Cheers to micro-beer gardens

Craft Beer Fest at PNE celebrates themes of agriculture, innovation and local trends

The PNE has three motifs it likes to promote, other than rides, food and fun: agriculture, innovation and local trends.

It’s also on a never-ending pursuit to bring in new attractions as tastes and demographics change.

It looks like the Craft Beer Fest, in its second year at the fair but in a much nicer setting this time, meets all those criteria.

“We came to the fair last year and this craft fest definitely brought us back,” said David Henderson, sitting with his wife Darlene and cousin Steve, all enjoying some samples of local microbreweries on a sunny Friday afternoon in the Italian Gardens.

“I texted my cousin that we’re going to the PNE — he said, no we’re not,” Henderson said.

“I said there’ll be craft beer. He said what time are we going?”

The PNE Craft Beer Fest is, well, a micro-fest of Vancouver Craft Beer Week’s end-of-week festival in June.

That it celebrates local microbreweries is a big component that attracts the Hendersons and other fans.

“The fair has three interwoven themes,” said Jeff Strickland, vice-president of the PNE’s operations.

“The PNE always prided itself on showcasing trends, technology and agriculture, ever since the beginning.”

A micro-beer garden might not, at first blush, seem to meet all those criteria — but they do, Strickland said.

“They’re local, they’re connected to agriculture. Microbreweries are certainly a trend that’s booming and innovative.”

Indeed, experimentation is how you come up with brews such as Three Bears Breakfast Stout (containing

“They’re local, they’re connected to agriculture. Microbreweries are certainly a trend that’s booming and innovative.” — JEFF STRICKLAND VICE-PRESIDENT OF PNE OPERATIONS

chocolate malt, roasted coffee) and What Cheer Wild IPA (which has tropical fruit and orange flavours) crafted by Langley’s Trading Post Brewing.

Or take the Persephone Brewing Company in Gibsons, a social venture that grows its own hops (and apples for cider) on an 11-acre farm.

It’s a Certified B Corporation, a designation awarded only after meeting strict social and environmental standards. And they’re as proud of that as they are of their ales and pilsner.

“We’re one of maybe three farmbased breweries in the province,” Persephone’s Matt McGibbon said. “Social welfare and environmental responsibility are built into our business model.”

Persephone has found a way to reduce the ratio of water to beer that goes into brewing and captures its waste run-off to water and compost crops.

Five per cent of the brewery is owned by the Sunshine Coast Association for Community Living and the company hires adults with disabilities.

“It’s an awesome opportunity for people who otherwise might not find work to work and operate on a farm,” McGibbon said.

There are 25 breweries offering 50 unique beers at the Craft Beer Fest, although not all are on site each day.

There is an admission fee of $10 and four-ounce tasters cost $2 each. It will be closed for the day on Monday.

“The people coming here are staying and enjoying themselves, enjoying a nice reprieve,” said Leah Heneghan, events director with Vancouver Craft Beer Week.

“It’s a broad demographic, people who just turned 19 to people in their 70s and 80s.

“It’s people with a passion for quality and local beer.”

It’s what drove the Hendersons to come in from Surrey.

“They’re local, that’s huge with us,” said Steve Henderson.

“And instead of having to drive all over the place, it’s all right here to discover.”