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Vancouver Island Brewery | 2330 Government Street


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#1 Rorschach

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Posted 11 May 2008 - 02:59 PM

New brew released this week - a premium Pilsner. After the great stuff released by Phillips, I'd sworn off the other local breweries. But, Phillips does not make a Pilsner so I had to give the new one from Vancouver Island Brewery a try. It's an excellent Pilsner. This style is very hard to brew at home and I appreciate that they came up with this for the public.

I'd like to see it just a touch darker, but still, the flavour is very nice and a marked improvement over their European Style lager, i.e., Victoria Lager. Their Islander Lager is supposed to taste more like an American lager. Both were good quality, but indistinguishable from the competition and unremarkable.

The new Pilsner is quite drinkable and local beer lovers should try it out and see if they like it too.

I'd love to see Phillips try their hand at making a craft Pilsner. The best Pilsner I've ever tasted was in the Napa, CA area brewed at the Calistoga Inn. If Phillips can match or beat that one, they will once again prove their world class beer credentials.

As far as I'm concerned, Phillips is the best in all of Canada - North America for that matter. Let's see a Pilsner Matt. Vancouver Island Brewery is catching up in quality. The bottle says they are using Czechoslovakian Saaz hops and striving to duplicate the originals. Because it's local and fresh, the VIB's Pilsner tastes better than imported bottles from Europe available here. The regular old Molson Old Style Pilsner that has been available in Canada for years is likewise a lot better than its cheesy packaging and labeling might indicate. It's also worth a try because it's very close to a craft brew flavour.

#2 Caramia

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Posted 11 May 2008 - 04:09 PM

lol do you work for Philips?

#3 G-Man

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Posted 11 May 2008 - 09:23 PM

Phillips is the best in my opinion too.

When I first moved to Vic as a young student I swore by VIB Pipers Pale Ale, then along came Lighthouse and I swore by their IPA (still love it) I thought it would never be topped and then along came Phillips and now I pretty much only buy the Blue Buck and their IPA it is just incredible.

In most cities to move a single brewery as good as VIB is great but to have three amazing breweries is something we just do not advertise enough.

#4 Holden West

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Posted 11 May 2008 - 09:45 PM

^Same story for me.
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
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#5 Caramia

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Posted 11 May 2008 - 10:32 PM

I don't usually drink alcohol... but recently I tried the Canoe Brewpub Habit Espresso Stout. It was delicious - very smooth and the espresso wasn't overwhelming. Someone who drinks beer should try it and tell me if a beer lover likes it to. I was amazed to be sad when my glass was empty. Usually by then I'm wrinkling my nose.

#6 Rorschach

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Posted 12 May 2008 - 04:29 AM

No I do not work for Phillips. I comment on it as I would any fine wine - if I was a wine expert. The crafting of beer is just as special a skill as wine. G-Man is right on the button we should publicize it. I think a brew pub walking tour of Victoria might just be a great weekend plan for visitors and tourists. Now that Spinnakers has improved their food and service, there's just no reason why someone interested couldn't stroll through Swans, Canoe, and Spinnakers. I have not found a downtown pub serving Phillips, so we'll have to send tourists on a bus to Langford to have Phillips at the Smoken Bones barbeque joint. Now that's a nice day trip, isn't it? The Vancouver Island Brewery offers public tours of their facility on Government Street too. And Phillips moved from Esquimalt to Government Street as well. I'll bet a very nice package can be assembled for tourists and locals.

#7 Caramia

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Posted 12 May 2008 - 08:34 AM

That would be awesome! I know both Swans and Canoe also give brewery tours to groups, I am guessing Van Isle and Phillips do too. I think both tourists and locals would love that kind of tour - makes me wonder if such a thing doesn't already exist.

#8 Caramia

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Posted 12 May 2008 - 08:46 AM

One thing I'd love to see is Victoria Canadian Brewing Awards Gift Packs.
If you did just the Gold you'd have a pack of 5 beers for this year's awards. Or you could include all the winners for a true taste of Victoria goodness.

GOLD Copper Bock, Canoe Brewpub
GOLD Swans Oatmeal Stout, Swans Buckerfields
GOLD Swans Legacy Ale, Swans Buckerfields Brewery
GOLD Blue Buck, Phillips Brewing Co.
GOLD Piper’s Pale Ale, Vancouver Island Brewing

SILVER Race Rocks Amber, Lighthouse Brewing Co.
SILVER Amnesiac DBL IPA, Phillips Brewing Co.
SILVER Swans Scotch Ale, Swans Buckerfields
SILVER Raspberry Wheat, Phillips Brewing Co.
SILVER Hermann’s Dark Lager, Vancouver Island Brewing
BRONZE Keepers Stout, Lighthouse Brewing Co.
BRONZE Surly Blonde, Phillips Brewing Co.

#9 tashi

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Posted 19 June 2008 - 11:12 PM

I have not found a downtown pub serving Phillips...


I may know of somewhere downtown that has Blue Tr(B)uck on tap.;)

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#10 Rorschach

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Posted 20 June 2008 - 06:20 AM

I may know of somewhere downtown that has Blue Tr(B)uck on tap.;)

-James Peacock
GM, Peacock Billiards and the James Joyce Bistro


If only it was acceptable to have Ale with brunch.

#11 tashi

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Posted 21 June 2008 - 10:14 AM

Don't worry, we serve food at all (reasonable) hours, not just brunch!

#12 Citified.ca

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Posted 29 June 2017 - 10:25 AM

Vancouver Island Brewing is offering free growlers this Canada Day for the first 150 customers at the brewery.

Doors open at 11AM. All-day growler fills will be discounted to $9.

The brewery is situated at 2330 Government Street.


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#13 Rob Randall

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Posted 29 June 2017 - 10:36 AM

Despite the liberalization of our liquor laws I thought free beer was still forbidden, especially in large quantities.


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#14 lanforod

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Posted 29 June 2017 - 10:44 AM

Despite the liberalization of our liquor laws I thought free beer was still forbidden, especially in large quantities.

I'm sure there is ways to get around that. Someone pays for it, shrug. Just not the customers.



#15 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 29 June 2017 - 10:53 AM

Despite the liberalization of our liquor laws I thought free beer was still forbidden, especially in large quantities.


Grey ish area.

Samplers are allowed.
<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#16 Rob Randall

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Posted 29 June 2017 - 11:00 AM

^Sure, free single-serving samples are no problem but we're talking about two litres of free beer.

 

Presumably you'd have to pay full-price taxes, so not really "free". 

 

I don't know, I'm not complaining, I'm just amazed it's legal.



#17 Rob Randall

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Posted 29 June 2017 - 11:03 AM

You may recall I wrote a story here years back about the people that walked from Downtown to Uptown to buy sale-priced Listerine and ended up in hospital. I wonder about the kind of crowd that's going to be lining up for free beer in Rock Bay in the morning.


Edited by Rob Randall, 29 June 2017 - 11:03 AM.


#18 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 29 June 2017 - 11:04 AM

You may recall I wrote a story here years back about the people that walked from Downtown to Uptown to buy sale-priced Listerine and ended up in hospital. I wonder about the kind of crowd that's going to be lining up for free beer in Rock Bay in the morning.

 

I think not many people that might abuse the system have the growler at home.  The deposit price is pretty high.


Edited by VicHockeyFan, 29 June 2017 - 11:04 AM.

<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#19 Rob Randall

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Posted 29 June 2017 - 11:07 AM

Do you have to use a growler or can a guy just show up with an old plastic milk jug or mayonnaise jar fished out of a recycling bin? :P



#20 Citified.ca

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Posted 29 June 2017 - 01:41 PM

To clarify, this offer applies to just the growler bottle.


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