CHEK Upside: Victoria brewery celebrates 20th anniversary with new beer

Phillips Brewing

When Phillips Brewing founder Matt Phillips started his business 20 years ago, he could have never dreamed about the heights it would reach.

“I was a one man show and we were just making really esoteric bottle-only beers and would never have thought that this is where we are now,” said Phillips.

From Phillips being the only employee, the business has grown into an expansive operation with its own malt works, sodas and even whiskey.

Over the years their promotional events have also become well known, from parking lot dog pool fundraisers to backyard concerts.

“Ever since we moved to our current facility we’ve been able to have concerts and those always stand out as my favourite events,” said Phillips.

“Some great shows back there, I remember Cake in particular and Chali 2na and there were some fantastic shows in the backyard that we really look back fondly on,” added Phillips.

So it’s only fitting that for their 20th anniversary Phillips is releasing a special brew, the Twenty Point Buck.

“We made a special batch of Blue Buck only with island-grown barley in it and then we put it in the barrels that came off of our very first whiskey runs, so it makes for a very complex beer,” said Phillips.

“So we’ve been ageing that for 20 months and we’ve paired that with a special commemorative glass and that’s what we’re going to be putting out,” added Phillips.

Even the design on the can is special.

“We wanted to do something that kind of felt rich and regal I guess, something that showed how proud we were of the beer,” said Phillips.

“So we came up with kind of rich colours, golds and dark blues and I think it suits the mood really well,” added Phillips.

The celebration beer is available on tap starting Aug. 27.

READ MORE: Phillips postpones backyard concert series to 2022 amid COVID resurgence

Cole SorensonCole Sorenson

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