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 #182 – Main Street/Powell Street Scottish Golden Ale

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While perusing new releases at the BC Liquor Store recently, this craft beer collaboration from Main Street Brewing and Powell Street Brewing instantly caught my eye.

The Scottish Golden Ale is light at only 4% ABV and 20 IBUs, but packs a punch with its taste. Although I picked the brew out for a friend who loves Scotch Ales, I probably enjoyed the drink more given its peaty smoky flavour finish. The colour of this beer is incredibly bright, or as the makers put it: “As blonde as the East Van Sun in Spring!”

Main Street & Powell Street Scottish Golden Ale

Dubbed ‘The Streets’ collaboration, thanks to the two breweries monikers, the beer is available in bomber-sized bottles. Each brewery made their own batch of the recipe, before combining the two later. I’m not sure if it was the glassware we were using or some other factor, but the beer poured with a lot of head, although it evaporated quickly.

It seems every visit to the liquor store nowadays – even if only a few days apart – provides at least a couple new treats for consideration. It’s truly a wonderful time to be a craft beer connoisseur in this province and I can’t see the good times ending anytime soon.

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BC Beer Baron #181 – Spinnakers Dragonfly Rye Spring Saison

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One of my favourite things about doing this 366-day BC craft beer project has been discovering places I either never knew about or had only had a brew or two from previously. One company that would fit in that category would be Spinnakers Brewing in Victoria, BC.

Most recently, I picked up a bomber of their Dragonfly Rye Spring Saison, which I shared with Mrs. Sip. She enjoyed the beer, noting it went from creamy to a slightly bitter finish. I had to echo her sentiment about the 6% ABV, 25 IBUs beverage.

Spinnakers Dragonfly Rye Saison

The seasonal release is available at BC Liquor Stores and I was pleasantly surprised at how inexpensive the product was, coming in at under $5, before taxes. Good deals can still be had, if you know where to look.

I’ve found that I really like rye in my beers, which give the drink an extra boost of booze on each sip. Saisons have also shot up the charts for me (I’ve dubbed this the ‘Summer of Saisons’), as I like their blend of spice and fruit, reminding me of a more potent hefeweizen.

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BC Beer Baron #180 – Bomber/Moody Ales Tam O’ Shanter Scotch Ale

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When the Sip Alliance last visited Bomber Brewing’s tasting room, we grabbed a couple bottles of this Bomber Brewing/Moody Ales collaboration beer to enjoy later.

The Tam O’ Shanter Scotch Ale is perfect for the winter season and even though we finally cracked the beer open on a sunny spring day, the experience was still magnificent. The brew features sweet flavours of caramel and toffee in the 7.8% ABV, 29 IBUs concoction, as well as a strong overall roasted malts taste.

Bomber Brewing & Moody Ales Tam O' Shanter Wee Heavy Scotch Ale

The beer’s name is a reference to a poem by Robbie Burns, which was later used to describe the classic Scottish cap or bonnet – worn by military men and bagpipers – that many of us are familiar with. If that doesn’t prove the name belongs on a Wee Heavy Scotch Ale, nothing else will.

Going with the theme of the beverage, I love how the two breweries called it a ‘Bomber McMoody Ale’. Available in 650ml bottles, the beer is best paired with sharp cheese, game bird, grilled meats, or English trifle. Include some haggis in the meal and Mr. Burns would be quite proud!

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BC Beer Baron #179 – Tofino Dark Lager

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Sadly, I finally worked my way through the set of four bombers Ma and Pa Sip picked up for me from Tofino Brewing, while they were visiting Vancouver Island earlier this year. And what a set those two non-beer drinkers selected for yours truly.

The Dark Lager is unfiltered and all natural. At 4.5% ABV, it is lighter than one would expect, but the roasted malts provide a strong flavour to the beverage. As the folks at Tofino put it, the results in a “delicate balance of dark and light.”

Tofino Dark Lager

This winter seasonal is available in bomber-sized bottles, as well as on tap at the brewery for growler fills and other servings. Tofino also has a more traditional lager, as part of their lineup.

Having now tried a fair bit of Tofino Brewing’s releases, I would still love to get my hands on their Hunt & Gather Kettle Sour, Cosmic Wave Double IPA, and Spruce Tree Ale, to name a few. I have been greatly impressed with the brewery, thanks to my bomber set experience.

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BC Beer Baron #178 – 33 Acres of Nirvana

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In need of some drinks for a friend’s birthday celebration, the Sip Alliance popped out for a brief booze crawl around Vancouver. Our first stop was 33 Acres Brewing, where I filled a growler of this beauty.

The 33 Acres of Nirvana is an IPA which has become one of my favourite Vancouver beers, thanks to its mix of pine and citrus flavours that makeup the 7% ABV, 70 IBUs beverage. Along with your standard tasting room pours – glasses and growler fills – the Nirvana IPA is available in six-packs of bottles.

33 Acres of Nirvana

33 Acres beer descriptions are all neat, but this one will really get your mind thinking existentially: “Along the path to IPA immortality, a wise guide suggested forging a specially brewed trail. As is the pacific north-west tradition, nature’s whispers were honoured following the voice within. Iconically, this beer truly smells like dreamed spirits. One whiff, a taste, then a hearty smile begins any journey into 33 acres of Nirvana after-life.”

Mrs. Sip and I have become quite fond of 33 Acres in recent times, with her falling in love with their Belgian Tripel (33 Acres of Euphoria) and yours truly liking most anything they have on their menu. It has become a preferred stop when showing visiting friends around our great city!

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BC Beer Baron #177 – Dead Frog Tropic Vice Tropical Fruit Ale

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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. Fruit beers may have some traditionalists up in arms, but if they only them a chance, they would see how good the beverages can be. In putting together this feature week, I tried to incorporate as many different fruits as possible, so let’s see what BC has to offer in this realm.

While I picked up the Vancouver Island Pod Pack on my most recent jaunt to the liquor store, Dead Frog Brewing’s Mixer Pack was also in serious contention, highlighted by this new addition to their lineup.

The Tropic Vice Tropical Fruit Ale is infused with mango and passion fruit. With each sip, you get a burst of flavour from the spring seasonal. At only 5% ABV, the brew is light and refreshing and should be a hit at with drinkers of all creeds.

Dead Frog Tropic Vice Tropical Fruit Ale

The beer has been racking up accolades since its release, voted the People’s Choice Best Beer and Judge’s Choice Best Fruit Beer at the 2016 Okanagan Fest of Ale in Penticton, BC. As a result, Dead Frog is calling this brew ‘The Beer of Summer’. Along with its inclusion in the company’s Mixer Pack, it can also be found in bottled six packs.

The beverage is said to pair well with burgers, pizza, Cajun chicken, and nachos. That makes it the perfect accessory for summer barbecues, days spent lounging in the sun and even around the campfire at night.

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

BC Beer Baron #176 – Four Mile Tangerine Dream Ale

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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. Fruit beers may have some traditionalists up in arms, but if they only them a chance, they would see how good the beverages can be. In putting together this feature week, I tried to incorporate as many different fruits as possible, so let’s see what BC has to offer in this realm.

After first sampling their wares last November at the Hopscotch 2015 Grand Tasting Hall, I was curious to try more products from Victoria’s Four Mile Brewing. When I learned that this beer was among their arsenal, I looked forward to the day when we would meet.

I finally found the Tangerine Dream Ale at the 8th Street Liquor Store in New Westminster, en route to meeting Mrs. Sip and her colleagues for a Friday afternoon happy hour. While the beverage went light on its alcohol content (only 4.25% ABV), it certainly travelled to the other end of the spectrum with its citrus flavour. I’m not sure if I’ll be dreaming about the beer anytime soon, but it was a good drink.

Four Mile Tangerine Dream Ale

The art on Four Mile’s labels are really neat, featuring forest wildlife and other creatures. The Tangerine Dream Ale, available in bomber-sized bottles at private liquor stores around BC, is highlighted by a noble looking fox and that’s good enough for the Sip Advisor.

I would love to check out Four Mile’s brewery when Mrs. Sip and I finally get around to doing our epic Victoria beer journey. A couple of their other seasonal releases have piqued my interest, namely the Prickly Pear Cactus Wheat Ale and Double Chocolate Porter.

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

Sip Trips #66: Weekend Warriors

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While I’ve often dubbed Mrs. Sip and myself ‘Weekend Warriors, Weekday Legends’, this past weekend was incredibly busy, even by our standards. Things all got started – as most weekends do – with the need to procure some alcohol. The Sip Alliance had a member’s birthday Saturday evening and so the hunt was on.

Our first stop was 33 Acres Brewing, a favourite Vancouver location of Mrs. Sip and mine. There, we filled a couple growlers, making sure to try some of the new items to hit their board, such as the 33 Acres of Egress Belgian Grisette, which Cousin Sip elected to purchase.

Beer Growler

Following that, we were off to Storm Brewing, in search of the many odd concoctions the company is highly-regarded for. We sampled much of their ‘Brainstorms’ lineup, including a Chocolate Lavender Stout, Grapefruit Radler IPA, Blueberry Lemonade Pilsner, Pineapple Upside Down Cake Ale, James’ Liver Tonic IPA, Bangers and Sour Mash Ale, Raspberry Pilsner, and… wait for it… Margherita Pizza IPA! Some of these just might make an appearance in a BC Beer Baron article.

Our birthday event that night evolved (as these things sometimes do) from a laid back house party to a relatively laid back bar visit, as we headed out to East Vancouver’s Brickhouse. While the pub’s surrounding area is a little sketchy, the venue itself was pretty cool, with couches you could chill on, while waiting your turn to play pool or darts. The place also has quite an impressive menu of craft beers, mostly from Washington and Oregon.

On Sunday, for Father’s Day, we gathered up the whole extended family and made our way over to Township 7 Winery in Langley for their annual Wine & Swine celebration. Tickets were $30 and included three wine and pork pairings, with live music from LB 4 LB (Pound 4 Pound). The event was a total hit with our crew and I love what Township 7 has done with their patio area, changing it from a grassy area that easily got muddy in the often inclement BC weather to a tiered and tabled setting.

always-been-my-favorite-fathers-day-card

As we were wrapping things up, some of the Township 7 staff suggested we check out the nearby Fraser Valley Cider Company. I’m not much of a fan of the stuff, but others in our group are, while some were curious to try. We split a few of their tasting flights, which included house, dry, honey and elderflower varieties. The setting was nice and the people were very friendly, so it was a great ending to the evening.

While the work week has offered a rare bit of rest, this weekend Mrs. Sip and I (along with Ma and Pa Sip) return to the Bellingham Tap Trail and time will only tell what shenanigans we get up to on this expedition!

BC Beer Baron #175 – Stanley Park SunSetter Summer Ale

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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. Fruit beers may have some traditionalists up in arms, but if they only them a chance, they would see how good the beverages can be. In putting together this feature week, I tried to incorporate as many different fruits as possible, so let’s see what BC has to offer in this realm.

Mrs. Sip and I recently attended a talk and tasting opportunity, titled: From Barley to Beer, with Kwantlen Polytechnic University Brewing Program instructor Alek Egi. At that event, the Sip Advisor was able to reacquaint himself with an old friend from Stanley Park Brewing.

The SunSetter Summer Ale is an unfiltered wheat beer, which features a nice peach flavour that is not overwhelming. This results in a refreshing beverage that as the name should suggest, is ideal during the summer months. The seasonal release carries stats of 4.8% ABV and 16 IBUs and is available in a number of ways, including Stanley Park’s Summer Edition mixed 12-pack.

Stanley Park SunSetter Summer Ale

I first enjoyed this beer while on vacation last year in Penticton, BC. It was suggested to me by Cousin Sip, who’s a big fan of the product, picking up cases whenever she finds the summer seasonal during the long and lonely winter. Suggested pairings include Caprese salad, steamed clams and grilled pork tenderloin. The SunSetter won a gold medal at the 2015 World Beer Championships in the Flavored Wheat Beer category.

While chatting with the Stanley Park representative, we learned that plans are coming together for the brewery to finally open a tasting room. It was also revealed that Stanley Park will be releasing an India Brown Ale in the fall, which has my interest piqued, as I don’t believe I’ve ever tried that style of suds before.

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

BC Beer Baron #174 – Cannery Blackberry Porter

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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. Fruit beers may have some traditionalists up in arms, but if they only them a chance, they would see how good the beverages can be. In putting together this feature week, I tried to incorporate as many different fruits as possible, so let’s see what BC has to offer in this realm.

While most fruit-based products tend to fall in the wheat and wit categories, we can thank Cannery Brewing for changing the game with this release.

The Blackberry Porter is comprised of five specialty malts, three superior hop varieties and is made with all natural, pure blackberries, resulting in a dark and delicious beverage. After all that hard work, the brewery simply asks of the drinker to: “Lean back, relax and savour the flavour!”

Cannery Blackberry Porter

This beer took home first place at the Calgary International Beer Festival in 2005 and is a fixture at the Okanagan Fest of Ale and Osoyoos Oyster Festival. Two events the Sip Advisor would love to check out one day.

The Sip Syndicate was able to visit Cannery’s Penticton tasting room last Labour Day weekend, where on a gorgeous afternoon, we were able to enjoy their patio, sipping beer flights, while playing a very outdated card game involving moral dilemmas. All in good fun!

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