Tag Archives: Beer of the Week

Beer of the Week #37 – Bowen Island Main Sail ISA

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One of the mixed cases Mrs. Sip and I picked up for our Baby Shower Beer Garden was Bowen Island Brewing’s Twelve Pack. A new featured addition to that set was this easy drinking release.

The Main Sail ISA is light and refreshing with bold citrus and hop flavours. At 4.3% ABV and 40 IBUs, this beverage can be consumed in mass quantities without getting too tipsy and is ideal for long days imbibing out in the heat.

Bowen Island Main Sail ISA.jpg

What first drew me to the Bowen Island case, which can be found at BC Liquor Stores, was its very reasonable price of $15.99. Also included in the pack is their Reef Break Hemp Blonde, Artisan IPA and Westcoast Lager.

For fall and winter drinking, the company’s Winterlude Pack hits store shelves. This case sees the Snug Cove ESB, Deep 6 Lager and Twisted Trail Extra Pale Ale joining the Artisan IPA.

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Beer of the Week #36 – Tin Whistle Summertime Coconut Hopfenweisse

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When I first learned about this beer from Tin Whistle Brewing, I knew I’d have to get my grubby mitts on it eventually. A recent trip to Legacy Liquor Store helped me cross the drink off my always growing to do list.

The Summertime Coconut Hopfenweisse was a good beer, refreshing and wheaty, but very light on the coconut flavour. The 5.5% ABV, 20 IBUs is described as having a “subtle hint of coconut on the finish,” so I guess it comes as advertised.

Tin Whistle Brewing

Available in bomber-sized bottles at private liquor stores, this limited release may be hard to find, now that summer has come and gone. Some craft beer-focused restaurants and bars may also have it on tap, but it could be elusive to unearth.

I still have to visit Tin Whistle’s facility on my next trip to Penticton. I’ve always enjoyed their presence at the Penticton Farmer’s Market, allowing me to have a drink and stock up on supplies for my stay in the city.

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Beer of the Week #35 – Yellow Dog High Five Hazy IPA

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I have now had this Yellow Dog Brewing selection a couple times, in two different formats. If a third opportunity presents itself, I won’t hesitate to drink it again no matter what form it comes in.

The first time I had the High Five Hazy IPA was as a mango-flavoured variation at Craft Beer Market’s Caskapalooza 2017. The next was from the brewery itself, as we recently visited Port Moody’s amazing Brewer’s Row.

Yellow Dog High Five Hazy IPA

Both times, I greatly enjoyed the 6.8%ABV, 50 IBUs beverage. It is available at many of the more notable craft beer establishments around Greater Vancouver and can also be found in tall can format at the brewery.

I was happy to see that Yellow Dog finally got their website up and running since I last covered the brewery as part of the BC Beer Baron project. For far too long, the site was under construction.

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Beer of the Week #34 – Mariner Northeast IPA

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The Sip Alliance recently journeyed to Coquitlam to visit Mariner Brewing, which had only recently opened their doors to the drinking public. The trek was an arduous one (for lazy folks like us), but was totally worth it.

While there, I sampled a little of everything thanks to Cousin Sip’s flight of beers, while also ordering a pint of the Northeast IPA. The 7.5% ABV, 67 IBUs beverage is available in tall cans and was a pretty good beer with a refreshing flavour profile.

Mariner Northeast IPA

The brewery is the first to open in Coquitlam, finally providing the fine folks there with a local craft beer option. The tasting room also specializes in gourmet hotdogs, allowing drinkers a different food option than I’ve seen at breweries before.

The rest of Mariner’s inaugural lineup includes an Amber Ale, Cream Ale and Sour Weisse, with more to come. To go along with their constellation-themed branding, I really like their slogan: “Set no path. Never be lost.”

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Beer of the Week #33 – Fuggles & Warlock Agent Orange IPA

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The Sip Advisor loves Mandarin oranges, buying them by the bag and box when they are in season around Christmas. Fuggles & Warlock Brewing have managed to harness that deliciousness for this new beer release.

The Agent Orange IPA looks like a invigorating glass of orange juice when served, full of bold flavours. As the brewery writes: “What happens when you combine a crisp, refreshing IPA with Mandarin oranges? Magic!”

Fuggles & Warlock Agent Orange IPA

From Fuggles & Warlock’s Experimental IPA Series, the 5.8% ABV, 60 IBUs beverage is available in bomber-sized bottles at private liquor stores. Other experimental releases have included a Rye IPA and Wet Hop IPA.

I am due for a return to the brewery’s tasting room in Richmond. There, over a flight of beers on their awesome patio, I could finally avenge my cribbage loss to Mrs. Sip from last year. To the victor go the spoils!

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Beer of the Week #32 – Driftwood Arcus Pilsner

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During one of our weekly dinner’s with Cousin Sip and her husband, I was offered this tasty beverage from Driftwood Brewing. While I don’t typically seek out Pilsners, I was very happy to give this option a taste test.

The Arcus Pilsner is crisp, clean and flavourful, making use of the Tettnanger hop, which I can’t say I’ve ever come across before. Of the North German Pilsner variety, the brew clocks in at 5% ABV, so it’s palatable for all drinkers.

Driftwood Arcus Pilsner

This summer seasonal release is available in bomber-sized bottles at private liquor stores in Victoria and Vancouver. It won’t be on store shelves forever, so if you come across a serving, I do advise that you imbibe and enjoy.

I still believe that Driftwood has some of the finest beer labels among the industry and the Arcus is a prime example, featuring an beautiful archer, drawing her bow. That’s fitting, given arcus is Latin for “archery”.

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Beer of the Week #31 – Spinnakers Juice Monkey IPA

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On a recent liquor shopping trip, this product from Spinnakers Brewing jumped out at me thanks to its flashy label. The clincher was its very palatable price.

The Juice Monkey IPA is as one would expect: juicy and hoppy. At 6% ABV and 45 IBUs, the beverage does go down easy and is a perfect summer sipper for IPA fans.

Spinnakers Juice Monkey IPA

Available in tall can four-packs at BC Liquor Stores, the set sells for about $10, before taxes. The release is only available for a limited time, so get on it ASAP.

The brewery advises to drink this beer young, savour it, not cellar it, due to the “volatility of the hop aromas”. As Spinnakers warns, “please juice responsibly”!

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Beer of the Week #30 – Longwood Steam Punk Dunkelweizen

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While relaxing at Ma and Pa Sip’s place recently, it was nice to sit back with this Longwood Brewing beer. The fact Mrs. Sip was kind enough to pick it up for me during a friend’s liquor store run was the icing on the cake.

The Steam Punk Dunkelweizen was very refreshing, made with 35% Canadian grown wheat, five different malts and Longwood’s in-house ale yeast. The 5% ABV, 19 IBUs beverage is just right for outdoor enjoyment, cooling down while in the sun.

Longwood Steam Punk Dunkelweizen

Available at BC Liquor Stores, I appreciate that Longwood products come in 568ml extra-tall cans, giving you that much more beer than the average serving. This is one of the brewery’s core products and can be found year round.

Some folks out there don’t know that a dunkelweizen is the darker, more sinister version of a hefeweizen. Okay, sinister may be a stretch, but it is definitely the darker twin brother of the hef, yet just as enjoyable.

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Beer of the Week #29 – Twin Sails Hot Take IPA

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While at Darby’s Gastown’s weekly trivia night recently, I planned ahead and selected this beverage off the menu. From Twin Sails Brewing, a particular claim moved this ale to the top of my list, leapfrogging other options.

What drew me to the Hot Take IPA was that it’s IPU count was zero… and that wasn’t a misprint. By adding hops after the beer’s boil, the brew still had many earmarks of an IPA, such as a 7% ABV and mix of fruit and hop flavour.

Twin Sails Hot Take IPA

I’d be curious to see friends of mine, who loathe IPAs and anything with a bitter taste, try this release. Would they love it, still hate it, or find it acceptable. For those curious, the beer is only available on tap at select locations.

You could always visit the brewery. I’m due for another trip to Port Moody’s Brewer’s Row, which Cousin Sip and I explored last summer. To have four solid operations with a five-minute walk of each other is a beer lovers dream!

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Beer of the Week #28 – Green Leaf Weizenhower Wheat

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Working in North Vancouver’s Lonsdale Quay certainly has its perks. One of those being Green Leaf Brewing, where some co-workers and I stopped for a couple drinks recently to celebrate surviving another week.

The Weizenhower Wheat, brewed with coriander and orange peel, was very refreshing and perfect for a summer afternoon drinking session. Of the beer, the brewery writes: “You know how a bright, beautiful sunny day looks and feels? Meet sunshine in a glass.”

Green Leaf Brewing.jpeg

The 5% ABV, 6 IBUs seasonal release is only available on tap in the tasting room, according to Green Leaf’s website. That said, I believe the product has been bottled in bomber-sized servings at some point in its existence.

For my second beverage, I went with the Burning Rock Ale, which has one of the most unique brewing methods I’ve ever come across. The beer has limited availability, so those interested should stop by the brewery soon.

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