Beer in the Mountains
The Whistler Village Beer Festival, running this year from September 16-20, just keeps getting bigger and better. In fact, it’s a fullon keg of hop-filled good times offering four days of events, including Saturday and Sunday’s Main Event tastings, cask nights, seminars, paired dinners and parties.
This year’s festival has increased to a staggering eighty breweries to check out at the Main Event tastings. Not only does this mean a monster selection of over two hundred yummy lagers and ales, there will also be more space to relax in the sunshine, enjoy the mountain views and play a game of beanbag toss on the Whistler Olympic Plaza lawn.
In addition to all of our local crafts and favourite big-name brands,
brews are coming from as far afield as Europe—and even some ciders are making an appearance this time around.
The festival is always adding new events, including the “Bannock & Beer” event on Thursday put on by Whistler Brewing Company and the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, and the “Mountain Top Salmon Bake & Beer” on Friday, which adds an adrenalin pump with a Canadian Wilderness Adventures Jeep and ATV ride so guests can enjoy a cold one at 1500 metres.
For those looking to brush up on their beer knowledge there is the seminar series on Friday, including Beer 101, History of Beer, Cider 101 and a Hops 101 session. If you are up for a culinary adventure, there are the “Brewers’ Luncheon” and “Barley & the Beast” events at the Grill & Vine at the Westin Resort and Spa,
“Bricktoberfest” at Brickworks Public House and the “Deschutes Brewing Dinner” at Dubh Linn Gate pub.
To finish it all off there is the Best in Fest Awards after-party at the iconic Longhorn Saloon on Sunday night. This is a unique component of the Whistler Beer Festival, as the top three breweries will be awarded draught beer sales contracts for venues throughout Whistler.
The Gibbons team, who has been operating entertainment venues in Whistler since 1979, puts on the festival. Rumour has it that they’ll be testing their very own beer this year—look out for their signature white and red branding and be part of their “test batch” approach, where they’re getting beer lovers to help them create the world’s perfect après lager.
For more information and tick
ets go to www.whistler.com/events