Sip Trips #60: Tapped Out

Posted on March 19, 2016 by Daniel Wilson

It seemed the theme of the last week for the Sip Alliance was being told a beer we wanted was out. A sadder set of circumstances, I have not come across yet in this life!

Looking for a place to eat last Thursday before our Urban Rec sports and with a couple gift cards to shed, we ended up at The Shark Club in Richmond. Already not thrilled with the beers on tap, my first two orders – Granville Island Winter Ale and Red Truck Amber Ale – were both unavailable. This left me with only one remaining option, Driftwood Fat Tug IPA. I’m sure this will all resurface one day as a PTSD scenario… the time I almost had to settle for Budweiser!

I will say, that my chicken tenders and fries were very good and I think Mrs. Sip and the rest of our party enjoyed their nachos, but even with that order, they were asked to substitute their original choice of spicy ground beef with chicken. We were never really informed why, but with little options, they just rolled with it. While our server was very friendly and you can’t blame her for the beers being out, service was incredibly slow and the place seemed understaffed.

Our next outing was to EXP Restaurant + Bar in downtown Vancouver. Here, they did have both of the beers I wanted to order, which was quite refreshing. Deciding on what to eat was much more difficult, as the menu here has so many intriguing dishes, each themed around video games. Rather than try something new, I went with a favourite, the Classic Cheese Burger of Experience and was not left disappointed. Other items ordered at our table, included the Attack On Taco, Assassin’s Cheese Fries and Traditional Poutine, all of which looked and tasted great.

The following day, we decided to check out The Social Corner, which recently opened right across the street from my and Mrs. Sip’s building. I ordered their mushroom burger (which I was lucky to see a server bring out to another table, as it wasn’t even on their menu), while the ladies at our table shared a couple of the restaurant’s pizzas. The Stanley Park 1897 Amber Ale I paired with my meal really hit the spot and they must get that burger onto their menu.

Prior to Monday’s Vancouver Canucks game versus the Winnipeg Jets (which we had tickets to), we ended up at Central City’s Brew Pub, close to Rogers Arena. Here, we were continually denied the beer of our choice. I get it that kegs run out and need to be changed over, but when you have to choose another beer a half dozen times, it becomes a little tiring. The beers we did end up having were pretty good, highlighted for myself by Central City’s Scotch Ale, which I was pleasantly surprised had a smoky finish to it.

Speaking of the Canucks game, I was hoping for a better collection of craft beers at the stadium than we were able to locate. The adjacent BC Place (home of the Canadian Football League’s BC Lions and the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer) has worked hard to up their craft beer content and I figured – or at least hoped – Rogers Arena would do the same. Alas, it was not meant to be and the night was spent sipping on expensive Shocktop, while watching our beloved ‘Nucks put up a stinker.

Here’s hoping future Sip Trips aren’t as marred with unavailable menu items!

BC Beer Baron #78 – Central City Habanero Stout

Posted on March 18, 2016 by Daniel Wilson

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. Since March features St. Patrick’s Day and many of us largely associate the celebration with Guinness beer, the Sip Advisor thought it would be a prime month to highlight some of B.C.’s best stout beers.

If there’s anything the Sip Advisor likes more than a smoky beverage, it’s a spicy one and Central City Brewing has the answer to my wishes with this seasonal release.

The Habanero Stout is roasty, smoky and spicy – the triple threat! At 8.5% ABV, they aren’t messing around here. Despite the high alcohol content, it’s not noticeable. There’s also a nice balance between the overall sweetness of the stout and the chili spice of the habaneros.

Central City Habanero Stout

To go with the beer’s heat, the classic Central City Red Racer logo of a girl riding a bike has been adapted to being a she-devil (still on the bike), clad in red and complete with tail and pitchfork. You gotta love the company slightly altering their label to give the beer a little more shelf appeal.

I’ve always enjoyed popping into Central City’s Surrey brewery, tasting room and store, but on this visit I was completely blown away by the pricing of some of their available beers. I’m not sure if they were simply clearing stock, but I was able to pick up bombers of today’s feature beer for only $2 each. You just can’t beat that!

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

BC Beer Baron #77 – Old Yale Screaming Banshee Irish Crème Stout

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Daniel Wilson

Last month, the Sip Advisor attended a birthday at Craft Beer Market, but I felt like the celebration was for me, given the restaurant’s daily special of $5 BC craft beers. Since Craft Beer Market has so many good BC brews on tap, I felt like a kid in a candy store! My second selection of the evening was this Old Yale Brewing gem.

What a delicious beer we have here in the Screaming Banshee Irish Crème Stout. Sure, the name sounds like something from an R.L. Stein Goosebumps novel, at the very least, but the brew is not something to be scared of at all. My first taste was a nice caramel flavour, followed by an Irish Crème finish that is smooth and scrumptious.

Old Yale Screaming Banshee Irish Creme Stout

The brewery suggests drizzling the Irish Crème Stout over ice cream and also has a recipe for turning the brew into cupcakes. If you’re looking for meal pairings, they include hearty stews, Irish steak pies, chili, and chocolate cakes (yes, chocolate cakes can be more than just dessert!).

I’m really becoming enamoured with Old Yale Brewing, having previously enjoyed their Sasquatch Stout. If I was still covering the Chilliwack Bruins Western Hockey League team (they moved operations to Victoria in 2011), I’d be popping into their brewery regularly for growler fills and bottle purchases. If they ever open up a tasting room, they may never get me to leave!

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

BC Beer Baron #76 – Lighthouse Seaport Vanilla Stout

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Daniel Wilson

Although I first drank this Lighthouse Brewing beer back in January, it was so amazing that I felt inclined to save and share the experience during Stout Week.

I found a bomber-sized bottle of the Seaport Vanilla Stout when perusing a BC Liquor Store one night and grabbed it, having enjoyed Lighthouse products before. The next morning, I went over notes I’d made the night before and next to this beer was the short, yet apt opinion, “F’N AWESOME!” This means two things: 1) I was really fond of the beer and 2) while I’m not shy about swearing with real words, apparently I prefer to keep it clean on my phone.

Lighthouse Seaport Vanilla Stout

The brew is made with Madagascan vanilla beans, which work with the chocolate and coffee flavours one expects from a stout. Add a hint of sweetness and you have the total package in the palm of your hands.

I like Lighthouse’s theme of naming their beers after nautical references. These include Jackline, Shipwreck, Beacon, Bowline, and Tasman, among others. They also have a more traditional stout in their line-up, the Keepers Stout.

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

BC Beer Baron #75 – Doan’s Rye Stout

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Daniel Wilson

When Mrs. Sip and I attended Big Rock Urban Brewery’s Winter Beer Hall (as part of the Dine Out Vancouver Festival), one of my favourite servings of the night, among the cask beers available, was from Doan’s Craft Brewing.

Their Rye Stout came out near the top of my card, among stiff competition in the form of Storm Brewing’s Vanilla Whiskey Stout and Big Rock’s Dine Out Van Fest Ale. The 6.2% brew is made by soaking malts in Canadian Rye, resulting in a spicy, hoppy drink, which has a strong, but not detestable coffee aftertaste.

Doan's Rye Stout

It helped to have one of Doan’s brewers on site at the event to describe to drinkers how the beer was made, as well as provide other little tidbits about the beverage.

When we visited Doan’s for the very first time last summer, I don’t remember being won over by the brewery. That could have been because it was stop number five or six for us that day and palate fatigue could have been setting in. Regardless, thanks to this experience, I have renewed faith in the company and look forward to my next chance to return to their tasting room.

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

BC Beer Baron #74 – Dead Frog Nutty Uncle Peanut Butter Stout

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Daniel Wilson

On our recent beer adventures in the Fraser Valley, we popped into Aldergrove’s Dead Frog Brewing for a flight of tasters.

Among the beers we sampled was the Nutty Uncle Peanut Butter Stout, which I had also gifted to Mrs. Sip last year as part of her annual advent calendar. We liked it then and we still do. The stout has a nice nutty finish to go with flavours of chocolate and coffee that we’re accustomed to experiencing from this style. I could have enjoyed even more of a peanut butter flavour, as I am a PB junkie!

Dead Frog Nutty Uncle Peanut Butter Stout

Originally released in late 2014, the Nutty Uncle won a gold medal at the 2015 Canadian Brewing Awards in the Experimental Beer category. The brew is available in bomber format at liquor stores around the province.

I can’t help but notice a troubling trend amongst BC breweries to take shots at all the uncles out there in the world. On top of this beer, you also have the Creepy Uncle Dunkel from Moon Under Water (a beer which will certainly be covered as part of this project at a later date). While Dead Frog claims the beer is an homage to ‘nutty uncles’ everywhere, I have my suspicions!

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

BC Beer Baron #73 – Tofino Kelp Stout

Posted on March 13, 2016 by Daniel Wilson

Having just gone through Chocolate Week last month, as part of this 366-day BC craft beer project, I vowed that my Stout Week would stray from any chocolate-based versions of the feature beer and instead focus on unique ingredients to the mix. The fine folks at Tofino Brewing helped greatly with that decision.

For some perverse reason, I’ve been looking forward to trying the Kelp Stout, ever since I heard of it. Kelp? In a beer? You’re damn right! Even the Tofino brewers are having fun with this odd addition, writing: “If there’s one sentiment that’s constantly repeated among craft beer drinkers it is, ‘This beer is good but it needs more seaweed!’ If we’ve heard it once, we’ve heard it a thousand times. Well folks, message received.”

Tofino Kelp Stout

The beer is quite complex, with a roasted malty smokiness, which I absolutely loved. All natural and unfiltered, the beverage is brewed with locally harvested kelp. The 6% ABV brew is available year round and can be located in BC Liquor Stores. I would assume this stout pairs well with sushi, but I didn’t test that hypothesis.

A special thanks goes out to Ma and Pa Sip who picked up a set of beers for me when they were on the island, visiting Ucluelet and Tofino last month. They visited the brewery, which they said was a lot of fun, despite the fact that neither of them are beer drinkers. They did it all for little ol’ me!

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

BC Beer Baron #72 – Dockside Winter Bock

Posted on March 12, 2016 by Daniel Wilson

Last weekend, Mrs. Sip and I met on Granville Island and went for drinks at the Dockside Restaurant, which also houses their own brewery.

Winter may be coming to an end, as hinted at with some of the weather we received during the course of that weekend, but why not sample what’s left of the season in the restaurant’s Winter Bock? This seasonal lager was decent. Nothing that will blow your mind, but worth trying.

Dockside Winter Bock

Apparently, in past years, Dockside’s Winter Bock has come with a much higher alcohol content, with some versions reaching 9% ABV. The version we had was much lighter and I wish I could try the previous incarnations.

Dockside is perfectly located along the waters of Granville Island. The restaurant has been publicly voted Vancouver’s best patio for five years running by the Georgia Straight Golden Plate Awards and I can vouch for the experience. It’s a great place to try local seafood dishes, while enjoying a gorgeous summer sunset.

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

BC Beer Baron #71 – Red Truck Cherry Porter

Posted on March 11, 2016 by Daniel Wilson

The fifth and final stop of our Brewery Creek crawl brought us to Red Truck Brewing’s ‘Truck Stop’, located where the original Vancouver Brewery did business, many moons ago.

Given Red Truck is known for their mixed pack of lager, ale, IPA, and ISA flagship products, I made it a point to order only selections I hadn’t tried before. Among my samples was their Cherry Porter, a dark and delicious beer that passed both my and Mrs. Sip’s taste test.

Red Truck Brewing

I’ve never tried any of Red Truck’s darker beers, but my enjoyment of this brew, along with their Irish Stout, makes me very open to changing that stance. Not that it was a stance, per se, but I’ll be more interested in releases I find at local stores, such as the Swamp Thing Stout.

Red Truck’s new facility may be one of the best tasting lounges in the province. Here, live music accentuates a truck stop diner feel, with great food to pair with tasty beers. Their attention to details in decorating the place will have truck lovers (and non-fans alike) searching for the finer features.

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

Sip Trips #59: Creek Crawl

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Daniel Wilson

Waking up Saturday morning, the sun was shining and Mrs. Sip and I decided to take advantage of that sneak peek at spring… at least after I let her sleep in just a little longer!

My plan for the day, was that if weather cooperated, we’d tour the brewing companies that comprise the Brewery Creek region of Vancouver. After making our way across the Cambie Bridge, en route to our first stop of the day, we noticed that a new wine tasting room had opened. Given she was about to visit a handful of breweries for me, I indulged Mrs. Sip’s interest in this impromptu discovery.

Wineorexia

Upon entering the City Side Winery, featuring wines from Mystic Pearl, we sampled four different styles (Semillon, Riesling, Merlot, and Cuvee – a Cab Sauv blend), with Mrs. Sip liking their Semillon so much that she purchased a bottle and put it aside for pick-up later. Staff at City Side said they’ve been quite busy on weekday evenings, thus far. Given their aren’t many Vancouver options for wine tasting, I can understand why.

With wine out of the way, we were off in search of suds, starting with Steel Toad Brew Pub and Dining Hall. It had been sometime since Mrs. Sip and I had visited the location and we were impressed with our tasting flight. From what we remembered, they have added some new beers to their line-up and improved on previously brewed recipes.

Next up, was R&B Brewing, which allowed us to sample each of their beers on tap at their growler fill station. In the very near future, R&B will finally open their long-awaited tasting room. We were lucky enough to peek inside and see what it will look like. There was still some rough edges to sort out, but it looks like it will be a prime spot for beer enjoyment, very shortly.

Moving on, we next popped into 33 Acres Brewing, which is a very popular spot, thanks to their wide array of beers, to go along with coffee, ice cream, and other treats. We lucked out and didn’t have to wait to enter the spot that often reaches its capacity. Our luck continued when we were able to snag a couple seats at the bar. Here, we tried a set of four samples and even got a bonus offering of their 33 Acres of Four Belgian Quad, after Mrs. Sip explained how much of a fan she is of Belgian-styled brews.

Belgian Beer

Our fourth stop of the self-guided tour was Brassneck Brewing, another extremely popular site in the area. After a short wait, we were able to get a spot and try a selection of Brassneck’s wares. I found it interesting that Brassneck has 473ml (good for a pint) containers for refillable beer, a size I have yet to see anywhere else on the market. They sell for only $3 and cost another $3.25, on average, to fill.

We wrapped up our crawl with our first trip ever to Red Truck Brewing’s beautiful facilities. Here, you can sample more experimental beers (as well as traditional releases) from the brewery, while also enjoying food and live music. Over our tasting flight, we munched on some very good garlic fries, while enjoying some tunes.

On this journey, we neglected Big Rock Urban Eatery and Main Street Brewing, which are also part of the Brewery Creek region. This wasn’t done out of malice, but we were tight for time and I wanted to focus on breweries that I hadn’t been able to feature so heavily in the BC Beer Baron project.

Will we be back to Brewery Creek in the future? Oh, you better believe it!