Tag Archives: BC Craft Beer

BC Beer Baron #174 – Cannery Blackberry 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. Fruit beers may have some traditionalists up in arms, but if they only them a chance, they would see how good the beverages can be. In putting together this feature week, I tried to incorporate as many different fruits as possible, so let’s see what BC has to offer in this realm.

While most fruit-based products tend to fall in the wheat and wit categories, we can thank Cannery Brewing for changing the game with this release.

The Blackberry Porter is comprised of five specialty malts, three superior hop varieties and is made with all natural, pure blackberries, resulting in a dark and delicious beverage. After all that hard work, the brewery simply asks of the drinker to: “Lean back, relax and savour the flavour!”

Cannery Blackberry Porter

This beer took home first place at the Calgary International Beer Festival in 2005 and is a fixture at the Okanagan Fest of Ale and Osoyoos Oyster Festival. Two events the Sip Advisor would love to check out one day.

The Sip Syndicate was able to visit Cannery’s Penticton tasting room last Labour Day weekend, where on a gorgeous afternoon, we were able to enjoy their patio, sipping beer flights, while playing a very outdated card game involving moral dilemmas. All in good fun!

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BC Beer Baron #173 – Central City Dark Cherry Stout

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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. Fruit beers may have some traditionalists up in arms, but if they only them a chance, they would see how good the beverages can be. In putting together this feature week, I tried to incorporate as many different fruits as possible, so let’s see what BC has to offer in this realm.

On one of our many trips to the Central City Brew Pub in Vancouver a couple months back, this tap menu item from their own brewery instantly caught my eye and I quickly ordered a serving.

The Dark Cherry Stout combined a few of my favourite things: cherries, chocolate and beer. This 6% ABV, 30 IBUs offering was fairly good. There was a reasonable amount of cherry flavour to the recipe, although I always like more when it comes to my beverages. In most cases, I want to know that taste is there, not just get a hint of it.

Central City Brewing

I’m not sure how easy it would be to find this stout, as it wasn’t even listed on the brewery’s website, at the time the Sip Advisor experienced it. I would assume it was available at Central City’s tasting room, as well as at their Surrey brew pub, but I can’t be certain of that.

As far as Central City stouts go, I’ve also tried their Habanero Stout, which I found to be quite enjoyable. If the Dark Cherry Stout has disappeared with the end of the winter season, I would urge all you little sippers to be on the lookout for it next year.

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BC Beer Baron #172 – Fuggles & Warlock The Last Strawberry Wit

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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. Fruit beers may have some traditionalists up in arms, but if they only them a chance, they would see how good the beverages can be. In putting together this feature week, I tried to incorporate as many different fruits as possible, so let’s see what BC has to offer in this realm.

I first enjoyed this Fuggles & Warlock creation while staying in the Okanagan Valley on a wine weekend. Thankfully, I packed along a host of good beers to help stave off palate fatigue, including this little number.

The Last Strawberry Wit is brewed with fresh strawberries, giving the beer a sweet taste, with a tart finish. The 4.9% ABV beverage is nice and light and comes in at only 8 IBUs. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen an IBU count that low.

Fuggles & Warlock The Last Strawberry Wit

The label design for this beer conjures images of Final Fantasy or The Legend of Zelda, which is par for the course for Fuggles & Warlock (the brewery that is “Keeping Beer Weird”). The beer is available in canned six-packs, as well as bomber-sized bottles at various liquor stores.

Fuggles and Warlock finally opened their Richmond tasting room in April and I’ve been thirsting to drop by for a visit. Cousin Sip was there on opening weekend and grabbed me a bomber of their 8-Bit IPA, which I will have to review in the future.

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BC Beer Baron #171 – Fernie What the Huck Huckleberry Wheat Ale

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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. Fruit beers may have some traditionalists up in arms, but if they only them a chance, they would see how good the beverages can be. In putting together this feature week, I tried to incorporate as many different fruits as possible, so let’s see what BC has to offer in this realm.

You don’t see huckleberries being used in too many products, but thankfully that leaves more available for Fernie Brewing to experiment with.

Their What the Huck Huckleberry Wheat Ale is a 5% ABV, 15 IBUs beverage that was first released in 2008. Using huckleberry juice and blending that with wheat, the result is a smooth and refreshing beer, with one of the best names on the BC brewing landscape.

Fernie What the Huck Huckleberry Wheat Ale

Part of Fernie’s ‘Core Brands’, the What the Huck earned a bronze medal at the 2013 BC Beer Awards in the Fruit Beer category. The beer can be found year round in 650ml bomber bottles, throughout BC and Alberta and also in Manitoba during the summer.

Similar to a blueberry in shape, colour and taste, huckleberries are easily found in the Rocky Mountains region, close to Fernie, BC. Suggested food pairings include desserts, salads or pastas. The brewery also notes that cheeses such as chevre, mozzarella and gouda play nicely with the flavour of the beer.

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BC Beer Baron #170 – Off the Rail Raybuck Red Ale

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As previously mentioned, on a recent visit to the Olympic Village Craft Beer Market, I ordered their six-beer flight featuring local brews. Another tasty treat among that sextet was this release from Off the Rail Brewing.

The Raybuck Red Ale was created as an homage to some of the favourite Irish Ales of the Off the Rail crew. Caramel notes highlight the brew, which is constructed using both Cascades and Willamette hops, for a medium level of bitterness (40 IBUs).

Off the Rail Raybuck Red Ale

The 5.4% ABV beverage is available in bomber-sized bottles, as well as in packs of four pint-sized cans. This was the first packaged release from the brewery and it was a good one to kick things off (the rail) with.

This trip to Craft Beer Market was highlighted by my six-pack order, which I also encouraged our visiting American friend to try. As this was his introduction to BC’s craft beer scene, he was rightfully blown away and our ensuing mini-brewery tour may have been more than he could handle!

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BC Beer Baron #169 – Powell Street Ode to Citra Pale Ale

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On a recent visit to Craft Beer Market in the Olympic Village, I ordered their six-beer flight featuring local brews. Among those tasters was this beauty from Powell Street Brewing.

The Ode to Citra Pale Ale has long been a highlight for the Sip Advisor of any of our visits to Powell Street’s tasting room. As the name suggests, the beer is a tribute to Citra hops, which are known for their tropical fruit scents and flavours, including mango, passionfruit and citrus.

Powell Street Ode to Citra Pale Ale

This West Coast-style pale ale is full of flavour, while coming in at a medium level of hoppiness (35 IBUs). The beer has an ABV of 5.5% and is available in bomber-sized bottles at BC Liquor Stores and other fine purveyors of booze.

With summer right around the corner, Mrs. Sip and I have big plans for taking a number of visiting friends through the Yeast Van area on Sip Advisor-guided bike and brewery tours. I’m licking my chops at the mere thought of these adventures!

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BC Beer Baron #168 – Howe Sound Garibaldi Honey Pale Ale

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On a recent visit to Central City’s Vancouver Brew Pub, I paired my usual Crispy Crunch chicken burger order with this release from Howe Sound Brewing.

The Garibaldi Honey Pale Ale was light and sweet, thanks to being brewed with all-natural Fraser Valley honey. I would have preferred more of a hoppy punch from the 5% ABV, 16 IBUs beverage, but I understand beers have to be made in all sizes to satisfy the masses. All in all, I still enjoyed the overall drinking experience.

Howe Sound Garibaldi Honey Pale Ale

Available in one-litre bottles, providing enough beer for three full “glasses of glory”, the Honey Pale Ale has taken home both a gold medal at the North American Brewing Awards and a bronze at the Canadian Brewing Awards. The brew is a member of Howe Sound’s year round core lineup, making it relatively easy to locate.

The beer was created to honour Mount Garibaldi, which was named after Italian general and politician Guiseppe Garibaldi, who unified Italy in 1860. Mount Garibaldi is the highest point of the Sea-to-Sky region and is a potentially active volcano which looms over Squamish (home to Howe Sound).

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BC Beer Baron #167 – Vancouver Island Sabotage India Session Ale

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Last weekend, we hosted a big shindig at Ma and Pa Sip’s place to celebrate Ma Sip’s retirement. In order to get my party face on, I picked up Vancouver Island Brewing’s Summer Pod Pack.

The feature beer in that set was the Sabotage India Session Ale (ISA), which uses three different hops in the brewing process. The beverage is light (5% ABV) and refreshing and provides a nice entry point for those interested in trying hoppier beers, but who are reluctant to dive headfirst into an Imperial IPA or something of that ilk.

Vancouver Island Sabotage India Session Ale

The ISA was a really good beer and a nice compliment to a solid Pod Pack. I should know, I killed off almost the entire thing during the retirement party and I was uncharacteristically selfish and not very open to sharing. The summer version of the Pod Pack also includes Vancouver Island’s Piper’s Pale Ale, Sea Dog Amber Ale, and High Trail Honey Ale.

I have to say that I wasn’t overly impressed with the breweries various mixed packs when trying to pick something out the other day. I narrowed my choices down to VIB and Dead Frog, before going with the island option. Perhaps I was being too picky, but I feel there used to be more experimentation in the mixed packs and a more noticeable line-up change when going from winter to summer sets.

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BC Beer Baron #166 – Granville Island Nat Bailey Pale Ale

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Available exclusively at White Spot restaurants (and enjoyed by the Sip Advisor over the weekend), this Granville Island Brewing release brings two British Columbia icons together, in the form of the eatery and the brewery.

The Nat Bailey Pale Ale is actually quite good for a “house beer”. The 5% ABV American Pale Ale pairs wonderfully with White Spot’s Legendary Burger, which has been an edible symbol of the province for decades. With strong flavour and refreshing taste, the brew will not disappoint.

Granville Island Nat Bailey Pale Ale

Granville Island has brewed two beers (the Pale Ale and Nat Bailey Lager) exclusively for White Spot for a number of years. Nat Bailey was the founder of White Spot restaurants all the way back in 1934. He is also credited with building Canada’s first drive-in restaurant in 1928 and creating the first car hop tray.

I’ve experienced many great moments at White Spot restaurants, from the birthdays of friends and post-wedding brunches to graduation celebrations and everything in between. Most notably, Mrs. Sip and I visited the restaurant as part of our very first date and we will forever have a soft spot in our hearts for the diner.

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BC Beer Baron #165 – Sherwood Mountain Munich Lager

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When Ma and Pa Sip had to travel to Terrace, BC recently for a Celebration of Life in the family, they took the opportunity to pick up some craft beer for the ol’ Sip Advisor, stopping in at Sherwood Mountain Brewing.

The Munich Lager is not your typical lager, coming in with an amber/dark brown colour and bolder flavour than I’m accustomed to. The 4.8% ABV beverage was just recently released in bottle format, joining Sherwood Mountain’s other offerings, including the Friar’s House Lager.

Sherwood Mountian Munich Lager

Ma and Pa Sip had the chance to speak with Sherwood Mountain’s brewmaster (or braumeister and beer bard, as he prefers to be called), Darryl Tucker, who spent six months living in Germany, learning the country’s brewing techniques.

Borrowing from the legends of Robin Hood and the character’s home of Sherwood Forest, the company’s bottles feature a friar mascot named Tuck, who is a man of the people and lover of beer. “From lagers to stouts to saisons to IPAs, the Friar has made friends with them all,” the brewery’s website boasts… and I’d love to try them all, eventually!

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