Forget Portland's pretenious brews: Victoria, Vancouver Island's beer & chocolate tasting at Spinnakers where it's at

WorldGolf.com’s resident grunge master Brandon Tucker’s been going on and on lately about all the beer he couldn’t understand that he slurped up in Portland. Well, one afternoon into a trip on Vancouver Island and I’ve already topped BTuck.

How about a beer, cheese and chocolate truffle tasting?

That’s one of the culinary innovations offered at Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub & Guest Houses, a spot right on Victoria’s waterfront - one of the prettiest waterfronts in the world with the floatplanes taking off of the striking blue and the funky house boats bopping. Spinnakers is the oldest licensed brewpub in Canada, but it’s anything but stuffy and tired.

Indeed, it does things like beer and chocolate.

This is when they pair three different beers with three different cheeses and three different chocolate truffles. A lot of thought and research went into the selected threesomes and you’ll appreciate it when you’re munching and drinking away.

Spinnakers does cool unconventional things with its regular menu too (salmon lasagna anyone?), but the beer and chocolate pairings are essentially a can’t-miss desert experience. Plus, Spinnakers has good-looking waitressess who know beer without making you feel dumb about it.

I’d let you know about Vancouver Island’s golf courses, but I haven’t got to one yet. Your arrival afternoon has to include a heavy dose of beer and chocolate first.