Vancouver, British Columbia breweries/pubs?

Any recommendations for pubs or breweries in Vancouver (particularly in and around the downtown area)? Will be there next week for a business trip.

I found a few places through google/yelp: The Alibi Room, The Railway Club, Steamworks brewery. Any info on these will be welcome too.

The Alibi Room is pretty good. Good food too. I don't think they brew their own beer there but they have a wide selection of other craft brews and beer from the Pacific Northwest.

I haven't been to the Railway club in a very long time but, back in the day, it was a reasonable place to go for a beer.

Steamworks is a large, trendy (in a good way) brewpub. I find the beer to be pretty decent but not fantastic. The atmosphere at Steamworks is great with nice views over the water.

Victoria, on the island, actually has more brew pubs and craft beer, per capita, than Vancouver. If you find yourself there, visit Swans, Canoe Club, Moon Under Water and enjoy the beer made by Driftwood brewery and Phillips brewery.

By the way, you should be able to get Phillips and Driftwood beers in Vancouver. they're excellent.

I really liked the Farmhand Ale by Driftwood.

St Augustine on Commercial and 8th has absolutely no big name brews, it's all local stuff. Something like 20 or so taps of various craft/micros. Monday used to be "Cask Night" with a diff brewer making a special cask for the event. Easy to get to as it's right across from the Broadway skytrain station, on Commercial drive, but it's not downtown.

http://staugustinesvancouver.com/

Used to live just down the street, and I spent a whackload of cash there hah, far too much.

They were all burned down after the Stanley Cup!

Granville Island Brewery

cg17 said:

Granville Island Brewery

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No way. That stuff's swill. They got booted out of the craft brewers association for getting too big (but mostly for being crap, I think.)

Definitely check out St. Augustine's and the Alibi Room for huge tap lists.
The Railway is also great, but not so well endowed in the tap department.

+1 on the Driftwood. Anything they make is great, with the Farmhand Saison and Crooked Coast Amber (tons of delicious Munich) being particular favourites.

Philips is great and more adventurous than Driftwood, but not as consistently fantastic.

Of the Brewpubs, Steamworks is very good and so is the Dockside Restaurant at the Granville Island Hotel (not to be confused with Granville Island Brewery.)

Oh yeah. Also Central City (Red Racer) Brewery and Brewpub in Surrey. Their IPA's the best in BC by a wide margin.

Thanks for all the suggestions folks. Will definitely try Alibi Room and St Augustine - seems like the places to go to try a variety of local brews. Perhaps Steamworks as well since it close to the hotel I'm staying at. Too bad I only have two evenings free

I will be headed to Vancouver for next week as well for a conference. I planned on checking Steamworks and I was unsure what else. This thread shall be my guide while in Vancouver.