Move over. hot chocolate, beer is coming for you.
If you love a visit to your local breweries, the newly launched tasting passports by the BC Ale Trail might be of interest.
The BC Ale Trail, in collaboration with TransLink’s Dine the Line, just launched five tasting passports throughout Metro Vancouver for beer lovers to get adventurous.
The North of the Fraser Ale Trail is the adventure closest to home, featuring local breweries from New West, Burnaby, Port Coquitlam and Coquitlam.
New West's love affair with beer began back in 1860 when it built a home for Labatt brewing, which made its home in Sapperton until 2005. Its history lives on in the name of its former location, the Brewery District, so it comes as no surprise that New West breweries are a must-stop in your ale trails adventures.
You can begin your adventures with a stop at award-winning Steel & Oak brewery (1319 Third Ave.), which revived the brewery scene in New West, and sip on local beers from the company that recently saw its Shiny Things IPA served up at pubs in France.
Follow that up with a stop at an intimate beer tasting experience at Another Beer Co., located steps away from the historic Brewery District site.
Folks can head to any of these participating breweries to pick up their passports and embark on a local tasting tour or beer hop, collecting stamps as they go.
Six unique stamps equals a chance to win many prizes, including a beer-themed staycation prize package (one or two nights of accommodation, activities and gift cards to spend on beer and meals), according to a BC Ale Trail press release. The more adventures you embark on, the more you stand to win, as the campaign encourages multiple entries.
The adventures are welcome to everyone — including those trying Dry February — with purchases of swag, food or non-alcoholic drinks.
The ale trail adventures run through February and encourage people to explore the beer trails car-free.
The beer-hop can be paired with New West restaurants participating in the Dine the Line initiative for a well-rounded experience.
The Tasting Passports also feature a special TransLink Bonus square for those using public transit.
You can find all the details at the BC Ale Trail website.
