The craft brew scene on Vancouver Island and environs is the most dynamic in Canada and may soon give Seattle and Portland a run for their money
Becky Julseth, co-owner of Salt Spring Island Ales, sits in front of the brewery’s tasting room.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
Bottling The Big One, an intensely flavoured India Pale Ale, at Longwood Brewery in Nanaimo, B.C.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
Bryan O'Malley, an owner of the Tofino Brewing Company, dispenses one of the company’s tasty ales.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
Kevin Hearsum, one of the owners of Victoria’s Driftwood Brewing Company, examines a beer’s colour during its fermentation process.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
Hoyne Brewery pint glasses for sale in the Victoria, BC brewery's shop.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
Dave Woodward, brewmaster at Tofino Brewing Company, wheels out a steaming pile of mash during an early phase in the beer-making process.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
Hoyne employee Chris McCrodan loads kegs into one of the brewery’s delivery vans.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
Beer kegs at Victoria’s Driftwood Brewing Company feature a hand-painted yellow-and-orange stripe.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
Dallas Budd, a volunteer hop-picker for Salt Spring Island Ales, stays dry during a recent hop harvest.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
A refreshing pint of Salt Spring Island Ale is the ultimate reward after a rainy day of hop-picking.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
Brewing apprentice Tony Gratl pours a bag of malted barley into a grinder at Longwood Brewery in Nanaimo, B.C..Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
Empty cans of Berried Alive, a raspberry ale made by Longwood, move through the canning machine.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
Pete Kis-Toth, head of quality control at Longwood Brewery in Nanaimo, examines an ale’s turbidity.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
Brewing apprentice Kieran Campbell samples a brew at Tofino Brewing Company’s warehouse in Tofino, B.C.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
Damon Bell, Phillips Brewery’s head brewer, stands on bourbon barrels used to flavour its Twisted Oat Scotch Ale.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
Brewmaster David Woodward taste-tests a pint of Tofino Brewing Company’s Hoppin’ Cretin IPA in Tofino.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
Driftwood Brewing’s ale-heavy offerings include Fat Tug IPA.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
Sean Hoyne, brewmaster and owner of Hoyne Brewery, also in Victoria, makes lagers, bocks and pilsners, among other varieties.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
A bushel of fresh hops is handled at Driftwood Brewing Company in Victoria.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
Salt Spring Island Ales co-owner Neil Cooke-Dallin transports hop vines on a nearby farm.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
The Tofino Brewing Company’s brewery is a short drive from Wickaninnish Beach.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail
A Tofino Brewing Company host of taps dispenses the establishment’s offerings.Kari Medig/The Globe and Mail