Tag Archives: Craft Beer

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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BC Beer Baron #164 – Parallel 49/Strange Fellows People Are Strange Hoppy Saison

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For the second consecutive year, Parallel 49 Brewing has joined forces with 12 different BC craft breweries to release a package of unique beers, dubbed Brews Brothers Volume 2. The Sip Advisor figured spending the first chunk of June reviewing these releases would be a great idea. So, let’s get on with things.

We wrap up our Brews Brothers odyssey with this collaboration featuring Strange Fellows Brewing. These two East Vancouver neighbours are among the most popular spots in the city for craft beer lovers and their coming together is something I was eager to try.

Parallel 49 & Strange Fellows People Are Strange Hoppy Saison

The People Are Strange Hoppy Saison didn’t disappoint and was a bit of an exclamation point of this amazing pack of beers. I’ve already declared that this will be the summer of saisons for the Sip Advisor (having previously enjoyed the summer of IPAs in 2014 and the summer of stouts in 2015) and I’m glad this 6.5% ABV beverage was part of that. One note: the taste kind of reminded me of those coloured marshmallow eggs you get around Easter.

Each beer is named after a classic rock song and People Are Strange by The Doors was a perfect selection given Strange Fellows is the partner brewery involved. While not the band’s greatest hit, this track is a great example of The Doors psychedelic rock style, which made them standout in the industry.

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BC Beer Baron #163 – Parallel 49/Fernie Spirit in the Sky Havana Club Stout

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For the second consecutive year, Parallel 49 Brewing has joined forces with 12 different BC craft breweries to release a package of unique beers, dubbed Brews Brothers Volume 2. The Sip Advisor figured spending the first chunk of June reviewing these releases would be a great idea. So, let’s get on with things.

The fine folks at Fernie Brewing (how’s that for alliteration – although I’m sure they are actually fine folks!) travelled a fair distance to make this collaboration with P49 work and their efforts definitely paid off with a delicious beverage.

Parallel 49 & Fernie Spirit in the Sky Havana Club Stout

The Spirit in the Sky Havana Club Stout combines two of my favourite things in this world: Havana Club Rum and stout beers. Using oak spirals that have been aged in seven-year-old Havana Club Rum, this stout is potent (6.5% ABV), but also enjoys the traditional attributes of a smooth, mellow, flavourful stout.

Each beer is named after a classic rock song and the Havana Club Stout meets its match with Norman Greenbaum’s Spirit in the Sky. An interesting note about Mr. Greenbaum, was that at one time, he was a member of the psychedelic jug band Dr. West’s Medicine Show and Junk Band. I don’t know why, but that has me incredibly intrigued… and a little scared!

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BC Beer Baron #162 – Parallel 49/Moody Ales Purple Haze Black Currant Sour

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For the second consecutive year, Parallel 49 Brewing has joined forces with 12 different BC craft breweries to release a package of unique beers, dubbed Brews Brothers Volume 2. The Sip Advisor figured spending the first chunk of June reviewing these releases would be a great idea. So, let’s get on with things.

Moody Ales is a strong collaborator on a number of different releases that I’ve had the pleasure of drinking (1880 Export Stout with Ridge Brewing, Tam O’Shanter Scotch Ale with Bomber Brewing, etc.), so it’s no surprise they would be a contributor on this project.

Parallel 49 & Moody Ales Purple Haze Black Currant Sour

The Purple Haze Black Currant Sour is strong and tart, yet easy drinking. It’s like downing juice that is super awesome amazing. Somehow, I managed to put the two sour beers in this pack back-to-back on my schedule, but that was good in proving to me that sour beers are right up my alley… so long as they are strong on the booze content, as this 8% ABV bevvy is. I was hoping the beer would come in a ‘purple haze’ hue and I wasn’t disappointed.

Each beer is named after a classic rock song and they don’t come more classic than a Jimi Hendrix musical epic, such as Purple Haze. I experimented with the nickname ‘The Experience’ in my younger days, but sadly it never caught on… I suppose it was better left to another legend!

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BC Beer Baron #161 – Parallel 49/Four Winds The Boys Are Back in Town Nectar-Face

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For the second consecutive year, Parallel 49 Brewing has joined forces with 12 different BC craft breweries to release a package of unique beers, dubbed Brews Brothers Volume 2. The Sip Advisor figured spending the first chunk of June reviewing these releases would be a great idea. So, let’s get on with things.

Four Winds Brewing is enjoying quite the run, taking home Brewery of the Year at the 2015 Canadian Brewing Awards and Beer of the Year at this year’s event. Why not raise their profile even more by combining efforts with P49 for this collaborative release?

Parallel 49 & Four Winds The Boys Are Back in Town Nectar-Face

The Boys Are Back in Town Nectar-Face has been called the “love-child” of Parallel 49’s Jerkface 9000 and Four Winds’ Nectarous (the brew that earned the Delta-based operation Beer of the Year), both of which have large followings. This easy-to-drink sour has me thinking I could get more and more into the style of beer, which is perfect during the summer. I can definitely get down with the beverage when it comes in at 6% ABV.

Each beer is named after a classic rock song and the Nectar-Face got paired with Thin Lizzy’s The Boys Are Back in Town. This single from the Irish rockers narrowly cracked Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (at #499) in 2004. When updated in 2010, the track dropped off the list, but it’s still a great anthem for a guys’ night out!

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Sip Trips #65: Cowtown Capers

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Despite only being back from a month-long vacation in Asia for a week and a half, last weekend found us in Calgary, Alberta for a friend’s wedding. And you better believe Mrs. Sip and I got our craft beer on!

My first impression of the Calgary craft beer scene was that I was amazed by how much BC craft beer has infiltrated the province and comprises their industry. Half of the selection at restaurants, bars, and beer and wine stores are BC beers. This is partly due to taxes being lessened for BC and Saskatchewan products. Sadly, taxes were raised drastically for wares from outside western Canada, which some worry will kill the import of products from the rest of Canada, the US, and abroad.

Cursing Taxes

Our weekend began with a late Friday night arrival in Calgary and we immediately hit the streets to check things out. It didn’t take long for us to get the fun started, as we stopped into the 5 Vines beer and wine store, where we had a great chat with their purchaser. He provided us with samples of the Fahr Fahr Away Hefeweizen and the Dandy Chatty Chappy English Mild, both of which were quite good.

Next up, was dinner and drinks at Bottlescrew Bill’s Pub (also housing Buzzards Restaurant & Bar). Here, we delved into more Calgary based brews, including Wild Rose Electric Avenue, Buzzard Breath Ale (brewed by Wild Rose as the restaurant and pub’s house beer), Tool Shed Flat Cap Stout, and Village Wit. Bottlescrew Bill’s has a really neat beer passport idea where you have one year to complete an 80-beer international challenge, with prizes up for grabs for those who are successful.

The next day, we made our way to one of Calgary’s National Beerhall locations, where we greatly enjoyed hanging out on their Rooftop Beer Garden and throwing back a number of solid beers. Among them, were the Village Squeeze Lemon Berry Helles, Wild Rose Velvet Fog Wheat Ale and Wraspberry Ale, and Big Rock Lucky 13 Femme Wave Red Ale. Our server even offered to get us set up with a game of bowling in their basement, but we had friends to meet, prior to the wedding.

Bowling Ideal Sport

The next pre-wedding stop was Last Best Brewery, where Mrs. Sip and I shared a flight of tasters. On our board was the Dirty Bird Black Lager, Hefeweizen, Caramel Latte Beer, IPA#2 – The Contender, Mandarina Kolsch, and Dunkelweizen. My favourites among the bunch were the Caramel Latte Beer and the IPA #2 – The Contender.

The day after the wedding, we met the newlyweds for lunch at Native Tongues Taqueria, where I paired a mezcal-based margarita with some delicious legit tacos (chicken, pork, and beef). We also shared the restaurant’s salsa sampler, which had some very interesting tortilla chip enhancers.

With a few hours to kill before flying back to Vancouver, Mrs. Sip and I conducted our own crawl of the downtown core. Our first stop was Wurst, which is a haven for drinkers of European beer, as they watch football matches from the continent. We took advantage of happy hour, which offered $5 domestic and import draught. Our bevvy of choice was the Erdinder Weisbier, a favourite of both mine and Mrs. Sip.

happy-hour first responder

Next up, was Ship & Anchor, where legend has it one day the bar got fed up with macro breweries competing with each other and decided to banish them entirely from their menu. Here, Mrs. Sip tried their house beer, the Ship & Anchor Barnacle Pilsner, while I went for the Village Blacksmith, which was a very nice India Black Ale.

We wrapped things up with a stop at Briggs Kitchen + Bar for some food and drinks, having heard good things about the location from our fellow out-of-town friends. While splitting a delicious serving of Newf’s Poutine (that would be lobster, of course), we tried a couple of their interesting cocktails, including the Pepper & Tonic (Beefeater Gin, lemon, simple syrup, jalapeno and pineapple jelly) and The Finch (Jamesons Whiskey, St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur, cucumber, simple syrup, lemon). Topping the meal off with the eatery’s Warm Chocolate Pot was the icing on the cake for this wonderful weekend away.

Given this was my first visit to Calgary in 15 years (and the first one of legal drinking age), as well as Mrs. Sip’s inaugural foray into the city, we only hope it doesn’t take such a long time to get back to Cowtown!