This is a unique family owned business in Victoria. We got the non-alcoholic flight of ciders and…read morethe traditional apple cider was our favorite. The service was prompt and efficient. We sat on the back patio which had incredible views, including seeing Mount Baker in the distance that was completely snow covered. We got a short interesting story of their business. We stopped here after a visit to butchart gardens, which is recommended too. Enjoy!

Food & drink - flatbread & the dip were both good. i actually put the dip on a slice of my pizza…read more the tasting is 6 ciders - i had the canadian invasion. perfect sized tasting with some light snacks for an afternoon break. my fav cider was the sassamanash but i am also into sweeter drinks. Service - very friendly, everyone loved our little pup. they brought him a water bowl. our server came around quickly & our food items also came out fairly quick. Ambiance - very chill. we sat on the patio with our pup & there were a ton of other dogs also laying out soaking up the sun. plenty of umbrellas to give shade in the hot summer sun. beautiful view.

Four of us came for an afternoon tasting and bite to eat…read more We had a tour with Roddy and enjoyed it very much. Quite the character. We tasted four ciders and two liqueurs. Afterwards, we had a dessert afternoon tea accompanied by more cider. All very good and great staff.

If you're in the cobble hill, please make sure you stop here! We visited Merridale for a tasting,…read moreand what a hidden gem it is! The food and cider menus were extensive, featuring special items, mocktails, and cocktails. The service was excellent, and the spot is beautiful. It's also kid-friendly with games on the lawn and other activities. I enjoyed each of the ciders. I had the non-alcoholic flight, and my favorite was the lavender one! The fennel soda was very interesting, the ginger soda was a take on a ginger ale and the apple juice was great. Great value as well for $7. My husband had the world alcoholic cider flights and thoroughly enjoyed his selections. The farm itself is incredibly charming and offers activities for both adults and children. They also have some tours. I will definitely return for another visit and highly recommend Merridale cider and distillery

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!

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.

Brewery with board games and chill indoor seating in downtown Victoria. The sours that they had on…read moretap are good, especially the peach.

COVID #42 One of…read morethese days I'll remember to bring my ID. I do hate it when they think I'm 18. Friendly staff, automated gate if the tasting room is not open. They'll still sell to you regardless. Located at the top of a hill. Something like Mission Hills Estate Winery in Kelowna, if you've ever been there,but not as eleborate and large. Two spirits purchased. see my pics. Worth a visit. Definitely.

Although this place is a little hard to find, it is worth the trip. We came here after the Butchart…read moreGardens and it was a great find. For $5 you get a flight of 3 wines. Each wine has its own distinct flavors and the owner is great and will tell you an interesting story behind all of them. I'm not a huge wine drinker but all of the wines I tried here made me want to be. The only downside we experienced was that we came at a time where they did not have any food. Cheese and fruit would have been a great accompaniment to the wine! I would definitely recommend coming but make sure you are coming when they have food as well!

Excellent beers - especially for folks who might not love the traditional beer experience. Unique…read moresours, fun stouts, and interesting flavors make this a must-visit for beer folks in area. The have what appears to be a captured food truck, if you're look for a bite to eat. We sat at the bar and enjoyed the Ecailleur Gose (Oyster shells, citrus, chilies), Depense Saison (spent grape saison), and Jamaique Gose (hibiscus & cinnamon), and all three were delicious. My only regret is coming here after a big meal and not having enough stomach capicity to try more things. The location is in interesting neighborhood - if coming after dark, I might be a little cautious about walking around this part of town alone. Ile Sauvage is a magical little gem in an unsuspecting place, and their beer is some of the best.

My favorite brewery in all of BC! I happened on it and was amazed by the quality of sours and…read morestouts! The more usual hoppy beer is good too, but the FC + Stout was probably the best stout I'd ever had. Wonderful location and ambiance, and you can even order pizza that is supplied by the next door Pizzeria Prima Strada!

The vibe and atmosphere of the winery was stunning. With our tasting we got to enjoy the scenic…read moreviews of the winery with the valley spread out beyond the horizon. The employee who was providing us with the tastings and describing for us each wine offered on the tasting was very nice. However, it appeared she didn't know the product all too well or forgot some key descriptions on some of the wine. I love that on their charcuterie board it offered local food specific to Cowichan Valley. The duck pate with port jelly along with the Cowichan cheese from a local farm down the road is a nice touch to complement the experience.

The wine here was so good. We visited in October…read more We did a tasting while on a tour. We were the only people there since they just opened. Staff were lovely and very attentive. The grounds were beautiful. If we are ever back in Victoria would love to come back in the spring and sit outside. This is definitely a must stop. I wished they shipped to the States.

Came for the bubbles and stayed for the views…read more Church and State Winery is a gorgeous spot specializing in sparkling flights, with plenty more to enjoy on their full lunch menu. You can choose between a sparkling flight or red flight from their sister location in the Okanagan. I ordered the bison burger with fries, and while the burger was solid, the fries were standout--crispy, golden perfection! The views from the deck overlooking the vineyards make it an ideal place to linger over a glass (or two)! A great addition to a day spent touring the Butchart and the Butterfly Gardens :)

Happen to see this winery name a few times and decided to give it a try. Made reservations a…read morecouple hours prior and upon arriving facility looked dark and closed. Walked in and place was dead (yet asked if we had reservations - which we did). We were sat at the bar and mentioned that we'd have about an hour ish time and was told, "no worries we hold an hour slot but tasting is only 45 minutes." That was a statement that felt like we'd be rushed and it's exactly what happened; we started off with bubbles, which one was completely flat (unsure how long the bottle was open or any of the others since it's off season) but within minutes the server was like "what would you try next"- and kept pouring our next taste within minutes without giving us time to even finish our initial glass of bubbles. You could tell the server did not want to be at work, yet tried to be friendly and when asked where the winery name came from, I got the response "I don't remember and if I don't, then the story much not be memorable"