On a recent trip to British Columbia we created our own brewery crawl on a Saturday on Vancouver…read moreIsland. This was one of our favorites on the crawl. It was a perfect way to spend a few hours. It was a pleasant Spring afternoon and it was busy. There is seating indoors and outdoors. We chose seats at the window indoors. Once a big crowd left, it was a lot more pleasant for us -- we like a bit of space and quiet brewery whenever possible. It seems timing, depending on what you prefer is the key to success when visiting here. The beers were delicious. I went with a dark beer, high abv. It was the Doppelback. My husband had a saison Brett for ironic reasons. They were both delicious. It was so lovely just hanging out and enjoying the brewery. Staff were friendly and seemed like they loved every bit of their job. The washrooms were clean. There was a Mac and Cheese pop up stand/truck. Families ordered from it while we were there and the kids sure seemed to enjoy it. Parking can be tricky when it's busy. We ended up parking on the side of the road. Who cares, though. The beers were worth it! See website for more details.

On a recent family vacation to BC, I tried about six breweries. This was my favorite. We had two…read moreflights, totaling 8 beers. They were all good, but the sour on tap that day was my favorite. The bar tender was friendly, but not overwhelmingly so. I'd be back I lived closer.

We had lunch here while waiting for the ferry and really enjoyed the nice little patio and good…read morefood. Service was prompt and friendly and they had gf designations on their menu which made my life easy. I had the house salad and the apricots on top were delish. The husband of mine had a pizza which he said was the indulgence he was craving. Our friend had the curry soup of the day, fried cheese curds and a cider tasting. Everything was good. They had some cute stuff in their shop inside and I secured myself a perfect fox hat. Next time we come back to San Juan we'll definitely stop in again.

San Juan Island Brewing was quite solid given the lack of food options open past 7 on the island…read more After waiting about 20 minutes to get seated, we ordered pizza and a couple of dishes to share. Pig war pizza: I thought this was good but my friends said it was too salty. Maybe it was a tad salty but I think that's how all pork pizza is going to taste normally. 4.5/5 Fried chicken sandwich: I didn't really like this as much, I liked the sauce and it had a nice kick to it but the chicken was a tad dry and flavorless. 3.5/5 Philly cheesesteak: I enjoyed this, the steak and the melted cheese mixed together nicely with the bread to create a delicious experience. It is a bit expensive for a Philly cheesesteak though for its size and it's not anything super special. 4/5 Fries were also pretty good but they didn't come out hot. The food took a bit of time to come out but that is somewhat understandable since they were quite busy on a weekend night. I enjoyed the ambience, it definitely felt like a brewery and gave pub vibes but with solid food. 4.1/5

Great little brewery with really good beer. A must stop when visiting Orcas…read more Follow the signs to the parking lot and head down the staircase.

Absolutely adorable brewery. Adorable isn't a word I use often to describe a brewery bit this place…read morejust that. Plenty of parking and signs leading you to an adorable brewery playing awesome reggae music. Two outdoor seating areas. Yummy brews. I had a blackberry ale, I think. They do flights. Either 4 choice or ALL of them. I laughed, really? I had one and it was enough. If I had a ride I would love to hang out and drink more. Super comfortable place with board games too. Doggy friendly patio out front. Signage explaining rules for the kiddos if you bring them. For a person who goes to brewery sans children, I appreciate that. They don't serve food here but I think you can bring food. Drink good beer and enjoy your life. SYOY!

I think I have to bump up the stars since my last beer experience here…read more On our latest trip to our northern neighbor we had another beer from Driftwood that we immensely enjoyed. That beer was the Spiff Corn Lager. It was such a refreshing beverage to have as we were ready to get out of the hot mugginess of summer. Flavor features with this delightful beer are a natural sweetness along with crispness and a clean finish. The beer is very light bodied and extremely persuasive in having you get another one.

We researched before traveling and knew we needed to stop by for a Fat Tug IPA for my partner. We…read morehad a round then a group of people who had already drank away enough of their inhibitions for the day sat down next to us: we opted to leave. As I paid the tab they were asked to leave. We opened a second tab and were so glad we did. We truly had a lovely time. The staff were thoughtful and offered great and friendly service. By dealing with an uncomfortable situation they made us feel comfortable staying for a second round. If we lived here, we'd be back! I loved the raspberry sour! So light and refreshing!

While in Victoria, BC during a port stop on a cruise we went on an Ale Trail excursion and the…read morefirst of three stops was Whistle Buoy. Talk about hitting out of the park with the first stop! Whistle Buoy is located in a Market Square that's a beautiful open air area surrounded by shops, boutiques, restaurants, assorted businesses, and vast tracts of land with chairs and tables. Since it's surrounded by buildings on all four sides the wind would be challenged to ruffle your hair once inside. For this stop of the Ale Trail excursion we were each allowed one glass (not a taster...a full 12oz glass) of one brew. They have roughly a dozen taps that run the typical gamut of beer styles. I immediately gravitated toward the Shaft Coffee Stout. Not my usual go-to, (I'm usually more of an IPA / Pale Ale kinda guy) but something about "Dark. Coffee. Chocolate" grabbed my attention (Here's the part where Jim has an advantage. Jim's wife doesn't drink beer, so Jim gets her selection, too, so she (ok, I) chose the Froth Hazy Pale for hers (ok, for me).) I didn't expect the highlight of the excursion to be the very first beer I had, but the Shaft Coffee Stout was quite possibly the best beer I've ever had. It was smooth and rich and had such an amazing flavor. Honestly, it was more like dessert. I'm not saying my wife's beer (ok, my 2nd) wasn't awesome, it's just that the Shaft set the bar REALLY high. ( I'm just talkin' 'bout Shaft! ) Our group sat in the outdoor, covered beer garden, the weather was slightly overcast, and we were surrounded by like-minded beer lovers (except my wife, who donates to my cause.) As we sat the Market Square was busy with life as people walked their dogs, visited businesses, and a group of elementary school kids was escorted through the square. Sometimes it's nice to sit back and watch the world go by. The restrooms (gender neutral, thank you) are small...ok, tiny. There's barely enough room to change your mind. I do have to call attention to two things, though. First, it has the tiniest sink I've ever seen. Surely this thing had to be custom made. Second, they have a Code of Conduct posted on the wall, which I genuinely appreciated. Nothing outrageous, just a focus on respect and common decency. If I were able to get Shaft Coffee Stout at home I'd never leave home (actually I would just to get more Shaft Coffee Stout). It was only a brief visit to Whistle Buoy Brewing, but if I ever found myself living in Victoria, BC, there is no doubt this is where I'd hang out.

Really nice and relaxed atmosphere, beautiful patio! Fun selection of beers but the ones I had…read morewere maybe a little lighter than I prefer. Super fun and easy stop!!

One of the best Craft Breweries on Vancouver Island by far. From when you first walk in, and are…read moreoffered their new feature beer, to how they treat my pooch as we arrive, with a water bowl (and most times a treat!).. Great vibes all around and some of the tastiest beers on the Island. A must stop for anyone travelling through Duncan on their way to or from Victoria/Nanaimo.

A great find! Tucked away behind Stillhead distillery, this little gem will make you smile. A great…read morevariety of their own brews on tap, flights, glass, or growler. The service is friendly and welcoming. Great food available, several varieties of in-house ramen plus other appetizers served fresh and quick. Dog-friendly, table or bar seating, outdoor patio - what are you waiting for?

We love this place for its games, fun ambiance, excellent service, and wide menu of delicious…read morebeers. This visit included our favorite Russian imperial stout by Fort George: Matryoshka variant with vanilla and pistachio. Delicious. This is a fun, must stop but easy to miss stop in lovely Friday Harbor.

I don't know why this place doesn't have a higher star rating. We loved coming here so much on our…read morerecent trip that we visited two days in a row! They have a great selection of beers and ciders and the view is one of the best you can find without spending a ton of money! The service was friendly and they happily allow dogs inside, as well as outside. Definitely stop here if you're looking to get a drink in Friday Harbor!

Just had the best dessert ever at Category12 Bistro and Brewery…read more Crunch and Much is an amazing brownie dessert with vanilla ice cream, white bark chocolate chunks and caramel sauce made with their own Coconut Porter beer. Chef Ali, you have turned me into a dessert lover!

The restaurant ambiance and service was great. I felt the food was overpriced for what we received…read moreand wasn't exceptionally great. In comparison to other things, I don't think I would go back for food. Maybe for beer it's a better place, but as a restaurant i think they could grow and provide better food offerings.

Loved the beer, best ever & they were always expanding their very interesting & tasty brews ,…read morebartenders, atmosphere, quiet conversations open view of vast fields, airport runway, & hanger dogs. Outdoor seating was added plus. They used to have music, too. But wait! IT CLOSED!! So disappointed.

Great local brewery with a good assortment of beers on tap, including sours, stout, blonde and IPA…read more They also sell paninis, and chips. Highly recommend the chicken pesto panini!!!

It wouldn't be a proper trip to Victoria if we didn't partake in some of the local craft beer scene…read morewhile visiting. Phillips was long on my list of breweries to try and despite Canada being very close to where we are located trips there remain highly infrequent. So finally getting to try some more breweries from the north was an extra perk to our trip! The beer that Steve and I had from this brewery was the TILT Lager and it proved itself to be a good one also! With a nice breadiness and a natural sweetness to it. There is a clean and crisp finish to this beer which we always enjoy experiencing with beers. This beer is light bodied and is easy to have more than one of but we behaved ourselves and shared this refreshing lager.

Decided to try new Roast menu and was very impressed. Loved the new selection and was really happy…read morewith wraps and burgers. Also want to shout out for their bathrooms after a big reno. Outstanding!