Britannia Brewing Company in Steveston

On a blustery holiday evening by the sea, John and I visited Richmond’s newest craft beer destination, Britannia Brewing Company, to meet up with some old friends. Located at Second Avenue and Bayview, the restaurant and pub that pours Richmond-brewed Britannia beer was hopping with families and friends coming together in the nautical themed venue. We took a spot at the large communal table, hand carved and stained by one of owners, and adorned with a towering vase of flower.

Britannia Brewing Company in Steveston

Founded by partners Kyle Brailean, Lloyd Kinney and Trystam Hayden, Britannia Brewing launched just last month in Steveston Village, with their brewing operations located behind Ironwood.

We ordered their sample flight ($10) featuring their three brews plus a guest tap (Monday night it was Four Winds, from Delta). The XPA (5.6% abv/45 IBU) is available exclusively on draught at the restaurant. It has West Coast and Australian hops that “create a bigger than usual pale ale with a hop kick”. There was also a Rye Porter, which no one in our group was too keen to drink (they all preferred lighter brews — except John, he likes porters) but since it was one of just 3 by the host company we all gave it a shot.

The Hop Blonde Ale (4.7% abv/22 IBU) is described as “a refreshing ale with citrus and tropical fruit aromas and a subtle bitterness” and it didn’t disappoint, it was my favourite of the three by Brtiannia. It also paired beautifully with some of the seafood menu items.

They can’t do growlers yet, that’s coming, and I believe they still have some patio features to finish up, but Britannia Brewing is on its way. It has embraced its location, offering up catch-of-the-day fare like ceviche ($12), fish & chips ($15), and a poke bowl ($15), along with hearty two-handed burgers on a bed of fries.

There are definitely some good things brewing, and with a good start and fantastic location, Britannia Brewing is set to sail with the rest. Follow their progress and updates on Facebook for more info.