Drinking Locally Blog

Excerpt taken from the Georgia Staight

Ryan Mackey, who owns Vancouver Brewery Tours, cites similar reasons for why locals take his tours. The craft-beer scene is evolving so rapidly, he says, that many people simply haven’t had a chance to check out many of the city’s breweries. (The latest? In North Vancouver, Black Kettle Brewing Co. opened this month and Green Leaf Brewing Co. opened there in December.) His company, which launched last June, offers $69 tours every weekend that visit three breweries in three hours. He switches up stops between his eight partner breweries, which include Parallel 49 Brewing Company, Deep Cove Brewers and Distillers, and Dockside Brewing Company. At each brewery, participants are offered three or four samples.

So why take a tour rather than visiting the breweries’ tasting rooms yourself? Mackey says that people enjoy taking a behind-the-scenes look at the breweries and the personal interaction with brewery staff. “When you meet the people who make your beer, you want to go back,” he explains. The tours include van transportation so that people don’t need to worry about drinking and driving. That makes them popular to book for private stag and staff parties.

The tours are also a great way to meet people in famously clique-y Vancouver. Each one starts off with participants introducing themselves, and the ice breaks quickly with the first beer poured. On the tour the Straight covered, the whole group went on to socialize at a nearby pub afterward.

Read the entire artlcle here.

Don’t take our word for it, see what others have to say about our brewery tours!  From the Vancouver Sun to the Georgia Straight, the word is getting out and we couldn’t be hoppier.  Check out our Press page to read more.

Tour companies unite!  Vancouver Brewery Tours and culinary tour company Off the Eaten Track have joined forces to create a tour that celebrates all things craft beer & food for Dine Out 2014. Taking place from January 18th to February 1st, on this tour you’ll stop at two local breweries and three food stops in East Vancouver. Learn about the increasingly popular craft beer movement, taste some local beer samples and meet the brewery staff that create this delicious liquid gold. Next you’ll venture into the up-and-coming East Village for a culinary journey on which you’ll sample foods that go perfect with beer; locally made sausages, traditional Roman pizza, and even a stout-infused cake are just some of the samples.

Tours take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 3pm-6pm during the following dates:

January 18,23,24,25,30, 31 and Feb 1

$65.00 per person, does not include Dine Out ticketing fee.

Tickets on sale soon!  Please visit the Dine Out 2014 Website for more details here: East Van Craft Beer and Culinary Tour

Taken From Tourism Vancouver’s Travel Media Newsletter November 2013

Thanks to a change in liquor laws, Vancouver is undergoing a renaissance in craft brewing. More than 10    new breweries have opened over the past two years, with more on the horizon. Ryan Mackey’s new company, Vancouver Brewery Tours, offers a three-hour tour of a selection of the hottest breweries. Here, he puts down his drink just long enough to tell us his favourite ways to enjoy Vancouver – with and without a beer in hand.

Name: Ryan Mackey, owner and operator of Vancouver Brewery Tours.

Favourite way to spend a Saturday?

If I’m not leading one of our brewery tours, I’ll typically grab a couple of growlers (refillable two-litre beer containers) and head to a few local breweries to stock up on fresh beer. You can usually find me in East Vancouver at Storm Brewing or R&B Brewing. For dinner, I’ll check out favourites like the Cascade Room on Main Street or Fable restaurant in Kitsilano (my resident neighbourhood). Afterwards, it’s time to head back home and open those growlers.

Favourite places in Vancouver?

I enjoy wandering the vendors at Granville Island – the abundance of local products always gets me inspired for dinner. When I’m feeling adventurous, I’ll head over to the North Shore mountains for some mountain biking and get dirty on the trails of Mount Fromme.

Where do you go to experience the best of Vancouver’s craft beer scene?

Many of Vancouver’s breweries are conveniently clustered in neighborhoods accessible by walking or public transit. My favourite area is East Vancouver (located 15 minutes from downtown Vancouver). I suggest checking out Storm Brewing for their Whiskey Vanilla Stout or Parallel 49 for an impressive lineup of seasonal beers. I also like going to North Vancouver’s Deep Cove Brewers and Distillers and Bridge Brewing (located across the street from each other) for tasty pale ales.

Favourite local joint to grab a pint?

With so many craft breweries opening this year there’s never been a better time to find a good pint in Vancouver, and Gastown is a great place to start. Located near Waterfront Station, Steamworks Brewpub and Rogue Kitchen & Wetbar are favourites of mine, as well as the Alibi Room (home to the best beer lineup in town).

Inside Vancouver is a multi-author Vancouver blog, written by Vancouverites about Vancouver. Read what they had to say about tours, and about how we’re supporting the craft beer scene in Vancouver. Read the article here.