Good things can come in small packages, but sometimes bigger is better.
This year, the Okanagan Fest of Ale was bigger than ever before, with 75 breweries on site, enough to fill the Trade and Convention Centre and spread out into the parking lot outside. 225 different beers, lagers, ales, and ciders were on tap for people to sample, and a rare few were chosen to stand above the rest.
“I didn’t have much to do with brewing the beer; I did vote on the name, but I felt like I had won an Oscar,” said Jeffrey Norgren of Twin Sails. “We put 800 pounds of raspberries into a 40 hectalitre batch, and I think, you know, spending the money, and having that quality of beer, it shows. “
Local favourite Bad Tattoo Brewing took home an award this year in collaboration with newcomer Neighbourhood Brewing. The Beermosa won for Best Specialty Beer.
Read More: 12 new reasons to go to the Okanagan Fest of Ale
“It can’t get any better than to win here,” said head brewer Liam Hutcheson. “I’ve got family here today, and it’s just really a lot of fun to do it here in Penticton.”
The Canadian Craft Tours team did the rounds at the Convention Centre to pick up people’s votes for their favourites. The Cascades Casinos booth out front, sponsoring this year’s People’s Choice Awards, also accepted votes for the best labels of the brews on tap at the festival, with three awards being given out this year.
19 of the 75 brewers this year were new to the Fest of Ale. Most were returning, a number of which were past winners, including Luppolo Brewing, who won Best in Show at last year’s Fest. Their Tart Wild Ale with pineapple and guava won the Best Sour award for a second straight year, and they’re looking forward to seeing if they can do it again next year.
“It’s great. It’s so nice to be recognized two years in a row, and this is proving to be a lucky festival for us,” said Anique Ross, the owner of Luppolo Brewing. “We’d love to win Best Sour again next year. We’re really proud of our sours, we’ve got an awesome house culture that we use to sour our beers, and we never rush sour our beers. We don’t do kettle sours, ever, so I think just taking the time to do a proper souring really pays off.”
Judges’ Choice Award Winners
Best in Show: Woud Crush - Twin Sails Brewing, Port Moody B.C.
Best in Class
Best Amber/Dark Ale: Coal Harbour, Vancouver B.C.
Best Cider: B.C. Tree Fruits Cider, Kelowna B.C.
Best Fruit Beer: Would Crush - Twin Sails Brewing, Port Moody B.C.
Best IPA: Iron Road Brewing, Kamloops B.C.
Best Pale Ale: Yellow Dog Brewing, Port Moody B.C.
Best Pilsner/Golden Lager/Kölsch: Lighthouse Brewing Company, Victoria B.C.
Best ESB: Kettle River Brewing, Kelowna B.C.
Best Sour: Luppolo Brewing, Vancouver B.C.
Best Specialty Beer: Bad Tattoo Brewing, Penticton B.C.
Best Specialty IPA: The Parkside Brewery, Port Moody B.C.
Best Stout/Porter: BNA Brewing Company, Kelowna B.C.
Best Wheat Ale: The Parkside Brewery, Port Moody B.C.
People’s Choice Award Winners
Best Beer: Slackwater Brewing, Penticton B.C.
Best Cider: B.C. Tree Fruits Cider, Kelowna B.C.
Best Food: Surf Side California Tacos, Kelowna B.C.
Best Label Design Gold: Lighthouse Brewing Company, Victoria B.C.
Best Label Design Silver: Red Racer Brewing, Surrey B.C.
Best Label Design Bronze: The Cannery Brewing Company, Penticton B.C.
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