Tag Archives: Vancouver

BC Beer Baron #303 – R&B Enigma Kettle Sour

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One of the highlights of the BC Beer Awards was the broad spectrum of brewing styles that were on display. That included this tart offering from R&B Brewing.

The Enigma Kettle Sour is a dry-hopped sour ale, featuring the eponymous Enigma hops, in combination with Galaxy hops. The 6.5% ABV, 18 IBUs beverage is stronger than many sours on the market, which certainly catches the Sip Advisor’s eye.

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The latest release from R&B’s Mount Pleasant Series is available in bomber-sized bottles at private liquor stores. It can also be found on tap at R&B’s awesome new tasting room in the Brewery Creek area of Vancouver.

Also part of the Mount Pleasant Series are the Vienna Lager and White IPA. The series focuses on limited edition brews, offering “new and interesting flavours” for drinkers.

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BC Beer Baron #279 – Big Rock Citradelic Single Hop IPA

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When Mrs. Sip and I recently enjoyed a Vancouver Canadians baseball game, I took great advantage of their Craft Beer Corner, which serves up brews from five different BC breweries. There, I downed a few servings of this Big Rock Brewing mainstay.

The Citradelic Single Hop IPA uses Citra hops, of course, to deliver a citrus and tropical fruit-flavoured experience. The 6% ABV, 67 IBUs beverage was the first to be brewed exclusively at the Vancouver-based Big Rock Urban Eatery and proved so successful that it has been rolled out to Alberta and Saskatchewan drinkers.

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Suggested food pairings include game birds, spicy Thai and India curries, and fried foods including fries, corn dogs, potato chips and mixed nuts. Urban Eatery executive chef Alex ‘Beer Belly’ Newton has also created a Crunchy IPA Kimchi recipe, using the brew.

Big Rock staff suggestions for movie and music accompaniments to the Citradelic IPA include Dazed and Confused on the screen and House of the Rising Sun by The Animals on the record player. Colorado’s New Belgium Brewing also has a Citradelic IPA, but I suppose both companies are cool with that.

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BC Beer Baron #276 – Brassneck Stockholm Syndrome

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You never know what to expect when you pop into Brassneck Brewing’s tasting room in the Brewery Creek region of Vancouver. Their lineup of beers is quite eclectic and changes regularly.

On our most recent visit, their Stockholm Syndrome was among the Sip Advisor’s favourite. This 6.5% ABV Farmhouse Saison was first brewed in December 2013 and I can understand why it has returned to the brewery’s rotating taps routinely. The strong and flavourful brew is perfect for the more experienced drinkers out there, looking to try something unique.

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Brassneck has some really great material for describing their beers and the brewing process it takes to make them, but this has to be one of their finest: “We kidnapped a Saison, held it hostage for several months in our Foudre, letting it sit and condition on Brettanomyces. The more time passed the more it started to like us. It rewarded us by tasting delicious. Stockholm Syndrome can be a beautiful thing.”

As previously eluded to, I have to give credit to Brassneck for having one hell of a Beer Archive. Just scrolling through it has my mouth watering and makes me wish I could fill a glass straight out of the computer. Seriously, some scientific research money should go to a cause like this an venture capitalists should get behind this invention pronto!

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BC Beer Baron #274 – Main Street Belgian Bonsai

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On one of my and Mrs. Sip’s trips to Main Street Brewing, while showing visiting friends the Vancouver craft beer scene, this is the tasty beverage I selected.

The Belgian Bonsai is a single hop Belgian ale that is bold and full of flavour. Main Street calls the Belgian Bonsai their “little beer with the big roar!” Thus, it’s fitting that the label for the brew features a lion looking like it means business.

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Stats of 6.9% ABV and 70 IBUs also prove this point. First released in August 2014, the seasonal product features Sorachi Ace hops, while being a hybrid of Belgian and North American styles. That’s quite the combination of international representatives.

The Sip Advisor has always been impressed with all the different options Main Street Brewing has on their menu. This includes cask variations of their popular products, as well as frequent new creations.

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BC Beer Baron #270 – 33 Acres of #Bajab33r

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While meeting up with the guys for an impromptu brewery crawl a couple weekends back, our first stop was a collective favourite in 33 Acres Brewing.

Every time I visit this popular location (which is often), I’m amazed at how there’s always something new on the menu. This time around, I ordered the 33 Acres of #Bajab33r, a Northwest Pilsner. What sold me on the brew was its stats of 5.7% ABV and 40 IBUs, which jived nicely with my thirst at the time.

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I feel like the name of this beer is some sort of code, given its rare use of a hashtag and 3s in place of Es. The drink was apparently inspired by a 10,000 km road trip to Mexico and back. If these are the results, the crew should try to get out of town more often!

One of my favourite things about drinking at the 33 Acres quarry tasting room is that you can get 24 oz servings, trumping your typical pint. This release is only available on site at 33 Acres, in various glass and growler sizes.

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Sip Trips #76: One-Day Cruise Done Right

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Mrs. Sip and I took it relatively easy this week, with our journey to Ireland rapidly approaching. Last weekend, however, we were aboard a one-day cruise from Seattle to Vancouver, celebrating Sis-in-Law Sip’s birthday.

As soon as we boarded the ship, we were in search of our first drink. Luckily, we stumbled upon an ad for a bucket of five Seawitch Red Ales (brewed by Alaska’s Denali Brewing for Princess Cruises) for only $15. This was basically a half-price deal, compared to buying single bottles. In true Sip Advisor fashion, I procured one for our quartet of revellers and promptly grabbed a second round solely for my own enjoyment!

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After a buffet lunch, it was back to our room for the first of four bottles of wine. Each passenger is allowed to bring one bottle with them and we had a well-rounded collection of one white, one rose, one red, and one bubbly. Rather than pay for a bottle with our later dinner seating, we simply each poured a glass to bring with us to the meal.

As platinum members of the cruise line, Mrs. Sip and I were able to get our crew access to the Elite Lounge. There, we ordered a round of their El Major Margaritas, which are priced at only $5. I’ve never seen the Elite Lounge so busy, with food running low and few seats available to late arrivals. In comparison, when we were on our cruise of Asia in May, there were times our group were the only ones in the lounge.

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Another perk of being platinum-level guests is that Mrs. Sip and I were each given a complimentary drink ticket. I used mine on the Kentucky Kiss, which has always been a favourite of the Sip Advisor. To cap our evening of boozing, we managed a first-place tie amongst 14 teams playing the ‘Finish the Song Lyrics’ quiz, earning a bottle of bubbly, courtesy the ship.

In total, the only drinks we bought over the course of the evening were those buckets of beer and a round of cocktails in the Elite Lounge. Not too shabby, given the Sip Advisor was up until 3am, drinking solo and enjoying the ocean breeze on our balcony! Emerald Isle, here we come!

BC Beer Baron #265 – Dogwood Organic IPA

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As I’ve mentioned previously, when Mrs. Sip and I visited the Originals Restaurante Mexicano in New West recently, the Sip Advisor was impressed with the diner’s small, yet varied craft beer menu. That included this product from Dogwood Brewing.

The Organic IPA isn’t as hoppy as some IPAs, relying more on its malt content to deliver flavour. This is a good thing for those that don’t do bitter so well. The 5.9% ABV, 50 IBUs beverage presents flavours of caramel and citrus fruits in a well-balanced package.

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While Dogwood doesn’t provide any food pairing suggestions for the beer, Mrs. Sip and I found it worked rather well with our taco platters, complementing the various flavours and spices in our meals. The IPA is available in cans at private liquor stores.

I have still yet to visit Dogwood’s South Vancouver tasting room and really should get around to it. The company is very proud of their all-organic lineup of brews, which also includes a Honey Ale, Fest Ale, and Stout, as well as seasonal treats.

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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.

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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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Sip Trips #75: Celebrations Abound

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After a relatively quiet midweek for the Sip Advisor, the weekend picked up in pace, as it usually does. With a friend’s birthday on Saturday, we started at the Salt Tasting Room in Gastown, which has a neat concept in that you order three meats/cheeses and three condiments to create your own charcuterie plate. This platter can be paired with wines selected by the staff, if you choose, but a couple cocktails and beer from 33 Acres Brewing is also available. This was my first time ever entering the area’s infamous Blood Alley and I’d like to return for more exploration.

After conquering our SmartyPantz escape room, our evening wrapped up with a trip to the TAPshack in Coal Harbour. Coincidentally, Mrs. Sip and I passed this place the week before, while out for a walk and wanted to return to check it out. While there, we enjoyed a couple beers from their menu of 20 taps (one beer each from 20 different breweries), while I tried their Maui Wowie Hawaiian pizza and Mrs. Sip ordered a serving of their duck fat popcorn and avocado toast with poached egg for a main course.

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The next day was Cousin Sip’s 12-year wedding anniversary, which she was celebrating solo, as her husband is currently working out-of-town. Therefore, Mrs. Sip and I joined her for a dinner at The Keg in Yaletown, sitting on their rooftop patio and enjoying what’s left of gorgeous summer weather.

While we had a nice meal, it’s time for a little Sip Advisor rant: To this day, I’m still saddened by the restaurant’s decision to nix their prime rib burger from the menu, in favour of their current offering. The prime rib burger provided a near orgasmic experience, while this rendition is just a run-of-the-mill product. To boot, when I first starting ordering the prime rib burger, it could be had for about $12, which was an amazing deal. Even before it was phased out, the price had only risen to about $14. This new, lackluster burger sets you back $18. I’ve even talked to servers at the chain, who have recognized the new burger just doesn’t measure up to the old one. The prime rib burger is still sold in grocery stores, so why not bring it back to the restaurant!?

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Okay, rant over. This weekend, we will be enjoying a one-day cruise from Seattle to Vancouver to celebrate Sis-in-Law Sip’s birthday. So long as it ends better than our last overnight cruise, where members of the Sip Alliance had to be quarantined, I think it will be a good way to spend the occasion… but the tale may not reach the same heights of infamy!

Sip Trips #74: Labouring Away

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Mrs. Sip tries to get us out-of-town for every long weekend. Despite that desire, we stayed close to home this Labour Day long weekend, but that didn’t stop us from having a pretty full schedule over our three days off. And with many of our friends away on vacations, we were flying solo for much of the weekend… just the way the Sip Advisor likes it!

We began the weekend by meeting at the VIP Theatre at the Marine Gateway Cineplex complex. Here, we were treated to fantastic service from the time we entered, all the way until we made the journey back home. While watching Sausage Party, we enjoyed a pitcher of beer (they had one craft beer on tap – Dead Frog’s Tropic Vice) with meals of buffalo chicken strips for moi and a cheese quesadilla for Mrs. Sip. Despite it costing $25 each for the movie tickets, plus food and drink fees, I would do the experience again in a heartbeat. Wednesday’s offer a date night deal, where for the usual price of admission for two fares, you also get two entrees.

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The next morning, we were off to Bellingham, Washington for some shopping and lunch at the Boundary Bay Brewery. Once again, I had their stellar Reuben sandwich, while Mrs. Sip tried their B.L.A.T., instead of her usual tapenade order. We enjoyed these paired with servings of the Space Dust IPA (a very good beer, which I had never tried before) and Scotch Ale, respectively.

As we waiting for our meals to come out, Mrs. Sip learned that a new operation had just opened up around the corner and so we also popped into Gruff Brewing to try a couple of their beverages. This included the Lychee Hef for me and Belgian Blonde for Mrs. Sip. We also tried a taster of their Belgian Brown Sour. The company opened their doors in mid-August and are currently operating on weekends only.

Returning to Canada, we visited a friend in Maple Ridge and while in the area, decided to visit Ridge Brewing. I’ve been pining to try their Ay Caramba! Jalapeño IPA, ever since I first heard about it and finally achieved that, even filling a growler with the brew (to be reviewed as part of the BC Beer Baron project, shortly). We also tried a number of other items on their tap list, including the new Wind and Sea Pale Ale and their Pride Beer Berliner Weiss.

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After staying up late, watching all three movies at the Twilight Drive-In theatre in Aldergrove, Mrs. Sip and I crashed at Ma and Pa Sip’s place in Delta, before heading back to Vancouver. En route, we stopped at the Fuggles & Warlock tasting room in Richmond, where we split a couple of tasting flights, while playing a game of cribbage on their wonderful outdoor patio. Our mutual favourite of their selections was The Last Strawberry Wit, while we also sampled a few of the guest taps that were available.

Aside from our expeditions, Mrs. Sip and I were also able to find a fair bit of time for relaxing and hanging out. We took a couple long walks and discovered some sites we’d like to visit in the near future, some of which will surely show up in Sip Trips articles. Why can’t all weekends be three days long!?