While wine tourism has long been established in the Okanagan, officials say the boom of microbreweries in the Lower Mainland has led to a huge influx of beer tourists.
Locals may still be the target market, but more and more people from outside B.C.and Canada are taking advantage of the small batch, seasonal brews being produced.
While wine tourism has long been established in the Okanagan, officials say the boom of microbreweries in the Lower Mainland has led to a huge influx of beer tourists.
"We get people coming from all over the U.S. and different parts of B.C. and different part of Canada ...and drinking our beer and wanting to check out new styles of beer."
There are now more than two dozen microbreweries scattered around the Lower Mainland — demand has been so high, two tour companies are offering chauffeured microbrewery tours.
Changes to provincial and municipal laws last year have also helped, allowing craft breweries to open lounges or tasting rooms that act much like a pub.
Sona Purhar with Tourism Vancouver says the province is becoming known as Western Canada's beer tourism hot spot.
"We've been told that Vancouver's beer scene is distinguished, because it is so new and fresh. Brewers are really playing with flavour profiles and playing with fresh and local ingredients," she said.
Officials say beer tourism is clearly a growing industry and they're looking for ways to encourage even more brewery visitors.
In the meantime, microbreweries can look forward to many more happy hours.
falling leaves / hide the path / so quietly
~John Bailey, "Autumn," a haiku year, 2001, as posted on oldgreypoet.com
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falling leaves / hide the path / so quietly
~John Bailey, "Autumn," a haiku year, 2001, as posted on oldgreypoet.com
One thing I NEVER do when I enter Canada is pay for any alcohol. The taxes are way too steep. Anybody every buy a case of Kestone up there?
I say lower the alcohol taxes in Canada!
I guess you mean Keystone beer.
The microbreweries they are talking about are higher end beer than that. Much higher.
And the idea is to visit and try out the new kinds of beer.
What about the taxes in WA?
Returning to WA you can stop and get duty free at the border. That's the best deal you'll ever get on booze. $18 for 1liter of Russian Standard Vodka. No tax.
At the Peace Arch Duty free store just before the border, I-5.
falling leaves / hide the path / so quietly
~John Bailey, "Autumn," a haiku year, 2001, as posted on oldgreypoet.com
0
falling leaves / hide the path / so quietly
~John Bailey, "Autumn," a haiku year, 2001, as posted on oldgreypoet.com
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