With established breweries and start-ups producing everything from classic IPAs to innovative new beers, Vancouver has one of the best beer scenes in Canada. Take advantage of the summer and head to a few (or all!) of these breweries below.
About Vancouver’s Craft Beer Scene
There’s no shortage of fresh craft beer in the city of Vancouver. It’s so popular that even some neighbourhoods have beer nicknames! Most of Vancouver’s best breweries are clustered in East Vancouver (known as “Yeast Van”) and “Brewery Creek” along Main Street in downtown Vancouver. Best of all, these areas are walkable, making it easier (and more responsible) for a self-guided brewery tour of Vancouver. If you want to begin a tour of your own, here are some of the best breweries to check out in Vancouver, including some of the city’s best sustainable breweries. Cheers!
Quick Guide to Vancouver’s Best Breweries
Storm Brewing: Vancouver’s ‘weirdest’ brewery
Best for: Going behind the scenes of a working brewery
Opening hours: Monday 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Storm Brewing is one of Vancouver’s longest running microbreweries and always a popular spot to go for a beer in Yeast Van. Enter by the loading door in the back alley and you’ll find yourself behind the scenes of an active working brewery. Sample from a rapidly changing list of bold, wildly creative Brainstorm beers (samples are cash only). We recommend you come early before it gets busy for an unofficial tour of what some term Vancouver’s ‘weirdest’ brewery – and one of the most creative.
Parallel 49 Brewing: One of Vancouver’s top breweries
Best for: Huge selection of beers and indoor graffitied food truck
Opening hours: Tasting room and street kitchen is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tours are available on Sundays from 12 to 5 p.m.
One of Vancouver’s leading breweries, Parallel 49 Brewing offers an impressive selection of 40 different beers on tap. IPAs and ales are the most widely represented, along with a selection of brewed sodas! Best of all, this East Vancouver brewery includes an open-air patio, so you can catch some sun while enjoying P49’s smooth brews – like Ruby Tears Northwest Red Ale, Filthy Dirty IPA and Jerkface 9000 Northwest Wheat Ale – along with creative fusion small bites from their street kitchen.
BREWHALL: Large-scale beer hall
Best for: A night out with a group of friends
Opening hours: Daily from 11 a.m. until late
BREWHALL opened last summer in Brewery Creek, and this popular drinking spot is the first place in Vancouver to incorporate a brewery with a large-scale beer hall. The “tank to tap” establishment offers 22 craft beers and ciders, as well as cocktails and delicious eats from locally-sourced ingredients. Visitors sit at large, communal tables, where you can pair a pint with a board game. Another thing that makes this Vancouver brewery unique is the selection of retro arcade games, such as pinball and Pacman. BREWHALL also paves the way in sustainability, as 80% of the building was constructed with reclaimed and recycled materials.
Powell Brewery: Vancouver’s best handcrafted beers
Best for: Sampling award-winning, small batch beers
Opening hours: Tasting room is open Monday to Thursday 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday to Saturday 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Another must-try Vancouver brewery is Powell Brewery. Here you can sample natural, locally-sourced ales or IPAs in a quiet tasting room complete with a view into the production area. Their brews include an Old Jalopy Pale Ale, a twist on a traditional English Pale Ale, West Coast-style Ode to Citra Pale Ale and Dive Bomb Dark Ale. Powell Brewing is a staple in Vancouver’s beloved Yeast Van, having launched “nano-brewing” in the area in 2012, with a focus on creating high quality, handcrafted beers.
Callister Brewing Co: Canada’s first collaborative brewery
Best for: A hidden gem where there’s likely to be a brewmaster behind the bar
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Yeast Van’s Callister Brewing Co. is the country’s first collaborative and co-working brewery. Along with Good Buddy and Sundown, they operate a co-brewing space that serves up to 12 different brews on tap at a time, like Callister’s Lychee Pale Ale, Good Buddy’s Orange Creamsicle Milkshake IPA and Sundown’s Hefeweizen, which took the gold medal for best German-style wheat beer at this year’s Canadian Brewing Awards.
Brassneck Brewery: Vancouver’s top tasting room
Best for: Beer lovers looking for pitch-perfect brews you won’t find anywhere else
Opening hours: Tasting room is open Monday to Friday 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 12 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tiny and frequently busy, Brassneck Brewery on Main Street is a Vancouver brewery that launched the tasting room trend in the city. This beautiful spot features reclaimed wood and long tables, creating a warm environment where you have no choice but to get cozy. Brassneck offers some of the widest variety of beers on tap in Vancouver, and you’ll find a different food truck out front each day from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. If you’re into fruity and sour beers try their Raspberry Changeling, made with raspberries from BC’s Fraser Valley. Another unique flavour brewed at Brassneck is the No Brainer, a pre-prohibition style corn lager.
33 Acres Brewing Company: Vancouver’s hipster brewery
Best for: Brunch with your pint
Opening hours: Monday and Tuesday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday to Friday 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
33 Acres is a West Vancouver hipster beer icon. This bright, minimalist and Nordic-inspired taproom as popular for its brunch menu, which includes B33R Waffles. A dozen or so beers at this Vancouver brewery offer extensive variety and detailed tasting notes, such as their 33 Acres of Ocean West Coast Pale Ale and 33 Acres of Euphoria Belgian Tripel. 33 Acres also frequently collaborate with local makers, such as Earnest Ice Cream.
R&B Brewing : Vancouver’s brewing district original
Best for: Enjoying a classic brew by one of the originals of the Yeast Van beer scene
Opening hours: The Growler Station is open every day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The Ale & Pizza House is open Sunday to Tuesday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Wednesday to Saturday 11 a.m. to midnight.
R&B Brewing Co. is the first brewery in Vancouver to open in the old brewing district since the Prohibition. This East Vancouver ale and pizza house is the place to sample several year-round, seasonal, and limited release brews on the patio or inside. This ever-popular Vancouver brewery focuses on accessible brews inspired by Belgian, German, and British traditions, in a facility that emphasizes reusable creative materials. Brewery tours are also available.
Faculty Brewing: For craft beer first-timers
Best for: A refreshing cold beer after a bike ride
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Housed in a former bike shop along one of Vancouver’s busiest cycling routes, Faculty Brewing has a bright yet industrial vibe. Based in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, the tiny 30-seat tasting room right in the middle of this Vancouver brewery offers a range of beers from Patagonia Lager to Minzeweizen, a mint-flavoured Hefeweizen. Beers rotate weekly here so you’re bound to find something new to try every time you visit. The main emphasis at Faculty Brewing is on educating customers, so if this is your first exposure to microbrewing, this brewery is a great place to start.
Where to Stay in Vancouver
Here are a few recommendation hotels in Vancouver for every budget if you’re looking to stay in the downtown area.
Best hotels in Vancouver’s Brewery Creek
Mid-range: The Best Western Plus Uptown Hotel is a mid-range hotel with good ratings and offers free WiFi, a fitness centre, business centre, clean and comfortable rooms and plenty of amenities.
Budget: Windsor Guest House is a cozy B&B option in Vancouver just steps away from lots of Brewery Creek bars.
Luxury: In the heart of Robson Street and an easy walk to the best of Brewery Creek is the luxurious The Westin Grand. This hotel offers spacious rooms and lots of extras like a hot tub, fitness centre, business centre, and is a popular family-friendly option for your Vancouver stay.
Best hotels in Yeast Van
Mid-range: The Atrium Inn Vancouver is a good option within walking distance to most Yeast Van breweries. They offer free parking, WiFi, breakfast and their staff gets rave reviews.
Budget: HI Vancouver Hostels hosts daily events for their guests, one of them being a Granville Island Market & Brewery Tour. Join other travellers and sample some Vancouver craft beer. Going with the hostel group is free, but there’s a $9.75 fee for the brewery tour itself which includes 3 samples.
Luxury: Located by the Vancouver City Centre metro station you’ll find the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, which is a great value wellness hotel that’s recommended for business and couple travellers.
Getting to Vancouver
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is Canada’s second busiest airport after Toronto Pearson, and you can fly in here from major cities across Canada with national airlines like Air Transat, WestJet, and Air Canada. The Vancouver Skytrain connects the airport to downtown Vancouver, so you can easily access your hotel, numerous Vancouver attractions and the city’s best breweries. Check our Daily Flight Deals page to catch a flight deal to Vancouver today.
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Use Skyscanner’s search engine to book a downtown Vancouver hotel for easy transit or taxi access.
