The BC Beer Awards are the oldest and most-watched craft-beer competition in British Columbia. First held in 2010 as part of Vancouver Craft Beer Week and run as a standalone event since 2012, they're now owned by the BC Craft Brewers Guild and serve as the headline evening of the BC Craft Brewers Conference during BC Craft Beer Month.
Tonight's 2026 ceremony is at the Anvil Centre in New Westminster. If you're new to the awards — or just want to know which BC breweries to put on your must-visit list — this is the full guide.
Event Details
BC Beer Awards 2026 — The Essentials
When: Friday, October 16, 2026, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Where: Anvil Centre, 777 Columbia Street, New Westminster, BC V3M 1B6
Getting there: New Westminster SkyTrain station is directly across the street. Underground parking is accessible from 8th Street; overflow lots at the Shops at New West and Front Street Parkade.
Tickets: benchtop.swoogo.com/bcbeerawards2026 — admission includes a biodegradable sampling cup, two drink tokens (355-473 ml beer or cider per token), and the complimentary non-alcoholic beer station. Food vendors on-site at additional cost.
The awards are open to the public, not just the craft-beer industry. It's run like a hybrid ceremony + beer festival with food vendors and games alongside the medal announcements. 19+ for alcohol service — bring valid photo ID.
How Judging Works
Blind-Judged, BJCP-Style
Entry is restricted to BC-based breweries that meet all four criteria: (1) BC Craft Brewers Guild member or holder of a valid Canadian excise duty licence, (2) provincially licensed to brew, (3) produced under 400,000 hectolitres last year (safely covering every microbrewery and craft producer in the province), and (4) at least 75% BC-owned.
Entries are blind-judged by certified judges against the 2021 BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) Style Guidelines. Each style category receives gold, silver, and bronze medals for the top three beers. On top of the category medals, four overall honours are announced live at the ceremony:
- Best in Show — the single highest-scoring beer across all categories
- Brewery of the Year — most total medal points across the ceremony
- Rookie of the Year — strongest performance by a brewery new to the awards
- Legend Award — career-recognition for an individual's contribution to BC craft beer
2025 Headliners
The 2025 Special Honours — Who to Watch Tonight
Last year's top awards tell you which breweries are at the peak of their game going into 2026's ceremony:
- Brewery of the Year: Camp Beer Co in Langley — took 1 gold and 4 silvers to run away with the title.
- Best in Show: Smithers Brewing — Smithersbräu Festbier, a Pale Malty European Lager that also took gold in its category.
- Legend Award: Paul Hadfield of Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub — Canada's oldest brewpub, opened 1984 in Victoria.
- Rookie of the Year: Checkerhead Brewing — one of the breakout new breweries of 2025.
2025 Winners
Every 2025 Category Winner
Here's the complete 2025 category-winners list. Each brewery name links to its full BreweryFinder listing with current tap list, hours, location, Google rating, and reviews. Treat this as your pre-tonight study guide — many of these breweries will show up again in the 2026 results.
| Category | Beer | Brewery |
|---|---|---|
| International Lager | Black Widow | Tin Whistle Brewing |
| Pale Malty European Lager | Smithersbräu Festbier | Smithers Brewing |
| Pale Bitter European Lager | North Star Light Lager | Hoyne Brewing |
| Czech Lager | Anthitheses 13 | Four Winds Beach House |
| German Pils | Bierfest German Pilsner | Parallel 49 Brewing |
| American Light Lager | Red Truck Lite Lager | Red Truck Brewing |
| German Wheat Beer | Umlaut | Brassneck Brewery |
| Amber & Dark British Beer | Serpent's Back Caribbean Stout | Mountainview Brewing |
| Amber & Dark European Beer | Munich Lager | Sherwood Mountain Brewhouse |
| Pale Commonwealth Beer | Kama Citra | Off The Rail Brewing |
| American Pale Ale | Mystic Haze Pale Ale | Vancouver Island Brewing |
| American IPA | Hipster Fuel IPA | Smithers Brewing |
| Hazy IPA | Organized Chaos | Fern + Cedar Brewing |
| Specialty IPA | Okay, Bye | Beere Brewing |
| Standard American Beer | Lo-Tide Light Lager | Slackwater Brewing |
| Strong American Ale | Triple Denim | Beva Brewing + Blending |
| American Amber & Brown Beer | Basal Brown Ale | Deadfall Brewing |
| American Porter and Stout | Barrel Aged Flannel Pyjamas 2025 | Camp Beer Co |
| Specialty & Historical Beer | Cherry Blossom Japanese Lager | Tin Whistle Brewing |
| Mixed Style Beer | FOM | Superflux Beer Co |
| Alternative Fermentables | Gluten Schmuten (GF Citrus Pale Ale) | Abandoned Rail |
| Non-Alcoholic | Non-Alcoholic Lions Gate Lager | Steamworks Brewing Co |
| Specialty & Spice / Fruit Beer | Vanishing Act | Twin City Brewing |
| Fruit Beer | Dinosour Dragonfruit Lychee | Phillips Brewing & Malting |
| Spiced Beer | Spruce Tip IPA | Category 12 Brewing |
| Wood Beer | Barrel-Aged Serpent's Back | Mountainview Brewing Co |
| Belgian Ale | Field Theory | Dageraad Brewing |
| Belgian Strong Ale | Blonde | Dageraad Brewing |
| European Sour Ale | Oud Bruin | Copper Brewing |
| American Wild Ale | Fuzzy Peach | Whistle Buoy Brewing |
Source: official BC Beer Awards 2025 results page. Gold / silver / bronze placements for silver and bronze aren't published on the public page — each row above is the gold winner for its category.
Where To Visit
BC Breweries to Visit After the Ceremony
Most of the award-winning breweries above are also on BreweryFinder's ranked lists. If you're planning a BC beer trip around the awards, here's where to start:
- Top craft breweries in British Columbia — Bayesian-weighted ranking across all BC
- Top breweries in Vancouver — including Parallel 49, Brassneck, Off The Rail, Beere, Superflux, Red Truck, Dageraad
- Top breweries in Victoria — Spinnakers, Hoyne, Phillips, Whistle Buoy, Vancouver Island Brewing, Category 12
- Top breweries in Kelowna — Copper Brewing and the surrounding Okanagan scene
- Top breweries in Penticton — Tin Whistle and Abandoned Rail (two 2025 winners from a single small town)
- Breweries near me — geolocation-aware list of the closest craft breweries to you
Related
Related Reading
- Vancouver Island Craft Beer Trail: 2026 Guide — plan a trip around several 2025 winners (Spinnakers, Phillips, Hoyne, Twin City, Fern + Cedar)
- Best craft breweries in Vancouver (2026)
- Penticton: Canada's craft beer capital — home of Tin Whistle and Abandoned Rail, both 2025 winners
- What is a microbrewery? Canada's guide to craft beer
- How BreweryFinder ranks the best breweries — our Bayesian weighted scoring methodology
Frequently asked questions
When and where are the BC Beer Awards 2026?
Friday, October 16, 2026 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM at the Anvil Centre (777 Columbia Street, New Westminster, BC V3M 1B6). It's directly across the street from the New Westminster SkyTrain station.
Who organizes the BC Beer Awards?
The BC Craft Brewers Guild took ownership of the awards in 2025. The event has run annually since 2010 — originally as part of Vancouver Craft Beer Week, and as a standalone event since 2012. It's now the headline evening of the BC Craft Brewers Conference during BC Craft Beer Month.
How are BC Beer Awards winners chosen?
BC breweries submit entries in advance, and certified judges blind-judge each beer against the 2021 BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) Style Guidelines. The top three beers in each style category receive medals (gold, silver, bronze). Additional honours include Best in Show, Brewery of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and the Legend Award for individual contributions to the BC craft beer industry.
Who won Brewery of the Year at the BC Beer Awards 2025?
Camp Beer Co from Langley won Brewery of the Year at the 2025 BC Beer Awards, earning 1 gold and 4 silvers. Best in Show went to Smithers Brewing for their Smithersbräu Festbier. The Legend Award went to Paul Hadfield of Spinnakers (Canada's oldest brewpub), and Rookie of the Year was Checkerhead Brewing.
How much are BC Beer Awards tickets?
Tickets are sold through benchtop.swoogo.com/bcbeerawards2026. Admission includes a biodegradable sampling cup, two drink tokens (each redeemable for a 355-473 ml beer or cider), and access to the complimentary non-alcoholic beer station. Food vendors operate on-site at additional cost.
Who can enter the BC Beer Awards?
Entry is open to any brewery that: (1) is a member of the BC Craft Brewers Guild or holds a valid Canadian excise duty licence, (2) is licensed to brew by a provincial authority, (3) produced under 400,000 hectolitres of beer in the prior year, and (4) is at least 75% BC-owned. Registration runs through the Brewing Awards Platform via the BC Craft Brewers Guild.
Can anyone attend the BC Beer Awards ceremony?
Yes — the ceremony is open to the public, not just industry. It operates like a beer festival with on-site vendors and games alongside the awards announcements. 19+ for alcohol service; valid photo ID required.