Sip Trips #47: Amazing Advent (Part 2)

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

With my awesome craft beer advent calendar continuing strongly, Mrs. Sip has suggested I profile the beers more frequently than the usual once-per-week format that the Sip Trips articles usually take. Therefore, I’ll be posting after every four beers or so. Let’s get the fun underway!

Day 3: Bridge Brewing The Grinch Winter Ale

I tried a sample of this beer at the recent Hopscotch Festival Grand Tasting Hall and enjoyed it, so I was happy to find a full-size serving amongst my advent calendar selections. Much like the famous Dr. Seuss story, this beer will make your heart grow three sizes (and no, that doesn’t mean you’ll be in need of emergency services) and change your tune from a Grinch into a Christmas lover and hero. If you go to the Bridge Brewing Seasonal Beers page and find this release, you will be treated to a great Seussian poem about The Grinch beer.

Day 4: Anderson Valley Brother David’s Double Abbey Ale

From Boonville, California, Mrs. Sip grabbed this beer because their logo of a bear with antlers gave her the impression that it was a Christmas-themed release. And while the mascot is very cute, we’ve since discovered that the bear (antlers and all) graces all Anderson Valley products. The beer’s label states that the Double Abbey Ale “may be the closest you’ll ever get to heaven on earth” and that “it is sure to raise your spirits!” This brew is currently my favourite from the advent calendar and it’s no surprise it won a gold medal at the 2011 Great American Beer Festival.

Day 5: Townsite Biere d’Hiver

Biere d’Hiver roughly translates to Beer of Winter and features prune and plum essences, which is quite unique. As the bottle states: “The sugar plum fairy swings into the brewery on a zunga, bringing with her a delicious Belgian dubbel, full of spicy, plummy flavours.” This is the first beer I’ve had from the Powell River brewery and it’s a good place to start, given it won third place for strong beers at the 2013 BC Beer Awards and the same rank in the Belgian Style Abbey Ale category at the 2015 Canadian Brewing Awards. It’s suggested that you can age this beer for up to five years before consuming.

Day 6: Phillips Scarfface Cranberry Orange Wit

Given the winter beer season is largely comprised of dark, heavier brews, it was very refreshing to pull this selection from the advent calendar. When I was looking into BC winter and Christmas beers recently, I couldn’t find any entries from the Phillips Brewery, but Mrs. Sip was able to. Phillips has always had fantastic labels for their beers and this one is no different, featuring a nefarious figure with orange head, festive fedora and scarf, and candy cane weapon. The beer pours an orange, almost pink hue and you can really taste the citrus, with cranberry coming through in the brew’s tart finish.

This advent calendar has been a lot of fun so far and we’re not even through the first full week. Please continue to join us as we run the gamut!

Sip Trips #46: Amazing Advent (Part 1)

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

This week was pretty quiet for Mrs. Sip and me, so I was going to dedicate this space to looking at some of the great BC beers available during the winter season, perfect to fill any beer lover’s Christmas stocking. Then, Mrs. Sip completely changed the game by surprising me with a 24-day beer advent calendar, crafted by her. So, over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a look at her great work:

Day 1: Hoyne Gratitude Winter Warmer

Enveloped in a candy cane-coloured wrapper, I was very anxious to get my paws onto this beer and told Mrs. Sip exactly that. So, being the amazing wife she is, she placed it front and center as the opening beer of the advent calendar. I’ve come to be an avid supporter of Hoyne and many of their products, so adding this to my experiences was a Christmas must. The brew comes in at 9% and reminded me of a Scotch Ale. The best part is that you don’t even notice how strong the beer is and it’s quite smooth, going down super easy, even when not completely chilled. The bottle’s wrapping includes a message from brewmaster Sean Hoyne, thanking customers for their support and accepting the brewery into the local industry.

Day 2: Central City Red Racer Gingerhead Gingerbread Stout

This was another beer that I was particularly intrigued by when I was doing recent research, as to what was available this time of the year. I may not be the biggest gingerbread cookie fan, but a spiced stout sounds really good on a cold Christmas morning. I figured if it was half as good as Central City’s summer seasonal, the Maple Bacon Breakfast Beer, I’d be thoroughly satisfied. Well, the Gingerbread Stout has a mild spice to it, but nothing overwhelming. The brew is flavourful, thanks to its chocolate notes and a second good choice by Mrs. Sip. Another great feature of the beer is that $1 from each purchase will go to local BC Food Banks. Here’s hoping that helps out some people and families in need this holiday season.

That’s all for this week, but there is much more to come and I can’t wait to share these beers with Mrs. Sip and all you little sippers. I’ve always wanted to document the beer advent calendar experience and the wonderful work by Mrs. Sip has made this possible!

Sip Trips #45: Hip Hopscotch Hooray

Posted on November 26, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

The annual Hopscotch Festival recently took over Vancouver and Mrs. Sip and I were more than happy to embrace the week of special events. Here’s what we got up to:

On Tuesday, Nov. 17, we went to the Unibroue Pairing Dinner at The Devil’s Elbow. I can’t say enough good things about this event. Mrs. Sip and I attended the same Hopscotch dinner last year (at The Abbey) and this year’s rendition was so much better. First, we lucked out with a four-person table, but the beer and food distribution was executed much better this time around. Last year, you were required to share a plate of whatever the food pairing was, as well as pass a bottle of beer between not only your table, but also an adjacent one, as well. This year, it was individual dishes and a bottle of Unibroue split between four people, on average.

The cost was $63 each and I’d say it was worth every penny. The pairings included: mussels with La Fin du Monde; arugula salad, goat cheese and duck breast with Ephemere Apple; duo of crostini (pulled pork and foie gras) with 17 Grande Reserve; smoked brisket with Trois Pistoles; and a trio of tarts (pecan pie, chocolate mousse, and salted caramel) with Maudite, for dessert. We also received a bonus serving of La Resolution to wrap things up. My favourite dish – a tough choice to narrow down – was the pulled pork crostini.

Unibroue sommelier Sylvain Bouchard is an amazing storyteller and full of knowledge about not just Unibroue, but beer in general – and he clearly enjoys his own product. The venue this year provided a better space for Bouchard to speak to the group, as last year, he felt he was always speaking to only half the restaurant at each time. Like the year before, each guest was given a complimentary Unibroue cookbook, as well as a beautiful Blanche de Chambly glass.

After a few days off, we went to the Grand Tasting Hall – Beer and Food edition. I’ve been hesitant in past years about the Grand Tasting Hall because of its high price and crowds. This was the first year to feature a beer only tasting experience in the afternoon and when a Groupon came out, cutting the entry price in half (only $19, including a glass and five sample tokens), I was quick to jump on it.

The beers I tried, included: Okanagan Springs Chili Porter, Boxer Watermelon Lager and Apple Ale, Moody Ales Smouldering Smoked Porter, Stanley Park Sazerac Porter, Granville Island Dunkelweizen, Big Rock Winter Spice, Mt. Begbie Cold Smoke Porter, Bridge The Grinch, Deep Cove Double Trouble IPA and Luminescent Chocolate Coconut Porter (likely my favourite of the festival), Four Mile Pale Ale and English Strong Ale, Fernie Sap Sucker Maple Porter, Coal Harbour Smoke & Mirrors and Blackwing Baltic Porter, and Maui Coconut Porter and Mana Wheat.

Given the timing of the event, there were a number of dark beers to be had, as many of the suppliers brought along stouts, porters, and winter ales. Despite being on my wish list, I didn’t get to try Bravo Peche Mel and Muskoka Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout, as I couldn’t even locate the Muskoka booth. I also didn’t see Bad Tattoo Brewing, although they were advertised to be there. I was impressed that so many exhibitors brought unique beers to be sampled and not just their flagship brews. Only a few of the options available cost more than one token and two was the maximum.

While none of the liquors were available, their booths were set-up from the night before and you could see which companies were exhibiting their wares, giving me an idea of what the full event would be like. According to the Official Tasting Guide (also available online), some samples would cost as much as nine tokens, with an average of three tokens needed per tasting. If a Groupon comes out again next year, I would return to the beer event, but am still hesitant to do the full gala.

Mrs. Sip and I wrapped up our Hopscotch activities with the Whiskey and Chocolate Tasting at Legacy Liquor Store. I was surprised when Mrs. Sip grabbed tickets to this, given her bad experience with whiskey, many moons ago in Scotland, but I think the chocolate won out here.

Among the whiskeys we sampled and chocolates they were paired with were: Forty Creek with Cacao Barry BIO Milk, Rebel Yell with Cacao Barry Zephyr, The Balvenie with Cacao Barry BIO Dark, and Aberlour with Cacao Barry OCOA. We also got an extra chocolate, the Cacao Barry INAYA. Each chocolate, from Cocoa West, was delicious and you really got a sense of how well the two products accentuate one another when paired.

With tickets priced at $30 each, I’m not really sure the event was worth it price wise, but we did have fun together and it was good to see Mrs. Sip get back on the whiskey train… even if that means I didn’t get to finish her glasses!

Sip Trips #44: California Dreamin’ (Part 2)

Posted on November 20, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Part one of this week’s Sip Trips looked at our time aboard the Star Princess, travelling from Vancouver to Los Angeles. Part two sees us arrive at our final destination, Escondido, California, for a few days of R&R at the Lawrence Welk Resort.

Shortly after arriving in San Diego, we were off in search of some of the city’s craft beer to enjoy during our stay. I picked up Stone Brewing’s variety pack, which included their Cali-Belgique IPA, Pale Ale 2.0, Coffee Milk Stout, and Ruination Double IPA 2.0 (including the slogan “A liquid poem to the glory of the hop”). My favourite of the lot was the stout and the entire collection made for some good drinking, while relaxing and catching up on TV viewing.

Our Lawrence Welk Resort also had a couple of their own craft beers, brewed by Iron Fist. This included the Renegade Blonde and Stout. The beers were decent, but expensive, coming in at $10 and $14, respectively. That said, they did come in 750ml bottles, so we were open to experimenting.

The weather during our stay was a mix of warm, sunny days and chilly nights (it even rained one day), so we managed to get a little pool time in. While soaking up some sun at one of the resort’s pools, we ordered a couple drinks from the pool bar. Mrs. Sip got a Mai Tai, while I enjoyed a Cucumber-Jalapeno Margarita. The cool of the cucumbers provided a nice balance to the heat of the jalapenos and it was a good tanning beverage.

That same day, we toweled off and made our way to the Temecula Valley Wine Country, a beautiful region chock full of wineries. We randomly selected Bel Vino Winery to start our journey and were shocked by the very expensive tastings prices ($17 each for 6 one oz pours), which are not waived with bottle purchase. I’m not sure if other California wine regions operate similarly, but you have to understand that Mrs. Sip and I are accustomed to paying $5 for a tasting, which is typically waived with the purchase of a bottle.

Hell, for the $17 tasting, I could just buy a bottle and call it a day. Mrs. Sip and I found this business tactic to not be very conducive in encouraging guests to buy wine. After sharing our first tasting, I didn’t even bother participating at our next stop, Leoness Cellars, which was suggested by someone we talked to at Bel Vino, and also operated under a similar pricing structure, with tastings costing $18.

The wineries we visited and drove by we all packed with people – some very, very intoxicated – so perhaps doing a tour bus would be the better way of hitting the region and saving money with whatever package you pay for. Joining the winery’s respective clubs is also an option and includes perks that make the prices more tolerable. All in all, I was pretty disappointed with how the Wine Country operated and their business practices.

We travelled back to Temecula a couple days later to visit Garage Brewing, but sadly, they are closed on Mondays. I had looked them up after returning from our wine afternoon and they had some interesting brews on tap. It just wasn’t meant to be, but another time will hopefully provide more success.

While we were visiting, San Diego was enjoying their annual Craft Beer Week, but being located outside the city, we didn’t get to attend any of the festivities. We made up for it on our journey to the airport by stopping at a few locations, starting with Lost Abbey and Port Brewing. There, we tried some samples of their Red Barn Saison, Witch’s Wit, Serpent’s Stout, and Mongo IPA. I thought each beer was quite good, with the Saison perhaps edging out the others as my favourite, thanks to its ginger bite on the back end.

Our final stop was to Stone Brewing, which has a new beautiful facility, although signage is hard to find, save for the gargoyle mascot that represents the company on bottles and other products. We sat down and had some drinks and snacks in the brewery’s restaurant, testing out beers such as Xocoveza for the Holidays, Sawyer’s Triple, Smoked Porter, and Go to IPA w/ Lemon Peel and Vanilla Bean. The Xocoveza winter ale and IPA were my favourite of the bunch. As we were leaving, we splurged on a bottle of Locoveza (produced in wine and tequila barrels) to bring home. At close to $20 for the brew, we’re saving it for a special occasion.

The return to the real world is always harsh, but next week’s Sip Trips will be full of goodies (they always are!), as Vancouver’s Hopscotch Festival has been ongoing and Mrs. Sip and I have been busy attending a number of the event’s proceedings!

Sip Trips #43: California Dreamin’ (Part 1)

Posted on November 19, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

With many of our family and friends asking, “Do they ever work?”, Mrs. Sip and I were out of town again the past week and a half, enjoying a coastal cruise aboard the Star Princess, followed by a few days with her parents at a resort in Escondido, California. Here’s part one of all the fun we got up to:

One of the first things we do after boarding our ship is search out potential drinks deals and get a lay of the land. One of these deals came to us, as our steward dropped off two complimentary drink tickets upon meeting us. We used these later to grab a couple of their cocktails. While Mrs. Sip ordered an Ultimate Mai Tai – her favourite Princess beverage – I tried The Isaac, designed for Princess Cruises 50th anniversary, by the man who played the bartender on The Love Boat. The drink combined Bacardi Rum with lime and pomegranate juices and it was fun to have a drink made by the fictional liquor slinger.

Mrs. Sip and I are platinum members with the cruise line and therefore have access to their Elite Lounge from 5-7pm each day of the voyage. This includes feature drinks and appies. While there used to just be one drink on the menu priced at $5, they now feature a line of about a half dozen cocktails that are discounted. We worked our way through the list over our four-day cruise, which included the Chairman of the Board; Rob Roy; Mojito; Japanese Slipper; Brezza Marina; and Cosmopolitan. I like that they picked strong drinks for the lounge options.

Another trick of the trade was the ship’s new BOGO hours, which allowed passengers to buy one drink and get a second of the same for only one dollar more. We used this on a couple occasions, to get Mojitos and Beverly Hills Iced Teas.

As far as bringing alcohol on board the ship, passengers are allowed one bottle of wine each, but we always bring on a little more. To cover the entire gamut, we brought on one red, one white, and one bubbly. We also typically tuck a couple mini liquor bottles into our toiletry kits, which go perfectly with the complimentary lemonade you can get at the buffet. On this cruise, we combined the soft drink with Evan Williams Cherry Liqueur, Smirnoff Watermelon and Camarena Reposado Tequila, Absolut Raspberri and Camarena Reposado Tequila, and Pinnacle Peach Vodka and Cruzan Coconut Rum.

As previously mentioned, Princess Cruises is currently celebrating their 50th anniversary and had some specially designed drinks to ring in their golden anniversary year. Mrs. Sip and I splurged and tried a couple – at $12 per cocktail, we couldn’t enjoy them all – including the Anniversary Bliss (Bulleit Bourbon, Peach Schnapps, Frangelico, simple syrup, mint leaves) and 50 Years More (Don Julio, Blue Curacao, White Creme de Cacao, Galiano, lime juice). Both drinks we nicely crafted and blended some interesting ingredients.

Despite being on international waters, craft beer could still be found. We tried both the Seawitch Denali Red Alaska Style Red Ale and the Seawitch West Coast IPA, brewed exclusively for Princess Cruises by Denali Brewing and Strike Brewing, respectively. The Red Ale was the better of the two, as the IPA had a copper aftertaste, although that dissipated as you consumed more of the beer.

A new find for the Sip Advisor on this cruise was the Margarita Bar, which featured a number of great recipes. Mrs. Sip and I shared their Strawberry & Black Pepper (Cazadores Reposado, strawberry juice, black pepper) and Chocolate & Chili (Don Julio, White Creme de Cacao, fresh jalapeños) options. I loved the Chocolate & Chili, as the chocolate really balances out the jalapeños. There was also a Sweet & Smokey (Tequila, Scotch, Grand Marnier, orange juice) I was interested in, but did not get a chance to try.

On our final evening of cruising, we went to the Vines wine bar, where they were advertising a wine and chocolate pairing. Unfortunately, they only had one set of the chocolates left, so I let Mrs. Sip be the fortunate recipient (chivalry is far from dead, my little sippers!) of the truffles designed by chocolatier Norman Love. Her pairing combined one light, medium and heavy red with chocolates using cocoa from five different countries (Venezuela, Tanzania, Peru, Dominican Republic, Ghana). On the server’s recommendation, I did New World wine flight which included Wild Horse Pinot Noir (USA), Caliterra Carmenere (Chile), and McPherson Shiraz (Australia).

I suppose my only complaint from the cruise would be that near the end, they had run out of a number of supplies, such as the aforementioned chocolates to pair with the wines and some other chocolate ingredients that were meant to go with a menu of cocktail concoctions intended to celebrate the 50th anniversary.

Only half way through our little vacation, part two will look at our time spent in the San Diego County area, with a journey into the Temecula Valley Wine Country and time spent exploring the city’s craft beer community!

Sip Trips #42

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Nuttin’ Doin’

Mrs. Sip and I didn’t get up to too much adventure this last week, so this won’t be a long Sip Trips article. That said, we do have another vacation upcoming and there is certainly some mischief ahead. Let’s get on with things:

On Friday, I attended to retirement party of one of my coworkers at the new Tap & Barrel in North Vancouver. Here, I ordered the Steel & Oak Roggen Weizen, as well as the Hearthstone Hazelnut Porter. Both beers were good, with the Roggen Weizen being the better of the two. While I enjoyed the Porter, the hazelnut flavour wasn’t as strong as I would have liked. In fact, I couldn’t really taste it at all. The staff at the restaurant did a good job of taking care of our large group and paid me a terrific compliment as I settled my tab. The server remembered exactly what I had order because, as she put it, I ordered good beers!

For Halloween, we celebrated with friends at a house party. My pre-drinking included the Steel & Oak Barrel Aged Smoked Hefeweizen, which Mrs. Sip picked up for me a while back. The brew was definitely boozy and at 7% was a good base for the night ahead.

The next day, we visited Ma and Pa Sip to help eat their leftover Halloween candy… after all, what else are parents for!? While there, Ma Sip cracked open her bottle of Viniq Shimmery Liqueur (the purple one) and created a drink using lemon, pomegranate, and lemon-lime sodas. The concoction was quite good and now I have a better sense of where my natural cocktail mixing abilities come from!

Prior to attending Cirque du Soleil: Kooza, Mrs. Sip and I had dinner at the Hurricane Grill in Yaletown. The food here was delicious – we shared the chicken quesadilla and pulled pork poutine – and the service very good. I ordered the Blood Alley cocktail (vodka, scotch, and blood orange soda), which was good, but if I’d made it myself, I would have used more scotch to enhance the smoky flavour. Mrs. Sip had their feature drink, the Hurricane (three different rums mixed with strawberry and mango puree), which was a little disappointing in that it was not made clear the drink was frozen and given we’re moving into winter, an iced drink was not what Mrs. Sip was looking for.

To sum up, this is what a quiet week looks like for Mrs. Sip and me. Next week, there will be no Sip Trips, as we will be enjoying a cruise from Vancouver to Los Angeles, followed by a weekend of relaxing in Escondido, California. Nearby, San Diego will be celebrating their annual Craft Beer Week (how fortuitous), so you can bet there will be some Canadian content on hand for the festivities!

Sip Trips #41

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Trail Tapping

Over the weekend, the Sip Family (Mrs., Ma, and Pa) spent the weekend across the line in Bellingham, Washington, exploring their Tap Trail, which features 16 different breweries and tap houses. Over that time, the Sip Advisor enjoyed trying about 40 different beers. Let’s see the results of another epic weekend!

Our adventure started at the Oxford Suites hotel bar, for their manager’s reception. The bar had four different local brews on tap, which I made my way through over our two-night stay. This included Aslan Bellingham Brown, Boundary Bay Scotch Ale, Kulshan Session IPA, and Chuckanut Kolsch. The Bellingham Brown was particularly good.

With a few drinks in us, Mrs. Sip wanted to go for a walk to Bellis Fair Mall, across the street. I figured: “What’s the worst that could happen?” Then I got stuck in a Kohl’s store for about half an hour as she debated buying some items, followed by going to Target (our original intended destination) and trying to track her down as she roamed the store. At Target, I did find two of my favourite San Francisco treats (Rice-A-Roni be damned!) in 21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Beer and Francis Coppola Pinot Grigio.

The next morning, we were off on our Tap Trail explorations. We started at Kulshan, which has two different locations. After sharing two taster paddles, which included each of the brewery’s 13 available beers, it was very hard to narrow down our consensus favourites. Mrs. Sip liked their Horseman’s Head Pumpkin Ale and Kittens Mittens Winter Ale, while I leaned towards the Smoked Stout and Good Ol’ Boy Pale Ale. We did agree that the Trans Porter was quite good. One neat observance from Kulshan was that they didn’t have their own food available, but a food truck was outside that could bring eats into the brewery for those that ordered.

Next up, we headed over to Elizabeth Station, a beer store and tap house that was recommended to us by a friend. The store has a number of unique brews that you can purchase and even have opened by the staff to be served on site. I took advantage of this by purchasing a bomber of Justice Brewing Butterfinger Brown, which was brewed with Butterfinger candy pieces and was a fantastic beer. Mrs. Sip, on the other hand, tried a sample of Prairie Bomb from Tulsa, Oklahoma. At 14%, it packed a punch, but was also a very good drink.

We then made our way to Chuckanut where I was quick to order a serving of their Rauch. For those who are regularly readers, you know by now my affinity for smoky beers and cocktails. This brew did not disappoint. From there, our next stop was The Copper Hog, where we ordered samples of a couple interesting beers, including 21st Amendment Toaster Pastry Red Ale and Ninkasi R&D Mango IPA, as well as their Oktoberfest offering. The Toaster Pastry was the best among the bunch.

After that, it was a short jaunt to the Schweinhaus Biergarten, an outdoor beverage stop, which would be best enjoyed during the summer. Here, I tried a pint of Northwest Mango Hef because a German-style beer should be enjoyed at a German-themed location. The brew was decent, although Mrs. Sip’s actual selection from Germany was probably a better fit for the moment.

Another block walk landed us at Aslan, where we tried their Midnight Couloir, Pumpkin, Ginger Rye, and Cucumber Lager, all of which were good. This location was the busiest we experienced on the day, having to wait a short time for a spot, but that didn’t hinder our enjoyment.

Things were getting kind of fuzzy by the time we hit our last brewery of the day, Wander. This place was actually suggested to us by the border guard we chatted with as we crossed into the U.S. Here, we enjoyed their Wanderale Blond, Global Mutt Porter, Belling-Hammer Wee Heavy, Together Belgian Dubbel, Plum Sour, and Boysenberry Fruit Puncheon. To be honest, I don’t even remember what logic went into me ordering like this, but I put a star next to the Porter, so I must have liked it the best! Mrs. Sip wanted to try their Pumpkin, but they had unfortunately sold out of that variety.

On Day 2 of our Tap Trail, we were a little tapped out, but we did manage to go to Kulshan’s second location, as they have a few beers only available there. We tried a set, with the Mountain Beaver Brown being our favourite. This last stop allowed us to get our eighth stamp for our Tap Trail passport. Completing half the map and returning it to a Bellingham tourism office allowed us to receive a Tap Trail Mason jar and bottle opener.

In closing, I have to thank Ma and Pa Sip for this belated birthday gift. Pa Sip deserves extra thanks for being our designated driver and putting up with us over the course of the tour, while Ma and Mrs. Sip should be commended for being awesome drinking partners!

Sip Trips #40

Posted on October 22, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Coast Toasting

Mrs. Sip and I have finally returned to Vancouver from our epic travels to southern Africa and are getting settled back into the local drinking routine. I had to take some extra time this week, as we visited Legacy Liquor Store, to get acquainted with all the new releases that have hit the market while we were on vacation. A lot can change in a month, especially with the move from summer to fall, but it gives me some things to look forward to.

Speaking of things we were looking forward to, on Friday night, we attended the annual Toast to the Coast event at the Vancouver Aquarium. Mrs. Sip has wanted to go to this for a couple years, but previous engagements have always held us back from checking out the soiree, which sells out each season. A number of wineries, a couple breweries, and even reps from Russian Standard Vodka were on hand, as guests got to enjoy the various exhibits with a drink sample in their hand and an appetizer on their plate. My night began on the right note with a serving of Bomber Choqlette Porter, a delicious dark beer, with notes of chocolate and coffee. I also made sure to end my night with this brew.

The night was frustrating at times, as the event was scheduled to go until 1am, but most vendors packed up their wares at 10pm, which I think blindsided some guests, myself included. Also, a number of the eats around the venue were in short supply. To begin the night, the sushi table was a free-for-all, but later featured such a diminished stock that a volunteer was handing out one piece at a time on napkins. There was also the Rocky Mountain Flatbread table, which couldn’t keep up with the demand, as each time they brought out one tray, it was gone and those in line, who hadn’t received a slice, had to wait for the next dish to cook up.

I also had to battle through one of my greatest festival pet peeves, where people either get a drink or food and just stand there, neglecting to move out of the way and let the next person be served. This especially occurs at the wine stations, as folks want to try each of the bottles available, before moving on. That is particularly why the Sip Advisor prefers to stick to beer vendors.

The worst part of the evening was getting home after the function concluded. Shuttles from the Aquarium to Waterfront Station downtown were supposed to be offered, with the last one leaving at 12:45am. We stood around from about 12:25am to 1:00am and didn’t see a single shuttle, which left tired and boozed up guests having to resort to calling cabs and then fighting for their reservation when the vehicle arrived.

Much of the food was good, particularly the various desserts, such as Rose’s Shortbread and Chocolatas chocolates. The worst food offering of the evening definitely had to go to Earl’s Kitchen & Bar, which was handing out cups of sea urchin ice cream. The dessert was absolutely awful and a total disappointment from the popular chain.

Tickets were $125 and I asked Mrs. Sip the next day (once she had a chance to recover!) whether she thought the cost was justified. She thought it was, explaining that given all we ate and drank, it would add up to $125 or more on the local market. My argument in opposition was equating the night to an episode of The Simpsons, where Homer and Marge go to an all-you-can-eat buffet and are kicked out at the end of the night before Homer has enjoyed all-he-could-eat. Our group ended up having drinks and pizza when we finally got home (the best meal of the night), which I didn’t think would be necessary after an all-inclusive drink and food fest. Perhaps we’re just that gluttonous!

My final thoughts on Toast to the Coast are a little mixed. I had a good time, but certainly had some qualms with the event, as well. The true decider is whether I would go again in the future and the answer to that is yes… but perhaps not next year. Also, if ticket prices went up without much substance being added, I would be very hesitant. That said, it was a charity event, so I guess we did our civil duty.

Saturday night was spent celebrating a friend’s birthday, beginning with pre-dinner drinks. Here, I was able to try the 33 Acres of Darkness, another new beer that I really liked. I also had a serving of Dead Frog Super Fearless IPA, which was quite enjoyable. I topped off the pre-party with Steel & Oak’s Satsuma Lager, another fine release from the New West brewery.

Our meal was at Minami Yaletown, which is an upper scale Japanese restaurant. Mrs. Sip tackled their Taste of Yaletown menu, including sake pairing. Each of the sakes utilized different ingredients and matched up nicely with their respective dishes. I ordered the Kaisen Soba Peperoncino bowl, while trying the restaurant’s Asian-themed Caesar, complete with wasabi pickles garnish and lemon-pepper rim. It wasn’t the best Caesar I’ve ever had, but was a decent cocktail.

The week was pretty quiet otherwise, but this weekend, Mrs. Sip and I are off to Bellingham, Washington to see what trouble we can get into across the border, working our way through the city’s Tap Trail and other locations. This is a belated birthday gift (we were out of the country) from Ma and Pa Sip and there will certainly be much to write about, so look forward to that in next week’s Sip Trips!

Sip Trips #39: Ayoba Africa (Part 2)

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Part two of my and Mrs. Sip’s adventures in South Africa… for part one, go here.

South Africa

Our arrival in Cape Town, South Africa, provided another opportunity to immerse ourselves in both the craft beer and winery worlds, while taking in one of the most beautiful cities we’ve ever visited. We quickly grabbed a few bottles of brew to have with our lunch, including Boston Brewing Johnny Gold Weiss Beer and Van Hunks Pumpkin Ale, as well as Jack Black’s Brewing Skeleton Coast IPA. The two Boston Brewing selections were better, but we would come across Jack Black’s again later.

Our dinner that evening was at Mama Africa, which featured some absolutely amazing entertainment, with the band doing things with xylophones that I never imagined was possible. They would also break into extended drumming acts, which were completely mesmerizing. It was here that I took on another drinking challenge in the Flaming Ox Wagon (Olmeca Edicion Black Tequila with Galiano, Sambuca, and Stroh Rum, set on fire and doused with a Springbok shot). I also enjoyed a Robben Island Iced Tea (similar to a Long Island Iced Tea); Cape Brewing Co. Amber Weiss, as the African brewers seem to be doing things with Weiss and Wit beers that North America isn’t willing to experiment with; and Darling Brew Black Mist, advertised as “A blacker than black ale with an inviting creamy head”.

Over the next couple days, we tackled the cities Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour, which featured four different routes, including one that took riders to three wineries. Of course, Mrs. Sip and I were game, starting with Groot Constantia, the oldest winery in South Africa. There, we split a chocolate and wine pairing, as well as a regular set of vino, giving us access to each of the 10 wines they had available. The chocolate pairing was fantastic, prompting us to buy a bottle of Shiraz and its accompanying secret spices and vanilla chocolate bar.

We also stopped at Eagles Nest Winery on this diversion, where we enjoyed samples of Rose, Viognier, Merlot, and Shiraz in one of the most peaceful, quaintest settings I’ve seen a winery put together. It should also be noted that the pours received at wineries throughout Cape Town were very different from what we’re accustomed to at home, where a sliver of nectar is sometimes all that is available to taste.

A few days later, we were off on another wine tour, this time to the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek regions outside Cape Town. Our first stop was at Anura (formerly known as Frog Hill), where Mrs. Sip delighted in a wine and cheese pairing and even the anti-cheese Sip Advisor got into the act. After sampling their Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rose, Pinotage, Malbec, and Syrah (the latter two being my favourites), we were leaving the estate when our guide pointed out they also brewed their own craft beer. Given we were lucky enough to be the only people on our tour, we asked if we could stop for a tasting there too and were treated to Wagon Trail Brewery’s Long Road Lager, Settlers Weiss, Wagon Trail Pale Ale, and Ox Blood Amber Ale (coming in at a whopping 14%).

Next up was Eikehof, which is a small family-owned winery set among another beautiful vineyard. While chatting with one of the owners, we sampled Rose, Sauvignon Blanc (my favourite among the whites), Chardonnay, Merlot (my pick for best red), Shiraz, and Cabernet Sauvignon. With two wineries down, lunch was on the horizon and that meant a chance to change things up and avoid palate fatigue with some brews at Elephant and Barrel. Here, we tried two Jack Black’s beers, the Lager and Pale Ale.

Taking advantage of our “private” tour, our guide offered to take us to the Cheetah Outreach, where we were able to have close encounters with a meerkat named Sebastien and a cheetah named Joseph. The long day wrapped up with a visit to Marianne Winery, where a wine and biltong (beef jerky) pairing was on the menu. The pairings were as follows: Pinotage with Springbok, Cabernet Sauvignon (an amazing 2006 wine) with kudu, and Desirade with beef. Mrs. Sip also requested a sample of their Floreal, which had been selected by Gordon Ramsay for Queen Elizabeth’s celebration of Nelson Mandela’s 90^th birthday. I, personally, thought the Cab Sauv was better.

Our last full day in the city was left open, but quickly filled with some great booze experiences. We made our way over to Devil’s Peak Brewing in the afternoon, arriving just in time to order a taster pack, before they closed for a private event. The set included their Lager, Golden Ale, American Pale Ale, Blockhouse IPA, Black IPA, of which, I liked the ales and IPAs… not that there’s anything wrong with lagers!

Not to be deterred by the one brewpub closing, we ventured to the Beer House, where I constructed a set of tasters for Mrs. Sip and myself, comprised of Jack Black’s Lumberjack Amber Ale, Woodstock Hazy Daze Wit, Woodstock Californicator IPA, Cape Brewing Co. Mandarina Bavaria IPA, Red Sky Vampire Porter, and Apollo Stout. While each of the beers was pretty good (save for perhaps the stout), I absolutely loved the Lumberjack Ale, ordering a full serving, while Mrs. Sip tried their featured beer cocktail Give Bees a Chance (Apollo Blonde Ale with vodka, white rum, and honey).

For dinner, we had reservations at Aubergine, where we ordered their three-course meal with wine pairings, and gorged on the feast of fine foods and drinks. As if the day hadn’t been full enough, we wrapped things up with a bottle of wine at The Crypt, which featured jazz music and is located beneath the St. George’s Cathedral. This was a very unique setting to culminate our Cape Town foray… a place I can see us returning to sometime in the future!

London

Our incredible journey wrapped up with a long layover in London, so with friends in town, we decided to leave the airport and have a little fun in the city. Sadly, many of the spots Mrs. Sip and our friends wanted to take me weren’t open until we had to be back in the air and we spent a fair bit of time on the underground, searching for a good location. Over lunch and another stop for drinks, I was able to sample a few of the U.K.’s craft beer options, including Kernel Mosaic IPA, Greene King Black IPA (a cask beer), Brewdog Dead Pony, and Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA. The brews were good and the only issue was currency conversion, which is always a pain for us Canadians. The beers were more expensive in London than at home and that’s before doubling the price we will eventually have to pay when the Visa bill comes in.

Regardless of cost, I wouldn’t trade this vacation in for anything. A couple quick final thoughts: I’ve been to 42 countries now, around the world, but you could call me an ignorant traveler for not knowing what to expect from southern Africa. I knew there would be typical lagers, as every country has them except the dry nations (Egypt and Morocco, I’m looking at you!), but I never expected the craft beer gems that would greet me in this part of the planet. I also think that over the years, I’ve proven myself to be a well-rounded and experienced drinker. Somehow though, I had to go all the way to southern Africa to have my first Black Wit and Amber Weiss, among others. This, despite the booming craft beer industry in North America… I guess you can never judge a book by its cover!

Sip Trips #38: Ayoba Africa (Part 1)

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Mrs. Sip and I are finally back from our month-long journey to southern Africa and there is much to discuss before we get back into the swing of things at home. Today, we’ll look at the mischief we got into over the first three quarters of our trip, with a second edition coming tomorrow, looking at all we accomplished in Cape Town.

The fun all began with our layover at Heathrow Airport. Although it was 6:30am Vancouver time, we were feeling pretty well and I couldn’t pass up samples of Gentleman Jack Whiskey and Remy Martin Cognac. Heathrow is one of my favourite airports around the world and when the Duty Free is handing out Gimlets (with Plymouth Gin) and Martinis (with Belvedere Vodka), it’s easy to see why. We were feeling pretty loose before having to board our next plane and the drinks definitely helped usher in our vacation, as well as prepare us for the next phase of our travels.

Zambia

Two more flights and many hours later, we finally arrived in Livingstone, Zambia. After a few hours of sleep, the owner of our accommodation, the Tasha Lodge, offered to take us into town to get some dinner, followed by some dancing at a Zambian club. At both stops, we enjoyed Mosi beer, which is the national brew of the country and your typical lager that each country seems to have at least one of. Our meal at Café Zambezi afforded us the opportunity to eat crocodile and even caterpillar, while splitting a bottle of wine. As for the bugs, I was a fan… Mrs. Sip was not!

Botswana

After a day enjoying the Devil’s Pool and Victoria Falls from both the Zambia and Zimbabwe sides, we joined our tour group and made the ferry crossing to Botswana. There, it was more of the same lighter beers (St. Louis, Hansa, Windhoek), enjoyed aboard a boat cruise on the Chobe River, viewing some spectacular scenes of wildlife, including hippos, crocodiles, and elephants, as well as numerous birds. This was followed by a game drive the next day in Chobe National Park, where lions and buffalo were among the animals spotted.

Before leaving Botswana, we spent one night bush camping in the Okavango Delta. In preparation for the complete departure from civilization, I picked up a six pack of Carling Black Label (my favourite normal beer of the bunch, thanks to its 5.5% alcohol percentage), while Mrs. Sip grabbed a bottle of Fat Bastard Chardonnay; a perfect wine for the evening, given its cartoon rhino logo. We were also finally able to crack into the first craft beer I had been able to locate in the region, Camelthorn Weizen, a delicious African-brewed Bavarian-style wheat beer.

Prior to leaving Botswana, our tour stopped at a shopping centre, which featured a Tops liquor store and it was here that I unearthed a plethora of craft beer enjoyment to be consumed over the next few days. This included Darling Brew Bone Crusher Wit Bier, which was a decent beer, but had copper taste to it; Darling Brew Silver Back Black Wit, a favourite for the Sip Advisor and the first black wit I have ever experienced; Cape Brewing Co. Krystal Weizen; Copperlake Hefe Weiss, with the slogans “Strictly a vegetarian meal” and “If God wanted us to filter Weiss, He wouldn’t have given you a liver!”; and Wild Beast Brewery Blonde Ale.

Namibia

On the last night of the first portion of our tour, where some travellers would be leaving our crew and others joining, we had a celebratory feast, which provided my first opportunity to have a Springbok shot (mixing Amarula Cream and Peppermint Liqueur – the colours of the national rugby squad). This tasty little treat isn’t for everyone, but I found it went down very well, as did Mrs. Sip.

After departing Windhoek, our next stop was two nights camping in the Etosha National Park. The highlight of this stop wasn’t the dusty roads or hot temperatures, but was the watering hole a five-minute jaunt from our campsite. Mrs. Sip and I were quick to bring drinks and treats with us each time we visited, enjoying the nature that would come in and out of the area to join us for a beverage. We enjoyed beers during the afternoon, sunset with a bottle of wine (La Capra Sauvignon Blanc), and bubbly at night, as rhinos, elephants, giraffes, and even lions treated us to a marvellous and unique viewing experience.

From Etosha, we were off to the German-inspired town of Swakopmund, where I achieved a feat that had long been on my liquor bucket list: downing a two-liter boot of beer. The event took place at Brauhaus and was a perfect topper to our day activity of riding ATVs around the sand dunes. The next morning we enjoyed a boat cruise where we were joined onboard by seals, chased by pods of dolphins, and stalked by giant herons (one of which even “blessed” Mrs. Sip with some droppings).

Our stay in Namibia closed with some very cool experiences, such as climbing to the top of Dune 45 in the Namib Desert. Prior to ascending the sandy surface, I made sure to grab a beer to be enjoyed at the peak. It was a great reward, in spite of all the sand flying around the place, thanks to unusually strong winds.

With our tour coming to an end, we finally crossed the border into South Africa and geared up for a final hurrah as a group. Between craft breweries Mrs. Sip and I never expected to find and a wine industry we hoped would live up to expectations, there was much more still on the horizon. Make sure to come back tomorrow and join us on the journey.

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