'Hard to keep in stock': Non-alcoholic beer and cocktails creating buzz on Vancouver Island
They’ve been pulling plenty of pints of non-alcoholic beer at Oak Bay’s Penny Farthing pub since they started carrying it this past December.
"We’ve actually been blown away by the reception – really hard to keep it in stock," said Daniel Lyder, one of the pub’s managers, on Tuesday.
The beer served there is made by Phillips Brewing. The Victoria brewery started selling it back in 2021.
"Non-alcoholic beer has seen a quite significant growth in the past two years," said Samantha Beck, who’s in charge of marketing for Phillips.
Meanwhile at Wind Cries Mary restaurant in Victoria, they serve up multiple non-alcoholic cocktails and "mocktails" for a clientele increasingly thirsty for non-boozy beverages.
"We’ve just see the demand growing in the past 2.5 to three years with people looking for alternate drinking options," said the restaurant's general manager, Clayton Thornber.
A report released this winter hammered home the potential harms of imbibing, advising Canadians that anything more than two drinks a week poses a moderate health risk, including for various types of cancer.
Dr. Tim Stockwell works as a scientist with the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research. He’s one of the authors of the report and thinks it might be impacting folks' drinking habits.
"I think it has sort of resonated with an increasing sense that we have to be careful of what we put in our bodies," said Stockwell on Tuesday.
Mike Manhas is a South Island man who seems to have tapped into a growing shift amongst young people not drinking alcohol as much as previous generations.
He organized the hugely successful SoberFest last summer, a music and comedy festival that didn't serve alcohol. It attracted hundreds of attendees and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support free addictions treatment beds.
"I think the recovery community is growing, but I also think the younger generation is learning they don’t have to drink to have fun or be themselves," said Manhas on Tuesday, referring to a cultural shift that's creating its own buzz.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.