The Booze Tour of Pemberton
Photo: Whistler Traveller Magazine
Pemberton is home to a unique fertile valley that has produced plentiful crops for over 100 years. Its dry, hot summers and long winters make for an excellent harvest season, producing beautiful fruits, vegetables, and grains. In addition, the soil creates ideal growing conditions for barley, necessary for brewing beer. This particular climate in Pemberton makes it a superb location for British Columbia’s finest Breweries and distilleries. So leave the kids at home; we have you covered, from locally crafted lagers and ales to organic potato vodka.
Photo: The Beer Farmers
First Stop: The Beer Farmers
This fourth-generation family-owned farmtakes so much pride in each grain of barleyit produces, making every sip unbelievable. The Miller family arrived in Pemberton in 1890; they quickly put down roots and set up foundations to raise cattle, log and mill wood, and seed potatoes. In 1990 they committed to growing 100% certified organic food, and with 500 acres of land, that’s a lot of vegetables!
In 2010 a dream of operating a farm brewery blossomed. Twelve years later, the brewery is packed daily with satisfied beer lovers. The Miller family is proud to be one of the few breweries in the world that grows and malt their barley. The Beer Farmers describe barley as “the backbone of beer”; it has just the right amount of enzymes, sugar, protein, and fibre.
In addition, their family farm is perfectly located on the West Coast; Pemberton’s hot summers and long winters create the ideal climate for growing hops. Organic barley and world-class hops, it’s a receipt for delicious brewed beer. So pick up a tall can to-go or stay and enjoy a pint with a view.
Photo: Pemberton Brewing Company
Second Stop: Pemberton Brewing Company
The Pemberton Brewing Company is nestled away in our mountain town and provides beer to the hard workers of Pemberton and those visiting. No one could deny that locally grown ingredients make for flavourful, delightful beers. They brew anything from a pale ale, ginger porter, spice sour, IPA’s, and everything in between.
They’re constantly coming up with new and exciting beer ideas for everyone to indulge in. Open seven days a week, visit their taproom to find your favourite beer or grab a 4-pack to go. This local gem in the heart of Pemberton is a go-to; enjoy the delicious, fresh hops grown and milled in the previous summer in your beer. You will taste the difference!
Photo: Pemberton Distillery
Third Stop: Pemberton Distillery
Do yourself a favour and stop into British Columbia’s only organic distillery. Established in 2008, the owners dreamed of creating high-quality organic spirits made with locally grown ingredients. Pemberton is worldly known for its seed potatoes, and seeds are shipped all over BC, Alberta, Washington, and even California. So with an abundance of delicious potatoes, the Pemberton Distillery set out to create the world's first organic potato vodka. Most spirits are distilled using grains, but they have mastered the art of distilling using Pemberton’s famous potatoes. As a result, most of their spirits are distilled using potatoes, and for their whisky and brandy, they use BC-grown grains and fruits.
Once they have the purest ingredients, it’s time to distill. All the processes from malting grains, mashing, fermenting, hand-operated copper stills, and bottling the spirits are performed in-house. This family-owned and operated distillery takes a lot of pride in its craft. Two hand-operated German Arnold Holstein copper pot stills are used to brew the perfect spirits; the pots have geothermal heating and cooling system to improve efficiency.
You can be sure there are no extra additives in your beverages at this Certified Organic Distillery. If you’re interested in the entire process, book you and your friends in for a tour of the distillery, or treat yourself to a bottle of the finest potato vodka to make any drink go down better.
This quiet little town is packed with adventure, fine food, and delicious adult beverages. So if you want a break from the Whistler nightlife scene and hit Pemberton’s high-quality booze stops. So whether you’re looking for a date night or a bachelor/bachelorette’s weekend getaway, our town has the brewery or distillery for you.
We’re incredibly fortunate to have such plentiful summers and cool winters, creating the perfect atmosphere all season long. So indulge in world-class beer and spirits for an adult evening without the kids. Although it’s essential to treat yourself, remember to drink responsibly and always have a way to get home safely.
Posted: Tuesday, February 15, 2022
