Tag Archives: BC Beer Awards

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.

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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.

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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!

BC Beer Baron #293 – Andina Monita Blonde IPA

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Andina Brewing has intrigued the Sip Advisor for some time, thanks to its Colombian theming. Despite the company’s tasting room not being open yet, I was able to try their wares at the recent BC Beer Awards and was impressed with the early yields.

The Monita Blonde IPA was flavourful and refreshing and made me think of how perfect it would be for summer drinking. In fact, the Sip Advisor tried a couple Blonde IPAs at the BC Beer Awards, so it must be a popular style this fall.

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Unfortunately, the 6.5% ABV, 60 IBUs brew isn’t really readily available yet, but it has my full endorsement when that time comes. I can see the beverage filling my growler on a regular basis, in the not-too-distant future!

Andina hopes to open their East Vancouver tasting room in December and it shouldn’t be hard to find, given its yellow façade. Founded by brothers Andrés and Nicolás Amaya, the brewery promises to add some South American flair to the craft beer scene.

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BC Beer Baron #292 – Twa Dogs Mistress of My Soul Saison

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My game plan for the recent BC Beer Awards was to hit as many new breweries (at least to the Sip Advisor) as possible. With that in mind, my last ticket of the evening went to Twa Dogs Brewing… and I’m so glad I spent it there!

The Mistress of My Soul Saison was a delicious choice, which helped in not regretting gifting a couple of my tickets to friends, as the night wound down. The 6% ABV, 32 IBUs Farmhouse Ale, dubbed The Mistress, is fruit and spice and everything nice. The hop content is also just right in the mid-range.

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Inspired by the Robbie Burns poem ‘Verses to Clarinda’ (which the brewery says is “equivalent of today’s sexting”), the beer can be found on tap at the Twa Dogs tasting room, as well as at various pubs on Vancouver Island. This was the first I’ve seen of the brand in the Lower Mainland area.

Speaking of Robbie Burns, the Twa Dogs Brewery gets its name from one of the poet’s famous works. The brewing company is part of a larger conglomerate, Victoria Caledonian Brewery & Distillery, which also manufactures whiskey products.

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BC Beer Baron #291 – Red Arrow Midnite Umber Ale

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Over the weekend, Mrs. Sip and I attended the BC Beer Awards, where copious new beers were tried, including many from breweries I had never had the chance of experiencing before. Among them, was this gem of a beer from Red Arrow Brewing.

The Midnight Umber Ale was among my favourite samples from the entire evening. The 5.1% ABV, 33 IBUs beverage was nice and roasty, featuring flavours of toffee, brown sugar and stone fruit, with just the right level of carbonation. Speaking of awards, the drink took home a silver medal at the Canadian Brewing Awards in the North American Style Amber Lager category.

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The ale is meant to honour Red Arrow’s guardian gargoyle, Christopher. Christopher has been watching over and protecting the brewery for some time and Red Arrow believes that every brewing operation needs a similar caretaker.

Located in Duncan, BC, it’s become abundantly clear to the Sip Advisor that Vancouver Island has one hell of a craft beer scene developing and a circle tour of the region should be planned post haste. Add Red Arrow to the list of must stop attractions.

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BC Beer Baron #290 – Howe Sound Pumpkineater Smoked Imperial Pumpkin Ale

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Pumpkin Week may be over, but why not include one bonus pumpkin brew, sampled at last night’s BC Beer Awards. This tasty treat comes from Howe Sound Brewing and was among the best drinks we tried at the event.

The Pumpkineater Smoked Imperial Pumpkin Ale takes the brewery’s Pumpkineater Imperial Pumpkin Ale and adds smoked malts to the recipe.  The 8% ABV, 19 IBUs beverage is a nice hybrid between tastes of roasted pumpkin spice and smoke on the backend.

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The smoked version is only available on tap, but the original Pumpkineater Imperial Pumpkin Ale is available in one-litre bottles at BC Liquor Stores and other private location. Both varieties first debuted in 2015.

Make sure to pick a bottle or pint from the patch as soon as possible. It will only be available throughout the fall and is perfect for the season, thanks to its roasted flavours and warming high alcohol content.

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BC Beer Baron #275 – Mt. Begbie Cream Ale

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While meeting up with the rest of the Sip Syndicate to discuss plans for our upcoming tour of Ireland together, the Sip Advisor was offered a glass of this Mt. Begbie Brewing release. A fitting refreshment for the occasion.

The Cream Ale was the company’s original flagship beer, dating back to first being brewed in 1996. That makes it a 20th anniversary edition now. The beverage is light in both alcohol content (4.7% ABV) and hops (12 IBUs), featuring flavours of honey and fruit.

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The product’s label features Sir Matthew Baillie Begbie – aka ‘The Hanging Judge’ – as well as the image of a noose. Legend has it the former BC judge had a penchant for ending trials with the statement, “hang ‘em”, even delivering it once after an acquittal. Of course, Mt. Begbie is named after the former Chief Justice.

Available in bomber-sized bottles in both BC and Alberta, the drink pairs best with various pastas and pizza. It was rewarded a gold medal at the 2013 Canadian Brewing Awards in the Cream Ale category and a third place finish at the 2012 BC Beer Awards in the Session category.

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BC Beer Baron #271 – Tin Whistle Stag Apple Scotch Ale

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While the government-operated BC Liquor Stores are a great resource for craft beer drinkers across the province, private retailers often carry a wider product base and have become a reliable source for the Sip Advisor. That was the case recently, with my discovery of this Tin Whistle Brewing release.

The Stag Apple Scotch Ale is a great beer, with flavours of apple and cinnamon spice joining the caramel notes one would expect from a Scotch Ale. I’ve become a huge fan of Scotch Ales over the course of this BC Beer Baron project and this 8% ABV beverage was a strong addition to my checklist.

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First released in 2013, the brew is available in bomber-sized bottles. The beer took home the top prize at the 2014 BC Beer Awards in the UK Ales category, as well as a bronze medal at the 2013 Canadian Brewing Awards in the Scotch Ale class.

I really wish Tin Whistle would launch its own website. While somewhat active on social media, such as Twitter, I feel its criminal in this day in age to be operating a company and not be established online. Beer this good deserves more of a presence.

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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 #255 – Four Winds Sovereign Super 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.

With Saison Week coming up quickly, I knew a trip to Four Winds Brewing would be necessary. I just had to include the Delta-based operation, given the saison is a style they experiment with often. Luckily, they are conveniently located in Delta, en route to and from treks to Ma and Pa Sip’s home.

The Sovereign Super Saison features tastes of elderflower and spice, with a tart, fruity finish. The 8.5% ABV, 20 IBUs beverage is an award winner, taking home a People’s Choice Award at the 2014 BC Beer Awards and a gold medal at the 2015 Canadian Brewing Awards, in the Belgian Style Strong Specialty Ale category.

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Four Winds have also previously released a year-round Saison, as well as collaborated with Brassneck Brewing to launch the Honeymoon Baby and Quebec’s Le Trou du Diable Microbrasserie for the Exil D’eden saisons. Of particular note is the La Maison Wild Saison, Wildflower Saison, and Operis Brett Saison, all available on limited runs.

Each of these latter products (including the Sovereign Super Saison) comprise the brewery’s Eurus Series, which features beers with European heritage. Eurus, after all, was god of the east winds in Greek mythology. As part of this series, bottles come in 750ml format, complete with cork. Stay classy, Four Winds!

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BC Beer Baron #249 – Big Rock Hollow Tree Red Ale

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On a recent trip to Big Rock’s Urban Eatery, I ordered a pint of this fantastic Big Rock Brewing beverage to pair with the restaurant’s BRUeben sandwich and skinny fries.

The Hollow Tree Red Ale was the first release to come out of the Vancouver-based Big Rock location. At 5.8% ABV and 55 IBUs, the beer is well-balanced and refreshing. Notes of caramel and toffee combine with citrus and grapefruit, thanks to the use of whole Cascade leaf hops.

Big Rock Hollow Tree Red Ale

Inspired by “BC’s majestic red cedars,” Big Rock’s BC brewmaster concocted the Red Ale to be enjoyed “after a day exploring our beautiful backyard”. The Hollow Tree won first place at the 2015 BC Beer Awards, in the Amber/Brown Ale category.

It is available in bomber-sized bottles at the Urban Eatery’s beer store, as well as other liquor retailers. Speaking of the Big Rock beer store, they have a great deal of a pizza and growler to-go for $18, on select days and times.

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