Beer Mail began it’s journey with a desire to blur the urban and rural divide, putting the freshest releases of craft beer on the doorsteps of those who sought it, whether far afield or closer at hand.
We’ve shipped packages throughout British Columbia, such as Invermere, Haida Gwaii, Nelson, Prince Rupert and more! Beer Mail has truly travelled like your favourite band on Tour.
Since the inaugural package in May of 2016, Beer Mail’s journey has reflected the swiftly growing and shifting market in British Columbia. With a transition from 650ml bomber bottles to 473ml tall cans in 2018, and an emphasis on the newest small batch releases from upcoming stars and trusted veterans, Beer Mail has always aimed to showcase the cutting-edge of what can be in your glass.
With this 100th iteration, we’re Celebrating the Classics.
We are commemorating our top suppliers by incorporating the genre-defining hallmarks here in BC. This package is a nod to the foundation and evolution of our market and the trendsetters that produced them. Long-time fans will revisit old friends and rejoice at what brought us here today, while new enthusiasts can explore what made this all possible.
Contents of this momentous package are as follows:
Four Winds – Delta, BC
Founded by the Mills family in 2013. We remember the day their first shipment arrived through our doors in a refreshingly creative, classy and clean format of 4 x 330ml bottles to break the mould of 6 x 341ml/355ml packaging size. While packaging size continues to modernize, the sheer freshness and quality of their beer continues to speak for itself, with countless award wins, including Canadian Brewery of the Year in 2015. They exist at the intersection of big and small, producing an impressive line of core beers as well as mouth watering seasonal releases.
The Beer: Nectarous, Dry-Hopped Sour. 5.5%
One of the first Sours on the scene in BC. Nectarous was ground breaking for retailers and hospitality locations, as its popularity sky-rocketed and became a consistently high-volume mover, dominating the Sour Beer category on shelves and tap lists. It continues to impress today, even while the massive wave of competition smashes shelves every Spring & Summer. The flavour? Well, it’s like drinking the nectar from nectarines, lifted by Galaxy& Citra hops for a bright finish.
Field House – Abbotsford, BC
It’s hard to forget Field House’s first appearance at the Great Canadian Beer Festival. The whispers were swirling around Royal Athletic Park, “have you had that Salted Black Porter from Field House?”, those kegs didn’t last long. The Abbotsford farmhouse producer has evolved into a power house. We consider them to be the epitome of contemporary brewing in BC and beyond. While they maintain a variety of core beers, the number of rotating seasonal releases and one-off productions is vast and extremely consistent. Whenever there’s a new small batch release, it’s a must-try.
The Beer: Toasted Coconut Dark Lager. 6%
A returning, absolute highlight, Fall release and freshly packaged in a 473ml tall can. Brewed as a traditional German-style Schwarzbier, this Dark Lager is the perfect compliment to shorter days and cooler nights, with the toasted coconut shining through the roast coffee and chocolate flavours. This is hallmark Field House, take a classic style and put a creative twist on it for greater impact.
Dageraad – Burnaby, BC
Arguably the best brewery in Canada. Winners of the 2018 Canadian Brewery of the Year, Dageraad is easily named one of our Staff Favourite producers of all-time. Brewing Belgian-style beer in Burnaby with BC personality, this tucked away operation is stewing with innovation and tradition. Owner Ben Coli and team ensure this artisan operation continues to evolve with odes to North American styles without breaking to exhaustive trends, and you can bet they do it with that Dageraad stamp of quality-first.
The Beer: Burnabarian Belgian Table Beer. 4.5%
With Dageraad’s back story in mind, Burnabarian is the quintessential Dageraad beer. This Belgian-style Session Ale, or Table Beer, broke ground in the market as one of the smoothest, cleanest and most enjoyable craft beers while not fitting into the traditional Pale Ale or Lager territory. Something clicked, you don’t have to drink a Tripel or Quad from Belgium to enjoy high quality Belgian-style beer. Burnabarian is what brewers drink while making other high-test, malt-packed concoctions for the masses. Brewed with the addition of oats and coriander to give it a silky mouthfeel and delicate profile.
Steel & Oak – New West, BC
From the Royal City and named after materials of strength and durability, Steel & Oak has maintained their stature in the market as a consistent and structured producer. From the days of nothing but exemplary German style beers, like Rauchbier and Hefeweizen, to their current day takes on modern styles of IPA, Steel & Oak has a deep portfolio and their beers are worth every penny.
The Beer: Dark Lager. 5%
This take on a Munich Dunkel harkens back to early days Steel & Oak. From the Owner Jorden Foss himself, it was hard to convince 2015 beer drinkers to go for a Lager that pours like a Stout. There was little competition to Vancouver Island Brewing’s Hermann’s Dark Lager, yet their version made a huge impact and resonated with people as the go-to beer for camping, sitting by a fire or enjoying with dessert – and it’s been on our shelves since it’s release in 473ml tall cans in 2017.
Superflux – Vancouver, BC
What began as Machine Ales, a two-man team brewing beer at Callister Brewing (Canada’s first collaborative brewery in East Vancouver), is now Superflux, the captains of the new school. They rode in to the market on the new wave of Hazy IPA and have since become a major player. Now with brick and mortar of their own on Clark Drive in Vancouver, this craft beer staple has launched a new expansion to Victoria in the form of {Cabana} – we’re excited to check it out!
The Beer: Colour & Shape. 6.5%
If Hazy IPA is a wave, Colour & Shape is a Tsunami. In this market and beyond, there’s little that compares to the freshness and flavour intensity of this IPA, bursting with thick pineapple, apricot, and peach finding a cleansing note of hop bitterness at the finish. The following Colour & Shape has, at least in our store, is of the die-hard variety and that fandom continues to grow.
Slow Hand – Vancouver, BC
In a small brick and mortar on Powell Street in Vancouver, Slow Hand has carved out the perfect niche in the market. They are at the forefront of what seems to be a Lager renaissance in BC. They produce a showcase of the forms that Lager can take, including their core German-style Pilsner, Euro Lagers, Cerveza and contemporary takes on Pilsner. If you’re tired of heavy ales and intensely hopped IPAs or just want to enjoy a crisp beer without having to think too much about it, go with a Slow Hand. You’ll have a new favourite.
The Beer: Světlý Ležák 12 Czech Pale Lager. 5%
Translating from Czech to “Light Lager”, with 12 degrees plato meaning roughly 5.2% ABV, this Slow Hand interpretation of a Czech lager is a Store Favourite. It is so tasty that if you close your eyes while you’re enjoying it you will be directly transported to Prague, seriously. This is one of those that you grab after thinking to yourself while staring at the liquor store fridge, “I just want a beer.” Our sincerest apologies that there’s only 1 of these in the package, but be sure we’ll stock it as often as possible.
Luppolo – Vancouver, BC
Luppolo (Italian for Hops) is an Italian inspired brewery opened in 2016 on Venables St. in East Vancouver with a gorgeous tasting room. They’re known for extremely complex Wild Ales, maintain an impressive Barrel Program, while producing benchmark Lagers and other classic styles. Worth the visit whenever you cross the Strait, as their tasting room only releases are always on point, and their pizza is a must-have.
The Beer: Sbarbatella Keller Pilsner. 5%
We’ll let the brewers themselves explain the nitty gritty on this Staff Favourite release that we often horde for ourselves:
“The fresh-faced Sbarbatella may not be as mature as his older brother, La Piazza, but this younger, spry Keller Pils has earned its stripes. Brewed exclusively with floor-malted bohemian pilsner malt and hopped with select New World Noble hops. It pours a cloudy straw yellow with a persistent, pillowy white head. Subtle floral aroma with hints of lemon and honey lead to flavours of hay with a cracker like grain character and smooth malt sweetness. It is clean and crisp, yet bold and complex with a medium body and balanced bitterness.”
Beere – North Van, BC
Beere is their namesake. This North Vancouver highlight has been turning heads since 2017, when there were breweries popping up in every reach of the Province. The boom was admittedly hard to keep track of, but Beere was one of those we had to seek out and attempt to receive & retail their bread and butter Dry-Hopped Hazy IPAs and Sours. There’s almost always a new release in-store when we receive our craft beer shipment every Thursday, aptly named amongst our crew as New Beer Day.
The Beer: Go Easy Pale Ale. 5.5%
This Hazy Pale Ale was the first Beere in our shop, and it remains a trusty go-to. It’s fully loaded with tropical fruit flavours like mango and orange with low to almost no bitterness for a super smooth, quaffable finish. Go Easy is designed for just that mentality, where their DDH Hazy IPA Mental Floss is complex and intense with hop character, this is an easy sessionable alternative.
Gladstone – Courtenay, BC
The owners of this quaint operation in Courtenay one upon a time lived on Gladstone Avenue in Fernwood, just down from the Fernwood Inn, hence their namesake! They are ideally located on 4th Street, with the feel of a neighbourhood pub, making the perfect spot to unwind after a hike through Strathcona Park or returning from an up island journey. They make a select number of beers, all carefully executed and true to style, with a classic west coast feel to them.
The Beer: Hazy Pale Ale. 5.5%
This beer is a bit of a phenomenon. From its arrival here last summer it quickly became, at times, the best-selling beer in our shop and it’s inclusion in this package was a forgone conclusion, even though Gladstone IPA is a staff favourite. It’s a “crushable” juicy Pale Ale with subtle flavours of guava and papaya with that soft, delicate mouthfeel and little touch of bitterness on the finish. Balanced and so so good.
Phillips – Victoria, BC
Celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, Phillip’s inclusion in this package needs little explanation. Long-time legends of the scene, they were, and still are, many people’s first introductions to craft beer and you’d be hard-pressed not to find them on tap or in a store Province-wide. They even have their own named fridge door in our store, so you can always rely on cold Phillips beer. This local success story is not only a stand-out brewery and distillery, they remain heavily invested in the music and festival scene, offering their facility as the ideal venue for a plethora of truly memorable events for the Victoria community.
The Beer: Blue Buck. 5%
This is a no-brainer. Once named Blue Truck, Blue Buck is largely responsible for helping build a craft beer empire that is continuing to grow and expand. If you’re a craft beer enthusiast who never drinks the same beer twice, always on the hunt for the newest release, revisiting Blue Buck could help spark some nostalgia and rediscover the balanced malt & hop profile that made this the landmark Victoria beer.
île Sauvage – Victoria, BC
Exploding onto the scene with a flurry of excitement here in Victoria, île Sauvage has been a driving force in this City and Province for all things sour, fruity, and wild. Quickly amassing a dedicated following since their inception, this two-man team has produced instant classics and experimental gems. They’re on a mission to explore the intersection of fermentation and fruit, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. A true pride and joy in the Victoria craft beer scene.
The Beer: Raspberry Sour. 5.5%
We remember the day this landed in the back of Ian’s truck, and the craze that followed which has since been instilled in our clientele. This has become the benchmark fruited sour and a real staple in the local arsenal, and for good reason. A Golden Sour base jammed full of raspberries, it’s thick, vibrant, juicy, lively, and in your face. Pucker up.
Driftwood – Victoria, BC
Friends of the store Driftwood Brewery is a true local success story. They’ve come a long way in their 13 year history, from delivering their first ever keg to our neighbours The Beagle Pub in 2008, to now being distributed as far afield as Ontario. While they expand to their massive new location on Viewfield Road and prepare for their new distilled products, we can’t help but feel proud for being just a tiny part of their success in bringing their delicious beers to the people.
The Beer: Fat Tug IPA. 7%
We didn’t even have to think about it. This is the Victoria beer, and it’s fame is well deserved. Fat Tug is not for the faint of heart, yet it’s smooth malt profile, pronounced hop character and well-hidden alcohol content make it so easy to drink. Breweries have tried to knock this beer of it’s pedestal and honestly haven’t come close to taking a big enough chunk out of it’s market share. Cheers to the Driftwood team and the liquid gold they continue to produce.
BONUS ITEM!
All packages purchased for shipping will contain a BONUS limited edition Beer Mail 100 Shirt! We will contact you upon purchase for your desired size.
All packages purchased for FREE Victoria delivery will contain a BONUS limited edition Cook St. Liquor Teku beer glass!
Shirts and Glassware available NOW in The Pantry in the accessories area for purchase or in our Loyalty Program in exchange for points
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We’re prepared to send Beer Mail 100 (12 x 473ml) box of craft beers to your door for $58.02 + tax & dep. $65.00 total. Anywhere in BC!
We offer a flat shipping charge of $25 for Expedited Canada Post delivery anywhere in BC! (That’s you Haida Gwaii, Nelson, Prince Rupert, and others!)
FREE delivery to Victoria area addresses.
Beer Mail 100 is available until designated as Sold-Out.
Please note: Beer Mail orders can only be accepted from BC addresses. Orders must be placed during our hours of operation (10 am to 10 pm, 7 days a week), per liquor control and licensing terms and conditions.
Local Delivery Schedule: Monday-Friday 11AM-5PM – no deliveries on weekends.
- Four Winds, Nectarous Dry-Hopped Sour - 5.5% (Delta, BC)
- Field House, Toasted Coconut Black Lager - 6% (Abbotsford, BC)
- Dageraad, Burnabarian Belgian-Style Table Beer - 4.5% (Burnaby, BC)
- Steel & Oak, Dark Lager - 5% (New West, BC)
- Superflux, Colour & Shape IPA - 6.5% (Vancouver, BC)
- Slow Hand, Světlý Ležák 12 Czech Pale Lager - 5% (Vancouver, BC)
- Luppolo, Sbarbatella Keller Pilsner - 5% (Vancouver, BC)
- Beere, Go Easy Hazy Pale Ale - 5.5% (North Vancouver, BC)
- Gladstone, Hazy Pale Ale - 5.3% (Courtenay, BC)
- Phillips, Blue Buck - 5% (Victoria, BC)
- île Sauvage, Raspberry Sour - 5.5% (Victoria, BC)
- Driftwood, Fat Tug IPA - 7% (Victoria, BC)