Another brewery introduction, courtesy of the BC Beer Awards, came when Mrs. Sip received a sample of this Gladstone Brewing selection. While Oktoberfest beers don’t rank among my favourite styles, I still found this offering to be decent.

Gladstone’s Oktoberfest continues the tradition of Bavarian brewing, where beers were produced in the spring and aged until the fall. When they were released, drinkers rejoiced, providing us with what’s known today as Oktoberfest and what should be an international holiday for all booze hounds.

The 5.5% ABV, 25 IBUs beverage is dark and is highlighted by flavours of caramel, toast and malts. The easy drinking brew has a level of hops that won’t scare any imbibers away, while also having enough there for those that want a bitter finish.

Gladstone is yet another addition to my ever-expanding map of breweries I need to visit on Vancouver Island. The company launched in 2014 and focuses on “Belgian ales, European lagers, and Pacific Northwest style India pale ales”. That covers a fair bit of ground!

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