The BC Ale Trail is launching two Brewery Passport promotions in Kelowna and Victoria
Over the past year, the BC Ale Trail has run several brewery passport promotions in regions throughout British Columbia. The idea came about early last year when the folks who manage the BC Ale Trail on behalf of the BC Craft Brewers Guild were trying to come up with ways to encourage folks to visit their local breweries as the vaccination program was beginning to take effect and tasting room restrictions were being lifted.
The first promotion took place in Victoria last May, 2021, and it was a rip-roaring success. Locals were asked to visit six different breweries to collect stamps on their passports. Over the course of the month the 14 participating breweries saw lots of extra traffic on their patios and in their tasting rooms. All in all, nearly 500 completed passports were handed in — which translated into nearly 3000 individual visits to local breweries!
The success of the pilot program in Victoria led to similar promotions in several different regions, including:
- North Vancouver during the Vancouver’s North Shore Craft Beer Month in November
- Kootenay Rockies during January & February
- Kamloops-Shuswap during March
The next chance folks have to participate in a similar promotion is happening right now!
Launching April 15 and running until May 16 is the Kelowna and West Kelowna Ale Trail Brewery Passport promotion. It features 16 breweries, two liquor stores, and one local tap house spread throughout Kelowna and West Kelowna. Folks can pick up a passport from one of the participating locations or a local tourism infocentre and then start visiting local locations to collect stamps with a purchase. Collect six unique stamps and then enter the passport in the prize draw. The Grand Prize is a two-day getaway to Kamloops and Salmon Arm, part of the Southern Interior Ale Trail.
Kelowna has experienced a big expansion in its craft beer scene recently so many of the participating businesses have only opened in the past couple of years. If you aren’t familiar with what’s been happening there this is the perfect opportunity to check out some of the spots that are new to you.
Many of Kelowna’s breweries also feature excellent kitchens so that makes the passport even more enticing. Check out this blog by Noëlle Phillips (who also writes for The Growler) where she previewed the Kelowna and West Kelowna Ale Trail Brewery Passport during a recent visit. All the information you need to know about the promotion is available here.
Coming up in May is the return of the Victoria Ale Trail Brewery Passport promotion. It will feature 16 locations — 14 breweries along with two tap rooms. The passports will be distributed to the participating locations in the next couple of weeks. The Grand Prize is an overnight vacation for two at Spinnakers Guesthouses, and several prize packs featuring BC Ale Trail and brewery swag or gift cards will also be awarded.
For all the information check here.
