As the B.C. Beer Awards returned at beginning of November, the largest night in the province’s beer industry returned with a bang and the crack of cans opening. The inaugural Beer Awards since 2019 have been held.

The Courtenay operation of Gladstone Brewing Co., which also received an incredible haul of four gold trophies and one silver for each of its different beers, was the night’s main winner.

With Parallel 49 Brewing  Co. winning Best in Show and two other individual medals for its 10th Anniversary Brett Saison, as well as two first-place awards apiece for Brassneck, Steamworks, and Main Street Brewing, several Vancouver breweries were also celebrating victory.

According to organisers, 120 of the province’s more than 200 brewers entered a total of 1,000 beers in the tournament. More than 60 breweries won at least one of the individual beer prizes, demonstrating the high calibre of beer produced throughout the region.

Over many days in late September and early October, a total of 44 judges evaluated the submissions. They had a record 10 female judges, which Amanda Barry-Butchart, one of the awards’ owner-directors, called a positive sign of development in the sector.

See the full list of winners here. 

Photo courtesy of Jan Zeschky/CBC