Kokanee has been brewed at the Columbia Brewery in Creston, British Columbia since 1959, and was purchased by Labatt Brewing Company in 1974 (now part of Molson Coors). It became one of BC’s best-selling beers, at one point holding roughly 30% of the provincial market, and its glacier-and-mountain label has stayed one of the most recognizable pieces of beer branding in Western Canada.
At a Glance
| Style | Canadian Pilsner-style Lager |
| ABV | 5.0% |
| Calories | ~150 per 12 fl oz |
| Carbs | ~5g per 12 fl oz |
| Origin | Columbia Brewery, Creston, British Columbia (introduced 1959, acquired by Labatt in 1974) |
| Availability | Primarily Canada. Not currently stocked on Saucey (US-only delivery); see the Labatt Blue link below for a comparable Canadian lager available in the US |
How it tastes, by the numbers
Kokanee pours pale gold with a thin, quickly settling head, brewed using a blend of Pacific Northwest hops and a light malt bill. It is a light Pilsner-style lager built for easy, everyday drinking rather than complexity.
The full review
On the palate, Kokanee is smooth, clean and lightly hopped, with a crisp finish and minimal bitterness. It is not trying to be a flavor-forward craft lager; it is built the same way most regional North American lagers are, closer in spirit to our Moosehead Lager review than to a hop-driven pilsner.
Kokanee’s branding leans hard into its Kootenay Mountains origin, with a glacier and mountain range on every label, even though, as longtime BC drinkers sometimes point out, there is no specific “Kokanee Mountain” the beer is actually named after; Kokanee refers to the landlocked sockeye salmon native to BC’s lakes.
The beer has stayed a fixture in Western Canada for over 60 years, though its market share has declined from its 1980s peak as more imported and craft options entered the Canadian market.
“Cool, crisp, glacier-fresh taste, exclusively from BC’s mountains, the tagline on every bottle since 1959.”, Columbia Brewery
- Clean, crisp, easy-drinking lager
- Long-standing BC brand loyalty and recognition
- Widely available across Western Canada
- Sessionable at 5.0% ABV
- Not stocked on US delivery platforms like Saucey
- Limited flavor complexity
- Market share has declined from its 1980s peak
Who it is for
Canadian lager drinkers, especially in Western Canada, who want a familiar, easy-drinking beer. US readers who want something comparable and available locally should check the Labatt Blue box below, or our Moosehead review for another Canadian lager available stateside.
How to serve Kokanee
Serve very cold, straight from the can or bottle, or in a standard pint glass. Nothing about this beer benefits from warming up.
FAQs
Where is Kokanee beer brewed?
Kokanee is brewed at the Columbia Brewery in Creston, British Columbia, Canada.
Is Kokanee beer available in the US?
Kokanee is primarily distributed in Canada. It is not currently stocked on major US alcohol delivery platforms like Saucey.
What does the name Kokanee mean?
Kokanee refers to a landlocked variety of sockeye salmon native to lakes in British Columbia, not a mountain, despite the glacier and mountain imagery on the label.
Photo: Kokanee Glacier Beer bottle by Jubilo, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).
