It’s a sizzling day at the beach, and you’re sorely in need of a B.C. craft beer to soothe that parched throat and get your taste buds dancing. While none of the city’s growing number of brewpubs or tasting rooms is close at hand, the Straight has some tips for places within an easy amble of some of Vancouver’s most popular beaches, where you can sit outside and quaff a selection of fine ales complemented by reasonably priced, wholesome food.

Well over a century ago, Vancouver’s first official lifeguard, Joe Fortes, taught children to swim off English Bay Beach. We suspect that if he were alive today, the burly legend would choose to end those long workdays at the Central Bistro (1072 Denman Street) with a restorative pint or two. The Central has become a favourite of West Enders, and it isn’t hard to see why. It offers three distinct spaces—a leafy terrace along Comox Street beside the chestnut trees and bike lane; a long, low-lit dining room; and a drinkers’ corner by the bar that fills with regulars. The sole TV remains off except during big games, and there’s a postage-­stamp-sized stage area where some of Vancouver’s top jazz artists perform on Sundays. Plus, to keep the good times rolling, the Central boasts two happy hours: one from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, the other after 9 p.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

On tap are several brews that make good introductions to craft beer—the European-style Red Truck Lager brewed with imported German and Czech hops, Phillips Brewing Company’s staple Blue Buck English Pale Ale, and Vancouver Island Brewery’s High Trail Honey Ale—any of which pairs well with Central’s butternut-squash risotto. For something more assertive, try Phillips’s Hop Circle India Pale Ale—one of the first IPAs brewed in B.C.—or Crannóg Ales’ organic, unfiltered, and unpasteurized Back Hand of God Stout, a smooth, rich beauty of a stout that isn’t heavy in the mouth and partners happily with its culinary cousin, the Back Hand of God stout-braised beef short ribs. One tap features different offerings from Howe Sound Brewing in regular rotation. All draft beers are poured as 20-ounce pints.

From Kitsilano Beach, a two-minute stroll up Yew Street takes you to the Sunset Grill Tap House & Whiskey Bar (2204 York Avenue). The Sunset has a relaxed and friendly vibe, a long wooden terrace, and a large interior with a series of TV screens. The regular drink menu lists 16 brews, and once again the pints come in the full imperial measure. Among the choices are Steamworks Brewing’s light-bodied pilsner, Coal Harbour Brewing’s Helles-style 311 Lager, and Driftwood Brewery’s Fat Tug IPA, a classic for hopheaders that weighs in at seven percent alcohol by volume and pairs well with Sunset’s fish and chips. If you’re intrigued by all the fuss over cask-conditioned beer, on most Thursday nights a new cask from a different brewery is opened. It’s best to be there on time—these treats don’t usually last long.

The Galley Patio & Grill is a short walk across a stretch of park from Jericho Beach—and from Locarno Beach, it’s even closer. Located on the second floor of the Jericho Sailing Centre (1300 Discovery Street), the Galley is more like a cafeteria with good pub fare and a choice of draft ales, but it has a special attraction that few fancier eateries can match. The long patio overlooks the beach and the expanse of English Bay against a panoramic backdrop stretching from Bowen Island to the towers of the West End.

In gorgeous weather, the Galley is a busy place, so if you want a table on the sunnier side of the north-facing balcony, you may have to wait a little. Four of the eight beers on tap are made by R & B Brewing. The copper-hued, English-style Red Devil Pale Ale and the easy-drinking Raven Cream Ale team well with the wild sockeye salmon salad. The moderately hopped East Side Bitter is a treat with the Mazatlán-style pulled pork sandwich.

The Galley’s patio is a great place to hang after a hot day on the sand, watching the sun slip away in sync with the beer in your glass. Since there’s no music playing, your conversation is backed by the sound of waves lapping at the shore.