The Martlet

Locally-based Lighthouse Brewery has launched a new pale ale in honour of their 10th anniversary.

The new brew debuted on Nov. 13 at Bard and Banker, the latest Victoria establishment to team up with the brewery.

Riptide is a bitter premium class craft-brewed pale ale with a citrus aftertaste. Fans of Lighthouse’s Race Rocks will definitely enjoy the smooth, drinkable texture, as Riptide boasts the same natural carbonation and natural ingredients as its predecessor.

Jeff Kendrew, Lighthouse sales representative and a recent UVic Commerce graduate, said the brewery is hoping for Riptide to equal or surpass local favorite Race Rocks in popularity.

Riptide’s launch marks a new direction for the rapidly expanding Lighthouse Brewery, who’ve already produced four successful beers — Race Rocks Amber, Beacon IPA, Keepers Stout and Lighthouse Lager.

Lighthouse is also releasing both Race Rocks and Riptide in bottles. Up until now, Race Rocks and their other brews have only been offered in cans or on draft at local pubs.

Kendrew spoke of the need for bottling ales to reach a broader audience of restaurants and nightclubs, as dancing with a bottle in hand is certainly more desirable than the aspect of sloshing your pint on your dance partner. Bottles are also revered as “classier” than strutting around with a beer can.

Local pubs and restaurants now have the option of selling bottled Riptide and Race Rocks as a trial run before they choose to have it on tap.

The release of Riptide comes at the same time as a geographical shift for Lighthouse. While not abandoning Victoria, the company hopes to expand to Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, tapping into a new market with their new beer.

“We call it the ultimate session beer,” Kendrew said. “It is smooth enough that you can drink a lot of it in a single session with friends.”

The aspect of being locally owned and operated may appeal to many Island drinkers. Not only is the beer brewed here in Victoria, but byproducts are also recycled for the benefit of local farmers. The company maintains a green policy, committing to be a zero-emissions manufacturing facility.

Lighthouse beers can be found in over 450 liquor stores across B.C. and in several local hotspots.