BC Beer Baron #269 – Persephone Brew the Change

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With some time to kill in New West (story of my life anytime I’m supposed to be meeting Mrs. Sip) I popped into the 8th Street Liquor Store, which has become a place of solace for the Sip Advisor. There, I found and purchased this intriguing Persephone Brewing collaborative release.

The Brew the Change is about so much more than simply beer. It’s an industry statement from 10 certified Benefit Corporation breweries (“for-profit companies who meet higher standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability, and who choose to use their business as a force for good”).

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This across North America conglomerate includes breweries from Washington State (Aslan), Portland (Hopworks), California (Bison and North Coast), Colorado (New Belgium), Michigan (Vivant), North Carolina (Bull City), Ontario (Beau’s), and New Brunswick (Picaroons).

What originally lured me to purchase this beer was its description of key ingredients: honey, cranberry juice and yerba mate. The 7.1% ABV, 14 IBUs beverage is available in bomber-sized bottles. Suggested food pairings include rich charcuterie; hard cheeses, such as cheddar; and French honey spice cake.

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BC Beer Baron #268 – Tree Cutthroat West Coast Ale

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While the Sip Syndicate vacationed in Kelowna earlier this summer, we made a jaunt to Tree Brewing for some drinks. There, while playing a couple of the trivia games available at the tasting room and restaurant, I was able to enjoy a serving of this beer.

The Cutthroat West Coast Ale is very good, highlighted by flavours of toffee and just the right amount of hops to lend some citrus notes to the blend. The 5% ABV, 36 IBUs beverage took home a gold medal at the 2007 Canadian Brewing Awards in the English Style Pale Ale (Bitter) category.

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One of the breweries Tall Boys products, the ale is available year round in 500ml cans. Surprisingly, it is not part of Tree’s Season Pass mixed case. Suggested food pairings include pasta, shellfish/sushi, English cheeses, and meat pies.

The company has a couple new limited releases that the Sip Advisor would love to gets his paws on. This includes the Leap Beer Smoked Bock and Kim-Ach Touch Ale. Sounds like as good a reason as any to revisit the Tree Brewing Institute, ASAP!

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BC Beer Baron #267 – Cannery Drupaceous Apricot Wheat Ale

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On our recent visit to St. Augustine’s, this beer from Cannery Brewing instantly jumped out at me from the restaurant’s extensive tap menu.

The Drupaceous Apricot Wheat Ale is brewed with Canadian wheat for a hazy appearance. Apricots are added after fermentation, giving the beer “an Okanagan twist”. This summer seasonal comes in at 5% ABV and 25 IBUs for a nicely-balanced experience.

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For those unfamiliar (as was the Sip Advisor, despite my wordsmith reputation), ‘drupaceous’ refers to fruits that are comprised of an outer skin, a juicy middle layer, and a shell on the inside. These include peaches, cherries, plums and apricots, among others.

A recipe the brewery suggests using the beer – available in 650ml bomber bottles – in is Apricot Wheat Ale Glazed Chicken Wings. They also advise that the brew pairs well with Walnut Crusted Chicken Breast with Mango.

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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!

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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.

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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!

BC Beer Baron #266 – Vancouver Island Killer White IPA

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While stocking up on supplies for an upcoming camping trip, the Sip Advisor picked up a bottle of this Vancouver Island Brewing new release. Isn’t camping shopping the best!

The Killer White IPA is a wheat ale-IPA hybrid, combining the best from both worlds into one delicious drinking experience. That would include flavours of banana and clove from the hefe yeast and citrus notes from the three different hops used in the beer’s construction.

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Vancouver Island writes of the brew: “This white has some bite to it!” The 7% ABV, 60 IBUs summer seasonal is available in bomber-sized bottles at BC Liquor Stores, as well as other booze vendors.

Featuring a label with a jumping killer whale, I assume the beer is an homage to Vancouver Island’s whale watching industry. This season lasts from March to October each year and brings a great number of tourists to this part of the world.

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BC Beer Baron #265 – Dogwood Organic IPA

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As I’ve mentioned previously, when Mrs. Sip and I visited the Originals Restaurante Mexicano in New West recently, the Sip Advisor was impressed with the diner’s small, yet varied craft beer menu. That included this product from Dogwood Brewing.

The Organic IPA isn’t as hoppy as some IPAs, relying more on its malt content to deliver flavour. This is a good thing for those that don’t do bitter so well. The 5.9% ABV, 50 IBUs beverage presents flavours of caramel and citrus fruits in a well-balanced package.

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While Dogwood doesn’t provide any food pairing suggestions for the beer, Mrs. Sip and I found it worked rather well with our taco platters, complementing the various flavours and spices in our meals. The IPA is available in cans at private liquor stores.

I have still yet to visit Dogwood’s South Vancouver tasting room and really should get around to it. The company is very proud of their all-organic lineup of brews, which also includes a Honey Ale, Fest Ale, and Stout, as well as seasonal treats.

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BC Beer Baron #264 – Fernie Big Caboose Red Ale

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In preparation for our annual Sip Syndicate camping excursion, the Sip Advisor was on the lookout for a good mixed case of canned beers, perfect for beach drinking. That was found thanks to Fernie Brewing.

Part of the company’s Summer Craft Collection, Mrs. Sip and I generally enjoyed the entire set (no duds to be found); however, we were particularly fond of the Big Caboose Red Ale. The 5% ABV, 25 IBUs beverage took home gold and bronze medals at the 2012 and 2013 BC Beer Awards, respectively, in the Scottish/Irish brew category.

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Originally released in 2011, the beer is also available in six-packs and can be found as far east as Manitoba. Suggested food pairings include burgers and nachos… what more could one ask for?

Also joining the Red Ale in the summer mixer (available between April and September) are the Project 9 Pilsner, Griz Pale Ale and Lone Wolf IPA. The Winter Craft Collection is nearly identical, save for the First Trax Brown Ale subbing in for the Project 9 Pilsner.

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BC Beer Baron #263 – Howe Sound Log Driver Juniper Rye IPA

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At the recent Tip N’ Taste event in Langley, Mrs. Sip and I spent a fair bit of time at the Howe Sound Brewing station, chatting with one of their reps, while sampling this beer and others from their extensive lineup.

The Log Driver Juniper Rye IPA is an American-style India Pale Ale that is brewed using juniper berries. This gives the beverage a pine flavour, similar to what drinkers can expect when enjoying gin-based cocktails. The brew is on the lighter end of IPAs with an ABV of only 5.5%, but it does come in at a hoppy 45 IBUs.

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The spring seasonal is available in Howe Sound’s patented 1-litre bottles, which are good for three full pints. When available, the product can be found at both BC Liquor Stores and private operations. Its run was only to last until May 31, 2016, but I’ve seen it around and tasted it in July, so it could still be out there.

The IPA is meant to salute BC’s vast and beautiful nature, as well as log drivers (the brave folks who rode logs from forest to sawmills, via water currents) from times past. The term ‘high and dry’ can be traced back to this profession and meant an unsuccessful log drive, where yields were lost for a year thanks to dried waterways and having to wait for the next snowmelt.

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BC Beer Baron #262 – Granville Island Two Tides ISA

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While recently hanging out poolside at Ma and Pa Sip’s place, the Sip Advisor was in need of beer refreshment. That was satisfied with some selections from Granville Island Brewing, including this tasty treat.

The Two Tides ISA is light but flavourful, with stats of 4.6% ABV and 35 IBUs. As the brewery states, the beer is “the lighter way to an IPA”. It’s a perfect beverage for summer barbecues and camping trips, but won’t mess you up too much in warmer temperatures. For those on the fence with regards hoppier drinks, this product will satisfy.

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First released in 2015, the brew returned this year as part of National Beer Day celebrations. With this homecoming, the ISA became a year-round release. It is available in both the bottled and canned versions of GIB’s Summer Mingler case, as well as on its own in six-packs.

Two Tides refers to both high and low tide and everything in between. As a result, suggested food pairings include surf n’ turf dishes, which are ideal in this province, given our proximity to both the ocean and Alberta beef.

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BC Beer Baron #261 – Phillips Atomic Buffalo Smokey Red Saison

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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. Saisons have quickly become a favourite style of the Sip Advisor. I’ve even gone so far as to call the summer of 2016 my ‘Summer of Saison’. Let’s see what BC has to offer.

The second I saw this beer from Phillips Brewing, sitting all by its lonesome in a fridge at a private liquor store, I knew I had to bring it home. Good thing I did, as it was the last of its kind, orphaned and separated from all its brothers and sisters. Doesn’t that melt your heart?

The Atomic Buffalo Smokey Red Saison combines many of the ideals the Sip Advisor looks for in a beer. First, it’s smoky and I love my hickory-flavoured brews. Second, this comes in just as I wrap up my ‘Summer of Saisons’ and feature the style. I love how Phillips calls the brew a “complex mutant ale that infuses a herd of flavours into a unique stampede worthy beer.”

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At 6.2% ABV, it is of the strong beer variety, another element the Sip Advisor is more than happy to welcome. The brew’s light hops content allows for all of its varying tastes to flourish, finished of course by that deliciously subtle smoke.

The Atomic Buffalo was only made available in craft beer-focused private liquor stores, for a limited time only. The beverage comes in bomber-sized bottles, if you can track one down. If not, perhaps next year will provide another opportunity.

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