Howl Brewing
Quick Review
One of Victoria’s most exciting and genuinely different craft breweries. Howl does small-batch, hyper-local brewing with BC-grown ingredients and a curiosity for historical and rarely-seen styles that sets it apart from everything else in the region. Owners Dan and Alaina pour their passion into every single batch, and it shows in every sip. A must-visit for anyone who loves beer that tells a story.
Atmosphere
Howl’s new tasting room on Lyall Street is small, intimate, and full of character. The space has a deep-rooted history in the neighbourhood, it was a longstanding grocery and convenience store for years, and that local legacy is very much still present. The walls are adorned with photos of the space and the surrounding area through the decades, giving it a genuinely warm and community-rooted feel that you can’t manufacture. It’s the kind of place where you settle in with a curious beer and feel immediately connected to where you are. This isn’t about big crowds or a loud taproom vibe it’s about curiosity, craft, and connection, right in the heart of Esquimalt.
The Beer
Vienna Lager
Light-bodied and crisp, brewed with BC malt and local hops — a beautifully clean showcase of quality ingredients.
Blueberry Saison
A farmhouse ale with blueberry, bergamot, and orange zest — bright, complex, and unmistakably local.
Gotlandsdricka
A traditional Viking-style ale with juniper, yarrow, and honey — the kind of beer you simply can’t find anywhere else.
Raspberry Elderflower Saison
Floral, lightly tart, and beautifully seasonal — everything a summer beer should be.
This is just a taste of what Howl pours, the tap list rotates constantly, driven by what’s locally available and what Dan and Alayna are curious about brewing next. One visit you might find a West Coast IPA made with lemon balm and Mosaic hops; the next, a hopless Medieval Gruit packed with botanicals, or a light smoky Grodziskie from a centuries-old Polish tradition. If you love trying something you simply can’t find anywhere else, this is your brewery.
Service
Dan and Alayna are the heart and soul of Howl Brewing, and the passion they have for their craft shines through in every interaction. Service here is above and beyond warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely excited to share what’s on tap. This is the rare kind of brewery where you can talk directly to the people who made your beer, and that conversation is half the experience.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- All bar style seating throughout
- Bar service
- Menu is on the wall
- Bike-friendly location
- Street parking
- On bus route 25, a few blocks away from Esquimalt Rd with routes 15 and 26
- Can get loud depending on how many people are in the space
- Small capacity, sometimes a lineup
- Active social media showcasing beers and what markets they will be at
- Easy-to-navigate website
- Quick response time on social online
- Great pricing for flights, pints, and to-go beers
What Makes It Unique
Howl Brewing has been doing things differently since 2018 small-batch, hyper-local, and genuinely curious about styles and traditions that most breweries never touch. Viking-era ales, hopless herbal gruits, historical Polish smoked beers, and farmhouse saisons made with BC berries and botanicals — the tap list is unlike anything else in the region. Now that the tasting room is open on Lyall Street, you can experience it all right where it’s made, with Dan and Alayna right there to talk you through every pour. This is exactly the kind of brewery Esquimalt, and Victoria, is lucky to have.
Find them online
Howl Brewing
1209 Lyall St, Victoria, BC V9A 5G8
