BC Beer Awards 2012: Results

Enjoying local craft beer is a positive trend that has caught on like wildfire in Vancouver. However if you’re unsure what to start sampling first, with such a wide selection of options from micro-breweries around the province, the winners of the BC Beer Awards would be a great place to start.

The BC Beer Awards took place on October 13th with an event at Chapel Arts in Vancouver with the “Best of Show” award going to Conrad Gmoser of Steamworks Brewing Company for the Steamworks Pilsner.

I was going to post some of our favourite brews from the list but once I started typing them out I realized that there were just too many. From Howe Sound to Townsite Brewing in Powell River, here are some of the province’s award-winning beers:

Lager/Pilsner – 22 Beers
1. Steamworks Pilsner – Conrad Gmoser of Steamworks Brewing Company
2. Beach Blonde Lager – Stefan Buhl of Tree Brewing Company
3. Kelowna Pilsner – Stefan Buhl of Tree Brewing Company

Special Lager – 8 Beers
1. Brewmaster’s Black – Stefan Tobler of Okanagan Spring Brewery
2. Hermann’s Dark Lager – Ralf Pittroff of Vancouver Island Brewery
3. Iron Plow Harvest Marzen – Ralf Pittroff of Vancouver Island Brewery

Wheat/Rye – 22 Beers
1. Belgian White – Dean Mcleod of Lighthouse Brewing Company
2. King Heffy Imperial Hefeweizen – Paul Wilson and Franco Corno of Howe Sound Brewing
3. White Bark Ale – Jason Meyer and Kevin Hearsum of Driftwood Brewing Company

Pale – 41 Beers
1. Red Racer Classic Pale Ale – Gary Lohin of Central City Brewing Company
2. Salt Spring ESB – Murray Hunter of Gulf Island Brewing
3. River Rock Bitter – Daniel Murphy of Canoe Brewpub

Porter/Brown – 24 Beers
1. Pow Town – Cedric Dauchot of Townsite Brewing Inc
2. Dark Chocolate Porter – Dean Mcleod of Lighthouse Brewing Company
3. Longboat Chocolate Porter – Matt Phillips of Phillips Brewing Company

Fruit – 15 Beers
1. Blackberry Festivale – Cedric Dauchot of Townsite Brewing Inc
2. 4 Way Fruit Ale – Paul Wilson and Franco Corno of Howe Sound Brewing
3. Seedspitter Watermelon Wit – Graham With of Parallel 49 Brewing Company

Stout – 14 Beers
1. Keepers Stout – Dean Mcleod of Lighthouse Brewing Company
2. Pothole Filler Imperial Stout – Paul Wilson and Franco Corno of Howe Sound Brewing
3. Singularity – Jason Meyer and Kevin Hearsum of Driftwood Brewing Company

IPA – 36 Beers
1. 5 Rings IPA – Derrick Franche of High Mountain Brewing Company
2. Central City Imperial IPA – Gary Lohin of Central City Brewing Company
3. Red Racer IPA – Gary Lohin of Central City Brewing Company

Specialty – 20 Beers
1. Smoke & Mirrors Imperial Smoked Ale – Kevin Emms of Coal Harbour Brewing
2. Serendipity #5 – Stefan Buhl of Tree Brewing Company
3. Schadenfreude Pumpkin Oktoberfest – Graham With of Parallel 49 Brewing Company

Strong – 7 Beers
1. Hermannator Ice Bock – Ralf Pittroff of Vancouver Island Brewery
2. Old Cellar Dweller 2012 – Jason Meyer and Kevin Hearsum of Driftwood Brewing Company
3. Bourbon Barrel Aged Thor’s Hammer – Gary Lohin of Central City Brewing Company

The full list is posted on the BC Beer Awards Facebook page. Many of these are available through the breweries, brewpubs, and local liquor stores.

Follow CAMRA Vancouver (Campaign for Real Ale) on Facebook and Twitter to find out more about craft beer events and promotions.