A brand-new competition could see Penticton-based breweries recognized on the national stage this weekend.
The inaugural Canada Beer Cup runs on Sunday, Oct. 23, and the Peach City is expected to be well represented when a panel of international judges reveal their selections for the best brews the country has to offer.
Live viewing parties at different breweries across Canada will commence at 3 p.m. local time, with Penticton’s Cannery among those participating.
“We’re quite excited about it, so fingers crossed…this could lead to some awards for Penticton,” said Kim Lawton from Cannery. “We’ve also invited all of the other breweries in the city to come to watch.”
Lawton says the community is invited to watch the live stream of the Canada Beer Cup awards ceremony from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Games and other interactive activities will be featured at Cannery during the event.
The Canada Beer Cup aims to celebrate unique breweries across the country, with awards distributed across 70 different modernized beer-style groups in 10 categories.
Many B.C. breweries, including Cannery, have submitted entries into the competition.
The event comes one day after the conclusion of the fourth annual Penticton Beer Week. Lawton says this year’s celebration featured a total of 30 gatherings that were attended by more than 5,000 people from across the province.
“I would say definitely, this was the best one yet,” she added. “The craft beer industry is very collaborative and specifically within Penticton, we’re a very tight-knit community.”
The beer crafted especially for this year’s occasion, Do Good, was a fan favourite, according to Lawton. Proceeds from the sales of the beverage will be given back to community programs across the region.
Penticton Beer Weeks officially wraps up Saturday night at the Lakeside Resort with the “Brew Haha” event.
“It’s been so great to see people coming together, and I’ve heard people from out of town say that they’re coming back next year,” Lawton said.
The 2023 edition of Penticton Beer Week will run from Oct. 13 to 23.
More information on the Canada Beer Cup can be found here.
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