Numerous Vancouver Island breweries sipped and celebrated at the 2023 BC Beer Awards, which annually honours the best beer brewed in British Columbia.
The ceremony was held on Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Croatian Cultural Centre in Vancouver, where a quartet of local breweries scored specialty awards.
Port Alberni-based Twin City Brewing Company was named Brewery of the Year, and following the win, staff at the brewery took to Facebook to say they were shocked and honoured.
“Congrats to our whole team and everyone that appreciates what we do,” Twin City said in the post.
“We love you all and want to see you in the lounge to celebrate with us real soon.”
Small Gods Brewing in Sidney was named Innovator of the Year, while Swift Brewing and Hoyne Brewing, both in Victoria, were named Rookie of the Year and Best in Show, respectively.
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But winning big is nothing new for Island breweries, which were also recognized at the 2022 BC Beer Awards ceremony.
“The BC Beer Awards is not just a gathering of local breweries, but a platform to bring together like-mind individuals who appreciate the artistry behind every pint,” say organizers.
This year, judges sampled hundreds of entries leading up to the ceremony and narrowed it down to 29 different beer styles.
In total, more than a dozen Island breweries won awards, and the full list of local winners, including their ranking and beer recognized, is below:
International Pale Ale
- 1st – Sooke Oceanside Brewing (Sooke) – Leetchtown Lager
- 2nd – Ace Brewing (Courtenay) – Golden Hour Cezch
Pale Malty German Lager
- 2nd – Gladstone Brewing (Courtenay) – Gladstone Festbier
Amber Lager
- 1st – Hoyne Brewing (Victoria) – Svec Czech Half Dark Lager
Dark Lager
- 2nd – Gladstone Brewing (Courtenay) – Czech Dark Lager
- 3rd – Tofino Brewing (Tofino) – Dark Lager
Strong Ale & Lager
- 3rd – Category 12 Brewing (Saanichton) – 8th Anniversary Barleywine
Kolsch
- 1st – LoveShack Libations (Qualicum Beach) – Killer Kolsch
Hoppy UK Ale
- 1st – Twin City Brewing (Port Alberni) – Tickity Boo
Malty UK & Irish Ale
- 1st – Hoyne Brewing (Victoria) – Dark Matter
- 3rd – Ucluelet Brewing (Ucluelet) – St. Aiden’s Porter
Specialty Fruit Beer
- 2nd – Twin City Brewing (Port Alberni) – Out on a Limb
Spiced Beer
- 2nd – 4 Mile Brewing Co. (Victoria) – Level Ground Coffee Lager
- 3rd – Mount Arrowsmith Brewing (Parksville) – The Sprut Spruce Tip Brut IPA
North American Light Lager
- 1st – Vancouver Island Brewing (Victoria) – Islander Lager
North American Light Ale
- 2nd – Gladstone Brewing (Courtenay) – Gladstone Cream Ale
North American IPA
- 1st – Herald Street Brew Works (Victoria) Gonzalas Bay IPA
- 2nd – Ucluelet Brewing (Ucluelet) – South Swell West Coast IPA
Specialty IPA
- 3rd – 4 Mile Brewing Co. (Victoria) – Cole Island Session IPA
Hazy IPA
- 1st – Swift Brewing (Victoria) – Smooth Operator Citra Hazy Pale Ale
Belgian Ale
- 1st – Twin City Brewing (Port Alberni) – Nocturne
Specialty Wild Ale
- 1st – Mount Arrowsmith Brewing (Parksville) – Weekend Rambler 4.0
- 2nd – Whistle Buoy Brewing (Victoria) – Zipline Gose
“We are incredibly proud of the winners, and we salute every brewery that participated, pushing the boundaries of craft beer in B.C.,” added organizers.
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Ethan Morneau
