The craft beer market is exploding in British Columbia, and the Sunshine Coast is no exception.
Persephone Brewing Company opened its doors in Gibsons a little over a year ago, and they’ve already won awards for their black lager and dry Irish stout.
“The stout has always been one of my favourite beers to brew and to drink here. Apparently some judges at the BC Brewers Awards agree,” said brewmaster Anders McKinnon.
Judges base their decisions on aroma, flavour, over all impression and, to a lesser extent, the appearance and clarity of the beer.
“[The lager] was kind of an afterthought,” McKinnon said. “We had a lager yeast that we were using for a couple different beers throughout the summer [their pilsner in the summer and October fest beer in the fall]. The black lager was just in the middle of the schedule, but everybody seemed to love it and it won an award, so we’re bringing it back for the winter.”
Black lager is a traditional German or Czech style of beer, but according to McKinnon it was brewed with “a little bit more of an aggressive, roasty character,” than what would typically be found in its European equivalents.
For general manager Dion Whyte, Persephone is about the people.
“We’re really trying to facilitate community connectedness and a hub of community activity on the Coast,” he said. “There’s not a lot for the younger generation or families, so we’re really proud that the tasting room is a place where minors are allowed, accompanied by adults. Parents are here with their kids on the weekends. We have modest events here from time to time.”
A not so modest event on Persephone’s horizon is the Sunshine Coast’s first ever Craft Beer Tasting Festival on Jan. 31.
Persephone, with Powell River’s Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), are putting on the event which will feature 10 breweries from around the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast, plus one distillery and one cidery.
Tickets can be purchased over the phone through Persephone or online at eventbrite.ca. Admission is $25 for CAMRA members and $35 for everyone else. It will provide guests with a tasting glass and several starter tickets (more can be purchased later) for the different tasting booths.
All proceeds from the event will go to the Sunshine Coast Association for Community Living.
The festival begins at 4 p.m. at the Gibsons Public Market and runs until 8 p.m. An after party will be held at both the Blackfish Pub and Gramma’s Pub with shuttle buses taxiing people in between.
