Port Alberni, and home to Sproat Lake, is also home to some ideal places to enjoy a delicious beverage. Whether you’re craving a beer or a crisp glass of white wine, there’s a spot for you.

Emerald Coast Vineyards

Emerald Coast Vineyards and Wine Shop started in 1999 when the first grape trees were planted. With 16 of their 20 acres planted, they offer eight types of white wine, one rose, five reds, and five fortified fruit wines, ensuring an option for any pallet. Construction of the wine shop began in January 2009 and they opened their doors to the public in October 2009. In true West Coast style, much of the shop was built out of reclaimed wood harvested on the property when space was made for the vineyard.

Emerald Coast Vineyards and Wine Shop is located just off the Alberni Highway. They offer wine tastings with any fees being waived with purchase of wine. You can also stock up on wine merchandise, gifts, and gift baskets (with or without wine). Emerald Coast wine can only be found at the Vineyard and a few select restaurants, so be sure to check them out next time you travel through Port Alberni!

Microbreweries

Microbreweries have gained popularity in recent years, so much so that Port Alberni is now home to two of our very own! Twin City Brewery was the first to make its mark in the Alberni Valley since Spring 2017. The name Twin City has a unique historical reference that many might not understand right away. Prior to 1967 the Alberni Valley was home to two distinct municipalities, Alberni and Port Alberni. When the tsunami of 1964 hit, the Alberni Valley was forced to work together to rebuild what we now know as Port Alberni, and it was decided to amalgamate the two cities into one. Twin City Brewery is located just off of the main highway through town, on Margaret St.

Twin City specializes in craft beer, developed and made inhouse; pale ale, radlers, sours, and pilsners, there is a beer for any pallet. They also offer flights of beer, allowing you to sample a variety of flavours to find your favorite. The fun doesn’t stop there, they also have a full menu complete with housemade pizza, sandwiches, appetizers, and dessert options. Take out and table reservations are available, as well as growler refills. You can also stock up on some of their awesome merchandise; hoodies, t-shirts, hats, and stickers are all available for purchase.

The newest brewery to open up in Port Alberni is Dog Mountain and it can be found on 3rd Ave, just before Argyle St. They opened their doors in December 2019 offering a spectacular rooftop patio with views overlooking the Harbour Quay. All food and beer is made inhouse, and many ingredients are sourced from local suppliers. From hazy IPAs, sours, pale and dark ales, and even a special Chai Hard, they offer a unique selection to choose from. Just like Twin City, beer flights are the perfect way to sample an array of beers, and you can even take part in a virtual tasting! The food menu is mouth watering, complete with ciabatta and beer cheese sauce, donaires, and grilled sandwiches.

Lastly, while Brie and Barrel isn’t specifically a winery, it does specialize an assortment of local and global wine. Specializing in brie cheese appetizers, hand crafted pasta, and wine flights; you can choose from red, white, rose, or a mix, it is the ideal way to sample an assortment of delectable wine. They also offer take out and table reservations, along with freezer meals. They’re happy to help you pair the perfect wine with your meal. Brie and Barrel can be found on Argyle Street, it’s the building with the giant “shoes” sign above it.

Written by Mike Youds, at the Valley Vibe. Port Alberni’s fast growing community and online magazine. The passion here at the Valley Vibe is to showcase the beautiful of our valley for all who live here, and travel through. Working together with many talented writers, we at the Valley Vibe love to explore, discover and uncover secret jewels about Port Alberni and Sproat Lake.