Nanaimo’s craft brewers have collaborated on a beer for the Nanaimo Craft Beer Society’s fifth annual celebration. The festival ran from the end of April to the first week in May.

“To our knowledge, we don’t think there’s ever been a collaboration beer done between all of the Nanaimo breweries before. There’s been a couple smaller ones here and there,” said Matt Carter, director with the Nanaimo Craft Beer Society.

The beer is from a recipe brewed by masters from Longwood Brewery, Longwood Brew Pub, White Sails Brewing and Wolf Brewing Company.

“The brewers and the brew teams all got together at Longwood Brewery a couple weeks ago and put everything in motion and decided on a recipe, decided on ingredients and were all on site to do the actual brewing and, let me tell you, there was definitely smoked chicken wings and some good stories shared while the brewing was going on,” Carter said.

“It’s meant to be lighter, but very much full of flavour and something to sort of celebrate not only the camaraderie here in Nanaimo, but that move toward summer time and patio time,” he said.

“Some cool and interesting things you can’t really find in Nanaimo,” Carter said. “Even though it’s listed as a one-day event, everything they bring in will be on tap until they’re gone.”

“They’re going to talk about what it’s like to be women in the brewing industry and share some samples,” Carter said.

Craft Beer Week also includes a Make Your Own Beer Mug event at Nanaimo Ceramic Arts Studio and Gallery, a Raise Your Glass to the Past tasting of ancient beers at VIU’s Royal Arbutus Room, a Cinco de Mayo celebration at Wolf Brewing, and a Benny and the Beers breakfast event at Top Notch Burgers.

SOURCE: Nanaimo News Bulletin

PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Bush/News Bulletin