Nanaimo is holding its third annual Nanaimo Craft Beer Week (NCBW) this month from February 15–23. Last year, Nanaimo welcomed a new brewery, Cliffside, and a new tap room, Craft Fare, both of which will be participating in NCBW. If you’re not interested in beer, there’s also a cider event that snuck in. Find out more below!
Cliffside Brew Co. will host the kick-off event for free during their regular hours, 12 pm–12 am, on February 15. Nanaimo’s newest brewery is not short on taps and this launch party is sure to be hoppin’.
“Ale-archy in the UK” will be held at Wolf Brewing February 18 at 5 pm, featuring UK-inspired ales available for tasting, and the event is free!
“Brewed Awakenings” will be held at the Nanaimo Museum on February 19 at 5 pm. If you don’t already have a ticket you’ll be window watching, however, because it’s already sold out! The tickets were $20 if you were interested.
“Barrel Bash” will be held at Axe & Grind on February 19 at 7:30 pm. There will be axe throwing (obviously), arcade game challenges, and barrel-aged beers. What could go wrong? There will be an unveiling of the barrel-aged El Presidente Spanish Imperial Stout, brewed special just for NCBW. Head on out to the Best of the City and bury the hatchet! Tickets are $25.
Bruges Brothers (honorarily Cédric Dauchot and Joe Wiebe) will be at Lucky’s Liquor Store on February 20 at 6:30 pm to talk to people about the history of Belgian brewing. There will also be tastings, of course. Tickets are $20
“Cider Sips by the Sea“ will be at the Lighthouse Bistro & Pub on February 20, branching off beer and leaning into cider and tapas paired with live music from The Big Mess. Their menu will offer an array of seafood. Tickets are $55.
“Casks in Hand” will be a free event hosted at White Sails Brewing on February 21 at 5 pm. They’re calling their cask beer of the night “Go Ahead, Cask Me Anything,” and will be featuring homegrown and guest cask beers.
“It’s Getting Hop In Here” is another free event that will be held at Craft Fare on February 22, starting at 2 pm. They’ll have an “IPA Tap Takeover” with an IPA-inspired food menu served exclusively for this event.
“Crafternoon” will start at 12 pm on February 23 at the Longwood Brew Pub. It’s already sold out, but they are hosting a free event immediately after which they are calling “Night of the Living Dregs,” at which they will serve whatever is left from the 15+ BC breweries that came to present their signature beers. Night of the Living Dregs will begin at 4 pm.
If you’re a beer lover, the festivities don’t end there! “Parksville Untapped” will be held on February 20 at 6:30 pm at the Beach Club Resort, featuring over 30 vendors to taste from. Tickets are $59. Last but not least, on April 17 the Mid-Island’s largest celebration of craft beer, Nanaimo Kinsmen Beer Fest, will be held at Beban Social Centre from 6 pm–9 pm. Tickets are $40.
