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Brewery

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Vancouver Island Brewing (VIB) took over the taps at Local Kitsilano to showcase their summer beers. The drink menu included Islander Lager, Twisted Stalk Blackberry Helles, Faller Northwest Pale Ale, Ukidama Lychee Saison, Broken Island Hazy IPA, and Juan de Fuca Cerveza.

I’m partial to the malty beers so I started with the Twisted Stalk Blackberry Helles. It was the perfect beer for the first warm day in April. This helles starts fruity but not sweet, finishes clean, then hits you with the bready malt taste. It would be delicious by itself and with food.

Next was the Ukidama Lychee Saison. The citrus taste from the yuzu comes through and imparts a bright, refreshing flavour. I didn’t taste the lychee at all. VIB made sure to use French yeast, which imparts a spicier taste than the Belgian counterpart.

My ongoing favourite from Vancouver Island Brewing is the Juan de Fuca Cerveza. It’s a Mexican style beer made with maize which imparts a malty, sweet toasted corn flavour. It’s tasty, it’s refreshing, and it’s the perfect accompaniment to anything wrapped in tortilla.

Vancouver Island Brewing’s signature drink is the Islander Lager. I can attest to its quality by the quantity at which I can drink this beer. It’s the quintessential lawnmower lager. It’s a beer you can drink any time with or without food, including while you mow the lawn on a warm summer morning.

Websitehttps://vibrewing.com/

Field House Brewing is in Abbotsford and they have quite a craft brewery scene here. There is a good selection of their beer on tap, so our friends wanted to give it a try as we were in the area.

Interior

The interior is very rustic with lots of wood accents like it’s a cabin.

Beer Flight

I got a flight of the lighter and less hoppy beers that they had.

Sour Wheat Gose is a 16th century German salted sour wheat ale. Soured with lactobacillus, the tartness of this Gose is balanced by the addition of coriander and elderflower and brewed with salt, hand-harvested by Vancouver Island Salt Company. It has a good balance that is salty, sweet and citrusy.

Dutch Pale Ale is the Dutch answer to the Belgian Pale Ale, mellow in malt and bitters, but finishes with a hint of new world hops.

Dutch Sour Wit is a witbier brewed with dried orange peel and coriander. The soured with their house lacto yeast culture and dry-hopped to compliment the flavour. This sour beer was pretty good.

Light Saison was one of my favourite here. It is a bit fruity, floral and a tad spicy.

Final Thoughts

It’s a pretty busy brewery and their sour beers are good. If you’re around Abbotsford, definitely check them out, drink some beers and have a few bites here.

We Rate Field House Brewing:

Address:
2281 W Railway St, Abbotsford

Website:
https://fieldhousebrewing.com

Field House Brewing Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Granville Island Brewing is a popular brewery in the heart of the city to enjoy a beer and some bites. We were invited to sample a few of their current Small Batch creations – Japanese Biere de Garde, So-Cal Style IPA, BC Bitter and Gose with Peach. I love our local craft beer scene and admire the dedication to push the boundaries of beer creativity.

Gose with Peach

This sour brew has an equal balance of fruit and tart. They take the traditional German Gose and infuse ripe fruit notes from peaches that round out a subtle tartness. So light and crisp, which is perfect for the Summer.

BC Bitter

To put a twist to a traditional English Bitter, they incorporated local BC ingredients to add a BC flair. Nugget and Chinook hops from Lillooet balance with Pilsner malt from Armstrong for a slightly hoppy, bready summer beer.

This was paired with their salmon pot pie made with delicious Canadian cheddar and cured ham. It was so good and I wish this was on their regular menu. A good pairing and I really liked the BC Bitter beer.

So-Cal Style IPA

I’m usually not a fan of IPAs, but the big bold hops is balanced with citrus and grapefruit notes. An interesting brew that combines the dose of West Coast hops with a California brightness.

A deep-fried chicken donut bite with cilantro aioli, pickled cabbage, and topped with a maple syrup drizzle. Holy, the donut bite was freaking amazing and I could have eaten a whole box of them.

Japanese Biere de Garde

At 9.5%, this did pack a punch compared to the other two. It is a farmhouse ale where East meets West. Rice, Japanese Sorachi Ace, hops and Belgian saison yeasts create a heady mix of pickle, pepper and clove notes atop a strong, light ale body.

This was paired with the avocado beef tartare with a poached quail egg on top. Poached eggs are always my weakness but I’ve never seen a poached quail egg.

Final Thoughts

It was great to try a few beers from their Small Batch Series. If you’re ever in the area or see these beers at the liquor store, give them a try.

Websitehttp://www.gib.ca/

Address:
1441 Cartwright St, Vancouver

Granville Island Brewing Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Old Abbey Ales was on our list of craft breweries in Abbotsford. We made this one of our last stops before heading back home. When with my foodie friends, craft beer is always a must.

Tasting Room

The tasting room is a good size and able to fit small to large groups. Just order your drink up at the bar and find a seat. Similar to other craft breweries, it’s like a big warehouse.

Beer Flights

I ordered a flight of 4 and I got the Purple Drank, Sour Raspberry, Beets by Steve and Pineapple Express. They are very creative with their drinks and has a mainstays sections and experimental section. I love it because there are lots of items you won’t find anywhere else. All of these were sours, so if you are a fan of sours, you’ll love them. All of them had very unique flavours and its worth a try.

Final Thoughts

Overall, they have a large variety of beers on the menu, but all of us were really drawn towards their unique, seasonal, and experimental flavours. Might as well give them a try. Check out Old Abbey Ales when you’re in Abbotsford.

We Rate Old Abbey Ales

Address:
30321 Fraser Hwy #1a, Abbotsford

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/oldabbey/

Old Abbey Ales Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

We were in Abbotsford for the weekend doing a mini getaway from Vancouver. We were heading to Castle Fun Park but needed beer to finish off the day. Raven’s Brewing Company was on the list of suggested breweries, so we stopped by for a flight and some of their delicious radlers. Who doesn’t love craft beer?

I got a flight with 2 samples with the Dark Mild, Grapefruit Radler, Raspberry Hefeweizen, and Sumas Mountain Lager. Of the bunch, the Raspeberry Hefeweizen and Grapefruit Radler stood out. Sweet and refreshing for the hot summer weather.

M got a sleeve of Grapefruit Radler as he loves sweet radlers. After he finished this, we came back to buy a growler of this to share with friends.

Final Thoughts

It’s nice to check out other breweries outside of Vancouver. There are good options in Abbotsford. If you’re in the area, check it out.

We Rate Ravens Brewing Company

Address:
2485 Townline Rd, Abbotsford

Website:
http://www.ravens.beer/

Ravens Brewing Company Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Main Street Brewing is a bit off Main Street on E 7th Ave. You can fill up your growlers or enjoy an array of their beers. I’ve been here a few times and it’s a nice popular place to hang out over food and drinks. This was our last stop of the night, so we made the most of it.

Beer Flights

For my flight, I chose – Fruit Bomb (kettle sour), Saison 7, Nurse Night, and Main Street Pilsner. All 4 were great, I did like the selection as I am more into the less hoppy beers as usual.

Food

They have a good amount of food here from their kitchen and at the bar. They have 3 different types of pepperoni sticks, chips, sandwiches, wraps, salads, wings, nachos, charcuterie, pretzels, and various dips. The prices definitely vary, but they have a good selection.

Spicy Pepperoni was what I had first. I love getting pepperoni sticks at breweries. It has a good amount of spice to pair with the beers.

Hummus Dip Plate is made fresh with garlic confit, jalapeño garlic, roasted red pepper and fresh lemon, Served with naan bread. There was a good ratio of bread to dip.

Final Thoughts

Overall, a good brewery to check out if you’re in the area and you need a place to chill at over beer and some nibbles.

We Rate Main Street Brewing Company

Address:
261 E 7th Ave, Vancouver

Website:
http://mainstreetbrewingcompany.com/

Main Street Brewing Company Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

R&B Brewing is located in Mount Pleasant and has been around since 1997. I came here with a few friends to try out their beer and enjoy the afternoon. Vancouver has a great craft brewery scene and R&B Brewing is one of many near Main Street.

Interior

There are lots of seats indoors, but there is a little patio out front.

There is a large line up of beers on tap. All 12 to be exact.

To pair off with the beer, they have a few snack options as well as pizza.  We weren’t hungry to have pizza, so we snacked.

Kettle Chips and Dip

I got a basket of kettle chips with dip to go with all our flights of beer. Something to munch on so we could continue to drink beer. It was perfect as we needed something salty and crunchy.

Beer Flights

My flight consisted of Tod Creek Cider, Howe Sound Lager, Belgian Table beer and a Hefeweizen. They also poured me an extra Belgian Amber Ale. A normal flight comes with 4. All of them were ok, but nothing really stood out from the menu. I chose beers that were more on the light end and less hoppy. Thats usually the type of beers that I enjoy so, they are low in IBU.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a good place to chill in between other breweries for the afternoon. A good range of beer options but the food options here could be a bit better.

We Rate R&B Brewing

Address:
54 East 4th Avenue, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.randbbrewing.com/

R&B Brewing Co. Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Backcountry Brewing in Squamish is another craft brewery that just opened up in April of 2017. They join the great craft brewery scene in Squamish as the 3rd craft brewery here.

Tasting Room

The tasting room has a very good size and very homey inside. It was pretty busy here on the weekend around 3pm. All the tables and the bar seats were occupied.

The beer was flowing and lots of pizza was being consumed here.

Flights

I got a flight and I had the Squamish Lagger, Ridgerunner Pilsner, and the Trailbreaker Pale ale. I got them to choose the lighter less hoppy beers. All 3 were delicious.

Oyama Sausage

The juicy Oyama Sausage is wrapped in pizza dough and there are some pickles on the side. The pizza dough was deliciously crisp and the sausage inside was super delicious.

Soppresetta Pizza

The pizza has soppressetta salami, kalamata olives, confit garlic, onion, chili, and cream sauce.

I love the thin crust and it’s so crunchy. A good amount of toppings and I love the subtle spicy kick from the salami.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we really loved our experience here. The beer is great and also the food is really spot on. I’ll definitely be back.

We Rate Backcountry Brewing: 

Address:
405-1201 Commercial Way, Squamish, BC

Websitehttps://www.backcountrybrewing.com/

Backcountry Brewing Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

A Frame Brewing Company is one of the newer breweries in Squamish. The space has a cozy, family friendly, casual tasting room & craft brewery.

We drove up to Squamish just for a day to check out the craft brewery scene. Their outdoor patio was just a few weeks away from being completed.

Flight

As usual, I got a flight of beer so I could try a few varieties like the Christina Lake Vienna Lager, Okanagan Lake Cream Ale, Elfin Lakes Belgian Ale, and the Trout Lake Single Hop ESB. All of them were pretty good and perfect for the Summer weather. Super refreshing on a hot day like when we visited.

It’s an awesome place to stop by for a local or a tourist. You get to taste their amazing beer brewed right here and if you love it, you can even grab a growler.

We Rate A Frame Brewing Co

Address:
38927 Queens Way #1, Squamish

Websitehttp://www.aframebrewing.com/

A Frame Brewing Co Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Callister Brewing Co has a unique concept and they operate as a co-working brewer. They support independent, talented brewers to grow their business by creating accessibility to equipment and commercial facilities. They currently have Boombox Brewing, Real Cask, and Lightheart Brewing in this co-working brewery.

Tasting Room

The tasting room was busy around dinner time as there was a huge group here. It seems like craft breweries are popular for bachelors and bachelorette parties. There are a few long tables and some smaller tables in the form of barrels.

Flights of Beer

As usual, I asked them for their less hoppy beers on the menu. I got the Lightheart Brewing ‘Brain Candy’ Pale Ale, Real Cask Brewing Black Burn Bitter, Callister Brewing ‘Das Alt’ German Alt Bier, and Boombox Brewing Mystify Barrel Sour.

Of the bunch, all of them were meh, but I did enjoy the Boombox Brewing Mystify Barrel Sour. My friend didn’t like any of the beers in her flight.

Snacks

They have sine awesome snacks created by East Side Beer Food. There’s stuff like pretzels, pepperoni sticks, samosas, and twisty cheesy bread. All so good and indulgent. I got the spicy pepperoni stick and it had a nice kick to it. Best brewery snacks.

Final Thoughts

Overall, they have a lot of different beers, but a lot of them were mediocre.

We Rate Callister Brewing:  

Address:
1338 Franklin St, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.callisterbrewing.com/

Callister Brewing Co. Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Powell Street Craft Brewery is small independent microbrewery in East Vancouver close to a bunch of other breweries too. The brewery opened December 2012, but moved into their current tasting room in 2014. We came here to visit their tasting room and grab some beers.

Tasting Room

The tasting room is cozy and there are only a few tables here. There is a small look into the brewery from the tasting room. All those large containers making our favourite beers.

Flight

I always love getting flights so I can try a bit of everything. I asked them to choose 4 beers that weren’t as hoppy. They chose Dive Bomb, Test Batch, Old Jalopy and the Ode to Citra. All 4 were really good and I would order them again.

Snacks

They have some snack here to go with the beer. I got the honey garlic sausages and it had a good flavour. A bit floppy in texture compared to some other sausages out there.

Overall, I really enjoyed the chill atmosphere and great beer.

We Rate Powell Street Craft Brewery

Address:
1357 Powell St, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.powellbeer.com/

Powell Street Craft Brewery Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Andina Brewing Company in East Vancouver. It was founded by Colombian/Canadian brothers, Andrés and Nicolás Amaya. The Amaya Brothers have lived in Vancouver for more than 18 years and are passionate about beer, music, culture, and family and friends.They offer an environment that is a unique blend of South American and Canadian flavours. If you are looking for something new and out of the ordinary stop by their brewery and try the Ceviche paired with their beers.

The Tasting Lounge

You can get growler fills at the counter or enter the Tasting Lounge with lots of tables to enjoy your drinks and food. It was pretty busy on a Saturday night, so we had to wait a little bit until we were seated.

What’s a better time than having a few beers with friends and having fun.

Ceviche

Ceviche preparation and consumption is practically a religion in the coastal South and Central America. In Andina you will have a ceviche lineup that includes Peruvian, Colombian, Mexican and vegetarian versions. I ordered the House Ceviche with shrimp and it comes with 3 plantain chips. We all loved it and was surprised at the quality. It is a bit expensive, but it is so worth it.

Tasting Flights

The tasting flights for with 4 types. I didn’t know what to choose so I got them to suggest 4 kinds that were not too hoppy.

  • Totuma, Kölsch
  • Ay Ay Ay, Pale Ale
  • Andina, Session Ale
  • Mapalé, Milk Stout

Overall, I really enjoyed our time here with ceviche and beers. Definitely check this brewery out.

We Rate Andina Brewery

Address:
1507 Powell St, Vancouver

Website: https://andinabrewing.ca

Andina Brewing Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

My friends take me to the coolest breweries. We made a stop at Luppolo Brewing Company in East Vancouver. Luppolo means hops in Italian, thus the name. They were inspired by the values associated with Italian culture – quality, craftsmanship, community and family. This really fit with what they’re trying to create at their brewery.

Interior

There are tons of tables inside the tasting room. For a Sunday evening, this place was almost full.

Beer Flight

I got a beer flight and as usual I ask them for their recommendation of beers that are light and not as hoppy.

One of my favourites was the New World Sour. You can taste the notes of grapefruit and other citrus fruits.

Another one that I enjoyed was the Dunkleweizen, which is a German style dark wheat beer has a silky mouth feel with hints of banana and clove that compliment the light roast malt character. Subtly sweet and surprisingly refreshing.

Saison was on my list too. Always a great light bodied, fresh and crisp beer. Super easy to drink with minimal hoppiness.

Snacks

Antipasto Platter comes with Grana Padano, marinated peppers, eggplant, olives, and artichokes served with bread.

We all nibbled on this as we all drank out flights and pints.

We Rate Luppolo Brewing Company

Address:
1123 Venables Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://luppolobrewing.ca/

Luppolo Brewing Company Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Storm Brewing is a bit different that other breweries in Vancouver. They don’t have a lounge or a tasting room.

When you walk through their sliding door, you are right in the middle of where the brewing magic takes place.

You are essentially in their workspace brewing away some amazing beers. There are no seats, no tables, and no food.

Anyone 19+ can sample up to 6 different brews one at a time by a cash donation. They do not have pints or flights.

They have lots of beers to choose from. They have their mainstays and a bunch of experiments brews.

Mainstays:

  • Precipitation Pilsner 5%
  • Highland Scottish Ale 5%
  • Hurricane IPA 7%
  • Black Plague Stout 8%
  • Imperial Flanders Sour Ale 8%
  • Chales Dickens 7.5%

Brainstorms:

  • Vanilla Whiskey Stout 9%
  • Rosemary IPA 7%
  • Turkey Dinner IPA 7%
  • Snake Eyes Ale 7.5%
  • Glacial Mammoth Extinction 25%
  • Mrs Claus Pilsner 5%
  • Lemon Ginger IPA 7%

We spent more time trying these ones as they are pretty unique compared to other breweries. Rosemary IPA and Turkey Dinner IPA have strong aroma of herbs. I was surprised this flavour combination would be possible.

My friends also paid $5 extra to try the Glacial Mammoth Extinction at 25% alcohol. I didn’t try it since I had to be a responsible driver to get everyone to our next spot.

Overall, this place is super unique, but you most likely won’t be spending too much time here. The space is definitely sketch, but they do have some pretty cool beers. I love how much they experiment with beers.

We Rate Storm Brewing

Address:
310 Commercial Drive, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.stormbrewing.org/

Storm Brewing Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Doan’s Craft Brewing Co is a family run brewery in the heart of the East Van. From home-brewing to Craft Brewing, the Doan’s family is inspired by great beer, the art and science of craft brewing and the community created by the craft beer movement.

I passed by this shop a few times and thought it looked pretty cute and not pretentious at all. A few friends and I visited their tasting room on a Sunday night and they are open pretty late, which is great.

They do flights, glasses of beer, growlers, and some food too.

Interior

Their space is small and doesn’t have too many seats for large groups, but there is one larger communal table and 3 smaller ones in another corner. They also have some cool local art on the walls too.

If you love arcade games, they have an arcade machine with a few games you can play by yourself or with a friend.

Beers

Looking at their drinks, I had to get a flight of 4 tasters to get a taste of how their line up of beer tastes.

I got them to pick 4 drinks for me that were on the light end of the spectrum and isn’t too hoppy.

I got the:

  • Kolsch
  • Scrooge’s Light Ale
  • Doan Bros Pale Ale
  • Rye Stout

All 4 beers were really good, but if I had to choose one, it would be the Kolsh. Very light and refreshing, which I enjoy the most.

Overall, it’s a cool space to hang with friends and enjoy a beer. Super casual atmosphere with good beer.

We Rate Doan’s Craft brewery

Address: 1830 Powell Street, Vancouver

Website: http://doanscraftbrewing.com/

Doan's Craft Brewery Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

howe-sound-brewing-1

A trip to Squamish isn’t complete without a visit to Howe Sound Brewing. Since 1996, they have been brewing award-winning ales and lagers. I’ve had their beers before, so I was really curious about coming here.

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They also offer tours once a day at 1pm. It’s free, but space is limited. We didn’t make it to the tour since we were at another place, so we missed it.

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Taster Rack gives you your choice of 4 beers. They had a good list of beers to choose from, but they ran out of a few of them on tap, so I went with:

  • Whitecap Wheat Ale, a traditional Belgian-style wheat beer brewed with coriander and orange peel. Very light and refreshing.
  • You’re My Boy Blue, a crisp, refreshing blueberry wheat ale, brewed with malted barley, white what and all-natural blueberry puree.
  • Lager, a pale, golden lager, brewed in the Dortmunder style.
  • Bay Ale, smooth amber ale brewed in the traditional English style.

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All 4 were really good and light. I even left with a big bottle of Whitecap Wheat Ale. Dee got the Kalamansi Citrus Blonde Ale since they didn’t have it on tap.

Overall, it was a nice visit to try a few of their year round beers and some summer seasonals. They make some great beers.

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We Rate Howe Sound Brewery35rating

Address:
37801 Cleveland Ave, Squamish, BC

Website:
http://www.howesound.com/

Howe Sound Inn & Brewing Company Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

faculty-brewing-co-1

Faculty Brewing Co is the newest brewery to pop up in the Mount Pleasant area. The craft beer scene is growing quickly in the area and I love seeing all the little hidden places where they pop up. They took over a former bike shop.

Tasting Room

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The tasting room has 28-seats and can be quite busy during peak hour. Their rotation of beer changes weekly and you can have them as a growler, sampler, or in other sizes.

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They have a selection of snacks for sale, like, charcuterie, cheese, hummus, salsa and olives. They also allow you to bring outside food here.

If you’re not into beer, they also have kombucha.

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Sampler

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They only have 4 available on tap, so we were able to try them all.

  • Blonde Ale
  • Minzewizen
  • Chinook Pale Ale
  • Oaked Stout

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Blonde Ale is super easy to drink with crisp and fruity with citrus notes. A great summer beer.

Minzeweizen was an interesting beer as it is a milky wheat beer with peppermint team. The peppermint definitely threw me off.

Chinook is a singe hopped pale ale with a bit of zest and spice.

Oaked Stout is the darkest beer with a creamy oatmeal head. It definitely tastes like coffee, which I enjoyed.

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Overall, a great selection of beers and it’s a tasting room that you need to check out in the Mount Pleasant area.

We Rate Faculty Brewing Co35rating

Address:
1830 Ontario St, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.facultybrewing.com/

Faculty Brewing Co. Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

33-acres-brewing-1

33 Acres Brewing Co is another brewery in the Mount Pleasant area. We went in the afternoon to their tasting room and it was packed.

We wanted to grab some waffles, but we just missed their brunch menu. Since we were here anyway, we wanted to try a few of their beers.

Tasting Room

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The tasting room has a limit of 60 people at one time, so when you see this, you gotta wait a little bit. The line up wasn’t long and we were seated quite quickly. If you’re only doing a growler fill, you don’t have to wait.

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With 60 people, this place is packed. We ordered at the counter, grabbed our beer and heading to an open seat to wait for our food.

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They give you a little number so they know where to deliver the food.

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Beer Flight

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I didn’t know what to include in my flight, so I asked them to recommend some light fruity beers that have less hoppy taste.

  • 33 Acres of Life
  • 33 Acres of Sunshine
  • 33 Acres of Euphoria
  • 33 Acres of Cider

All of them were pretty good beers for the Summer. It was a pretty hot day, so having these paired nicely.

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Snacks

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I wanted something to munch on, so I got the Pistachios. It’s not overly salted, so it was great to crack open the shells and have it with the beer.

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Overall,  a good place to hang out with friends over some beer and bites.

We Rate 33 Acres Brewery Co:  35rating

Address:
15 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver

Website:
http://33acresbrewing.com/

33 Acres Brewing Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato