THIS SUMMER, EXPLORE THE VANCOUVER ISLAND ALE TRAIL
NEW EXPERIENCES ARE BREWING NEARBY
Throughout August we are exploring the Vancouver Island Ale Trail — this week we visit the Pacific Rim: Port Alberni, Ucluelet and Tofino.
This summer, many Vancouver Island residents are choosing to stay on the island and support local businesses by vacationing close to home. Why not turn your local adventure into an exploration of the Vancouver Island Ale Trail? More than 40 craft breweries are located throughout the lower half of the Island. Most of the breweries on the island have tasting rooms where you can sample their brews and perhaps enjoy a snack or even a full meal. Under pandemic rules, most have expanded outdoor patios. Some are brewpubs with full restaurants offering extensive menu options. Many are family friendly places where you can bring the kids along. You can purchase bottles or cans to take away with you or fill a growler to take back to your campsite, RV, motel or cabin. And everywhere you go on the island, there are lots of fun activities to experience, landmarks to visit, and other small businesses to discover.
New experiences are brewing nearby. Let the BC Ale Trail be your guide.
For more information, visit the BC Ale Trail website, which has a series of self-guided itineraries highlighting destinations and detailed information about every craft brewery on the Island. Or download the free BC Ale Trail app to collect points each time you visit breweries and then redeem for a reward at participating locations. It will also help you find local liquor stores that offer good craft beer selections.
PORT ALBERNI
is a small city at the heart of Vancouver Island. Although it is geographically closer to the east coast of the Island, it sits at the head of the Alberni Inlet, which extends all the way out to the Pacific Ocean on the west coast. Carved by glaciers and sheltered by mountains, the Alberni Valley is a diverse ecosystem. Outdoor activities abound: hike through old growth forests and west coast beaches, seek out waterfalls and mountain views, or experience kite boarding and mountain biking. Fishing, boating, swimming, scuba diving, you name it: if it involves water you can do it here. Already home to two craft breweries, Twin City Brewing and Dog Mountain Brewing, Port Alberni will soon welcome a third — the Alberni Brewing Company hopes to open in a location within walking distance of Twin City before the end of 2020.
DOG MOUNTAIN BREWING
Founded by a couple from Edmonton who moved to Port Alberni specifically to open this brewery, Dog Mountain Brewing has a small tasting room with a solid beer line-up and a kitchen serving grilled sandwiches. The big draw here is the rooftop patio with a gorgeous view of the Alberni Inlet.
TWIN CITY BREWING
Since opening in 2017, this brewery has earned a great reputation for its creative beer line-up — Twin City’s Late Bloomer won Beer of the Year at the 2018 BC Beer Awards. To go along with the tasty beer is the equally scrumptious pizza made to order, and the tasty selection of smoked meat sandwiches (yes, the meats are smoked on site). One visit and you will be hooked by the brewery’s welcoming and delicious fare.
TOFINO AND UCLUELET
No exploration of Vancouver Island is truly complete without a visit to the west coast: the beaches, the surfing, the spectacular landscapes, and don’t forget the beer! Tofino is a popular destination year-round, and so is Ucluelet, a laid-back fishing village that is surrounded by the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, with the Broken Group Islands to the south and Long Beach to the north.
TOFINO BREWING
Tofino Brewing has been brewing locally for nearly a decade, and the beer line-up has some iconic specialties, including the Kelp Stout, which, as its name suggests, is brewed with kelp, and Spruce Tree Ale, which is brewed with locally harvested spruce tips, giving it a unique Juicy Fruit-like character.
UCLUELET BREWING
This brewery was anticipated with great excitement for a couple of years before it finally opened earlier this year. Based in an old, converted church, it is quickly making a name for itself as a great destination. The interior, which features a high, timber-arched ceiling, has been gorgeously renovated, and the fabulous patio overlooks Ucluelet Harbour.