Tag Archives: North Vancouver

BC Beer Baron #316 – Bridge Hopilano IPA

Posted on by
Reply

On our recent visit to Bridge Brewing’s new tasting room, the Sip Alliance tried everything the company could throw our way. Amongst more than a dozen options, was this diamond in the rough… not to say the rest of the lineup isn’t smooth, as well.

The Hopilano IPA is of the northwest variety, made with Cascade, Centennial and Columbus hops. The 6% ABV, 59 IBUs beverage is heavy on citrus flavours, such as lemon and grapefruit, while also mixing in a distinct bitterness that balances the rest of the recipe.

bridge-hopilano-ipa

I like what Bridge did with this beer’s name, taking the Capilano region of North Vancouver and changing it to Hopilano. Capilano is home to the Capilano Suspension Bridge, a major tourist attraction in the province, which is prominently featured as part of this brew’s logo.

Of the IPA, which is now available in canned six-packs, the brewery writes: “Like our West Coast climate, our beer will leave your mouth lush and wanting more.” Well, I’m always wanting more and this is the type of beer I don’t mind getting me there!

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please visit our main page…

BC Beer Baron #257 – Bridge Lemon Gin Saison

Posted on by
Reply

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. Saisons have quickly become a favourite style of the Sip Advisor. I’ve even gone so far as to call the summer of 2016 my ‘Summer of Saison’. Let’s see what BC has to offer.

The Sip Advisor is a big fan of gin-based drinks, but you don’t often see that element added to beers. Therefore, my interest was instantly piqued when I first came across this Bridge Brewing selection in one of my many liquor stores hunts.

The Lemon Gin Saison takes French saison yeast and uses juniper berries, lemon peel, coriander, and pink peppercorns to spice up the base. At 5.5% ABV and 24 IBUs, the beverage is very easy to drink, while still delivering a complex taste experience. I will point out the gin factor is light in the brew, which may be preferred by most drinkers.

bridge-lemon-gin-saison

This seasonal release began as an exclusive collaboration with Tap & Barrel restaurants. The beer can now also be found in bomber-sized bottles at BC Liquor Stores and other private establishments.

While I’ve had many good drinking experiences at Tap & Barrel locations, I’ve found my meal occasions to be hit-and-miss. One stop, in particular, produced one of the worst pulled pork poutine dishes I’ve ever had, as the pork was all fatty. That said, I’ve had other menu items that were great, such as a PB&J burger.

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please visit our main page…

BC Beer Baron #196 – Bridge Elderflower Kettle Sour

Posted on by
Reply

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. With so many brewery options out there, a game of one-upmanship sometimes occurs and from that, the world is treated to some very unique experimental releases.

The Sip Advisor is finding himself getting more and more into sour beers. It may have taken some time, but now that I’m finally there, I’m liking what I see – and taste – including this release from Bridge Brewing.

Part of the brewery’s Ironworkers Series (along with the Dark Rye Sour Saison and Imperial White IPA), the Elderflower Kettle Sour featured a nice mix of elderflower and sour to make for a good sweet/tart balance. The 4.9% ABV, 18 IBUs beverage is lightly hopped with two different hop variations, resulting in flavours of nectarine and citrus.

Bridge Elderflower Kettle Sour

The sour was inspired by the mother of the Bridge brewmaster, which is quite the tribute. It is available in bomber-sized bottles, but availability is limited, so get yours while you can.

Ironically, I enjoyed this beverage in Calgary, Alberta of all places. While roaming around the city, Mrs. Sip and I popped into the 5 Vines beer and wine store, where we were able to try the ale. We quickly learned that BC brews make up a fair share of the Calgary craft scene. Yeah, we’re that awesome!

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please visit our main page…

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

Posted on by
Reply

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.

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please visit our main page…

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

Posted on by
Reply

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.

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please visit our main page…

BC Beer Baron #148 – Bridge Side Cut IPA

Posted on by
Reply

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!

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please visit our main page…

BC Beer Baron #120 – Green Leaf Pie Hole Pale Ale

Posted on by
Reply

Our recent jaunt to North Vancouver to tour their burgeoning craft beer region began with a visit to Green Leaf Brewing at the Lonsdale Quay.

There, we sampled the Pie Hole Pale Ale, which at 5.8% ABV and 40 IBUs, has near perfect stats (according to the Sip Advisor) for a concrete, enjoyable beer. The pale ale is one of only two year round products on Green Leaf’s menu and was the brewery’s original release.

Green Leaf Pie Hole Pale Ale

Of the beer, the company writes: “We decided to start things off at Green Leaf Brewing with a beer we’d like to drink every day. Something hoppy, but not overly bitter, refreshing but not too dry, familiar yet unique. A beer that reminds us of good times with friends, or beautiful weather […] what we get to serve to you is our idea of what a glass full of sunshine tastes like.”

Suggested food pairings include burgers, steaks, pizza, fried foods, and a long list of cheeses, from soft to hard. In the end, I think almost anything might work well with this beer, available on tap and in bomber-sized bottles.

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please view our main page…

BC Beer Baron #119 – Deep Cove Luminescent Chocolate Coconut Porter

Posted on by
2

The final stop of our recent North Vancouver brewery crawl brought us to Deep Cove Brewing, where it was hard to choose favourites, as much of their line-up was quite good.

The Luminescent Chocolate Coconut Porter features complimentary flavours of chocolate and coconut, which as any fan of an Almond Joy, Bounty or Mounds chocolate bar can tell you, come together very well when paired. The brew is well-balanced (5.8% ABV), allowing for the tastes to be showcased and not hidden beneath strong alcohol content or heavy malts.

Deep Cove Luminescent Chocolate Coconut Porter

With a logo that features a jellyfish, the company writes of the beer: “The bio-luminescent jellyfish of Deep Cove are well known for unexpectedly lighting up the dark waters with a phosphorescent glow. This porter has the power to do the same for beer drinkers who are looking for a flash of the unexpected that won’t soon be forgotten.”

This seems to be the perfect beer for Mrs. Sip. Like most women, she is also a fan of chocolate and coconut. Where the product takes a huge leap forward is with its association to jellyfish. Anytime we’re in an aquarium – and especially if Mrs. Sip has enjoyed a bevvy or two – she becomes entranced by the hypnotic swimming of jellyfish and has to be pulled away from their tanks with great force… or the promise of another drink!

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please visit our main page…

BC Beer Baron #118 – Bridge Wunderbar Kolsch

Posted on by
Reply

Our recent exploration of North Vancouver’s craft beer scene was driven by the redemption of a Groupon at Bridge Brewing. This deal allowed the Sip Alliance to try every beer the brewery had available.

Among those brews was the Wunderbar Kolsch, which was light and refreshing, but far from boring, featuring a complexity that took the product to a different level. This is the brewery’s take on a traditional German Kolsch, perfect for the spring and summer seasons, enjoyed outdoors on a patio, or preferably near a cool body of water.

BRB15-019_Generic Awards Label.indd

Sure, the first thing I hoped for was that the beer would taste like a Cadbury Wunderbar (one of the best chocolate bars in existence), but then it probably would have identified as a stout, rather than a kolsch. I was far from dissatisfied with the experience, though.

Apparently, I’m not alone, as the Wunderbar Kolsch picked up a silver medal at the 2015 Vancouver International Craft Beer Awards, in the Hybrid category. It can be found in bomber-sized bottles, as well as in six-packs. Prost, to all my little sippers out there!

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please view our main page…

BC Beer Baron #117 – Hearthstone Chocolate Milk Stout

Posted on by
Reply

While they weren’t part of our North Vancouver brewery crawl a couple months back, I was able to recently sample a few Hearthstone Brewing products at Legacy Liquor Store in the Olympic Village.

While sampling, I really enjoyed the brewery’s Chocolate Milk Stout, which has a bold chocolate taste from the cocoa nibs from East Van Roasting Company, used in its recipe. The 5.5% ABV, 19 IBUs is “perfect to cuddle up next to a ­fire with,” according to the beer’s description.

Hearthstone Chocolate Milk Stout

It sounds like the stout is quite versatile and can be combined with two other Hearthstone products for unique beertails. First, it can be mixed with the previously reviewed Graham Cracker Ale to manufacture a s’more flavoured beverage and second it can be paired with the Wyld Raspberry Berliner Weisse for a chocolate-berry treat.

As for an update on Hearthstone’s tasting room, it should be open soon and will feature woodfire pizzas, straight from ovens imported from Italy. Mrs. Sip and I can’t wait for our maiden voyage there!

For more BC Beer Baron articles, please visit our main page…