Here we are: 2023 has arrived, and we can all agree that this will be the best year ever! Okay, maybe we should temper our expectations before we have another 2020 on our hands. That said, we have a few things to look forward to in the new year, and this gives us one last quick look at what 2022 managed to fit in at the end.
As far as what 2022 has left us with, we’ve got another brewery. Mile Zero Brewing has opened in Metchosin, right on Happy Valley Road in the heart of town. The former classroom space is cozy, but so are the brews, as they use a small brew system on-site to make their brews. They had their soft open back on December 10 and are planning a grand opening celebration at some point in the new year.
R by Michael and Michelle Morgan and Dirk Slot, Mile Zero also cuts the longest distance between Capital Region breweries by almost a third. It falls in an excellent middle ground between Sooke Oceanside Brewery and Millstream Beverage Company, making brewery crawls in the Westshore and beyond even easier.
2023 should bring us another small brewery, as Checkerhead Brewing is opening up all the way out in Shirley. The brewery, accompanied by a suite available for guests to book, is the brainchild of David Aiken, known by many for his years of performances as a busker all over the world.
The Island Craft series will continue in February, with its winter edition happening on February 19, hopefully not on the rooftop this time. Vendors and more information will be available soon online at islandcraft.ca, so don’t miss out on a great variety of island-produced beverages, ranging from classic winter beers to warming spirits and everything in between.
Finally, there is so much more to look forward to as the year continues, with Victoria Beer Week returning for another year, but just a little bit later than we’ve seen before. Happening May 5-13, some of the classic events will be back, like Lift Off! and Touchdown!, but expect some new ones to pique your interest.
In addition, the Victoria Beer Society plans to launch an app for their members with rewards and discounts available, so if you’re thinking of becoming a member, this might be the best time yet.
So, cheers to a fantastic 2022 and an even better 2023!