A brewery that's worth hopping along to

Over the last few years, the craft beer movement has completely taken over PEI thanks to a handful of young beer makers across the island. With an over 1,000 percent increase in the number of local breweries (reaching at least 60), the craft beer scene on the island has for some incredible brews.  

So where does a beer lover get into it and taste the best of the best that PEI beer makers have to offer? We’ve got you covered: from the brewery bars to craft beer watering holes, here’s how to do it right.

Moth Lane Brewing

Our local! After a quick 20 minute drive from The Cottage or Farmhouse you'll arrive on Mickie Allan Shore Road where you'll find Moth Lane. Owner Eric Wagner opened his doors in December 2016 and hasn't looked back since. Eric is a former Lobster Fisherman liked making beer so much as a hobby, the self-taught brewmaster decided to make it into a business and what a business it's become.  Moth Lane sells growlers at the Summerside Market but can at times find it difficult to keep up with the demand for their popular brew. 

The building is a former shellfish business Wagner opened about 25 years ago and ran for several years before he became too busy fishing and managing a local co-op. 

"I used to drive by this place quite often thinking, what the heck am I going to do?" he said.

"When I came up with the micro-brewing idea, it lightened my heart a little bit, knowing I'll put this building back to use," he said. He's expanded it, adding a large deck where customers can enjoy their drinks in summer along with the beautiful view of Conway Narrows on the Island's North Shore.

There's a bbq onsite if you want to grill up something to munch on while enjoying your pint. 

Pint Pick: The Answer, IPA 

Location: 101 Mickie Allan Shore Road, Ellerslie

PEI Brewing Company/Gahan House

Gahan house was the first brewery on the scene and were an instant success. As the beer brewed on-site became more popular, the brewery was relocated to a 19th-century mansard-roofed building located in downtown Charlottetown in November of 2000. The brewery was then renamed the Gahan House Brewery in honour of the original owner, a prominent merchant John Gahant,  an importer of teas, wines, and family groceries.

Brewery tours are available from $15. To find out more click here.

Pint pick: 1772, IPA

Location: 126 Sydney St, Charlottetown

Copper Bottom Brewing

Owner Ken’s passion for craft beer started while selling six packs out of the back door of Propeller Brewing in 2003. In 2012, Ken and his wife Ashley built the “Brewdio”, a nanobrewery and music studio in their home. It is here where Ken developed his tasty beer recipes and where he turned his 14 year obsession with brewing into a plan to open a craft brewery in Montague. Ashley's passion for craft beer came from her travels as a touring musician and was soon intrigued with the idea of bringing a musical component to the project. Fast forward a few years and Copper Bottom Brewing was born. 

While the brewery may be the newest to the club it's already made quite an impression on the industry and can be found in a number of establishments. Onsite they host often host events including a Sunday session series of live music and pizza and vinyl nights. 

Pint Pick: Parkman Ave

Location: 567 Main Street, Montague

Upstreet Craft Brewing

Upstreet Craft Brewing started as most beer companies do - a few buds sitting around slugging back homebrew and talking big game of dropping it all to open a brewery of their own. Before they knew it they were in too deep to turn back and just kept going until they began to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Those same buds now say that it was the best idea they ever had.  

You'll find the original brewery on Allen Street in Charlottetown and their recently opened second location is on the corner of Kent St. and Great George Street.

Found at their Allen Street location the taproom is a place to catch up with old friends, celebrate the end of a hard week, sit down to a board game, or have a chin wag with the brewing staff.

And the crew like more than just to brew. To celebrate East Coast music they have teamed up with Breton Brewing Co. to release a collaboration beer they called the Island Jams: Vol 1. To accompany the beer, they put together 11 great songs by PEI and Cape Breton artists and the Island Jams Mixtape was born. Download your mixed tape here. 

Pint Pick: White Noise

Location: 41 Allen Street, Charlottetown

Barnone Brewing

Barnone are a small Farm Brewery situated in the beautiful picturesque rolling hills of Rose Valley. Founded in 2011 by Father and Son team Hugh and Don Campbell. The team grow a small hop yard with 4-6 hop varieties. 

Most Thursdays you can pop in for their 'growler' nights from 6pm - 11pm.  Fill your growler, enjoy a pint or perhaps play a game or two with Horse shoes, Washer-toss, Disc-Golf basket and Bocce ball on hand. There is also a BBQ available for you to cook up a something to accompany your frothy. 

Pint Pick: Outback Blonde 

Location: 4248 Route 225, Rose Valley

Hopyard

With 10 taps of craft beer always rotating brews from the island and North America you can cover a lot of ground without leaving the comfort of your bar stool. 

And that's not all that's rotating, in fact you could say that rotating is a common theme at Hopyard.  Vinyl tunes bring the space to life with a variety of tunes to choose from.  A rotating menu of dishes that are $8 or less is updated every two weeks ensuring regulars always have something tasty to try out. 

Location: 151 Kent St, Charlottetown