Vancouver’s 7th Annual Craft Beer Week is back – bigger and boozier than ever! The 10-day celebration, running from May 27 to June 5 with various events, will be showing off the finest ales, tastiest lagers, and best beers, in the biggest beerfest Western Canada has ever seen.

This year’s VCBW’s 3-day weekend festival from June 3-5 at the PNE Fairgrounds will have over 100 breweries pouring more than 400 different beers and ciders, along with three live stages of music. Co-founder and events director Leah Heneghan expects 18,000 people to attend over the three days.

We were invited to VCBW’s Opening Night, held at Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre last Friday.

The fun of these events in getting to try a variety of local BC breweries and their creations. Thanks to VCBW, I found a few pale ale favourites for my beer book:

• Talisman West Coast Pale Ale from Strange Fellows Brewing in Abbotsford, a dry-hopped and golden-hued ale with a tropical and citrusy aroma.
• Persephone Pale Ale from Persephone Brewing Company in Gibsons, a medium bodied, light-coloured ale with tropical fruit aromas and a modest bitterness.
• Chase My Tail Pale Ale from Yellow Dog Beer in Port Moody, a medium-light bodied pale ale, lightly hoppy with a slightly piney, mostly citrus/wildflower aroma.

If you like sour beers, I’ve heard these ones are pretty good…

• Sour Wheat Gose from Field House Brewing Co. in East Abbotsford.
• Nectarous Dry-hopper Sour, from Four Winds Brewing Company in Delta.

To find your own beer favourites, Vancouver Craft Beer Week has several events happening this week. Here’s a sneak peek:

Brassneck, Ninkasi and Copper & Theory present Feats of Strength Herculean Beer Party!

• Happening on Tuesday May 31st, from 5:00pm til late at The Cobalt. Tickets are $20, buy them here!

Forbidden Fruit

• Happening Wednesday June 1st, from 5:00pm – 10:00pm at Devil’s Elbow. Tickets are $40, buy them here!

Cider House Rules

• Happening Thursday June 2nd, from 5:00pm – 9:00pm at The Lamplighter Public House. Tickets are $20, buy them here!

And the big one… Vancouver Craft Beer Festival, presented by Donnelly Group.

• Happening Friday June 3 (4-9pm), Saturday June 4 (1-6pm), and Sunday June 5 (1-6pm) at PNE Fairgrounds. Tickets are $35-40 for a single day… if one day isn’t enough, they also have a Weekend Pass for $95. Get your tickets here before they sell out!

Bottoms up!