A lot of beer is consumed in the year-round resort community of Whistler, British Columbia. Each year the Whistler Village Beer Festival is more than a fun time for beer enthusiasts, it is a competition of sorts. Essentially, the brewery garnering the most “peoples choice” votes earns the right to supply beer to some of Whistler Village’s busiest bars for the coming year. It is a lucrative contract, to be sure.
The Whistler Village Beer Festival took place last weekend and featured over 120 beers and ciders from 60 producers. The winner of the coveted title this year was Coast Mountain Brewing, which happens to be located in Whistler. (Home field advantage? Perhaps, but I can personally attest to the fact that Coast Mountain makes damn good beer.)
The WBVF is a really fun event in a really, really cool location. I’ve been twice and highly recommend it to non-Canadian beer lovers. It provides an opportunity to sample some of Western Canada’s best beers in one place. See our previous posts about this event.
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Here’s the press release wrapping up this year’s event.
COAST MOUNTAIN BREWING WINS BIG AT WHISTLER VILLAGE BEER FESTIVAL
September 15, 2019, WHISTLER, BC – Whistler Village Beer Festival (WVBF) has wrapped seven craft beer fuelled days. A total of 4,400 beer lovers attended the WVBF Main Event on Saturday, September 14 and Sunday, September 15, and tasted over 120 beers and ciders, from 60 breweries. Breweries came as far away as Ontario (Steam Whistle Brewing), Quebec (Glutenberg), Novia Scotia (No Boats on Sunday), and California (Lagunitas Brewing Company).
“What a BLAST!” said Katrina Frew, Festival & Events Director of Gibbons Whistler, “Regardless of the weather people had a great time! We definitely upped our game this year with 7 days, 32 events, 4,400 attendees, 60 breweries, 120+ brews being poured, and so much more.”
Winning multiple awards at this year’s festival was Coast Mountain Brewing from Whistler, who not only took home the title of the Heavyweight Champ and Best in Fest, but also won this year’s Master Crafters: Haze Craze, presented by Grimm’s Fine Foods. Their delicious brews will be available on draught at The Longhorn Saloon and Firerock Lounge, and bottles will be available at Garibaldi Lift Co. Bar & Grill (GLC) starting October 2019 for a year.
Best in Fest runner up, and winner of a draught line at Tapley’s Neighbourhood Pub and bottles at Merlin’s Bar & Grill, went to Backcountry Brewing, an owner-operated brewery from Squamish BC.
Third place went to Fuggles & Warlock, who have been keeping beer weird since 2012. They have won a draught line at Norman Rudy’s in Squamish, and bottles will be available at Dusty’s Bar & BBQ in Whistler. People’s Choice, presented by Preston Mobility, was too tight of a race to call at the end of the two-day Main Event and will be announced through WVBF’s social channels in the coming days.
WVBF extended to seven days for their seventh anniversary this year with 30 peripheral events, and two main events. Axes & Ales kicked off the festival on Monday, September 9. Craft beer lovers united to throw axes at Forged Axe Throwing and enjoy beer from Coast Mountain Brewery and Whistler Brewing Company. Craft Cultures: Sea, Land, Sky returned for its second year and was a resounding success, with 200 people filling the halls of the Audain Art Museum. This transformative evening celebrated the natural beauty of Sea, Land, and Sky, and featured mouth-watering bites from The Collective Kitchen, brews from Coast Mountain Brewing, Whistler Brewing Company, Hoyne Brewing, Red Racer Brewing, Gibbons Après Lager, and Northyards Cider, as well as live music from Shane Ray & Steph Lundy and DJ Stache. Paintertainment had three live art models, each representing an element, mingling amongst guests. The halls were decorated with décor supplied by Celebrate Events, Event Rental Works, and Canadian Wilderness Adventures.
The week continued with Sip & Stretch on Wednesday September 11th at the Westin Resort & Spa where $533 was raised for BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. 60+ attendees sipped on Gibbons Après Lager while doing yoga taught by Connor Eccles, from Lululemon Whistler. The Longhorn Saloon got hazy with Master Crafters: Haze Craze, presented by Grimm’s Fine Foods on Friday, September 13th, where eight breweries went head to head in a blind taste testing. Other events included Tap Takeovers at Stonesedge, Hunter Gather, Beacon Pub & Eatery, Pangea Pod Hotel, and the Brickworks Public house; Craft Beer Breaky at Stonesedge Kitchen; WVBF Bar Hop editions; and so much more!
The Gibbons team has already started planning for WVBF 2020 and looks forward to welcoming everyone back to Whistler next year. Early bird tickets for #WVBF2020 will be on sale soon. For more details about Whistler Village Beer Festival and a list of all the breweries in attendance click here.
