In the last decade, there have been a surge of quality craft breweries in Kelowna. Though your first alcohol-related thought about Kelowna might be to do with the abundance of local wines and wineries, the craft beer scene is quickly catching up. That makes Kelowna, and the Okanagan Valley, a great place for wine drinkers and beer drinkers alike!
With so many breweries to choose from, it can be hard to know where to even start. The good news though, is that you can’t really go wrong with any of them. In this article, I take a look at each of the breweries in downtown Kelowna, and let you know what they’re best for. Whether you are looking for live music, unique beer, great patio vibes, a place to share with your non-beer drinking friends, a family friendly atmosphere, or something else, you are sure to find the perfect place for you!
This list captures all that the best Kelowna breweries have to offer. So, grab some friends and head to one (or many) of these breweries for a flight of beer and some delicious food. And who knows, maybe you’ll find your new favourite beer!
Plus, since all these breweries are in downtown Kelowna, any combination will make for a perfect brewery-crawl. Check out the map at the bottom!
Red Bird Brewing (Best For Live Music)
Google Rating: 4.7 stars
Red Bird Brewing has a focus on community, aiming to be the perfect place to spend time with friends, or make new ones! With a jammed packed events schedule, you are sure to find something fun going on here any night of the week.
Events hosted here include weekly crib nights on Mondays, artisan markets, live music every Thursday and Saturday, music festivals, salsa lessons, and additional concerts, DJs, and more!
Beer: Red Bird has a wide range of craft beers with 12 – 18 beers on their tap list on any given day. This includes small test brew batches only available in their onsite tasting room!
Food: Not only do they have a great beer menu, but Red Bird also has a great food menu! Try their wood oven pizzas, tacos, poke bowls, salads, or chips & dip!
Fun Fact: Each of their cans, available for purchase on site or in most liquor stores, has an interesting story of Kelowna’s history on it!
Hours: Sun – Wed (12pm – 10pm), Thurs – Sat (12pm – 12am)
Website: https://www.redbirdbrewing.com/
Rustic Reel Brewing (Best For Outdoor Patio and Coffee Lovers)
Google Rating: 4.5 stars
Rustic Reel aims to capture the essence of the Okanagan Lifestyle. This is something they keep in mind both during the brewing process and in the atmosphere they create. With a spacious and cozy patio, complete with fairy lights and reservable firepits in the colder months, I’d say they do a good job. Plus they have $6 pints and $3 pretzels after dusk (8pm).
Additionally, try out their new Tackle Box Coffee Bar, or bring your coffee loving friends! This is a great place for beer enthusiasts and coffee enthusiasts to come together! And, all their ingredients are sourced from local suppliers.
Beer: From blondes and pale ales, to hoppy IPAs, amber ales, and brown ales, you’re sure to find something you love in every flight of beer you order.
Food: Nothing goes better with good beer than good food, and Rustic Reel Brewing seems to have a menu especially tailored to go well with beer. Try their sausage flights, charcuterie boards, pretzels or have a tasty bar snack.
Fun Fact: Rustic Reel stays true to their fishing theme in their logo, advertising, and by hosting a Fishing Derby!
Hours: Wed & Thurs:12-9pm, Fri: 12-11pm, Sat: 11-11pm, Sun: 10-7pm
Website: https://rusticreel.com/
Unleashed Brewing (Best for Bringing Your Dog)
Google Rating: 4.9
If you love both dogs and craft beer, then Unleashed Brewing is the place for you! With a dog friendly taproom, you are even able to bring your furry friend with you. Or, if, like me, you don’t have your own dog but get great joy from seeing them, this is the perfect place to hangout.
In fact, Unleashed was the first brewery in all of BC to be approved to allow dogs in their tap room. They even have dog beds, dog bandanas, dog treats, and dog “beer” (bone broth) available so your dog is sure to have a great time too!
Beer: Unleashed has a fun variety of beer available, with lots of light and fruity options and a few darker options as well. Some highlights include the London Dog Special-tea Ale, the All Dogs go to Heavenweizen Hefeweizen, the Dog Haze of Summer NEIPA, and the Snuggle is Real Vanilla Maple Winter Warmer.
Food: Unleashed has some small snacks available, but no kitchen. They also allow you to bring your own food if you wish.
Fun Fact: They have a beer named after Takaya, a lone wolf who left his pack on Vancouver Island. He wandered through Victoria and swam to the nearby archipelago of islands.
Hours: Mon – Thurs: 2-9pm, Fri & Sat: 12-10pm, Sun: 12-8pm
Website: https://unleashedbrewing.ca/
Kelowna Beer Institute (Best For Fresh Beer and Beer-Inspired Food)
Google Rating: 4.5 Stars
Formally known as Tree Brewing, the Kelowna Beer Institute is located in the heart of Kelowna’s cultural district. While different breweries have various themes, the Kelowna Beer Institute’s theme is simple: beer. Their delicious craft beer is served unfiltered, from tank to tap, making it extra fresh.
And their beer theme doesn’t just stop with their beer, but is integrated into the food as well. They utilize the spent grain they get from the brewing process to make their homemade pizza crust and sandwich buns.
Beer: With a constantly rotating selection of new beers, there’s always something interesting to try on tap at the Kelowna Beer Institute. Or try their delicious cold Beer-Tails!
Food: Grab a bar snack like pretzels, cheese curds, cauliflower bites, or Korean chicken, or go for a meal with a pizza, sandwich, taco, or salad. And remember, the pizza crust and sandwich buns are made with the spent grains from the beer brewing process!
Fun Fact: The Kelowna Beer Institute used to known as Tree Brewing. They changed their name publicly in 2020 (and legally back in 2016), claiming the new name better reflected their vision. At the time, the owners, Chris and Dave, wrote on social media “We are proud to be a Kelowna based brewery that brews on site and has a passion to educate people about the wonderful world of making craft beer.”
Hours: Mon – Thurs: 11:30am – 10pm (or later), Fri & Sat: 11am – 11pm, Sun 11am – 10pm (or later)
Website: https://kelownabeerinstitute.com/
Jackknife Brewing (Best for Unique Beer)
Google Rating: 4.7 Stars
Owned and operated by a group of creative locals, Jackknife goes by the motto “Weird Beer. Classic Pizza.” They primarily utilize yeasts from Norwegian farmhouse brewers, as well as some from Latvia, Lithuania, and Russia. They also utilize ancient brewing techniques and traditions, which add to the uniqueness of their beers.
In addition to these things, this unique brewery puts an emphasis on creating a safe space for everyone.
Beer: Jackknife brewing has a huge variety of beers, including lots of fundraising, collab, and special edition beers. As promised by their motto, you’ll find lots of weird beers here. And lots of Nordic inspired beers. Their core lineup includes a Nordic spruce tip pale ale, a Nordic IPA, a Dark Lithuanian Farmhouse Ale, a barrel fermented lager-ish style kveik beer, and a Canadian imperial stout made to be released on the first snowfall of the year.
Food: Their food consists primarily of pizza.
Fun Fact: Jackknife brewing is right next door to another brewery on this list: Kettle River Brewing.
Hours: Tues – Thurs: 4pm-9pm, Fri & Sat: 12pm-10pm, Sun: 12pm-9pm
Website: https://www.jackknife.beer/
Kettle River Brewing (Best for Families)
Google Rating: 4.6 Stars
Kettle River Brewing has a fun and funky vibe, with tons of cool art in their taproom and on the patio. Plus they are family friendly, so it’s the perfect place to bring the kids, or your furry friends to the patio.
Check out their live music schedule and stop by for all day brunch on Sundays! Or, attend an open mic night on Wednesday from 6-9pm!
Beer: Brewing in small batches, Kettle River has a variety of core beers you will find rotating through their tasting room. This list of core beers includes, a blonde ale, a dirty blond ale, an extra special bitter, an American-style pale ale, a NEIPA, a red ale, a double IPA, and a chocolate milk stout.
Food: Kettle River’s in house kitchen, Provisions Kitchen, is a collaboration with Crasian Foodtruck and Boxcar fame. They have monthly rotating menus to keep you coming back each month to see what is new.
Fun Fact: Kettle River Brewing Co. has loads of fun mech in their unique style. Check out their cute tee shirts, bucket hats, and glasses!
Hours: Mon, Wed & Thurs: 3pm – 10pm, Fri & Sat: Noon – 11pm, Sun: Noon – 10pm
Website: https://www.kettleriverbrewing.ca/
BNA Brewing Co. (Best for Cocktail Options, Games and Entertainment)
Google Rating: 4.5 stars
Like all the local breweries on this list, BNA Brewing Co. has delicious craft beer, but it also has a whole more. With a wide variety of Artisan cocktails, a unique food menu, live events, arcade games, board games, and even a bowling alley, you are sure to have a great experience here! BNA is craft brewery meets trendy downtown bar meets game center at its finest.
With the beautiful patio, the cozy tasting room, the spacious eatery, and the upstairs bowling alley, you are sure to find a section of this establishment with the atmosphere you are looking for.
Beer: With 12 taps in their tasting room BNA has plenty of options, from lagers and sours, to ultra hazy pale ales, oatmeal stouts, imperial milk stouts, New England IPAs, and even a jasmine rice pilsner.
Food: In addition to all the staples, BNA has some unique items on its menu like zucchini fries, tuna tartare, lobster dumplings, Seoul pickle pizza, and more!
Fun Fact: BNA Brewing Co.’s name comes from the fact that the building was originally the British North American Tobacco Company (BNATC).
Hours: Sun – Thurs: 11am – 12am, Fri & Sat: 11am – 1 am
Website: https://www.bnabrewing.com/
Vice & Virtue Brewing Co. (Best for Can Art Enthusiasts)
Google Rating: 4.7 Stars
Vice & Virtue is all about creativity and community. From their adorable cans designed by local artists, to the quiet and friendly vibes of their space, you can see that this is important to them.
Their food is locally sourced, and they carry local wines and ciders, in addition to their stellar beer selection!
Beer: Vice & Virtue has plenty of options when it comes to beer. They also have build your own or predesigned flights to try. The preset flights include a Fresh Flight with fruity beers and pale ales, a Smooth Flight with lagers, a pilsner, and their hazy pale ale, and a Big Poppa Flight that’s heavy to IPAs.
Food: Think high-end pub food, with sharables like charcuterie boards, plus gourmet burgers, hot dogs, and tacos.
Fun Fact: Vice & Virtue started with a group of friends, an empty warehouse, and a lot of DIYs.
Hours: Mon, Wed – Sat: 12-11pm, Sun: 11am-11pm
Website: https://www.viceandvirtuebrewing.ca/
Welton Arms (Best for British Beers and Food)
Google Rating: 4.6 Stars
Unlike the other breweries on this list, The Welton Arms is technically a restaurant, rather than the brewery itself. But it still makes the cut as all of their craft beers come from the affiliated Welton Brewery. And don’t let the distinction worry you into thinking their may not be as much craft beer here. They have loads of Welton Brewery beers on tap.
The other thing that makes Welton Arms unique on this list is that it is the only place dedicated to brewing in the UK style. In an interview with KelownaNow, the owner clarified “that means is we use English style ingredients, we use English yeast, we even modify our water to be the same kind of water they would use in Britain.”
Beer: UK-Style beers, including bitters, fruity beers and other fun flavours. Some highlights include a strawberry and white chocolate beer, a saison with blackcurrant, and a butterscotch ale.
Food: Like the beer, the food here is British themed as well. Think fish and chips.
Fun Fact: The owner and founder, Simon Welton, is an expat from the UK.
Hours: Wed & Thurs: 4:30pm-11pm, Fri: 4:30pm-12am, Sat: 12pm-12am. Sun: 12pm-9pm
Website: https://weltonarms.com/
Office Brewery (Best For event Spaces/Large Groups)
Google Rating: 4.4 Stars
The Office Brewery is all about finding the perfect work\life balance. As such it is the perfect after work place to unwind from a long week. Or, if you’re lucky, the best place for a mid-work break or meeting.
At the Office, you can rent out their mezzanine, patio, or entire brewery for parties, wedding functions, work meetings, or anything else you might need! This makes the Office Brewery the perfect spot for large groups (25+ people).
Beer: All with office themed names, this brewery has a variety of light and fruity craft beers available. Plus they have a variety of cocktails for those non-beer drinkers in your group.
Food: With loads of vegan and gluten free options, the Office Brewery has tons of choices. Highlights include: tacos, homemade dips, salads, Vietnamese rice rolls, donair, bowls, and chimichangas (deep fried burritos).
Fun Fact: If you can slip away from work early, they have happy hour from 12-5 Monday – Friday. Get 14 oz beers for $5.50, deep fried pickles for $10.75 and bacon wrapped jalapenos for $14.
Hours: Sun-Tue: 12pm – 9pm, Wed & Thurs: 12pm – 10pm, Fri & Sat: 12pm – 11pm
Website: https://www.officebrewery.ca/
Other Kelowna BREWERIES
After trying all the best breweries in downtown Kelowna, check out some of these other great breweries in other parts of Kelowna!
In West Kelowna try Lakesider Brewing or The Hatching Post. In South Kelowna try Barn Owl Brewing, the Shore Line Brewing Co., and the Copper Brewing Company. Near the University try the Kelowna Brewing Company and Wild Ambition Brewing. And in Lake Country try Grey Fox Brewing, Big Bear Brewing, and Lake Country Brewing.
I hope you found this list of Kelowna breweries helpful!
Let me know in the comments below if you have been to any of these breweries or if you have a favourite beer from Kelowna! Or save this post for later.
PS. Are you planning a trip for BC?
Kelowna is one of the stops on my list of 6 great BC summer road trip stops! Plus check out this guide on how to save money road tripping in Canada.
