Above: The crew from Fuggles and Warlock Craftworks accept another award. (Photo from Facebook.)
As a lifelong Washingtonian, I feel a strong kinship with my neighbors to the north; however, when it comes to beer, an insurmountable wall of bureaucracy stands between us. We don’t get any of theirs and they don’t get any of ours. At least, very little beer passes across the border. That said, I do try to stay in touch with what’s happening in British Columbia. Case in point, the winners of the 2019 BC Beer Awards were announced Saturday night.
The 10th annual BC Beer Awards and Festival (BCBA) took place on October 19th at the Croatian Cultural Centre in Vancouver. Among the big winners, the KPU Brewlab, which is operated by Kwantlen Polytechnic University as part of its Brewery Diploma Program. The student-run brewery brought home the Brewery of the Year honors along with five medals. Below, we share the complete list of winners.
Other big winners this year included Fuggles and Warlock Craftworks, which took home the coveted Best in Show honors. (Admittedly, I am not a fountain of BC beer knowledge, but even I know that Fuggles and Warlock is a damn good brewery.)
Another top winner this year, Dageraad Brewing earned seven medals, the most of any brewery in the running. Among its seven awards, the Belgian-inspired brewery swept the Belgian Strong Ale category.
Here is the complete list of winners at the 2019 BC Beer Awards:
BEST IN SHOW – PRESENTED BY BSG CANADA
Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks – Pixel Pils
BREWERY OF THE YEAR – PRESENTED BY TAP & BARREL
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
LEGEND AWARDS – PRESENTED BY LIQUIFY
John Rowling & Gerry Hieter
Nancy More
Gerry Erith
INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR – PRESENTED BY THE DOWNLOW CHICKEN SHACK
Twin Sails Brewing
BREWERS CHALLENGE – PRESENTED BY GLENMORE CUSTOM PRINT + PACKAGING
Four Winds Brewing Cherry Operis
PEOPLE’S CHOICE – PRESENTED BY CBC VANCOUVER
BREWHALL Azedo Tropical Sour
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – PRESENTED BY SINGLETON REYNOLDS LLP
Île Sauvage Brewing Company
DAN SMALL HOMEBREW AWARD – PRESENTED BY CREATE BEER DAN’S BREW SHOP
Andrew Swanton – The Answers to Life, The Universe and Everything –
INTERNATIONAL LAGER – 51 ENTRIES
3. Hashtag Basic, Electric Bicycle Brewing
2. Elementary – Lager, Four Winds Brewing Co.
1. Vidal, Townsite Brewing
PALE GERMAN BEER – 50 ENTRIES
3. The Adams Family Festbier, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
2. Skyline Lager, Bomber Brewing Co.
1. Köl Story Bro Kölsch, Brewhall Beer Co.
GERMAN PILS – 24 ENTRIES
3. Beldame, Strange Fellows Brewing
2. Simple Things, Steel & Oak Brewing Co.
1. Pixel Pils, Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks
AMBER EUROPEAN BEER – 25 ENTRIES
3. Helles Lager, Trading Post Brewing
2. Red Pilsner, Steel & Oak Brewing Co.
1. Marzen, R&B Brewing Co
DARK & STRONG EUROPEAN BEER – 19 ENTRIES
3. Dominion Dark Lager, Vancouver Island Brewing
2. May the Schwarz Be With You, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
1. Hermannator Ice Bock, Vancouver Island Brewing
GERMAN WHEAT BEER – 20 ENTRIES
3. 50/50 Hefeweizen, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
2. Chefs Hef, R&B Brewing Co
1. Heftechnik, Brassneck Brewery
UK PALE ALE – 37 ENTRIES
3. Backroads Brewing Pale Ale, Backroads Brewing Company
2. Bomber Pale Ale, Bomber Brewing Co.
1. Papa G’s ESB, The Noble Pig Brewhouse
UK BROWN ALE – 37 ENTRIES
3. Outboard Motor Oatmeal Porter, The 101 Brewhouse + Distillery
2. Rail Ale Nut Brown, Howe Sound Brewing
1. Wee Angry Scotch Ale, Russell Brewing Company
UK STOUT – 24 ENTRIES
3. Cold Steeped Irish Stout, The Bakery Brewing
2. Tactical Turtleneck, Another Beer Company Inc.
1. Sasquatch Stout, Old Yale Brewing
STRONG ALE – 14 ENTRIES
3. Wayfarer, Strange Fellows Brewing
2. Melle Meo, Howe Sound Brewing
1. Woolly Bugger, Howe Sound Brewing
FRUIT BEER – 68 ENTRIES
3. Moon Dance Mango Wheat, Old Yale Brewing
2. Corvus Lingonberry Lime Gose, Ravens Brewing Company
1. Tropical Tart, Steamworks Brewing Co.
SPECIALTY FRUIT BEER – 55 ENTRIES
3. De Witte, Dageraad Brewing
2. Asking For A Friend, Backcountry Brewing
1. Late Bloomer Strawberry Hibiscus Sour, Twin City Brewing Company
SPICE BEER – 38 ENTRIES
3. Nightwatch, Lighthouse Brewing Co.
2. Flex Mex, Twin Sails Brewing
1. Yoga Pants Cucumber Basil Sour, Electric Bicycle Brewing
SMOKE- & WOOD-AGED BEER – 20 ENTRIES
3. Loral Brett Saison, Île Sauvage Brewing Company
2. Ignis Lichtenhainer, House of Funk Brewing Company
1. The Great Gratzer, Moody Ales
SPECIALTY WOOD AGED BEER – 33 ENTRIES
3. Scarlet, Steamworks Brewing Co.
2. Debauchery Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout, House of Funk Brewing Company
1. Punch’s Farmhouse Ale, Mayne Island Brewing Company
EUROPEAN SOUR – 25 ENTRIES
3. Little Red One, Strange Fellows Brewing
2. Troika, Parallel 49 Brewing Co.
1. Shiro Shiro, Île Sauvage Brewing Company
SPECIALTY BEER – 31 ENTRIES
3. Gulagubben, Whistle Buoy Brewing Co.
2. Pilsbo Baggins New Zealand Pilsner, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
1. Whiskey Sour Ale, Field House Brewing Co.
NORTH AMERICAN LIGHT BEER – 40 ENTRIES
3. Cream Ale, Gladstone Brewing Company
2. Red Racer Summer Crush Hopped Lager, Central City Brewers + Distillers
1. No Brainer, Brassneck Brewery
NORTH AMERICAN BLONDE ALE – 23 ENTRIES
3. Royal City Ale, Steel & Oak Brewing Co.
2. Ballpark Blonde, Red Arrow Brewing Company
1. Bastion Blonde Ale, White Sails Brewing
NORTH AMERICAN PALE ALE – 64 ENTRIES
3. Hazy Pale Ale, Steamworks Brewing Co.
2. Palida, Andina Brewing
1. Hazy Citra Pale Ale, 4 Mile Brewing Co.
NORTH AMERICAN AMBER & BROWN ALE – 28 ENTRIES
3. Midnight Umber, Red Arrow Brewing Company
2. Easy Amber, Nelson Brewing Co
1. Birra Rossa, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
NORTH AMERICAN PORTER & STOUT – 28 ENTRIES
3. Bomber Russian Imperial Stout, Bomber Brewing Co.
2. Rye Stout, Doan’s Craft Beer Company
1. Porter, Gladstone Brewing Company
NORTH AMERICAN IPA – 64 ENTRIES
3. Play Dead IPA, Yellow Dog Brewing
2. Shipwreck, Lighthouse Brewing Co.
1. Bomber IPA, Bomber Brewing Co.
SPECIALTY IPA – 91 ENTRIES
3. Slingshot Session IPA, Fernie Brewing Co.
2. Sipasaurus Rex, Backroads Brewing Company
1. Ferocious Wild IPA, Yellow Dog Brewing
HAZY IPA – 91 ENTRIES
3. Dreamboat Hazy IPA, The Parkside Brewery
2. Neon Lights Pale Ale, Brewhall Beer Co.
1. Exp.003.Mkvi – Fluffy Cloud IPA, 33 Brewing Experiment
IMPERIAL IPA – 17 ENTRIES
3. One Trick Pony, Brassneck Brewery
2. Numbskull, Lighthouse Brewing Co.
1. Psychosis 7 DIPA, Whitetooth Brewing Company Ltd.
BELGIAN ALE – 27 ENTRIES
Honorable Mention: Jongleur Strange, Fellows Brewing
3. Icefields Pale Ale, Whitetooth Brewing Company Ltd.
2. La Tenace Belgian Single, Whitetooth Brewing Company Ltd.
1. Burnabarian, Dageraad Brewing
SAISON – 36 ENTRIES
3. The Pass (Collab W/ Blindman), Dageraad Brewing
2. Small Wonder, Brassneck Brewery
1. Five, Dageraad Brewing
STRONG BELGIAN ALE – 30 ENTRIES
Honorable Mention: 33 Acres of Euphoria, 33 Acres Brewing Co.
3. Blonde, Dageraad Brewing
2. Rosetta, Dageraad Brewing
1. 10°, Dageraad Brewing
WILD ALE – 65 ENTRIES
3. Pinkies Out Tropical Sour, Foamers’ Folly Brewing Co.
2. Mixtape Series: Dry Hopped Sour, Boombox Brewing
1. Strange Resemblance, Strange Fellows Brewing
SPECIALTY WILD ALE – 48 ENTRIES
3. Rose Changeling, Brassneck Brewery
2. Noble Blend Mixed Culture Saison , Yellow Dog Brewing
1. Mountain View Black Currant Sour, Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks
CREATIVE INDUSTRY AWARDS
BEST FLIGHT PADDLE – PRESENTED BY SMOOTH EDGE DESIGN
Andina Brewing
*NEW!* BEST GROWLER DESIGN – PRESENTED BY IDEON PACKAGING
Andina Brewing
BEST MERCH/APPAREL – PRESENTED BY TOPPS HOPS
Mount Arrowsmith Brewing Company
BEST TASTING ROOM DESIGN – PRESENTED BY SHAW SABEY & ASSOCIATES LTD
Electric Bicycle Brewing
BEST TAP HANDLE DESIGN – PRESENTED BY WYLIE JACK TAPS & BRANDING
Boombox Brewing
BEST LABEL DESIGN – CAN – PRESENTED BY VESSEL PACKAGING CO.
Dageraad Brewing – Murder City
BEST LABEL DESIGN – BOTTLE – PRESENTED BY GREAT LITTLE BOX COMPANY
Dageraad Brewing – Antwerpen Tripel
BEST PACKAGING DESIGN – PRESENTED BY GREAT LITTLE BOX COMPANY
Vancouver Island Brewing – Pod Pack
BEST WEBSITE DESIGN – PRESENTED BY MAJOR TOM
Brewhall Beer Co.
BEST SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE – PRESENTED BY MAJOR TOM
Backcountry Brewing