Four Mile may be the newest addition to the vibrant Victoria Craft Beer scene but they are by no means the new kids on the block. Four Mile Brew Pub has been serving Victoria with quality food and craft beer now for over 100 years. Located just outside of Victoria’s downtown in the Esquimalt area Four Mile calls a 150 year old classic building home. While the pub may be a Victoria staple for locals the decision to open a brewery within the existing building has upped the anti in tourism, off sales and drawing crowds from the downtown core. The brew house consists of a modest 10HL system and a combination of 10 & 20HL tanks giving the ability to brew in reasonable volume while still allowing for experimentation and seasonal offerings. Brewmaster Alan Pugsly has some exciting times ahead as the brewery gets off the ground and on with a running start.
Beer Me BC caught up with the team at Four Mile and asked a few questions about this new and exciting venture. Here is what they had to say.
1. What inspired you to move from a pub type business to a brewpub
Being a Brewpub was always the plan for Four Mile from day one in the 80″s when we got going. It was set up with that in mind. There have been a number of other projects here over the years and we finally just pushed forward with it. Four Mile has that old world British feel so incorporating a British Style brewery into the mix was the right fit for us.
2. What do you see Four Mile being able to add to the already vibrant Victoria brewing community?
Great beer. There are also a number of breweries but only four brewpubs in Victoria. We will be producing for the Pub but also packaging for the retail market. Our Brewery is very visual for customers so they will get a very sensory experience at Four Mile.
3. What is Four Mile’s specialty? What do you do better than anyone else?
The great thing about Victoria is that every ones beer is good and a little different. We are producing English style ales with a very west coast twist. Our yeast is Ringwood yeast originally from England. We use English malts and a combination of English and American hops.
4. What styles of beer will you focus on brewing?
I think the answer above speaks to this question. We have started with a Golden Ale, Pale Ale, IPA, Brown Ale, Best Bitter, and a Strong Winter Ale. We will follow up with four more over the next few months. Seasonal and Summer offerings. We have also just put the Brown and Winter Ale into Jack Daniels barrels for barrel aged products that will be released in the Fall/Winter.
5. What excites you most about craft beer in BC
The craft beer industry in BC is much like where the wine industry was 10 years ago. Its just gathering steam and many breweries are crafting their place in the industry. I think its exciting because there will be more breweries to come witch will create more interest, raise the bar and help build a strong craft beer industry in B.C. much like in Portland or Seattle. Its great for consumers and tourism.
6. What is your favorite BC craft beer?
I know this sounds really bias but my favorite is the Four Mile Pale Ale. Its seriously good. Other than that I love trying new stuff from all the breweries. The seasonal offerings in the 650ml format are always fresh and exciting. Philips seasonal brews are always great.
7. What three words would you use to describe Four Mile?
Victoria’s Historic Landmark.
If you are ready to visit the Four Mile Brewpub they are located at 199 Island Hwy, Victoria, BC V9B 1G1. You can also visit them online at fourmilehouse.com or follow them on facebook.