Keeping our elbows up, if you live anywhere in the BC mainland, or anywhere in Canada suffering from snow, and you enjoy wine, beer, and other libations, you may want to consider visiting Victoria and surrounding areas on southern Vancouver Island. I’d say that Victoria has the best weather / climate in Canada. But you may not know about different experiences you can have with your favourite alcoholic drinks. Here are a few suggestions from Destination Greater Victoria:
The Victoria Ale Trail
Home to Canada’s first brewpub, Victoria has been coined as the “Cradle of the Craft Beer Revolution” and with over 14 craft breweries we are truly the heart and soul of brew pub culture in B.C. Brewers in the city get creative with their offerings, often pairing locally sourced ingredients to create characteristic flavours.
Begin by fuelling up with some nibbles and beer at Spinnakers, the country’s oldest craft brewery and home to dozens of year-round and seasonal specialties. You can also stop by Hoyne Brewing which uses honey from the Fairmont Empress hotel’s hives to sweeten their Summer Haze Honey Hefe. Visit Phillips Brewing, Category 12, or stop in at one of the downtown brewpubs such as CRAFT Beer Market or Swans to try a flight of brews on site.
Craft spirits
The thirst for craft spirits is alive and well in Canada, especially on Vancouver Island. Victoria Distillers and the Fairmont Empress have joined forces to create a truly distinctive gin. Inspired by the 1908 cocktail, the spirit features seven botanicals including a South Asian botanical called the pea flower. Watch as additional mixers are added: this gin changes colour! In Langford, Sheringham Distillery creates their citrusy Seaside Gin using seaweed and products grown in B.C. All the spent grains are sent to local farms to become a healthy source of high protein livestock feed. Merridale Cidery and Distillery distil in a 200-litre, hand-hammered copper pot still from Germany on their farm, which gives them the flexibility to make aromatic brandies, gins and smooth vodka too. Like their cider, their gin and vodka are also made entirely from BC grown fruits and botanicals.
Wineries & Cideries
Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands (affectionately known as the Wine Islands) are the fastest growing wine region in Canada. Find one quarter of British Columbia’s wineries here, with most of them centered around the Cowichan Valley and Saanich Peninsula. Experience all the region has to offer in terms of wine by organizing a self-guided tour or scheduling a luxury limousine wine tour.
You know what they say, an apple a day…Southern Vancouver Island is home to two of Canada’s most celebrated cideries. Enjoy a flight of cider while drinking in the panoramic views at Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse or dive into a delicious cider at Merridale Cidery & Distillery before strolling through the picturesque orchard.
A few of the closest wineries to Victoria along the Saanich peninsula are: Church & State Wines, Invinity Sparkling Wine House, and Deep Cove Winery.
Cocktail culture
Victoria is home to many cocktail bars with innovative mixologists incorporating unique ingredients made right here on the island. For a noteworthy experience, head to Clive’s Classic Lounge where house-made liqueurs, bitters, syrups and shrubs are transformed into a variety of creative cocktails.
There are more wineries if you venture north toward Duncan, but I will cover those wineries in a separate article. For the moment, these suggestions you should give you a fun time. Enjoy and let me know your experiences in and around Victoria in the comments section below. Cheers.
