Tag Archives: Craft Beer

BC Beer Baron #150 – Moon Under Water Creepy Uncle Dunkel

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As has become tradition whenever we hit a milestone along the road of this 366-day BC craft beer project, we will celebrate by reviewing a favourite beer of the Sip Advisor. For this momentous occasion, I’d like to share one of my preferred beverages from Moon Under Water Brew Pub.

The Creepy Uncle Dunkel isn’t creepy at all… it’s delicious. It was one of the first beers to ever take me to the dark side of the brewing world and show me just how good things could be there. The brew’s stats come in at 5.4% ABV and 18 IBUs, so it’s a very drinkable recipe.

Moon Under Water Creepy Uncle Dunkel

Moon Under Water describes this beer as: “Pilsner’s creepy uncle. Dark and complex, the most misunderstood of all lagers. Dark Munich malts and a little roasted wheat give this brew a rich, vanilla, and nutty-sweet palate with a dry, rounded finish. Unfiltered as always. Maybe it’s the long decoction mashes or the five-week lagering time spent alone in the cold… or maybe he’s just a complicated dude?”

When the Sip Family was heading to Germany in 2014 for a family reunion-type gathering, Mrs. Sip came up with the great idea of bringing some BC beers over to share with our relatives. At the top of our list was the Creepy Uncle Dunkel, which was one of the biggest hits with the German family, amongst the half dozen bombers we brought over for an international tasting experience.

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BC Beer Baron #149 – Rossland 7 Summits Milk Stout

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Recently, Mrs. Sip travelled to Rossland, BC for a night to make a court appearance for a client there. As she went for a walk around the tiny town, she discovered they had their own brewery. Despite being closed, she vowed to return the next day and check out all Rossland Brewing had to offer.

After trying the three beers the nano brewery had on tap that day, it was decision time on what to fill a Boston up with to bring back home for the ol’ Sip Advisor. The server suggested their 7 Summits Milk Stout, as it’s their most popular product. After sampling it for myself, I can see why it picked up a gold medal at the 2015 Canadian Brewing Awards, in the Stout category.

Rossland 7 Summits Milk Stout

Described as a ‘Sweet Stout’, the 5.9% ABV, 20 IBUs beverage was a treat, with flavours of rich chocolate and coffee. Add a little roast and smoke (the name of the pro wrestling tag team that lives in my mind and are good friends, but better enemies!) to the experience and the Sip Advisor was in heaven.

It may be hard for most to get their hands on any Rossland Brewing suds. Only on rare occasions do they do any bottling and those items are sent to local liquor stores and then fly off the shelves. It seems you have to be in the vicinity and either come across their beers on tap at area bars or visit the brewery itself. Thanks to Mrs. Sip for getting some for me!

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BC Beer Baron #148 – Bridge Side Cut IPA

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The Sip Family recently dropped into The Spud Shack in New Westminster. A favourite hangout for CAMRA Vancouver, now we know why, as their beer selection was impressive, including this gem from Bridge Brewing.

The Side Cut IPA was very good, without being an in-your-face version of the IPA style of beer. The 7.3% ABV, 59 IBUs brew isn’t nearly as bitter as some might expect. This can be good and bad. It can turn off true IPA lovers, but can also introduce newbies to the joys of a hoppier ale.

Bridge Side Cut IPA

Featuring flavours of peach, tangerine and tropical fruit, this is the company’s newest beer (as of April) and is a Northeast IPA, which I’m not sure I’ve had before. It can be found at various liquor stores in bomber-sized bottles.

Upon researching this brew, I noticed another Bridge seasonal that I’d love to get my hands on, a Lemon Gin Saison. If successful, I hope to share the experience with all you little sippers!

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BC Beer Baron #147 – Granville Island Cypress Honey Lager

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With some gorgeous weather hitting the west coast, it was time to find a patio with a nice view and enjoy being outdoors after another long winter cooped up inside. We found this at Mahony & Sons near the Vancouver Convention Centre and there, I enjoyed this Granville Island Brewing beverage.

The Cypress Honey Lager is a light and refreshing beer with a sweet honey taste, coming from Fraser Valley honey. Keeping with the brewery’s tradition of naming their beers after BC landmarks, this release represents Cypress Mountain on the North Shore.

Granville Island Cypress Honey Lager

The 4.7% ABV, 15 IBUs beer is available year round in bottles and can, as well as on tap at numerous locations around the province. It is also often a member of Granville Island’s summer Mingler variety case, which makes for really good camping packing.

Suggested food pairings include lighter seafood, such as white fish or shellfish. The ‘perfect pairing’ is said to be grilled halibut or grilled spot prawns. The brewery also notes that the brew goes really well with “a thirst for adventure!”

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BC Beer Baron #146 – Moody Ales/Ridge 1880 Export Stout

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Mrs. Sip and I recently attended the Irish Stout and Porter Caskival at the Yaletown Brewery, where our mutual pick for best in show was this Moody Ales/Ridge Brewing collaborative contribution.

Moody Ales seems to know their way around stouts, having previously created the Lusty Chocolate Oatmeal Stout and Russian Imperial Stout. Meanwhile, Ridge is no stranger to the stout game with their Black Mamba Milk Stout. Put all that experience together and you get the delicious 1880 Export Stout, which Mrs. Sip and I both went back for to get second servings.

Moody Ales & Ridge 1880 Export Stout

This was the first beer we tried among the 12 different casks, so it set the bar pretty high for those offerings that were to follow. The 6.6% ABV beer can be found on tap at both breweries, as well as in bomber-sized bottles available at private liquor stores.

I’ve really enjoyed each of the Caskivals (this was our third) we’ve attended at the Yaletown Brewery and I hope they keep doing them. I can’t decide if I like them to be all one style of beer, so you can compare and contrast the available brews or if a variety of styles is preferable.

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BC Beer Baron #145 – Powell Street Witbier

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Looking to relax and enjoy what was left of the weekend on a recent Sunday evening, Mrs. Sip and I sat back and cracked open a bomber of this Powell Street Brewing spring seasonal to share.

The Witbier (with ginger and cardamom) was a fantastic beer that we sipped our way through quickly. At 4.8% ABV and 16 IBUs, the Belgian-inspired brew was light and delicious with a ginger bite and a spicy finish.

Powell Street Witbier

The brewery writes of the product: “Complex and refreshing, this beer will pair beautifully with spicy foods or sunshine.” I tend to agree, but it also worked well with a quiet night in, watching movies and TV on Netflix!

Mrs. Sip and I can’t wait for our next bike brewery crawl of the East Vancouver region. Powell Street is a top stop amongst the many companies working out of that area and it’s always fun taking out-of-town friends through ‘Yeast Van’.

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BC Beer Baron #144 – Vancouver Island Sea Dog Amber Ale

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As a last-minute addition/replacement to Mrs. Sip’s work outing to The Price is Right Live at the Abbotsford Centre, I spent an hour and a half in traffic, trying to make the show on time. My reward was a beer from the Vancouver Island Brewing booth at the arena.

How Vancouver Island became the beverage of choice all the way out in Abbotsford is a bit of a mystery, but I’m very glad that was the case. While my original choice was unfortunately already tapped out, that was for the best, as it provided an opportunity to order the Sea Dog Amber Ale. Mrs. Sip and I agreed that this was a great beer to enjoy as we watched classic games like Plinko, Cliffhanger, Any Number, and Punch-A-Bunch played out live.

Vancouver Island Sea Dog Amber Ale

Available in six-packs and some versions of Vancouver Island’s Pod Pack variety case, this 5.2% ABV brew is a tribute to Victoria’s naval heritage and the centennial anniversary of the Canadian Navy. The beer is a little sweet with light hops, making for a well-balanced drink.

While in line for the beers, it was funny to note that Abbotsford locals were a little taken aback by the $6.50 price for beers. Meanwhile, Mrs. Sip and I were thrilled with that price, being used to paying double that when at Vancouver entertainment venues. To each their own, I suppose!

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BC Beer Baron #143 – Steamworks Black Angel IPA

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For Christmas, Mrs. Sip’s family gifted the Sip Advisor the Steamworks Brewing Mash-Up Vol 2 case of beer. You could say that I’m easy to shop for, so long as you know where the nearest liquor store is!

Featured in that pack is the Black Angel IPA, which is the brew that originally caught my eye when I first came across the 12-pack, mere days before receiving it. The IPAs darkness provides a different flavour profile from other, more traditional IPAs. It’s roasty and hoppy all at the same time, a good beer hybrid.

Steamworks Black Angel IPA

The Black Angel is a bit of a hidden gem, as it’s only available in the aforementioned Mash-Up Vol 2 case. All in all, the 12-pack is a very good collection, also featuring the brewery’s signature Pale Ale and award-winning Heroica Red Ale.

This may be Steamworks newest foray into IPA territory, but the company has dabbled there before, with their Jasmine IPA. It’s interesting to note that the Black Angel sees Steamworks take things up a notch, going from 6.5% to 7% ABV and from 60 to 70 IBUs, with the successor.

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BC Beer Baron #142 – Moody Ales Smouldering Smoked 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. I used to be hesitant about drinking porters, believing them to mostly be coffee-based in the flavour department. Once I realized that was only half true, a whole new world was opened to me and that’s a world I want to share with others.

I’ve found Moody Ales selections to me a little hit and miss in regards to my tastes and preferences, but this product was an absolute home run and will have me changing my tune towards the brewery.

The Smouldering Smoked Porter is smokier than most “smoked” brews and that’s just the way I likes them! The beer’s 6.9% ABV seems just perfect for all the malty smokiness going on. Moody Ales asks: “Ever wanted to drink the char marks on a steak? Now you can!” They go on to write that the porter is perfect year round, whether enjoyed over summer barbecues or nestled near the fireplace in the winter.

Moody Ales Smouldering Smoked Porter

Suggested pairings include grilled meat and vegetables, red meat, rich stews, meat pies, and bacon. It sounds like this is a man’s man beverage, but I know a number of ladies who also appreciate the brew, even one newbie to the whole beer game.

Mrs. Sip and I have yet to visit Moody Ales at their home base in Port Moody, but with plans to do a bit of a brewery crawl in that neck of the woods, we will surely get there soon.

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BC Beer Baron #141 – Four Winds Oat 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. I used to be hesitant about drinking porters, believing them to mostly be coffee-based in the flavour department. Once I realized that was only half true, a whole new world was opened to me and that’s a world I want to share with others.

Mrs. Sip and I lead a fairly active social life. Thankfully, our friends are like-minded on the craft beer front and that means coming into contact with some really good brews, including today’s feature from Four Winds Brewing.

I liked the Oat Porter, which came exactly as one would expect: dark and oaty (yes, I realize that’s not technically a real word, but it perfectly describes the experience!). At 5.5% ABV, the beer isn’t too heavy and is quite smooth.

Four Winds Oat Porter

Available in the fall and winter seasons only, the Oat Porter can be found in four-packs, as well as on tap at the Four Winds tasting room. The company writes of the beer: “Our take on this centuries-old style employs the humble oat to promote a smooth and creamy mouthfeel while chocolate malts and roasted barley bolster brilliant tones of cocoa and coffee.”

Despite Four Winds being my hometown brewery, I don’t think I’ve tried this release before. It’s been some time since I was able to visit their facility and I’ll have to make a point of doing so next time I’m in the area.

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