As a wine lover, I was excited to learn more about another popular beverage – craft beer! My visit to Cannery Brewing in Penticton was a journey into this previously unknown world. Specifically: quality, fresh beer that is lovingly hand-crafted at a micro brewery. Proprietor Patt Dyck enthusiastically walked me through the ins and outs of hops and barley, mash and firkins and a whole lot more.
Housed in a former cannery operation that bears the same name, the Cannery produces some of the most unique and delicious beers I’ve tried. After a tour of how the various beers are made (only four ingredients to the basic beer, two of which are water and yeast) we discussed the most recent trend. Like wine lovers yearning for interesting and complex varietals, craft beer lovers are equally passionate about unique beer offerings. Cask-conditioned beers, which feature a secondary fermentation, allow for the addition of other flavours. These small-run cask beers (firkins) could have molasses, spiced rum, chai, or any number of fruits, herbs or spices added to yield a very unique beer. A monthly specialty cask is produced for Cannery’s Growler Club members and these specialty offerings–packaged in refillable 2L jugs called ‘Growlers’–always sell out within a few hours.
For me, the best part of the tour was the tasting, where I sampled everything from their No Justice Pale Ale through to the darker Maple Stout. All delicious!
You can try the latest beers from the Cannery, which include their ever popular Naramata Nut Brown, the Blackberry Porter, and Apricot Wheat Ale at the Okanagan Fest-of-Ale, April 5th & 6th at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, or drop by anytime for a tasting at the Cannery. If you’d like a tour of the operation, please book in advance.
~ Terry Meyer-Stone