The BC Ale Trail

Arrive thirsty, Leave inspired

Heading north up the Island Highway from Victoria, the spectacular vistas of the Malahat Summit give way to the rural agricultural splendour of Cowichan, a valley that has long been known as The Warm Land. And it is warm indeed: the region’s maritime Mediterranean climate boasts the warmest year-round temperature anywhere in Canada.
Sounds like a great place to drink craft beer, right? Well, you have lots of options at breweries in Duncan and Ladysmith for delicious beer and food.
The mid-Island port city of Nanaimo offers several brewery options. Enjoy the urban vibe at some of the city’s many restaurants and shops and then work off all the tasty treats you sampled by snorkelling with seals or hopping on a mountain bike, stand-up paddle board, or kayak.
Continue your island ale-venture with the<a href="https://bcaletrail.ca/ale-trails/vancouver-island-part-2/"> Vancouver Island Ale Trail — Part II</a>. There is so much to discover with Vancouver Island craft breweries!

<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Victoria,+BC,+Canada/Cowichan+Valley,+BC,+Canada/@48.5455093,-123.6744073,11z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x548f738bddb06171:0x38e8f3741ebb48ed!2m2!1d-123.3656444!2d48.4284207!1m5!1m1!1s0x5488fc3aba355b75:0x67d03afcd4a3ace5!2m2!1d-124.0309983!2d48.7569005">Drive from Victoria</a>

Red Arrow Brewing brews small-batch high-quality beer in the bountiful Cowichan Valley, taking every opportunity to use locally sourced ingredients. Their building was originally the home of Arrow Custom Motorcycles and they get to work in a beautiful “Arizona Firehouse” style brick building. The old showroom is home to their lounge and kitchen. On the grounds, they offer a spacious patio that is both pet and animal friendly.
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Red Arrow Brewing

Make a pit stop at this Duncan brewery located in a converted custom motorcycle shop. 

Venture off the Island Highway to check out Duncan’s cozy and quaint downtown for some shopping or sight-seeing, and then pop into the Craig Street Brewpub for a meal and a beer. This attractive, multi-level building dating back to the 1940s has lots of different options for dining, whether it’s the downstairs pub with its beautiful, antique bar, the streetside patio, or the rooftop deck upstairs. There is a wood-burning fireplace to keep you warm on a dreary day and plenty of great food options on the extensive menu. Look for live, local musicians and other special events throughout the week. The beer list is solid with a range of staple core styles and a special seasonal usually on as well.

Craig Street Brewing

Duncan’s downtown brewpub is a great spot for a meal and a fresh craft beer.

Locally owned and operated, with a focus on quality local craft products, Mid Island Liquor now has 16 locations to serve all your wine, spirit, and beer needs. They are a different kind of business; our members are our owners. When you shop at Mid Island Liquor you can feel good knowing that your money will stay in the community; either through community donations and support or be returned to our members, people just like you!
Friendly staff with a keen interest in craft beer, our Berkey’s location offers a walk-in beer room and online shopping with in-store pickup https://www.midislandliquor.crs/sites/06/news/detail/online-store

Mid Island Liquor Berkey’s Corner

This location has online shopping with in-store pickup

Explore the best views and brews in Cowichan

<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/oRAG2HaZyVQ2">Drive to Nanaimo, with a stopover at Ladysmith</a>

Bayview opened in April 2022. The regular beer lineup features classic ales such as a blonde, pale ale, saison, west-coast IPA, and hazy IPA. They also specialize in creating interesting sour beers, The food program features an eclectic, fresh selection of fusion cuisine, partnering with local farms to keep things as fresh and local as possible. They also offer Salt Spring Wild Cider and Unsworth Vineyards wine, as well as a variety of non-alcoholic beverages including Phillips Soda, Iota Beer, Sparkmouth Mocktails, and Sparkling Water.

Bayview Brewing Company

Great food, great beer, great community!

The perfect spot for foodies and beerlovers alike.

This brewery located on the south side of Nanaimo leans into traditional European brewing style while combining West Coast creativity. The brewmaster got his start brewing in Liverpool, England, which shines through in every brew.
Drop by the &#8220;The Wolf Den&#8221; where you can sit inside or on the patio to enjoy a flight or pint paired with some simple but delicious snacks.  The brewery often hosts live music and food trucks, and the fresh lineup of beers sees new inclusions with every season.  
<img decoding="async" class="an1" src="https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/e/notoemoji/15.0/1f381/72.png" alt="🎁" width="20" height="20" data-emoji="🎁" aria-label="🎁" /> Gift cards available for sale only in the taproom

Wolf Brewing Company

West Coast creativity meets European tradition at The Wolf Den on the edge of downtown Nanaimo.

The “Longwood Brewery on Boxwood Road” opened in 2012 to boost the Longwood brand’s reach across BC by introducing packaged and keg products. Featuring a line-up of 6 core beers ranging from a Continental Pilsner to an Imperial Stout and 4 rotating seasonal beers, there is something for everyone at the growler bar.
With a focus on being “small farm friendly”, Longwood Brewery on Boxwood Road partners with many local farmers for a wide range of ingredients, resulting in an obsessively local product. In fact, the majority of all the barley and hops Longwood Brewery uses is sourced within BC.
<img decoding="async" class="an1" src="https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/e/notoemoji/15.0/1f381/72.png" alt="🎁" width="20" height="20" data-emoji="🎁" aria-label="🎁" /> Gift cards available for sale in the taproom

Longwood Brewery on Boxwood Road

Longwood Brewery on Boxwood Road has its own tasting room and picnic patio with unique beers on tap.

The Longwood Brewpub has anchored the Longwood Station plaza in the north end of Nanaimo since 1999. It has a family-friendly restaurant upstairs and a pub downstairs, with a big fieldstone fireplace to warm a body up on a cold, wet Vancouver Island winter day. The bar has four English-style draught engines serving cellar-conditioned beer to go along with excellent food from the kitchen.

Longwood Brew Pub & Restaurant

Nanaimo’s original craft brewery and one of BC’s most welcoming brewpubs.

If you’re heading North up the island out of Nanaimo, be sure to stop at the Crossroads location! Located right across the street from the popular Woodgrove Mall in Nanaimo. After a day of shopping, you can pick up a craft beer…or four, to relax and unwind! Mid Island liquor is a different kind of business; its members are its owners. When you shop at Mid Island Liquor you can feel good knowing that your money will stay in the community; either through our community donations and support or be returned to our members, people just like you!
Online shopping is available at this location <a href="https://www.midislandliquor.crs/sites/06/news/detail/online-store" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.midislandliquor.crs/sites/06/news/detail/online-store&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1687623871439000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3iy4J20SGO45K1KXHlL2g_">https://www.midislandliquor.crs/sites/06/news/detail/online-store</a>

Mid Island Liquor Crossroads

This location has online shopping and in-store pickup available

Continue your ale-venture in Nanaimo

Pair your craft brew sampling with adventure in our outdoor playground! Hike, bike, swim and paddle – Nanaimo is the place to experience your next thrill or moment of reconnection. Rent a paddleboard or kayak from <a href="https://www.albernioutpost.com/locations/nanaimo-adventure-centre/">Brechin Boat Ramp</a> and explore the harbour. Take a swim at any of our fine beaches including <a href="https://www.nanaimo.ca/parks-search/parks/Details/214-Blueback-Beach-Access-">Blueback</a> and <a href="https://www.nanaimo.ca/parks-search/Parks/50-Maffeo-Sutton-Park">Swy-A-Lana Lagoon</a>, or head to the Nanaimo river for a cool dip. Or take a moment to find yourself in our woods – with biking and hiking trails across the city that take you as far or as close as you’d like to be.

Named for the sailboats that dot Nanaimo’s harbour, White Sails has a big, welcoming tasting room reminiscent of a German beer hall, with a warm glass-enclosed gas fireplace at its heart. The building’s location has a connection to Nanaimo brewing history: It was once the site of the Newcastle Hotel that was owned by John Mahrer, brewmaster of Nanaimo Brewing, one of the earliest breweries in the city back in the 1890s. There’s something to think about while you enjoy a glass of fresh beer today!

White Sails Brewing

A contemporary brewery based in a historic location.

Located right across the street from Departure Bay beach, it makes a great stop along the trail to take in one of Nanaimo’s most iconic beaches. Mid Island liquor is a different kind of business; our members are our owners. When you shop at Mid Island Liquor you can feel good knowing that your money will stay in the community; either through our community donations and support or be returned to our members, people just like you!
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Online shopping is also available at this location <a href="https://www.midislandliquor.crs/sites/06/news/detail/online-store" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.midislandliquor.crs/sites/06/news/detail/online-store&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1687623871439000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3iy4J20SGO45K1KXHlL2g_">https://www.midislandliquor.crs/sites/06/news/detail/online-store</a>

Mid Island  Liquor Departure Bay

Locally owned and managed, focused on quality local craft producers, Mid island Coop continues to grow with many locations to serve all your wine, spirit, and beer needs. 

Enjoy more sipping and exploring in Nanaimo

Vancouver Island Part I Ale Trail

Community craft breweries abound from Cowichan's warm climate and agricultural heritage, leading through Duncan and Chemainus to Nanaimo’s urban, maritime vibe and Ladysmith.