The newest addition to Victoria’s booming craft beer scene will make you feel like you are hanging out, having a pint in your grandma’s basement—but in a good way.
Swift Brewing & Good Times Tasting Room is opening its doors to the public next week and the vibe in their space is like nothing else in Victoria.
The new taproom is from the minds behind CRAFT Beer Market, which opened the newest member of its family in the former Canoe Brewpub space in September of last year.
During renovations co-founders Scott Frank and PJ L’Heureux decided they would split the space in two, using most of the square footage for CRAFT, while setting some aside for a brand new passion project which would be the first of its kind.
Swift Brewing & Good Times Tasting Room is a small space but it retains a cozy atmosphere thanks to the retro wallpaper, tube TV, vinyl-topped tables and its couches and chairs that are straight out of the 70s.
If your grandparents or aunt and uncle ever had a basement bar, that’s the vibe.
They brew most of their beer in-house with Canoe’s old 20 hectolitre system which consists of four tanks.
For their opening, they will be offering their four flagship beers: the ‘Golden Boy’ Lager, ‘Smooth Operator’ Citra Hazy Pale Ale, ‘Party Pants’ Passion Fruit Sour and ‘Raspberry Beret’ Raspberry Wheat Ale.
Any of these can be bought in can-form from a vintage 70s pop fridge inside the taproom—all canned in-house.
Because CRAFT and Swift Brewing were both founded upon a true love of beer, there will always be beer collaborations on tap that will rotate from time to time, depending on who they want to team up with next.
For their grand opening, they have a ‘Crockett & Stubbs’ New Zealand Lager Swift made with Whistle Buoy Brewing, a ‘Bestie Hefe’ Hefeweizen they made with Moon Under Water Brewing and a ‘33-Swift’ Hazy IPA made in collaboration with 33 Acres Brewing.
There is also more than a handful of wines, cocktails, cider and non alcoholic beverages to be had if patrons want the cozy feeling without the liquid bread.
There’s snacks like popcorn and Chex-Mix which can be ordered straight from the bar, but because the taproom is attached to CRAFT, their full kitchen is at the customer’s disposal.
Swift’s tasting room will keep Victorians coming in for the atmosphere and they intend on keeping them around with late night specials, theme-nights and happy hour deals.
Swift Brewing & Good Times Tasting Room opens for business just after the long weekend on Tuesday, May 23rd.
Swift Brewing & Good Times Tasting Room Grand Opening
- Where: 450 Swift Street
- When: Open as of Tuesday May 23rd
