The Remembrance Day long weekend started with a trip to the Delta Lion Pub in North Delta. For Sip Advisor trivia buffs out there, here’s a little nugget: This was the first bar the Sip Advisor ever enjoyed a drink in, visiting on my 19th birthday for a couple rounds of wobbly pops. It’s also where Mrs. Sip and I celebrated St. Patrick’s Day 2010, hours after viewing the apartment that would become our first home together.

Unfortunately, our reason for stopping here this time wasn’t as joyous, as we were attending a fundraiser for a friend who is battling cancer. Mrs. Sip and I both grew up in North Delta, so the night was spent catching up with old friends and acquaintances. It’s funny that it often takes events like this to get everyone together in one place. The fundraiser was your typical burger-and-beer affair, but I must say the burger was delicious and the homemade-style potato chips were spectacular. The great turnout forced us to move away from the crowded private room and to the bar area, where I enjoyed a pint of the Steamworks Salted Chocolate Porter, while listening to the live band.

If anyone out there is interested in giving to the family and learning their story, please visit their GoFundMe page.

On Saturday, we enjoyed dinner at The Keg with some Sip Syndicate members. As I’m still looking for a menu item to replace my beloved Prime Rib Burger, I decided to try the restaurant’s Prime Rib Sliders. Well, my little sippers, I may have finally found that replacement. I really enjoyed the flavours of the horseradish Dijon and red wine herb jus. Plus, you can never go wrong with a healthy dose of crispy onion straws. My only complaint is that the charge to add a side fries to my meal was $5. That seems a little high to me, especially given the side serving size, but what can you do. For my drink, I went with a Keg Size (double) Bourbon Blackberry Smash, which was very tasty, albeit a quick-to-finish and costly cocktail.

The next day, Mrs. Sip and I visited Dageraad Brewing in Burnaby, while out for a drive in the area. This was Baby Sip’s first ever trip to a craft brewery with many more to come. The tasting room staff was great, providing us with a coaster and stickers for her baby scrapbook. As for drinks, we decided to split a flight of beers, which included their Lekkers, Blonde IPA, Brune, and 8-Degrees offerings. On our way out, I purchased a bottle of their very limited edition Entropy No. 5 Gin Barrel-Aged Blonde IPA. The product was released over the weekend and I picked up one of the last remaining bottles of 19 cases. Look out for a review of this brew in the next Beer of the Week article.

The rest of the long weekend was spent putting up Christmas decorations and enjoying some family time together and, of course, partaking in a few beverages. To compensate for the return to work, I picked up Central City’s newest holiday release, the Smores Stout. Available at BC Liquor Stores, as well as other private locations, I’m really looking forward to trying this intriguing beverage.

Another busy week is on the horizon for the Sip Advisor crew. As we speak, my liver is going through demanding preparation and training for the holiday season… this is what all the year’s work has been leading up to and the payoff is just around the bend!