Tag Archives: Craft Beer

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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Sip Trips #110: Rest & Relaxation

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While last week was insanely busy, this one was far less so. However, that may just be the calm before the storm with a booze-fueled long weekend approaching. Let’s see what we recently got up to:

To celebrate a friend’s birthday on Saturday, we started with dinner and drinks at The Diamond in Gastown, known for their exquisite cocktails. For my meal, I went with the Classic Cuban sandwich, which was delicious. My beverages included the Ancho Ready (tequila, cacao, mezcal, grapefruit oil, ancho chili) and Fog Cutter (cognac, dark rum, gin, sherry, citrus, orgeat), with both being very nicely crafted and presented. I also had sips of the Vancouver (gin, vermouth, Benedictine, orange bitters) and the $25 Premium Penicillin (two types of Scotch, lemon, ginger, honey), which earned its standing as a ‘notorious’ cocktail on the lounge’s menu.

8 Cocktails

For dessert, we moved over to Mosquito. While the rest of the crew scarfed down lavish desserts, I occupied my time with another drink, the Gambit (bourbon, peach, honey, lemon, habanero). I also had a glass of Steel & Oak Dark Lager from the birthday boy’s 650ml bottle order, a solid nightcap for the evening. Despite living relatively close to the Gastown district, we tend to stay closer to our Yaletown home, but after being there twice this past couple weeks, we’ve realized we’re missing out on some gems and will have to frequent the area more regularly.

The weekend also included some liquor store shopping. I picked up a bomber of Vancouver Island Brewing’s Juniper Lime Ale, which attempts to recreate a Gimlet cocktail experience. I also grabbed a tall can four-pack of Spinnakers Brewing’s Juice Monkey IPA, which made for good drinking at Ma and Pa Sip’s place Sunday afternoon, as I hosted our baseball team for some fun in the poolside sun. Mrs. Sip also picked me up a tall can of Longwood Brewing’s Steam Punk Dunkelweizen for the gathering.

That about wraps things up, as the rest of the week was fairly laid back. You can expect much more from the Sip Advisor in next week’s Sip Trips article, as the upcoming calendar is pretty stacked and full of potential mayhem!

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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Sip Trips #109: Marathon Man

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This past week was extremely busy and that’s coming from someone who is booked up nearly every day to begin with. Let’s take a look at what the past seven days brought to the social calendar:

On Thursday, I decided to take my bike out for a ride of Vancouver’s sea wall, but only reached Sunset Beach when issues with my cycle made me have to abandon the ride. Just as I decided to turn around, a Kraken Rum rep approached and offered me a sample mini bottle of their Black Spice Rum. I believe this was a liquor karma reward, as had I not turned around there, the exchange would have never occurred.

Friday saw a more successful journey, as I joined a friend – on foot this time – in the Brewery Creek area of Vancouver, first stopping at Faculty Brewing. There, I had a 500ml serving of their IPA, before we ventured onwards. Looking to enjoy some drinks in the great outdoors, we stopped by R&B Brewing’s growler fill station, picking up a four-pack of Dude Chilling Pale Ale tall cans to be consumed in a nearby park. This was a nice, relaxing way to get the weekend started.

Dog Banned From Park.jpg

Following that, we were off to BierCraft Bistro on Cambie Street for dinner. I hadn’t been to the restaurant for a few years, so it was good to return. While waiting for our wives to show up, we delved into a couple pints of Dageraad De Witte. For my meal, I went with the French Onion Soup, being a big fan of the style and not always being able to find it when out. Our evening concluded with a show at Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club. While the show was far from the best thing I’ve seen there, we still had a decent time, helped along by a bucket of Red Truck Golden Ale bottles.

We spent some time on Sunday at Metrotown Mall, finishing our baby registry, doing some clothes shopping and grabbing some groceries. Our time there started with hitting the food court, which is one of the best I’ve ever dined in. There are so many options to choose from and I settled on Chronic Tacos, which I have only seen before as restaurant locations. My Al Pastor Burrito (made with spicy adoba pork) was spectacular and greatly satisfied my huge appetite at the time.

Looking to have a date night together, Mrs. Sip and I had dinner at St. Augustine’s prior to a movie at the Rio Theatre on Monday. I love St. Augustine’s live tap menu, which lets you know which beers are available and how much of each is left, but it can also be a tease, as you learn which brews you narrowly missed out on. Thankfully, I was able to try Storm Brewing’s Chicken Wing IPA (only that crazy crew could dream up such a flavour), with only 3% remaining and the keg being tapped out by the time we left the restaurant. Also among my flight was the Steamworks Killer Cucumber Ale and a pair of Old Yale Brewing options: the Cardamom Mango Wheat and Double Double Amber Ale.

Dinner and a Movie

As for the movie portion of the evening, we watched The Little Hours, which was very funny and I’m surprised it hasn’t received more mainstream attention. The Rio Theatre is licensed for alcohol sales, which means you can get a Big Kid Combo consisting of small popcorn, candy and a draft beer for $9. Not a bad deal, at all.

Tuesday was supposed to be a relaxing night at home, but late in the day, a friend advised he had a block of free tickets to see Bob Dylan and His Band (that’s literally the band’s name) at Roger’s Arena. So, we ended up out again. While the music was good and I’ll be able to say I saw a legendary performer, Mr. Dylan shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a microphone anymore as nearly his entire set was unintelligible.

The week that was wrapped up with a trivia night at Darby’s Gastown. It was my first time at any of the Darby’s locations and I really enjoyed my meal of their Pulled Pork Sandwich with Cajun Chips and their expansive beer menu. Best of all, we came in second place after losing a tie-breaker to the winning team, which meant each member of our crew was comped a free BC beer. This removed both of my servings (the Luppolo Double IPA and Twin Sails Hot Take IPA) from the tab, thanks to using Mrs. Sip’s credit, as well.

Did I mention I also squeezed games of golf and baseball, a Game of Thrones viewing and family dinner into the week. No wonder I’m ready for a little break!

Beer of the Week #27 – Storm Chicken Wing IPA

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Yes, you read that right… your eyes are not deceiving you. While dining at St. Augustine’s earlier this week, I was able to try this very odd beer, dreamt up by the crew at Storm Brewing, who may have the most fun in the industry.

I was lucky to get my hands on the Chicken Wing IPA. When we first arrived, according to the restaurant’s live beer menu, there was only 3% remaining in the keg and by the time our meal finished, it was gone. I was very happy to contribute to the keg being drained.

Storm Brewing Logo.png

The 7% ABV beverage is vegan-friendly (no chickens were harmed in the making of the ale, according to Storm) and is made using the company’s own hot sauce, sour ale and cayenne pepper. The brew has a spicy aftertaste, which dominates the overall flavour.

Other bizarre concoctions I’ve been able to enjoy from the brewery’s Brainstorms lineup, include a Margherita Pizza IPA, Vanilla Whiskey Stout, Pineapple Upside Down Cake Ale, and Mojito Pilsner. Don’t stop dreaming Storm!

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Sip Trips #108: Here, There and Everywhere

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The summer has been crammed full of events and adventures thus far. Here’s a look back at what Mrs. Sip and I have been up to over the last couple weeks, bouncing around this beautiful province of ours:

To celebrate the end of a long work week a couple weeks back, we ventured to Ludica Pizzeria & Game Room, which is home to a wide collection of board and card games, which you can sit down to while enjoying beer and pizza. Our Pesto Chicken and Proscuitto Pizza was delicious and paired nicely with a pint of Phillips Blue Buck Ale. As for our game of choice, we grabbed the cooperative Pandemic, but by the time we read through the rules, the restaurant was closing for the night.

Board Game Friends.png

The next day, we were visiting friends of ours out in Langley, so I grabbed the Cannery Variety Pack (containing two each of their Anarchist Amber Ale, Naramata Nut Brown Ale and Trellis IPA) as a housewarming gift for them. As I’ve written before, I’m big into these mixed six-packs, so I picked up a set for myself, as well.

Our weekend concluded with a walk to the Carnaval del Sol at Concord Pacific Place. The Latin America festival featured a 500-seat beer garden, but the lineup was very long and I was more interested in trying out some of the food. We chowed on a collection of tacos from La Taqueria, as well as an empanada from a stall Mrs. Sip snuck off to.

There has also been a fair amount of drinking from home during this spell, which has allowed the Sip Advisor to delve into some newly gifted products. Ma and Pa Sip, when returning from Victoria, provided me with a mini bottle of Vin Gin from De Vine Spirits, which I’ve put to use in some tasty Gin & Tonics. They also gave me bottles of Honey Shine and Strawberry Vodka, while Pa Sip took home their Honey Spiced Rum, which I’ve been able to also sample.

Rum I'm In.jpg

Last Thursday, World Wrestling Entertainment’s NXT brand arrived in Vancouver for the very first time and I just had to check out the event. Molson Canadian beers were available for $8, although strangely, higher end options such as Blue Moon and Granville Island were only 50 cents more. The PNE Agrodome also needs to work on paying electronically, as this option was offered for merchandise and alcohol purchases, but not for food… of which, Mrs. Sip thought her hotdog wasn’t very good at all.

Another work week wrapped up with a visit to Green Leaf Brewing in North Vancouver. Here, I tried the Weizenhower Wheat, before returning to their Burning Rock Ale. We also ordered some of the brewery’s nut snacks, which went very well with the beverages.

Now, we enjoy a brief respite from our hectic schedule, before ramping things up again this weekend with a guy’s night out, games of golf and baseball, and so much more…

Beer of the Week #26 – Cannery Anarchist Amber Ale

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As I’ve written previously, I’m a big fan of companies releasing mixed six- or eight-packs, with two each of three or four different beers. With that in mind, I recently picked up Cannery Brewing’s set, including this product.

The Anarchist Amber Ale is very refreshing and perfect for beating the summer heat, as I did, using the brew at my beer league baseball this previous weekend. The 5.5% ABV, 27 IBUs beverage is just right in each category, with Cannery calling it “a beer lover’s beer.”

Cannery Anarchist Amber Ale

Also included in the Cannery Variety Pack is the Naramata Nut Brown Ale (among the Sip Advisor’s favourites) and the Trellis IPA. Two recipes the brewery offers for the Amber Ale, include a Curried Stew and Lobster Tails Steamed in Beer.

My previous trips to Cannery’s tasting room in Penticton have always been enjoyable, thanks to their awesome patio space and collection of games for patrons to try, while enjoying a flight of beers. I hope to be back soon.

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Beer of the Week #25 – Three Ranges Tail Slap IPA

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As mentioned in a previous Sip Trips report, I recently picked up Three Ranges Brewing’s Orientation Kit mixed six-pack. Of the three options in the set, I wanted to focus on this product, given its amazing label art.

The Tail Slap IPA features one of the fiercest looking Canadian beavers I’ve ever seen. The brew’s taste matches the artwork, with a hoppy ferocity that is well-balanced by its citrus and malt counterparts. The beer comes in at 6.5% ABV and 81 IBUs.

Three Ranges Tail Slap IPA

To go with wicked artwork is a great backstory: “The beaver opened up Canada to the world and took it on the chin as trappers and traders almost drove the species to extinction. But the beaver didn’t get mad. It got angry.”

The Orientation Kit can be found at BC Liquor Stores. Among Three Ranges other offerings, I’d also love to try the Roll in the Hay Hefeweizen, which also uses some fantastic artwork to draw any drinker’s attention.

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Sip Trips #107: Canadian Carousing

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This past weekend was spent celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday and that meant a fair bit of liquor shopping and time spent enjoying all the splendors this country has to offer. Let’s see how the Sip Advisor and company saluted the nation:

My first order of business, as it is with every Canada Day, was to stock up on supplies. Earlier in the week, I had focused my attention on the Big Rock Canada 150 Variety Pack, which I thought would be an ideal set to enjoy on Canada Day. For whatever reason, the set wasn’t available at BC Liquor Stores, so I had to go a little out of my way to find it. Each of the brews is meant to highlight a different region of the country and is comprised of a Hibernation Ale, Peach Pilsner, Maple Lager, Oak Aged Rye Ale, Oyster Stout, and rounded out by their Signature Series Grasshopper Kristallweizen.

Canada Day Drunk

Among my other shopping finds was the Bridge Brewing Bridge Builder Variety Pack. This six-pack features two each of the Bourbon Blood Orange Wheat Ale, North Shore Pale Ale and Wunderbar Kolsch. Although I haven’t tapped into the bottled six-pack yet, I foresee many opportunities ahead.

Ever the amazing wife, Mrs. Sip also pointed out the Red Truck Hand Built Series Mix Pack, which contains eight tall cans, two per of their Blackberry Bourbon Ale, Golden Ale, Saison and White ISA. Usually I want more from Red Truck’s in-store releases and this one has the potential to be quite special.

Those finds accumulated, I didn’t have to worry as much as first thought about my beer cache, as Ma and Pa Sip picked up an amazing set for me, while they were vacationing in Portland, Oregon the weekend before.

Canada Day-4th of July

The Sierra Nevada Across the World Beer Camp features 12 very unique collaborative brews, six from stateside and six from overseas. The pack contained nine bottles and three tall cans, with such intriguing options as a Ginger Lager (brewed with Ginger and Cayenne, fermented on oak) and Thai-Style Iced Tea (brewed with lactose, orange peel, black tea, tamarind and star anise). I will have to chase down future installments of this wonderful product.

While I could have lounged around poolside all weekend, Mrs. Sip and I had to return to reality and start setting up our baby registry. I will say the baby registry was a lot more fun than our wedding registry, but paled in comparison to drinking and floating in the great outdoors.

Returning home to attend the Queen with Adam Lambert concert, we dropped into Patron Tacos & Cantina for dinner, prior to the show. Mrs. Sip and I shared our usual order of Queso Fundido and collection of four tacos, which I paired with a Goose Island IPA, a tasty rotating tap for the restaurant. As for the show, the drink selection was quite limited, with nothing on tap available in the arena; therefore, no craft beer options. I settled for a generously-poured rum and coke. The show itself was amazing, as the band played for more than two hours straight.

Oh Canada Beer

The next day – and last of the glorious long weekend – found us on the patio at Jimmy’s Tap House. This used to be my neighbourhood haunt, but I hadn’t visited for some time. After a pint of Main Street Brewing’s Naked Fox IPA, which went very well with my Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich, I was reminded of how good the place was and will return more regularly. Best of all, their Monday daily special was 50 per cent off each second entrée, so our bill was quite reasonable.

Now we have to return to work and push through the holiday hangover. At least we know there will be plenty more fun over the course of the summer, all of which will be highlighted here!

Beer of the Week #24 – CrossRoads Old Westie Amber Lager

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As we recently passed through Prince George, BC, I searched for craft breweries we could visit. Thankfully, we stumbled upon CrossRoads Brewing, which offered some delicious food and beers for us weary travellers.

It’s not often a lager jumps out at me anymore, but the Old Westie Amber Lager was among the best of the bunch I sampled. And I tried each of the company’s nine beers that were available, so I had plenty of options to choose from.

CrossRoads Brewing

Brewed in the traditional Viennese style, this 5% ABV, 20 IBUs release is light with nice malt and hop flavours. All the group’s beers are only available straight from the source, with a four-pack of tall cans being developed for sale.

Anyone passing through the area should try to visit CrossRoads’ tasting room. The brewery was constructing an outdoor patio that would be amazing to sit on during the warmer months of the year.

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