Two brown glass growlers labeled "Tofino Brewing Company" sit on rocks by the ocean at sunset, with surfers in the water and trees in the background, capturing the coastal spirit of Tofino and Ucluelet Breweries.
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Pacific Rim Breweries | Tofino and Ucluelet Brewing

ByNathan Griffiths

Here at Lifty Life, we are novice surfers but expert beer drinkers. Luckily the Tofino and Ucluelet area has both world-class surfing and fantastic local breweries.

Four surfers and two dogs walk on a wet sandy beach towards the ocean at sunset, with waves, a rocky headland, and distant Tofino and Ucluelet Breweries enhancing the coastal vibe in the background.

Ucluelet Brewing Company

Ucluelet Brewing might be the cutest tasting room I have ever stepped foot in. The brewery has an amazingly convenient downtown Ucluelet location (only 1.3km from the Black Pearl). The brewery and tasting room are housed in the town’s old church. It has lovingly renovated and restored with a bar and a small kitchen while keeping the high ceilings and exposed joists. The large windows and second-floor patio offer ocean views to match your beer.

Ucluelet offers the hardworking pub classics that you would expect on any good beer menu, such as a west coast IPA, a pale ale, porter, kolsh, pilsner, and even a summery wit. Plus a few seasonals and trendy craft beer nerds (like me) such as an east coast hazy IPA, and a kettle sour.

A hand holds a can of Ucluelet Brewing Co.'s St. Aiden's Porter near a body of water on an overcast day, highlighting the craft offerings from Tofino and Ucluelet Breweries.

The food menu is light but delicious. They have done a great job putting together the menu that leaves most grill-less tasting-rooms in the dust. There are full entrée lunch and dinner options that won’t leave you hungry or regretting your unhealthy food choices when your vacation is over. Personally, I recommend the wraps.

Tofino Brewing Company

Tofino Brewing is a must-visit after a day of surfing at Cox Beach. The brewery is on the way back to town from Cox Beach and is a great place to stop for a pint with friends and locals or to grab a few cans and bottles to take back to your vacation rental.

A brewery building with a lit outdoor tent area on a rainy evening, surrounded by trees and wet gravel ground—reminiscent of the cozy atmospheres at Tofino and Ucluelet Breweries.

Tofino Brewing’s beers are pretty widely available across British Columbia, but it always more fun to drink the beer directly in the brewery, and there are number one-offs and seasonals available in the tasting room.

Their Kelp Stout is probably their most famous brew. I personally don’t care for salty beers, but I recommend that you give it a try. Take a bottle home to pair with some local fresh sea-food.

Like many tasting rooms, the food menu is very limited. Mostly just pepperoni sticks and other snacks.

A close-up of a pint glass filled with dark beer, displaying foam on top and partial "TOFINO BREWING CO" branding—a nod to the craft found at both Tofino and Ucluelet breweries.

Honorable Mention: Lucky Lager

I don’t know why Lucky Lager is so popular on Vancouver Island, but there seems to be a 6-pack in the back of every fridge and pick-up truck on Vancouver Island. Neither the company nor the ingredients are local, and it has not been brewed on the Island since the 1980’s, but that has not stopped Lucky Lager from becoming part of the local culture.

  • “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”
    Saint Augustine
    Patron Saint of Brewers
A bottle of Lucky Lager beer sits on a wooden table beside a printed bar menu titled "1909 Kitchen + Bar," showcasing local favorites from Tofino and Ucluelet Breweries.

Even the high-end 1909 Kitchen sells Lucky Lager 

Consultant in the craft brewery and winery scene, with a marketing and sales background combined with experience as an event coordinator for big concerts and brewery events

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