Tuesday 28th June 2011

Bob Thompson

It is just a few minutes walk from the Canoe Brewpub to the very enterprising Swans, home of the Buckerfield Brewery, at 506 Pandora Avenue. The brewery was established in 1989 and is located at the rear of the pub building with a separate entrance.

They brew a number of different ales and lagers. The ales are all brewed with UK malts and the yeast also originates there. A number of the ales are casked and served in the pub from hand pumps.

They also bottle their beers and these are available in their wine shop. Additionally, non-alcoholic Root Beer is brewed. They have won twenty-four Canadian Brewing awards in ten years. There’s live music every night, and breakfast is served from 07.00 each morning.

The Swans is a bar, restaurant, hotel and liquor store. The bar was very much a locals' pub and quite busy.

The range is extensive, consisting of Artic Ale (4.5%), Old Towne Bavarian Lager (5.4%), Buckerfield Bitter (5.0%), Pandora Pale Ale (4.5%), Appleton Brown Ale (5.0%), Swans Oatmeal Stout (SOS) (5.4%), Riley's Scotch Ale (8.0%), Swans Extra IPA (6.8%), Buckerfields Berry Ale (7.0%).

There were also two specials, Tessier's Witbier (Andrew Tessier is their brewer) and Smooth Sailing Honey Ale.

They didn't do sampler glasses so I settled for half pints of Buckerfield Bitter, Appleton Brown Ale and Swans Extra IPA, all of which were available from the cask.

The Brown was better than I thought it might be, the bitter very good and the IPA was simply wonderful.

Important Information:

Swans Pub & Buckerfield Brewery, 506 Pandora Avenue, Victoria, BC. V8W 1N6.
Tel: 250 361 3310

Open: Monday to Friday 11.30-02.00; Saturday 09.00-02.00; Sunday: 09.00-24.00

Victoria is at the bottom of Vancouver Island and is connected to the rest of the Island and also Vancouver by bus. The rail service is suspended.
Vancouver is also reached by normal air services and sea planes.
There are ferries to Seattle and Port Angeles in the USA. Cruise liners call regularly.