Beer

The Beers You Should Order From Home

Vancouverites have a bunch of options.

By Nathan Caddell /

If you know anyone from P.E.I., you likely know how massive of a deal it is that the province just shuttered its liquor stores.

And while rumours of B.C. doing following suit haven’t yet come to fruition, your neighbourhood liquor store is likely hurting a little bit for product. But there’s a better option if you’re looking to get your beer fix.

As you may have heard, many Vancouver breweries are currently shipping out their product to those in desperate want of pale ales and IPAs during this time, whether independently or through a service like Foodora or Doordash.

Here is a list of some of those breweries, and what you should order from each one. (Keep in mind that prices are pre-tax and delivery fee.)

33 Acres

How to order: https://shop.33acresbrewing.com/ (free delivery)

The beer to get: 33 Acres of Darkness (6 bottles for $14.40)

33’s experimental brewery next door to the original location has been cranking out some certified hits, but for our money the best drinks on West 8th Avenue have long been the Darkness and Sunshine varietals.

And while it’s been nice and sunny lately, the weather is expected to take something of a turn this weekend. You’ll want to wallow in the darkness of self-isolation with this rich but somehow not heavy beer. Perfect for all those feelings.

Andina Brewing

How to order: Skip The Dishes

The beer to get: Jalea Guava Saison (4 tall cans for $15.50)

This is something of a slam-dunk, given that it’s easily the East Van brewery’s most popular beer. It’s not overly sweet for a fruity beer and is quite sessionable, which is a positive during these times. Of courses you’ll also want to be careful—at 6.4 percent alcohol it packs a punch.

Bomber Brewing

How to order: https://bomberbrewing.com/ (free delivery on orders over $25)

The beer to get: Park Life Passionfruit Ale ($13 for a six-pack)

Instead of gathering with your friends in the park like a crazy person, just have some of these. It’s dark times, sure, but if anything can brighten your mood…

Container Brewing

How to order: https://www.drinkcontainer.beer/ (minimum $30)

The beer to get: All Season – Dry Nitro Stout ($16 for a four-pack)

The East Van newbie has quickly established itself as a brewery to watch and though this stout’s name sure seems like an oxymoron, it really isn’t. Creamy but never heavy (make sure to shake the expletive out of it before pouring, that’s why the can is upside down), it’s a good pick for all seasons. And for staying inside, too.

East Van Brewing

How to order: https://my-site-106257.square.site/ (free delivery)

The beer to get: Community Lager ($13.05 for a six-pack)

Hey, you’ve got to get your community fix in somehow, right? Sessionable and tasty with a 4.7 ABV, it’s everything we want and need in a lager right now.

Electric Bicycle Brewing

How to order: https://electricbicyclebrewing.com/collections/all (free delivery)

The beer to get: It’s No Game IPA

You can’t hang out in Electric Bicycle’s awesome taproom anymore, but you can get a taste of it (don’t boo me please) with their hazy IPA, a 6.5 ABV beer that hits pretty hard but is undeniably tasty and complex.

Faculty Brewing

How to order: https://www.facultybrewing.com/shop (free delivery on orders over $50)

The beer to get: Minzeweizen ($8.15 for a 650ml bottle)

One of the more original beers available in the city today, the folks at Faculty merged a hazy wheat ale with peppermint tea to surprisingly awesome results. And, if you’re looking for a bit more to drink, a four-pack of the brewery’s Sourweisse isn’t bad either.

Luppolo Brewing

How to order: https://beervan.ca/ (free delivery on orders over $40)

The beer to get: La Piazza Italian Pilsner

The East Van brewery teamed up with some other local producers (the aforementioned Faculty, Dickie’s Ginger Beer, Oddity Kombucha, Slow Hand Beer Company and Temporal Artisan Ales) to create BeerVan. So when you’re one-stop shopping over there, make sure to throw some of Luppolo’s dry-hopped and very clean La Piazza Italian Pilsner into the cart.

Main Street Brewing

How to order: Skip The Dishes

The beer to get: Fruit Bomb Sour ($12.29 for a six-pack)

As solid as kettle sours get—it’s fruity but not overwhelming while still retaining a crispness. There’s also the Blackberry Fruit Bomb ($12.49 for a four-pack), if you’re looking to get a little crazy with it

Parallel 49 Brewing

How to order: Call 604-558-2739 (no delivery fee) 

The beer to get: Jerkface 9000 Northwest Wheat Ale ($11.99 for a six-pack)

An oldie but an unquestioned goodie, Jerkface has spurred a ton of imitators that seek to merge wheat ale and hops. But, so far at least, it hasn’t been beat.

Postmark Brewing

How to order: Skip The Dishes

The beer to get: Blueberry-Lemonade DIPA ($19.40 for a four-pack) 

OK, this might be incredibly responsible of me to recommend, for a couple reasons. One, I’ve never had this beer. Two, it’s almost $20 for a four-pack. And, with all due respect, Postmark ain’t exactly Superflux.

But hey, it’s a 7.5 ABV blueberry-lemonade double IPA and you only live once.

Slowhand Brewing

How to order: https://beervan.square.site/ (free delivery on orders over $40)

The beer to get: West Coast Pale Ale ($16 for a four-pack)

Slowhand prides themselves on making strong versions of beers that many consider to be less complex, like pilsners and lagers. And they’ve delivered with this pale ale—it’s one of the best of its kind I’ve ever had. Smooth and easy to drink but interesting enough to keep your attention, it’s an absolute winner.

Strange Fellows Brewing

How to order: Uber Eats/Foodora/Skip The Dishes

The beer to get: Talisman West Coast Pale Ale ($13 for a four-pack)

You can’t really go wrong with Strange Fellows, but, like Slowhand, Strange Fellows has a damn solid pale ale in the tried and true Talisman.

Strathcona Beer Company and Superflux Beer Company

How to order: https://www.superfluxbeer.com/shop (minimum order $35, delivery fee of $5)

The beers to get: Love Buzz Raspberry Hibiscus Sour ($17.65 for a four-pack) and Colour and Shape IPA ($19.67 for a four-pack)

Strathcona makes some wicked sours—they’ve also got a Mango Sour on tap if that’s more your style—and this iteration of their popular Love Buzz is no different.

Meanwhile, Superflux makes some of the finest IPAs in the city. Yes, it’s expensive. But that’s the price you pay for one of the better beers you’ll find in Vancouver.