Author Archives: Daniel Wilson

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About Daniel Wilson

I love making drinks for my friends and family, and, of course, sampling my concoctions myself! Finding and playing around with recipes is a favourite past time of mine and I hope to share that passion with all my readers.

BC Beer Baron #227 – Moon Under Water This Is Hefeweizen

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Each month, as part of this 366-day BC craft beer extravaganza that I will be sharing with you throughout 2016, I will highlight a specific style or theme of beers for a whole week of articles. Mrs. Sip and I are huge fans of hefeweizens and witbiers. I mean, is there a better summer beer style? Let’s take a look at what BC has to offer in the field.

I’m so glad Mrs. Sip and I went a little out of our way – and got lost – to search out the Moon Under Water brewpub on a visit to Victoria a few years back.

Ever since, This Is Hefeweizen has become one of our favourites beers in the province. The 5.5% ABV hef is perfect on a hot summer’s day, sitting poolside at Ma and Pa Sip’s home. Using 70% weizen and Bavarian hefe, the quality of this beer reminds us of the great beverages we enjoyed while previously travelling Belgium, Germany, and other beer loving countries.

Moon Under Water This is Hefeweizen

The folks at Moon Under Water are very proud of this brew, going so far as to challenge their competitor’s “hefeweizen” releases. They write: “Unlike every other beer we’ve brewed, this one follows some style guidelines. Why? Because in a land where big breweries produce bland, boring blonde ales and pass them off as Hefeweizens, something traditional needed to be done.”

This is one of the beers (joined by Moon Under Water’s Creepy Uncle Dunkel, among others) Mrs. Sip and I packed up to bring to Germany to share with family over there, as part of a hosting gift tasting experience. I distinctly remember both Moon Under Water brews going over well among the German crowd and they know their beers.

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please visit our main page…

BC Beer Baron #226 – Whistler Grapefruit Ale

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While attending a recent Vancouver Canadians game at Nat Bailey Stadium, Mrs. Sip and I took advantage of the ballpark’s Craft Corner. There, we each picked up a serving of this Whistler Brewing beverage.

The Grapefruit Ale is light and refreshing, everything one would want in a beer enjoyed under the hot summer sun. The grapefruit comes across in the finish of the brew, giving drinkers a nice sweet and sour mix. The Sip Advisor even detected some caramel notes and a light spice.

Whistler Grapefruit Ale

I did think the 5% ABV, 14 IBUs beer was better at its peak of coldness and my enjoyment decreased when it grew warmer. This can be said of almost all drinks, though, with the only difference being how noticeable the gap was here.

Formerly known as the Paradise Valley Grapefruit Ale, this summer seasonal is available in six-packs at BC Liquor Stores. The BCL description suggests pairing the brew (which debuted in 2011) with pancakes or a light dessert.

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please visit our main page…

BC Beer Baron #225 – Lighthouse Broadside Northwest Ale

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While I appreciate whatever a company brings to a tasting event, when they provide an opportunity to sample something new or unique, that is optimal. Such was the case with Lighthouse Brewing at Tip N’ Taste in Langley.

The Broadside Northwest Ale is the brewery’s newest release. At 4.3% ABV, it won’t knock your socks off, but there is some strong hop flavour in this refreshing beverage. The product is available in six-packs.

Lighthouse Broadside Northwest Ale

The brew is part of Lighthouse’s Explorers Series, which is aimed at “adventurous craft beer lovers looking to discover more flavour, more complex nuances, and more unique characteristics in their beer”.

I appreciate the brewery’s nautical naming scheme and this beer is no different. Broadside refers to the side of a ship where all the cannons are situated. Broadside is also a measurement of a ship’s maximum simultaneous firepower.

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please visit our main page…

Sip Trips #71: Ça S’arrose!

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With a friend’s wedding on the docket in Charlottetown, PEI, Mrs. Sip and I set out east with a pioneer’s spirit and a thirst for Quebec craft beers… well, more the latter. After a brief layover in Toronto, we were off to St. Adele, Quebec, to spend a handful of nights at the family cottage of another friend.

Over time spent swimming, canoeing, rock hopping, and most importantly relaxing, Mrs. Sip and I enjoyed a number of brewery products. Our first case was from Les Brasseurs RJ and included their Robe Noire Stout, Death Valley IPA, Cheval Blanc Double Blanche, D’Achouffe Blonde, Sainte Paix (grapefruit and orange ale), and Coup de Grisou (spicy buckwheat ale). We also snagged a six-pack of the Blanche du Paradis (spiced wheat ale) from Brasserie Dieu du Ciel.

Once that was consumed, we wrapped the cottage stay with a 15-piece case from Belle Gueule. The set included the brewery’s Originale, Blonde, Pilsner, Rousse (red ale), Houblon (hop beer), and Hefeweizen products. Quebec beer prices are way cheaper than BC and even Ontario, so it was easy to try a bunch of new stuff and not ruin our budget for the remainder of the holiday.

Summer Vacation Money

Sandwiched between all the time spent on the water, we journeyed to Mont Tremblant, the highest peak of the Laurentian Mountain range. There, in a village that was incredibly reminiscent of Whistler, BC, we had a meal and a couple drinks at La Diable Microbrasserie. I ordered their Blizzard Blanche Wheat Ale, while Mrs. Sip tried the Extreme Onction Trappist Style Strong Ale. Our quartet also split a pitcher of La Diable’s seasonal raspberry beer.

On our way back to the cottage, we also popped into Saint Arnould Microbrasserie. Mrs. Sip and I sampled eight of their available brews and our group grabbed a few 500ml bottles for the road, highlighted by the company’s Marie Framboise. Clearly we were really into the raspberry ales.

After departing the cottage, Mrs. Sip and I rented a car in Montreal and made the trek to Quebec City. There, we enjoyed a self-guided craft beer crawl, hitting three stops along the route. First up, was Le Projet Microbrasserie, where we split a serving of poutine (after all, the Canadian specialty was invented in the province) with a hef for Mrs. Sip and an IPA for the Sip Advisor.

Poutine Drinking

Next, we were off on a short walk to La Korrigane, where our orders were very similar. I had the Kraken IPA, while Mrs. Sip enjoyed the Mary Morgan Blanche Belge Witbier. After scanning their brew lineup, we decided we also had to try the Korrigane Pale Ale Rousse, so we asked for a six-ounce serving to split.

Our little expedition finished with a visit to La Barberie, one of Quebec’s oldest brewing establishments. They have a really neat eight-beer carousel, which included a Lime and Raspberry Pale Ale, Porter, Blackberry Blanche, Apricot Berliner Weisse, Blonde, English Red, Farmhouse Ale and India Pale Lager.

Finally, we arrived in Charlottetown… or at least the Sip Advisor did, while Mrs. Sip – who often flies standby – had some difficulties and showed up hours after. To kill time before I was able to check into our hotel, I spent some time at Gahan House, enjoying a couple beers: the Reanimator Dopplebock (an 8.1% seasonal) and Harvest Gold Pale Ale (only available at the brewpub).

Beer Snob

The next day, with Mrs. Sip now in tow, we returned for lunch. She had a pint of Sir John A’s Honey Wheat Ale (named after Canada’s first Prime Minister), while I went with a flight of Gahan’s Island Red Amber Ale, Sydney Street Premium Stout, 1772 IPA, and Blueberry Ale. Blueberry beers/spirits seem to be big out east, as Mrs. Sip had one in Moncton, New Brunswick.

Prior to heading to the wedding, a group of us met at Upstreet Brewing, but Mrs. Sip and I were running late, so didn’t have time to order anything. Thankfully, one of our cohorts had a full serving he didn’t want to get through, so I was the lucky recipient of a White Noize White IPA. I never got around to trying their Rhuby Social Strawberry Rhubarb Witbier, though.

The fine folks of PEI seem to be very seasoned drinkers, making Mrs. Sip and I look like lightweights in comparison, even if we were part of a crew that shut down two places the first night and were among the last to leave the wedding the next day. On that first night, I had a delicious Scotch Ale from New Brunswick’s Pump House Brewing, that may have been my favourite of the entire journey. Now, Mrs. Sip and I are home for a rest… we were gone for a week, drunk since we left!

BC Beer Baron #224 – Bad Tattoo Waes Hael Spiced Seasonal Ale

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This Bad Tattoo Brewing beverage was another recent pick-up in the Okanagan of a winter seasonal release that I had yet to come across until summer rolled around.

The Waes Hael Spiced Seasonal Ale is a fantastic brew. There’s a lot going on in this drink, with ingredients that are inspired by wassailing, an ancient tradition of visiting homes to participate in yuletide celebrations around Christmas. Recipe elements include cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, all spice, ginger root, and even roasted apples.

Bad Tattoo Waes Hael Spiced Seasonal Ale

The beer holds up well in summer weather, despite being a ‘winter warmer’. Waes Hael means “Be You Healthy” and that is certainly achieved by the 6% ABV Winter Ale.

Bad Tattoo suggests enjoying the beer at a warmer temperature than other products. It is available in bomber-sized bottles from select liquor stores, although you may have trouble tracking a serving down until the next winter season.

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please visit our main page…

BC Beer Baron #223 – Persephone Dry Stout

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Meeting up with fellow CAMRA members at The Main on Main, prior to a night of Vancouver Canadians baseball, the Sip Advisor selected this beer from Persephone Brewing, for his pre-game beverage.

The Dry Stout features the flavours you would typically expect from the beer style, highlighted by notes of coffee and roasted malts. The 4.5% ABV, 30 IBUs brew is lightly carbonated, whereas the Sip Advisor prefers beers with more carbonation. That said, the drink was smooth and tasty, compensating for my desire for more bubbles.

Persephone Dry Stout

The brew has been quite successful for Persephone, pulling in back-to-back first place finishes at the 2013 and 2014 BC Beer Awards, in the Stout category. Rave reviews seem to also follow this product around, which makes it surprising that it’s only available on tap and not in bottles or cans.

Persephone, which is based on an 11-acre farm in Gibsons, is currently allowing prospective partners to invest in the enterprise. The minimum investment is $250 with a total of 12% equity in the brewery up for grabs.

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please visit our main page…

BC Beer Baron #222 – Stanley Park Curiosity Lager

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Full disclosure: The Sip Advisor purchased a can of this Stanley Park Brewing/lululemon athletica collaboration beer last summer and there it sat in my fridge “cellaring” for the past 12 months. My intention was to do a photoshoot with myself in ridiculous yoga poses, while sipping the beverage. That never materialized and I finally cracked the can open just the other day.

I have to say, although the Curiosity Lager was, oh let’s say aged, it still tasted pretty good. Granted, it’s your typical lager and there’s not a whole lot going on, but I enjoyed the experience. The 4.6 ABV, 18 IBUs beer is light and easy drinking with a refreshing finish.

Stanley Park Curiosity Lager

The limited edition release (only brewed once) came in 500ml tall cans and was created to be the beverage of choice for lululemon’s SeaWheeze Half Marathon after party. Suggested food pairings for the lager included barbecue meats, rich seafood dishes, and spicy Vietnamese or Thai meals.

I remember when the beer first debuted, there was a lot of negativity that came along with it. Many questioned why lululemon would bother getting involved in the craft brew game. The companies also received some flak for the label design, which included a cartoon totem pole that some thought was insensitive.

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please visit our main page…

BC Beer Baron #221 – Mt. Begbie Brave Liver Scotch Ale

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Even within the province of BC, the Sip Advisor loves going to liquor stores while travelling because I often discover products that don’t seem to get shelf space at stores in the Lower Mainland. Such was the case with this release from Mt. Begbie Brewing.

The Brave Liver Scotch Ale is very tasty, with flavours of roasted malts and caramel. At 6.5% ABV and 22 IBUs, this is a fitting ‘Wee Heavy’ Scottish Pale Ale, but the peat flavour that is often included in this style of brews was missing.

Mt. Begbie Brave Liver Scotch Ale

Although the beer is described as a winter seasonal, I came across it for the very first time this summer and don’t recall ever seeing it before. Apparently, the beer was bottled for the first time in November 2015, so I should consider myself lucky that a few bombers still existed come the summer.

I love the name of this brew and I honestly believe that my liver is one of the bravest in the land. Suggested food pairings include roast beef, lamb, game meats, smoked salmon, aged cheeses, toffee pudding, and chocolate desserts.

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please visit our main page…

BC Beer Baron #220 – Foamers’ Folly Hot Box IPA Nitro

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While recently visiting another brewery, I was able to try a guest tap from Foamers’ Folly Brewing. Based out of Pitt Meadows, it is the city’s first craft beer establishment.

The Hot Box IPA Nitro was just fine, but I’ve found that I’m just not a fan of nitro brews. I know this style of beer – nitro refers to the type of gas used in the carbonation process – is preferred by many, but every time I’ve had one, it just hasn’t agreed with me. The 6.6% ABV, 80 IBUs beverage is clearly on the stronger side (a result of the nitro practice), so some drinkers may want to proceed with extreme caution.

Foamers' Folly Brewing

This was my first experience with Foamers’ Folly and I’ve always been curious about the company’s name. Apparently a ‘foamer’ is someone who is a train nut. That said, the folks at Foamers’ are obsessed with the craft beer, instead. As for the ‘folly’ part of the name? Well, as the brewery writes, “that’s where things get interesting”, as the three-brewer team is big on experimentation.

Next time the Sip Alliance is touring the Fraser Valley, we’ll have to pop into the brewery and try more of their products. I’m particularly curious about their Railspike Black IPA, Blacksnake Porter, Bandit Brown Ale, and Heat Kink Saison.

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please visit our main page…

BC Beer Baron #219 – Old Yale Off Trail Pale Ale

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One of my favourite vendors to visit with during the annual Tip N’ Taste event in Langley is the Old Yale Brewing table.

This year, they brought the beers that comprise the company’s Summer Craft Cooler, including the Off Trail Pale Ale. Part of the Four Season lineup, the 5% ABV, 35 IBUs beverage is hoppy, but is balanced by malted barley, resulting in a crisp and refreshing experience.

Old Yale Off Trail Pale Ale

The brew is advertised to go perfect with “a juicy burger or your favorite pizza”. Other suggested food pairings include coconut curry with rice and chicken, mushroom meatloaf, grilled tiger prawns, arugula salad, samosas, and strong cheeses.

I have long been a fan of Old Yale’s ‘Tall Tale’ series, but this was one of the first flagship beers of theirs that I have tried. Mrs. Sip and I have an upcoming camping trip at Cultus Lake and you better believe we’ll be popping into Old Yale’s Chilliwack tasting room, while in the region.

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please visit our main page…