Vancouver craft breweries: Brewery Creek, Yeast Van and where to eat between pints

Vancouver's craft beer scene grew fast after BC updated its liquor rules, allowing breweries to open lounges and tasting rooms. Within a few years, dozens of small breweries had opened, many clustered in a couple of East Vancouver neighbourhoods within walking distance of each other. Today a brewery afternoon is one of the most popular ways to spend a Saturday in the city, and many tasting rooms double as casual places to eat.

Where are the craft breweries in Vancouver?

Two districts have the highest concentration:

• Brewery Creek, in Mount Pleasant around Main Street, named after a creek that once ran down the slope, where breweries operated in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It is compact and anchored by Main.
• Yeast Van, in the industrial area north and east of Commercial Drive, between the Drive and the port. It has more breweries, spread over more blocks.

There are also breweries in Railtown near Gastown, on the North Shore near Lonsdale Quay, in Burnaby, Port Moody (which has its own "Brewers Row") and across the Fraser Valley.

What is a brewery tasting room like?

Most Vancouver tasting rooms are casual, often industrial spaces with long tables and a view of the brewing tanks. Typically:

• You order at the bar, sometimes from a short menu of snacks.
• You can order flights, small glasses of several beers, which is the best way to try a range.
• Many sell cans and growlers to take home.
• Some have full kitchens, while others rely on food trucks parked outside or let you bring food in.
• Some welcome families at certain hours, while others are adults-only. In BC, the legal drinking age is 19.

What do you eat at a Vancouver brewery?

Option	What to expect
In-house kitchen	Pizza, burgers, tacos, sausages, pretzels
Food trucks	Rotating trucks outside on busy days, especially weekends
Bring your own	Some tasting rooms allow outside food; ask first
Nearby restaurants	Main Street and Commercial Drive are steps away

Pizza is the classic brewery food in Vancouver, and several breweries have their own pizza ovens.

What beer styles will you find in BC tasting rooms?

Most Vancouver breweries pour a range of styles, and a tasting flight of four or five small glasses is the best way to explore. Styles you will see often:

Style	What to expect
West Coast IPA	Clear, bitter and piney, the region's classic
Hazy IPA	Cloudy, juicy and softer, with less bitterness
Lager and pilsner	Crisp and light, good with food
Sour and fruited beers	Tart, often brewed with BC fruit
Stout and porter	Dark and roasty, more common in the cooler months
Fresh hop beers	Brewed in late summer and fall with just-harvested hops

If you are new to craft beer, start with a lager or a fruit sour and work up to the IPAs. Most tasting rooms are happy to give you a small sample before you commit to a full glass.

How do you plan a brewery crawl?

1. Pick one district, either Brewery Creek or Yeast Van, to keep it walkable.
2. Choose three or four breweries, not ten.
3. Order flights and share them.
4. Eat early, at a brewery with a kitchen or a food truck.
5. Drink water between stops.
6. Plan your way home. BC has strict impaired driving laws, and the safest plan is transit, a taxi or ride-hailing. Main Street-Science World and Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain stations are close to each district.

Can you do a brewery tour in Vancouver?

Yes. Guided brewery tours, walking and by van, run in Vancouver, especially in the warmer months, and some include food. They are a good option for visitors or for groups who want someone else to plan the route. BC also promotes an Ale Trail, a collection of self-guided brewery routes around the province.

Are there good non-alcoholic options at breweries?

More than there used to be. Many Vancouver breweries now make non-alcoholic beers, sodas, kombucha or craft lemonade, and most tasting rooms have something for the designated driver or anyone not drinking.

How much does a brewery day cost?

Flights and pints at a tasting room are often cheaper than the same beer at a bar downtown, and food trucks keep eating affordable. In BC, beer carries 5 percent GST and 10 percent PST on top of the menu price. Tipping at a tasting-room bar is optional but appreciated; at table service, tip 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax total.

When are Vancouver breweries busiest?

Saturday afternoons and sunny summer evenings are the busiest times, especially in tasting rooms with patios. Weekday afternoons are quieter. Many breweries close earlier than bars, often by 10 or 11 p.m., and some close one or two days a week, so check hours before you go.

On Mosey you can rate the breweries and food spots you visit and the dishes you ordered, see where friends you follow went, and build a list of tasting rooms to work through.

More guides to read next:

• Holiday dining in Vancouver: the Christmas Market, festive menus and booking tips
• Date night in Vancouver: how to pick a restaurant that gets it right
• Dessert in Vancouver: ice cream, shaved ice, Nanaimo bars and late-night sweets

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.