For Part 3 of our series on Vancouver’s new breweries, we will visit on of my favorites, 33 Acres.

33 Acres seems oddly situated on a mixed-use and mainly residential, block. While they might not get the kind of walk-in traffic they might if they were located on Main Street, 33 Acres already has a loyal following because of their business model, quality product, and friendly service.

33 Acres maintains a casual, low-key environment with zero pretentiousness. They keep their price points low and are not trying to be an elite brewery. 33 Acres specializes in growler fills, but they have created a space that is so damn comfortable that Josh and I usually end up having a glass or two when we arrive.

When you enter 33 Acres for the first time, you might think you stepped into a coffee shop instead of a brewery. The all-white interior conveys a bright and airy feel that is more conducive to studying or daytime drinking than it is for pubbing. Yet 33 Acres can be quite busy and lively on weekend evenings. Some people are admittedly perplexed by the atmosphere, but we quite like it.

We also like the beers. 33 Acres tends to brew consistently good beer. Their emphasis is clean and sessionable, which is one of the most important pockets of brewing. The flagship beers, the ones they have on always, include a brightly hopped crisp pale ale and the California Common. Their tasty schwartzbier tends to be on often too.

As a nanobrewery, 33 Acres never has more than 3 or 4 beers on at once. However, they rotate seasonals quite frequently, encouraging frequent visits. I love that the service is good here, and the space they have created is friendly and warm. They do not have a kitchen, but they have partnered with food trucks. The 33 Acres Website lists the food trucks that are scheduled. There is an espresso bar across the street from 33 Acres called Milano Coffee, which is one of the only other retail businesses on this block. Unfortunately, the coffee does not live up to expectations. I will be writing about Milano and other coffee in Vancouver soon, stay tuned.

33 Acres Brewing Co.

15 W. 8th Avenue

Vancouver, BC

Ratebeer.com places link

Edit: As of early April, 33 Acres will be bottling. Their first release is 33 Acres of Ocean, “Westcoast-Style Pale Ale.” I believe they still qualify as a nanobrewery, but perhaps their production will soon go up enough to make them a micro!