Port Alberni’s Twin City wins coveted BC Ale Trail Best Brewery Experience Award

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For a craft brewery experience that checks all the boxes, fans of Port Alberni’s Twin City Brewing know just where to find it.

The three-year-old brewer recently earned the BC Ale Trail’s third annual Best Brewery Experience Award.

Part of the Vancouver Island Part II Ale Trail, since opening in 2017, the brewery has earned a reputation for its creative beer line-up – a mix of popular year-round beers and seasonal creations.

Complementing its beer line-up, Twin City also boasts an impressive kitchen, with a menu that includes hand-stretched pizzas and smoked meat sandwiches, featuring meats smoked on-site.

“Twin City Brewing exists as a collection of minds tailoring a unique Craft Brewery experience that is welcoming, thoughtful, and above all else, genuine,” the brewer’s owner and brewmaster Aaron Colyn said after learning about the Ale Trail experience award. “On behalf of our team, we are honoured and thrilled to be recognized for the experience we cultivate for our guests and for our community.”

Complementing its beer line-up, Twin City Brewing also boasts an impressive kitchen, with a menu that includes hand-stretched pizzas and smoked meat sandwiches, featuring meats smoked on-site. Photo courtesy BC Ale Trail.

The Best Brewery Experience award followed an online nomination process in November.

“This brewery took a chance on a struggling community and helped it to reimagine itself,” one nominator wrote.

Others highlighted the brewery’s exceptional response to COVID-19. “Besides having fantastic beer and an amazing food menu, the staff have done a wonderful job adapting during this time to make visitors feel safe while providing a consistently incredible experience.”

Ken Beattie, Executive Director of the BC Craft Brewers Guild, which administers the BC Ale Trail, said he was pleased to present Twin City with the award.

“It doesn’t surprise me as when I visited pre-COVID I was impressed by the welcoming feeling in the room, the beer, the food, and the staff. I know how well-managed the brewery has been since the day it opened. Twin City really put Port Alberni on the craft beer map here in BC. Cheers to Aaron Colyn and his entire team!”

Part of the Vancouver Island Part II Ale Trail Twin City Brewing has earned a reputation for its creative beer line-up. Photo courtesy BC Ale Trail.

The Twin City name references the two original towns – Alberni and Port Alberni – that amalgamated in 1967 as the city of Port Alberni. The gateway to the west coast of the Island is a popular destination for fishing and many other outdoor pursuits.

Additional accolades for the brewery include “Best in Show” at the 2018 BC Beer Awards for Late Bloomer, a tart fruit beer brewed with hibiscus petals and strawberries.

Twin City Brewing won “Best in Show” at the 2018 BC Beer Awards for Late Bloomer, a tart fruit beer brewed with hibiscus petals and strawberries. BC Beer Awards photo.

Becoming a Port Alberni destination, Twin City may have also started a small craft beer revolution in the Valley: A second brewery, Dog Mountain Brewing opened earlier this year, with a third, Alberni Brewing, expected in 2021.

Previous Best Brewery Experience Award recipients include Powell River’s Townsite Brewing in 2018, and to Comox’s Land and Sea Brewing in 2019. One of 19 Ale Trails throughout BC, the Vancouver Island Part II Ale Trail also features breweries in Parksville Qualicum Beach, the Comox Valley and Campbell River.

If you go:

Twin City Brewing is located at 4503 Margaret St., Port Alberni. Visit online at twincitybrewing.ca or call 778-419-2739 for details.

Please note that Provincial Health Protocols currently advise against travelling outside your region to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

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