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In order to give a proper understanding of our subject, and at the risk of ruining the brewing trade, let us then, in ten lines or so, inform the world at large how, with no other utensils than a tea-kettle and a saucepan, a quart or two of ale may be brewed, and the revenue defrauded.
-John Bickerdyke, The Curiosities of Ale and Beer, 1889.
The Victoria Brewery was more than an abandoned building when it was destroyed in 1982. Constructed in 1892, it was witness to ninety years of remarkable growth in the provincial capitol. It was a product of the wealth derived from the nineteenth century gold rushes and represented the entrepreneurial spirit of Victoria's residents during this time. The brewery also symbolized the city's growth from fledgling colony to blossoming province. The brewing industry began as a small, regional entity that developed into a significant economic power.
This site provides the reader with a microhistorical examination of brewing in nineteenth century Victoria. First, the creators have summarized the brewing process with reference to the Victoria Brewing Company and several of its competitors. Second, we have examined the historical contexts that shaped Victoria, its citizens, and their beer during this era. Last, further resources, including maps and a bibliography, provide the reader with the opportunity to delve deeper into the history of Victoria and beer culture.