Brews News: NDP to ease farm brewery laws; B.C. Beer Awards; Beer advent calendar returns

B.C. agriculture minister Lana Popham (on right) was in Vancouver last Thursday for a press conference promoting Phillips Brewing’s Lumberjacked Fresh Hop Pale Ale, which features proprietary hops from Abbotsford-based B.C. Hop Co.
B.C. agriculture minister Lana Popham (on right) was in Vancouver last Thursday for a press conference promoting Phillips Brewing’s Lumberjacked Fresh Hop Pale Ale, which features proprietary hops from Abbotsford-based B.C. Hop Co.

Province looks to loosen restrictions on farm-based breweries

B.C.’s new agriculture minister indicated the province is looking at loosening restrictions on farm-based breweries, making it easier for them to operate on the Agricultural Land Reserve.

That no doubt comes as a massive relief to Gibsons’ Persephone Brewing Co., which was told by the previous Liberal government that it would be forced to close by December 2018 because it was unable to grow at least 50 per cent of its fermentable grain on its tiny 11-acre farm. Unlike breweries, however, wineries and cideries aren’t limited to growing on site and can source a minimum of 50 per cent of their fermentables from anywhere in the province.

NDP MLA Lana Popham said new ALR policies would look to level the playing field for breweries, wineries and cideries.

“We don’t want to take opportunities away from business to flourish here in British Columbia,” she said.

Popham was in Vancouver on Thursday for a press conference promoting Phillips Brewing’s Lumberjacked Fresh Hop Pale Ale, which features proprietary hops from Abbotsford-based B.C. Hop Co.

 

Great White Wonder Adventure Pack

Great White Wonder Adventure Pack

Central City Brewers + Distillers and Parallel 49 Brewing have teamed up once again to put together another Christmas beer gauntlet advent calendar with the Great White Wonder Adventure Pack. Unlike the lousy advent calendars many of us had as kids (with those little chocolates that tasted vaguely like vomit), this advent calendar is full of delicious, unique craft beer from two of B.C.’s best breweries.

The 24 different beers in the advent calendar are a secret (of course!), but expect everything from IPAs and Belgians to wheat ales and sours. Previous years have seen some pretty crazy experimentation from the two breweries, including P49’s Sahti Claws, their take on the obscure Finnish juniper beer style, sahti.

“This is something we look forward to every year,” said Parallel 49 brewmaster Graham With in a press release. “We love working with [Central City brewmaster] Gary [Lohin] and the group at Central City. And this year we created some amazing new beers for the pack along with some rarities from the past.”

The Great White Wonder Adventure Pack will be available across Western Canada later this month, but they usually don’t last long. Central City will be co-hosting a launch party at their Beatty Street Brewpub in Vancouver on Nov. 2, while Parallel 49 will also be hosting a launch event at their Triumph Street location on Nov. 15. Both events are open to the public and free to attend.

 

The 2017 B.C. Beer Awards takes place this Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Croatian Cultural Centre in Vancouver. File photo
The 2017 B.C. Beer Awards takes place this Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Croatian Cultural Centre in Vancouver. File photo

B.C. Craft Brewers Conference and B.C. Beer Awards

The Croatian Cultural Centre is the place to be this weekend, as it plays host to the first-ever B.C. Craft Brewers Conference on Friday and the B.C. Beer Awards on Saturday.

The B.C. Craft Brewers Conference features seminars led by craft beer leaders from across North America, as well as an industry-focussed trade show. Saturday sees the best of B.C. craft beer gather to celebrate itself, with lots of beer booths for us regular folk.

If you haven’t got your tickets to either event yet, well, you’re out of luck. They were sold out weeks ago.

 

 

 

 

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