Stories Archive

Legends of DIX Pt I: Birth of CAMRA Vancouver

Legends of DIX Pt I: Birth of CAMRA Vancouver

30 years ago, the craft beer enthusiast movement found fertile ground on Vancouver Island when both CAMRA Victoria and What’s Brewing were established. Thirteen years later, CAMRA would establish its first permanent beachhead on the BC mainland. WB contributor J. Random provides a look back at CAMRA Vancouver’s early days at the legendary DIX BBQ & Brewery, and the eventual loss marked by Four Beers & A Funeral.

Coping With COVID in Kelowna: BNA Brewing
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Coping With COVID in Kelowna: BNA Brewing

Kelowna is in the news this week, and not in a good way. But for every story about poor pandemic choices, there are others trying to get the message out to be responsible.

Have you heard of restaurant and tasting room customers asking staff to remove their masks? BNA Brewing Co.’s Marketing Director Jill Jarrett shares some compelling, candid insights into the need for self-control on the part of the very clientele that BNA depends on for survival.

Beyond The Pale: A West Coast Pale Ale Roundup
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Beyond The Pale: A West Coast Pale Ale Roundup

PRESENTED BY JAK’S LIQUOR STORES: Pale Ale is a style that BC beer drinkers adopted in the 1990s, but today’s Northwest-style Pales have considerably more flavour. Find out who took home our blue ribbon this issue, and prepare to start craving the clean and crisp flavours of a West Coast Pale Ale.

Shirley Warne’s Legendary Life In Brewing
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Shirley Warne’s Legendary Life In Brewing

Shirley Warne is a true BC brewing legend, with a career working at and consulting for breweries across Canada. It’s amazing how many brewers of today she trained and supported before she made a home at Angry Hen Brewing in Kaslo, BC.

Tapping the West review: Alberta gets its own beer book
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Tapping the West review: Alberta gets its own beer book

No doubt all of us stuck at home in 2020 are dreaming about our next major road trip. Beer tourism is essential travel, isn’t it? Good news: this great little book will get snobby West Coast beer drinkers ready to dream about a trip to (gasp!) Alberta to taste craft beer.

The Class Of ’94: A Brave New Wave in BC Brewing
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The Class Of ’94: A Brave New Wave in BC Brewing

** This past week, Donald Trump had his Mount Rushmore moment; now we’re having ours. ** In this installment of our Class of ’94 series, we introduce you to more legendary brewers from BC’s 1990s scene. As a quartet, the four pictured above make up a mini Rushmore that Trump would never appreciate.

Iain Hill: From Shaftebury To Yaletown
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Iain Hill: From Shaftebury To Yaletown

As part of our 30th Anniversary, What’s Brewing spotlights some of BC’s beer pioneers. In The Class Of ’94 series, we introduce you to some key BC brewmasters who started up a celebrated brewery in the year 1994.

Iain Hill shares a hilarious memory from working at East Van’s very first craft brewery. Right after that, he helped open Vancouver’s first brewpub and began pushing the boundaries of BC brewing.

The Class of ’94: Sailor Hagar’s Heyday
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The Class of ’94: Sailor Hagar’s Heyday

As part of our 30th Anniversary, What’s Brewing spotlights some of BC’s beer pioneers. In The Class Of ’94 series, we introduce you to some key BC brewmasters who started up a celebrated brewery in the year 1994 and began to push the boundaries of BC brewing.

As head brewer at Central City Brewers & Distillers, Gary Lohin has had a distinguished career in beer. But he first had the chance to run his own show at Metro Vancouver’s first brewpub: Sailor Hagar’s.

What Was Brewin’ in the ’80s
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What Was Brewin’ in the ’80s

As part of What’s Brewing magazine’s 30th Anniversary celebrations, we’re proud to feature some of BC’s beer advocacy pioneers. Today, we present a retrospective by Gerry Hieter, the long-time former Chairperson of Great Canadian Beer Festival. Find out how BC’s craft beer scene developed from Sir Gerry!

Big Bad John: The Story of John Rowling and CAMRA Victoria
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Big Bad John: The Story of John Rowling and CAMRA Victoria

As part of What’s Brewing magazine’s 30th Anniversary celebrations, we’re proud to pay tribute to some of BC’s beer advocacy pioneers.
In case you haven’t met today’s special honouree: he is one of the most respected names amongst long-time members of the BC beer community. He helped found much of what constitutes craft beer culture in BC today, and he’s a true gentleman. In words and pictures, let us introduce you to John Rowling.

That's All There Was!

That's All There Was!