The ninth annual Vancouver Craft Beer Week Festival (VCBW) at the PNE Fairgrounds attracted thousands of craft beer and cider enthusiasts this past weekend. The two day beer fest capped off a 10-day citywide celebration of craft beer culture and community. But it’s about so much more than beer! VCBW is outdoor entertainment at it’s finest – live music, games, food trucks and over 100 craft breweries and cideries. Nine years in and VCBW has evolved from Canada’s first-ever craft beer week to become the most anticipated craft beer and cider festival in Western Canada.
For those who have attended a beer festival in the past, you’ll know that it’s difficult to keep track of which brews you’ve tasted, which you liked and which you didn’t – and the more you drink, the more challenging it gets. With more than 300 beers and ciders to try, VCBW offered festival goers an easy way to keep track on their website! On the participating breweries page, each brewery is listed, showing its location on the festival map, the 2-4 brews being poured, as well as giving users the ability to “favourite” a brewery. This meant that you could go through beforehand, choose all the ones you wanted to try and systematically work your way through the festival. If you’re like me and prefer a more spontaneous experience, you could have the webpage open on your phone, “favourite” as you go, and check back later to see which 6-packs you’ll be picking up for your next summer BBQ.
The festival had something for everyone, with extra beer tokens available for purchase and plenty of grassy areas to lounge with your crew, you could kick back with your kombucha infused blonde ale, lime and agave cider, sublime pineapple hefeweizen or beet juice pale ale and revel in the beginning of summer in Vancouver. And not to miss was the “crafts with Craft” tent where you could string pretzels on a string to wear as a necklace – providing endless snackage all while keeping your hands free to hold your beer.
By Contributing Writer: Nicole Alivojvodic
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