Over the Family Day long weekend, the Sip Alliance traversed the BC Lower Mainland, hitting a number of breweries we had yet to visit previously. Among those stops was Old Abbey Ales in Abbotsford.

One of the brewery’s flagships is their Belgian Tripel, which although we didn’t select a taster of, Mrs. Sip had to grab a bomber for the road, being a huge fan of the style. Old Abbey Ales actually focuses on the Belgian style, with their logo featuring a Belgian lion, complete with chalice and wheat sheaf. Their dedication showed, with this strong (9% ABV), complex and flavourful release.

The Belgian Tripel is at optimum serving temperature between 8-12 degrees Celsius. Suggested food pairings include Cajun dishes, game meat, pork and roast, and curries, while blue, gorgonzola, triple crème, goat and light feta comprise cheese accompaniments for the brew.

I didn’t know what to expect as the Sip Alliance pulled up to Old Abbey Ales. The Growler BC beer guide listed only two of the company’s beers and even their own website only contains info on a half dozen brews. Once we got inside though, I was blown away. They had 25 different beers on tap, which is helped by the fact they’re one of the few breweries Mrs. Sip and I have seen outside of Portland to adopt a fill-out-your-own tasting form system. We came for the beer, but stuck around for the free popcorn, peanuts and pretzels and will return soon!

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