The Okanagan may be best known for its wineries, but the region has also become one of British Columbia’s best destinations for craft beer.
From Kelowna’s bustling North End brewery district to laid-back taprooms in West Kelowna and Penticton’s impressive craft beer scene, there are plenty of places to grab a flight, settle onto a sunny patio and discover a new local favourite.
Some come with wood-fired pizza, others pair their pours with barbecue, live music or even a bike ride along the Okanagan Rail Trail. Here are some of the best breweries in the Okanagan to add to your next brewery crawl or date night.
Kelowna
Red Bird Brewing
If your ideal brewery date includes cold beer, pizza and live music, Red Bird Brewing should be high on your list. Located in Kelowna’s North End, this lively brewery has become a local favourite thanks to its spacious patio, regular live entertainment and wood-fired pizza.
The beer menu ranges from easy-drinking lagers and Kölsch to hazy IPAs, porters, stouts and rotating small-batch releases, so ordering a flight is a great way to try a little bit of everything.
Where: 1080 Richter Street, Kelowna
Perfect for: Live music, patio dates, craft beer and pizza
Barn Owl Brewing
Barn Owl Brewing offers one of the most unique brewery settings in Kelowna. The brewery is housed inside the historic 1920s Surtees family dairy barn in the Lower Mission, giving the taproom plenty of character.
There are more than 20 small-batch beers and rotating taps to explore, plus regular community events and live music. It’s a cozy alternative to the larger breweries downtown and in the North End.
Where: 102 – 4629 Lakeshore Road, Kelowna
Perfect for: A cozy brewery date and trying something new
Kettle River Brewing Co.
A staple of Kelowna’s North End brewery scene, Kettle River Brewing is all about small-batch beer and a relaxed neighbourhood atmosphere.
The rotating tap list gives you an excuse to come back regularly, while Provisions Kitchen takes the food beyond the usual brewery snacks with a chef-driven menu. It’s an easy stop to work into a North End brewery crawl.
Where: 731 Baillie Avenue, Kelowna
Perfect for: Craft beer lovers and good food
Jackknife Brewing
Sitting just steps from Kettle River, Jackknife Brewing brings something completely different to Kelowna’s beer scene.
Expect experimental, Nordic-influenced brews, frequently rotating taps and plenty of personality. Pair your beer with one of their sourdough pizzas and you’ve got a casual date night that feels anything but basic.
Where: 727 Baillie Avenue, Kelowna
Perfect for: Adventurous beer drinkers and pizza dates
Railside Brewing Ltd
Located right beside the Okanagan Rail Trail, Railside Brewing is a great excuse to combine a bike ride or walk with a brewery stop.
The laid-back taproom offers a variety of craft beers along with patio seating and regular events, making it an especially fun stop during the warmer months.
Where: 1186 High Road, Kelowna
Perfect for: Post-bike-ride beers and casual patio hangs
Vice & Virtue Brewing Co.
Vice & Virtue is another North End favourite and a particularly good choice when the food is just as important as the beer.
Along with its rotating selection of beers brewed on site, the brewery has developed a culinary-focused food program and regularly hosts special dining experiences.
Where: 1033 Richter Street, Kelowna
Perfect for: A brewery dinner date
BNA Brewing Kelowna
BNA takes the traditional brewery date and adds a little friendly competition. Located inside a historic downtown building, BNA combines its brewery and restaurant with bowling, bocce and arcade games.
Grab dinner and a house-brewed beer before heading upstairs for a game, and you’ve basically got an entire date night under one roof.
Where: 1250 Ellis Street, Kelowna
Perfect for: A fun and interactive date night
Buffalo Rouge Brewing Co.
Buffalo Rouge stands out from the crowd with its entirely vegetarian food concept paired with house-brewed craft beer.
The menu is packed with vegetarian and vegan-friendly comfort food, while the drink selection also includes non-alcoholic beer, cider, kombucha and other options for anyone skipping the alcohol.
Where: 105 – 1111 Gordon Drive, Kelowna
Perfect for: Vegetarian and vegan date nights
West Kelowna
Lakesider Brewing
Trade the wineries for a brewery stop at Lakesider Brewing, a laid-back West Kelowna spot that’s perfect for an afternoon pint.
Located along the Westside Wine Trail area, Lakesider pairs its easy-drinking craft beers with pizza and shareable bites. The patio and regular events make this an especially good summer date-night destination.
Where: 835 Anders Road, West Kelowna
Perfect for: Patio beers, pizza and a break between wineries
The Hatching Post Brewery & Smokery
The Hatching Post feels more like stepping into an Old West saloon than your typical Okanagan brewery.
The Western-inspired spot pairs its house-brewed beer with Texas-style barbecue and slow-smoked meats, making it one of the most distinctive brewery experiences in the region.
Where: 2850 Boucherie Road, West Kelowna
Perfect for: BBQ lovers and a Western-themed date night
Penticton & the South Okanagan
Penticton has built an impressive craft beer scene of its own, with the BC Ale Trail highlighting a large collection of breweries throughout the city.
Cannery Brewing
One of Penticton’s best-known craft breweries, Cannery Brewing has been part of the city’s beer scene for years.
The relaxed taproom and patio make it easy to spend an afternoon sampling local beer, and its mix of core beers and seasonal releases means there’s usually something new to try.
Where: 198 Ellis Street, Penticton
Perfect for: A classic Penticton brewery experience
Abandoned Rail Brewing Co.
Abandoned Rail Brewing is one of the coolest stops for anyone exploring the South Okanagan by bike.
Located near the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, the brewery specializes in European-inspired beers and makes an easy addition to a day spent cycling, hiking or exploring Penticton. It’s particularly worth checking out if you prefer crisp lagers and German-inspired beer styles.
Where: 1220 Davenport Avenue, Penticton
Perfect for: Cyclists and lager lovers
Neighbourhood Brewing
Neighbourhood Brewing brings a lively, modern brewery experience to downtown Penticton and is an easy stop to pair with a day at Okanagan Lake.
With a central location, craft beer and food all in one place, it’s a solid choice when you’re looking for somewhere casual to spend an afternoon or evening.
Where: 187 Westminster Avenue West, Penticton
Perfect for: Downtown brewery dates
Tin Whistle Brewing
For a little Okanagan beer history, add Tin Whistle Brewing to the list. The BC Ale Trail describes it as the Okanagan’s original brewery, with more than 30 years in the region’s craft beer scene.
Where: 1475 Fairview Road, Penticton
Perfect for: Local craft beer history and longtime favourites
Yellow Dog Brewing Penticton
Yellow Dog’s Penticton location gives you another reason to turn a day in the South Okanagan into a full brewery crawl.
Located close to downtown and Okanagan Lake, it’s an easy stop to add alongside Neighbourhood, Cannery and the city’s other breweries.
Where: 169 Estabrook Avenue, Penticton
Perfect for: A Penticton brewery crawl
Make It an Okanagan Brewery Crawl
One of the best parts about the Okanagan craft beer scene is just how different every stop can feel. You can start with pizza and live music in Kelowna’s North End, spend an afternoon brewery-hopping in West Kelowna or head south to explore Penticton’s established craft beer community.
And if beer isn’t the only thing you want to sip your way through, pair your brewery crawl with a visit to some of the best wineries in British Columbia for the ultimate Okanagan weekend.
