GOLD
Unsung Hero
SILVER
Best Weird Beer // Gee Willikers! Root Beer Float Altbier
Best Food Program
BRONZE
Best Sour Ale // Late Bloomer
Strawberry Hibiscus Sour
Best Tasting Room
I guess I have to stop describing Twin City Brewing as a “hidden gem.” After winning Best in Show at the 2018 BC Beer Awards, and the BC Ale Trail’s Best Brewery Experience award in 2020, I’m sure this Port Alberni pioneer got added to a whole lot of beer lovers’ bucket lists. And as so many of us embraced travel within our province as vaccinations started rolling out last year, I bet hotel and Airbnb bookings in Port Alberni went through the roof.
But, dear reader, if somehow this brewery has escaped your notice, let me extol its virtues one more time. First and foremost, the beer is excellent across the board—creative, occasionally boundary-pushing and always interesting. And then there’s the food: pizzas worth driving several hours for, brisket and other meats smoked on-site, fantastic sandwiches and more.
The vibe, both in the tasting room at the brewery as well as in Port Alberni itself, is also worth the drive. The Alberni Valley is building a new identity inspired by tourism, recreation and local businesses like Twin City Brewing and the two other local breweries that followed its lead. A hidden gem no longer. —Joe Wiebe
