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Vancouver Pubs or Brewpubs

Discuss beer travel and regional information, including the best bars and places to check out around in Canada and around the world, and other chat that is not specific to Ontario.

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Rumrunner
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Vancouver Pubs or Brewpubs

Post by Rumrunner »

My wife is heading off for Vancouver tomorrow and is looking for some places to hit, with some good food and good beer. We already have been to Yaletown brewery.

She also has promised to bring me back some beers that we can't get here. What a great wife!

Any ideas?

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Brews Phillips
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Post by Brews Phillips »

*Bump*

I'm heading out to Vancouver this weekend. Any suggestions? Alibi Room look interesting, but it has short hours. I think it must be more of a restaurant than a pub.

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Torontoblue
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Post by Torontoblue »

Brews Phillips wrote:*Bump*

I'm heading out to Vancouver this weekend. Any suggestions? Alibi Room look interesting, but it has short hours. I think it must be more of a restaurant than a pub.
Nope. it's more of a pub than a restaurant, just different hours to everyone else.

St Augustine's is a good place to hit.

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Derek
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Post by Derek »

What hours are you looking for?

I think Central City still has their DIPA on... could jump on the sky train.

But the Alibi is a must.

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Jon Walker
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Post by Jon Walker »

Pretty sure a thread on Vancouver already exists...but...check here;
http://camravancouver.ca/

Click on "Guide" menu and a pulldown will give you info on pubs and bottle shops. Alibi, St.Augustine's are the best, London Pub, The Whip, Railway Club are all the places to hit on cask nights or as 2nd tier places. Central City is great but an hour out of town on the skytrain. Brewery Creek, Firefly, Darby's and (slightly further afield) 16th St. Liquor are the bottle shops to hit. They all have Facebook groups or can easily be found online.
I don't always piss in a bottle but when I do...I prefer to call it Dos Equis.

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Derek
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Post by Derek »

Jon Walker wrote:Pretty sure a thread on Vancouver already exists...
Yup, hidden away in this one:
http://www.bartowel.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=4147

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Brews Phillips
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Post by Brews Phillips »

Super. Thanks for the links. I haven't been to Vancouver in a long time, and it seems like a lot has changed. It looks like a trip to Vancouver just isn't complete with a visit to Alibi...so it's on the top of the list.

I have no choice but to pass through Surrey on Sunday, so I thought Central City might make that portion of the trip more bearable :-)

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Jon Walker
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Post by Jon Walker »

Here's tonight's tap list at the Alibi...just to give you a sense of what great stuff they get.
Image
I don't always piss in a bottle but when I do...I prefer to call it Dos Equis.

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SteelbackGuy
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Post by SteelbackGuy »

Hey Jon, those prices look pretty fair too! Some places here charge more than that for shitty Domestics!
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Brews Phillips
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Post by Brews Phillips »

Holy smokes! I'm sold. Henceforth, all visits with family and friends in B.C. shall be held at the Alibi! :D

I should have mentioned, suggestions for the interior are also welcome. I'm in Kelowna for a week after Vancouver and should be able to venture up and down the valley. One of the things I was hoping to do was to go up to Sorrento and stop by Crannog, but according to their website, they ony have tours in the summer. I'm looking forward to Tree in Kelowna. Tin Whistle and Cannery are also nearby in Penticton, and there's a brewpub in Summerland. Does that pretty much cover it?

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Derek
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Post by Derek »

Here's a great overview of the interior:
http://sudsmagazine.com/bcinterior/

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Brews Phillips
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Post by Brews Phillips »

Thanks, Derek. The Noble Pig looks interesting. I may take a day and wander around the Kamloops area.

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Derek
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Post by Derek »

Yeah I haven't been up to the Noble Pig yet, but from what I hear it's probably the best brewpub in the area.

Barley station would also be a good stop if you're heading up to Crannog to pick up some growlers. They might be busy on the hop farm (or brewing), so I'd probably call first:
http://www.crannogales.com/site/contact.php

Kelowna:

Metro Liquor is really small (they're planning to move to a larger location if they get the licensing), but they get some interesting stuff. They've currently got DFH Squal IPA for $25 (their cost). Waterfront Wine's next door has the Back hand of God on-tap. Strangely, the only other local with Crannog is Raudz, though I think Doc Willoughby’s use to (sadly it's really the only decent tap selection in town).

But if you don't get your bottle shopping done on the coast, head up to Village Green Liquor in Vernon. It's currently the best shop in the Interior.

Freddy's (brewpub/bowling alley named after the Flinstones) is consistent, but mediocre. There's a Tuesday discount on growlers, but you do actually have to purchase the growler (strangely they don't take returns). I'm not sure if they fill other brand growlers...

Memphis Blue's has a real smoker and does some great pulled pork. Okanagan black lager & a few others on-tap... with some bottles of more mainstream craft brews (Sam Adams etc). Great place for lunch.

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northyorksammy
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Post by northyorksammy »

will be there late july

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Brews Phillips
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Post by Brews Phillips »

Thanks for all the BC tips. I made it to the Alibi Room and St. Augustine's in Vancouver. Both places were great in their own way - very different atmospheres.

Didn't make it to Brewery Creek, but I went bottle shopping at Firefly in Maple Ridge. It had a nice walk-in beer room and friendly staff.

I went to Hogshack in Steveston, which has tasty BBQ along with a nice bottle selection at very reasonable prices. Not bad if you're out in that part of the woods. Tree and Elysian on tap.

I drove up to Kamloops to try the Noble Pig. Unfortunately, I didn't get to try the food, which I hear is quite good. But I did enjoy the IPA and the porter. The drive up is spectacular on a clear day. There's a game farm nearby if you need a family-related excuse to make the trip :-)

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