With family living on the Sunshine Coast, I travel up there quite frequently to take a break and take in what the Coast has to offer. Whether it is great beaches, hiking or shopping and now beer, the Sunshine Coast Ale Trail doesn’t disappoint.

Persephone Brewing

I first tried Persephone Brewing in 2013 when it was the only craft brewery on the lower part of the Coast. Townsite Brewing is also on the Sunshine Coast but it is in Powell River and I don’t get their frequently to visit.

As their website tells us “Persephone Brewing Co. (PBC) operates an 11-acre farm and craft micro-brewery in the community of Gibsons on BC’s Sunshine Coast.”

With a number of core beers and a selection of rotating and seasonal taps I tried the following beers while at Persephone. They were the Black Lager, Dark Cherry Sour Ale, Double IPA
Amarillo Pilsner, and Coast Life Lager.

The Black Lager has always been a favourite of mine given its “Roasty, clean and chocolaty with a graham cracker finish.” It must be because of my love of dark coffee, dark chocolate and porter and stout beers.

Tapworks Brewing

Opened in 2017,Tapworks Brewing, formerly known as Gibson’s Tapworks is tucked away on Cruice Lane.

Once a cosy one level tap room and brewery, Tapworks has expanded and now includes a beautiful rooftop patio, food and music options.

The core group of beers includes the Stormrider NE IPA, Blonde Logger Blonde Ale, Lower G Brown Ale, One Sailing Wait IPA, and Oatmeal Stout.

This is a delicious set of beers and I liked every one of them despite my preference for darker beers. The Stormrider NE IPA fufills the need for a hazy, juicy style IPA that is all the rage these days.

Highway 101 Brewing and Distillery

Situated on Highway 101, Highway 101 Brewing is the newest of the three Sunshine Coast craft breweries.

Coupled with a great location and good food, their Bob’s Auto Lager is and will always be a choice of mine. As the 101 website says Bob’ Auto Lager is “A cool, slow fermentation gives this German-style lager a clean, light, and malty flavour profile.”

I did not sample the spirits offered by the 101 as the locals call it. They also offer a large food menu and live music.