. Storm Brewing
For a highly unique beer, Ryan suggests the Imperial Flanders Sour Ale at Storm Brewing, an outfit much older than others in the area (in operation since 1994, to be exact) that uniquely lacks a tasting room, chairs, tables or food. Rather, visitors sip samples right in the thick of the action (the brewing room itself) by donation or free of charge. Storm’s beers are stocked at bars throughout East Vancouver including Alibi Room, The Brickhouse and The Foundation
3. Callister Brewing
According to Ryan, “Vancouver’s craft beer scene is very supportive and collaborative,” and this one-of-a-kind brewery encapsulates that indestructible community spirit. A co-working brewery, Callister offers independent brewers the tools and commercial facilities necessary to grow their business, without having to set up shop themselves. Between the four brewers represented – Callister, Boombox, Lightheart and Real Cask – the cozy tasting room in Hastings-Sunrise offers more than 10 beers on tap most days of the week.
4. 33 Acres Brewing Company
This ultra-minimalist brewery and tasting room/café is appropriately located in the heart of Mount Pleasant, home to Vancouver’s booming tech, architecture and design industry. Most evenings, 33 Acres is packed with creative-types, who love the brewery’s smooth ambience and beers with creative names – such as 33 Acres of Sunshine and 33 Acres of Nirvana, two beers that get lots of play in this tight-knit community. Gourmet menu items range from in-house roasted pear salad to hot pizza from rotating food trucks out front.
5. Brassneck Brewery
Another popular Mount Pleasant spot, this wedge-shaped brewery and tasting room is less minimal, more Twin Peaks of the future, with its geometric wood paneling, live-edge bar and industrial fixtures. Brassneck‘s tasting flights are especially divine, and well priced at under ten bucks, and growler fills are a reasonable $12 per litre (and that includes the stylish growler). Taps change regularly, which means you’ll never have the same experience twice.
6. Strathcona Beer Company
Once upon a time, a group of 10 friends – who bonded over a love of craft beer and Vancouver’s Strathcona neighbourhood – opened their own brewery in the historic residential area. Strathcona Beer Company‘s four in-house beers – IPA, Belgian Ale, Mild and Seasonal – are excellent and even award-winning, but it’s the brewery’s location that really turns heads: this 12,000-square-foot building constructed in 2016 offers a 67-seat tasting room, gourmet pizza kitchen, and retail area for apparel and brand collaborations.
7. Red Truck Beer Company
The grandfather of Yeast Van, Red Truck Beer Company dates back to 1946, when its founder, Weird Arnold named the brewery after his first vehicle, a 1946 Dodge truck, which he used to transport kegs to the Minor League baseball stadium. Today, the company supplies hundreds of liquor stores, bars and restaurants across the country, and operates weekend tours and tastings at its impressive brewery in Mount Pleasant. The on-site Truck Stop Diner offers all-day beers and food as well as nightly entertainment.
8. Parallel 49 Brewing Co.
This brewery’s story all started with three friends who grew up in East Vancouver, just blocks away from where the brewery now stands just off Victoria Drive. Parallel 49‘s tasting room is open from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm each day – a good thing, too, because prices are excellent. For example, enjoy a 4 oz. glass for just a buck, 12 oz. for three, and four 4 oz. glasses for just four dollars in total. Now, that’s a delicious deal!
9. Strange Fellows Brewing Company
Taking inspiration from the Old World brewers, Strange Fellows’ barrel program provides aged beers and plenty of sour beers that suit those who adore traditional flavours. Depending on the day, you’ll find about seven packaged beers in the cooler, and just as many on tap in a tasting room that also offers locally-sourced snacks and meals. Around the corner, the brewery’s Charles Clark Gallery shares rotating exhibitions from local artists.
10. Postmark Brewing
Postmark Brewing takes inspiration from rugged West Coast lifestyles to produce traditional beers with surprising twists born of collaborations with local groups. Take, for instance, the Oyster Stout: connecting with Fanny Bay Oysters, Postmark added their oyster shells to the boil of this traditional stout beer, gifting it with a delicious, briny flavour. Postmark’s spacious Railtown tasting room offers unique beers, comfort food, and an upbeat, social atmosphere that will entertain for hours.
New! VBT Beer Tasting Journals
/2 Comments/in Brewery ToursNow on Tour for all our Public and Private Tour Guests
Over the years we’ve received a lot of great ideas from our guests about our tours, some practical and others, well let’s just say it probably seemed like a good idea at the time (stripper pole in the van anyone? Yeah I think we’ll pass on this one!
One idea kept coming up and that was some sort of booklet or journal to note and list the wide variety of beers we serve on tour. Well we’ve been listening and think it’s a great idea too. We’re proud to introduce the VBT Beer Tasting Journal now available to all our Public and Private Tour guests.
The Beer Tasting Journal is packed full of useful info to enhance your tour with us. It’s got plenty of pages to list all those tasty beers you’ll enjoy, as well as tips on how to properly taste craft beer and get the most out of each sip. Also, many of our guests ask for recommendations for where to go for post tour beers and food, so we’ve put together a handy map and list of our top places to make it super easy for you. And of course, the Journal is full of much more helpful info.
So in short, we hope you enjoy these little guys as much as we do!
VBT Tasting Journal
Dine Out 2017 – Craft Beer and Tacos Brewery Tour!
/in Brewery ToursNew for Dine Out Vancouver 2017 – Craft Beer and Tacos Brewery Tour
It’s that time again! Now in our 4th year with Dine Out Vancouver, we’ve created a tour to celebrate the greatest pairing mankind has ever seen, Craft Beer and Tacos! We’ll take you on a culinary brewery tour journey and introduce you to the burgeoning craft beer scene in Vancouver, all while satisfying your craving for tacos. And not just any tacos, how does a sit down meal at Tacofino Gastown sound?
You’ll enjoy full transportation via the Vancouver Brewery Tours van where our knowledgeable and fun guides will introduce you to two of our most popular local craft breweries, Big Rock Urban Brewery and Strathcona Beer Co. At each stop you’ll enjoy behind the scenes brewery tours, learn about the brewing process and enjoy a wide variety of fresh craft beer samples complimented by snacks and you guessed it, tacos.
Time/Duration/Location Details
Each tour is approx. 3.5 hours long and departs from inside Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver at 601 West Cordova. Please meet 15 minutes early as tours leave promptly on time. Your tour guide will meet you there, blue clipboard in hand, near the entrance of Starbucks and the cell phone kiosk located inside the station. Transportation provided with optional return to Waterfront Station. A reminder email will be sent 24 hours before your tour with final details.
January 20, 21 (SO), 26,27, 28 (SO)
2-Feb,3, 4 (SO)
(SO) is SOLD OUT
4pm-7:30pm
$98.25 (includes all tax and Dine Out ticketing fees)
All tickets are sold through the Tourism Vancouver – Dine Out Vancouver website. Please note while these tours are listed on the Vancouver Brewery Tours booking calendar, they cannot be purchased on our site.
Paying Homage to Brewery Creek
/3 Comments/in Brewery ToursIf you’re like us and enjoy drinking a few beers out at one of our local craft breweries, you’ve probably noticed just how many different breweries there are to choose from these days. From North Vancouver to East Van to Brewery Creek and beyond, Vancouver has seen over 15 new breweries open up in the last 4 years alone!
No self-guided brewery tour would be complete without paying homage to the oldest brewing district in Vancouver, and that is the Brewery Creek district located in Mount Pleasant. A convenient 10 minute cab ride from downtown Vancouver, Brewery Creek is not only the most accessible neighborhood to visit to lift a pint of craft beer, but it’s also steeped in history for those who want to witness where it all started.
So how did the area get the sexy title of Brewery Creek? Well, glad you asked! Back in the late 1800’s the area was the first suburb built outside the downtown core. A creek that used to flow where what is now Main St. was a popular source of fresh water for not only local businesses, but also to the emerging beer industry in Vancouver. Many new breweries set up shop on the shores of the creek to take advantage of the free supply of fresh water, and Brewery Creek was born.
While all of the old original breweries have since closed down, the area is once again attracting new craft breweries looking to be a part of Vancouver’s unique brewing history. The area currently has 8 craft breweries making it the 2nd largest brewing district in Vancouver behind Yeast Van.
So whether you hop on one of our Vancouver Brewery Tours or venture out on a self guided tour on foot, here is a handy listing of all the craft breweries in Brewery Creek!
Breweries of Brewery Creek
Brassneck Brewery
Location: 2148 Main Street, Vancouver, BC
Main Street Brewing
Website: Main Street Brewing
Location: 261 East 7th Ave, Vancouver BC
Big Rock Urban Brewing and Eatery
Website: Big Rock Urban Brewery and Eatery
Location: 310 W 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC
Faculty Brewing Co.
Website: Faculty Brewing Co.
Location: 1830 Ontario St, Vancouver, BC
Red Truck Beer Co.
Website: Red Truck Beer Co.
Location: 295 E 1st Ave, Vancouver, BC
R&B Ale and Pizza House
Website: R&B Ale and Pizza House
Location: 1-54 E 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC
33 Acres Brewing Co.
Website: 33 Acres Brewing Co.
Location: 15 W 8th Ave, Vancouver, BC
Listing Map of all the Vancouver Craft Breweries of Brewery Creek!
East Vancouver Breweries
/2 Comments/in Brewery ToursIt wasn’t long ago when the words East Van conjured up something much different in the minds of locals than it does today. Traditionally the area was known as an affordable neighborhood for the working class with an abundance of industrial zoning. Let’s just say some were a bit nervous to walk alone at night!
Fast forward to present day, and the area is undergoing a complete revitalization attracting new businesses and residents flocking to the character and energy in the area. Most notably is the rise of local craft beer in East Vancouver. With 10 craft breweries and many more new breweries coming, “Yeast Van” as it is affectionately now known has become the epicentre of the craft beer revolution in Vancouver.
The area has become a popular destination for beer lovers due to the abundance of craft breweries in close proximity to each other, many within walking distance making a self-guided brewery tour an easy venture for locals and tourists. Counting the number of awards the breweries in the area have won, the real winner is the consumer who enjoys a wide variety of beer styles and flavours to choose from. From the Imperial Flanders Sour Ale at Storm Brewing, to the German inspired brews at Doan’s Craft Brewing to the ever changing list of beers at Callister Brewing, there truly is something for everyone in Yeast Van!
We’ve led hundreds of tours in the area and whether it’s by hopping on one of our Vancouver Brewery Tours or planning your own self-guided brewery crawl, we encourage you to venture out and get to know the breweries of Yeast Van today!
Strange Fellows Brewing Co.
Website: Strange Fellows Brewing
Location: 1345 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC
Luppolo Brewing Co.
Website: Luppolo Brewing
Location: 1123 Venables Street, Vancouver, BC
Off the Rail Brewing
Website: Off the Rail Brewing
Location 1351 Adanac St., Vancouver, BC
Bomber Brewing
Website: Bomber Brewing
Location: 1488 Adanac Street, Vancouver, BC
Powell St. Craft Brewery
Website: Powell St Craft Brewery
Location: 1357 Powell Street, Vancouver, BC
Callister Brewing Co.
Website: Callister Brewing Co.
Location: 1338 Franklin St. Vancouver, BC
Storm Brewing
Website: Storm Brewing
Location: 310 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC
Parallel 49 Brewing
Website: Parallel 49 Brewing Co.
Location: 1950 Triumph St. Vancouver, BC
Strathcona Beer Co.
Website: Strathcona Beer Co.
Location: 895 East Hastings Street, Vancouver BC,
Coming Soon – New Vancouver Breweries
Check out these new Vancouver Craft Breweries coming 2017!
Andina Brewing Co.
Website: Andina Brewing Co.
Location: 1507 Powell St. Vancouver, BC
Coming 2017
East Van Brewing Co.
Website: East Van Brewing Co.
Location: TBD!
Coming 2017
Listing Map of East Vancouver Breweries
Top Suggestions for Pints and Bites
/2 Comments/in Brewery ToursOne of the most rewarding aspects of being a Vancouver Brewery Tour guide is meeting beer lovers from all over BC, Canada and the rest of the world and introducing them to the vibrant craft breweries of Vancouver. For a few hours we get to know our guests well, hear stories about where they are from and of course talk about our mutual love for beer!
For many of our out of town guests, the first activity they do in Vancouver is our brewery tours! After the tour is over we get asked all the time about what else is fun to do in Vancouver and most importantly where they should go for a bite to eat and drink more beer!
With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of our top places to go for a pint of craft beer and a bite to eat after one of our brewery tours. With our drop off locations in downtown Vancouver at Waterfront Station, and in Olympic Village near Main Street, many of our suggestions are within walking distance of these locations and, ahem, within stumbling distance after the tour is over!
TAP & BARREL CONVENTION CENTRE
Offering indoor and outdoor seating on Vancouver’s waterfront with 36 rotating B.C.craft beer taps and regional food.
76-1055 Canada Place / www.tapandbarrel.com
STEAMWORKS BREWPUB
Historic craft brewpub serving up award-winning steam brews and great food.
375 Water St / www.steamworks.com
ROGUE KITCHEN AND WETBAR
Offering a great happy hour and even better craft beer tap list.
601 W Cordova St / www.roguewetbar.com
DARBY’S GASTOWN
Gastown’s Craft Beer Destination offering 28 taps of the best selection of rotating local and import craft beers in downtown Vancouver.
16 W Hastings St / www.darbysgastown.pub
ALIBI ROOM
The place for local craft beer with over 50 taps oflocal & imported craft beer
157 Alexander St / www.alibi.ca
MALONE’S
Two minutes walk from Waterfront Station you’ll find Malone’s 38 rotating taps, pouring $3.91 craft draft from 3-6pm daily!
608 W Pender St / www.malones.bc.ca
SIX ACRES PUB AND RESTAURANT
Cozy, brick lined nook in Gastown’s oldest building with tasty rustic share plates and a top shelf craft beer selection
203 Carrall St / www.sixacres.ca
CENTRAL CITY BREWPUB BEATTY ST.
Celebrate premium BC craft beer, cider, and spirits with great food. Don’t forget to take home a growler!
871 Beatty St
BIG ROCK URBAN BREWERY AND EATERY
One of Vancouver’s most welcoming food and drink venues with friendly staff, inspired food, and our award winning microbrews.
310 W 4th Ave / www.bigrockurban.com
CRAFT BEER MARKET
Fresh local food served with your choice of over 100 beers on tap.
85 W 1st Ave / www.craftbeermarket.ca
Holiday Brewery Tour Gift Certificates
/2 Comments/in Brewery ToursIt’s that time of year again! Our super popular gift certificates make the perfect experience gift for the holidays. From friends, family, coworkers, your trusted mechanic or dog walker, giving the gift of a craft beer adventure to that hard-to-buy for someone special in your life.
Vancouver Brewery Tours Gift Certificates are conveniently available at the cost of a Vancouver Brewery Tour at $79.99+tax or in any denomination you’d like. Once purchased, the recipient then has up to 1 year to book a Vancouver Brewery Tour at their convenience on our easy to use online booking calendar.
Beer Lover’s Holiday Gift Packs
Also back by popular demand are our Beer Lover’s Holiday Gift Packs. Available for one or two people, these packs are only available for one month of the year and include:
Visit our SHOP page for brewery tour gift certificates and other holiday gift ideas.