Phillips Brewery Tour in Victoria, British Colombia
Being an avid fan of Phillips Beer since I first tried their killer Amnesiac Double IPA I was psyched at getting the chance to see where many of my favorite beers like the Longboat Chocolate Porter, 3rd Blind Mouse and Electric Unicorn were born.
I was immediately greeted by the vibrant Bill Stuart who put a cold glass of Raspberry Wheat Ale into my hands. I will say when someone greets me with a hardy “hello there!” and places a beer in my hand in the same breath I know it’s the start of a good time.
The Raspberry ale was one of the few from Phillips I haven’t tried and I finished it pretty quickly. I am a sucker for a fresh fruit brew and this seasonal sweetie didn’t disappoint. Bill proceeded to tell me the story of how the owner / operator Matt Phillips started off. With his degree in microbiology, passion for craft beer and perseverance Phillips brewery was born. From their original Phoenix lager they now brew over 18 beers year round with a slew of seasonal and inventive casks adding to an unbelievable amount of beer genius coming from a small brewery.
Phillips environmental philosophy of great beer with minimal waste earned them the 2015 International green company of the year award. A small example of this that I found interesting is called the spent grain program. This is where local farmers pick up the grain after its been used in a brew and use it to feed their cows! I love it.
After sampling a barrage of beauties like Phillips Blue Buck, Phoenix Lager, Green Reaper and Hop Circle off we went into the brewery room. I was greeted by rows of shiny massive tanks with beer in various stages of production, wooden casks with one of a kind brews, a bottling line complete with a label machine
(Phillips has some of the best artwork on their labels I have ever seen, their Electric Unicorn is my favorite in the industry)
AC/DC blasting from the backroom made the atmosphere feel like home and the people like family. When it comes to their beer Phillips Brewery makes unbelievably unique brews and are of a quality that all craft breweries strive to be. I urge you to find some Phillips (go for one of their insane IPA’s if your a hop head or the Longboat Porter if you’re into the darkside) and enjoy. Guaranteed you will love it as much as I do.
Cheers to you Phillips Brewery and thank you for your hospitality. -Sondra
