Tag Archives: Steel & Oak Brewing

Sip Trips #241: Comfort and Joy

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December offered all the typical craziness of years past, with the added twist of still moving into our new place to add an extra level of insanity to the holiday season. As usual, we survived and thrived, getting up to a few shenanigans here and there. Here’s how the month played out:

My work Christmas lunch this year took place at Joey Shipyards. There, I had the very good Ahi Tuna Club. Although we were allowed to order adult beverages, providing we pay for them ourselves, a scan of the two tables showed no one else was willing to make this bold move, so I declined as well.

Office Christmas

Days later, we were off to Grand Mound, Washington, for a three-night stay at Great Wolf Lodge (GWL). En route, we stopped at Red Lobster in Olympia for a meal to celebrate Ma Sip’s birthday. I had my usual Sesame-Soy Salmon Bowl and Blue Moon Belgian White combo, which just hits the spot. I wish there was a closer Red Lobster than two-plus hours away, so I could enjoy the meal more regularly.

Also before arriving at GWL, we stopped at Costco and Walmart to do some provision shopping. I decided to try the Kirkland Hard Seltzer (with flavours of lime, grapefruit, mango and black cherry) as you just couldn’t beat the price. It was $10 cheaper than the similar White Claw offering, although that pack has six different flavours. I also grabbed some Spiced Rum and Dr. Pepper (Costco offers a 30-can case – excess at its finest!).

We had one sit down meal at GWL, dining at Fireside. There, I tried the Chili-Lime Chicken Bowl, paired with a pint of Talking Cedar Juicy IPA. While I wouldn’t rank this Mexican-inspired bowl up with the Asian ones I typically enjoy, it was not a disappointment either.

Red Lobster

Later in the month, we attended Mrs. Sip’s office Christmas party at The Boathouse. My drinks over the course of the evening included the Herb’N Soda and Smoke & Bourbon. As for my meal picks, from the set menu, I went with a Caesar Salad, the Grilled Salmon and the Mocha Ice Cream Pie for dessert. Everything tasted great, but the salmon could have used some sort of glaze or sauce.

The next night, Mrs. Sip and I were out again, offered a date night by the visiting Ma and Pa Sip. I surprised Mrs. Sip with a visit to the PoMo Express, a festively decorated heritage train at the Port Moody Museum. The event was only being run on a few selected nights in December, complete with food a drink offerings. Our food selections included the Beef and Pork Polpette, Arancini and Albacore Tuna Crudo. For drinks, we tried a couple of their select cocktails, while I also ordered a Parkside Humans IPA.

Following our train experience, we decided to travel some of the nearby Brewer’s Row. Our first stop was at Moody Ales, where we shared a flight, consisting of their Gingerbread Ale, O Christmas Tree IPA, Holiday Party Punch Sour and Hazelnut Honey Brown Ale. While the Christmas-themed beers were good, it was a prime example of my issue with flight costs. We shelled out $14 for four five-ounce servings (totalling 20 ounces of suds), while for only $8.50, we could have had a 20-ounce pint of any of those beers. Colour me confused…

Christmas Party

Next, we dropped into Parkside Brewing, where I tried the Orange You Glad Orange Cream Ale, while Mrs. Sip went with the cask offering Hot Frosty Pale Ale. We completed our evening out at Twin Sails Brewing, sharing a pint of the Frozen Banana Double Dipped Chocolate Banana Stout.

Right before Christmas, we met with friends we hadn’t seen in a long while at Steel & Oak Brewing. After trying samples of both the Sunglow Hefeweizen and You Party? Blackcurrant and Cherry Pale Ale, I went with the hef, but also enjoyed the pale ale.

Christmas Day finally arrived and a gift of note I received from Mrs. Sip was the Mixology & Murder book, combining two of my greatest loves: drinking and true crime.

Christmas Drunk

Christmas dinner brought my annual Christmas cocktail menu to life, with this year’s theme being holiday music. The drink recipes included: Fairytale of New York (Jameson Orange Irish Whiskey, Apple Juice, Club Soda), Do They Know It’s Christmas (Amarula Gold, Pomegranate Juice, Lemon-Lime Soda), Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree (Southern Comfort, Raspberry Iced Tea, Lemonade) and Little Drummer Boy (Bacardi Dragonberry Rum, Raspberry-Lemon Ginger Ale, Orange Bitters).

Following Christmas, I met with a group of guys for a night out. We began with beers at both Hops and Kelly O’Bryans, followed by a great dinner at El Santo. My meal consisted of Pastor and Barbacoa Tacos – after trading with a friend, so we could get a greater variety – along with drinks of the Magdalena cocktail (pisco, vanilla and mandarin syrup, lemon, egg whites, cinnamon) and Steel & Oak Festbier.

With New Year’s Eve plans falling through on the day of, we decided to have a quiet, relaxed night. It was a great way to wrap a wild 2024 and start thinking ahead to what will hopefully be a calmer 2025!

Sip Trips #231: Staying Local

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February was a very rare month for the Sip Family, where we didn’t travel anywhere. We remained local for the duration, but still got up to some shenanigans. Here’s how the month transpired:

With Girl Sip on a solo sleepover with Ma and Pa Sip and Mrs. Sip out for a girl’s night, Boy Sip and I spent some time together. After going to the Museum of Surrey and checking out their cool Lego exhibit, Boy Sip got to choose where we enjoyed dinner and he picked White Spot. While there, I had the Legendary Burger with Caesar Salad and a Spot Size Nat’s Pale Ale at happy hour. Boy Sip was happy to have his Pirate Pak Dippin’ Chicken, complete with vanilla milkshake and ice cream for dessert.

Ice Cream

Later on in February, Mrs. Sip and I began our early Valentine’s Day celebrations by attending the Township 7 Vineyards Love is Blind Wine Tasting for the third time in four years. I got one out of four right this year and the server said she saw where I was coming from with another of my answers, as it was a blended wine they offered. Ticket prices were $36 each and included some nibbles, both savoury and sweet, to go along with the wines.

The next night, we dropped into a Chocolate & Beer Pairing, hosted by Steel & Oak Brewing with Origins Chocolates Bar. Tickets were $30 each (total for two tickets, with taxes, came to $69, which I hope was entirely intentional!) and included four beer and chocolate combos. The set was comprised of Weekend Plans Passionfruit Lime Ale with Mission Chocolate (Dark Chocolate with Lime), First Press Cold Brew Coffee Stout with Tanzania Latte Chocolate, Anvil Imperial Stout with Peruvian Dark Milk Chocolate and Smoked Honey Doppelbock with Mirzam Papa New Guinea Dark Chocolate. We had fun at the event, with Mrs. Sip picking up a couple chocolate bars for the road.

In between our Valentine’s events, we had a dinner at Stefanos Greek Restaurant for friends who are moving away. Mrs. Sip and I shared a pitcher of Red Sangria as our beverage and I ate the Chicken Souvlaki platter. The food and company was good here, but our server disappeared at the end of the meal, despite an empty restaurant. This was annoying for Mrs. Sip and I, as we wanted to pay the bill and get home to bail out Ma and Pa Sip, who were with the Sipplings.

Valentine's Day

For Valentine’s Day treats for Mrs. Sip and myself, I bought bottles of Empress Elderflower Rose Gin and Smirnoff Tamarind Vodka, as they were on sale at BC Liquor Stores this month. I have since tried a couple recipes for the gin from the Empress website and used the vodka in a Caesar, with all drinks being good.

Our big event of the month was Girl Sip’s first ringette tournament out in Port Coquitlam. She played three games over the Family Day long weekend and we managed to visit Boardwalk Brewing during one of the breaks. There, I tried the Curious Creatures Parade of the Western Winds West Coast IPA. I also took home tall can four-packs of Boardwalk’s Mojo Mojito NEIPA and Belgian Waffle Belgian Strong from Odin Brewing.

Following the final game of the tournament, we returned home and went for dinner at Cockney Kings. Our group split an appetizer portion of Calamari, as well as the Haddock Family Pack, which includes five pieces of fish, two plates of fries and a large coleslaw. To pair with my meal, I had a pint of Okanagan Springs Pale Ale.

Fish and Chips

The following weekend, the Sip Advisor enjoyed a guy’s night out. The day began with drinks at Original Joe’s in Vancouver. I had two $5 happy hour glasses of OJ’s Red Ale, along with some Spicy Chicken Bites, which were good, but the serving of BBQ Ranch dip was waaaaaaaayyyyyy too small. Prior to heading to our Vancouver Canucks game, our crew also had a Pickleback Shot.

Over the course of the hockey game, I had a large Container Manifest Hazy Pale Ale and four Spiced Rum & Cokes. The team delivered a massive come from behind win in overtime to maintain first overall in the NHL, so all Canucks fans left happy.

Following the contest, a buddy and I had a nightcap at Browns Socialhouse, where I had a pint of Social IPA, to go along with my Sesame Ginger Gyoza. All in all, the day was a ton of fun and much needed for the ol’ Sip Advisor.

Hockey Drinking

Mrs. Sip and I were back at Rogers Arena just a few days later and despite trying to go to another restaurant, found ourselves back at Original Joe’s. This time, I ordered the daily special of Teriyaki Chicken Wings. My drink this time around ended up being the OJ’s Blonde Lager (tank size), as both the OJ’s Red Ale and a Winter Ale I was offered were out. The Lager ended up being served to me on the house, so I can’t complain.

We ended the month, on a rare Leap Day, by having dinner at Browns Socialhouse. Mrs. Sip was given a $10 gift card the original owner wasn’t going to use by its expiry date, so took the Sipplings with us to the eatery. I had the Szechuan Beef Noodle Bowl, with a pint of Social IPA. So… yeah, we basically had a $100 meal to spend someone else’s $10 rebate.

That wraps an eventful homebase February. March will be very different, as the Sip Advisor does his first long haul road trip. Over Spring Break, the whole crew will be heading to Escondido, California, for a couple weeks of fun in the sun!

Sip Trips #222: Goin’ to the Lodge

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May flew by quickly, highlighted by our first ever expedition to the Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound (Centralia), Washington. Aside from that, there was much adventure enjoyed by all. Let’s see how it all unfolded:

The month began with me meeting Mrs. Sip and the kids after work in Port Coquitlam. There, we had dinner at Patina Brewing, where I combined the Fries N’ More Pile (with Pulled Pork) with pints of the brewery’s Hazy Pale Ale and Amber Lager. The barbecue at Patina is some of the best I’ve come across locally and Mrs. Sip and I continually return for the meats.

A few days later, it was Cinco de Mayo. Mrs. Sip and I were granted a date night by Ma and Pa Sip, so made quite the evening of it. First, we ventured to Port Moody’s Brewer’s Row, drawn by a social media post by Parkside Brewing. While I was hoping to try the Paloma Ale Cask they advertised, apparently the beer presented more as a Lime Margarita Ale Cask, so was renamed. While there, we did have a decadent Churro Donut and split some delicious tacos (Braised Beef with Jalapeno Cheese Crust and Korean Pork from the Taps & Tacos food truck.

Lucha Libre

Up next, was our first visit to Rewind Brewing, where I loved the 80s/90s theming. To drink, I had the Scantron Saison (a collab between Rewind and Brassneck), while Mrs. Sip compiled a flight, consisting of the Leg Warmers Hot Cocoa Ale, The Dark Crystal Dark Ale, Hammer Time Hazy Pale Ale and Rainbow Road Passionfruit-Guava-Pomegranate Fruit Ale/Sour. The flight was served on a cafeteria tray, which I thought was a neat touch. Our last stop on the Row was Rocky Point Spirits, where Mrs. Sip ordered a Horchata Hootch and I went with a Margarita.

With a buzz going, it was time to head to our main event (literally!), as we travelled to Downtown Vancouver’s infamous Commodore Ballroom for a Nation Extreme Wrestling show. Tickets were $47.75 each, with lucha libre matches and a mariachi band advertised. The venue also offered tacos and quesadillas, along with Mexican beers. To pair with my tacos, I had a Stanley Park Trail Hopper IPA, followed later in the show by a Mexican Mule cocktail.

Later in the month, Mrs. Sip and I had another date night, taking advantage of the opportunity to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 at the Cineplex VIP Theatre in Coquitlam. Arriving as the previews started, I quickly ordered a Whiskey Business (whiskey, blackberry syrup, basil, lime, ginger ale), which was tasty. Following the movie, we went for a late dinner at the nearby Cactus Club, where I selected the Chicken Tenders and an Ugly Wheat Ale.

Chicken Tenders

The next night, we were back at it, this time with the kids in tow. Following the Jurassic Quest event at the Vancouver Convention Centre – which we would never do again, by the way – we took the kids to White Spot for eats. I paired the Legendary Burger (with Caesar Salad) with a Granville Island Beachcomber Hefeweizen, while revelling in the Toronto Maple Leafs defeat and elimination from the NHL playoffs.

For the May long weekend, we packed up our swim trunks and our flippy floppies, crossing the border en route to the Great Wolf Lodge. On the way, we stopped for dinner at Red Lobster in Olympia, Washington. Although I was tempted to order some lobster, the Sesame-Soy Salmon Bowl caught my attention thanks to the combo of ingredients included in it, such as edamame beans and crispy Brussels sprouts, not to mention the delicious sauces. I completed the meal with a Blue Moon beer.

To stock up our room for the weekend, we bought the White Claw Bring the Wave Variety Pack (Citrus Yuzu Smash, Tropical Pomelo Smash, Watermelon Lime Smach, Wildberry Acai Smash), a four-pack of Cutwater Tiki Rum Mai Tai ready-to-enjoy cocktail and a bottle of Bacardi Spiced Rum.

Clawserole

Our entire family, kids and adults alike, enjoyed the stay at Great Wolf Lodge. While the resort is definitely geared towards youngsters, Mrs. Sip and I felt there was enough for adults to join in on, not to mention we felt comfortable walking around the place with drinks in hand. To set up our crew with the visit, Mrs. Sip purchased the Sip & Savor Pass, which provided the following:

  • 1 appetizer at Lodge Wood Fired Grill
  • 2 rounds of Howl at the Moon Mini Golf
  • 1 Wine Down or Northwest Brews Package
  • $20 Arcade Card at Northwest Lights Arcade
  • Choice of 2 Mimosas or Bloody Mary drinks at Loose Moose
  • 2 Tiki Souvenir Sippers at Grizzly Rob’s

For our meal at Lodge Wood Fired Grill, we used our free appy on 12 Jumbo Wings, selecting a mix of Korean and BBQ Dry Rub. We also ordered a plate of Potato Chip Nachos. For beverages, I enjoyed the Gold Rush (Jameson Whiskey, honey, lemon, pineapple, Angostura bitters, ginger beer), while Mrs. Sip had a Lodge Mojito (Light Rum, coconut water, mint, lime juice, club soda). I liked that the Kid’s Meals included all three side options, giving picky kids lots of choice.

Great Wolf Lodge

We also had one lunch at the nearby Burger Claim restaurant. I had an Original Burger with Fries, paired with a bottle of Elysian Space Dust IPA.

After checking out, we drove the short distance to Talking Cedar Brewing, which also houses Heritage Distilling. We ate at the facility’s restaurant, with my feast including a Cellar Door Wheat Ale with Jordanian Sage Tea and Fried Chicken Sandwich. As we were leaving, we bought a bottle of Cocoa Bomb Chocolate Whiskey to bring home.

One last stop on the drive home was Rail Hop’n Brewing in Auburn. As Boy Sip could watch the many trains that pass the location, Mrs. Sip and I were able to enjoy pints of their Firebox Jalapeno Amber and Strawberry Patch Cream Ale. The jovial owner and brewer also offered us samples of other wares, including his Jalapeno Blonde.

Chug Life

The next day, we took visiting friends to Steel & Oak Brewing, where I tried the Yuzu Guava Pale Ale (collab with Fieldhouse). Mrs. Sip went with the Gin & Spruce cocktail, as she was back to her keto diet. We also took our friends to Frankie G’s Pub for a quick bite to eat, before they flew out that night. For eats, I had the Pulled Pork Sandwich, paired with a pint of Four Winds La Maison Tropical Ale.

That wrapped the month of May for the Sip Family. June is already fully booked, with excursions to Whistler, Sechelt and the Okanagan on the calendar. There’s also celebrations such as birthdays (young and old) and Father’s Day to be mindful of!

Sip Trips #204: December Dynamics

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Well, the merriest month of the year has come and gone and as we settle into the melancholy that January can often bring, it’s time to look back on how the Sip Family enjoyed December. There’s a fair bit to cover, so let’s get right to it:

We began the month with a trip to ride the Stanley Park Christmas Train. En route, we dropped into Storm Brewing, as I had wanted to pick up their Christmas themed tall can four-pack, including one can each of Christmas Orange Ale, Eggnog Latte Stout, Turkey Dinner IPA and Xmas Tree Pilsner. While there, Mrs. Sip and I shared a series of samples, comprised of the brewery’s Pineapple Paradise Pilsner, Strawberry Shortcake Ale, Chocolate Strawberry Stout and Mrs. Claus Pilsner (brewed with winter spices). It was an enjoyable stop, highlighted by the most unique beers the local scene has to offer.

beer-christmas

Prior to our train ride, we had dinner at the Stanley Park Brewpub. There, I enjoyed a Red Rye Session IPA and Master Chicken Sandwich. We had great service for our large group and the food and drink were very good.

The next week, for a Christmas party with friends, I picked up the Red Racer Dozen Donuts Mix Pack, composed of three each of Honey Crueller Lager, Chocolate Dip Stout, Raspberry Jelly Sour and Boston Cream Ale. Among the set, my favourites were the Stout and Cream Ale.

Although we had a couple Canucks games scheduled for the month, only one contest ended up going ahead (thanks a bunch, COVID!). Prior to the match, we met with friends at the Hotel Georgia 1927 Lobby Lounge, where I had a liquid dinner of their Hotel Georgia cocktail (Botanist Gin, orgeat, lemon, orange blossom water, egg white and nutmeg dust). It was a very nice drink, but I found the lounge to generally be more expensive than I was planning for.

Expensive

At the game, I enjoyed servings of Hoyne Dark Matter, Parkside Dreamboat Hazy IPA and Stanley Park 1897 Amber Ale. This was the Canucks game where they were down 3-0 early, before storming back and scoring the winning goal with minutes left in the game, coming away with a 4-3 victory. If COVID keeps scuttling games for us, that memory will last a while.

A couple nights later, Mrs. Sip and I took the kids to the Surrey Holiday Lights display. The free event was very well done and offered some drink options for adults. While Mrs. Sip had a spiked hot chocolate and a glass of wine, I went with a can of the Stanley Park Shadow Play Dark Ale. Afterwards, we went for dinner at the nearby Boston Pizza, where I sipped a double Spiced Rum and Coke, along with the Sriracha Garlic Chicken Pizza. It was a good meal and even came with a free Toblerone bar, as it was part of the special seasonal menu.

Next up, was Mrs. Sip’s office Christmas party, hosted at El Santo. Among a very filling set menu dinner, I ordered a number of cocktails, including the El Antijito (pulparindo-infused Cazadores blanco, Aperol, green apple, lime, guava, house-made chamoy and tajin rim); Grito de Delores (estancia raicilla, Cointreau, Green Chartreuse, verdita); El Bosque Nuboso (Avua cachaca, Bacardi 8, Sombra mezcal, Campari, pineapple, lime, passionfruit, Narrative fortified); and the El Padrino (Charred corn husk infused mezcal, Sons of Vancouver amaretto, house mole bitters) for dessert. I also had sips of Mrs. Sip’s Tepache Spritz (house-made tepache, cava, pineapple, cinnamon, soda).

Chips

Unfortunately, our Canucks vs. Leafs game (the reason we select the quarter season package we do) was cancelled due to Omicron concerns. To take advantage of the break in our schedule, Mrs. Sip and I decided to tackle our Christmas shopping, decorating and wrapping. To console ourselves, we began the day of errands with lunch at Milestones. My 1989 Burger was very good and I loved that the server suggested I do half fries and half Caesar Salad, when I struggled to decide on my side dish. More places should offer this option. To drink, I had a pint of the Twin Sails Dat Juice Pale Ale.

After our shopping was done, we dropped into Steel & Oak Brewing, where we shared a flight including B-Jamz Cherry Apricot Pale Ale, Nightcap Cranberry Orange Belgian Ale, Baltic Porter and Phonograph Maple Smoked Porter. Mrs. Sip also grabbed bottles of their Woodland Dark Lager and Velvet Thunder Barrel-Aged Wild Ale, before we returned home for a night of drinks, snacks and Home Alone movies, while wrapping gifts and doing some decorating.

Our last event prior to Christmas was Lumagica in Cloverdale. The weather was really windy, but we enjoyed the light displays and walk. The kids absolutely loved the outing, which is really what the season is about. As we traversed the route, I enjoyed a 2 Pals Cuffing Season Winter Ale.

Lights

Our Christmas Eve, Christmas and Boxing Day were all fun, if not hectic, but that’s par for the course. Liquor-related gifts I received included bottles of Wayward Distilleries Krupnik Spiced Honey Liqueur and Raspberry Gin Liqueur, as well as Havana Club Cuban Smoky Rum. I also got a BC Liquor Stores gift card for future adventures and The Unofficial Disney Parks Drink Recipe book for inspiration for those adventures.

Some notable boozy gifts I had for Mrs. Sip, included some neat new beers: tall can four-packs of Granville Island Cheeky Monkey Chocolate and Vanilla Hefeweizen, Russell Cinnamon Bun Brown Ale and Twin Sails These Pretzels Are Making Me Thirsty Stout (Chocolate, Peanut, Pretzel, Marshmallow). Also, single tall cans of Granville Island Prometheus Belgian-Style Golden Strong and Seawall Saison. We spent some of Boxing Day trying a few of these offerings.

For Christmas dinner, hosted at Ma and Pa Sip’s abode, I finally got to serve the Christmas cocktail menu I created for last year’s festivities. My theme was cocktails from around the world, with names that translated to Merry Christmas, featuring ingredients from those places. This resulted in the Mele Kalikimaka (Toasted Coconut Rum, Macadamia Nut Liqueur, Mango-Pineapple Juice, Lime Juice), Feliz Navidad (Cinnamon Tequila, Kahlua Vanilla, Milk/Soda Water), Joyeux Noel (Grey Goose Le Melon Vodka, Elderflower Liqueur, Lemon-Lime Soda) and Buon Natale (Limoncello, Amaretto, Ginger Beer).

Gifts

Our last outing of December was to Patina Brewing. Mrs. Sip and I shared their Smoked Meat Bunwich (pulled pork in Memphis BBQ sauce) with fries and coleslaw, Pulled Pork Tacos and Southern Cornbread. Our beverages included an excellent Horchata Cream Ale (also bought a tall can four-pack) and Blueberry Wheat Ale. I loved seeing horchata used in a cream ale, as I typically only see it used in dark, heavier beers, such as stouts.

That’s a wrap for the month and the year. I hope to get my Best of 2021 out there soon. As for no mention of New Year’s on this article, it’s because the night was a dud, inspiring a future article on the best and worst holidays. Lots to look forward to as we begin 2022!

Sip Trips #201: September Celebrations

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Well, September was a busy month, as it usually is, filled with numerous birthdays and other activities as the summer comes to a close and we try to eke out the last bits of outdoor fun. Let’s see what the Sip Family did to wrap up the season:

September began with a visit to the Great Canadian Brewhouse in Abbotsford, as we returned home from a day with the kids at Cultus Lake Adventure Park. We may have been pushing our luck after a really good but long day, as both young’uns were in no mood for us to enjoy a restaurant meal. We tried to make the best of it, but the restaurant was also out of a few of the Feature Menu items Mrs. Sip wanted to try and a beer I had hoped to have. Mrs. Sip did join their app/rewards club, which gave us access to a free order of Golden Garlic Fingers, which were very good. She also ordered the Triple Eh! Peppered Angus Steak Bites, along with a Same Team Soda, while I paired the Brewhouse Hoser Club with a Stanley Park Windstorm Pale Ale. Despite any of the issues, we returned to their Richmond location later in the month to try more of their menu.

Club Sandwich

The next week, we popped into Steel & Oak Brewing, since they had food and drink Mrs. Sip was interested in trying. While I enjoyed my Turned Out Spruce Tip Ale, Mrs. Sip finally got to try the Berliner Weisse flight with three different syrups (orange and saffron, ginger and turmeric, and spruce tip) she had been curious about for much of the summer. The Mr. Arancino food truck was also on site, so we grabbed a set of Risotto Balls from it, Arancini being one of Mrs. Sip’s favourite appetizers.

En route to visit some friends in Langley, I popped into the Clayton Liquor Store and picked up tall can four-packs of Vancouver Island Watermelon Hibiscus Blonde (Tidal Series) and Russell Strawberry & Kiwi Milkshake IPA. Both beers were perfect for a late summer outing. I had originally stopped at the store, hoping to track down the Phillips Twenty Point Buck (Barrel-Aged Blue Buck) 20th Anniversary Gift Set with commemorative glass. I was unlucky here, but did eventually find the product at the Central City Bridgeview Liquor Store.

The next day, after taking advantage of advanced voting in the Canadian federal election, we celebrated with dinner at Brown’s Social House in Sapperton. We took advantage of a few Social Hour deals, including Parmesan Garlic Fries, Crispy Cauliflower and beverages including the Social Palmer for me and Summer Social Soda for Mrs. Sip. For my meal, I went with the Florida Special (crispy chicken, avocado, bacon, Swiss cheese, tomato, and coleslaw on a toasted baguette) with Caesar Salad. For Girl Sip, we ordered a Kids Dragon Bowl, the leftovers of which became my yummy lunch the next day.

Leftovers

That weekend, The Bakery Brewing was advertising Nitro Pumpkin Spice Porter Floats, which caught the attention of Mrs. Sip. Since we were gathering with friends at a park in the area anyway, we decided to pop in for the float. We also ordered taster glasses of their Amber Ale, Strawberry Farmhouse Ale and Bavarian Hefeweizen. Once again, though, the kids were not into the prospect of hanging out at a brewery… at least until we bribed them with some ice cream!

To celebrate my birthday, we started with lunch at Kelly O’Bryan’s, taking advantage of their free birthday meal offer. I went with the Chicken Lips N’ Fries, with a Black Currant Mojito and Fernie Hit the Deck Hazy IPA to wash the food down. It was a great start to the celebrations, which would also include a Chinese dinner feast with family in the evening.

I received a number of alcohol-based gifts for my birthday, including four-can tall packs of Camp Fall Camp Smoked Amber Ale and Lazy River Watermelon Gose from Cousin Sip; the Central City Summer Weekender 24 Pack from Ma and Pa Sip; a bottle Havana Club Añejo Rum from the Sip-in-Laws; and a bomber of Barnside Heavy Horse Blueberry Milkshake IPA from Mrs. Sip and the Sipplings.

Birthday Gifts

The next day was Girl Sip’s birthday and with a My Little Pony theme, I compiled a cocktail menu for the occasion (for the adults, of course). Drinks included: Twilight Sparkle (Crème de Violette, Bubbly); Pinkie Pie (White Rum, Peach Schnapps, Pink Lemonade, Whip Cream, Garnished with Sprinkles); Applejack (Southern Comfort, Jack Daniel’s Winter Apple, Iced Tea); and Rainbow Dash (Arctic Grape Rum, Blue Curacao, Club Soda).

We continued my birthday celebrations on the weekend, getting together with a group of friends for an evening out. The expedition started with gathering at ABC Brewing for some bevvies. Between Mrs. Sip and myself, I tried their Festbier, Water Frolic Small IPA, Fest IPA and Imperial Stout. Next up, was a couple hours at the Industry Arcade next door. Here, we could play a host of pinball and arcade games, as well as Skee Ball. It was a lot of fun, with highlights for me being playing The Simpsons and Bubble Bobble arcade games.

From there, we moved onto the Sapperton District Taphouse, where I had a pair of beers, consisting of the Parkside Dreamboat IPA and Tin House High Knoll Hazy IPA. I also took the time to refuel a little, with an order of the Chicken Sliders. My night gets a little foggy here, as one would expect after drinking all afternoon, but I remember having fun with what was left of our group.

Arcade Games

With our friends all done for the evening, returning to their respective kids, but with Mrs. Sip and I free of such obligations, thanks to Ma and Pa Sip, we decided to try to take in a movie at the New West Landmark Cinemas. I say try, because the Sip Advisor ended up crashing and sleeping throughout our viewing of Free Guy. What can I say, dark theatres are my kryptonite. Thankfully, the movie has since made its way onto Disney+, allowing my to absolve the guilt I felt for missing out.

The next morning, after picking up the Sipplings, we ventured out to Richmond and the Great Canadian Brewhouse there for our aforementioned return to the chain. Meeting up with a friend, we shared an order of the Birthday Nachos we were offered through their app. I paired the giant order with a tankard of Central City Super Solar IPA, which my friend picked up the tab for, so all in all, it was a pretty inexpensive meal.

The following weekend, we travelled to the Sunshine Coast to spend four nights at a beautiful Airbnb home in Gibsons. On our first day, we had lunch at Tapworks Brewing, where Mrs. Sip and I split servings of the One Sailing Wait IPA and Backwoods Hazy Pale Ale. To eat, I selected the Crispy Chicken Bao, which was overflowing with delicious hoisin-drizzled fried chicken.

Nachos

Our next outing was a late lunch at The 101 Brewhouse & Distillery. We had a nice outdoor table, which allowed the kids to roam a little bit, as we ate and drank and supervised… well, mostly supervised! Split between our trio of parents, we ordered the Poutine, Hot Fried Chicken Sandwich and Chicken Quesadillas, which provided quite the spread. To drink, I had the Tall Faller Hazy IPA. As The 101 is also a distillery, Mrs. Sip made a point of trying one of their cocktails, selecting the 101 Coast Sour (gin, bourbon, lemon juice, mint, simple syrup, bitters, topped with Brickers Cider).

Afterwards, we hit the Persephone Brewing farm where Mrs. Sip and I had servings of the Brett Saison and Oktoberfest Lager. If not for our collection of kids, I could have stayed at the location longer, enjoying another pint or two. Even the occasional whiff of typical farm smells wouldn’t have deterred us!

For our last full day, we journeyed to Sechelt, to visit Batch 44 Brewery & Kitchen. Mrs. Sip put together a flight of their Lonely Giant IPA, The Village Altbier, Happy Wanderer Hefeweizen and an Earl Grey Cider, so I elected to go with a brew she didn’t choose, in the Frosty Morning Scottish Ale. My only complaint about the beer is it came in at a 4% ABV and I would have liked that a little higher.

Farm

The only Sunshine Coast brewery we weren’t able to visit was Powell River’s Townsite Brewing, so I picked up a tall can four-pack of their Savary Beaches Wheat Ale (Shoreline Series) from a BC Liquor Store. It helped me complete the Brewers Coast collection.

That was a wrap on a wild and eventful month. October has already started out busy and with a trip to Osoyoos in the cards, along with a number of Halloween events on the calendar, there will surely be much to write about!

Sip Trips #186: Summer Sizzle

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It’s been a while since I did an update on our adventures and we now have Baby Sip up to 13 brewery visits, so there’s lots to talk about. Without further adieu, let’s get right to it:

Our recent activity began in late June, with a visit to Langley’s Five Roads Brewing. There, Mrs. Sip and I split a flight of beers, consisting of their Double Whammy Passionfruit Mango Sour, Harry Porter, Worlds Collide Sour IPA and Do You Even Sk8 Bro? Sour Saison. I also tried a sip of the Jordy Mac’s Work Hard Play Hard ESB off of Cousin Sip’s flight. It was nice to sit outside and enjoy some nice weather after a fairly dreary month.

Following the beers, we were off for dinner at Annora, to celebrate a friend’s birthday. I ordered the three-course set menu, choosing prawns with chorizo and risotto as my appetizer; duck with mashed potatoes and vegetables as my main and a chocolate brownie for dessert. The meal was fantastic, all paired with a serving of Red Truck Round Trip Amber Ale and we look forward to going back and trying some other options soon. Their happy hour offerings look particularly good.

happy-hour

For a nightcap, we popped into Farm Country Brewing, sharing another flight. This set was made up of their Whippersnapper Kellerbier, Hootenanny DDH Pale Ale, Slam Dunkel and Countryside Apricot Peach Kettle Sour. I liked the space at this brewery and enjoyed their flight coming out in a bucket. We also took home a tall can four-pack of their Strawberry Rhubarb Kettle Sour, which I really enjoyed.

For Canada Day, en route to Ma and Pa Sip’s place, we stopped at Central City Brewing for a drink. While Mrs. Sip ordered The Mangolorian Ale, I had a glass of the Hazy Dreamer Hazy Pale Ale. For Canada Day celebrations, I went through a pack from Red Truck Brewing, highlighted by the Seas the Day Pineapple Hefeweizen.

A couple weeks back, we visited ABC Brewing and lucked out with both kids sleeping through our drinks. Mrs. Sip and I shared servings of their Priorities DDH Hazy Double IPA and Just a Phase Saison. Afterwards, we put together a tall can four-pack to go, including the two we just drank and also The Hardest Part West Coast Pale Ale and Dazed and Cocofuzed Dark Pilsner. This company keeps pumping out neat beers, just as quickly as I can try them all.

Empty Beer

Last Friday, I took a day off work to take Baby Sip to his four-month doctor’s appointment and since we’d be in Vancouver for that, Mrs. Sip and I figured we might as well hit a few breweries. We started at the R&B Ale & Pizza House, where I had an amazing Pulled Pork Pizza, paired with a very good Out Fer A Ripa Rye IPA. Mrs. Sip had a Caprese Salad and flight (Stay In Your Vancouver Special IPA, Raven Cream Ale, Hipster Haze IPA and Sour Patch Dudes) for her meal. We also had a taster of their Camouflage Is Not A Colour and a charity beer they had just tapped for serving. Afterwards, we ventured down the street for a quick sleeve at Electric Bicycle Brewing, selecting the It’s No Game Hazy IPA.

Yesterday, a drive to Mrs. Sip’s office turned into beers at Steel & Oak Brewing, enjoying their newly-constructed patio, set up to continue serving up suds during this pandemic. I really enjoyed my Surefire Raspberry Tangerine Pale Ale (taking a tall can four-pack home as well), while Mrs. Sip was really into her Smoked Honey Dopplebock. We also grabbed a bottle of the recently-released Otago Saison to go.

Looks like we’re well stocked to beat this heat we’ve been experience lately. If August shapes up anything like July ended up being, I greatly look forward to the next set of adventures!

Sip Trips #163: Sudsy Events

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The past week in Sip AdvisorLand started with a bang as we attended our much-anticipated Mucha Lucha beer pairing dinner at El Santo in New Westminster. Working with Steel & Oak and Four Winds breweries, El Santo’s chef concocted a delicious six-course meal, featuring grilled rhubarb; chocolate-crusted elk; flaked salmon; bison flank; charred cinnamon ling cod; and lemon cheesecake for dessert. These were paired, respectively, with Four Winds Pequeno Cabo; Steel & Oak Hideaway IPA; Four Winds La Maison Saison; Steel & Oak Marzen; Four Winds IPA; and Steel & Oak Kviek Ale.

I started the evening with the restaurant’s La Condesa cocktail (orange peel-infused Pisco, Amaro Montenegro, lemon, epazote syrup, cascabel chili-sugar rim), which was beautifully presented and quite refreshing. Tickets were $75 (with partial proceeds going to the Canucks Autism Network) and while each beer was only tasting-sized, we left very full and satisfied.

beer pairing

The very next day, we participated in the Craft Cask Clash at One20 Public House in North Delta. For the price of one 12oz serving ticket ($4), participants got a 5oz sample of each cask from six breweries. Vying for a tap line at the bar, the companies brought some interesting casks, including: Russell Lemon Meringue Sour; Fuggles & Warlock Pineapple Destiny IPA; Big Ridge Oatmeal Stout; Old Yale Mango Wheat (with orange peel, lemon, lime, coriander and rum); Parkside Pineapple Jalapeno Pale Ale; and Red Racer Mango Passionfruit ISA.

This event was extremely good value and for all the festivities we attend where we shell out large sums of money, I felt this was one where we leveled that plane out a little bit. Following our beers, we stuck around for dinner at the One20 Public House. I enjoyed a serving of Chicken Strips, while Mrs. Sip went with the Stuffed Yorkies. This was the first time One20 had done an event like this and I hope to see them do similar activities in the future.

beer tap

Over the weekend, I came up with a new concept for my drinking enjoyment. When it comes to BC craft beer cases, I’ve virtually had them all. So, to mix things up, I’m going to do exactly that and create my own mashups. My first attempt came by combining Stanley Park Brewing’s Trail Hopper IPA and Sunsetter Peach Wheat Ale to create what I’m calling the Sunset Hopper. The hybrid was very good, with the bitterness one would expect from an IPA softened by the peach flavours of the wheat ale. I will report on my other developments in the future.

Things will probably be pretty light this coming week, as the Sip Family concentrates on preparing for our vacation to Europe. That said, Cinco de Mayo is around the corner and my collection of various tequilas are itching for some attention. We’ll see if anything occurs that needs to be documented!

Sip Trips #159: Free Bird Follies

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As winter fades away and spring emerges from the darkness, the Sip Family has been busy. Mrs. Sip was recently in Las Vegas with her girlfriends, providing the Sip Advisor a little time to get reacquainted with loved ones. Those would include new purchases, such as Steel & Oak Talanoa Wheat Ale and Lamb’s Cherry Spiced Rum. The Talanoa (Fijian for sharing stories and ideas to build relationships and understanding) was brewed by the ladies of Steel & Oak Brewing as their second annual Women’s Charity Brew. Proceeds from the beer, made with black currant and rosemary, are going to The Kettle Society, which provides support for people living with mental illness. The Spiced Rum was an interesting find as I perused the aisles of a nearby liquor store. Thanks to an online suggestion, I’ve used the booze in a Mai Tai recipe and look forward to throwing it in a Dark N’ Stormy soon.

rum locations

As for events, Mrs. Sip and I attended the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert at the Abbotsford Centre last Friday. Prior to heading out to the valley, we had dinner at Milestones, capitalizing on their afternoon happy hour for servings of Phillip’s Electric Unicorn White IPA and Hoyne Dark Matter. The two Victoria-based brews paired nicely with my Crispy Sweet Chili Chicken Bowl, which I would definitely order again. Mrs. Sip had the Caprese Crispy Chicken Sandwich, which I snagged a bite of, and also enjoyed.

As for the concert, I think my hearing is still slowly coming back. The show was rocking all the way through the night and the band ending their appearance with an encore performance of Free Bird was everything a fan could have asked for. Arriving early, we took advantage of the Vancouver Island Brewing free tasting being offered and also grabbed cans of a couple Foamers’ Folly Brewing selections, including the Hot Box IPA for me and Raspberry Honey Hefeweizen for Mrs. Sip.

freebird nursery rhyme.jpg

After a day of “rest”, where we only had two commitments to make, we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day at Dead Frog Brewing. They turned their Steel Toe Lager green (with natural ingredients), so we crossed that tradition off the to-do list. Mrs. Sip also ordered a pint of the newly-released Pineapple Midnight Tropical Porter for us to share, which had an interesting blend of summer and winter flavours. For food, we imbibed with Pork Carnitas Street Tacos for moi and some Avocado Toast for the mademoiselle. Both were quite good and recommendable. The Dead Frog staff deserve major kudos for doing their best to make guests comfortable on a very busy day and for providing live music and cupcakes for children young and old at heart.

In the coming weeks, Mrs. Sip and I will celebrate 17 years of being in a relationship. I honestly can’t believe she’s put up with me this long!

Sip Trips #157: Puerto Vallarta Paradise

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The Sip Family is back from our week-long all-inclusive vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. We’re well-rested, slightly tanned and ready to hit the ground running at home. Before we can do that, though, it’s time to put a bow on this getaway. Here’s what we got up to in what I like to call “Yarta”:

We stayed at the Crown Paradise Club, which was a very nice resort, full of friendly and helpful staff, lots of stuff for kids to do and good food and drinks for the adults. We enjoyed each of the resort’s three restaurants, featuring French, Italian and Asian food, as well as the four bars scattered across the property. My go-to drinks included Cuba Libres, Palomas, servings of Dos Equis Ambar, and Johnnie Walker Red nightcaps.

drinks for everyone

In the middle of our trip, we ventured into town to visit the two craft breweries I had researched. Starting at Monzon Brewing, we enjoyed a flight of Peachy Gringo American Wheat with Peach, Verano Sin Fin Saison, Animo American Amber, Hermanita Session IPA, and A-Sacala Azacca Hopped IPA, paired with happy hour food specials Cheesy Garlic Bread and Chicken and Chorizo Tacos. Their happy hour goes from 3-5pm, setting patrons up perfectly for nearby Los Muertos Brewing, who run their 35-Peso per beer happy hour from 4-6pm. At Los Muertos, we ordered pints of the Anillo De Fuego Chili Ale for me, El Jefeweizen Summer Wheat for Mrs. Sip and Agave Maria Amber Ale to split. The place also had some intriguing food deals, such as 30-Peso slices of pizza.

The next day, we walked to the nearby Walmart to grab some pool toys for Baby Sip. There, I grabbed some unique canned products in Kraken & Cola and Jose Cuervo Paloma. The drinks were quite tasty and perfectly refreshing for walks in the hot sun.

Returning to town on our last day of vacation, we stopped for lunch at Señor Frog’s, trying to balance my desire for McDonald’s and Mrs. Sip’s want for something more local, with something familiar, but also not available at home for us. We both ordered one of their famous beverages, with Mrs. Sip opting for the Frog’s Buster (vodka, rum, gin, triple sec, cranberry juice, simple syrup, lime) and myself choosing the Big Watermelons (tequila, watermelon and strawberry liqueur, lime juice, guava, grenadine). For food, we shared the Queso Dip and some Pork Tacos, which were both delicious meals and very filling.

senor frogs queen

Right before leaving the resort, we wrapped things up with the time-tested tradition of tequila, salt and lime! We will definitely be back, as we found Puerto Vallarta to be a very clean, manageable and friendly destination. Cab rides were reasonable, the sights were beautiful and the temperatures were ideal.

Upon returning to cold, snowy Canada, we spent Family Day walking the Quayside Boardwalk in New West, eventually landing at Steel & Oak Brewing. There, we split three flights, comprised of each of the 12 beers they had on tap. My favourites from the collection were the Roselle Wheat Ale and Kataja Juniper Ale.

Next up, we’re hosting an Oscars viewing party, where I’ve selected and adapted some interesting cocktail recipes. We also have a few highly-anticipated Vancouver Canucks events to attend on the horizon, such as our SportsBar Live! viewing party and contest versus the hated Toronto Maple Leafs!

Sip Trips #155: Beer Birthday

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The past couple weekends have been loaded with commitments. Here’s what we’ve been up to, of late:

On a recent stop at Steel & Oak Brewing, we picked up a tall can four-pack of their recently released Blush Rosé Saison. The limited edition brew looks beautiful and is quite tasty, utilizing Merlot and Cab Franc grape skins from the brewery’s neighbour, Pacific Breeze Winery. Partial proceeds are going to the Camp Kerry Society and their efforts towards bereavement care. I’ve noticed more wine and bubbly concepts becoming intertwined with the beer industry lately, with Brut IPAs becoming a very popular variety.

bubbly orange

Last weekend, prior to our matinee Vancouver Canucks game, we visited the new Brewhall (formerly Steel Toad Brewing) in the Olympic Village area. I like what the Tap & Barrel folks have done with this place, with the video games and picnic bench seating. Their lineup of beers is also quite impressive, stocked with many of their own releases and collaborations with other BC breweries. While devouring my Crispy Chicken Burger with Dirty Cheesy Fries, Mrs. Sip and I enjoyed pints of the Hoyne & Brewhall German Amber Wheat Ale and Brewhall Polar Beer White Stout. Had we not had the game to attend, I could have drank a few more beers and enjoyed the afternoon there.

This past weekend was Mrs. Sip’s birthday, so a massive HAPPY BIRTHDAY needs to be shouted from all corners of the globe to my muse. Mrs. Sip shares her birthday with one of our good friends, who was celebrating the big 4-0. His wife decided to throw him a surprise party at Mariner Brewing, which was a great location for our large group. Over the course of the evening, I enjoyed pints of their Glow Holiday Spiced Ale and Horizon Winter Pale Ale, along with a taster glass of their Northeast IPA. While I didn’t have any food myself, dishes that came out, including pizzas, hotdogs and popcorn, all looked good.

Upcoming, we have a member’s only event at Township 7 Winery and some kind of vacation around the Family Day long weekend… so long as we can figure out a place to go!