The last decade has seen the Vancouver craft beer scene absolutely explode in popularity.
The city is now home to dozens of locally owned breweries that are keen to experiment with hops, flavour, and style in a way that is sure to shatter people’s preconceived notions of what beer can be.
To guide you through this labyrinth of lager, I’ve come up with a list of the best spots to partake in some of the city’s most celebrated libations.
So, let’s put away those car keys and get started.
Craft Beer Vancouver
While Vancouver is traditionally known for its natural beauty and outdoor activities, the city is increasingly gaining plaudits for its distinctive culinary offerings and exploding craft beer Vancouver scene.
From small, family-run start-up breweries to massive brewpubs with dozens of taps, there is no shortage of options for beer lovers involved in the eternal search for the perfect pint.
Most of Vancouver’s breweries are located in East Vancouver, which is home to two main brewery districts: Brewery Creek and Yeast Van. We’ll spend most of our time on our Vancouver craft crawl in this district.
However, those who intend to cross Burrard Inlet to the suburb of North Vancouver will also find around a dozen upstart brewers located in or near the brand-new Shipyards Brewery District.
Vancouver Brewpubs
Many of Vancouver’s independent breweries are located far from downtown, making them less accessible for travellers without a designated driver.
Luckily, Vancouver is also home to various brewpubs, which allow you to sample the best of our craft beer scene without travelling to the city’s outer reaches.
Craft Beer Market Vancouver
$$ | Areas: Olympic Village/West End | 85 W 1st Ave. | 1795 Beach Ave. | Website
Despite its name, Craft Beer Market is actually a massive brewpub and restaurant with two locations in Olympic Village and the West End. If you’re looking for a wide cross-section of BC’s craft brewing scene, there is no better place to come.
Craft is home to the largest selection of draft beer in Canada. It has over one hundred taps sourced from brewers down the street and around the globe.
While the restaurant’s cavernous setting can feel somewhat impersonal, if you’re looking to scratch an afternoon itch for a couple of cold ones, this is just the spot to do it.
Big on beer? Check out the best brewery tours in Vancouver.
Alibi Room
$$ | Area: Gastown | 157 Alexander St. | Website
This self-anointed “modern tavern” is located in a lovely heritage building in Vancouver’s most historic neighbourhood. It is a perfect place to stop for a couple of pints after an afternoon spent exploring Gastown or Chinatown.
The Alibi Room is home to over 50 taps of local and imported craft beer, so you won’t be lacking in choice. Toss in a creative cocktail list and the understated sophistication of their comfort-food-heavy menu, and you’ve got a true winner.
If you’re anything like me and prefer to avoid the usual soulless corporate brewpub environment, then the Alibi Room should be right up your alley.
Heading out for drinks in Gastown? Check out our article on The Best Bars in Gastown.
Brewhall
$$ | Area: Olympic Village | 97 E 2nd Ave. | Website
Brewhall is Vancouver’s first German-style beer hall and craft brewery concept venue. It aims to promote community gatherings with freshly brewed beer, good eats and an exciting collection of arcades and board games.
There are 22 local taps available, 8 of which are brewed on-site. They even have an upstairs whiskey bar called DRINKLAB, which contains over 50 types of spirits from the world over.
This is a perfect spot to start your Brewery Creek tour if you’re walking from the Olympic Village or Main Street Skytrain stations.
Stanley Park Brewing
$$ | Area: West End | 8901 Stanley Park Dr. | Website
One of the newest additions to Vancouver’s brewpub scene, this aptly named venue is located smack dab in the middle of the best urban park in the world, Stanley Park.
The beer list is comprised of 8 core taps that are complemented by a large collection of rotators. Each option is considered a tasty tribute to the beautiful surroundings, with names like the Sunsetter wheat ale, Windstorm Pale Ale and trail hopper IPA.
If you’re visiting Vancouver’s number one attraction, stop in for a pint on their beautiful patio. Your worries are guaranteed to float away in the cool ocean breeze.
Tap & Barrel
$$ | Areas: Coal Harbour | N. Van | Olympic Village | Granville Island | Website
This local chain has four vibrant waterfront locations, all of which are known for their incredible views. In fact, they may all very well be in direct competition for the title of best patio in Vancouver.
Tap and Barrel’s innovative on-tap beverage program features dozens of BC craft beers, wines, and ciders, many of which are exclusive to their locations.
This makes it a perfect spot to sample the very best of what BC has to offer.
Yaletown Brewing Company
$$ | Area: Yaletown | 1111 Mainland St. | Website
Yaletown is a trendy and upscale downtown neighbourhood located a short walk from the Stadium District and the Seawall. While it’s mostly known for its chic restaurants and lounges, that doesn’t mean you still can’t find yourself a good pint.
Yaletown Brewing has been brewing delicious craft beer in this gentrified former warehouse district since way back in 1994. During that time, it has won the prestigious title of best brewpub in Canada several times while still maintaining that neighbourhood pub feel.
I like to come here during happy hour to grab a pint of one of their refreshing house-made beers and watch the world go by on their enormous patio.
But if you’re looking to kick it up a notch, you can also find an almost club-like atmosphere later on with DJs, bouncers and even a small dance floor.
Vancouver Brewery Creek Breweries
This is a good place to start if you want to go straight to the source of some of North America’s finest craft beer.
Brewery Creek is located just across False Creek from Downtown Vancouver, making it the most accessible of Vancouver’s famed craft beer neighbourhoods.
Most breweries are a 10-15 minute walk from the Canada Line’s Olympic Village and Broadway-City Hall Skytrain stations or the Expo Line’s Main Street-Science World Station.
Granville Island Brewing
1441 Cartwright St. | (604) 687-2739 | Website
VP Favourite: English Bay Pale Ale (5% ABV, 18 IBU)
While not technically located in Brewery Creek, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the oldest microbrewery in Canada. Located right in the heart of Granville Island, GI Brewing has been making delicious, locally crafted beer since 1984.
They may not be quite as adventurous as many of their young upstart competitors; however, Granville Island has a special place in the hearts of local craft beer lovers who spent years bereft of premium local options.
So pop in after exploring the market, or use the Aquabus to make it the first stop on your Brewery Creek crawl. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
33 Acres Brewing Company
15 W 8th Ave. | (604) 620-4589 | Website
VP Favourite: 33 Acres of Sunshine (5% ABV, 14 IBU)
This chic, minimalist brewery takes an austere approach to décor and packaging, with a simplistic white aesthetic found throughout. Imagine an alternate universe where Steve Jobs had opened a brewery.
However, their branding stands in stark contrast to their bold and innovative brews.
Picking a favourite may be the toughest part, as I’ve yet to be disappointed. Nevertheless, their seasonal flagship, 33 acres of sunshine, is the ultimate French blanche.
Silky smooth and sub-spiced with orange peel, coriander and anise seed, it’s the perfect beer for a day on a Vancouver beach.
Brassneck Brewery
2148 Main St. | (604) 259-7686 | Website
VP Favourite: Passive Aggressive IPA (7% ABV, 75 IBU)
This small Main Street brewery was founded with the goal of keeping things simple and not taking things too seriously.
The result of this philosophy is a tasting room that features a mixture of “dangerously drinkable” classics and nano-sized experiments of lesser-known beers from all over the globe.
The brewery’s unique brewery lounge license and rotating cast of food trucks stationed outside give Brassneck a more casual atmosphere than many of its competitors.
R&B Ale & Pizza House
1-54 E 4th Ave. | (604) 336-0275 | Website
VP Favourite: Raven Cream Ale (4.8% ABV, 18 IBU)
These Brewery Creek veterans have been making easy-drinking hand-crafted ales and lagers since 1997.
You can’t go wrong with any of their three refreshing IPAs. However, for my money, the award-winning raven cream ale is the true showstopper. Surprisingly light-bodied, this cream ale has subtle nutty flavours that are perfectly complemented by hints of chocolate.
Enjoy it in a casual, 70s-style tasting room that features eclectic music, an old-school stereo system, and quirky décor. Furthermore, the menu is large (by brewery standards) and heavy on their famous artisan pizzas.
Main Street Brewing
261 E 7th Ave. | (604) 336-7711 | Website
VP Favourite: Main Street Pilsner (5% ABV, 22 IBU)
This Main Street favourite is located in the historic former home of Vancouver Brewing, which dates back to 1913.
Head brewer Jack Bensley looks to carry on this tradition with his five core brands (pilsner, pale ale, IPA, saison and brown ale). Toss in some interesting seasonals and a variety of cask ales, and you’re spoilt for choice.
The quaint tasting room feels very much a part of the brewery itself, with the aroma of spent hops permeating throughout. At the same time, the exposed brick and large murals remind you of the building’s heritage status.
Faculty Brewing Company
1830 Ontario St. | (778) 819-6794 | Website
VP Favourite: 802 Tripel (7.6% ABV, 43 IBU)
Tucked away on Ontario Street between 2nd and 3rd, this small brewery aims to simplify the ordering system. Their innovative university-like branding system allots each beer a number that signifies its complexity.
For instance, easy-drinking lagers and pilsners that appeal to the gen-pop crowd receive handles like the 101 lager and 120 pilsner. However, if you want to achieve actual aficionado status, you’ll have to graduate to hoppier and stronger beers like the 729 brut IPA or the 802 tripel.
Personally, I was reminiscing about the time I spent in Brussels during my visit, so the triple happened to hit the spot. Apparently, this means I graduated at the top of my class! How far will you make it?
East Vancouver Breweries
Affectionately known as “Yeast Van,” East Vancouver is home to the largest concentration of breweries anywhere in the city.
The majority of the tasting rooms are in the formerly industrial neighbourhood of Grandview-Woodlands, near Vancouver’s Little Italy, Commercial Drive.
If you don’t mind a bit of a walk along “the drive,” they can be accessed via the Skytrain’s Commercial-Broadway Station. However, you can probably save a bit of time by taking the R5 Hastings Rapidbus from Hastings Street downtown.
Luppolo Brewing Company
1123 Venables St. | (604) 255-4997 | Website
VP Favourite: Black Lime Gose (4.4% ABV, 4 IBU)
This creative Venables Street brewery takes its name from luppolo, the Italian word for hops. This was chosen to honour the brewers’ background and the area’s distinctive Italian heritage.
The Italian proverb a tavola non s’invecchia, or at the table, one doesn’t grow old, guides the tasting room experience. You’ll be living la dolce vita as you pair any of their seven taps with an item from their Italian-influenced menu.
Luppolo is mostly known for its inventive sours, saisons and IPAs. So, if you’re looking to try something a little different on your self-guided tour, this may be just the spot to do it.
Personally, I enjoyed the black lime gose, a traditional light, tart and sour Leipzig-style beer that is perfect for a warm sunny day.
Strangefellows Brewing
1345 Clark Dr. | (604) 215-0092 | Website
VP Favourite: Talisman Pale Ale (4% ABV, 29 IBU)
After over 20 years of showing off his talent for conventional styles as the head brewer at Yaletown Brewing Company, Ian Hill opened up Strangefellows to expand his repertoire.
As a result, many of the beers at Strangefellows have an experimental sour component. But don’t fret—Hill still stays true to his more conventional past by pairing old-world traditions with local, seasonal ingredients.
The results are in the delightful Talisman Pale Ale, which is easily one of the best pale ales in the city.
While somewhat isolated in a desolate industrial section of Clark Drive, the tasting room is an attraction in and of itself. The facility includes the Charles Clark Art Gallery and occasional live music that demonstrates the unique talent of many local artists.
Andina Brewing Company
1507 Powell St. | (604) 253-2400 | Website
VP Favourite: Jalea Guava Saison (6.4% ABV, 25 IBU)
This 2,000-square-foot banana yellow brewery on Powell Street draws heavily on the Colombian background of its owners. As such, the Spanish language is an integral part of the brewery’s identity, with Castillian names assigned to its collection of cervezas principales.
You’ll find more traditional German-style pilsners and lagers reflective of South America’s more European-like South. However, Andina really shines with its cervezas limitadas, which are inspired by more experimental flavours from the continent’s tropical North.
The menu also features Latin-inspired cocktails and a Colombian food program that includes a delicious variety of empanadas, arepas, and ceviches.
Bomber Brewing
1488 Adanac St. | (604) 428-7457 | Website
VP Favourite: Avante Garde Pilsner (4.8% ABV, 28 IBU)
This pint-sized brewery tucked away near Little Italy on Adanac Street is the result of the most Canadian of stories. Three former hockey teammates came together with the simple goal of adding more flavour to their post-game pint.
And let me tell you, this all-star team’s collection of lagers, pilsners and IPAs goes bar down faster than an Elias Pettersson slapshot. In my experience, their easy-drinking pilsners are amongst the best in the city.
The tasting room also features events such as Monday Movie Night and, of course, Vancouver Canucks hockey games.
Parallel 49 Brewing Company
1950 Triumph St. | (604) 558-2739 | Website
VP Favourite: Ruby Tears Northwest Red Ale (6% ABV, 40 IBU)
This local brewer may very well be the Vancouver craft beer scene’s biggest success story. Parallel 49 has risen from humble East Van beginnings to having their creative brews in almost every bar in the city.
In fact, their flagship Ruby Tears Ale was recently name-checked by Ricky Gervais for producing what he called “the best beer I’d ever tasted”. And who am I to disagree? This rich, caramel, malt-flavoured ale easily holds its own with any of its British-based cousins.
With up to 40 taps on offer, this is amongst the largest tasting rooms in the city. A renovation recently added a beautiful patio and a full-service food truck inside the facility.
North Vancouver Breweries
The suburb of North Vancouver is quickly becoming one of BC’s hotspots for craft beer. The area is now home to nine breweries and counting, most of which are in the new Shipyards Brewery District.
These spots are perfect for stopping in on your way back from skiing the local mountains or visiting attractions such as Grouse Mountain and the Capilano Suspension Bridge.
Take the 12-minute Seabus ride from Waterfront Station to Lonsdale Quay, and you’ll have many options within walking distance.
Beere Brewing
312 Esplanade E | (604) 983-2163 | Website
VP Favourite: Space Jazz IPA (6.6% ABV, 65 IBU)
At first glance, you may be convinced that this small brewery in the Shipyards Brewery District is prone to spelling errors. However, you’ll soon find that this is not the case. The father-and-son team behind this North Shore brewer actually possesses the last name, Beere!
So they’re truly living out their destiny.
The name of the game here is the fruity, citrusy, hazy IPAs typical of the Northwest. However, you’ll also find double dry-hopped pale ales and pilsners and the odd sour or saison.
Deep Cove Brewers and Distillers
2270 Dollarton Hwy #170 | (604) 770-1136 | Website
VP Favourite: Mole Stout (6% ABV, 21 IBU)
It may be located a little out of the way in the scenic neighbourhood of Deep Cove.
However, this unique tasting room is guaranteed to be worth the trip. You’ll find a spacious barrel-lined lounge, patio and restaurant that serves an honest, robust menu of tacos, share plates and flatbreads.
DCBD aims to bring unique flavour profiles to traditional favourites like IPAs, pilsners and pale ales. However, this strategy is also extended to less common traditional brews like their rye lager, coconut porter and coffee dobbelbock.
Deep Cove is also a small-batch distiller, so you’ll find an innovative cocktail program featuring their Mediterranean gin and Deep Cove vodka.
Vancouver Brewery Tours
No matter how good the brew is, there is no denying that beer always tastes better with friends.
So, if you’d like to explore Vancouver’s craft beer scene with a group of like-minded travellers from all over the globe, there is no better way to do it than on our Vancouver craft beer tours.
Vancouver Brewery Walking Tour
Departure Point: Brewery Creek | Duration: 3 Hours | Cost: From $109.00
Explore the historic Brewery Creek neighbourhood on foot as you explore three breweries in 3 hours. Learn about the role brewing has played in the area’s development.
You’ll get a behind-the-scenes tour, enjoy a beer-making tutorial and sample plenty of delicious craft beers. The tour typically hits 3 out of Brassneck Brewery, Faculty Brewing Co., R & B Brewing or Main Street Brewing. But the itinerary is known to change.
Included
- Entry and admission to 3 breweries
- Craft beer samples at each stop
- Free souvenir pint glass
- Passionate and knowledgeable local guide
Vancouver Behind-the-Scenes Brewery Tour
Departure Point: Waterfront Station | Duration: 3 Hours | Cost: From $115.00
This award-winning tour is the most popular excursion of its kind in Vancouver. In fact, it has been named one of the top ten beer experiences in the world by Trip Advisor.
You’ll visit one brewery in each of the aforementioned brewery districts (Brewery Creek, Yeast Van, North Van), with transportation included. You’ll then receive a VIP tour, sample a variety of craft beers and enjoy some laughs with the professional guide and your new friends.
Included
- Transportation to/from all locations
- Entry to 3 local breweries
- Craft beer samples at each location
- Free souvenir glass
- Passionate local guide
Still Looking for Vancouver Craft Beer?
I hope you now have enough options to confidently tap up the city’s world-class collection of breweries and brewpubs. But if you have any additional questions, don’t be afraid to hit me up on the Vancouver Planner Facebook page or in the comments below.
Bottoms up 🙂
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