Brewed on the Island: A Craft Beer Tour of Vancouver Island

Visitors to Vancouver Island often arrive with a list: hiking, whale watching, beachcombing. But if you enjoy a good craft beer, make sure to add a brewery tour to your must-do list. The island’s taprooms are as full of character as the communities they call home.

Cowichan Valley & the south

Riot Brewing Co. in Chemainus was founded by enthusiasts Aly and Ralf, and it shows — the brewery pushes boundaries and leans hard into community, with live music and trivia nights. Look for the Working Class Hero Dark Mild, LipSlide Lager, and Life Partners Pale Ale.

In Victoria, Phillips Brewing & Malting Co. has been at it since 2001, with an onsite malting facility that’s one of few in Canada. The range runs from the dependable Blue Buck Ale to the award-winning Electric Unicorn White IPA, and sustainability shows up in growler refills and hop-recycling programs. Nearby, Hoyne Brewing Co., led by Brewmaster Sean Hoyne, prizes consistency and detail — try the Dark Matter or the Pilsner. The coastal heritage of Lighthouse Brewing Co. (established 1998) comes through in the Race Rocks Ale and Shipwreck IPA, while Sooke Brewing Company keeps quality high across its lagers and IPAs, and Ile Sauvage Brewing crafts Belgian-inspired and wild ales with locally-sourced, organic ingredients.

Central & north island

White Sails Brewing sits in Nanaimo’s historic downtown with views of Mount Benson and the harbour; the Departure Bay Session Ale and Mount Benson IPA are local favourites, and the brewery is a steady supporter of community causes. Also in Nanaimo, the employee-owned Longwood Brewery builds innovative brews around locally sourced ingredients.

In the Comox Valley, Gladstone Brewing Co. occupies a renovated historic building in Courtenay and specializes in Belgian ales, European lagers, and Pacific Northwest IPAs, while Cumberland Brewing Company turns out small-batch traditional and inventive beers in a relaxed setting. Out on the West Coast, Tofino Brewing Co. bottles the spirit of the wild coast in every beer — the Tuff Session Ale and Hoppin’ Cretin IPA among them — poured in a rustic tasting room with a growler station.

Make a day of it

Prefer to leave the driving to someone else? Guided experiences like Explore Vancouver Island Brewery Tours let you taste your way around without a designated-driver dilemma. And when the day winds down, there’s no better base than a comfortable island rental — book your stay with Sunset Groupe and keep exploring tomorrow.