Vancouver Craft Beer: Brewery Hopping

Updated: 2026-06-17｜Opening hours, prices and beer-festival information are subject to each brewery’s and the official announcements.

Before coming to Vancouver, my idea of beer pretty much stopped at the few cans in the convenience-store cooler. It wasn’t until I settled in that I discovered just how absurdly high this city’s craft-beer density is—the Greater Vancouver area alone has over a hundred small breweries, and “brewery hopping” (going from one brewery to the next to drink tasters) with friends on the weekend has practically become a regular outing for locals. This piece isn’t about a ranking; instead I’ve put together the two routes I’ve personally done and think are best for arranging for out-of-town friends, while also spelling out the transport, budget, and those rules you can trip over before you know it.

First, some background: BC has a great many craft breweries. According to the BC Craft Brewers Guild, the province has around two hundred-plus licensed craft breweries, with the Greater Vancouver area accounting for a sizeable share. The breweries here have two things in common: first, most have an attached “tasting room” where you can sit down and order a round of small glasses to sip slowly; and second, they generally take a “localized” approach, featuring BC’s local malt, hops, and fruit. What’s most worth knowing for travellers is that these breweries usually aren’t just selling beer—they’re community gathering spots. Many don’t have their own kitchen but let you order delivery, or there’s a food truck on site; the atmosphere is relaxed, and bringing along older relatives or friends who don’t drink doesn’t feel out of place. If you want to compare systematically, download an app like Untappd first to check ratings and opening hours, which will save you a fair bit of wasted-trip time.

Route One: East Van “Yeast Van” Walking + Short-Hop Route

East Vancouver’s breweries are so densely packed that locals have simply nicknamed the area “Yeast Van” (yeast sounds like East). This is the route best suited to “not driving,” because several well-known breweries are within walking distance or a short bus ride of one another.

The same area also has Powell Brewery, Andina, Off The Rail, Strange Fellows, Luppolo, and more—the density really is high, so spontaneously adding another brewery is no problem at all. For transport, the most convenient way is to take the SkyTrain from downtown to Commercial–Broadway station, then transfer to a bus or walk into the East Van brewery cluster; most breweries are a 10–20 minute walk apart, so changing spots after a round also gives you a chance to digest a bit. This route is especially suited to travellers without a rental car who want a day trip on a limited budget—line up 3–4 breweries and your afternoon is well spent.

Route Two: Port Moody “Brewers Row”—Drink Your Way Down One Street

If you want a “one-stop” experience, Port Moody’s Brewers Row is Greater Vancouver’s most famous choice. It’s simply a whole row of independent breweries sitting next to one another along Murray Street, which you can string together on foot, and it’s right next to Rocky Point Park and the waterfront Shoreline Trail.

In recent years newcomers like Rewind have joined, and the number of breweries along the whole street keeps changing, so it’s safer to check each one’s latest opening hours before you set out. As for transport, Port Moody has the SkyTrain Millennium Line (Evergreen Extension); get off at Moody Centre station and walk to Murray Street—no driving needed at all. This is also the main reason I recommend it to out-of-town friends: after drinking, you don’t have to worry about a designated driver. This route suits people who want to stroll easily down one street and also take in a seaside walk along the way; when you’ve had enough to drink, walking over to Rocky Point Park to catch the breeze and have an ice cream makes for a very complete half-day itinerary.

How to gauge budget and time? Beer prices vary from place to place and change over time, but here are the common rough ranges, with the actual amounts subject to each brewery’s on-site and official-website pricing: a small taster (about 4–6 oz) is usually a few Canadian dollars per glass, and many people order a “flight” (four small glasses at once) to compare styles; a standard glass (about 12–16 oz) mostly lands somewhere in the low-to-mid teens of Canadian dollars; brewery tours are partly free and partly paid, some including tastings, and it’s advisable to book on each brewery’s official website; merchandise (glasses, clothing) varies widely in price, purely depending on whether you want to collect it. On timing, lining up 3–4 breweries per route and staying 40–60 minutes at each is the most comfortable—drink too fast and hit too many places, and by the end you actually can’t tell the flavours apart; sipping slowly is the whole point.

There are a few rules you absolutely have to keep in mind first. BC’s legal drinking age is 19, and breweries and bars often check ID, so remember to carry your passport. Zero tolerance for drink-driving: BC’s rules on impaired driving are quite strict, and beyond the criminal threshold, a blood-alcohol level of 0.05% or above can already lead to immediate penalties and licence suspension, so when brewery-hopping please be sure to use the SkyTrain, a taxi, or a designated driver—this is also why I put the two routes Port Moody and Yeast Van, both “doable entirely by public transit,” first. As for bringing children, most breweries allow kids into the tasting room, but the brewing area is usually off-limits for lingering, and policies differ by establishment, so it’s best to phone ahead before bringing children. As for taking beer away, breweries can sell their own products on site, but BC’s retail liquor sales are regulated by the provincial government, and you generally have to buy from a BC Liquor Store or a licensed private store.

The nice thing about brewery-hopping is that there’s usually plenty to browse nearby. Step out of the breweries in the East Van area and you’re in neighbourhoods full of street art, with a farmers’ market near Strathcona; Port Moody’s Brewers Row is right next to Rocky Point Park and the waterfront trail, so alongside the tasting you can stroll and look out at the sea—a very relaxing combination. If you’re planning your overall Vancouver itinerary, you can arrange it together with other downtown sights; referring to our complete Vancouver travel guide will make it easier to schedule.

Finally, a question I’m often asked: is Vancouver’s craft beer festival still happening? Vancouver used to have the well-known Vancouver Craft Beer & Music Festival (formerly Vancouver Craft Beer Week), but the organizers have announced it will be paused for 2026, mainly because that same year the city is affected by FIFA World Cup-related events, putting too much pressure on venue, staffing, and logistics, and they were unwilling to compromise on quality, safety, and the overall experience. They plan to return in 2027 (expected July), with the exact format and dates still pending official announcement. If your itinerary happens to want to take in a large beer festival, please be sure to verify the latest official news before setting out, and don’t rely on old information alone.