Drinks,  Stuff + Things

Townsite is where hygge is at – my guest post at TownsiteBrewing.com!

I recently had the opportunity to interview Townsite Breweing’s co-owner, Michelle Zutz, as well as write a guest blog post on the Townsite Brewing website. This was an exciting opportunity and I’m so happy to share it here: 

And now a word from our (non) sponsor…. last week Powell River played host to Yasmine Hardcastle, a woman on a search for the perfect hygge experience. Here you can read of her adventures chez nous:

It’s officially autumn – brisker weather and that BC rain… All you want to do is stay inside, curled up with a book and a blanket. And if you go out, it’s always good to be going somewhere equally cozy; or equally hygge.

Hygge (hoo-guh or hue-guh) – the Danish concept of getting cozy.

hygge-perfect-storm

Hygge is something I’ve decided to immerse myself in as a way to bring more focus into my busy mind and life. My guy and I recently stayed in Powell River for the Thanksgiving long weekend and it was really the best place to be for some hygge. To start, our Airbnb was basically the real-life equivalent of the Weasley house from Harry Potter, which delighted me to no end. We genuinely could have holed ourselves up in that cottage for the entire weekend. We had Townsite beer, a fireplace, and takeout from this fab place across the street called Little Hut Curry. Sorted.

But we had another hyggelig place to be the next day: the Townsite Brewing Tasting Room. After wandering along the Willingdon Beach Trail to Townsite’s beautiful brick building, we settled in for a quick beer before a private brewery tour with the amazing Cédric (Belgian brewmaster extraordinaire). We naturally ended up back in the tasting room, again with Cédric, and a wonderful dinner ordered from McKinney’s Pub.

We have been to a lot of tasting rooms in the last year, and this was honestly the best experience we have had. And we’ve had some great ones. The moment you walk in, you feel the friendliness and community. The lighting isn’t too bright and colours of the brick wall and wood tables give off welcoming warmth. The cushions on the benches give a pop of colour and complete the hygge picture. It is a hub; very fitting as the building was once the post office – always a central place in a community. Particularly that of a smaller town.

Unlike most of Vancouver’s tasting rooms, the Townsite tasting room isn’t demographic specific. The town IS the demographic. And that is what makes it almost like an episode of Cheers when Norm walks in. The staff knows everyone’s names. People of all ages were sitting down for flights and pints, and there are arcade games for the little ones that accompany their parents. There was a girls’ night out in one corner. A date in another. A group of friends sitting nearby. People picking up their Thanksgiving growler refills. And us, the city folk, welcomed right in, sitting at the bar with the truly fantastic Cédric. It was all truly hyggelig.

I am so happy we went to Powell River and Townsite Brewing for our weekend getaway. We highly recommend you do the same!

About the Author: Yasmine Hardcastle is a Vancouver executive assistant, yoga teacher, and blogger. With a love of local and international travel, she is proudly Canadian and documents her adventures via her blog and Instagram. Her obsession with hygge makes her think that she was possibly born in the wrong country, but that just means there’s a pilgrimage in store! Yasmine and her partner – her occasional blog photographer, also known as The Brit – have been exploring the tasting rooms of the Greater Vancouver area and beyond, all in search of the perfect stout (for her) and IPA (for The Brit).

This post originally appeared on the Townsite Brewing website and lives here. Thank you to Townsite Brewing for the opportunity to write for their blog and Instagram takeover!

Townsite Brewing is located at 5824 Ash Ave. in Powell River’s Townsite Heritage District. They have a Cask Night on Thursdays and brewery tours on Saturdays at 3pm. Check them out online here.

I love those connections that make this big old world feel like a little village.

~ Gina Bellman