Tag Archives: Abbotsford

BC Beer Baron #110 – Ravens Farmers Ale

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While the Sip Advisor will never be a fan of birds of any type, I can make peace with those companies that choose to use fowl in their name/logo… especially when they put out great beers. Such is the case with Ravens Brewing.

The Farmers Ale is a solid and complex beer, highlighted for me by the spicy notes the beverage holds. In their first year of operation, Ravens and their Farmers Ale took home a third place finish at the BC Beer Awards in the Belgian/French Farmhouse class.

Ravens Farmers Ale

Just recently, Ravens announced that the 5.75% ABV, 27 IBUs Farmers Ale (as well as their West Coast Pale Ale) will now be available in four-packs of 473ml cans. The Farmers Ale could already be found in bomber-size bottles, at the brewery’s Abbotsford location.

Like other operations, Ravens is proud to brew based on “European inspiration and West Coast innovation.” They describe their beers as ‘ground to glass’, thanks to ingredient partnerships with their neighbours throughout the Fraser Valley.

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BC Beer Baron #109 – Old Abbey Ales Hazelnut Vanilla Coffee Blonde

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One look at this Old Abbey Ales beer’s name and you would think you’re at some fancy coffee joint ordering a morning pick-me-up.

The Hazelnut Vanilla Coffee Blonde is pure brewing goodness, though. With so many different flavours competing for attention, you’d think something would get lost in the shuffle, but with each sip, I could distinctly taste hazelnut, vanilla and coffee. The smell of the beverage was also quite inviting.

Old Abbey Ales

That said, I’m under the impression that experiences with this beer may vary depending on the batch. All I can say is that I enjoyed my serving, going so far as to suggest it to someone from our group that joined the fray late. To be fair, they didn’t enjoy it as much as I did and they’re a coffee drinker, whereas I loathe the stuff.

This was the second stop of our recent jaunt through the Fraser Valley’s brewing region. Old Abbey Ales has a very impressive line-up of experimental beers and one could definitely spend a fair bit of time at their Abbotsford facility trying each and every tap.

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BC Beer Baron #49 – Field House Sour Wheat Gose

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Despite being only three weeks old, when the Sip Alliance visited Field House Brewing on our recent beer journey through the Fraser Valley, the place was packed and it wouldn’t take long for our crew to figure out why.

Typically, the Sip Advisor isn’t the biggest fan of sour beers, but the Sour Wheat Gose was my favourite among our four-sample taster flight. As is the case with most sours, this brew was light at only 3.8% ABV, but you don’t always need to have your socks knocked off. Perhaps I’ve opened a new door for myself, in regards to beer enjoyment.

Field House Brewing

The brewery prides themselves on “community, family and old school values,” which sounds like the definition of a true craft brewery. The company’s website states: “Let’s take care of each other and build something great that we can share together.” You can even join the brewery as an original founder, kind of like a crowdsourcing initiative.

Overall, I was impressed with Field House’s intimate cabin-style tasting room, complete with roaring fireplace. Their taster flight price was higher ($9 for four samples) than I’ve seen elsewhere, but the drinks were worth it. While most breweries might open with more traditional beer options, I thought the Field House line-up was very unique and experimental, also including a Dutch Pale Ale, Eastern IPA, and Salted Black Porter. This can only mean good things for their future!

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BC Beer Baron #48 – Old Abbey Ales Belgian Tripel

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Over the Family Day long weekend, the Sip Alliance traversed the BC Lower Mainland, hitting a number of breweries we had yet to visit previously. Among those stops was Old Abbey Ales in Abbotsford.

One of the brewery’s flagships is their Belgian Tripel, which although we didn’t select a taster of, Mrs. Sip had to grab a bomber for the road, being a huge fan of the style. Old Abbey Ales actually focuses on the Belgian style, with their logo featuring a Belgian lion, complete with chalice and wheat sheaf. Their dedication showed, with this strong (9% ABV), complex and flavourful release.

Old Abbey Ales Belgian Tripel

The Belgian Tripel is at optimum serving temperature between 8-12 degrees Celsius. Suggested food pairings include Cajun dishes, game meat, pork and roast, and curries, while blue, gorgonzola, triple crème, goat and light feta comprise cheese accompaniments for the brew.

I didn’t know what to expect as the Sip Alliance pulled up to Old Abbey Ales. The Growler BC beer guide listed only two of the company’s beers and even their own website only contains info on a half dozen brews. Once we got inside though, I was blown away. They had 25 different beers on tap, which is helped by the fact they’re one of the few breweries Mrs. Sip and I have seen outside of Portland to adopt a fill-out-your-own tasting form system. We came for the beer, but stuck around for the free popcorn, peanuts and pretzels and will return soon!

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BC Beer Baron #42 – Ravens Hot Chocolate 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. With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, this month’s feature week will look at beers of a chocolate nature, perfect to celebrate the occasion.

On our recent beer travels around BC’s Lower Mainland for the Family Day long weekend, one of our stops was at Ravens Brewing in Abbotsford.

There, the highlight of the visit was tasting their Hot Chocolate Porter. You know the chocolate taste you get with the remaining liquefied powder at the end of a glass of hot cocoa? That’s exactly what this brew tasted like and the Sip Advisor loved it.

Ravens Hot Chocolate Porter

Unfortunately, the beer isn’t even listed on their website at this time, but they do have it available for sampling, growler fills and bottle purchase. Mrs. Sip and I made sure to take a bomber home with us, so we could recreate a snuggly night in front of a roaring fire (or as roaring as a gas fireplace gets), complete with cold-brewed cocoa to enhance the experience.

The theming at this brewery would thrill Sis-in-Law Sip and any other bird fans. The set-up at Ravens was charming and comfortable and they have some seasonal beers I’d love to go back and try, such as their White IPA, which is highlighted by elderflower. While I’m not a bird fan, I do love their slogan: “Grab life by the wings!”

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