Mobile Menu

  • Destinations
    • Canada
      • British Columbia
        • Vancouver Island, B.C.
        • Okanagan
        • Lower Mainland, B.C.
        • Northern B.C.
        • Interior B.C.
        • Kootenays/Rockies
      • Alberta
      • Yukon
      • Northwest Territories
    • U.S.A.
      • Alaska
      • Washington
      • Oregon
      • California
    • West Coast Galleries
  • Experiences
    • Things To Do
    • Staycation Secrets
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Adventure
      • Adrenaline
      • Beaches
      • Biking
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hiking
      • Hunting and Fishing
      • Rafting
      • Skiing
    • Sip & Savour
    • Family Activities
    • Indigenous Tourism
    • Accessible Travel
    • Travel Tips & Advisories
  • West Coast Galleries
    • Nature Photography
    • Wildlife Photography
    • Cityscapes
  • Contests
    • Autumn Escape
    • Amateur Photographer of the Year 2023
    • Hotel Zed Contest
    • It’s A Shore Thing Summer Getaway
  • About
    • The Armchair Traveller Newsletter
    • Explore our travel guides
    • Impressive West Coast
    • West Coast Partners
    • West Coast Traveller Directory
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Explore West Coast Traveller on TikTok
  • Search
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon
  • Flickr Icon
  • Menu
  • Skip to left header navigation
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon
  • Flickr Icon

West Coast Traveller

  • Destinations
    • Canada
      • British Columbia
        • Vancouver Island, B.C.
        • Okanagan
        • Lower Mainland, B.C.
        • Northern B.C.
        • Interior B.C.
        • Kootenays/Rockies
      • Alberta
      • Yukon
      • Northwest Territories
    • U.S.A.
      • Alaska
      • Washington
      • Oregon
      • California
    • West Coast Galleries
  • Experiences
    • Things To Do
    • Staycation Secrets
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Adventure
      • Adrenaline
      • Beaches
      • Biking
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hiking
      • Hunting and Fishing
      • Rafting
      • Skiing
    • Sip & Savour
    • Family Activities
    • Indigenous Tourism
    • Accessible Travel
    • Travel Tips & Advisories
  • West Coast Galleries
    • Nature Photography
    • Wildlife Photography
    • Cityscapes
  • Contests
    • Autumn Escape
    • Amateur Photographer of the Year 2023
    • Hotel Zed Contest
    • It’s A Shore Thing Summer Getaway
  • About
    • The Armchair Traveller Newsletter
    • Explore our travel guides
    • Impressive West Coast
    • West Coast Partners
    • West Coast Traveller Directory
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Explore West Coast Traveller on TikTok
  • Search
You are here: Home / Travel / Craft beer in the Thompson-Okanagan: 3 Ale Trails to explore!

Merritt is much more than just a rest stop on the Coquihalla, and its resident brewery, the Empty Keg Brewhouse, will help prove that.

Craft beer in the Thompson-Okanagan: 3 Ale Trails to explore!

August 31, 2021 //  by Joe Wiebe

Share this:

When it comes to voting for the BC Ale Trail’s Best Brewery Experience award, craft beer enthusiasts are spoiled for choice around the province, including in the Thompson Okanagan.

This region includes a diversity of landscapes and experiences, as well as a long list of excellent craft breweries organized into three separate ale trails: Kelowna, Penticton, and Kamloops, Shuswap, Vernon and Merritt.

Merritt, with its many outdoor attractions (“a lake a day as long as you stay”) is much more than just a rest stop on the Coquihalla, and its resident brewery, the Empty Keg Brewhouse, will help prove that.

The Noble Pig Brewhouse is one of four breweries in Kamloops’ bustling craft beer community that also includes Bright Eye Brewing, Iron Road Brewing and Red Collar Brewing.

Kamloops has a bustling craft beer community featuring four breweries: Bright Eye Brewing, Iron Road Brewing, the Noble Pig Brewhouse, and Red Collar Brewing. Nearby, you can visit Canada’s original organic farm-based brewery, Crannóg Ales, in Sorrento, before continuing along the Trans-Canada Highway to Salmon Arm, home to the popular Barley Station Brewpub and Morrow Brewing.

In Vernon, Pearl and Stefan Marten painstakingly renovated the old nightclub at the corner of 30th and 30th, doing most of the work themselves, and the result is pretty special. Marten Brewing has seating for 200 people on two levels surrounding and overlooking the brewery in the middle of the room, with a stellar kitchen to go along with the delicious range of beers on tap.

Vernon’s Marten Brewing has seating on two levels surrounding and overlooking the brewery in the middle of the room, with a stellar kitchen to accompany the delicious range of beers on tap.

The Kelowna beer community is absolutely bursting at the seams with a dozen new breweries in the past five years. A whole forest of new breweries has sprouted in the North End Brewery District — there are seven breweries within walking distance there, along with the Welton Arms, a pub featuring British-style ales and food. Bowling fans can try for a turkey (three strikes in a row) at Freddy’s Brewpub or BNA Brewing, which also has a fantastic restaurant in its gorgeously renovated location. There are also breweries to explore south along the lakeshore to the Mission neighbourhood and across the floating bridge in West Kelowna.

The South Okanagan is famous for its vineyards, but there’s delicious beer to be found there, too: North Basin Brewing in Osoyoos and two different breweries in Oliver – Firehall Brewery and the new Trading Post Brewery in the District Wine Village.

Last, but certainly not least, is Penticton. There’s a lot more to this picturesque, lakefront city in the heart of BC’s wine country than the beach, the Peach and the Naramata Bench. In 2020, that legacy was recognized by Lonely Planet when it picked Penticton as Canada’s “craft beer capital.” This small city has been a leader of the Okanagan craft beer scene for more than 25 years as home to the annual Okanagan Fest of Ale and a strong community of seven craft breweries — most of them close within walking distance of each other downtown, not far from the beach.

To vote for the brewery you think should win the award, visit WestCoastTraveller.com and look for Craft Beer Enthusiasts under Contests.

Share this:

Category: TravelTag: BC Craft beer, British Columbia Destinations, Canada, Food, Okanagan Getaways

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

Visiting Mount St. Helens is inspiring and alarming all at once

‘This is it.’ In March 1980, Washington’s Mount St. Helens rumbled awake. A series of…

Visiting Mount St. Helens is inspiring and alarming all at onceRead More

Guided June hikes explore old-growth forests in seven Kootenay communities

Wildsight, a non-profit working to protect biodiversity and encourage sustainable communities, is offering guided walks…

Guided June hikes explore old-growth forests in seven Kootenay communitiesRead More

Parks Canada plans major rewrite of more than 200 historic site plaques

They’re affixed to old buildings where someone important used to live. Or they’re mounted on…

Parks Canada plans major rewrite of more than 200 historic site plaquesRead More

Victoria International Airport welcomes new airline with Friday Harbor route

Victoria International Airport (YYJ) has welcomed a new airline. Kenmore Air now provides the only…

Victoria International Airport welcomes new airline with Friday Harbor routeRead More

41 Disneyland tips, tricks and food secrets from park fanatics

By Jeanette Marantos, Adam Tschorn, Danielle Dorsey, Michelle Woo and Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times…

41 Disneyland tips, tricks and food secrets from park fanaticsRead More

Chinese Canadian Museum in Vancouver gets $5.18M from feds

The Chinese Canadian Museum in Vancouver is getting a $5.18-million boost from the federal government.…

Chinese Canadian Museum in Vancouver gets $5.18M from fedsRead More

Boo the bear preps for big spring debut as B.C.’s Kicking Horse Resort opens

It’s a bear-y good day for fans of Boo the bear. With British Columbia’s Kicking…

Boo the bear preps for big spring debut as B.C.’s Kicking Horse Resort opensRead More

Waterfalls, not wildflowers are Mt. Rainier National Park’s main springtime attraction

By Taylor Newquist, The Spokesman-Review A thin layer of clouds hung over Mount Rainier on…

Waterfalls, not wildflowers are Mt. Rainier National Park’s main springtime attractionRead More

Fly high and touch the sky at Golden Skybridge

For adrenaline junkies, outdoor adventurers or families looking for a thrilling, interactive way to spend…

Fly high and touch the sky at Golden SkybridgeRead More

Previous Post: « Victoria’s architecture steeped in history
Next Post: A hiker’s guide to Vancouver Island’s Cape Scott Trail »

Primary Sidebar

Things To Do

Visiting Mount St. Helens is inspiring and alarming all at once

June 4, 2023

Guided June hikes explore old-growth forests in seven Kootenay communities

June 3, 2023

Parks Canada plans major rewrite of more than 200 historic site plaques

May 31, 2023

Victoria International Airport welcomes new airline with Friday Harbor route

May 31, 2023

Recent Posts

Visiting Mount St. Helens is inspiring and alarming all at once

June 4, 2023

Guided June hikes explore old-growth forests in seven Kootenay communities

June 3, 2023

Parks Canada plans major rewrite of more than 200 historic site plaques

May 31, 2023

Victoria International Airport welcomes new airline with Friday Harbor route

May 31, 2023

Footer

The West Coast Traveller has an immense social media footprint, with eight social media sites and and 125,000+ social followers.

Join us on social media and Join Our Community by sharing your stuff!

Get Inspired

News Media Groups

Black Press Media
Sound Publishing
Oahu Media Group
Alaska
Boulevard Magazines
Used.ca

Let’s Get Social

West Coast Traveller
I Love British Columbia
I Love Alberta
I Love Yukon
I Love Northwest Territories
I Love Washington
I Love California
I Love Oregon
I Love Alaska

Visit Our Companion Sites

I Love Saskatchewan
I Love Manitoba
I Love Nunavut
I Love Ontario
I Love Quebec
I Love Newfoundland and Labrador
I Love Nova Scotia
I Love New Brunswick
I Love Prince Edward Island

Site Footer

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon

Copyright © 2023 West Coast Traveller and · All Rights Reserved