6 Vancouver Island breweries unite for Pride Month

You can’t spell community without “C.”

Six mid-island breweries in Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland and Campbell River took this to heart when the brewers met mid-April to discuss how to best showcase the inclusive, diverse communities they serve. As beer makers, they decided to come up with a collaborative brew, the Love Wins Juicy Session IPA (4.5 per cent ABV, 20 IBU).

Ace Brewing and Gladstone Brewing in Courtenay, Land and Sea Brewing and New Tradition Brewing in Comox, Cumberland Brewing, and Beachfire Brewing in Campbell River chose to brew this blend as a funky and juicy beer just in time for the summer patio season.

“The Love Wins Juicy Session IPA is fun and very approachable,” says Patti Savard, co-owner and brewmaster at New Tradition Brewing. “It’s the perfect pairing for our current patio lifestyle, and at 4.5 per cent ABV with 20 IBU, the delicately-hopped brew is light and smooth with tropical and passion fruit characteristics. It drinks just like a pina colada.”

“I think it’s important for people to remember that the craft beer industry isn’t reserved solely for cis-men. A good pint can be both enjoyed and created by people of a much wider span of sexual orientations and gender identities,” says Jordyn Godin, assistant brewer at Land and Sea.

In honour of the beer release, each brewery will be donating to Diversity in Brewing, a grassroots initiative dedicated to supporting BIPOC and LGBTQ2S+ folks by providing an annual scholarship to Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s BIPOC and LGBTQ2S+ brewing students.

“It was important for us to show our support with us being brewers and Diversity in Brewing’s mandate being inclusion in the brewing world,” Savard says. “If we can help be a part of productive change it may as well start with our own industry.”

Comox Valley Pride Beer Brew Day. Photo supplied

Love Wins Juicy Session IPA was released on all six brewery patios on Saturday, May 29 to kick off Pride Month. New Tradition Brewing will also have cans of the beer available for sale, along with specially designed T-shirts.

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