Best B.C. beers in swing ridings: Chilliwack has loads of promise on and off the ballot

The city is about to get a whole lot tastier.

Credit: BC Ale Trail

Flashback Brewing keeps it simple

The city is about to get a whole lot tastier

October is BC Craft Beer Month. There’s also an election coming up, if you haven’t heard. Because politics and beer actually mix very well, we’ll be analyzing the top three brews in ridings across the province up until the October 24 vote.

Chilliwack promises to be a major battleground for the provincial election, especially where the BC Liberals are concerned. The party has held the riding since its creation in 2001, including a fairly easy win last time around for incumbent John Martin.

He’s running again, but thanks to the BC NDP’s increasing popularity and its lead in the polls, aggregator 338 Canada has this as a toss-up that only slightly favours the Liberals. Mix in the fact that school board chair Dan Coulter is in contention for the NDP, and we may have a barnburner on our hands. (Not an actual one; no need to be concerned, Chilliwack farmers.)

This election also comes right as Chilliwack is primed to become a beer mecca of sorts. The following ranking will likely be quite different in a few months, as Abbotsford’s Field House Brewing opens its second location and newcomer Bricklayer Brewing makes its presence felt.

So what are the best beers from Chilliwack for residents to drown their election-related anxiety with? Here are our top three.

3. Black Vinyl Porter – Flashback Brewing Company

Flashback is often overshadowed by a much larger, older brewery (we’ll get to that in a second), but we like its simple, old-school approach, and this roasty, chocolatey porter is exactly the antidote for a long drive. 

2. Gin Fizz Citrus Sour – Old Yale Brewing Co.

As mentioned, Old Yale has been around since 1999, and its Trailblazer series has seen some absolute wins, from the Cold Brew Black Lager to the Tulip Festival Spring Ale. Those have come and gone, but the Gin Fizz Citrus Sour is on tap right now, and it doesn’t disappoint. With mixture of flavours that’s never too sweet, it’s just an awesome beer, and we all need to convince Old Yale to sell it in cans as well as tall bottles.

1. Moon Dance Mango Wheat – Old Yale Brewing Co.

Granted, you have to be a fan of mangoes—yes, it does actually taste like mango—but if you are, this Old Yale staple is about as enjoyable a wheat beer as they come. The election doesn’t seem so scary anymore, does it?