Beginning Saturday, March 2, classes will be held that coincide with that evening\u2019s main event; they range in topics from cellaring beer to cooking with hops. Vancouver Island\u2019s only advanced Cicerone (official beer expert) Stephane Turcotte\u2014who is also brewmaster of \u00cele Sauvage Brewing\u2014will be hosting a food and beer pairing that you can use to kickstart your own journey into becoming Cicerone-certified.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cHe is going to lead an introduction to the Cicerone program class at his brewery on Sunday afternoon,\u201d says Wiebe. \u201cYou can use the knowledge that you get there to at least get the level-one certification, which there is an online test for.\u201d<\/p>\r\n Offering Victorians an opportunity to expand their knowledge in a fun setting is what makes the event so unique. Each Beer School event will be led by experts, mixologists, or talented chefs, making these events a must for the curious beer fan.<\/p>\r\n \u201cWe are taking a risk, but we are super excited about it,\u201d says Wiebe.<\/p>\r\n For main events, VBW is sprawled across the city at some of the best restaurants and venues in Victoria. Kicking off the week is Lift Off!, where 14 brand-new craft beers will be unveiled at Victoria Public Market and event-goers can cruise delicious food pairings that market vendors have specially prepared. Don\u2019t worry if you fall in love with a special beer\u2014you\u2019ll be able to purchase your favourites in several pop-up liquor stores throughout the week.<\/p>\r\n One event Wiebe is particularly amped for is the Beer Cocktail Competition, happening on Wednesday, March 6.<\/p>\r\n \u201cIt\u2019ll be a night where we get six local bartenders to compete, creating their own unique beer-cocktail combinations,\u201d he says. \u201cEach will be assigned a distillery and brewery from the island and they\u2019ll be judged by three judges, and a winner will be decided at the end of the night.\u201d<\/p>\r\n Tickets generally include six four-ounce tastings of unreleased beers from BC craft breweries, along with food pairings. Extra food and drink tickets can be purchased separately to keep the night going strong. One must-attend event is the Saturday Night Casks, which will close the week off.<\/p>\r\n \u201cThis is an event where we will have 25 breweries on site, each with a special cask that they make just for that night,\u201d says Wiebe. \u201cIt\u2019s always a really cool event and will likely be the first of the main events to sell out.\u201d<\/p>\r\n For students that might be pinching pennies but would love to attend, Wiebe suggests volunteering.<\/p>\r\n \u201cThere is a volunteer link on the website,\u201d he says. \u201cWe need everything from event set-up to collecting beer tokens.\u201d<\/p>\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/VBW_beerglass-FOR-WEB.jpg\")
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