Tag Archives: Two Tides ISA

BC Beer Baron #262 – Granville Island Two Tides ISA

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While recently hanging out poolside at Ma and Pa Sip’s place, the Sip Advisor was in need of beer refreshment. That was satisfied with some selections from Granville Island Brewing, including this tasty treat.

The Two Tides ISA is light but flavourful, with stats of 4.6% ABV and 35 IBUs. As the brewery states, the beer is “the lighter way to an IPA”. It’s a perfect beverage for summer barbecues and camping trips, but won’t mess you up too much in warmer temperatures. For those on the fence with regards hoppier drinks, this product will satisfy.

granville-island-two-tides-isa

First released in 2015, the brew returned this year as part of National Beer Day celebrations. With this homecoming, the ISA became a year-round release. It is available in both the bottled and canned versions of GIB’s Summer Mingler case, as well as on its own in six-packs.

Two Tides refers to both high and low tide and everything in between. As a result, suggested food pairings include surf n’ turf dishes, which are ideal in this province, given our proximity to both the ocean and Alberta beef.

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BC Beer Baron #229 – Granville Island Hey Day Hefeweizen

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Each month, as part of this 366-day BC craft beer extravaganza that I will be sharing with you throughout 2016, I will highlight a specific style or theme of beers for a whole week of articles. Mrs. Sip and I are huge fans of hefeweizens and witbiers. I mean, is there a better summer beer style? Let’s take a look at what BC has to offer in the field.

The Sip Advisor has spent many a summer afternoon with this Granville Island Brewing beverage in his hand. As the brewery writes, the beer is “Great with brunch, patios, and bright dispositions. Let it shine.”

The Hey Day Hefeweizen – formerly known as the Robson Street Hefeweizen, thanks to Granville Island’s penchant for naming beers after Vancouver landmarks – the product was rebranded and moved from GIB’s core brands lineup to their Under the Bridge Series, which was launched to celebrate the company’s 30th anniversary. At 5% ABV and 15 IBUs, the beer is light, but is packed with flavours of clove and banana.

Granville Island Hey Day Hefeweizen

The brew is available in bottled six-packs, 473ml tall cans, and as part of the company’s bottled Summer Mingler case (also including the English Bay Pale Ale, Two Tides ISA, and False Creek Raspberry Ale). The Hefeweizen, under its former moniker, received a silver medal at the 2012 World Beer Championships.

Some suggested recipes to pair with the beer, include orange and clove génoise, pan-roasted chicken breast with mango chutney, and ricotta and minted pea crostini. This is on top of Granville Island classifying the Hey Day as a perfect breakfast/brunch beer, to be combined with poached eggs or Weisswurst.

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Sip Trips #25: HOME!

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Well, this last week brought some good news and some bad news. On the good side, Mrs. Sip and I were finally able to move back into our place, seven weeks after our kitchen sink suffered a burst pipe and a small flood ruined our apartment. On the bad side, Mrs. Sip left for a European vacation before this even happened, so the Sip Advisor was left to deal with the whole return by himself. At least I have sweet lady liquor as a companion and coping mechanism!

The evening before moving back in, Ma Sip and I shared a few appetizers at The Union. Although Mrs. Sip and I had lived right above this restaurant during our exile from home, we had never managed to actually eat there. The place features an Asian-fusion type menu, such as spring rolls, Thai chicken wings, and sweet and sour pork tacos. To wash it all down, I ordered a pint of their rotating tap, the Persephone Rum Runner Red Ale. It was a very enjoyable beer, so I’m glad I lucked upon the menu item.

Chinese Food

The next night, to show I had no favouritism to one parent over the other, I sat down to dinner with Pa Sip at one of the many Cactus Club locations. Over a delicious burger, I had sleeves of both the Ugly Wheat Ale and Pemberton Pilsner. Both beers went down easy, but I can’t say that either overly wowed me. Maybe that’s because I was enjoying my meal so much.

Long a fan of wheat beers, this weekend I picked up the recently released Okanagan Springs Hefeweizen Pack, featuring Sonder (banana-clove), Ginger, and Lime variations. Of the three, I think I liked the Lime option best, as it just goes so naturally with a wheat beer and especially when you’re drinking outside, in the sun and poolside at Ma and Pa Sip’s place.

Since the weekend, I was itching to get back on my bike and do some touring. On Tuesday, I finally had the opportunity and made my way over to the Granville Island Brewery, which has launched a few new releases recently that I wanted to try. I ordered a set of tasters that included the Two Tides ISA and Shipload of Hops Imperial IPA, as well as a couple old favourites in the False Creek Raspberry Ale and Hey Day Hefeweizen. I liked all four beers, with each bringing something new to the game, as I rotated around the set. Unfortunately, GIB’s Kellerbier was only available for growler fill, so I’ll have to try that another time.

bike crash

After leaving the island and en route to returning home (still feels weird to say after seven weeks out of our apartment), I made a pit stop at Legacy Liquor Store to see what was new in stock. There, I grabbed the Parallel 49 Apricotopus – an apricot-flavoured sour saison – and Russell Smokey the Beer rauchbier. I love my wheat and smoky brews, so I’m looking forward to trying both these offerings.

I’ll wrap things up this week with a quick product review: A few months back, Ma Sip bought me a bag of Guinness potato chips and they were amazing. Recently, she tracked down their Rich Beef Chilli variety and gifted me a bag. These were also quite enjoyable with a strong taste of chilli meat, mixed with the Guinness stout flavouring. It was a hit with this chippy monster. I just wish the Guinness products came in bigger bags!