Tag Archives: Craft Beer

BC Beer Baron #160 – Parallel 49/Hearthstone Sympathy for the Devil Black IPA

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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.

Once again, we get an East-North connection, as North Vancouver’s Hearthstone Brewing joins the collaboration fray. I should take this opportunity to point out that Hearthstone’s long-awaited taproom is due to open sometime this month and will feature pizzas from a wood fired oven.

Parallel 49 & Hearthstone Sympathy for the Devil Black IPA

The Sympathy for the Devil Black IPA was a spectacular beer… one that I would even bestow a rare 5-out-of-5 on the Sip-O-Meter! The beverage tastes strong – although comes in at a not overbearing (they call it restrained) 6.5% ABV – and is cut just right by its citrus notes. If you only try one beer from the pack, this might be it.

Each beer is named after a classic rock song and once again we go to the Rolling Stones for this brew, with their Sympathy for the Devil tune. Like I said previously, I find the work of the Stones to be hit and miss. In this case, I enjoy the lyrics of the track, but not the music that accompanies it. That may sound a little weird, but whateves.

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BC Beer Baron #159 – Parallel 49/Bridge Bat Outta Hell Dark Helles Bock

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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.

An East-North connection brings us this beverage, as Bridge Brewing partners with P49. Both breweries dabble in a number of different styles and aren’t shy about playing around with intriguing combinations, so I was looking forward to their collaborative strength coming together.

Parallel 49 & Bridge Bat Outta Hell Dark Helles Bock

The Bat Outta Hell Dark Helles Bock uses Hallertau Blanc hops, which provide the brew with a gooseberry aroma, as well as black malt to darken the beer’s colour. While I can’t rank the 6.5% ABV drink among my favourites from this awesome pack, it was a solid effort.

Each beer is named after a classic rock song and today we get some good ol’ Meatloaf (or as I’ve always called him ‘The Loaf’) and his Bat Out of Hell. I like how they took the song title and combined it with the popular Helles Bock beer style, resulting in a very catchy brew name.

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BC Beer Baron #158 – Parallel 49/Cannery Gimme Shelter Apple IPA

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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.

I’m a fan of the work Penticton’s Cannery Brewing is doing (also love visiting their tasting room, whenever Mrs. Sip and I are lucky enough to be in the area) and when I first saw the label to this beer, I was ready and raring to get it into a glass.

Parallel 49 & Cannery Gimme Shelter Apple IPA

The Gimme Shelter Apple IPA is a really well-crafted, complex offering. The mix of a strong (7% ABV) IPA, with notes of sour green apples makes for a very enjoyable drinking experience. The beer was constructed by combining a witbier base with saison yeast. Add two hop variations and you have the complete package.

Each beer is named after a classic rock song, with this track coming from the legendary Rolling Stones. I will admit that I find the Rolling Stones long archive of releases to be hit and miss, as far as my music appreciation goes, but I do like Gimme Shelter, especially its use in the opening scenes of The Departed, starring Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio and so many other great talents.

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BC Beer Baron #157 – Parallel 49/Category 12 Comfortably Numb Rye Old Ale

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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.

Victoria’s Category 12 Brewing has been a bit of a revelation for the Sip Advisor this year and I was happy to see them participating in this project. It figures that a brewery owned and operated by a doctor of microbiology and biochemistry would be up for some experimentation.

Parallel 49 & Category 12 Comfortably Numb Rye Old Ale

The Comfortably Numb Rye Old Ale features a very nice hit of booze with each sip. It might not be the best beer to start your drinking night, but after a few warmup brews, you should be good to go. At 8.9% ABV, one could certainly numb their pain with a few of these bad boys. There’s even a spicy cherry note to the beverage.

Each beer is named after a classic rock song, with Pink Floyd’s iconic Comfortably Numb getting some feature time here. The original version of this tune is amazing, but you have to check out this live performance the group put on at the Live 8 concert in London’s Hyde Park in 2005. It’s simply chilling how good the music is!

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BC Beer Baron #156 – Parallel 49/Doan’s Thunderstruck Sticke Alt

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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.

Next up is Doan’s Brewing’s turn at the collaboration collection. Earlier this year, I was really impressed by Doan’s Rye Stout and that gave me great hopes for the two East Van breweries coming together for this effort.

Parallel 49 & Doan's Thunderstruck Sticke Alt

The Thunderstruck Sticke Alt was a pretty good beer, but I found it to be a slight drop off from the first few beers I’d sampled from the pack. The only mark I could really give against it, however, was that it had a slightly bitter finish that turned me off from an otherwise decent brew. The 6% ABV pilsner features notes of chocolate malt.

Each beer is named after a classic rock song and today we get to one of my all-time favourite pump-up jams, AC/DC’s Thunderstruck. I can still remember being a young hockey player and doing pre-game warmups with this song thundering (no pun intended) over the arena sound system. It made a little guy feel like a pro, if only for a few minutes!

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BC Beer Baron #155 – Parallel 49/Barkerville Run to the Hills Golden Strong Ale

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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.

Today, we look at Barkerville Brewing’s collaborative efforts with P49. To date, the Quesnel-based operation hasn’t received nearly the amount of coverage it deserves on this site, but that will surely change in the months to come.

Parallel 49 & Barkerville Run to the Hills Golden Strong Ale

The Run to the Hills Golden Strong Ale was another hit for the Sip Advisor, mixing a robust base with a surprisingly fruity finish. The 8% ABV beverage is reminiscent of Belgian tripels and quads and these have become among my and Mrs. Sip’s favourites. My chivalry knows no bounds, letting my better half enjoy a taste of the beer, although I could have easily hogged it all to myself.

Each beer is named after a classic rock song, with Iron Maiden’s heavy metal anthem Run to the Hills playing that role, here. I recently saw this song top a list of the best songs to run to. That’s all fine and good, but it’s far better to laze around and drink to!

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BC Beer Baron #154 – Parallel 49/Axe & Barrel Paranoid Oat Wild Pilsner

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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.

Like the first post in this series, yesterday, I wanted to include this beer early on, as I haven’t had a chance to include Axe & Barrel Brewing yet as part of the 366-day BC Beer Baron project. Also, while I’ve certainly tried pilsner brews before, I can’t unequivocally state that I’ve never had an imperial variation (translation: stronger and boozier… or are those the same things).

Parallel 49 & Axe & Barrel Paranoid Oat Wild Pilsner

The Paranoid Oat Wild Pilsner had this beer package going two-for-two in the success category. I really enjoyed the strength of the beer (8.5% ABV) and found that it didn’t overwhelm, which is always a concern when beverages enter “imperial” territory. Brewed with sake and chardonnay elements, no wonder the drink packs a punch. Based off of this work alone, it looks like Mrs. Sip and I have yet another stop to add to our ever-growing Victoria craft beer itinerary.

Each beer is named after a classic rock song, and this one is quite appropriately an homage to the Black Sabbath classic Paranoid. The track appears on a number of greatest songs lists, including spot #250 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

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BC Beer Baron #153 – Parallel 49/Crannog Ales Suspect Device Gruit

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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.

First up, I wanted to take a look at this partnership with Crannog Ales, as I have yet to include the brewery as part of the 366-day BC Beer Baron project and I don’t believe I’ve ever tried this style of beer.

Parallel 49 & Crannog Ales Suspect Device Gruit

The Suspect Device Gruit (which means an herb mixture used to flavour beer) was quite good. This gruit was comprised of a mix of organic heather flowers, juniper and dry-hopped fresh ginger. Dubbed a mild rye ale, this 5.5% drink was full of complex tastes, finished with a boost of boozy strength.

Each beer is named after a classic rock song, but I have to admit this is one of only two tunes among the bunch I’m not familiar with. From the band Stiff Little Fingers (hailing from Belfast, Northern Ireland), the punk anthem is actually pretty rocking and reminds me of work from the likes of The Ramones.

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BC Beer Baron #152 – Steel & Oak/Strange Fellows Tu Meke Saison

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While heading out to join Mrs. Sip and company at her office for happy hour last Friday, I decided to grab a couple growlers for my drinking enjoyment and was very happy to find this Steel & Oak and Strange Fellows collaborative effort.

The Tu Meke Saison was brewed to be the feature beer of the 2016 Vancouver Craft Beer Week (VCBW) festivities. This Oceania-inspired brew has already been recognized as ‘Best in Show’ at the 2016 Collaboration Tap Takeover at Big Rock Urban Eatery over the weekend and without trying any of its competition, I can see why it’s so popular. The offering is very good and I’ve already come to the conclusion that this will be the summer of saisons for the Sip Advisor. Using Tasmanian pepperberries, along with a variety of New Zealand hops, notes of spice, berries and citrus await the drinker.

Steel & Oak & Strange Fellows Tu Meke Saison

Tu Meke is a Maori term, applied to good things that happen. That’s exactly the result this beverage will provide, as proceeds from its sale will go towards Music Heals, the official 2016 VCBW charity partner. It can be found in bomber-sized bottles at BC Liquor Stores and other private establishments across the Lower Mainland.

Mrs. Sip and I aren’t attending any of this year’s VCBW events, having found the 2016 lineup to be a little lacking, especially compared to last year’s calendar, when we made it to three different attractions. Our recent return from vacation also played a role in this decision, but many of the activities we enjoyed so much last year, did not return to be part of the 2016 festivities.

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BC Beer Baron #151 – Central City Scotch Ale

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On our most recent trip to Central City’s Brew Pub in Downtown Vancouver, Cousin Sip’s husband ordered this brew, but didn’t expect how smoky it would be. Always hunting for smoky beverages, I agreed (out of the kindness of my heart) to swap him my drink – ironically, a light on the smoke Smoked Porter – so he could enjoy his experience.

My reward was this Scotch Ale, which surprised me with how flavourful it was. Already rocking the prerequisite notes of caramel/toffee, the smoky finish wrapped the beer up in a nice, neat package.

Central City Brewing

The 6.1% ABV, 34 IBUs ale takes much of its composition from peated malts, an ingredient the Scottish seem to have specialized in and perfected. Scotch Ales have been growing on me lately, thanks to the Sip Advisor coming across the paths of a number of good ones, in recent times.

On this venture to the Central City Brew Pub, we had trouble getting many of the beers we wanted, as we visited at a time when the restaurant was changing a number of kegs and menu items over with the spring season in mind. Still, with a large list of prospective brews, we were still able to stumble across diamonds in the rough, such as the Scotch Ale… we just had to have our choices narrowed down for us.

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