Penticton Beer Week kicks off Friday, continues until Oct. 24

The Okanagan may be known as wine country – but beer officially takes the spotlight for the next week.

The City of Penticton recently proclaimed October 16-24 as Penticton Beer Week – which will highlight a vibrant and growing beer scene – including some of BC’s oldest breweries and some of BC’s newest breweries.

"With seven craft breweries in Penticton, we enjoy working together to showcase our exciting and dynamic craft beer scene. Earlier this year, travel giant Lonely Planet named Penticton as Canada's Craft Beer Capital, which is incredible recognition for what we are doing together,” explained Kim Lawton, who manages the collective of Penticton breweries. “We launched Penticton Beer Week as a way to celebrate craft beer. Despite all of the challenges this year, we decided it was important to celebrate Penticton’s craft beer scene with a Penticton Beer Week designed to work within the current pandemic situation.”

Penticton’s seven breweries worked together to make a special collaboration beer. The limited-release beer is called The Penticton Seven, and is a hazy pale ale with Ekuanot and El Dorado hops. It is available in 4-packs at select private liquor stores throughout BC so people can enjoy a taste of Penticton wherever they are in the province. It will also be on tap at the breweries and select restaurants in the Penticton area.

You can view the list of locations to enjoy the Penticton Seven here.

The label was designed by Penticton-based Super Deluxe Creative, presenting sponsor of Penticton Beer Week. The label sponsor is Summit Labels. The hops sponsor is Scott Labs.

The collaboration beer is a fundraiser beer, with a portion of the proceeds to be donated to a local non-profit/charity.

For 2020, the recipient is the BC Hospitality Foundation, a registered charity that raises funds to support those in the hospitality industry facing a financial crisis due to a health condition.”

"The BCHF is honoured and grateful to have been chosen to receive partial proceeds from the Penticton Beer Week 2020 collaboration beer,” said BCHF executive director Dana Harris. “We'll be allocating these funds to assist hospitality workers in the Okanagan area, so that the generosity of the brewers involved benefits those in need right in their own community.”

In addition to the Penticton Seven collaboration beer, there will be a hybrid offering of COVID appropriate events and theme days at Penticton breweries and restaurants, as well as a couple of unique virtual events.

The Penticton Beer Week events and theme days include:

October 16 – Black Friday at Slackwater Brewing

October 17 – Sour Saturday at Cannery Brewing

October 17 – New Reality Beer Launch at Highway 97 Brewery

October 20 – Tuesday Night Trivia at Slackwater Brewing

October 21 – Penticton Beer Week, Live Virtual Event

October 22 – Work Boots, Beer and Bacon Happy Hour at Barley Mill Brew Pub

October 22 – Beach Vibes, Beers & Bites at Slackwater Brewing

October 23/24/25 – Bad Tattoo Brewing tap takeover at The Station Public House

October 23 – Bottle Release Jūra at Slackwater Brewing

October 24 – Oktoberfest at the Barking Parrot

Hoodoo Adventures will also be hosting a “Virtual Penticton Beer Run Challenge” during Penticton Beer Week.

Visit www.pentictonbeerrun.ca for more information and to register.

“For those who can’t travel to Penticton to celebrate Penticton Beer Week, we’re inviting everyone to celebrate virtually on October 21st for a special Penticton Beer Week live virtual beer event co-hosted by Aaron Johnson from Cascadian Beer Podcast and Joe Wiebe from the BC Ale Trail,” added Lawton. “Pick up a 4-pack of the Penticton Seven or your favourite craft beers from Penticton to enjoy while watching the live virtual event.”

There are also some great craft beer-focused sip and stay packages available at local hotels.

Check out the Penticton Beer Week page here for a list of Penticton Beer Week hotel packages, a list of locations where you can find the Penticton Seven, and detailed events listings.