Category Archives: Out and About-Sip Trips

Sip Trips #80: Award Season

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The BC Beer Awards took place last weekend and for the first time, Mrs. Sip and I were in attendance. In previous years, we’ve been out of town for the festivities, but this year, we were actually able to partake in the celebration of the BC craft beer industry.

Our evening started off well, as we partook in the free shuttle offered by tour company, Vine & Hops. That led us to a massive line-up to enter the hosting Croatian Cultural Centre. Although the line moved fairly well, there seemed to be some disorganization with ID and ticket checking.

For our first drink of the evening, Mrs. Sip and I stopped at the BC Ale Trail table, which had the neat gimmick of having folks spin a wheel and then get a sample from the region they landed on. Mrs. Sip hit Port Moody and got a product from Yellow Dog Brewing, while the Sip Advisor settled on the Sunshine Coast and received a Townsite Brewing taster.

garfield-wheel-spinning

Over the course of the event, Mrs. Sip and I sampled over 20 different beers and it seemed like we couldn’t select a bad beverage. My game plan for the awards was to concentrate on breweries I hadn’t yet experienced before. This included servings from Red Arrow, Twa Dogs, Andina, Luppolo, Lightheart, Gladstone, and White Sails breweries.

As for the awards, it was fun watching them get handed out and getting to cheer for beers or breweries you like. After a while, though, there was some award fatigue and I felt like I had already just heard the category being handed out, given how similar some of the classes are.

I was very impressed with the line-up of beers brought to the show by practically every company that attended. Some companies declined to be there, but almost every brewery in the province was represented at the event.

drink-on-two-occasions

Early bird tickets to the celebration were $32, with additional tokens available at a cost of $1.25. Mrs. Sip commented that she would have paid $50 plus for the event to be all-inclusive and I whole-heartedly agree with her. On top of our four drink tickets with entry, we spent another $20 on additional tokens and that seemed to be the perfect amount of samples for us.

Following the awards, we had hoped to have dinner at the very popular St. Augustine’s Craft Brew House and Kitchen, but were told the wait would be “long”. Therefore, we continued to travel down Commercial Drive, winding up at Stateside Craft. I’ve wanted to visit this place for a while, given its mix of beer and skee ball. The restaurant actually had some BC beers on tap – mostly from East Van Brewing – to accentuate their south of the border lineup.

This weekend, we have plans to check out the Craft Beer Corn Maze in Abbotsford (weather permitting), so that should be interesting. As if I needed anymore help getting lost while drinking beer!

Sip Trips #79: California Screamin’

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Fresh off of our trip to Ireland (seriously, Mrs. Sip returned Wednesday night and we were off again Saturday morning), the Sip Alliance took advantage of the Canadian Thanksgiving holiday with a super quick jaunt down to California where a few days at Disneyland was just a warm up to Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights!

Upon entering Disneyland’s California Adventure Saturday morning, the Sip Advisor made a bee line to Flo’s Café for a serving of Bear Republic’s Grand-Am Pale Ale. This is my favourite beer in the park and was a perfect way to start the short and sweet vacation. Mrs. Sip and I typically pair the breakfast brew with a cheddar garlic bagel twist, which is as fine and gluttonous as a morning meal can be. We also tried their pumpkin twist dessert for some additional excess.

breakfast-beer

Even before we could hit a single attraction, we were onto our second beers of the morning, visiting the Karl Strauss Beer Truck. Here, I tried one of the newer beers (at least new to me) available in the Aurora Hoppyalis IPA, which I found to be quite good and deserving of its awesome name. Mrs. Sip went with their seasonal Oktoberfest beverage, which was also a solid choice.

Finally, we rode a ride, but our thirst was not fully quenched. This resulted in a stop at the Sonoma Terrace Beer Garden, where Mrs. Sip selected the Brother Thelonious Belgian Ale from North Coast Brewing, while the Sip Advisor went with a serving of Bootlegger’s Rustic Rye IPA. My only complaint about the beer garden is that all servings are bottles, so you don’t get the same amount as the draft options and often pay more. That said, the available options are often boozier than their contemporaries.

For a late lunch, we made a reservation at the Carthay Circle Restaurant. With the park typically busy for a Saturday and unseasonably warm for October, we ducked into the Carthay Lounge a little early and enjoyed a round of drinks with Mrs. Sip’s favourite appy, the Queso Fundido dip. I ordered a glass of Anchor Mango Wheat because the server said it was a maple mango beer. While that wasn’t correct, it was still a decent brew. Anchor Brewing does have a Maple Autumn Red, which may have caused the confusion. Our three-course lunch was fantastic as usual, enjoyed with a bottle of chardonnay.

wine-as-fruit

Eating at the Carthay Circle Restaurant gave us a special seating area for the World of Color show that night and the Sip Alliance always comes prepared. While Mrs. Sip and Cousin Sip double fisted glasses of bubbly, the Sip Advisor and Cousin Sip’s husband were among the last served at the Beer Garden. My bevvy of choice was the Hopageddon Imperial IPA from Napa Smith Brewing. We wrapped the day with a late visit to McDonald’s, which I brought back to our hotel room to pair with a bottle of Samuel Adams Octoberfest. There was also a serving of Karl Strauss Mosaic Session IPA in the late evening, which deserves mention for being a good brew.

Sunday featured our main reason for doing this frenzied trip to California. Two years ago, Mrs. Sip and I attended Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios and had a fantastic time. Part of the festivities, includes drinking our faces off prior to entering the spooky resort. As we did previously, we began our imbibing at the Karl Strauss Brewing location in the City Walk area outside the park. There, amongst a host of shared plates (pretzel bites, pork schnitzel sliders, cheese fondue, etc.), I enjoyed another serving of the Aurora Hoppyalis IPA, followed by the Tower 10 IPA. Mrs. Sip got a pair of Windansea Wheat glasses, which were also delicious.

Our last ditch effort to get a suitable buzz before being swarmed by zombies, maniac killers and all other forms of terrifying beings, came courtesy of the Saddle Ranch. Mrs. Sip and I went with double tequila shots, while I also pounded back a double rum and coke. To say I was ready to have the daylights scared out of me would be an understatement. Once inside, our favourite houses were Freddy vs. Jason, American Horror Story (thanks to following the series), and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Our front-of-the-line passes helped us get through the park with ease and we completed all attractions within a few hours.

haunted-house

After a quick sleep, we were back at Disneyland for one more half day of fun. It was breakfast time, so you know what that meant: one more Grand Am Pale Ale for the road and a cheddar garlic bagel twist. We were always under the impression that beer wasn’t served until 10-10:30am, but learned at Flo’s, they are served all day, from 9am on. What a wonderful world we live in!

For lunch, we popped into the Cove Bar, which is situated at the entrance to the Paradise Pier area of the park. There, I had one of their secret menu cocktails, the Earthquake (a Long Island Iced Tea with Sprite, blue curacao and a float of 151 rum), while Mrs. Sip had the Black Pearl (a Long Island Iced Tea with Sprite and Chambord). Our crew shared a plate of Lobster Nachos over our drinks. Shortly thereafter, it was sadly time to head to the airport.

Normally, my Sip Trips involving vacations to California end there. LAX is one of the worst airports I’ve ever been to for guest amenities, but on this occasion, we ended up in a fantastic wing of the airport, which had a bar and a few other neat looking restaurants. We had dinner at Barney’s Beanery, where I was able to get a buffalo chicken sandwich and a couple pints of Strand 24th Street Pale Ale. Mrs. Sip was in the mood for Mexican, so she had a quesadilla and taco, as well as a serving of Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier, which was a fantastic drink.

While we don’t have any travel plans for this weekend, we will be attending the BC Beer Awards for the first time, so that should provide some good stories for the next edition of Sip Trips!

Sip Trips #78: Whiskey in the Jar (Part 2)

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Yesterday, we took a look at the first half of the Sip Syndicate’s visit to Ireland. Today, we get to the main event, as our ensemble returns to Dublin for the remainder of our voyage. Get ready for more wining, dining and even a little sightseeing, just for the heck of it.

As far as the Emerald Isle goes, there may not be a more quintessential attraction than the Guinness Storehouse. While the site is quite the facility and I was happy to finally cross it off my bucket list after missing out in 2007, I thought the experience wasn’t on par with brewery tours, such as Carlsberg or Heineken. The tour did include a pint of the infamous stout at the end, which we enjoyed in their Gravity Bar, overlooking the entire city below. The Storehouse gift shop is also quite impressive, with tons of souvenirs to be had and an expansive collection of Christmas trinkets.

guinness-drip

Following the Guinness tour, we went for dinner at The Church, a bar and restaurant created from the converted St. Mary’s Church of Ireland. Over a number of bottles of wine, most of the Sip Syndicate went with set menu meals, while the Sip Advisor ordered a steak and Guinness pie. While the crew enjoyed their desserts, Mrs. Sip told me to treat myself to the Church Chocolate Orange Cocktail (Dubliner Liqueur, brown cacao, orange juice, egg whites, chocolate bitters). Although not what I had envisioned, it was a tasty indulgence to soothe my sweet tooth.

The next day, we had an all-day tour to Northern Ireland booked. We were all blown away by the area’s history and scenery, but still managed to fit a couple drinks into the itinerary. While at the Giant’s Causeway, we ventured into The Nook, which is a tiny little pub outside the attraction. There, I tried pints of the Macardle’s Traditional Ale and Hop House 13 Lager (brewed by Guinness).

When we arrived back in Dublin, we wandered into the Temple Bar district, in search of dinner and drinks. As was approached The Old Storehouse, I realized I had been there before, on my 2007 St. Patrick’s Day trip. Over a couple pints, Mrs. Sip and I greatly enjoyed the two meals we were sharing: Irish Cottage Pie and Seafood Chowder. As we ate, a duo of guitarists serenaded us with a mix of cover songs and trad music. We then joined the party upstairs, where a trio of musicians (including a flutist) rocked the place, as I downed glasses of the Five Lamps Lager and Guinness Stout, of course. While some of our group called it a night, a few of us tried to get into the actual Temple Bar Pub, but the place was packed and getting a drink would have been difficult, so we aborted that mission.

irish-handcuffs

We picked an interesting weekend to be in Dublin as the Irish Football Finals were taking place. Deciding we wanted to witness this cultural sporting event for ourselves, we arrived at O’Neill’s Bar for the match between Dublin and Mayo. We had to arrive early to get any seating, so over the next few hours I drank servings of the Guinness Wheat Ale, BrewDog Punk IPA, and Barrelhead Indie Amber. Home side Dublin took the title in the end, after a very close, physical and entertaining affair.

Our last meal together took place at The Porterhouse Brewing Co., where our troop was very lucky to get a table amongst all the chaos. Here, I had a pint of the An Brain Blasta and also sampled their Oyster Stout. I have to also mention that over our weekend in Dublin, I relaxed each night with a bottle or two of Journeyman Brewing products. This included their IPA, Session IPA, and IPL, which were each quite tasty.

To sum up our travels, I found Ireland to be a beautiful place, with friendly people who had no problem dropping an F-bomb or two! Traversing the country’s roads were challenging, but worth it for the sights, sounds and experiences.

Sip Trips #77: Whiskey in the Jar (Part 1)

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Mrs. Sip and I have returned from our adventures in Ireland and what a trip it was, full of wonderful food, drink and experiences. Today, I’ll share part one of the vacation with all you little sippers, so buckle up for a tour around the Emerald Isle!

Upon arriving, Mrs. Sip and members of the Sip Syndicate picked me up from the airport, having touched down a few hours before me. We were off to the small village of Robinstown, where after checking into our accommodation, we made the five-minute jaunt to the local bar, Ryan’s of Robinstown. There, we dove into pints of Smithwick’s Irish Ale and Guinness Stout (of course) and tried to stay awake so we could align our body clocks with the new time zone. This is where I learned quickly that many Irish beers that would be available on tap are much lighter than I’m accustomed to at home.

irish-beer-odouls

The next day, we were en route to Galway, but stopped in Athlone to have a pint at Sean’s Bar. What made this layover so significant? Sean’s Bar has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest pub in Ireland, Europe and even the world – providing something else doesn’t come along disproving this claim. Here, I ordered a pint of one of the pub’s own brews, the Iuain’s Red Ale. Before leaving Athlone, we decided to grab lunch at the nearby Murphy’s Law pub, which had a diverse menu of both food and drink. To accompany my club sandwich, I drank the Murphy’s Red Ale, which I found to be a really good beer with a nice creamy finish.

Once we arrived in Galway, we promptly picked up beer and other provisions. The craft beers I grabbed included the Buried at Sea Chocolate Milk Stout, O’Hara’s Dry Hopped Irish Pale Ale, Curim Celtic Wheat Beer, and Galway Bay Full Sail Dry Hopped Irish Pale Ale. I also snagged a bag of Roast Beef and Irish Stout chips to snack on. That evening, we explored Shop Street, ending up at the King’s Head Pub, which featured live music with cover songs by a one man guitarist, who nailed his Johnny Cash impression. My libation of choice was the Smithwick’s Pale Ale. The next night, we returned to Shop Street to celebrate my recent birthday. Our base on this evening was Taaffes Pub, where numerous brews were consumed, as well as my first Jameson on Irish soil and a Baby Guinness shot (Kahlua and Bailey’s), courtesy of Mrs. Sip.

irish-meal

Our next accommodation was in Killarney, but along the way, we popped into Limerick and visited The Locke, another “oldest pub in the city” occasion. The bar had a decent craft beer lineup, of which I selected the Black Lightning Black IPA from 9 White Deer Brewery. It paired nicely with my absolutely delicious fried chicken burger. Mrs. Sip ordered a carafe of wine for herself and fell in love with their seafood chowder, which was a hit with our entire table.

Arriving in Killarney, we had trouble finding a place to eat, given most locations closed early. We ended up at The Smoke House, which was a very fortunate accident, as we each had a good meal. I also enjoyed a pint of the Killarney Brewing Company’s Scarlet Pimpernel Irish Pale Ale here. After dinner, we visited Courtney’s Bar, which provided an opportunity to try Crean’s Lager, which Cousin Sip and her husband had raved about. I didn’t really have the same experience, but it was a solid beverage.

irish-toast

With our crew getting a little worn out, most elected to stay in Killarney, while Mrs. Sip and I ventured out, taking our lives into our own hands on the narrow, curvy roads of the countryside (and all while driving on the opposite side of the car and road for my first time ever). Our first stop of the self-guided route was Blarney Castle, where we both went upside down and kissed its infamous stone. While popping into their tea house, I purchased a can of Guinness because when will I ever drink a beer on castle grounds again!?

Moving on, we made our way to Midleton for the Jameson Experience. I had hoped to hit this attraction later in Dublin, but that spot is closed for renovations for the next six months. Thankfully, this opportunity came up as the grounds and tour was amazing, filled with so much history. The Sip Advisor was even included among eight volunteers who got to do an Irish, Scottish and American whiskey cross comparison. The tour concluded with a cocktail (Jameson, ginger ale and lime) which was really good and may have even turned Mrs. Sip back onto whiskey. After chatting with some fellow tourists, I was encouraged to buy a bottle of Jameson Distillery Reserve, which is only available at the distillery and nowhere else in the world.

That wraps up part one of our journey to Ireland. Tomorrow, we arrive in the Irish capital of Dublin for more debaucherous activity!

Sip Trips #76: One-Day Cruise Done Right

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Mrs. Sip and I took it relatively easy this week, with our journey to Ireland rapidly approaching. Last weekend, however, we were aboard a one-day cruise from Seattle to Vancouver, celebrating Sis-in-Law Sip’s birthday.

As soon as we boarded the ship, we were in search of our first drink. Luckily, we stumbled upon an ad for a bucket of five Seawitch Red Ales (brewed by Alaska’s Denali Brewing for Princess Cruises) for only $15. This was basically a half-price deal, compared to buying single bottles. In true Sip Advisor fashion, I procured one for our quartet of revellers and promptly grabbed a second round solely for my own enjoyment!

bucket-list

After a buffet lunch, it was back to our room for the first of four bottles of wine. Each passenger is allowed to bring one bottle with them and we had a well-rounded collection of one white, one rose, one red, and one bubbly. Rather than pay for a bottle with our later dinner seating, we simply each poured a glass to bring with us to the meal.

As platinum members of the cruise line, Mrs. Sip and I were able to get our crew access to the Elite Lounge. There, we ordered a round of their El Major Margaritas, which are priced at only $5. I’ve never seen the Elite Lounge so busy, with food running low and few seats available to late arrivals. In comparison, when we were on our cruise of Asia in May, there were times our group were the only ones in the lounge.

smoothies

Another perk of being platinum-level guests is that Mrs. Sip and I were each given a complimentary drink ticket. I used mine on the Kentucky Kiss, which has always been a favourite of the Sip Advisor. To cap our evening of boozing, we managed a first-place tie amongst 14 teams playing the ‘Finish the Song Lyrics’ quiz, earning a bottle of bubbly, courtesy the ship.

In total, the only drinks we bought over the course of the evening were those buckets of beer and a round of cocktails in the Elite Lounge. Not too shabby, given the Sip Advisor was up until 3am, drinking solo and enjoying the ocean breeze on our balcony! Emerald Isle, here we come!

Sip Trips #75: Celebrations Abound

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After a relatively quiet midweek for the Sip Advisor, the weekend picked up in pace, as it usually does. With a friend’s birthday on Saturday, we started at the Salt Tasting Room in Gastown, which has a neat concept in that you order three meats/cheeses and three condiments to create your own charcuterie plate. This platter can be paired with wines selected by the staff, if you choose, but a couple cocktails and beer from 33 Acres Brewing is also available. This was my first time ever entering the area’s infamous Blood Alley and I’d like to return for more exploration.

After conquering our SmartyPantz escape room, our evening wrapped up with a trip to the TAPshack in Coal Harbour. Coincidentally, Mrs. Sip and I passed this place the week before, while out for a walk and wanted to return to check it out. While there, we enjoyed a couple beers from their menu of 20 taps (one beer each from 20 different breweries), while I tried their Maui Wowie Hawaiian pizza and Mrs. Sip ordered a serving of their duck fat popcorn and avocado toast with poached egg for a main course.

hawaiian-pizza-funny

The next day was Cousin Sip’s 12-year wedding anniversary, which she was celebrating solo, as her husband is currently working out-of-town. Therefore, Mrs. Sip and I joined her for a dinner at The Keg in Yaletown, sitting on their rooftop patio and enjoying what’s left of gorgeous summer weather.

While we had a nice meal, it’s time for a little Sip Advisor rant: To this day, I’m still saddened by the restaurant’s decision to nix their prime rib burger from the menu, in favour of their current offering. The prime rib burger provided a near orgasmic experience, while this rendition is just a run-of-the-mill product. To boot, when I first starting ordering the prime rib burger, it could be had for about $12, which was an amazing deal. Even before it was phased out, the price had only risen to about $14. This new, lackluster burger sets you back $18. I’ve even talked to servers at the chain, who have recognized the new burger just doesn’t measure up to the old one. The prime rib burger is still sold in grocery stores, so why not bring it back to the restaurant!?

rant-logic-reason

Okay, rant over. This weekend, we will be enjoying a one-day cruise from Seattle to Vancouver to celebrate Sis-in-Law Sip’s birthday. So long as it ends better than our last overnight cruise, where members of the Sip Alliance had to be quarantined, I think it will be a good way to spend the occasion… but the tale may not reach the same heights of infamy!

Sip Trips #74: Labouring Away

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Mrs. Sip tries to get us out-of-town for every long weekend. Despite that desire, we stayed close to home this Labour Day long weekend, but that didn’t stop us from having a pretty full schedule over our three days off. And with many of our friends away on vacations, we were flying solo for much of the weekend… just the way the Sip Advisor likes it!

We began the weekend by meeting at the VIP Theatre at the Marine Gateway Cineplex complex. Here, we were treated to fantastic service from the time we entered, all the way until we made the journey back home. While watching Sausage Party, we enjoyed a pitcher of beer (they had one craft beer on tap – Dead Frog’s Tropic Vice) with meals of buffalo chicken strips for moi and a cheese quesadilla for Mrs. Sip. Despite it costing $25 each for the movie tickets, plus food and drink fees, I would do the experience again in a heartbeat. Wednesday’s offer a date night deal, where for the usual price of admission for two fares, you also get two entrees.

vip-theatre

The next morning, we were off to Bellingham, Washington for some shopping and lunch at the Boundary Bay Brewery. Once again, I had their stellar Reuben sandwich, while Mrs. Sip tried their B.L.A.T., instead of her usual tapenade order. We enjoyed these paired with servings of the Space Dust IPA (a very good beer, which I had never tried before) and Scotch Ale, respectively.

As we waiting for our meals to come out, Mrs. Sip learned that a new operation had just opened up around the corner and so we also popped into Gruff Brewing to try a couple of their beverages. This included the Lychee Hef for me and Belgian Blonde for Mrs. Sip. We also tried a taster of their Belgian Brown Sour. The company opened their doors in mid-August and are currently operating on weekends only.

Returning to Canada, we visited a friend in Maple Ridge and while in the area, decided to visit Ridge Brewing. I’ve been pining to try their Ay Caramba! Jalapeño IPA, ever since I first heard about it and finally achieved that, even filling a growler with the brew (to be reviewed as part of the BC Beer Baron project, shortly). We also tried a number of other items on their tap list, including the new Wind and Sea Pale Ale and their Pride Beer Berliner Weiss.

life-is-like-a-jalapeno

After staying up late, watching all three movies at the Twilight Drive-In theatre in Aldergrove, Mrs. Sip and I crashed at Ma and Pa Sip’s place in Delta, before heading back to Vancouver. En route, we stopped at the Fuggles & Warlock tasting room in Richmond, where we split a couple of tasting flights, while playing a game of cribbage on their wonderful outdoor patio. Our mutual favourite of their selections was The Last Strawberry Wit, while we also sampled a few of the guest taps that were available.

Aside from our expeditions, Mrs. Sip and I were also able to find a fair bit of time for relaxing and hanging out. We took a couple long walks and discovered some sites we’d like to visit in the near future, some of which will surely show up in Sip Trips articles. Why can’t all weekends be three days long!?

Sip Trips #73: Around the World at Home

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As it is with most weeks for me and Mrs. Sip, the last one was pretty darn busy. We celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary, co-hosted the Sip Advisor’s annual beer pong tournament, participated in a Disney trivia event, and had a fun meal out in New West. Here are some notes from the week that was:

Four Years Strong

Mrs. Sip has always wanted to try Lupo, an upscale Italian restaurant in downtown Vancouver. I figured with our anniversary approaching, it might finally be time to book a reservation. We had a wonderful meal – prior to watching Book of Mormon – which included a shared Bufala Mozzarella Salad to start, Ricotta Gnocchi (with pork cheeks) for Mrs. Sip and Taglierini (with wild mushrooms and chilies) for myself, and finished with a Gelato trio for dessert. The meal was washed down with a very nice bottle of Italian pinot grigio.

Italian Food

SIP-A-Dee-Do-Da

When the Sip Alliance first heard about Disney trivia, hosted at The Pint, we were keenly interested, as Disney love runs in the family. This event proved to be so popular that they kept adding dates and one night quickly grew to four, thanks to the massive waitlist. Unlike some other trivia activities around town, there was a $5 entrance price for this one, but we were just happy to have a spot.

While we finished just outside the top three teams, I was impressed with The Pint’s food menu. This includes a number of great options, perhaps best highlighted by being able to order wings, chicken strips, rice bowls, pulled pork, and other items, done 40 different ways (varying sauces and dry rubs). On Tuesday’s, you can get their Team Platters for $19, instead of $32, while pitchers are only $15. My only complaint would be that their craft beer lineup is lacking, especially for a place called The Pint.

Dipping Sauces

Taco Time

With the week being as busy as it was, Mrs. Sip and I decided we needed a little one-on-one time. Therefore, I made the trip out to New West, where the bronzed goddess works, to join her for a meal at Originals Restaurante Mexicano. We both ordered taco platters, trying a total of six different styles, with our mutual favourite being the Carnitas (slow cooked fried pork in cinnamon and orange). The restaurant also had three craft beers on tap and it was far from your typical selections. Ridge Brewing, Dogwood Brewing and Dead Frog Brewing were all represented. Best of all, the eatery has two happy hours, from 3-6 and 8-11, where these beverages can be had for only $4.

This upcoming Labour Day long weekend will provide a rare stay-cation for Mrs. Sip and I. All that really means is that there is much trouble we can get up to. Check back next week to see exactly how we handled the time off!

Sip Trips #72: Everything Under the Sun

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It’s been a surprisingly busy past couple weeks. I thought I could take a week off from Sip Trips articles, as I do from time to time when there’s nothing to report on, only to realize I should have written something last week. Time to make amends!

Buckin’ Bronco

With Ma and Pa Sip, as well as the Sip-in-Laws coming to visit for a big family dinner, we needed a place to go. Using Open Table, Ma Sip chanced upon the Yale Saloon and good thing she did. There, we were treated to amazing food (southern barbecue dishes like pulled pork and beef brisket sandwiches and fusion cuisine, such as mac n’ cheese popsicles) and terrific service. The restaurant’s manager even inflated the ring so the Sip Advisor could ride the mechanical bull a couple times. The only criticism I can lob at the Yale Saloon is that they have absolutely no local craft beer on their menu. Perhaps that will come in time.

Bull Riding

New Brews

A couple of impromptu brewery crawls over recent times have yielded some new discoveries. This included my first visits to Vancouver’s Faculty Brewing as well as Old Yale Brewing and Chaos & Solace Brewing – which we didn’t even know existed – in Chilliwack. We also popped into the long-awaited R&B Ale and Pizza House for some drinks and food. Now all I need to do is finally get around to doing another bike tour of the Yeast Van region, where a few new operations have launched lately. For more details on our beer tours, check out the BC Beer Baron listings.

All You Need is Love

We began this week with a bang, as one of my favourite events of the year finally came around again. The Made with Love cocktail competition at the Fairmont Hotel featured not only amazing drinks, but also some great food, including freshly shucked oysters, spring rolls, tuna tartare cones, and chicken wraps, among other hors d’oeuvres. The food seemed to stop being served about halfway through the event, which is too bad because that’s exactly when some guests need it the most, as they realize just how much they’re actually drinking.

Cocktail Super Glue

My favourite cocktail of the night came from Reece Sims of Per Se Social Corner, while Mrs. Sip’s preferred bevvy was provided by Mia Gianz of Odd Society Spirits. Best of all, in a world where prices seem to rise annually, this year, early bird tickets were the cheapest I’d ever seen them, at only $45. I can’t wait for the 2017 edition.

This weekend, the Sip Advisor and Mrs. Sip celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary and the return of my annual beer pong tournament takes place. After that, there’s the Labour Day long weekend, which although we’re stay-cationing, there will be much to report on. Looks like I won’t be taking any more weeks off for a while!

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!