Victoria Beer Week 2016 is just over one month away
It’s that time of year again: Victoria Beer Week is just around the corner! Spanning March 3rd through March 11th, this 9 day beer ‘week’ is always worth a visit to the capital and enjoying some great events.
As with previous years I’ll be heading over to take in a few of the activities. Although my schedule is still up in the air there is one new event that is firmly in my sights this year: All About the Wood.
There are always events at VBW that focus on specific styles. For example, Pucker Up: a Sour Beer Showcase is back again this year and is sure to be well attended once again. But All About the Wood focuses on beer aged in barrels, be they sour beers, beers conditioned with Brett, stouts, barleywines or any of a number of other styles that BC brewers are known to age in their barrels.
Not just about the big beers
Aging beer in barrels isn’t only for stouts and barleywines though. As Strange Fellows proved in 2016 with their Fellowship Series barrel aging is incredibly versatile technique for adding flavour. Other breweries know this too. Central City’s sour series is aged in in their oak foudre, and don’t forget Category 12’s barrel aged golden strong, another unique addition this market.
It’s clear that barrel aging is taking off in BC and there are more than enough options from our local brewers to justify a visit to Victoria for this event. If a barrel-aged beer event is a must for you as well, you can get your tickets here.
Other excellent events
Aside from a night of high-ABV beers or a showcase of sours, there are definitely other events that caught my eye at Victoria Beer Week. Naturally I won’t be able to attend them all, so I present some of them here with the hopes that you will take part in my stead!
Brewmaster’s Brunch – Saturday March 4th
This event gets you seated at a table hosted by one of the participating brewers. These folks will be pairing delicious beer with a fantastic brunch at Swan’s Brewpub. If you’ve never been to Swan’s it’s worth a visit for the history alone as it was one of the first brewpubs in BC. Get your tickets for the Brewmaster’s Brunch here.
The Definitive Victoria Brewery Crawl – Saturday March 4th
This brewery crawl is higher class than most. Instead of pounding the pavement you get taken around in a limo bus! A 2.5 hour tour takes you to four different breweries in Victoria and your ticket includes a drinks at each brewery, not to mention a meal at your second stop. Get your tickets for the Definitive Victoria Brewery Crawl here.
Beer, Pizza, More Beer – Monday March 6th
I attended this event last year and it was amazing. Pizzeria Prima Strada makes fantastic pizzas to begin with, but each of their unique creations is paired with a specific beer from one of four breweries. Pizza and beer go together always, but this event takes that pairing to another level. Get your tickets for Beer, Pizza, More Beer here.
Drink in the Story: BC’s Craft Beer Legends – Tuesday March 7th
Always an interesting event, Drink in the Story brings leaders in the BC craft brewing industry into an intimate setting to share stories and have a pint. This year you’ll hear from Iain Hill of Strange Fellows Brewing, Gary Lohin of Central City Brewers & Distillers, and Matt Phillips of Phillips Brewing and Malting Co. Each of these pillars of our industry will have some great stories to share. Get your tickets for Drink in the Story here.
Cooking with Beer – Thursday March 9th
As someone who loves to cook, and to find ways of cooking with beer, this event is definitely right up my alley. A $50 ticket gets you a cooking class, three recipes, a Cooking With Beer Guide and a 3-course meal! Get your tickets for Cooking with Beer here.
Naturally there are always plenty of events going on at Victoria Beer Week. Be sure to check out victoriabeerweek.com to find out which events are best for you. If you are planning on attending, let me know on Twitter. I’m always happy to say hello and share a glass.
Cheers!
