Recently, Mrs. Sip and I treated Pa Sip to a dinner and drinks at Central City Brewpub, as he was living the bachelor life with Ma Sip visiting family in Germany. Amongst a couple beers I ordered was this amusingly named selection from Parallel 49 Brewing.

The Mother of Donkeys Pale Ale (called a “Dark Pale Ale” on the Central City tap list) was a solid libation, which apparently uses three different yeast strains and is an experimental release. I’ve really come to enjoy pale ales and given the name of this brew (one which Pa Sip did a double take over, after I ordered), how could you not give it a shot!? I didn’t find the beer to be that dark, but more of an amber hue. I was kind of expecting what you receive in a dark lager colouring, but that is not the most important element in my enjoyment of a beverage. The issue could be in how the brewpub titled it on their menu versus how the brewery released it.

Oddly, I couldn’t even locate this beer on Parallel 49’s website, despite their beer listings being quite thorough and including a section for rare releases. The brew also has the nickname of ‘Three Amigos’, likely stemming from its production using the three yeast strains.

It’s been a while since I’ve been to Parallel 49’s East Vancouver tasting room, but the brewery is so popular that their wares can be found all across the province and particularly throughout Vancouver. If you come across this beer at a local pub, I suggest giving it a sip… it’s the least you can do!

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