The Growler B.C. • Volume 3 Issue 4 • December 2017-February 2018

VOLUME

03 04 ISSUE

B . C .

$2 C R A F T

B E E R

Display until Mar. 15, 2018

$2

g u i d e

Spreading the wealth of beer, one can at a time.

We at Mile 37 will not only come to your brewery and can that delicious product for you, but we’ll provide you with shrink sleeves that are miles beyond the rest.

www.mile37.com

#cans4miles

MILE 37 CRAFT CANNING CO. Port Coquitlam, BC | info@mile37.com

BRITISH COLUMBIA NORTHERN B.C.

SEA TO SKY/ SUNSHINE COAST VANCOUVER ISLAND

1.778.840.5005 thegrowler.ca | @thegrowlerbc editor Rob Mangelsdorf editor@thegrowler.ca PUBliSher Gail Nugent gnugent@thegrowler.ca ContriBUting writerS Ryan Ingram Micheal Kissinger Rob Mangelsdorf Joe Wiebe Rebecca Whyman Jan Zeschky ProdUCtion & deSign Tara Rafiq Juliana Sauvé PhotograPhy Rob Mangelsdorf Danika Sea Dan Toulgoet CoVer illUStration Tom Froese SoCial media Danielle Boileau diStriBUtion Craig Sweetman (Newsstand) Debbie Tang (Direct) orders@thegrowler.ca

KOOTENAYS

FRASER VALLEY

LOWER MAINLAND VANCOUVER VICTORIA

Copyright © The Growler Vancouver 2017

Published by Glacier Community Media 303 West 5th Avenue Vancouver, B.C., V5Y 1J6

THOMPSON OKANAGAN

Contents 06 18 28 36 46 58 70 82 92 109 124 126 130

B.C. Beer awardS reSUltS elemental SerieS: grain Craft Beer gimmiCkS Brewer VS Brewer Craft Beer holiday gift gUide what’S yoUr BirthBeer?

Craft dinnerS SoUr BeerS B.C.’S Booze BlUeS traVel: ParadiSe, thy name iS nelSon reCiPe: Beer-Brined roaSt ChiCken BrewPUB liStingS Beer to the groUnd

Breweries by Region

08 34 60 66 73 87 99 108 120

VANCOUVER LOWER MAINLAND

LEGEND GROWLER-APPROVED BADGE Keep an eye out for our 10 favourite beers this autumn!

Brewery Details

FRASER VALLEY

GROWLER FILLS

SEA TO SKY / SUNSHINE COAST

BOTTLES / CANS

VICTORIA / GULF ISLANDS

KEGS

VANCOUVER ISLAND

TASTING ROOM

THOMPSON OKANAGAN

ON-SITE KITCHEN OR FOOD TRUCK

KOOTENAYS

TOURS

NORTHERN B.C.

KID FRIENDLY

Editor’s Note Winter is coming and that means it’s time for dark beers right?

Wrong! Well, dark beers are certainly wonderful, but why not drink them all year long? And for that matter, why do you have to stop enjoying your juicy IPAs just because it’s winter? Guess what: you don’t! You’re an adult and you can drink whatever you damn well please, whenever you damn well please. (Radlers only before noon, though.)

Beers with bold flavours certainly do hold up better when the weather cools down, but don’t judge a beer by its colour. What looks like a lager could be a white stout, and what looks like a porter could be a midnight wheat ale. Learn about the role malted barley and many other fermentable grains have on the flavour, body and colour of your favourite beer in the latest installment of Jan Zeschky’s Elemental Series (pg. 18).

You want bold flavours? Sour beers can pack a palate-blasting punch, so Joe Wiebe has everything you need to know before delve into this exciting style (pg. 82). What’s old may be new again, but sometimes it’s just a gimmick, as Rebecca Whyman explains (pg. 28). And if you’re looking for a winter wonderland to visit, Nelson, B.C., might just have everything you’re looking for (pg. 109).

Whatever you’re drinking, enjoy the holidays, and drink responsibly.

—Rob Mangelsdorf, editor

GLUTEN-FREE BOOZE OPTIONS

Suggested Glassware STANGE

Kolsch Marzen Bock

PILSNER Lager Pilsner Witbier

NONIC PINT

Stout Pale ale Most ales, actually

WEIZEN

Hefeweizen Weizenbock Fruit beer

TULIP

Saison IPA Strong ales

GOBLET

Berliner weisse Quad Tripel

SNIFTER

Barleywine Sours Anything weird

RAISE A GLASS The 2017 B.C. Beer Awards winners

The eighth annual B.C. Beer Awards was held Oct. 21 in Vancouver and my liver is still recuperating. Dozens of intrepid—and likely inebriated— certified beer judges sampled more than 900 different beers in 30 categories to choose the winning brews. Their picks represent the best B.C. craft beer has to offer, and make for a great winter beer list. Now get out there and try some of these already! —Rob Mangelsdorf BREWERY OF THE YEAR Mount Arrowsmith Brewing Company BEST IN SHOW Swans Brewery + White Sails Brewing // Oktoberfest Flammenbeer BREWER'S CHALLENGE AWARD Postmark Brewing // Bohemian Pilsner SMaSH ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Backcountry Brewing CBC PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD Boombox Brewing Company // Rad Seeker INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR Twin Sails Brewing

KOLSCH

| 1 | Phillips // Analogue 78 | 2 | Doan's Craft // Kolsch | 3 | Callister // Kūl Daddy Kölsch

AMBER & DARK EUROPEAN BEER

| 1 | Backroads // Backroads Brewing Marzen | 2 | Steel & Oak // Dark Lager | 3 | Central City // Red Racer Across The Nation Collaboration Wide Open Spaces Kellerbier

GERMAN WHEAT BEER

| 1 | The 101 // Hefeweizen | 2 | Yaletown // Roundhouse Wheat | 3 | KPU Brewing // KPU Weissbier

BRITISH BITTER

| 1 | Forbidden // Organic Pale Ale | 2 | Twin City // Tickity Boo | 3 | Nelson // Hopgood Organic Session IPA

DAN SMALL HOMEBREWER OF THE YEAR AWARD Bryan Major // SMaSH Pils with Pils Malt, Mosaic hop

BRITISH PALE ALE

INTERNATIONAL L AGER

BRITISH BROWN ALE

GERMAN PALE L AGER

SCOTTISH AND IRISH ALE

| 1 | Bomber // Bomber Pilsner | 2 | Steel & Oak // Red Pilsner | 3 | Strathcona // Premium Pilsner | 1 | Parallel 49 // Craft Lager | 2 | Backcountry // Ridge Runner Pilsner | 3 | Brassneck // King Maker

6

| 1 | Lighthouse // Tasman | 2 | Bomber // Bomber Pale Ale | 3 | Backroads // El Dorado Golden Ale | 1 | Yellow Dog // Shake A Paw Smoked Porter | 2 | R&B Brewing // Raven Cream Ale | 3 | Parallel 49 Brewing // Proper Treacle | 1 | Russell // Wee Angry Scotch Ale | 2 | Sooke Oceanside // Renfrew Red Ale | 3 | Callister // Short & Stout Dry Stout

BRITISH STOUT

NORTH AMERICAN PALE ALE

STRONG BEER

NORTH AMERICAN AMBER ALE

FRUIT BEER

NORTH AMERICAN DARK BEER

SPECIALT Y FRUIT BEER

NORTH AMERICAN IPA

SPICE, HERB & VEGETABLE BEER

SPECIALT Y IPA

| 1 | Hearthstone // Chocolate Milk Stout | 2 | Nelson // Blackheart Oatmeal Stout | 3 | Twin Sails // Con Leche | 1 | Howe Sound // Woolly Bugger | 2 | Steel & Oak // Baltic | 3 | Bridge // Sleigh Booster Imperial Red IPA | 1 | Dageraad // Anno 2016 | 2 | Ravens // Ravens Raspberry Hefeweizen | 3 | Ravens // Corvus Lingonberry Lime Gose | 1 | Yellow Dog // Go Get It Ginger Lime Gose | 2 | Howe Sound // Megadestroyer | 3 | Dead Frog // Atomic Cherry Tart Cherry Ale | 1 | Parallel 49 // Alakazam | 2 | Steel & Oak // Towers & Trains | 3 | Steel & Oak // Roselle

SMOKE AND WOOD AGED BEER

| 1 | Swans + White Sails Collaboration // Oktoberfest Flammenbeer | 2 | Powell // Tonique Carpano Biere Aperitif | 3 | Parallel 49 // Russian Imperial Stout

HISTORICAL BEER

| 1 | Granville Island // Gose With Peach | 2 | Brassneck // No Brainer | 3 | Steel & Oak // Roggen Weizen

SPECIALT Y BEER

| 1 | Bomber // Double Secret Probation Doppel Sticke Altbier | 2 | Whitetooth // Launch Pad Belgian-Inspired Rye Ale | 3 | Dead Frog // Anniversary Sour Raspberry Nut Brown Ale

NORTH AMERICAN LIGHT BEER

| 1 | Red Truck // Red Truck Lager | 2 | Nelson // Hooligan Organic Pilsner | 3 | Pacific Western Brewing // Cariboo Blonde

NORTH AMERICAN BLONDE ALE

| 1 | Mount Arrowsmith // Arrowsmith Blonde | 2 | Faculty // 107 Blonde | 3 | Tofino // Tofino Blonde Ale

| 1 | Backcountry // Trailbreaker Pale Ale | 2 | Twin Sails // Day Blink | 3 | Howe Sound // Sky Pilot | 1 | Steamworks // Heroica Red Ale | 2 | Whistler // Coastal Common | 3 | Brassneck // Brassneck Ale

| 1 | Twin Sails // Str8 Flexin' | 2 | Bomber // Bomber Russian Imperial Stout | 3 | Fuggles & Warlock // Dark Side | 1 | R&B // Vancouver Special IPA | 2 | Backcountry // Widow Maker IPA | 3 | Parkside // Parkside Motel | 1 | Boombox // Rad Seeker | 2 | Superflux // Colour & Shape | 3 | Andina // Ocaso

IMPERIAL IPA

| 1 | Twin Sails // Bachelor Pad | 2 | Twin Sails // Kicking In Speakers | 3 | Twin Sails // Beach Week

BELGIAN ALE

| 1 | 33 Acres // 33 Acres Of Sunshine | 2 | Parkside // Dim Wit | 3 | Yellow Dog // Take A Walk Wit

SAISON

| 1 | Dageraad // Lake City Farmhouse | 2 | Mount Arrowsmith // Sea Run Saison | 3 | Main Street // Vancouver Mural Festival Single Hopped Grisette

BELGIAN STRONG & TRAPPIST ALE | 1 | Dageraad // Louise | 2 | Dageraad // Antwerpen | 3 | Red Collar // Black Dog Quad

MIXED FERMENTATION BEER

| 1 | Strange Fellows // Reynard | 2 | Luppolo // Brett IPA | 3 | Moon Under Water // Tempus Corvi 2017

WILD SPECIALT Y BEER

| 1 | Strange Fellows // Little Red One | 2 | Dageraad Brewing // De Witte | 3 | Phillips // Dino Sour j

7

99

YALETOWN

27

33

30

40

ST

7

W 6TH AVE

N

GRANVILLE ISLAND

39

42 25

D

U

N

S

M

DOWNTOWN CENTRAL

32

46

O

W BROA DWAY

1A

COAL HARBOUR

LS

23

R

R

W

U

B

H

O

A

41

ST

11

E

WEST END

W

N

T

R

S

G

D

R

ST

A

ST

ST

LE

E

N

V

IL

M

C

IC

Y

PA

IF

E

E

N

S

W

ST

IA

R

G

U

R

E

O

O

S

H

CAMBIE ST

E

ST

M

IT

U S T

34

45

W 12TH AVE

MOUNT PLEASANT

W 7TH AVE

10

01

W 2ND AVE

36

W 5TH AVE

03

IR

37

43

18

GASTOWN

35

29

26 1A

38

QUEBEC ST

G

05 13

MAIN ST

ST

ST MAIN ST

A

S

19

24

28

22

TER

M IN

PRIO R ST

AL

E BROADWAY

AV E

E 12 T H AVE

7

STRATHCONA

E HASTI N GS ST

POW ELL ST

GREAT NORTHER N WA Y

16

12

21

ST

31

VENABLE S ST

20

ELL

09

P OW

07 15

44

47

GRANDVIEWWOODLAND

17 02

08

vA N COUvER

14 04

06

CLARK DR

W

G

COMMERCIAL DR

H

IN

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09

COLUMBI A ST

10

M A N I TO B A S T

33 Acres Andina Big Rock Bomber Brassneck Callister Coal Harbour Doan’s Craft East Van Brewing

BREWERIES

Br ew ery Cr eek

7

01

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

C S T

EBE

QU

E 4TH AVE

E 5TH AVE

18

E 3RD AVE

E 2ND AVE

26

Faculty Granville Island Luppolo Main Street Off The Rail Parallel 49 Postmark Powell Street R&B Red Truck Storm

E BROA DWAY

E 8TH AVE

E 7 TH AVE

E 6TH AVE

1A

05

M A IN ST

E 1ST AVE

O N TA R I O S T

MOUNT PLEASANT

34 US TR

E 3R

IAL

S TAT I O N S T

D A E

T A V

19 1S

V

E

AV E

E

23 24 25 26 27 Dockside Hastings Mill Steamworks Steel Toad Yaletown

BREW pUBS

21 Strange Fellows 22 Strathcona

13

IND

S COT I A S T

ATHLETES WAY

32 33 34 35

28 29 30 31

12

14

04

VERNON DR

VERNON DR

12 Kings Pub Alibi Room BierCraft Bistro BierCraft Tap & Tapas The Blackbird Central City Craft Beer Market Darby’s Gastown

tAp ROOMS

WILLIAM ST

CLARK DR

21

ST

E HASTIN GS ST

FRANKLI N ST

02

ART STEW

20

P OW

36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45

ADANAC ST

TRIUM PH ST

NAPI ER ST

Bike Route

Water Taxis

SkyTrain

lEGENd

47 Tangent Café

Harbour

46 Tap & Barrel, Coal

y east va n

E PENDER ST

CHA RLES ST

E GEORGIA ST

FRANCES ST

The Devil’s Elbow The Lamplighter Portland Craft The Railway Rogue Broadway Rogue Conv. Ctr. Rogue Gastown Six Acres St. Augustine’s Tap & Barrel, Olympic Village

VENABLE S ST

09

15

07

PANDORA ST

ST ELL

08

GRANDVIEW-WOODLAND

06

17

ODLUM DR

AL A VE

B R U N SW I C K ST

SA L S B U RY D R

45

MCLEAN DR

M IN

V I C TO R I A D R

TER

COMMERCIAL DR

SEMLIN DR

VANCOUVER

33 ACRES BREWING CO. 15 W. 8th Ave. | 33AcresBrewing.ca MON-SUN 9AM-11PM EST. 2013 Nearing its fifth anniversary, 33A has not lost its fresh, unique vibe. It’s still one of the best places in Vancouver to enjoy a wide range of well made beers.

33 ACRES OF LIFE CALIFORNIA COMMON

33 ACRES OF DARKNESS

Availability: Year-round

S C H WA R Z B I E R Availability: Year-round

ABV

4.8%

IBU

30

33 Acres’ flagship beer is a quaffable West Coast ale with a crisp lager finish.

ABV

5.0%

IBU

20

Yes, lagers can be dark, or in this case, pitch black.

Also: complex and delicious.

VANCOUVER

ANDINA BREWING CO.

1507 Powell St. | AndinaBrewing.ca DAILY 11AM-11PM EST. 2016

From the unique brews to the ceviche, Andina is bringing South American style to East Van. They’re the first Canadian brewery to use Chilean malt, too.

MELCOCHA

MAPALE

ANDEAN MILD ALE

M I L K S TO U T

Availability: Year-round ABV

4.0%

IBU

30

Full-bodied and complex profile coming from the addition of sugar cane paste (panela).

10

Availability: Seasonal ABV

5.6%

IBU

29

Aroma of chocolate milkshake with cocoa, coffee and toasted nut flavours.

VANCOUVER

BIG ROCK URBAN BREWERY & EATERY

310 W. 4th Ave. | BigRockBeer.com

SUN-THU 11AM-11PM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-12AM EST. 1985 Big Rock’s West Coast outpost has all your craft beer needs covered – they’re a one-stop shop of brewery, eatery, live music and comedy venue and beer shop with packaged product, beer samples, swag, growler fills and brewery tours.

DOUG

MAGPIE

C A S C A D I A N DA R K A L E

ROGGENBIER

Availability: Small batch ABV

6.0%

IBU

45

Hoppy with notes of dark chocolate, citrus and a slight toffee character to finish.

Availability: Seasonal ABV

5.0%

IBU

18

A light copper beer with a balance between sweet pale and spicy rye malt flavours.

PILSNER

SCOTTISH HEAVY

CZECH-STYLE PILSNER

S C OT T I S H H E AV Y

Availability: Year-round ABV

4.9%

IBU

28

Crisp and refreshing any time of year. Mild hop bitterness balances with soft malts.

Availability: Year-round ABV

7.0%

IBU

18

A full-bodied ale, with notes of toffee, caramel, vanilla and just a touch of peat.

The man behind the beer Meet Big Rock’s brewmaster Jody Hammell: Being a brewmaster isn’t a job for Jody, it’s a calling.

Experience in every dimension of brewing has shaped Jody’s uncompromising attitude toward everything to do with beer. Best known for: his stubborn insistence on only using fresh, local ingredients.

12

VANCOUVER

BOMBER BREWING CO.

1488 Adanac St. | BomberBrewing.com DAILY 12-11PM EST. 2014

Bomber has been knocking it out of the rink ever since puck drop, slowly amassing a hoard of trophies and putting out some damn fine seasonals.

BOMBER PALE ALE

CHOQLETTE PORTER

PA L E A L E

B O U R B O N BA R R E L - A G E D C H O C O L AT E P O RT E R Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.0%

25

IBU

A little fruity, a little piney, and held together by a robust malt base.

ABV

6.0%

IBU

18

Aged for six months in bourbon barrels, following additions of chocolate and floral Aramis hops.

VANCOUVER

BRASSNECK BREWERY

2148 Main St. | Brassneck.ca

MON-FRI 2-11PM ^ SAT-SUN 12-11PM EST. 2013 The superlatives stack up when describing Brassneck’s beers: innovative, creative, daring, playful and always delicious. Now available in cans!

SPIRIT ANIMAL

ROCKET SURGERY

BA R R E L - A G E D BA R L E Y W I N E

BELGIAN TRIPEL

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: One-off

ABV

10.0%

IBU

N/A

What’s your spirit animal? This one is aged in Woodinville bourbon barrels. Oh my!

14

ABV

8.0%

IBU

N/A

This collab with Dageraad is ideal for cellar aging — if you can stop yourself from drinking it.

VANCOUVER

CALLISTER BREWING CO.

1338 Franklin St. | CallisterBrewing.com

MON-THU 2-9PM ^ FRI 2-10PM ^ SAT 1-10PM ^ SUN 1-8PM EST. 2015 This collaborative brewery offers one of Vancouver’s unique drinking experiences, with fresh beer from four distinct brewing teams.

CASHMERE LUMBERJACK (CALLISTER)

BLACKBURN BITTER (REAL CASK ALES)

FA R M H O U S E A L E Availability: Limited

BITTER Availability: Year-round

ABV

5.2%

IBU

N/A

A B.C. take on a Belgian farmhouse with the citrus and subtle herbal qualities of Cashmere hops.

ABV

4.0%

IBU

N/A

England in a glass. The most authentic pub bitter you’ll find in B.C.

VANCOUVER

COAL HARBOUR BREWING CO.

1967 Triumph St. | CoalHarbourBrewing.com HOURS N/A EST. 2010 Although an actual tasting room is still a ways in the future, Coal Harbour holds pop-up tasting room events at the brewery every month or so.

COSMIC FUSION I N D I A PA L E L A G E R

MARKET SATURATION

Availability: Seasonal

I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Small batch

ABV

5.2%

IBU

N/A

This fruity and crisp lager is brewed with a blend of American and German hops.

ABV

7.2%

IBU

N/A

A Northeastern-style hazy IPA with a tropical bouquet from multiple rounds of dry-hopping.

15

VANCOUVER

DOAN’S CRAFT BREWING CO.

1830 Powell St. | DoansCraftBrewing.com MON-THU 2-9PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-11PM ^ SUN 12-9PM EST. 2015 The Doan brothers sure love brewing with rye! And collaborating with other breweries, brewing German-inspired beers, and long walks on the beach…

KOLSCH

DOUBLE RYE STOUT

KO L S C H

D O U B L E RY E S TO U T

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Small batch

ABV

5.0%

IBU

20

Now available in cans, this is a crisp and tasty traditional German-style lagered ale.

ABV

8.9%

IBU

45

They filled their mash tun to the brim to successfully double their award-winning rye stout.

VANCOUVER

DOGWOOD BREWING

8284 Sherbrooke St. | DogwoodBrew.com WED-THU 3:30-8PM

^ FRI-SUN 12-8PM

EST. 2015 Dogwood’s all female brewing team specializes in fresh, locally sourced, certified organic beer, and they are damn good at what they do.

BARREL-AGED STOUT

LONDON FOG

S TO U T

GOLDEN ALE

Availability: Small batch ABV

4.0%

IBU

20

This roasty session stout was aged in Pinot Noir wine barrels for eight months.

16

Availability: Seasonal ABV

4.0%

IBU

10

Light, refreshing and bursting with flavour, thanks to organic Earl Grey tea and French vanilla.

VANCOUVER

EAST VAN BREWING

1675 Venables St. | EastVanBrewing.com DAILY 11AM-11PM EST. 2016

East Vancouver finally welcomes EVB, its 12 craft taps and its spacious tasting room, all conveniently located a block away from Commercial Drive.

UNHOLY ONE

HUMBLE HIVE

F O R E I G N E X T R A S TO U T

E N G L I S H B R OW N A L E

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Year-round

ABV

6.5%

IBU

40

A blend of six malts promises a ramped-up roastiness with some spice from the elevated ABV.

ABV

5.0%

IBU

24

A collaboration with East Van Bees that blends local honey with a rich, nutty brown ale.

VANCOUVER

FACULTY BREWING CO.

1830 Ontario St. | FacultyBrewing.com

MON-THU 2-11PM ^ FRI-SUN 11AM-11PM EST. 2016 This innovative brewery is a homebrewer’s best friend, with its recipes right on its labels so you can try making the beers for yourself.

377 WILD SMASH

710 OAK STOUT

SMASH ALE

D RY S TO U T

Availability: Seasonal ABV

5.2%

IBU

18

A perfect marriage of wild yeast character, delicious hop punch and a well balanced malt backbone.

Availability: Seasonal ABV

5.0%

IBU

20

Notes of coffee and roasted malt with American oak providing aromas of vanilla and wood.

17

s•

ri e

• The

el

e m e al S e nt

GRAIN

Part 2 of a four-part series exploring the basic building blocks of beer, and how they combine to make something so wonderful.

by Jan Zeschky

B

eer starts with grain in just about every way.

Even historically.

There’s no canonical origin story for beer, but the myth goes that one of our more careless gruel-making ancestors in the Middle East accidentally left a bowl of grains steeping in water outside. The sun dried out the grains and warmed them up, before a rain shower soaked them again. When some friendly airborne yeast came along to start fermentation, beer was born.

Serendipity never tasted so good.

Grains are the basis of any beer recipe. When steeped in hot water, they make what’s called wort, a rich, sweet liquid that goes on to be boiled, seasoned with hops and fermented by yeast. Think of it like stock in a soup: the complex base that gives the whole recipe depth.

By grains, we mostly mean barley. It’s the ideal brewing grain thanks to its high levels of protein, starches and the enzymes that can break down those starches into sugars required for fermentation.

Before barley can be used for brewing, it has to be malted. Malting is an art form in itself, which requires knowledge of the type of barley and the

18

optimum time for moistening the grains, then heating them to dry them. The moisture tricks the grains into sprouting, which activates their enzymes; drying the grains locks their properties in place. The extent of the subsequent kilning period determines the kind of malt you end up with.

Varieties such as pale and pilsner malt, which are barely or lightly kilned, make up the bulk (or sometimes all) of a grain bill. They can be supplemented by specialty malts, which range from toasted (for example, Vienna and Munich malts), to stewed and roasted (crystal malt) to near burnt (black or chocolate malt).

The ratio of these malts in the grain bill affects the beer’s flavour, from the biscuit and cracker notes of lightly kilned malt, through the sugary caramel of crystal and the roasted coffee and bitter chocolate of black malts. Beer colour is also determined at this stage, with even a smattering of specialty malt significantly darkening a brew.

After the grains are crushed to the right consistency (another fine skill in itself ), you’re ready to make your wort. This procedure, known as mashing, is arguably the most technical part of the brewing process. Without getting too big-wordy,

important factors here are the temperature of the water (which can be adjusted to yield different sugars and proteins); maintaining optimum acidity; and maximizing the extraction of sugars.

Like most of the brewing process, the number of variables are dizzying.

While brewers clearly pay a lot of attention to the importance of grains, it seems strange that so much of the craft beer-drinking public in North America doesn’t. Many people can reel off their favourite hop varietals and even identify them in a beer; many fewer can do the same with barley and its many malted forms.

It’s a shame, because malt offers a delicious range of nuanced flavours. Its sweetness and depth is what makes beer nourishing and comforting. Malt-forward styles are some of the most satisfying brews out there: from dark mild through dry stout, Scottish export, doppelbock and English barley wine.

“Because hops have such a dramatic effect on flavour, it becomes natural that everyone focuses on that," says Matt Phillips, who began malting in house at the newly christened Phillips Brewing & Malting Co. in Victoria in 2015. "But the fact is you can’t make a great beer, a balanced beer, without malt being played properly.”

Eric Moutal, head brewer at Steel & Oak Brewing Co. in New Westminster, agrees.

“Everybody wants the latest and greatest hop. But what’s behind that is the grain and that can make or break a beer completely,” says Moutal.

“Normally, grains are where I’ll start. … Which base malt do I want first? Whether that’s Canadian or German; or pilsner malt, pale malt, Vienna. Is colour is an important factor of the recipe? It depends on the beer; it depends on my mood sometimes.”

Being an inventive bunch, brewers rarely confine themselves to barley in their grain bills.

Malted barley forms the base of most craft beer recipes.

Wheat makes an appearance in many recipes, even if it’s purely for its proteins to boost a beer’s head.

Rye has recently gained traction in the craft brewing world because of its assistance with mouthfeel, but also for the earthy spiciness and gentle dryness it lends. Oats, too, are becoming more popular.

With the range of fermentable grains—we’ve not even mentioned rice, corn, amaranth, buckwheat, millet, sorghum, spelt and triticale—and their malted forms, there’s potential for a kaleidoscope of aromas, flavours and mouthfeel beyond what’s commonly known at present.

Just consider the difference between raw and malted oats.

“Flaked oats have a nice creaminess … it’s almost oily on the tongue," says Moutal, who uses many different grains across Steel & Oak’s lineup.

"Malted oats are almost the complete opposite; they provide almost a cider-like quality, dryness, astringency. It almost thins out the beer.”

What’s more, the nascent industry of malting shows real signs of expanding in B.C., thanks to the success of pioneering projects like Phillips’. At least half of his company’s beer is already using its own malt from B.C. barley, Phillips says.

With brewers excited to use local malt and showcase its properties, it’s very possible we may be on the verge of a grain renaissance in the brewing world. j

19

VANCOUVER

GRANVILLE ISLAND BREWING

1441 Cartwright St. | GIB.com DAILY 10AM-8PM EST. 1984

Nestled under the Granville Bridge, the taproom and small batch brewery is a great place to refresh yourself before, and after, having too much fun on Granville Island.

MOCHA PORTER

BELGIAN TRIPEL

M O C H A P O RT E R

BELGIAN TRIPEL

Availability: Small batch ABV

6.0%

IBU

25

JJ Bean coffee meets cocoa nibs. Subtle caramel notes lead into a slightly roasted finish.

Availability: Small batch ABV

9.0%

IBU

34

Combining coriander with Belgian abbey yeast creates a spicy, fruity and slightly sweet beer.

BELGIAN QUAD

LIONS WINTER ALE

B E L G I A N Q UA D

WINTER ALE

Availability: Small batch ABV

11.0%

IBU

30

The strongest of Trappist-style ales, with notes of raisin, plum and a hint of chocolate.

Availability: Seasonal ABV

5.5%

IBU

22

Complex layers of vanilla, cocoa and caramel, to cosy up with beside the roaring fire.

WHat’s in a name?

A mudflat back in the early 1900s, Granville Island was landfilled into an island in 1913. It was then further filled and joined to the mainland. Originally called Mud Island, it didn’t become known as Granville Island until about 1938. Mud Island Brewing doesn’t have quite the same ring to it!

20

Bean meets beer

JJ Bean coffee meets rich cocoa nibs in our tasty Mocha Porter.

Accompanied by subtle caramel notes, this cozy fireside brew serves up a slightly roasted, bitter finish.

NEXT RELEASE:

BELGIAN TRIPEL

END OF NOVEMBER

VANCOUVER

LUPPOLO BREWING CO.

1123 Venables St. | LuppoloBrewing.ca

MON 3-10PM ^ TUES-THU 3-11PM ^ FRI 2-11PM SAT 11AM-11PM ^ SUN 11AM-10PM EST. 2016 West Coast craft with a kiss of la dolce vita, Luppolo has established itself in crowded Yeast Van thanks to its consistently exceptional beers.

LIMONCELLO SOUR WEISSE BERLINER WEISSE Availability: Limited ABV

3.8%

IBU

N/A

This refreshing sour ale explodes with citrus aroma and flavour.

is Vancouver’s only craft beer focused sports bar. Featuring 12 taps and casks plus multiple TVs.

395 Kingsway | 604-558-1208 12kingspub.com | @12KingsPub 22

BRETT IPA B R E T T I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Limited ABV

7.2%

IBU

N/A

This big, bold IPA is funky and dry, packing a citrusy, herbal hop punch.

VANCOUVER

MAIN STREET BREWING CO.

261 E. 7th Ave. | MainStreetBeer.ca MON-THU 2-11PM ^ FRI-SUN 12-11PM EST. 2014 The twinkling fairy lights and verdant shrubbery of Main Street’s high-ceilinged tasting room make it feel like it’s always patio weather.

Multiple keg and cask options pair well with a varied, delicious food menu.

STAG AND PHEASANT

RED BACK

I M P E R I A L S TO U T

AMBER ALE

Availability: Seasonal ABV

9.0%

IBU

65

Hunting season is here—if you’re looking for a rich, earthy stout with notes of chocolate and coffee.

Availability: Seasonal ABV

6.5%

IBU

60

The only bite in this red back is in its tropical-fruit hop profile, which rests on a robust malt backbone.

WESTMINSTER BROWN

BARREL AGED STAG AND PHEASANT

B R OW N A L E Availability: Seasonal

BA R R E L A G E D I M P E R I A L S TO U T Availability: Small batch

ABV

6.0%

IBU

30

A fabulous grain profile supports pleasant citrus-pine hops. Try it on cask.

ABV

9.0%

IBU

65

Hunting season is here—and this quarry is even more prized, having spent a year in bourbon barrels.

Lowering expectations...

Converting a heritage building into a brewery presents a few challenges. For Main Street, which moved into the former Vancouver Brewery (on left, as it appeared in 1926) garage in 2014, the biggest was getting the brewing tanks into the building. In a nail-biting operation, a crane slowly lowered the vessels through one of the skylights, with just inches to spare.

24

VANCOUVER

OFF THE RAIL BREWING

1351 Adanac St. | OffTheRailBrewing.com SUN-THU 12-8PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-10PM EST. 2014

This casual tasting room perched above the Adanac bike corridor has won six Canadian Brewing Awards in the past two years.

KERRY’D AWAY DARK IPA

EAST BOUND NUT BROWN ALE

DA R K I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Seasonal

N U T B R OW N A L E Availability: Seasonal

ABV

5.6%

IBU

75

Smooth, dark roasted body with bright hop notes, including citrus, floral and pine.

ABV

5.0%

IBU

35

A traditional English brown ale that’s well rounded and balanced. Finishes smooth and a bit nutty.

VANCOUVER

PARALLEL 49 BREWING CO.

1950 Triumph St. | Parallel49Brewing.com DAILY 11AM-12AM EST. 2012 More than a dozen more breweries have joined P49 in Yeast Van since it opened, but it is still an innovator and leader in the city’s beer community.

TRASH PANDA H A Z Y I PA

N2 PARALLELOGRAM COFFEE PORTER

Availability: Year-round

N I T R O C O F F E E P O RT E R Availability: Seasonal

ABV

5.5%

IBU

55

Huge amounts of dry hopping give this beer notes of melon, tropical fruit and pear.

26

ABV

6.0%

IBU

20

Silky smooth, rich and creamy with an espresso-like character and a dry finish.

VANCOUVER

POSTMARK BREWING

55 Dunlevy Ave. | PostmarkBrewing.com DAILY 11AM-11PM EST. 2014

A brewery that’s beautiful in almost every aspect, from its labels to its location at the Settlement Building to Dominic Giraldes’ splendid beer.

WINTER WARMER

MOSAIC IPA

WINTER ALE

A M E R I C A N I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Small batch ABV

5.8%

IBU

Availability: Year-round

51

A robust, warm and rich, yet still highly approachable sipper.

ABV

6.0%

IBU

54

Got Mosaic? The popular hop dominates this beer with its intense, tropical-citrus-berry flavour.

VANCOUVER

POWELL BREWERY

1357 Powell St. | PowellBeer.com

MON-THU 2-9PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-10PM ^ SUN 12-9PM EST. 2012 Powell’s tasting room is the perfect place to drain a few of their awardwinning beers, and it’ll be even better with a new full kitchen due in 2018.

DIVE BOMB DARK ALE DA R K A L E Availability: Year-round ABV

5.0%

IBU

33

Light bodied and refreshing with flavours of caramel, toffee, chocolate and just the right touch of hops.

LAZY D’HAZE IPA N O RT H E A S T E R N H A Z Y I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Seasonal ABV

7.0%

IBU

58

This Canadian Brewing Awards gold-medal winner is packed with Amarillo and Equinox hops.

27

T

by Rebecca Whyman

his past fall, gruits – that ancient, hopless beer style flavoured with herbs that seems to be all the rage right now – got me thinking about the elusive line that divides fads, trends, and gimmicks from creative innovations and emerging styles. How do beer geeks decide where they categorize any given beer? Are gimmicky beers harming the reputation of craft beer?

I like to think of myself as a beer evangelist (also brilliant, witty, gorgeous and humble…). It is therefore my self-appointed duty to bring people into the fold. I love finding the craft beer that makes

28

a former macro lager drinker’s eyes light up, and introducing a non-beer-drinker to a style they can’t believe is actually beer because it tastes so good.

I worry, probably too much, about how people perceive craft beer. Craft beer gets kudos for qualities like authenticity, innovation and community-mindedness.

Besides “bad” beer, what are the things that turn people off from craft beer? Or fail to entice consumers over to the craft side? Do jokey beers make people think craft beer is a joke? Does being surrounded by so many beer styles confuse folks

into avoiding everything craft? Like duck confit nachos, are people rolling their eyes at the “elevated” beer styles?

I am not suggesting that we’re one gimmicky beer away from total annihilation here. Nor am I saying that there’s no place for innovation or creativity— quite the opposite in fact. I’m tickled pink that brewers are bringing the gose back. The rise of session ales? Now there’s a trend that is bringing consumers into the craft beer fold.

No, what keeps me up at night is the worry that too much hype about the crazy new beer those wacky craft brewers made from prairie oysters/ beard yeast/wasp bellies/in space/under the sea is taking the focus away from the care that goes into making every single craft beer.

It’s good to get some perspective from others when your worries are swirling. I didn’t convene a panel of experts, who all came to consensus, but I did casually interrogate beer geeks and industry folks about gimmicky beers and their effect on the industry. The unscientific data I gathered is summed up below.

The words “hype,” “fad” and “trend” were bandied about. As was my absolute favourite, “hipster fuckery.” What’s hipster fuckery, you ask? According to its utterer, it is the completely unnecessary addition of whimsical ingredients and brewing techniques, especially piled on top of each other.

You’re left with a beer that is fighting itself.

Hipster fuckery is a great way to alienate potential craft beer fans.

So how about we all just agree to be innovative as hell, but stop well short of hipster fuckery?

Excellent! But, umm, where is that line exactly?

Perhaps a look at how the not-panel perceives some headline-grabbing beers can guide us:

PUMPKIN ALES Nobody likes them. The consensus is that they’re not a seasonal, no sirree, they’re a gimmick. One brewery representative said they’d brew one over her dead body.

RAW ALE Some see it as gimmicky. The guys at Category

12 argue that they put a lot of time and care into its development, ensuring that it’s true to the original style, but with a modern local twist. And it’s shelf-stable!

ZERO IBU Everyone agrees this is a gimmick. Potentially a great conversation starter about bitterness measurement, but a gimmick nonetheless.

NORTHEAST IPA Some think it’s a new style that is going to stick around. (I think it is going to replace the NW IPA in popularity, it’s just so darned accessible!) Others think fad or trend. Either way, not gimmicky.

FRESH HOPPING Some thought it was a gimmick, others a seasonal/ legitimate beer style. Hype? Check! But that can be waved off because of the tiny time frame in which they can be brewed, marketed and sold.

When you fresh hop a non-hop-forward style, though, you’re in gimmick-land. If the hops aren’t showcased, using fresh ones is masturbatory.

KETTLE SOURS There’s no deceptive element if they are clearly labelled, and priced, as kettle sours. Probably a fad, but not a gimmick.

GRUITS And the gruits that started me thinking: Nobody likes these either. Why is anyone trying to get these on store shelves? That question put them into the gimmick category.

There you have it. Lines clearly drawn. Okay, not at all. But what the discussions did crystalize for me is that hype is the antithesis of authenticity. It’s okay to be novel, but you’ve got to have substance backing it up. It’s okay to grab headlines, but do it for good reason. Envelopes are meant to be pushed, but you’ve got to keep your integrity while doing so.

Craft beer is awesome. You know it. I know it.

Let’s make sure the rest of those louts know it too.

Then I’ll be able to sleep at night. j

29

VANCOUVER VANCOUVER

R & B BREWING CO.

54 E. 4th Ave. | RAndBBrewing.com

SUN-THU 11AM-11PM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-12AM EST. 1997 R&B has seen plenty of changes in its two decades, the latest being the addition of brewmaster Allan Cukier and earning BCBA gold for Best IPA.

20TH ANNIVERSARY BRETT SAISON

DARK STAR OATMEAL STOUT

FA R M H O U S E B R E T T S A I S O N Availability: One-off

OAT M E A L S TO U T Availability: Seasonal

ABV

9.0%

IBU

32

A strong saison aged with two Brettanomyces strains and bottle conditioned with natural pear juice.

ABV

4.6%

IBU

25

Coffee notes take the lead in this stout followed by chocolate and roasty bitterness.

VANCOUVER

RED TRUCK BEER CO.

295 E. 1st Ave. | RedTruckBeer.com

SUN-WED 11AM-10PM ^ THU 11AM-11PM FRI-SAT 11AM-12AM EST. 2005 Red Truck’s journey began in 2005 in North Van and continues at its Main Street brewery, where it’s cruising with a solid core line-up and seasonals.

RED PILSNER PILSNER

TOTALITY IMPERIAL STOUT

Availability: Seasonal

SEASONAL Availability: Seasonal

ABV

5.0%

IBU

25

A sessionable refreshing pils that’s lighter than its amber colour suggests.

30

ABV

8.5%

IBU

38

Dark, deep and rich, it’s a total eclipse of roasted barley, coffee, fruit and berry.

VANCOUVER

STORM BREWING LTD.

310 Commercial Dr. | StormBrewing.com

TUE-THU 10AM-6PM ^ FRI-SAT 10AM-8PM EST. 1994 The original East Van brewery has been keeping craft beer weird since 1994 with more than half a dozen new “Brainstorm” brews every week.

BLACK PLAGUE STOUT

IMPERIAL FLANDERS SOUR ALE

I M P E R I A L S TO U T Availability: Year-round

FLEMISH RED SOUR ALE Availability: Year-round

ABV

8.0%

IBU

25

A smooth, rich, roasty stout that’s sure to cure what ales you this winter.

ABV

11.0%

IBU

25

This strong sour is aged for at least a year in the same barrels that once held Storm’s legendary lambic.

Home of the bison burger!

1300 Robson Street | timbervancouver.com

Proud sponsor of the 2017 BC Beer Awards 31

VANCOUVER

STRANGE FELLOWS BREWING

1345 Clark Dr. | StrangeFellowsBrewing.com DAILY 12-11PM EST. 2014 A consistently great brewery founded by Iain Hill and Aaron Jonckheere—who are both more lovely than strange—that continues to evolve in its dedication to aged Belgian-inspired ales.

TALISMAN

REYNARD

PA L E A L E

OUD BRUIN

Availability: Year-round ABV

4.0%

IBU

29

A prominent but tempered tropical- and citrus-fruit profile makes Talisman a great session ale.

Availability: Limited ABV

6.5%

IBU

An alluring sour brown ale aged in oak. Tart dark cherry notes with a flinty-dry, brett-inflected finish.

NOCTURNUM

BAYARD

DA R K I N D I A PA L E A L E

FA R M H O U S E S A I S O N

Availability: Seasonal ABV

6.5%

IBU

65

A potent brew bristling with earthy, chocolatey malt notes and highlighted by herbal, pine and citrus hops.

N/A

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.5%

IBU

25

An expressive saison for any time of year: fruity, spicy, dry and a lock for pairing with most savoury dishes.

Strange days have found us...

Strange Fellows moves with the seasons in more ways than one. As well as changing up its beer menu, regular “Strange Day” events mark Old World traditions. From the Viking fire festival of Up Helly Aa to All Hallow’s Eve and Krampusnacht (the dark side of Christmas), there’s always something to celebrate—and a beer to celebrate with.

32

VANCOUVER

STRATHCONA BEER CO.

895 E. Hastings St. | StrathconaBeer.com DAILY 12-11PM EST. 2016

The new kids on their East Hastings block have been turning heads in their first year, from their hip tasting room to their tasty brews.

NEW ENGLAND IPA I N D I A PA L E A L E

ANNIVERSARY DOUBLE IPA

Availability: Seasonal

I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: One-off

ABV

5.5%

IBU

55

Hazy hopped goodness packaged in a psychedelic can that might induce flashbacks.

ABV

8.5%

IBU

70

To celebrate Strathcona’s first year in business, look out for this big, tropical hop bomb.

NORTH VAN

BEERE BREWING COMPANY

312 E. Esplanade | BeereBrewing.com SUN-WED 12-8PM ^ THU-SAT 12-11PM EST. 2017 North Vancouver’s newest craft brewery is up and running, with a bright and comfortable tasting room, fresh beer and good vibes.

MENTAL FLOSS

PUSHING DAYLIGHT

I N D I A PA L E A L E

FRENCH SAISON

Availability: Year-round ABV

7.9%

IBU

55

This double dry-hopped IPA is loaded with pineapple and passion fruit aromatics.

34

Availability: Year-round ABV

6.9%

IBU

17

A dry-hopped spelt saison that’s lemon and spice and everything nice.

NORTH VAN

BLACK KETTLE BREWING

106 -720 Copping St. | BlackKettleBrewing.com

MON-TUE 2-7PM ^ WED-SAT 11AM-8PM ^ SUN 1-6PM EST. 2014 Bryan Lockhart and Phil Vandenborre’s unpretentious brewery is a favourite with North Van locals and is quietly entering its fourth year.

PALE ALE

INDIA PALE ALE

PA L E A L E

I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Year-round

ABV

5.4%

IBU

N/A

Slight earthy and floral hop notes are present in this malty no-nonsense pale ale.

ABV

6.4%

IBU

60

Citrus and floral hop aromas and flavours are highlighted in this West Coast IPA.

NORTH VAN

BRIDGE BREWING CO.

1448 Charlotte Rd. | BridgeBrewing.com DAILY 11AM-11PM EST. 2012

This zero-waste brewery may skimp on producing garbage (seriously, there’s none!), but they sure don’t skimp on producing really tasty beers.

BARREL AGED BRETT SAISON FA R M H O U S E A L E Availability: One-off ABV

7.0%

IBU

18

A blend of several barrels, fermented on three yeasts, with secondary conditioning in red wine barrels.

THE GRINCH STRONG ALE Availability: Seasonal ABV

6.5%

IBU

20

With ho-ho-hops from NZ for notes of pine, and soft Christmas spices, it’s truly sublime.

35

Eric Mo utal

Evan Do an

BREWER

BREWER

Ze German Edition

W

by Rob Mangelsdorf

hen it comes to modern, North American craft beer, there are really three main brewing traditions that have influenced what we drink today. Generally every beer on tap at your favourite craft brewery can trace its lineage to England, Belgium or Germany.

The English gave us malt-forward milds, stouts and porters, as well as the pale ales and IPAs that would form the basis of the hop-forward North American styles.

The Belgians gave us rich dubbels and spicy tripels, sour lambics and oud bruins, and refreshing saisons and witbiers. The Belgian tradition emphasizes bold flavours and experimentation, which have become hallmarks of North American craft brewing.

And then there are the Germans. Arguably no other culture on earth is so obsessed with beer. They were the first to use hops to flavour and preserve beer. They revolutionized brewing again with the Reinheitsgebot—the Bavarian Beer Purity Law of 1516. The biggest impact German brewing has had on North America has sadly been the introduction of the lager and industrial brewing practices that

36

allowed macrobreweries to dominate the beer market for the past hundred years.

However, with more than 40 different native styles, ranging from smoked rauchbiers to tart and salty goses, German beer has much more to offer.

Eric Moutal of Steel & Oak Brewing and Evan Doan of Doan’s Craft Brewing Co. are two of the province’s leading brewers of German styles, so we got together at the Vancouver Alpen Club to crush some pilsners und sprechen deutsch.

THE GROWLER: What drew you to German beer styles specifically, as opposed to Belgian or English?

ERIC MOUTAL: I’ve always like drinking them, but what really got me, was the previous brewer at Steel & Oak, Peter [Schulz], who started it. And he’s from B.C. but he trained in Germany, and he came and he knew all the German ways of doing things.

So he started brewing those styles because that’s what he knows and he showed me and I fell in love with them.

EVAN DOAN: I also love drinking German beers but it was my brother John that got me into them.

LEFT: Eric Moutal (left) of Steel & Oak and Evan Doan (right) of Doan's Craft Brewing Co. enjoy some German beers at the Vancouver Alpen Club.

RIGHT: Both Steel & Oak and Doan's Craft Brewing focus on traditional German beer styles. Danika Sea photos.

He’s travelled to Germany multiple times, he’s fluent in German, and we were test-batching for the brewery and he suggested we try some German beers.

We were very much into IPAs, double IPAs, triple IPAs at the time. And we tried out a number of German styles and recipes and it just clicked. We try to make it as traditional as possible; we make all the water adjustments and use all German ingredients.

GROWLER: When I think of German beers, the first that comes to mind is balance, would you agree with that?

GROWLER: It’s interesting, because everyone is trying to be as weird and experimental as possible, it seems, but you guys, by exploring these really well-established styles, and trying to keep things traditional, are actually doing something very untraditional, because hardly anyone is doing what you’re doing, in B.C. at least.

DOAN: Absolutely. They have a degree of flavour profile that when you take a sip, you know that it’s German. It’s more on the piney, semi-floral, a little bit of fruit—but not a lot—on the hop character.

But bready and up-front malt character that cuts off really nice so there isn’t any lingering sweetness, it’s just perfectly balanced. And it’s really hard to get.

DOAN: It’s kind of true.

GROWLER: German engineering is known for its attention to detail. That’s a big part of German brewing, isn’t it?

MOUTAL: We did a collaboration with [German craft brewery] Freigeist Bierkultur, and I was emailing [brewer] Sebastian [Sauer] and he wanted to do something crazy, like, “what if we add rhubarb to a gose,” and that’s what he’s doing in Germany because that’s what sets him apart. But here, everybody does a gose, and everybody adds something to it. So let’s go real traditional, and we did a steinbier. And he was hesitant at first until he saw hot rocks, fire, and he was like, “Yeah, I can get into that!”

GROWLER: Steinbier, its roots are ancient, you’re putting literal hot rocks into the wort to heat it!

MOUTAL: Yeah, you get this great caramelization and a nice mineral quality from the rocks.

GROWLER: What sets German beers apart?

What makes them "German," other than the fact they’re made in Germany with German ingredients?

MOUTAL: Most of them are super drinkable, you can crush one after the other, where North American beer styles are ones that are delicious, but you only want one of them, and then move on to something else. German beers are clean, crisp, and you just want to keep drinking them. They know what they’re doing. And these breweries will often have one or two recipes and that’s it, and they’ve been doing it for 300 years or more. They’ve dialed it in. So if we can even come close, I’m happy.

MOUTAL: Yeah, learning from Peter, who’s a German-trained brewer, everything had to be done a certain way, everything was very organized, right down to making sure the tri-clamps were all facing the same way. So if you scan the brewery, you right away see when something’s wrong. There were so many little things like that. Even tool organization.

It was a mentality that he had. That’s how German brewers are trained.

DOAN: Making a product that’s balanced and drinkable, and making it consistently, that’s very difficult to do. So you need to have that mentality to create and consistently manufacture a product like that.

MOUTAL: That being said, you see now German beers, while they’re still great, they are lagging behind in innovation. And there is a movement, from what I’ve heard, of craft brewers and people wanting to make new things, but for the most part the German public is not as receptive to change.

They don’t want these new crazy styles that people are experimenting with.

GROWLER: Last question, why should people drink German beers?

DOAN: Because they’re fucking delicious! j

37

NORTH VAN

DEEP COVE BREWERS AND DISTILLERS

170 - 2270 Dollarton Hwy. | DeepCoveCraft.com DAILY 12-11PM EST. 2013 This welcoming North Shore haunt is the perfect place for après ski craft beers, with live music every Friday and Saturday.

LUMINESCENT

SHAKETOWN

R O B U S T P O RT E R

B L A C K I PA

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Seasonal

ABV

5.8%

IBU

32

This Canadian Brewing Award-winning chocolate coconut porter is a bona fide winter classic.

ABV

6.6%

IBU

60

The Northwest hop profile is complemented by spruce tips in this black IPA.

NORTH VAN

GREEN LEAF BREWING CO.

123 Carrie Cates Crt. | GreenLeafBrew.com

MON-THU 11AM-10PM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-11PM SUN 11AM-9PM EST. 2013 Not only is the beer fresh, but Green Leaf also makes in-house kombucha and ginger ale.

LOLO STOUT

CHERRY SOUR

S TO U T

BRETT SOUR

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.5%

IBU

35

Named after Lower Lonsdale, where this robust stout with coffee and chocolate notes resides.

38

Availability: Small batch ABV

5.4%

IBU

N/A

Oak barrel-aged brett sour that’s refermented with cherries. Sweet, sour and subtle red wine hints.

NORTH VAN

HEARTHSTONE BREWERY

1015 Marine Dr. | HearthstoneBrewery.ca

SUN-WED 11AM-10PM ^ THURS-SAT 11AM-12AM EST. 2014 A jewel in the crown of the North Shore, Hearthstone serves up an inventive range of superb beer and innovative eats from its Tap & Forno restaurant.

CHOCOLATE MILK STOUT S TO U T Availability: Year-round ABV

5.5%

IBU

19

This B.C. Beer Awards gold-medal winner is aged on cacao nibs and shells from East Van Roasters.

PILS PILSNER Availability: Year-round ABV

4.5%

IBU

20

Marynka and Saaz hops contribute a herbal and spicy profile to this overlooked pilsner.

GrimmsFineFoods.com 39

BURNABY

DAGERAAD BREWING

114 - 3191 Thunderbird Cres. | DageraadBrewing.com SAT-THU 12-8PM^FRI 12-9PM EST. 2014 Another year, another armful of awards for Burnaby’s beloved Dageraad Brewing, makers of some of the finest bottle-conditioned Belgian beers this side of Flanders.

10°

BRUNE

A B B E Y- S T Y L E Q UA D R U P E L

A B B E Y- S T Y L E D U B B E L

Availability: Small batch

Availability: Year-round

ABV

10.5%

IBU

30

A “secular homage” to the strong, dark ales brewed by Trappist monks in Belgium.

ENTROPY SERIES NO. 5 B L O N D E I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: One-off ABV

8.0%

IBU

N/A

This blonde IPA was aged in gin barrels and if you want to get your hands on some, you’d better hurry.

ABV

7.5%

IBU

25

Made with figs once grown by Franciscan monks on this continent and yeast used by European Trappist monks.

LOUISE BLONDE ALE Availability: Limited release ABV

6.5%

IBU

N/A

Named for brewer Ben Coli’s daughter, Louise is bright, zesty and full of personality.

Belgian beginnings...

In addition to some of the finest beers on earth, Belgium is also responsible for french fries, Jean Claude Van Damme, roller skates, absurdly large farm animals and the internal combustion engine.

40

Crafted in the Belgian Tradition Brewed in British Columbia

E ST 2 0 1 4

CELEBRATING OUR 2017 BC BEER AWARDS Wild Specialty

Fruit beer

s i lv e r

g old

De Witte

Anno 2016

Belgian strong & Trappist ale g o l d Louise

Belgian strong & Trappist ale s i lv e r Anterpen

Saison Lake City Farmhouse

g old

BURNABY

STEAMWORKS BREWING CO.

3845 William St. | Steamworks.com SUN-WED 12-10PM ^THU-FRI 12-11PM EST. 1995 Always looking for ways to bring you more of their award-winning beers, Steamworks recently added to its production capacity with six new tanks.

WINTER LAGER

HEROICA

LAGER

RED ALE

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Year-round

ABV

5.4%

IBU

30

Highly drinkable, yet rich and complex, this elegant lager is perfect for long winter nights.

ABV

5.6%

IBU

40

Smooth and velvety, this award-winning ale is generously hopped, with citrus and pine notes.

NEW WEST

STEEL & OAK BREWING CO.

1319 3rd Ave. | SteelAndOak.ca

SUN-WED 12-8PM ^ THU-SAT 12-10PM EST. 2013 Winner of six medals at the B.C. Beer Awards, this brewery clearly knows what it’s doing. Try their beer and you’ll soon see what the fuss is about.

DARK LAGER

WINDROSE

DUNKEL

P O RT E R

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.0%

IBU

27

A balanced, unfiltered Munich dunkel with malt flavours of nuts, toast and caramel.

42

Availability: Seasonal ABV

6.0%

IBU

40

Oat, rye, wheat and barley malts combine to give this rich porter a complex body.

PORT MOODY

MOODY ALES

2601 Murray St. | MoodyAles.com MON 1-9PM ^ TUE-WED 1-10PM ^ THU 1-11PM FRI 12-11PM ^ SAT 11AM-11PM ^ SUN 12-9PM EST. 2014 Moody Ales was the first brewery to open shop on Brewers Row, and the first in Canada to offer beer in 1-litre “crowlers.”

LUSTY CHOCOLATE OATMEAL STOUT

VIENNA AMBER LAGER

OAT M E A L M I L K S TO U T Availability: Seasonal

VIENNA LAGER Availability: Year-round

ABV

5.6%

IBU

23

This late-night treat is brewed with chocolate malt and cocoa powder, then conditioned on cocoa nibs.

ABV

5.5%

IBU

19

This malt-forward amber has more complexity then your average lager, but still finishes crisp and clean.

PORT MOODY

THE PARKSIDE BREWERY

2731 Murray St. | TheParksideBrewery.com

MON-THU 12-10PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-11PM ^ SUN 12-9PM EST. 2016 Grab a flight of beer served in a mini park bench at this aptly-named brewery, home of former Granville Island brewer Vern Lambourne.

DIM WIT WITBIER

PARKSIDE MOTEL PALE ALE

Availability: Year-round

I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round

ABV

4.8%

IBU

15

Even a dim wit can see why this lovely Belgian witbier won silver at the B.C. Beer Awards

ABV

5.8%

IBU

40

This hazy IPA features five different hops for heaps of tropical fruit, citrus and berry flavours.

43

PORT MOODY

TWIN SAILS BREWING

2821 Murray St. | TwinSailsBrewing.com

MON-TUE 2-9PM ^ WED-THU 2-10PM ^FRI-SAT 12-11PM SUN 12-10PM EST. 2015 Good old Murray Street is home to Brewers Row. Four breweries like ducks in a row, including Twin Sails, with its line-up of innovative beers.

DAT JUICE

STREET LEGAL

PA L E A L E

I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Year-round

ABV

5.2%

IBU

25

Unfiltered, brewed with flaked and malted wheat, and heavily hopped with 100% Citra hops.

ABV

6.5%

IBU

44

Double dry-hopping with Falconer’s Flight and Simcoe provides dank fruity, citrus character.

PORT MOODY

YELLOW DOG BREWING CO.

1- 2817 Murray St. | YellowDogBrew.com

MON-THU 11AM-10PM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-11PM SUN 11AM-8PM EST. 2014 Yellow Dog has turned a love of dogs, and a love of beer, into a successful canine-themed brewery. Their beers are unfiltered to keep in all the flavour.

TAKE A WALK

HIGH 5

WITBIER

H A Z Y I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Year-round ABV

4.8%

IBU

15

Light, sessionable, and a bit sweet, with a big fruit kick.

44

Availability: Year-round ABV

7.0%

IBU

50

Northeast-style IPA with a big nose of grapefruit and super-hazy body. Juicy!

COQUITLAM

MARINER BREWING

1100 Lansdowne Dr. | MarinerBrewing.ca MON-THU 2-10PM ^ FRI 2-11PM SUN 12-9PM

^ SAT 12-11PM

EST. 2016 Just down the road from Port Moody’s Brewers Row, Coquitlam’s Mariner is worth hitting up alone for its inventive beer menu and gourmet hot dogs.

GOLDEN IPA

BERLINER WEISSE

I N D I A PA L E A L E

BERLINER WEISSE

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Year-round

ABV

6.8%

IBU

50

Wheat keeps this beer crisp and the citrus hops keeps the aroma and flavour intense.

ABV

4.5%

IBU

5

A fine, golden example of Berlin’s sour style, with a light breadiness and assertive lacto-derived tartness.

RICHMOND

BRITANNIA BREWING CO.

110-12500 Horseshoe Way | BBCO.ca MON-SAT 11AM-6PM EST. 2016 It’s a two-for-one in Richmond: growler fills and beer sales at Britannia’s Horseshoe Way home, and the full tasting room experience at its Steveston spot.

RIPTIDE IPA

ASHORE RYE PORTER

I N D I A PA L E A L E

RY E P O RT E R

Availability: Year-round ABV

6.5%

IBU

55

Juicy NE-style IPA with Amarillo hops. Fruity notes of melon, nectarine and mandarin orange.

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.1%

IBU

32

Chocolate, a little nutty and lightly roasted. The addition of rye gives some spiciness.

45

Brew-themed gift ideas for Christmas and beyond

by Michael Kissinger

What do you get the beer lover in your life for Christmas, besides a gym membership?

Thankfully, the dark, lonely recesses of the Internet offer plenty of sudsy options—from questionable drinking devices and hoppy fashions, to clever koozie technology and an assortment of beer-themed Canucks paraphernalia for deadening the pain.

Dad Bag The ironic fetishization of “dad bod” has been arguably the greatest thing to happen to male craft beer drinkers since double chin-hiding beards and bald spot-concealing baseball hats. The Dad Bag goes one step further by reclaiming the long-mocked utilitarian glory of fanny packs combined with the illusion of having a beer gut. What if you already have said beer gut? Then you’re just twice as sexy. $15.99 at TheDadBag.com

Canucks Authentic Game Used Bottle Openers More expensive than a lower bowl seat at Rogers Arena, these official NHL endorsed bottle openers are crafted from

46

authentic hockey pucks that slipped past Jacob Markstrom and pieces of broken hockey sticks from many a whiffed slap shot. Failure never tasted so refreshing. $95 at NHLShop.ca

Canucks Hockey Sweater Koozie If you ask me, a beer bottle adorned with a knitted beer koozie looks a lot like an uncircumcised penis, even though as a child of the ’70s I have not seen very many of them.

That said, this koozie features insulated neoprene, “unique knit construction” and can expand to fit most cans and bottles up to two litres, so you can enjoy that chilled bottle of Rock-a-Berry cooler all night long. $9.99 at NHLShop.ca

Beer Cap Map Who doesn’t enjoy geographically documenting the extent of their alcoholism? This stylized piece of plywood lets you map out your drinking adventures south of the border one bottle cap at a time. Prefer to keep track of your mead-drinking exploits?

That’s what the notches on your broad sword are for whenever you go out LARPing. $43.70 at UncommonGoods.com

Bottle Loft Not to be confused with the half-million-dollar Mount Pleasant “micro-condo” you just saddled yourself with to enjoy “craft living” at its finest, Bottle Loft is a set of magnetic strips you attach to the roof of your fridge and hang bottles from.

Why? Because with the size of your ridiculous mortgage payments this is the closest thing to entertainment you’ll be able to afford. $47.44 at UncommonGoods.com

Beer Dress and Leggings 82 per cent polyester, 18 per cent elastane and 100 per cent inappropriate for your mom to wear, these Australian-made garments are not only barley positive but strangely alluring.

Plus you can

finally haul out your long-awaited pick-up line, “What’s your IBU?” Currently sold out at BlackMilkClothing.com

combine beer koozie and soap on a rope technology is beyond me. Such a missed opportunity. $9.97 at Shakoolie.com

Thirst Bat

floating Birthday Candle to Make Your Beer A Cake

Billed as an “iconic baseball bat and beer bong in one,” the unfortunately named ThirstBat Chugger is built to play ball while conveniently designed to speed up the consumption of delicious beer. Why not a ThirstRacquet Chugger for the tennis crowd or a ThirstJavelin Chugger for high school track and field teams? Well, that would be ridiculous. $44.99 at ThirstBat.com

Heavy is the head that wears the crown, especially when drinking a beer alone in gravy-stained sweatpants on your birthday.

But don’t get stuck in your “emotional dojo.” Throw yourself a party of one with this floating candle, perfectly sized for that beer mug, stein or gallon jug.

Yes, you can have it all. $5.99 at PerpetualKid.com j

Shakoolie Shower Beer Koozie If there is anything more life-affirming than drinking in the shower, I’ve yet to experience or remember it. That said, safe and convenient beverage storage has long remained the downside of such noble shower pursuits.

Thankfully, the makers of Shakoolie Shower Beer Koozie have solved one of humankind’s great conundrums with this personal hygiene-minded drinking companion. But why they didn’t

47

RICHMOND

FUGGLES & WARLOCK CRAFTWORKS

103-11220 Horseshoe Way | FugglesWarlock.com SUN-WED 2-9PM ^ THU 11AM-11PM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM12AM EST. 2012 The proud nerds at F&W are always up to something cool, like their experimental rotating IPAs or their pop culture-referencing beer names.

KIWAMI PLUM SOUR

DARK SIDE

SOUR ALE

R U S S I A N I M P E R I A L S TO U T

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Seasonal

ABV

6.3%

IBU

7

This delicate wheat sour is brewed with fresh plums and is now available in six-packs.

ABV

9.9%

IBU

40

The Dark Side is indeed powerful, with notes of coffee, chocolate, dark roasty malts and a creamy finish.

DELTA

FOUR WINDS BREWING

4 - 7355 72nd St. | FourWindsBrewing.ca DAILY 11AM-7PM EST. 2013

Four Winds continues to impress: the four-packs are pitch-perfect; the specialty releases always innovate; and the cans should be a mainstay in every fridge.

OAT PORTER

JUXTAPOSE

P O RT E R

W I L D I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Seasonal ABV

5.5%

IBU

25

Chocolate malts, roasted barley and oats combine to create this creamy, rich porter.

48

Availability: Year-round ABV

6.5%

IBU

50

Ripe tropical fruit esters are juxtaposed with mild brett funk in this distinctive beer.

RICHMOND SURREY

CENTRAL CITY BREWERS + DISTILLERS

11411 Bridgeview Dr. | CentralCityBrewing.com MON-FRI 11AM-9PM ^SAT-SUN 10AM-9PM EST. 2003

Central City’s distillery is winning awards, matching the accolades of Gary Lohin’s brewhouse, its Red Racer staples and its sumptuous seasonals.

RED RACER SMORE STOUT

THOR’S HAMMER BARLEY WINE

M I L K S TO U T Availability: Seasonal

BA R L E Y W I N E Availability: Seasonal

ABV

6.0%

IBU

35

Missing summer campfires? This stout with notes of marshmallow, chocolate and spice will take you back.

ABV

11.5%

IBU

85

Legendary in more than name. Full of dark, dried fruit and boozy spice, and the best part of winter.

SURREY

RUSSELL BREWING CO.

202 - 13018 80th Ave. | RussellBeer.com MON-FRI 6:30AM-2:30PM EST. 1995

This Surrey brewery is knocking down some walls and welcoming aboard a new brewer in Dave Van Allen. No word on that tasting room though.

BLACK LAGER

BARREL AGED SOUR

LAGER

SOUR ALE

Availability: Seasonal ABV

5.0%

IBU

N/A

Made with midnight wheat and dark Munich malts, it can’t get much darker than this.

Availability: Seasonal ABV

6.0%

IBU

N/A

A kettle sour that’s barrel-aged in Avery Creek Merlot barrels for a year.

49

SURREY

WHITE ROCK BREWING

13 - 3033 King George Blvd. | WhiteRockBrewing.ca MON-SAT 11:30AM-7PM ^ SUN 11:30AM-5PM EST. 2015 Size and a no-frills tasting room are no determination of quality or inventiveness—or popularity, as this busy little South Surrey brewery proves.

WHITE ROCK OCEAN LAGER

WHITE ROCK MOUNTAIN ALE

LAGER Availability: Year-round

ENGLISH BITTER Availability: Year-round

ABV

5.0%

IBU

22

Munich and Crystal malt lend some extra colour to this lager, which is hopped with Hallertau and Saaz.

ABV

5.0%

IBU

33

A dash of molasses and roasted barley makes for a richer, fuller brew.

WHITE ROCK

3 DOGS BREWING

15214 North Bluff Rd. | 3DogsBrewing.com WED-FRI 3-11PM ^ SAT 12-11PM ^ SUN 12-6PM EST. 2016 This tiny brewery has quickly found a place in the heart of White Rock locals thanks to Scott Keddy’s finely crafted beers.

DOUBLE DOG DARE D O U B L E I N D I A PA L E A L E

BLACKIE THE BROWN DOG

Availability: Small batch

A M E R I C A N P O RT E R Availability: Seasonal

ABV

8.7%

IBU

85

The carefully balanced hops, malts and alcohol will keep even non hop-heads coming back for more.

50

ABV

6.0%

IBU

30

Dark malt intensity and medium bitterness make this winter warmer a local favorite.

WHITE ROCK

WHITE ROCK BEACH BEER CO.

15181 Russell Ave. | WhiteRockBeachBeer.com WED-THU 4-8PM ^ FRI 4-9PM^SAT 12-8PM SUN 12-6PM EST. 2014 With their 15bbl system up and running, White Rock Beach Beer has expanded to a fuller product line, and now offer flights in the tasting room.

EAST BEACH

PIER

A M E R I C A N B R OW N A L E

I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Year-round

ABV

4.9%

IBU

32

Dark brown in colour but clear all the way through, mild and not overly hopped.

ABV

6.0%

IBU

80

Cascade, Magnum, and Centennial give it that “bite” dedicated hopheads look for.

51

PITT MEADOWS

FOAMERS’ FOLLY BREWING CO.

19221 122A Ave. | FoamersFolly.ca

SUN-THU 11AM-11PM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-12:30AM EST. 2015 If you haven’t made it to Pitt Meadows yet, plan a trip now. The tasting room and patio are always hopping and with a whopping 20 taps on offer, the ever-rotating beer lineup is always interesting and dynamic.

CRANBERRY MILK STOUT M I L K S TO U T Availability: Small batch ABV

6.2%

IBU

38

JUICY DOUBLE III D O U B L E I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Small batch ABV

9.0%

IBU

90

A full-bodied stout with sweet, milk chocolate flavours and a tart cranberry finish.

Hazy and creamy with pungent hop aromas and tropical, fruity hop flavours with added kiwi.

GOESTING

WRY SCOT

BELGIAN BLONDE ALE

S C OT T I S H A L E

Availability: Small batch

Availability: Small batch

ABV

6.2%

IBU

24

This ale brewed with added wheat has a light hoppiness and dry, fruity finish.

ABV

5.0%

IBU

23

Made with light biscuit malt with added rye, then lightly hopped for a clean finish.

WHat’s in a name?

When it comes to naming a new brewery, it’s hard to stand out from the crowd. Foamer’s Folly is definitely a unique name—but what the heck does it mean?

Apparently, “foamers” are absolutely obsessed with trains. The folks at Foamer’s Folly are equally obsessed, but with beer, of course.

52

LOCALLY BREWED, HAND CRAFTED BEER

Brewery & Tap Room: 19221 122a Avenue, Pitt Meadows, BC V3Y 2E9

Hours of Operation: Sun. – Thurs.: 11am—11pm Fri. & Sat.: 11am—12:30am

foamersfolly.ca  foamersfolly  foamersfolly

MAPLE RIDGE

MAPLE MEADOWS BREWING CO.

22775 Dewdney Trunk Rd. | MapleMeadowsBrewingCo.com MON-THU 3-7PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-8PM ^ SUN 12-6PM EST. 2014 Carlo Baroccio lets his strong tap list speak for itself and the only way to find out what’s brewing here is to pay this no-nonsense tasting room a visit.

NEGRA NOCHE

PORTCHATA

BOCK

R O B U S T P O RT E R

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Seasonal

ABV

6.3%

IBU

20

The regulars demanded this seasonal’s return so it’s like the Terminator says, “I’ll be bock.”

ABV

5.5%

IBU

30

The sweet milky Mexican and Spanish beverage meets a porter in this spiced, rich brew.

MAPLE RIDGE

RIDGE BREWING CO.

22826 Dewdney Trunk Rd. | RidgeBrewing.com MON-TUE 2-7PM ^ WED-THU 11-7PM FRI-SAT 11AM-9PM ^ SUN 11AM-6PM EST. 2015 Ridge’s Pale Ale and White IPA are now available in tall boy cans at liquor stores. Enjoy a mini brewery crawl with Maple Meadows just steps away.

DARK SCIENCE

GREEN EYES

O R A N G E S TO U T

W H I T E I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: One-off ABV

5.5%

IBU

35

A rich, hoppy American stout with mandarin orange zest. Tastes of chocolate and candied orange.

54

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.7%

IBU

84

Juicy citrus and tropical fruit notes make this bitter but balanced white IPA very accessible.

MAPLE RIDGE

SILVER VALLEY BREWING

#101 - 11952 224 St. | SilverValleyBrewing.com WED-THU 2-10PM ^ FRI 2-11PM ^ SAT 11AM-11PM SUN 11AM-9PM EST. 2017 Maple Ridge’s third brewery is focusing mostly on English styles and is also serving up some quite spectacular cheese and charcuteries boards.

LIKE THE SUN

REVENGEANCE

GOLDEN ALE

R E D I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Year-round

ABV

4.5%

IBU

35

ABV

A golden ale in the English vein, with a low ABV and lively hop character.

6.5%

IBU

55

An intense hybrid marrying the malty richness of a red ale and the hop blast of an IPA.

BC’S BEST Craft Beer Store since 2008.

Craft beer is our passion and our specialty.

Proudly offering the most sought after domestic & international selections.

14th & Main • Free parking around back! • 604-872-3373 www.brewcreek.ca • Open 11-11 every day

55

LANGLEY

KPU BREWING LAB

20901 Langley Bypass | KPU.ca/Brew FRI 1-5PM EST. 2016

Kwantlen Polytechnic’s brewing program has their own brewery where you can sample the students’ medal-winning beers.

KPU PORTER

KPU HELLES LAGER

P O RT E R

LAGER

Availability: Small batch

Availability: Small batch

ABV

5.0%

IBU

N/A

A substantial, smooth beer with a complex and flavourful dark malt character.

ABV

5.0%

IBU

N/A

A traditional German lager, this beer is medium-bodied with good bitterness and a lively golden colour.

LANGLEY

TRADING POST BREWING

107 - 20120 64th Ave. | TradingPostBrewing.com SUN-WED 12-9PM ^ THU-SAT 12-11PM EST. 2015

The open concept two-storey tasting room overlooking the brewery is just one small part of Trading Post’s mission to bring craft beer to the masses.

IMPERIAL STOUT

HELLES LAGER

R U S S I A N I M P E R I A L S TO U T

MUNICH STYLE HELLES LAGER

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Year-round

ABV

8.5%

IBU

40

Aromas of brown sugar and dried fruit combine with bourbon and oak to create complexity.

56

ABV

5.0%

IBU

21

Bohemian floor-malted barley and Hallertau hops create a subdued hoppiness and medium malt body.

ALDERGROVE

DEAD FROG BREWERY

1 - 27272 Gloucester Way | DeadFrog.ca

MON-WED 10AM-5PM ^ THU-FRI 10AM-6PM SAT-SUN 11AM-4PM EST. 2005 Ten years young and still hopping strong, Dead Frog has matured into a consistently dependable brewery that mixes tested classics with innovation.

SOUR RASPBERRY NUT BROWN ALE S O U R B R OW N A L E Availability: One-off ABV

7.0%

IBU

WEEPING REAPER BLOOD ORANGE HELLES BOCK Availability: Small batch

44

ABV

This celebration of Dead Frog’s original Nut Brown blends tart raspberry and dark chocolate flavours.

7.0%

IBU

26

A compelling, malty lager with haunting citrus notes and a scythe-like dryness at the last gasp.

CELEBRATING B.C.’S COCKTAIL CULTURE Pick up the latest issue at BEST SELindependent LIN G TONIC local distillers, AS VOTED FOR BY THE WORLD’S 50 BEST BARS liquor stores and your favourite cocktail bar.

07

#1 Trending Brand

FeverTreeMixers

fevertree_uk

For more information: TFB & Associates Limited at (e) customer.service@tfb.ca, (t) 905.940.0889 Available through: Container World, Connect Logistics, GFS, Sysco and in retail stores.

THE ALCHEMIST

@TheAlchemistBC @TheAlchemistMag www.Fever-Tree.com

WINTER 2017 / 07

#1 Best Mixer

WINTER 2017

WHISKY A-GO-GO

WINTER SPICE

RE-UP

From barrel to bottle to book

BUY B.C.

Aquavit moves up

Reviving the Sidecar

Distillery listings and tasting notes

TheAlchemistMagazine.ca 57

What’s your

birth beer?

by Rob Mangelsdorf

For thousands of years, cultures around the world have connected certain beers with birth months and zodiac signs. Bible historians, for example, have long associated the 12 beers present at the Last Supper with the various months of the year. Judeo-Christian tradition states that each of the 12 beers embodies the characteristics of those born in that month. So, what does your birth beer say about you?

JANUARY

RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT You’re strong, dark and brooding, and, let’s be honest, really only tolerable in small amounts. It’s not that you can’t play nice with others, it’s just that your personality is somewhat overpowering and you tend to lose control. You don’t really respect boundaries, either (*cough* UKRAINE *cough*).

MARCH

GOSE Yeah, you’re a bit fucking salty, but that’s the fucking way you are, and if anyone else doesn’t fucking like it, too fucking bad. However, while your lack of a filter is refreshing, too much can become tiresome and off-putting.

58

FEBRUARY

ENGLISH BROWN ALE You’re working class and proud of it. And why shouldn’t you be? You put in a hard day’s work, you pay your taxes, you recycle. You’re the backbone of this great nation and you deserve a pint. Or seven.

APRIL

HEFEWEIZEN A little bit fruity, a little bit spicy, and a whole lot of fun at parties. You don’t need that orange twist, but you’re feeling fabulous, so why the hell not? After all, if you got it, flaunt it!

MAY

JUNE

LIGHT LAGER I have bad news for you.

Nobody likes you; they merely tolerate you. You are what people settle for when there are literally no other options.

You’re as tasteless as you are transparent.

IPA Big and bold and bitter like a twice-divorced trucker with opinions no one wants to hear.

You’re in everybody’s face and we can smell you from across the room. Seriously, take it down a notch.

JULY

SAISON Yeah, you’re a little tart.

But the world could use more tarts in it, so no judgment here.

AUGUST

BELGIAN TRAPPIST ALE Outwardly, you project a sense of enlightenment.

There’s a calmness to your demeanor that you’ve worked hard to cultivate.

But it doesn’t take much for everything to go off the rails.

Moderation is (or should be) your mantra.

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

MARZEN You came here to do two things: eat pretzels and get wasted. And you’re all out of pretzels.

KOLSCH You’re a refreshing person to talk to, and the more time one spends with you, the more you reveal. On the surface, you hide that depth of character, but those close to you see you for the complex, affable person you are.

NOVEMBER

SOUR ALE What you think of as your “acerbic wit” looks like “wanton douchebaggery” to everybody else. This is why you don’t get invited to parties anymore.

DECEMBER

BARLEYWINE You give off an air of class and sophistication at first glance, but deep down, you know you’re a slobbering pisstank like the rest of us. j

59

ABBOTSFORD ALDERGROVE

FIELD HOUSE BREWING CO.

2281 West Railway St. | FieldHouseBrewing.com TUE-SUN 12-10PM EST. 2016

Field House has added to their already appealing tasting room with a covered patio. A home away from home for locals, and worth the drive.

TOASTED COCONUT BLACK LAGER BLACK LAGER Availability: Seasonal ABV

6.0%

IBU

32

Brewed as a traditional schwarzbier, with hints of chocolate, and the addition of toasted coconut.

LAVENDER ESB ENGLISH SPECIAL BITTER Availability: Seasonal ABV

5.4%

IBU

38

Balanced bitterness, with the addition of local organic lavender for floral aromas and spice notes.

ABBOTSFORD

OLD ABBEY ALES

1A - 30321 Fraser Hwy. | OldAbbeyAles.com DAILY 11AM-8PM EST. 2015 This lesser known spot might be off your radar, but with 20 taps in the tasting room its brewer is kept extra busy producing an eclectic mix of beers.

SOUR RASPBERRY

BELGIAN TRIPEL IPA

KETTLE SOUR ALE

B E L G I A N I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Year-round ABV

7.0%

IBU

7

Ripe red raspberry and lactic sourness harmonize to create a crisp and refreshing beer.

60

Availability: Year-round ABV

9.0%

IBU

50

Big and bold, this IPA merges spicy Belgian yeast with North American hop goodness.

ABBOTSFORD

RAVENS BREWING CO.

2485 Townline Rd. | Ravens.beer

WED-THU 2-7PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-8PM ^ SUN 12-6PM EST. 2015 Ravens is doing a fine job of bringing craft beer to the unconverted masses of the Valley. Plus, if you’re Ryan Reynolds, you get to drink here for free.

SUMAS MOUNTAIN LAGER

HOT CHOCOLATE PORTER

AMERICAN LAGER Availability: Year-round

P O RT E R Availability: Seasonal

ABV

4.8%

IBU

18

A SMaSH lager featuring pleasantly grainy Canadian two-row malt and B.C. Sterling hops.

ABV

6.0%

IBU

25

Cacao nibs boost the chocolatey malt profile, while a hint of added vanilla lends depth.

Catered platters featuring our smoked meats, & award-winning sausages, carefully arranged for your events.

Much like craft beer, we believe Lepp Farm raised, gourmet meats are

leppfarmmarket.com 33955 Clayburn Rd. 604.851.5377 Abbotsford, BC

61

MISSION

MISSION SPRINGS BREWING COMPANY

7160 Oliver St. | MissionSprings.ca

MON-SAT 11AM-10PM ^ SUN 10AM-10PM EST. 1996 The beers on tap at MSBC are enough to keep your attention, but just in case: check out the almost-Smithsonian level of garage-themed antiques and oddities covering the walls of this rustic, spacious brewpub.

BIGFOOT BROWN ALE

BLUE COLLAR PALE ALE

B R OW N A L E Availability: Seasonal

PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round

ABV

5.2%

IBU

15

Infused with Columbian coffee beans from a local roaster, with notes of chocolate and brown sugar.

ABV

5.2%

IBU

30

Noble hops from England and super-fresh Fraser Valley water are in this hard-working brew.

FAT GUY STOUT S TO U T

APRICOT BERLINER WEISSE

Availability: Year-round

BERLINER WEISSE Availability: Seasonal

ABV

4.5%

IBU

23

With tasty chocolate, coffee and roasted flavours, this crushable stout will fill you up.

ABV

3.3%

IBU

0

Made with apricot puree and Lactobacillus acid, it’s a juicy, tart American take on the style.

Gangnam style!

In 2013, Mission Springs opened two taphouses abroad, in two different neighborhoods in Seoul, South Korea: one in the Gangnam district, the other in the Itaewon area. Thousands of litres of fresh beer is exported from Mission to pour at these taphouses abroad every month.

62

TAILGATE EVERY FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY ALL YOU CAN EAT . 5-9 PM

$18 ADULTS // $11 KIDS

$4

Happy Hour, Beer & Wine Specials

UFC, PPV & prizes!

7160 Oliver Street, MIssion • 604.820.4192

missionsprings.ca

CHILLIWACK

CHAOS & SOLACE CRAFT BREWING CO.

1 - 9360 Mill St. | ChaosAndSolace.com TUES-SUN 11AM-7PM EST. 2016

Chilliwack was once the hop capital of the British Empire, which you can learn about from the historical displays in Chaos and Solace’s tasting room.

PARAMOUNT PORTER P O RT E R

SARDIS PARK MILD DARK

Availability: Year-round

DA R K M I L D Availability: Year-round

ABV

6.4%

IBU

38

This dark roasty ale is strong like a tractor and as delicious as the day is long.

ABV

3.8%

IBU

15

Embark on this mild dark, a benchmark with malty spark, for a session at the park on a lark.

CHILLIWACK

OLD YALE BREWING CO.

404 - 44550 South Sumas Rd. | OldYaleBrewing.com SUN-WED 11AM-7PM ^ THU-SAT 12-9PM EST. 1999 Don’t miss Old Yale’s Beermas—every day for the 12 days leading up to Dec. 24, the tasting room will release a beer dreamt up by a staff member.

SASQUATCH STOUT OAT M E A L S TO U T

SCREAMING BANSHEE IRISH CREAM STOUT

Availability: Year-round

I M P E R I A L S TO U T Availability: Seasonal

ABV

5.0%

IBU

15

Voted Best Beer in Canada for 2014. Smooth with mocha, coffee and roasted barley notes.

64

ABV

7.5%

IBU

25

Screaming Banshee has an Irish Cream flavour that gives this stout a smooth, defined sweetness.

We are Northwest Hop Farms—a full-service hop farm and hop distribution company based in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

From our family farm in Chilliwack, we harvest, package, and ship hops to 17 countries worldwide. In addition to our own hops, we partner up with the best farmers in B.C., U.S.A., and around the world, to offer over 180 varieties of quality hops to the brewing industry.

Our mission is to raise the profile of our many partner farmers in the area, as well as to promote the resurgence of hop farming in British Columbia. We are incredibly passionate about hops and the craft brewing industry and we are excited to share our passion with you!

NORTHWEST HOP FARMS Chilliwack, B.C. 604-845-7974 • sales@northwesthopfarms.com www.northwesthopfarms.com

SQUAMISH

A-FRAME BREWING CO.

38927 Queens Way | AFrameBrewing.com MON-THU 3-9PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-11PM ^ SUN 12-8PM EST. 2016 Tuesday is trivia night at A-Frame’s cosy cabin of a tasting room. It’s a little-known fact that beer makes you smarter.

BREW LAKE EAST COAST IPA

LASLUI LAKE BLACK IPA

I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Seasonal

I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Seasonal

ABV

7.0%

IBU

50

A Vermont-style IPA with flavours of orange, melon and pine. Easier drinking than the ABV suggests.

ABV

6.8%

IBU

50

A Northwest-style Cascadian dark ale; IPA in flavour and aroma, with dark malts for colour.

SQUAMISH

BACKCOUNTRY BREWING

#405-1201 Commercial Way | BackcountryBrewing.com MON-WED 3-10PM ^ THU 3-11PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-11PM SUN 12-10PM EST. 2017 Great beers, great food, great room: Backcountry hasn’t been open long, but it’s getting everything right, and has the gold medals to show for it.

TRAILBREAKER PALE ALE PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV

5.0%

IBU

35

The malt profile is light so the hops can shine in this B.C. Beer Award gold medal winner.

66

WIDOWMAKER IPA E A S T C OA S T I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV

6.7%

IBU

50

This IPA is big and pulpy to complement the intense juiciness from the Citra and Mosiac hops.

SQUAMISH

HOWE SOUND BREWING CO.

37801 Cleveland Ave. | HoweSound.com DAILY 11AM-11AM EST. 1996

A trio of B.C. Beer Awards prove that quality is still a watchword at Howe Sound, 21 years after the Squamish brewery, pub and inn opened.

SKY PILOT

POTHOLE FILLER

PA L E A L E

I M P E R I A L S TO U T

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.0%

IBU

Availability: Seasonal

20

ABV

As striking as its namesake mountain, with prominent notes of mandarin, pine resin and tropical fruit.

9.0%

IBU

60

A massive, complex beer that you can lose yourself in.

Huge malt profile, with caramel, coffee and molasses.

Follow us! @THEGROWLERBC 67

WHISTLER

COAST MOUNTAIN BREWING CO.

Unit 2 1212 Alpha Lake Rd. | CoastMountainBeer.ca MON 12PM-12AM ^ TUE-WED 12-10PM THU-SAT 11AM-12AM ^ SUN 11AM-10PM EST. 2016 Look for a solid lineup of events here throughout Whistler’s busy winter season, bringing locals and tourists alike to this cozy tasting room.

FIRE STEEL RED

BONFIRE STOUT

N O RT H W E S T R E D A L E

S TO U T

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Seasonal

ABV

6.0%

IBU

48

Brewed with six specialty malts and bursting with Simcoe, Centennial and Chinook hops.

ABV

5.6%

IBU

32

Brewed with roasted barley and chocolate malts, campfire smoke lingers in the background.

WHISTLER

WHISTLER BREWING CO. 1045 Millar Creek Rd. | WhistlerBeer.com

SUN-WED 11AM-8PM ^ THU-SAT 12-10PM EST. 1989 If you’re hitting the slopes, plan a stop at the brewery in Function Junction.

The tap house is open seven days a week with live music on Fridays.

BLACK TUSK ALE

RESCUE ALE

DA R K A L E

INDIA SESSION ALE

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.0%

IBU

17

Brewed since 1989, this won a gold medal at the 2017 World Beer Awards.

68

Availability: Year-round ABV

4.6%

IBU

42

A portion of sales of this beer goes to support the Whistler Animals Galore organization.

GIBSONS

THE 101 BREWHOUSE + DISTILLERY 1009 Gibsons Way | The101.ca TUES-SUN 12-11PM EST. 2016 The 101 has only been open for a matter of months, but the brewery already won gold for its hefeweizen at the B.C. Beer Awards.

BOB’S AUTO LAGER

WEIZENBOCK

LAGER

WEIZENBOCK

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Seasonal

ABV

5.2%

IBU

15

A crisp, dry, straw coloured lager with minimal bitterness and a hint of bread crust.

ABV

6.8%

IBU

18

A strong, amber wheat beer boasting malt complexity, and rich esters of banana and clove.

GIBSONS

GIBSONS TAPWORKS

537 Cruice Lane | GibsonsTapworks.com

MON - THURS 3:30-10PM ^ FRI-SAT 12PM-12AM SUN 12-10PM EST. 2016 A community hub that offers trivia on Mondays and Name That Tune on Wednesdays. You can now find their beer in bombers at retail outlets, too.

BLONDE LOGGER

STORMRIDER

BLONDE ALE

N E W E N G L A N D I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.6%

IBU

18

Blonde Logger keeps it clean and crisp with accents of Vienna malt and Centennial hops.

Availability: Year-round ABV

6.1%

IBU

62

Who doesn’t love a hazy, citrusy New England style IPA? Certainly nobody we know!

69

Breweries are upping their food game to restaurant-grade heights

T

by Jan Zeschky he brewery lounge concept has been revolutionary for B.C.’s beer scene in more ways than one.

As well as offering young breweries a vital source of revenue through a store front, the legal requirement to provide food has pushed many businesses to think seriously about their culinary component.

For some, that means offering oven-fresh pizzas, burgers and other pub favourites. But other breweries are elevating their cuisine further to offer exceptional ethnic and West Coast dishes that tie into important culinary concepts like seasonality and sustainability.

Like most things in B.C.’s craft beer scene, this detailed attention to the food menu can be traced back to one place: Spinnakers in Victoria. Canada’s first brewpub when it opened in 1984, Spinnakers led the way in not only providing a varied menu of fresh meals to pair with fresh beer, but also the whole concept of buying local.

“What we offered people was a whole new take on how to taste beer,” says Spinnakers co-founder and publican Paul Hadfield, “and we gave equal attention to having something good and filling to eat.”

Spinnakers’ push toward hyper-local food began around 1990, after Hadfield decided against

70

opening more brewpub outlets in the U.S. His experiences south of the border had made him aware of future challenges—namely, large chains and their franchises—that were headed for Canada. With just 65 seats to make money from, Hadfield began thinking about how to make Spinnakers survive and thrive.

“We looked back at why we were here in the first place: artisan beer. We should have an artisan kitchen,” Hadfield recalls. “So we went out into the landscape and found people who would grow stuff for us. Because the franchises and the chains couldn’t do that, the food costs would be too high.”

Today, the brewpub sources its food from more than 20 local producers. The process of creating these supply chains has been more difficult, expensive and a logistical, seasonal challenge; but it’s ultimately been worth it for making Spinnakers stand out.

“We ended up with way tastier, way healthier stuff,” Hadfield says. “It helped us in terms of our overall positioning and marketing; let’s just make this a commitment of who we are and what we do.”

More recently, a young batch of B.C. breweries has been striving toward Spinnakers’ benchmark.

The influence is clear on operations like Beach Fire Brewing and Nosh House in Campbell River,

With offerings like this curry at Beach Fire Brewing (left) and gourmet burgers at Spinnakers (right), B.C.'s breweries are putting out food that matches the quality of their beer. Contributed photos.

What we offered people was a whole new take on how to taste beer and we gave equal attention to having something good and filling - Paul Hadfield, Spinnakers to eat. which creates a different menu every day based around whatever farm-fresh produce is dropped off at the kitchen in the morning.

“Nothing sits in the kitchen for more than two days because it gets used and then we put something new on the board,” says Beach Fire co-owner Laura Gosnell, who manages the brewery’s kitchen.

“Sometimes it’s like an episode of one of these food shows—‘what are we going to do with these today?’—then you sit and have a chat about it and you come up with something really fun. It drives the creativity, which is really nice.”

Beach Fire’s decision to create a strong food program centered around relationships with local producers was, like Spinnakers, born of economic necessity to get bums on seats. For Gosnell and her team, using every ingredient helps keeps margins tight—as well as keeping the level of food waste close to zero.

No corners are cut: The kitchen even makes its own pasta. But it’s been worth it. The kitchen has given Beach Fire a loyal local following and, with dishes like black bean and chorizo papusa, ale-braised sausage with caramelized cabbage, and raspberry lemon cheesecake, it’s easy to see why it’s regarded by many as the best place to eat in the north Island.

While Beach Fire’s menu begins with a box of ingredients, other brewery kitchens start with a theme, ethnic style or protein vehicle and develop it to the best of their ability.

When it comes to ethnic food at breweries, one B.C. location stands out above the others for its dedication to authenticity. In building an identity rooted in South America, Andina Brewing didn’t hold back when it came to its food program.

During Andina’s incubation, owner Andres Amaya remembers thinking how local breweries could do better than the ubiquitous pretzels and jerky. So he decided to pursue one of his big loves from his Colombian home.

Ceviche—fish or seafood cooked by the citric acid of lemon or lime juice—is commonly washed down with beer in one of Colombia’s many cevicherias.

Andina has a rotating list of eight different types of ceviche, featuring Ocean Wise protein, all of them Amaya’s own recipes.

It’s an ideal dish to assemble in a small prep kitchen. “Five minutes to cook the fish with the acidity and it’s done,” Amaya says.

Other exclusive food at Andina includes arepas, empanadas and imported plantain chips, which replace the tortilla chips in the brewery’s “pachos,” its nachos equivalent. Then there’s Amaya’s own thick and juicy passionfruit hot sauce, which he’s on the verge of bottling and selling.

That there’s a market for a Colombian hot sauce made at a brewery on Powell Street is evidence enough of the admirable diversity, creativity and quality shown by B.C.’s beer producers when it comes to food.

Sure you still want to order the wings? j

71

GIBSONS

PERSEPHONE BREWING CO.

1053 Stewart Rd. | PersephoneBrewing.com TUE-SUN 11AM-7PM EST. 2013

They’re a farm, a brewery, a cidery, and rumour has it they’re also home to the largest population of mallard ducks on the Lower Sunshine Coast.

2016 BARREL-AGED BARLEYWINE E N G L I S H BA R L E Y W I N E Availability: One-off ABV

10.9%

IBU

SMOKED PORTER S M O K E D P O RT E R Availability: Seasonal

68

Ten months in bourbon and rye barrels gives it rich toasty oak and vanilla notes.

ABV

7.0%

IBU

32

Beechwood-smoked malt makes it aromatic and comforting. It pairs well with a hearty stew.

POWELL RIVER

TOWNSITE BREWING

5824 Ash Ave. | TownsiteBrewing.com DAILY 11AM-9PM EST. 2012

Powell River and beer makes for the perfect escape. There are adventures in aging afoot here, as the Townsite team recently got hold of an oak foeder.

BIÈRE D’HIVER

LIL’ RED

BELGIAN DUBBEL

BELGIAN SOUR RED ALE

Availability: Seasonal ABV

7.5%

IBU

29

A rich, spiced, decadent dubbel that pairs well with slippers and a fireplace.

72

Availability: Seasonal ABV

6.0%

IBU

20

This sour red ale was one of the first to go in the foeder, and dries out nicely thanks to wild yeast.

EW

FI

EL

D

RD

T RD

TA

07 Canoe 08 Spinnakers 09 Swans

R

Brew puBs

08

IM

HER EWA RD ST

05 Phillips 06 Vancouver Island

IM A L

10 11 12 13

B AY

04

Tap rooMs

ST

Bard & Banker The Churchill The Drake Eatery Garrick’s Head

RD

Driftwood Hoyne Lighthouse Moon Under Water

ESQU

WILSON ST

K

BrewerIes

ESQUIMALT

VI

SKINNE R ST

RD

01 02 03 04

03

ST

14 15 16 17

DA

STORE ST

15 11 10

13

12

1

TNEY

ST ST

Water Taxis

ST

FORT

V IE W

ST

SON

YAT E S

JO H N

leGenD

COUR

17

RA AV E

16

PA ND O

17

W

N

VICTORIA

QUE ENS AVE

HERALD ST

05

06

GOVERNME NT ST

The Guild Irish Times Smiths Yates Street

14

09

07

1A

TRANS-C ANADA HWY

DEVONSHIRE RD

E PIN

02 01

ST VID

BAY HW Y

V Ic T orIa

EE

UR

LA S ST

TY

O

DOUG

H B AR

PATR IC IA

E

ST

DGE

ST

QU AD RA

BRI W HA RF ST

ST

D

VICTORIA

CANOE BREWPUB

450 Swift St. | CanoeBrewpub.com DAILY 11:30AM-LATE EST. 1996

Located in a beautifully renovated power plant (built in 1894), Canoe remains one of the best rooms in which to enjoy a beer in B.C.

WEST COAST ALE

AMBER

PA L E A L E

AMBER ALE

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Year-round

ABV

5.0%

22

IBU

Heavy on hop flavour and aroma, but lighter on the IBUs with a subtle, caramel malt backbone.

ABV

5.5%

IBU

18

This ruby red beer has hints of toffee and a light dose of Cascade hops.

VICTORIA

DRIFTWOOD BREWERY

450 Hillside Ave. | DriftwoodBeer.com MON-SAT 11AM-6PM EST. 2008

A catalyst in the province’s current craft beer wave, Driftwood continues to rise to the top by putting out some of the most consistent and delicious brews.

BLACKSTONE PORTER D RY E N G L I S H P O RT E R Availability: Seasonal ABV

6.0%

IBU

N/A

A sturdy porter brewed with specialty dark malts, giving flavours of coffee and chocolate.

74

ARCUS PILSNER GERMAN PILSNER Availability: Year-round ABV

5.0%

IBU

37

The German Tettnanger hop is profiled in this crisp and refreshing pilsner.

VICTORIA

HOYNE BREWING CO.

101-2740 Bridge St. | HoyneBrewing.ca

MON-THU 12-6PM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-6PM EST. 2011 One of Hoyne’s favourite times of year is Gratitude Season. Love and care goes into each hand-wrapped bottle of their Gratitude Winter Ale.

GRATITUDE WINTER ALE

VIENNA AMBER LAGER

Availability: Small batch

AMBER LAGER Availability: Year-round

ABV

9.0%

IBU

N/A

A full-bodied winter warmer with subtle spices.

Perfect for sharing, cuz sharing is caring.

ABV

5.3%

IBU

N/A

Noble hop aroma, well balanced malt profile, moderate body and residual sweetness.

VICTORIA

MOON UNDER WATER BREWERY

350B Bay St. | MoonUnderWater.ca

MON-SAT 11:30AM-11PM ^ SUN 11:30AM-8PM EST. 2012 Soon they’ll be making spirits on the Moon, but Clay Potter’s Belgianand German-influenced beer remains the star attraction.

DARKSIDE OF THE MOON OAT M E A L S E S S I O N S TO U T Availability: Seasonal ABV

4.2%

IBU

44

Comfortingly malty with hints of chocolate and a wee bit of sweet orange.

76

ORANJE MAAN I M P E R I A L M A N DA R I N W I T Availability: One off ABV

8.2%

IBU

30

Citrus, coriander and subtle banana notes lead the flavour and aroma of this powerful wheat beer.

VICTORIA

PHILLIPS BREWING & MALTING CO. 2010 Government St. | PhillipsBeer.com

MON 10AM-5PM ^ TUE-THU 10AM-6PM ^ FRI 10AM-7PM SAT 10AM-6PM EST. 2001 There’s always something new happening at Phillips, whether it’s the malting plant, the Fermentorium’s vintage stills, or a new tasting room.

ODYSSEY

BLACK TOQUE

N I T R O P O RT E R

C A S C A D I A N DA R K A L E

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Seasonal

ABV

5.0%

IBU

N/A

A nutty, chocolatey stout infused with nitrogen for a rich, smooth mouthfeel.

Local.Beer.Here.

ABV

6.5%

IBU

45

Was this the original Cascadian Dark Ale? Who cares? The re-release of this Phillips classic is an event.

why not start your own craft brewery & Pub in castlegar?

• 880 sq.ft. potential brewing space with 19’6” ceiling, 1,000 sq.ft. admin space, 3,000 sq.ft. liquor primary old pub.

• ample parking, semi-trailer accessible.

• busy main street just off Hwy 3.

• 600 amp electrical service, natural gas, 6” water main.

777 courtney st victoria bc smithspub.com

INQUIRIES: Rob Lindskog, General Manager, Fireside Inn 250-365-2128 • firesideinn.ca 77

VICTORIA

SPINNAKERS BREWPUB

308 Catharine St. | Spinnakers.com DAILY 9AM-11PM EST. 1984

As B.C.’s first brewpub, Spinnakers is craft beer history and a Victoria institution. It’s also an all-around lovely place for tasty food and great beer.

FAN TAN ABBEY

CASCADIA DARK ALE

SPICED BELGIAN ALE

B L A C K I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Year-round

ABV

4.7%

IBU

15

Brewed with aromatic Belgian Abbey yeast and Chinese five-spice, inspired by Victoria’s Fan Tan Alley.

ABV

6.5%

IBU

55

Dark as night, it’s a got a resinous, citrus and hop-forward brightness. Available in cans.

VICTORIA

SWANS BREWPUB

506 Pandora Ave. | SwansHotel.com DAILY 11AM-1AM EST. 1989

Swans’ collab with White Sails, Oktoberfest Flammenbeer, won Best in Show at the 2017 B.C. Beer Awards, but you’ll have to go to the source to find it.

EXPORT STOUT

BIERE DE GARDE

F O R E I G N E X T R A S TO U T

BIERE DE GARDE

Availability: One-off ABV

6.8%

IBU

53

A special release dark beer made for sipping through the dark days of winter.

78

Availability: One-off ABV

7.6%

IBU

27

It’s been a year since its last release but this Frenchinspired beaut will be available only at Swans.

VICTORIA

VANCOUVER ISLAND BREWERY

2330 Government St. | VanIslandBrewery.com TUES-SAT 11AM-6PM EST. 1984 One of three breweries that kickstarted B.C.’s microbrewing scene in 1984, VI has adopted a fresh brand under new management that reflects Island culture.

HERMANNATOR

ROYSTON

EISBOCK

RY E I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Seasonal

ABV

9.5%

IBU

25

This is the 30th anniversary of one of B.C.’s most anticipated winter seasonal releases.

ABV

6.5%

IBU

65

This pours pale copper in colour with a robust malt base and a hoppy finish.

79

ESQUIMALT

LIGHTHOUSE BREWING CO.

2 - 836 Devonshire Rd. | LighthouseBrewing.com TUE-SAT 11AM-6PM EST. 1998

This nearly 20-year-old brewery offers a good range of core beer styles with a few more challenging and innovative styles in bombers.

NUMBSKULL

DEPTH CHARGE

I M P E R I A L I N D I A PA L E A L E

OA K A G E D B E L G I A N Q UA D W I T H COGNAC Availability: Small batch

Availability: Rotating ABV

9.1%

IBU

70

Each new edition of this big brew features a different hop. The latest is Ahtanum.

ABV

9.0%

IBU

22

A Belgian quad enhanced by rich cognac and oak flavours: dark fruit, caramel and vanilla.

VIEW ROYAL

4 MILE BREWING CO. 199 Island Hwy. | 4MileBrewingCo.com DAILY 11AM-11:30PM EST. 2014 From its earliest days as a 19th-century roadhouse to being the “cosiest cabaret on the Coast” in the ‘40s, 4 Mile’s home is a storied locale for a pint.

CANDY BAR STOUT M I L K S TO U T

RICE PUDDING PORTER

Availability: Seasonal

E N G L I S H P O RT E R Availability: Seasonal

ABV

6.5%

IBU

20

Aged on peanut butter, cacao nibs, sea salt and vanilla with milk sugar added. Sweet!

80

ABV

6.0%

IBU

28

Another sweet one, with vanilla, chocolate and nutmeg flavours. Dessert in a glass.

SAANICH

TWA DOGS BREWERY AT VICTORIA CALEDONIAN

761 Enterprise Cres. | VCaledonian.com DAILY 12-7PM EST. 2016

Scottish-themed beer made by a bekilted Kiwi—only in Canada. Dean McLeod’s Twa Dogs is ticking along with an impressive range of styles.

PARTING KISS B O U R B O N BA R R E L - A G E D AMBER ALE Availability: Seasonal ABV

7.0%

IBU

22

A “double-kissed” version of the brewery’s amber ale featuring a little of the distillery’ single malt spirit.

HOLY WILLIE’S ROBUST PORTER P O RT E R Availability: Year-round ABV

6.5%

IBU

45

A hearty brew packed with malt and oats, lending a silky mouthfeel.

81

Everything you always wanted to know, but were afraid to ask, about…

Lambic, gueuze, kriek, oud bruin, Flanders red, kettle sours, spontaneous fermentation, coolship, brett, lacto, pedio, foeder, or is it foudre?

by Joe Wiebe

I

n the realm of sour beers, a lot of names and terms get flung around. If you’re someone who enjoys tasting sours but don’t really know much about them, look no further. Here is your cheat sheet on the world of sour beers.

SOUR BEER BASICS Sour beers are usually fermented with typical brewers’ yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and then purposefully soured by Lactobacillus and Pediococcus bacteria, which create lactic acid during fermentation instead of alcohol. Brettanomyces bruxellensis yeast also often plays a role in the final conditioning, producing acetic acid (AKA vinegar). Sour beers are often aged in foeders (big oak vessels, also spelled “foudre”) or wooden barrels.

Usually, these are used wine barrels rather than new barrels or ones that previously held spirits because the wood or spirits character are not desirable.

Rather, the wooden vessel provides a home for the microorganisms and it allows for micro-oxygenation, which those critters need to thrive.

82

TRADITIONAL BELGIAN SOURS This traditional method of sour beer production developed in Belgium where certain beers are spontaneously fermented in open-air “coolships” (large, flat, rectangular tanks) and then aged in oak barrels for several months or years before being released. Bottled versions are often blends of multiple vintages, ensuring that the best flavour profile is achieved. The main category of traditional Belgian sours is lambic (named for the town of Lembeek), which includes gueuze (blended with no fruit), kriek (fermented with cherries), frambois (raspberries), peche (peaches), and cassis (currants). Lambic is a protected name like champagne, so no brewery outside of the Senne River Valley is allowed to use that term. Lambic producers include Cantillon, Boon, 3 Fonteinen, and Tilquin (which is a blender using lambic bought from breweries).

Other Belgian sours aged in wood include oud bruin (sour brown ale) and Flanders red (sour red), which are often aged in foeders rather than in barrels. Even though they may exhibit cherry or plum flavours, no actual fruit is involved. Examples include Rodenbach in Belgium, Strange Fellows’ Reynard and Driftwood’s Latus in B.C. KETTLE SOURS This modern reinterpretation accelerates the souring process by adding Lactobacillus bacteria to the unfermented wort in the brew kettle or fermentation tank and holding it at a warm temperature for a period of 24-48 hours. Once the desired pH is reached, the wort is boiled to pasteurize it, yeast is added, and fermentation takes place. Within a month to six weeks the beer is ready to go. Sour beer lovers and brewers are divided on whether or not kettle sours taste as good as traditional barrel-aged sours. Many breweries in B.C. make kettle sours, and Four Winds Brewing’s Nectarous won Canadian Beer of the Year in 2016.

FOEDER FOR THOUGHT As Iain Hill of Strange Fellows Brewing says, “Foeders are just gigantic barrels,” but with much less wood surface area for the volume of beer.

Most breweries use them to age sour beers slowly for several months and then transfer the beer to stainless steel tanks, perhaps adding fruit for further fermentation, before packaging it. In B.C., several

breweries have foeders, including Brassneck (Stockholm Syndrome and others); Central City (several releases including Pia most recently); Four Winds (several beers including Pomona); Strange Fellows (Coup de Foudre and others) and Townsite, which is going to start running beers through its new foeder on a six-month rotation schedule.

SOLERA METHOD Based on the Solera method of port-making, this involves keeping back a small amount of beer in the foeder (or barrels) when the beer is drained and then adding fresh wort to that, restarting the fermentation from the same culture like sourdough bread. Gary Lohin at Central City does this in the 2,500-litre foeder at the Red Racer pub in Vancouver. Since the pub has no actual brewery, he trucks in wort from the brewery in Surrey and pipes it into the foeder.

SPONTANEOUS FERMENTATION Another way breweries produce sour beers is by developing a “house culture” of yeast and bacteria and then honing in on desirable flavours coming through in specific barrels over the course of several months or years. The best example of this in B.C. is Townsite Brewing’s Bois Sauvage series.

B.C.’S SOUR PAST Sour beers in B.C. date back to the mid-1990s when Iain Hill (then of Yaletown Brewing) returned from a trip to Belgium with a love for lambic. He visited James Walton at Storm Brewing who was about to dump some beer that had gone off, but Hill persuaded him to hold on to it.

“Time went by and he put them in barrels and the beer became incredible,” Hill recalls. “We toasted with James’ kriek at our wedding instead of wine, and honestly it tasted like Cantillon. It was amazing.”

Hill began making oud bruin at Yaletown in the mid-2000s, and Driftwood Brewery began its sour beer program soon after it opened in Victoria in 2008. Central City has been making traditional sours since opening its new brewery in 2013. Since then, several other B.C. breweries have joined the sour parade, including Brassneck, Bridge, Four Winds, Fuggles & Warlock, Gladstone, the Moon Under Water, Powell, Strange Fellows, Townsite, and others. j

83

CENT. SAANICH

CATEGORY 12 BREWING

Unit C - 2200 Keating Cross Rd. | Category12Beer.com MON-SAT 12-6PM ^ SUN 12-4PM EST. 2014 Happy third birthday to the geeks at Category 12! Three years of bringing us the best beer science can engineer—cheers to more years and beers to come.

EXCITATION

ELEMENTAL SERIES

E S P R E S S O S TO U T

WILD SAISON

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Small batch

ABV

6.4%

IBU

30

Cold-pressed, organic espresso and raw cacao nibs give this stout its extra excitement.

ABV

6.4%

IBU

24

Bottle conditioning, Brett fermentation and local loganberries combine to make a deliciously wild ale.

LANGFORD VICTORIA

AXE AND BARREL BREWING CO.

2323 Millstream Ave. | AxeAndBarrel.com DAILY 11AM-7PM EST. 2015 The brewers’ dance that brought Andrew Tessier out Swans last year certainly has paid off. His beer list is as good as his moustache is splendidly curvy.

FRUITY MOTHER PUCKER FRUITY SOUR Availability: Year-round ABV

4.5%

IBU

10

Kettle soured with lacto and brewed with a mix of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.

84

OATKEEPER S C OT T I S H W E E H E AV Y Availability: Seasonal ABV

8.0%

IBU

25

Fermented slowly at a cold temperature, this big, bold Scotch ale is worth the wait.

SOOKE

SOOKE BREWING CO.

2057 Otter Point Rd. | SookeBrewing.com

SUN-WED 11AM-7PM ^ THU-SAT 11AM-10PM EST. 2016 Former Parallel 49 and Gladstone brewer John Adair is behind this long awaited brewery, which should be open by the time you read this.

VIENNA LAGER

OATMEAL STOUT

VIENNA LAGER

S TO U T

Availability: Small batch

Availability: Small batch

ABV

5.0%

IBU

20

Rating high on the crushability scale, this lager is characterized by malty aroma and sweetness.

ABV

4.2%

IBU

25

Rich, creamy flavour with notes of chocolate and coffee. Great for cold winter nights.

SOOKE

SOOKE OCEANSIDE BREWERY

1-5529 Sooke Rd. | SookeOceansideBrewing.com WED-SUN 12-6PM EST. 2016 Don’t be put off by SOB’s location at a gas station. The beer lineup is solid— and it’s getting some contract brewing help from Victoria Caledonian.

FIGHT IN THE DOG 9 0 S H I L L I N G S C OT C H A L E

GRAVEYARD OF THE PACIFIC

Availability: Seasonal

STRONG ALE Availability: One-off

ABV

6.2%

IBU

23

Perfect on a cold, rainy winter day with mild peated notes and a creamy body.

ABV

7.5%

IBU

31

This strong red ale is an homage to Port Renfrew, where many ships were wrecked.

85

SALT SPRING

SALT SPRING ISLAND ALES

270 Furness Rd. | SaltSpringIslandAles.com FRI-SUN 10:30AM-6PM EST. 1998

Situated in an old barn at the base of a mountain using spring water, organic malts and local hops as much as possible—this is an idyllic Island paradise.

FIRESIDE WINTER ALE

CREME BRULEE VANILLA STOUT

W I N T E R WA R M E R Availability: Seasonal

D E S S E RT B E E R Availability: Seasonal

ABV

7.0%

IBU

54

Put another log on the fire and pour a glass of this delicious dark ale.

ABV

8.0%

IBU

54

Rich, organic vanilla pushes this delicious beer into dessert territory.

MAYNE ISLAND

MAYNE ISLAND BREWING CO.

490 Fernhill Rd. | MayneIslandBrewingCo.com FRI-SAT 1-5PM EST. 2016 Hard to believe this tiny brewery is already celebrating its first anniversary.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, plan some Island Time on a weekend soon.

MINER’S BAY

BARREL-AGED SOUR

OAT S TO U T

OUD BRUIN

Availability: Seasonal ABV

6.8%

IBU

N/A

This rich and round stout is fruit forward with hints of plum and black cherry.

86

Availability: One-off ABV

6.8%

IBU

N/A

This brown ale was aged in a Pinot Noir barrel from Pentage winery.

DUNCAN

RED ARROW BREWING CO.

5255 Chaster Rd. | RedArrowBeer.ca

MON-THU 11AM-6PM ^ FRI 11AM-8PM ^ SAT 11AM-6PM SUN 11AM-5PM EST. 2015 This brewery’s name was inspired by the original tenant of its ivy-clad, red brick building—Arrow Motorcycles.

MIDNITE UMBER ALE

PIGGY

DA R K A L E

PA L E A L E

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Year-round

ABV

5.1%

IBU

33

This quaffable beer’s beautiful label features Christopher, the brewery’s resident gargoyle.

ABV

5.0%

IBU

37

Celebrating the Island’s rugby culture. 25¢ from each bottle supports the Cowichan rugby club.

CHEMAINUS

RIOT BREWING CO.

101A - 3055 Oak St. | RiotBrewing.com MON-WED 12-7PM ^ THU 12-9PM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-11PM SUN 11-7PM EST. 2016 It took a while for them to open, but Riot celebrated its first year in November and it’s clear the party’s just starting for this brewery.

WORKING CLASS HERO DA R K M I L D Availability: Year-round ABV

3.8%

IBU

14

With a low ABV and light roastiness, this working class hero is something to drink.

VORTEX PORTER R O B U S T P O RT E R Availability: Seasonal ABV

6.0%

IBU

29

A deep, robust vortex worth getting lost in, with hints of coffee, chocolate and licorice.

87

NANAIMO

LONGWOOD BREWERY

101A-2046 Boxwood Rd. | LongwoodBeer.com WED-FRI 2-6PM ^ SAT 12-5PM EST. 2013

It’s hard to get more local than Longwood. All their hops are from the Island, and even their sausages are made with local meat and beer.

STOUTNIK

WINTER’S OWN

R U S S I A N I M P E R I A L S TO U T

WEIZENBOCK

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Seasonal

ABV

7.5%

IBU

40

An award-winning stout. With raised morse code on the label for you to decipher.

ABV

6.5%

IBU

18

This warmer will keep you insulated from the chill of Old Man Winter.

NANAIMO

WHITE SAILS BREWING

125 Comox Rd. | WhiteSailsBrewing.com

MON-THU 3-10PM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-12AM ^ SUN 11AM6PM EST. 2015 It’s been quite a year for White Sails, winning World Beer Awards and then sharing a best in show at the B.C. Beer Awards with Swans Brewpub.

GALLOWS POINT

SNAKE ISLAND CDA

C H O C O L AT E P O RT E R

C A S C A D I A N DA R K A L E

Availability: Seasonal ABV

5.0%

IBU

30

Roasted malt notes of chocolate and caramel mingle with an infusion of organic cocoa nibs.

88

Availability: Year-round ABV

6.5%

IBU

80

A wide palette of flavours here, from chocolate and coffee malt to citrus, pine and peachy stone-fruit.

NANAIMO

WOLF BREWING CO.

940 Old Victoria Rd. | WolfBrewingCompany.com MON-THU 12-6PM ^ FRI 12-7PM ^ SAT 12-6PM SUN 12-5PM EST. 2010 Founded in 2000 as Fat Cat Brewing, this brewery was renamed in 2011 and Nanaimo beer lovers have been howling for its beer ever since.

BLACK AND TAN

CEREBUS

BLENDED ALE

I M P E R I A L I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Seasonal

ABV

5.5%

IBU

25

This blend of Wolf ’s Golden Honey Ale and Dark Malt Porter is smooth and delicious.

sales@thinkuniversal.com www.thinkuniversal.com

ABV

8.8%

IBU

80

This three-headed beast is triple dry-hopped (get it?) for your drinking enjoyment.

1-866-549-1323 89

PARKSVILLE

MOUNT ARROWSMITH BREWING CO.

109-425 East Stanford Ave. | ArrowsmithBrewing.com SUN-THU 11:30AM-7:30PM ^ FRI-SAT 11:30AM-9:30PM EST. 2016 Named Brewery of the Year at the B.C. Beer Awards, Arrowsmith is coming to a liquor store near you soon. Or you can always go to Parksville for a pint.

LOW PRESSURE PORTER P O RT E R Availability: Seasonal ABV

6.0%

IBU

40

A smooth, full-bodied porter, with hints of chocolate and a light caramel finish.

90

SALISH SEA PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV

5.0%

IBU

35

A West Coast-style pale ale with Mosaic and Chinook hops for a citrusy fruit character.

PORT ALBERNI

TWIN CITY BREWING

4503 Margaret St. | TwinCityBrewing.ca

TUE-THU 11:30AM-9PM ^ FRI-SAT 11:30AM-11PM EST. 2017 Originally built as a government liquor store before being converted to a print shop, Twin City’s location has come full circle back to its boozy roots.

SPARKCHASER

LATE BLOOMER

SMOKED RED ALE

HIBISCUS KETTLE SOUR

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Seasonal

ABV

6.3%

IBU

20

Named after local mill fire prevention workers, this malt-forward American red ale features smoked malt.

ABV

6.0%

IBU

15

This kettle sour is features hibiscus and strawberries and is dry-hopped with loads of Huell Melon hops.

TOFINO

TOFINO BREWING CO.

Units C & D, 681 Industrial Way | TofinoBrewingCo.com DAILY 11AM-10PM EST. 2011 Tofino is moving into a new larger facility. These are the growing pains we all love to see our local breweries going through!

DAWN PATROL COFFEE PORTER P O RT E R Availability: Seasonal ABV

6.5%

IBU

15

Rich and dark, it’s conditioned with locally roasted coffee beans and bourbon-soaked vanilla beans.

KELP STOUT S TO U T Availability: Year-round ABV

6.0%

IBU

50

Locally harvested kelp gives a unique, umami-like quality to this rich, full-bodied stout.

91

b.c.'s

Booze Blues As the province’s craft beer, spirits and wine industries continue to grow, are our liquor laws able to keep up?

by Rob Mangelsdorf

92

B.C. may be beautiful, but it’s one of the most expensive places on earth to buy a beer.

I

f you’ve grown up here in B.C., you’re likely aware at just how far we’ve come in regards to our liquor laws. It wasn’t so long ago that private retail liquor sales were illegal (within my lifetime, in fact), and buying alcohol on a Sunday was next to impossible. Neighbourhood pubs have only been legal since the 1970s and cocktail bars since the 1950s.

It’s barely been five years since the province allowed craft breweries to operate tasting rooms, a move which has helped to spur on the craft beer boom.

There’s no denying there’s been progress.

However, holdovers from the prohibition era still remain: namely, a government monopoly that completely controls the sale and distribution of liquor.

Alcohol is unique in that no other consumer good sees this sort of government control. Not tobacco, not firearms, not even marijuana.

B.C. currently has among the highest taxation and markup of liquor products of any jurisdiction in the world. B.C. may be beautiful, but it’s one of the most expensive places on earth to buy a beer.

That government control also makes it difficult to import liquor. If you fancy a bottle of Beaujolais the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch doesn’t carry, you’ll need to get government permission to bring that bottle into Canada. And if you want to resell it, things get even more onerous.

“The government owns every drop of alcohol you make as soon as you make it,” says Ken Beattie, executive director of the B.C. Craft Brewers Guild. “And then you have to compete against them for your sales. It’s a very interesting situation to say the least.”

A culture of control If you’ve ever had a beer at a beer festival, you might have assumed it was a simple transaction between yourself and the brewer selling you their beer. In actuality, the brewery first sells their beer to the government, which sells the beer to the festival organizers, which sells the beer back to the brewery, which then sells the beer to you, the consumer.

If it all seems a little absurd, that’s because it is.

Revellers at the Vancouver Craft Beer Week festival likely don't realize the number of transactions that occur before they get to sample one of the beers on offer there. Jan Zeschky photo

Kafkaesque webs of bureaucratic red tape impede the beer, wine and spirit industries at every turn.

“We all know why [the provincial government] is in the alcohol business: it’s a cash cow for them,” says Paddy Treavor, president of the Campaign for Real Ale Society of B.C., an independent consumer advocacy organization looking out for local beer and cider drinkers. “The government dictates what beers are on the shelf, they dictate the price without consultation from the breweries… they control every aspect of [the liquor industry] and I don’t think they even know why anymore. It’s just because it’s always been done.”

Historian Robert Campbell has studied B.C.’s liquor laws for much of his academic career, and calls this situation the provincial government’s “culture of control.”

“It is a system that has always been resistant to change,” he says.

The B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch is responsible for the sale and distribution of all alcohol in the province. Even if you’ve bought booze from a private liquor store, it was sold to the retailer at wholesale prices by BCLDB. However, bars, >>

93

How did we get here?

Like much of North America in the early part of 20th century, the social reform movement had a visible presence in B.C. Spearheaded by Protestants and Presbyterians who sought to fix society’s sinful ways, liquor and the shameful behavior it caused were square in their crosshairs. By 1916, the prohibitionists had linked their cause to the war effort, and were successful in banning the sale of alcohol province-wide.

B.C. Craft Brewers Guild executive director Ken Beattie.

pubs and restaurants are forced to purchase alcohol at retail prices, like everyone else, as the government refuses to offer the wholesale price incentives private liquor stores get.

If a brewery comes out with a new beer, its packaging must first be submitted to the government for approval. The government will also determine the markup for the product, ultimately determining its retail price, and it can change those prices without consultation.

The rationale for this governmental control has always been to protect the public, says Campbell.

Certainly, there’s no denying the sale and consumption of alcohol comes with societal costs and impacts. In a 2002 report, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Perry Kendall notes that B.C.’s healthcare costs due to alcohol are estimated at $179 million, annually.

“Law enforcement costs added $143 million, with a further $529 million for lost productivity… and $93 million for fire damage, traffic accidents, and other direct costs,” Kendall states. “This translates into an avoidable yearly cost of about $944 million or $272 per capita.”

Adjusted for inflation, that works out to more than $1.3 billion in alcohol-related costs for B.C. every year.

Prohibition didn’t last long, however. When thousands of soldiers returned from the First World War, they were understandably annoyed they couldn’t get a drink. So in 1920, B.C. residents voted in favour of re-legalizing alcohol, this time with strict government controls. And thus the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch was born. We’ve been stuck with it ever since.

Liquor control turned out to be quite profitable for the provincial government. By the 1930s, sales and taxation of liquor accounted for more than 20 per cent of the government’s revenue (this was in the days before income tax, mind you).

“While it was very clear they would make money from it,” Campbell says, “their motivations began as quite genuine.”

The first steps at modernizing our puritanical laws came under Dave Barrett’s short-lived NDP government in the early 1970s. For the first time, neighbourhood pubs were allowed, as were the first private retail liquor sales. Some of the most sweeping changes have come courtesy of the B.C. Liberals in the past five years. In 2012, the provincial government allowed craft breweries to operate tasting rooms, which helped launch an entire industry and change drinking culture in this province for the better.

However, some of those changes have done more harm then good.

Meanwhile, according to the Liberal government’s 2013 B.C. Liquor Policy Review, the liquor industry generates an estimated $2 billion for the B.C. economy in direct and indirect revenue. More than $1 billion of that goes straight into the province’s coffers from liquor sales and taxation.

A study commissioned by the B.C. NDP released earlier this year found that alcohol prices had increased by nearly 11 per cent since the BCLDB adopted its new liquor pricing model in 2015 (despite assurances by the B.C. Liberals that prices wouldn’t go up). In particular, beer has increased in price by more than 13 per cent in that time.

That’s a lot of money. And for the past 97 years, the alcohol business has been good for B.C.

“I think that under the last administration, the priority was placed on the photo opportunity,” at-

94

torney general David Eby (the minister in charge of BCLDB) told me in a phone interview. “So there is some work that needs to be done in re-establishing the relationship between government and industry and retail to make sure that we're all on the same page about how to improve.”

Eby says he plans to strike a beer, wine and spirits advisory panel in the coming months to help guide any changes to the province’s liquor laws. In particular, Eby said he is looking at possibly instituting a wholesale pricing scheme for restaurants, bars and pubs, as they are currently forced to purchase alcohol at retail prices.

“I think the opportunity now is to take some of the unintended consequences of some of the policies that were rolled out and clean those up in consultation with industry and then move on to opportunities that weren't addressed by the previous government,” he said.

Society doesn’t collapse when the private sector is involved in this industry.

- Sam Sullivan, MLA

actually increased. There was also no evidence of increases in crime or liquor-related offenses.

In a December 2015 report, the Centre for Addictions Research of B.C. estimated that increased consumption that coincided with reforms in B.C.’s liquor laws in 2014 would result in 655 more alcohol-related hospitalizations and 31 more alcohol-related deaths each year.

However, alcohol-related deaths province-wide actually dropped from 2,196 in 2014 to 2,074 in 2015.

However, privatization is not something the B.C. NDP will be pursuing while in power .

“Society doesn’t collapse when the private sector is involved in this industry,” says Sullivan.

Rip it up and start again Compared to almost any jurisdiction in North America and Europe, B.C.’s liquor laws seem regressive and onerous. In Alberta, privatized liquor sales have resulted in lower prices and greater selection. In Quebec, you can buy beer at the corner store.

The B.C. Government Employees Union, which represents BCLDB workers, contends privatization will result in widespread sale of liquor to minors, an assertion backed by Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

For former Vancouver mayor and B.C. Liberal leadership hopeful Sam Sullivan, the best thing that can be done to the BCLDB is to dismantle it completely. The Vancouver-False Creek MLA has made the privatization of BCLDB one of the planks of his leadership bid and calls the provincial liquor monopoly, “a relic of prohibition.”

“I think the private stores would have a large, vocal opinion on that,” says Beattie. “Everyone wants to be socially responsible and no one wants to lose their business, and [selling to minors] is how you lose your business.”

“It’s puzzling to see a government monopoly in any industry,” says Sullivan. “There’s no good reason for our government to be in the liquor business. If the reason is revenue, then we can make that up with taxation.”

Sullivan points to Alberta as an example that liquor privatization can, and does, work.

A 2003 study by University of Alberta economist Douglas West that looked at the impact of privatization in that province found that liquor prices tended to fall, product selection increased substantially and revenue for the Alberta government

However, Beattie believes the opposite may be true, as the stakes are so much higher for private retailers.

I’ve spoken with several brewers and brewery owners who would rather not go on the record with criticisms of the government agency that completely controls every aspect of their business. What they told me is that they feel the BCLDB’s monopoly gives it too much power, making it difficult to get their product placed on liquor store shelves, and leaving them with little recourse if they don’t agree with the government’s pricing of their products.

“The whole system has gone in the right direction,” says Treavor. “But I think they put Band-Aids on a broken system and they need to blow it up and rethink how they do it.”

“There’s still a long way to go.” j

95

QUALICUM

LOVESHACK LIBATIONS

#1-4134 Island Hwy. West | LoveShackLibations.com WED 5-9PM ^SAT 12-4PM EST. 2016 Dave Paul’s labour of love is an impressive small batch operation on Qualicum Beach, where he bottles and conditions everything himself.

WHO’S YER PADDY?

SUNNY BUNNY

IRISH RED ALE

PA L E A L E

Availability: Small batch

Availability: Small batch

ABV

5.2%

23

IBU

A biscuity dark red ale. Roasted and flaked barley adds richness to the body.

ABV

5.1%

IBU

35

Liquid sunshine that’ll go down well in these colder days. Made with local organic hops.

CUMBERLAND

CUMBERLAND BREWING CO.

2732 Dunsmuir Ave. | CumberlandBrewing.com TUE-WED 12-9PM ^ THU - SAT 12-10PM ^ SUN 12-9PM EST. 2014 Plan a stop in Cumberland on the way to Mt.Washington. With a heated patio and Rider’s Pizza across the street, the ski hill might have to wait.

JINGLE FOG A M E R I C A N W H E AT A L E

JUST A LITTLE BITTER

Availability: Seasonal

ENGLISH BITTER Availability: Year-round

ABV

6.3%

IBU

N/A

They missed the Jungle Fog so much they couldn’t wait until summer to brew it again.

96

ABV

4.2%

IBU

N/A

A classic style that is under-produced in B.C. Cumberland makes it very well.

COURTENAY

FORBIDDEN BREWING CO.

1590 Cliffe Ave. | ForbiddenBrewing.com WED-SUN 12-10PM EST. 2015

With live jazz on Fridays and Sundays and the recent addition of local cheese plates in the tasting lounge, Forbidden is an inviting place for a craft beer.

ORGANIC PALE ALE

PORTER

B R I T I S H PA L E A L E

DA R K A L E

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Seasonal

ABV

5.0%

IBU

N/A

Winner of gold in the British Bitter category at the 2017 B.C. Beer Awards.

ABV

4.5%

IBU

20

A creamy porter with roast coffee aromas, dark fruit flavours and a smooth texture.

Like what’s in our Growler?

Find us at your neighbourhood brewery and news stand or subscribe and buy merch at thegrowler.ca.

B.C. craft beer handbook

97

COURTENAY

GLADSTONE BREWING CO.

244 4th St. | GladstoneBrewing.ca

SUN-WED 11:30AM-10PM ^ THU - SAT 11:30AM-12AM EST. 2015 The canning line is up and running which means Gladstone’s core line-up— including pilsner, Belgian single and IPA—is now available in tall cans.

CZECH DARK LAGER

PILSNER

C Z E C H DA R K L A G E R

PILSNER

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Year-round

ABV

6.3%

IBU

22

A dark thirst-quencher with mild roast malt, complemented by spice and pepper from Saaz hops.

ABV

5.5%

IBU

35

A beer for all seasons. Bright, clear and golden lager with subtle hop spiciness.

CAMPBELL RIVER

BEACH FIRE BREWING

594 - 11th Ave. | BeachFireBrewing.ca TUE-SUN 11:30AM-8PM EST. 2016

This popular Campbell River brewery is as well known for its everchanging food menu as it is for its solid beer line-up.

HIGH TIDE PALE ALE

EMBER RED ALE

W E S T C OA S T PA L E A L E

ENGLISH RED ALE

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.5%

IBU

40

An easy-drinking pale with big hop aroma and flavours of citrus and tropical fruit.

98

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.1%

IBU

20

Malt forward with notes of caramel and roasted malt, balanced by a mild hop bitterness.

T HOM P SO N O K A N AGAN 05 5

09 13

SORRENTO

2010

18

KAMLOOPS

TO W H I STL ER

1

97

SALMON ARM VERNON

5

97B

97A

97

5A

11

VERNON

TO VANCOUVER

19

KELOWNA

97C

5A

6

02 03 10 12 15 16

06

SUMMERLAND

01 04 08 14

17

PENTICTON 33 3

N

3A

W 07

OLIVER

BREWERIES

01 Bad Tattoo 02 BNA 03 Boundary 04 Cannery 05 Crannóg Ales 06 Detonate 07 Firehall

08 Highway 97 09 Iron Road 10 Kettle River 11 Marten Brewing 12 Red Bird 13 Red Collar 14 Tin Whistle 15 Tree Brewing 16 Tree Brewing Beer Institute

BREW PUBS

17 Barley Mill 18 Barley Station 19 Freddy's 20 The Noble Pig

BRITISH COLUMBIA

E

KAMLOOPS

IRON ROAD BREWING

980 Camosun Crs. | IronRoadBrewing.ca

MON-WED 12-10PM ^ THU-SAT 12PM-12AM ^ SUN 12-9PM EST. 2017 All aboard the Craft Beer Express with former Main Street brewer Aaron MacInnis at the controls. Next stop: Flavour town!

EAST OF EVERYWHERE BELGIAN STRONG ALE Availability: Seasonal ABV

9.0%

IBU

15

Brewed with Belgian malt and yeast, as well as molasses, ginger and cardamom.

EAST INDIA PORTER P O RT E R Availability: Seasonal ABV

4.2%

IBU

60

This easy-drinking porter features notes of dark chocolate, coffee beans, roasted malt and hop bitterness.

KAMLOOPS

RED COLLAR BREWING CO.

355 Lansdowne St. | RedCollar.ca

TUE-THU 3-10PM ^ FRI-SAT 1-10PM EST. 2014 Red Collar is celebrating Christmas with 12 days of specials and limited release beers, so swing by the tasting room to get into the holiday spirit.

DOPPELBOCK

PISTON 42

DOPPELBOCK

B L A C K I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Seasonal ABV

7.7%

IBU

36

This strong lager packs a punch. Dark in colour, silky rich sweetness and a surprisingly smooth finish.

100

Availability: Seasonal ABV

6.0%

IBU

60

This dark ale combines citrus, pine and spice aromas of American hops with rugged roast malt flavours.

SORRENTO

CRANNóG ALES

706 Elson Rd. | CrannogAles.com THU-SAT 8:30AM-4:30PM EST. 2000

The recent farm brewery hoopla made Crannóg’s future temporarily uncertain.

High time you bought their beer to see what you’ve been taking for granted.

OLD PUDDIN’ HEAD WINTER ALE

BACKHAND OF GOD STOUT

Availability: Seasonal

D RY I R I S H S TO U T Availability: Year-round

ABV

7.5%

IBU

18

Mace, coriander, bitter orange and an elevated ABV makes for a cosy fireside sipper.

ABV

5.0%

IBU

16

Rich, rounded and roasty with chocolate and coffee accents, this B.C. classic never fails to delight.

VERNON

MARTEN BREWING CO.

2933A 30th Ave. | MartenBrewpub.com

SUN-THU 3PM-LATE ^ FRI 3PM-1AM ^ SAT 12PM-1AM EST. 2014 They’re not just beer—Marten Brewing also makes the Underground Beverages kombucha and nitro cold brew coffee cans in house.

TICK TOCK DUNKELBOCK MUNICH DUNKEL Availability: Year-round ABV

5.0%

IBU

24

Rich malts, stone fruit and mild nuttiness, with brilliant clarity.

B.C. BUD IPA I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV

6.0%

IBU

50

Dry hopped to perfection with herbal, earthy and citrus aromas over a very tolerable hop bitterness.

101

KELOWNA

BNA BREWING CO.

1250 Ellis St. | BNABrewing.com MON-SUN 12PM-12AM EST. 2015

Wondering what goes on behind the scenes at Kelowna’s hippest brewery/ eatery? BNA has been producing a weekly behind-the-scenes video series.

BARREL-AGED IMPERIAL STOUT I M P E R I A L S TO U T Availability: One-off ABV

8.2%

IBU

THE CARPENTER D U N K E LW E I Z E N Availability: Seasonal

30

Aged for a year in charred white oak bourbon barrels, this’ll be strong and smooth.

ABV

6.8%

IBU

15

A winter warmer with a malty body and fruity clove character from hefeweizen yeast.

KELOWNA

BOUNDARY BREWING

2 - 455 Neave Crt. | BoundaryBrewing.beer

WED-FRI 3-7PM ^ SAT 12-7PM ^ SUN 12-5PM EST. 2016 Brewer Oliver Gläser stays true to his roots by focusing on traditional German beer styles. You won’t find any triple IPAs here!

OAK KETTLE ALTBIER A LT B I E R

BOURBON BARREL BALTIC PORTER

Availability: Year-round

BA LT I C P O RT E R Availability: Seasonal

ABV

5.5%

IBU

35

A splendid take on the Dusseldorf ale. Crisp, full flavoured with hints of caramel and dried fruit.

102

ABV

8.5%

IBU

28

A black monster from the depths of the Baltic, with luscious roasty notes to chew over.

KELOWNA

KETTLE RIVER BREWING CO.

731 Baillie Ave. | KettleRiverBrewing.ca WED-SUN 2-9PM EST. 2016 The hardest working brewery in B.C., with 400-plus batches of beer brewed since July 2016. Now with lounge endorsement, so you never have to leave.

BARREL-FERMENTED BARLEY WINE

LOOSE CANOE DOUBLE IPA

BA R L E Y W I N E Availability: One-off

D O U B L E I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round

ABV

10.0%

IBU

40

A barrel from Christmas past with the recipe of Christmas present makes the hangover of Christmas future.

ABV

7.1%

IBU

70

A high-ABV powerhouse of citrus and stone fruit flavours.

KELOWNA

RED BIRD BREWING

1086 Richter St. | RedBirdBrewing.com

WED-FRI 4PM-12AM ^ SAT-SUN 12PM-12AM EST. 2016 One of the newest kids on the B.C. craft beer block, Red Bird would love to tell you all of the old Kelowna stories behind their beer names.

THE CAPTAIN

ANTIPSIPATION

KO L S C H

I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Year-round ABV

4.5%

IBU

36

Using a blend of American and German malts, it’s a refreshing beer for any occasion.

Availability: Year-round ABV

6.0%

IBU

65

Try saying that five times fast! It’s a hop-forward, yet balanced, smooth, citrusy IPA. 103

KELOWNA

TREE BREWING BEER INSTITUTE

1346 Water St. | TreeBrewingBeerInstitute.com DAILY 11AM-11PM EST. 2014 Here is where Kelowna’s original craft brewery explores its more creative and experimental side. There’s great pizza and other food to go along with the beer.

VERTICAL

HOPHEAD

WINTER ALE

I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Year-round

ABV

5.0%

IBU

20

This dark ale is smoothly malty with nutty, caramel tones and a vanilla finish.

ABV

5.6%

IBU

60

One of B.C.’s original IPAs, this may not be cutting-edge today, but it’s still delicious.

KELOWNA

TREE BREWING CO.

1083 Richter St. | TreeBeer.com DAILY 11AM-5PM EST. 1996

Kelowna finally has a brewing scene with a few options to explore, and Tree is the long-time leader with a solid set of core beers and wide range of seasonals.

HOPHEAD BLACK INDIA PALE ALE C A S C A D I A N DA R K A L E Availability: Seasonal ABV

8.0%

IBU

161

Very big and very bold, this was one of the first black IPAs brewed in B.C. 104

PILSNER LAGER Availability: Year-round ABV

5.0%

IBU

15

Don’t dismiss this as a “budget beer.” Rather, celebrate by stocking your fridge with it.

SUMMERLAND

DETONATE BREWING

#104 - 9503 Cedar Ave. | DetonateBrewing.com THU-SUN 2-7PM EST. 2017 There are walk-in closets bigger than Detonate’s tasting room but it’s worth checking out the ingenuity and hard work Nathan Rosin puts into his beer.

CALL THE HOPS IPA I N D I A PA L E A L E

SUNDAY FUNDAY BREAKFAST STOUT

Availability: Year-round

S TO U T Availability: Year-round

ABV

5.6%

IBU

74

Cascade hops have been summoned for a kick of citrus and floral aromas and flavours.

ABV

5.8%

IBU

32

An oatmeal stout breakfast beer that’s got hints of caramel, chocolate and coffee.

PENTICTON

BAD TATTOO BREWING CO.

169 Estabrook Ave. | BadTattooBrewing.com

SUN-THU 11AM-10PM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-11PM EST. 2014 Bad Tattoo is now an indelible part of the Okanagan beer scene, with a growing range of seasonals adding even more interest.

FULL SLEEVE STRONG STOUT S TO U T Availability: Year-round ABV

5.5%

IBU

20

A hearty stout rich with coffee and chocolate notes that’s great to get cosy with.

MANGPO WYLD IPA S O U R I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: One-off ABV

6.5%

IBU

65

A West Coast IPA reimagined with mango puree and refermented with Lactobacillus and brett yeast.

105

PENTICTON

CANNERY BREWING

198 Ellis St. | CanneryBrewing.com

MON-FRI 12-9PM ^ SAT-SUN 11AM-9PM EST. 2000 In addition to an ever-rotating selection of top-notch craft beer, Cannery Brewing’s tasting room also has a great selection of old-school board games.

DARKLING

TRELLIS

OAT M E A L S TO U T

I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Year-round

ABV

5.5%

IBU

30

This oatmeal stout balances smooth mouthfeel with roasted flavours to brighten the darkest of days.

ABV

5.0%

IBU

65

Sessionable without compromising complexity, this IPA is perfect for hop heads with stuff to do.

PENTICTON

HIGHWAY 97 BREWERY

954 Eckhardt Ave. | Hwy97Brewery.com DAILY 11AM-9PM EST. 2016

Managed by a father-and-son team, Penticton’s newest brewery feels like it’s been part of the scene for much longer.

ISLAY

RED IPA

P E AT E D S C OT C H A L E

I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Seasonal ABV

6.5%

IBU

44

The strong peated tone in this bold, sweet ale will give your kilt a twist.

106

Availability: Year-round ABV

6.2%

IBU

60

This beer features mostly locally grown hops along with red malt from the Prairies.

PENTICTON

THE TIN WHISTLE BREWING CO.

112-1475 Fairview Rd. | TheTinWhistleBrewery.rocks DAILY 11:30AM-5:30PM EST. 1995 The South Okanagan’s first microbrewery when it opened in 1995, Tin Whistle keeps chugging along reliably like its logo’s locomotive.

KILLER BEE DARK HONEY ALE

MIDNIGHT PEACH ALE

HONEY ALE Availability: Year-round

FRUIT ALE Availability: Year-round

ABV

5.0%

IBU

15

A Tin Whistle classic brewed with five different malts, four kinds of honey and three hop varietals.

ABV

5.0%

IBU

10

A dark fruit ale that marries chocolate and honeyed notes with rich peaches.

OLIVER

FIREHALL BREWERY

6077 Main St. | FirehallBrewery.com

SUN-THU 12-9PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-10PM EST. 2012 Igniting the craft beer revolution in Oliver by opening a brewery in an old firehall, Sid Ruhland continues to fight the good fight with tasty brews.

WIND & FIRE 2017

STOP, HOP & ROLL

HARVEST ALE

I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Seasonal ABV

5.5%

IBU

35

A deep, dark, fresh-hop seasonal, brewed annually to honour brew-brother Carson Ruhland.

Availability: One-off ABV

5.8%

IBU

54

In case of emergency, have this seasonal IPA ready, that’s brewed with rolled oats.

107

KOOT E NAYS 93

N W

E

A L B E R T A 11

LAKE LOUISE

GOLDEN 23

1

1

BANFF

05

REVELSTOKE

93

TO KA M LO O P S

95

B R I T I S H C O L U M B I A

40

02

INVERMERE

6

31A

95

01

KASLO

07

KIMBERLEY

6

95A

03 06 09

13

NELSON

CRANBROOK ROSSLAND

3A

10

3

08

3B

6

3 UNITED STATES

BREWERIES

01 Angry Hen 02 Arrowhead 03 Backroads 04 Fernie 05 Mt. Begbie 06 Nelson

FERNIE 93

95

ROSSLAND

04

12

07 Over Time 08 Rossland 09 Torchlight 10 Trail Beer Refinery

11 Whitetooth

BREW PUBS

12 The Heid Out 13 The Savoy

ALBERTA BRITISH COLUMBIA

PARADISE, THY NAME IS

Nelson

by Rob Mangelsdorf

T

he concept of paradise is different for everyone. Maybe it’s a happy place where you’re surrounded by friends and loved ones.

Maybe it’s a magical land where all your wants and desires are catered. For me, though, paradise is anywhere with good beer, good food, good music and good people. And if I don’t have to drive anywhere once I’m there, even better.

It dawned on me when I visited Nelson, B.C., earlier this autumn that maybe I’d found my paradise. Given how many Vancouverites have moved there in recent years, I’d wager I’m not alone in this discovery.

Nestled in the West Kootenays overlooking Kootenay Lake, Nelson was founded 120 years ago as a silver mining boomtown, the architectural evidence of which is still very apparent in the adorable downtown area. The ’60s and ’70s saw American draft dodgers flood north, and bring with them their hippie ideals, university educations, characteristic entrepreneurialism, and lots of weed.

Today, Nelson is a shockingly sophisticated city considering its size. With a population of just 10,000, “The Queen City” is home to four craft breweries, as well as dozens of top-notch restaurants, cocktail bars

and live music venues. It might have the highest rate of cool-shit-per-capita of any city in the country.

“The physical isolation of Nelson means you have to make your own entertainment,” says Brent Malysh of Backroads Brewing. “It’s a progressive town. A lot of artists and creative people live here so they’re very open to new ideas.”

Naturally, this commitment to hedonistic pursuits makes Nelson an ideal tourist destination, and a great place to drink craft beer.

Nelson Brewing Co.

Any walking beer tour of Nelson has to start at NBC. Not only is it one of the original B.C. craft breweries—having opened way back in 1991—but it’s also at the top of the hill, and Nelson is basically one massive hill. You’re going to want to start here and work your way down.

NBC has been ahead of curve for so long that they kind of get taken for granted. They’ve been putting out hop-forward IPAs like Paddywhack for more than 15 years, they went all-organic more than 10 years ago, and their beers still win tons of medals— three golds, three silvers and one bronze in the last two years at the B.C. Beer Awards, in fact. >>

109

LEFT: Nelson Brewing Co. is located in the old Columbia Brewing building. RIGHT: Brent Malysh is already winning awards for his beers at Backroads Brewing. Rob Mangelsdorf photos.

Last year, former NHLer Matt Walker and his wife Kate—a native Nelsonian (Nelsonite?)—bought the brewery and soon opened a new tasting room, offering flights of beer and growler fills.

The brewery itself is housed in a crazy looking 120-year-old wooden structure, the construction of which clearly predated building codes. As it turns out, the building was the original home of the Columbia Brewing Company, makers of Kokanee (or so I am told by the bartender working this particular autumn afternoon).

NBC’s newly opened tasting room is super cosy and it feels like it’s always been there, despite only being a few months old. The room retains the historical vibe of the building it’s housed in, bringing to mind a miniature English pub.

There’s certainly an English influence to the beers Nelson brews, too, particularly the After Dark Organic Brown Ale (5.0% ABV), which won gold at the 2016 B.C. Beer Awards in the British Brown Ale category. Dark roasted and chocolate malts give this light bodied and highly sessionable ale its lovely character.

happy Goretex-clad locals. In the corner, two beflannelled fellows try to work out the rules to a game of Hammerschlagen, laughing as they furiously hammer oversized nails into a pockmarked Douglas fir stump that looks like it barely survived the Battle of the Somme.

Former NBC brewer and craft beer journeyman Brent Malysh is the driving force behind Backroads.

After more than 20 years of working for someone else, he’s relishing the opportunity to finally call the shots.

“I have a lot of freedom,” he says. “As a brewer, every drop is your reputation. Now I can focus on just making the beer I want to.”

His Big Smokin’ Joe Porter (8.5% ABV 32 IBU) is named for a regular customer at the brewery, and much like the name suggests, it's big on alcohol, smoke and coffee notes. Despite the flavours at work here, the beer is quite balanced: the smoked malt complements the coffee and chocolate notes without overpowering the beer, and some healthy hop bitterness ensures a clean finish.

• 512 Latimer St., NelsonBrewing.com

Backroads Brewing

A short trundle down the hill to the main drag of Baker Street brings us to Backroads Brewing, Nelson’s newest craft brewery, having opened back in March.

Backroads’ storefront tasting room is just the right mix of “rustic cabin in the woods” and "modern beer hall." The brewery is bumping on the Saturday we visit, with the wooden picnic tables filled with

110

Where to stay

When it comes to close access to Baker Street and craft beer, there are really two options: the aforementioned Savoy Hotel and the historic Hume Hotel (422 Vernon St., HumeHotel.com), which serves as a focal point for downtown Nelson. The Hume is also home to the legendary Mike’s Place Pub—one of the friendliest English-style pubs this province has to offer—as well as the Spiritbar live music venue and nightclub.

Despite only being open for nine months, Backroads has already received accolades for its beer, picking up a gold and bronze at the B.C. Beer Awards. Given Malysh’s pedigree, this should surprise no one.

• 460 Baker St., BackroadsBrewing.com

Savoy Hotel and Brewery

A few blocks west on Baker Street, past the hacky sack circle and the djembe jam session, we land at the Savoy Hotel and Brewery. Owned by the producers of the Shamabala Music Festival, the Savoy is a restaurant, live music venue, cocktail lounge and brewpub all under one roof.

The Savoy’s tiny 5hL brewery is tucked away next to the dining room, in a space no bigger than a walk-in closet. To save space, the bright tank is rather ingeniously mounted to the ceiling.

On my most recent visit, I was pleasantly surprised to see the direction Savoy is taking under new brewmaster and California transplant Jaq Taforo. Despite Savoy’s obvious size limitations, Taforo manages to keep anywhere form seven to 10 beers on tap at any time, ranging from blonde ales, kolschs and pilsners to an oatmeal cookie stout and rotating fruit-flavoured witbiers. I can’t think of another brewery or brewpub in B.C. that manages to put out such varied offerings from just 80 square feet of space, tops.

The dry-hopped English Mild (4.8% ABV 33 IBU) was an interesting take on the malt forward classic, with some assertive hopping adding some new world flavour.

• 189 Baker St., SavoyHotel.ca

Torchlight Brewing Co.

When Torchlight first opened its doors three years ago, Nelsoners (Nelswegians?) were quick to welcome the new kid in town. It wasn’t long before Torchlight realized it needed to upgrade its tiny space, and this past May, moved into a bigger home, located at the bottom of the hill, just a block away from Kootenay Lake and a short walk from Baker Street. Torchlight 2.0 is huge and airy, with high ceilings and seemingly room for hundreds.

If you want variety, then Torchlight is definitely the brewery for you. With 20 taps, including two nitro lines and rotating guest beers, there’s always something new and different being poured. The

Torchlight Brewing Co. has 20 taps of fresh craft beer waiting for you. Rob Mangelsdorf photo.

Noctis Dark Kettle Sour (6.0% ABV 8 IBU) was a standout of the beers I sampled. Flavoured with lavender and hibiscus, the subdued acidity was well supported by its malt backbone.

• 125 Hall St., TorchlightBrewing.com j

Other cool stuff to do

Of course, there are other things to do in Nelson then drink delicious craft beer. Between the historic architecture, lakeside setting and soaring mountains in every direction, Nelson is pretty spectacular any time of year. The winter, though, is when it shines.

Located 25 minutes south of Nelson, Whitewater Ski Resort is a powderhound’s dream, thanks to obscene amounts of dry Selkirk snow. The resort touts itself as “Canada’s Best Powder Mountain” and this year sees the unveiling of Whitewater’s first highspeed quad chairlift. Even if skiing and snowboarding isn’t your thing, there’s some great snowshoe trails to keep yourself busy while your way cooler friends have fun on the slopes.

Head in the other direction and you’ll find Ainsworth Hot Springs, 45 minutes north of Nelson, overlooking Kootenay Lake. Soak up the 42 C healing waters in the main pool while the snow falls gently overhead, wade through the underground Horseshoe Caverns, or, if you’re braver than I am, take a dip in the cold plunge pool. (I only got as far as my ankle. No joke, it is insanely cold.)

111

ROSSLAND

ROSSLAND BEER CO.

1990 Columbia Ave. | RosslandBeer.com SUN-THU 12-7PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-9PM EST. 2012

Rossland Brewing is the little brewery that could, thanks to best buds Petri Raito and Ryan Arnaud, who made their craft beer dreams a reality.

SEVEN SUMMITS MILK STOUT

FOUR ON THE FLOOR I N D I A PA L E A L E

S W E E T S TO U T Availability: Year-round ABV

5.9%

IBU

Availability: Year-round

29

Start the day with fine mocha coffee, rich chocolate milk and a full malt body.

ABV

6.5%

IBU

55

This simple yet tasty IPA is crisp and satisfying and just happens to be loaded with hops.

TRAIL

TRAIL BEER REFINERY

1299 Bay Ave. | TrailBeerRefinery.ca

MON-SAT 11AM-9PM ^ SUN 12-5PM EST. 2017 So far the fledgling Trail Beer Refinery has just two beers on tap, but expect more to come from this proudly blue collar brewery.

TRAIL ALE

SILVER CITY LAGER

ALE

LAGER

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.5%

IBU

30

This unfiltered malt-forward ale showcases caramel flavours and subdued hop bitterness.

112

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.0%

IBU

10

Light in body, low in bitterness and sessionable enough to be handled a six-pack at a time.

NELSON

BACKROADS BREWING CO.

460 Baker St. | BackroadsBrewing.com TUE-THU 12-10PM ^ FRI -SAT 12-11PM ^ SUN 12-8PM EST. 2016 Backroads’ new Evolution series of lagers will see the recipe change slightly each time it’s brewed, so be sure to try them all!

DREAM LAGER CZECH AMBER LAGER

BIG SMOKIN’ JOE BALTIC PORTER

Availability: Seasonal

BA LT I C P O RT E R Availability: Seasonal

ABV

4.4%

IBU

20

The first in their Evolution Series of lagers. Get in on the bottom floor!

ABV

8.5%

IBU

30

Mmmmm, German beechwood rauch malt. Smokey, with notes of black licorice, molasses, raisin and coffee.

NELSON

NELSON BREWING CO.

512 Latimer St. | NelsonBrewing.com TUE-SAT 12-8PM EST. 1991

NBC’s new tasting room oozes English charm and cheer, and it’s the only place to sample the brewery’s new small-batch beer series.

FACEPLANT

BLACKHEART

WINTER ALE

OAT M E A L S TO U T

Availability: Seasonal ABV

6.0%

IBU

19

With notes of molasses and brown sugar, this beer will warm your soul after a long day on the slopes.

Availability: Small batch ABV

5.7%

IBU

32

This silky Irish stout won a gold medal at the Canadian Brewing Awards.

113

NELSON

TORCHLIGHT BREWING CO.

125 Hall St. | TorchlightBrewing.com

SUN-TUE 11AM-9PM ^ WED -SAT 11AM-11PM SUN 12-7PM EST. 2014 Craig Swendson’s inventive brews continue to make their way across the province from Nelson, including six-packs that should be hitting stores soon.

ELEVENTY-ONE

HOPTIMUS PRIME

I M P E R I A L S TO U T

PA L E A L E

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Year-round

ABV

10.0%

IBU

50

Rich and robust, the dial on this stout is turned up to 11 and then some.

ABV

5.5%

IBU

40

This northwest pale ale is transformed into something more thanks to truckload of hops.

KASLO

ANGRY HEN BREWING

343 Front St. | AngryHenBrewing.com DAILY 12-10PM EST. 2017

B.C. brewing legend Shirley Warne is behind this lakeside brewery, which is sure to turn tiny Kaslo into a mecca for craft beer nerds.

PALE ALE

HELLES

PA L E A L E

HELLES LAGER

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.0%

IBU

40

This well mannered ale balances citrus hop notes with malt character.

114

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.0%

IBU

30

This healthily hopped helles is refreshing and uncomplicated.

KIMBERLEY

OVER TIME BEER WORKS

136A Wallinger Ave. | OverTimeBeer.ca MON-THU 12-7PM ^ FRI -SAT 11AM-8PM SUN 11AM-7PM EST. 2016 Over time. Two words you don’t want to hear on a Friday at work—unless they’re referencing this brewery that’s here to provide some good times.

RIGHT ABOUT NOW

CLOCKWORK

I N D I A PA L E A L E

W I N T E R S TO U T

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Seasonal

ABV

6.5%

70

IBU

East Coast IPA with a medium hop flavour and high citrusy aroma. Check it now.

ABV

4.0%

IBU

15

A beer for the holidays: a milk chocolate stout with a hint of orange.

INVERMERE

ARROWHEAD BREWING CO.

481 Arrow Rd. | ArrowheadBrewingCompany.ca MON-WED 11AM-6PM ^ THU-SAT 11AM-7PM SUN 12-6PM EST. 2012 Celebrating its fifth birthday, Arrowhead is a firm local fave thanks to its vintage gas station-themed tasting room, wicked staff and dependable beer lineup.

KICK ASS COFFEE CREAM ALE

I’M SO FREAKING HOPPY

COFFEE MILK ALE Availability: Seasonal

I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round

ABV

5.1%

IBU

N/A

A dark brown ale brewed with Kicking Horse Coffee beans and lactose for a smooth mouthfeel.

ABV

7.3%

IBU

75

You’ll be more mellow and less freaked after a glass of this potent, warming, high-octane IPA. 115

FERNIE

FERNIE BREWING CO.

26 Manitou Rd. | FernieBrewing.com

MON-THU 11AM-7PM ^ FRI -SUN 11AM-8PM EST. 2003 Second-generation brewer Jeff Demaniuk always has something new on tap at Fernie’s new tasting room. It’s well worth the trip to sample the beers in person, but luckily Fernie’s beers are widely available province-wide if you can’t make it.

PROJECT 9 BAVA R I A N - S T Y L E P I L S N E R

SAP SUCKER MAPLE PORTER

Availability: Year-round

M A P L E P O RT E R Availability: Seasonal

ABV

5.0%

IBU

35

Munich, pilsner and pale Canadian malts go into this clean, crisp pilsner.

ABV

5.5%

IBU

35

Deliciously dark and robust with a delicate but flavourful touch of maple syrup.

SNOWBLIND BELGIAN-STYLE IPA

FIRST TRAX BROWN ALE

B E L G I A N - S T Y L E I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Limited release

B R OW N A L E Availability: Year-round

ABV

7.9%

IBU

78

Traditional Belgian yeast is paired with some of the newest hop varieties from Australia and New Zealand.

ABV

5.0%

IBU

14

Brewed with seven specialty malts, this deep brown ale has a surprisingly smooth mouthfeel.

The Fernie Factor Located along the aptly named Powder Highway, the town is known for “The Fernie Factor”: an anomaly where the snow forecast calls for little precipitation but skiers and boarders wake up to a surprising 50plus cm of fresh powder! Once the resort closes, Fernie’s new tasting room is the perfect spot to enjoy après, ski boots and all.

116

TM

EST. 2003

it’s a way of life.

#drinkfernie

REVELSTOKE

MT. BEGBIE BREWING CO.

2155 Oak Dr. | Mt-Begbie.com DAILY 9AM-5PM EST. 1996

The 2017 Canadian Brewery of the Year has been making excellent beers for 21 years. Good news: its new tasting room is scheduled to open in December! Between the beer and the skiing

NASTY HABIT I N D I A PA L E A L E

HIGH COUNTRY KOLSCH

Availability: Year-round

KO L S C H Availability: Year-round

ABV

6.2%

IBU

42

This bold IPA is brewed with seven hops and a blend of specialty malts.

ABV

4.5%

IBU

12

2017 winner of a gold medal at the Canadian Brewing Awards and the World Beer Awards.

BRAVE LIVER

SELKIRK STOUT

W E E H E AV Y S C OT C H A L E

OAT M E A L S TO U T

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Seasonal

ABV

6.5%

IBU

22

An award-winning scotch ale aged on whisky-soaked oak.

ABV

4.9%

IBU

20

A smooth, rich oatmeal stout with flavours of dark chocolate and roasted coffee.

WHat’s in a name?

Bart Larson, Mt. Begbie’s founding brewer, has a PhD in nuclear physics. His wife and co-founder, Tracey, also has a background in science. But a honeymoon conversation about starting a brewery got them thinking. Soon, rather than studying subatomic particles, they were propagating brewing yeast: in other words, brewing beer!

118

THE 2017

CANADIAN BRE W E RY

OF THE

YEAR. Excellent craft beer–one of the many things Revelstoke has to offer.

Visit our tasting room at 2155 Oak Drive in Revelstoke, BC. www.mt-begbie.com PHOTOS: TOURISM REVELSTOKE & REVELSTOKE MOUNTAIN RESORT

GOLDEN

WHITETOOTH BREWING

623 8th Ave. N. | WhitetoothBrewing.com DAILY 2-10PM EST. 2016 Named after Golden’s original ski hill, Whitetooth has quickly won locals over with its Belgian-inspired and West Coast influenced beers.

ROGGEN SCHLAGER

THE GOLDEN BLACK

ROGGENBIER

B E L G I A N S TO U T

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Seasonal

ABV

5.0%

IBU

16

This German rye beer is fermented with hefeweizen yeast for a malt-forward flavour with notes of banana.

ABV

7.5%

IBU

32

As daring as a night ice climb, this enigmatic stout is full of cocoa, licorice and warmed fall fruits.

100 MILE HOUSE

JACKSON’S SOCIAL CLUB & BREWHOUSE 175 Cariboo Hwy 97 | JacksonsSocialClub.com TUE-THU 11AM-7PM ^ FRI-SAT 11AM-9PM EST. 2017 If you’re on the lookout for a craft brewery on Hwy 97 between Quesnel and Kamloops, Keith Jackson’s roadside nano is your best (and only) bet.

JACK SMASH

AUTUMN WHEAT

ALE

W H E AT A L E

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.0%

IBU

18

A single malt and one hop variety are used here, with light and refreshing results.

120

Availability: Seasonal ABV

4.8%

IBU

20

A white beer with hints of coriander, chamomile and orange on the finish.

VALEMOUNT

THREE RANGES BREWING CO.

1160 5th Ave. | ThreeRanges.com MON, WED-SAT 3-8PM

^ SUN 1-6PM

EST. 2013 One of the pioneers of craft brewing in northern B.C., Three Ranges has been putting the ale in Valemount for four years now.

28 IN DOG YEARS

UNKINDNESS

IMPERIAL SAISON

OAT M E A L S TO U T

Availability: Small batch

Availability: Seasonal

ABV

9.5%

IBU

32

ABV

Celebrate Three Ranges’ fourth anniversary with this special saison brewed with plums.

6.5%

IBU

27

This creamy, smooth stout is only available in the darkest of winter.

QUESNEL

BARKERVILLE BREWING CO.

185 Davie St. | BarkervilleBeer.com MON-WED 12-6PM ^ THU 12-8PM SAT 11AM-6PM

^ FRI 12-9PM

EST. 2014 Although she’s been with the Quesnel-based brewery since 2014, Erin Dale has stepped up as the new head brewer at Barkerville.

STERNWHEELER S C OT C H A L E

HOUND OF BARKERVILLE

Availability: Seasonal

B R OW N A L E Availability: Year-round

ABV

7.7%

IBU

19

A traditional Scottish-style ale, it’s a smooth dark with notes of caramel.

ABV

5.9%

IBU

17

Malt forward and a little sweet. It doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure this brew out.

121

PRINCE GEORGE

CROSSROADS BREWING

508 George St. | CrossroadsCraft.com SUN-THU 11:30AM-9PM ^ FRI-SAT 11:30AM-11PM EST. 2016 Named for the convergence of the Nechako and Fraser rivers, as well as highways 16 and 97, Crossroads has brought craft beer to Prince George.

GEORGE ST. BROWN E N G L I S H B R OW N A L E

OLD WESTIE AMBER LAGER

Availability: Year-round

VIENNA LAGER Availability: Year-round

ABV

5.0%

IBU

15

Mild and easy-drinking, with flavours of caramel malt, biscuit and chocolate in its dark depths.

ABV

5.0%

IBU

20

Light hop bitterness leads the way in this elegantly complex lager.

FORT ST. JOHN

BEARD’S BREWING CO.

10408 Alaska Rd. N. | BeardsBrewing.ca SUN-THU 12-7PM ^ FRI-SAT 12-9PM EST. 2017

Owner Stephen Beard has opened the northernmost craft brewery in B.C., bringing the craft beer revolution to the Peace River district.

RED BEARD

FIRESIDE IPA

RED ALE

I N D I A PA L E A L E

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.2%

IBU

25

The red ale features mild malt flavours and serves as a great gateway beer to craft.

122

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.8%

IBU

64

This crowd-pleaser is heavy on the Amarillo and Mosaic hops, with notes of grapefruit, apricot and citrus.

TERRACE

SHERWOOD MOUNTAIN BREWHOUSE

Unit 101 - 4816 Hwy. 16 West | SherwoodMountain.beer DAILY 12-8PM EST. 2014 Nestled between snowcapped mountains lies this little gem of a brewery.

German-trained Darryl Tucker brought his brewing skills home to Terrace.

BENCHMARK BROWN

SKEENA WEST

B R OW N A L E

PA L E A L E

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Year-round

ABV

4.1%

IBU

18

A very sessionable brown ale made with ye olde British malts, hops and yeast.

ABV

5.5%

IBU

N/A

Sherwood’s flagship beer features hints of caramel and toasted bread, and a range of hops.

PRINCE RUPERT

WHEELHOUSE BREWING CO.

217 1st Ave. E. | WheelhouseBrewing.com WED-FRI 4-11PM

^ SAT-SUN 12-11PM

EST. 2013 This little brewery at the end of the road just got a big-time production upgrade. Smaller batches are still available at the tasting room.

SMOKEHOUSE PORTER S M O K E D P O RT E R Availability: Seasonal ABV

6.3%

IBU

49

A big yet balanced brew made with smoked malts. Pairs well with cosy winter nights.

TENNENBAUM STOUT I R I S H S TO U T Availability: Seasonal ABV

4.6%

IBU

32

The addition of spruce tips to this otherwise traditional stout brings a touch of sweetness.

123

RECIPE

Photos by Dan Toulgoet

Beer-Brined Roasted Chicken

BY CHEF ALESSANDRO VIANELLO OF BELLS AND WHISTLES

with Parkside Dusk Pale Ale

W

at the restaurant, readers can substitute with the Parkside Dusk,” he says. “It’s a versatile beer that pairs well with a lot of different foods because of its lower ABV and IBU.”

“I love it because it’s just really comforting and delicious,” says Vianello. “Not only does it taste good, it’s also very easy to prepare.”

Dusk is flavourful enough to stand up to meaty dishes, but it’s also a good sessionable beer that can be enjoyed on its own or with lighter meals like salads, he says.

ith the colder weather outside, it’s the perfect time for some comfort food.

This recipe for beer-brined chicken from chef Alessandro Vianello of Vancouver’s Bells and Whistles, “is like a warm hug from your mom.”

At the restaurant, the beer-brined chicken is normally prepared with Bells and Whistles Pale Ale from Four Winds, but any reasonably sessionable pale ale can do the trick.

“Since this particular brew is exclusively available

124

“At home, I like to serve the chicken with some roasted potatoes, carrots and gravy,” says Vianello.

“At Bells and Whistles, we use the chicken in our Fat Steven’s sandwich with gravy, mayo and crispy fried onions.” —Rob Mangelsdorf

I N g r ed i ents • 1 whole high-quality free-range chicken • 1 bay leaf • 300 mL or 1 can of Parkside Dusk pale ale • 1 tsp chili flakes • 1 tsp black peppercorns • 2 cloves garlic, smashed • 2 sprigs fresh thyme • 1 sprig of fresh rosemary • 1 cup salt • ½ cup sugar • Canola oil • Water (enough to cover the chicken)

d i r ecti o ns 1. Place the bay leaf, chili flakes, peppercorns, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, sugar and water into a large pot and bring to a boil.

2. Remove from the heat and cool the brine completely.

5. Once fully brined, preheat your oven to 350 F. 6. Place the chicken in a roasting pan, brush the skin with some canola oil and season with salt and pepper.

3. Add the can of beer and stir, then add the chicken.

7. Roast for approximately 50 to 60 minutes, basting the skin with juices from the pan periodically.

4. Let the chicken sit in the brine and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

8. Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. j

3.

8.

Serving Suggestion 125

BREWPUBS VANCO UV ER

DOCKSIDE BREWING CO.

1253 Johnston St. | DocksideVancouver.com

B

rewpubs were the first places to offer craft beer in B.C. and have since become institutions in their respective communities. They offer a vastly different craft beer experience than the brewery tasting room—the focus may not necessarily be on the beer itself, but instead, the food, the décor, the live music or even the hockey game. They are social hubs, often functioning as the neighbourhood’s communal living room.

In many cases, the beer is secondary. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t exceptional—in fact some of B.C.’s best beers are brewed in these establishments.

Since few brewpubs bottle and keg their own beer—some don’t even offer growler fills—if you want to try what they are brewing, you’re going to have to go to the source. Seek them out, you won’t be disappointed. j VANCOUVER

CARTWRIGHT PALE ALE PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV

4.7%

IBU

N/A

A malty golden ale with aromatic Cascade and Willamette hops.

VANCO UV ER

HASTINGS MILL BREWING COMPANY

STEAMWORKS BREW PUB

403 East Hastings St. | PatsPub.ca

Housed in historic Pat’s Pub, which pours Hastings Mill’s four beers and many other B.C. brews.

375 Water St. | Steamworks.com/Brew-Pub

Named for the steam pipe that heats its brew kettle and also connects to the tourist clock in Gastown.

GRISWOLD WINTER ALE

WINTER WHITE STOUT

WINTER ALE

W H I T E S TO U T

Availability: Seasonal ABV

7.5%

IBU

18

This CBA winner is brewed with vanilla beans, dark chocolate and amber rum.

126

Brewmaster Peter Haupenthal’s easy-drinking brews are best enjoyed at the award-winning patio.

Availability: Seasonal ABV

5.1%

IBU

33

Instead of using typically dark roasted barley, this stout is aged on whole coffee beans.

BREWPUBS VAN C OUVER

VANCOUV ER

STEEL TOAD BREWERY

YALETOWN BREWING CO.

97 East 2nd Ave. | SteelToad.ca

1111 Mainland St. | MJG.ca/Yaletown

Steel Toad offers a variety of small batch beers, plus gastropub food, thin crust pizza and cocktails.

Yaletown has the tonic for your rainy day blues: upscale pub food and rotating taps of craft beer.

KERMODE

ROBUSTUOUS STOUT

W E S T C OA S T I N D I A PA L E A L E

S TO U T

Availability: Year-round

Availability: Small batch

ABV

7.0%

IBU

70

A spirit bear of a beer, with big tropical hop flavours and aroma.

WHISTLE R

7.0%

IBU

39

It’s like cosying up in your warmest, comfiest sweater.

SURREY

BREWHOUSE HIGH MOUNTAIN BREWING

BIG RIDGE BREWING CO.

4355 Blackcomb Way | MJG.ca/BrewHouse

Derrick Franche’s stupendous beer is still one of the best reasons to visit Whistler.

DR. AXE’S COCONUT PORTER P O RT E R Availability: Seasonal ABV

ABV

6.0%

IBU

10

Coconut flakes take this London porter to the tropics.

5580 152 St. | MJG.ca/Big-Ridge

Surrey’s original brewpub always has three rotating taps, plus its usual line-up of favourites.

CLOVER IPA I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV

6.5%

IBU

65

No actual clover was harmed while making this northwest style IPA.

127

BREWPUBS DUNCAN

NANAIMO

CRAIG STREET BREW PUB

LONGWOOD BREWPUB

25 Craig St. | CraigStreet.ca

5775 Turner Rd. | LongwoodBrewpub.com

Pull off the highway for a bite and a brew in this attractive brewpub in historic downtown Duncan.

Warm up beside the fieldstone fireplace. The kitchen is solid and the beer is always tasty.

MT. PREVOST PORTER

EXTRA SPECIAL BITTER

P O RT E R

B R I T I S H PA L E A L E

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.0%

IBU

26

This will warm your cockles on any rainy winter’s day.

K AMLOOP S

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.5%

IBU

26

A proper pint of bitter will cure what ails you.

SALMON ARM

THE NOBLE PIG BREWHOUSE BARLEY STATION BREW PUB

650 Victoria St. | TheNoblePig.ca

20 Shuswap St. N. | BarleyStation.com

Probably the best spot to eat in Kamloops, with an ever-inventive beer selection for pairing.

The perfect stop on a road trip, both beer and food are excellent in this comfy highway-side spot.

CHRISTMAS ALE BELGIAN TRIPEL

BUSHWACKER BROWN ALE

Availability: Seasonal

Availability: Year-round

ABV

8.5%

IBU

B R OW N A L E 19

Citrus, banana and spices make for a Christmas cake experience.

128

ABV

4.7%

IBU

24

A gold medal winner at the 2016 Canadian Brewing Awards.

BREWPUBS KELOWNA

PENTICTO N

FREDDY’S BREWPUB

BARLEY MILL BREW PUB

124 McCurdy Rd. | McCurdyBowl.com

2460 Skaha Lake Rd. | BarleyMillPub.com

Embrace your inner Lebowski at Kelowna’s first brewpub, located in a bowling alley.

Penticton’s original craft brewery, the brew room is located behind glass in the middle of the pub.

SANDBAGGER BROWN COFFEE BLEND DA R K A L E Availability: One-off ABV

5.0%

IBU

10

Mildly hopped and infused with espresso coffee.

NELSON

HOP DAMN IPA I N D I A PA L E A L E Availability: Year-round ABV

6.0%

IBU

80

Cascade and Citra hops are up front in this refreshing IPA. CRANB RO O K

THE SAVOY BREWERY

THE HEID OUT

198 Baker St. | SavoyHotel.com

821 Baker St. | TheHeidOut.ca

Come for brewmaster Jaq Taforo’s beer, stay for the gourmet food and live music .

When in Cranbrook, hide out at the Heid Out pub for good, honest food and well made beer.

NITRO OATMEAL COOKIE PORTER

SOGGY OTTER BROWN ALE

P O RT E R

B R OW N A L E

Availability: Seasonal ABV

5.1%

IBU

26

Nutmeg, cinnamon, maple syrup and molasses make this the perfect winter treat.

Availability: Year-round ABV

5.6%

IBU

32

A rich, toasty brown ale with a nutty, mildly bitter finish.

129

BEER GROUND To the

Our beer spies have been gathering intel on up-and-coming breweries from all over the province. As always, take the estimated opening dates with a generous grain of salt.

ANOTHER BEER CO. New Westminster (summer 2018) Located close to Sapperton SkyTrain station near the Fraser River, ABC promises to “bring fresh ales back to Sapperton.” AnotherBeerCo.com

BULKLEY VALLEY BREWING Smithers (summer 2018) A 1,000-sq.-ft. lounge is planned for this microbrewery in downtown Smithers. The tanks are in, so it shouldn’t be long before the beer starts flowing.

BulkleyValleyBrewery.ca

ELECTRIC BICYCLE BREWING COMPANY Vancouver (early 2018) Electric Bicycle Brewing Company is promising to shake things up in the crowded Vancouver craft beer scene with “strange beer, great music, and fun people.”

FRASER MILLS FERMENTATION CO. Coquitlam (2018/2019) Word on the street is that this planned brewery (and possibly distillery, cidery and meadery?) has its eyes on a massive 28,000 sq.-ft. space in the new Fraser Mills development. FraserMillsFermentation.com

ÎLE SAUVAGE BREWING CO. Victoria (early 2018) The newest brewery in Rock Bay will be focusing on wild ales and sours, as the name suggests (literally, “wild island” en français).

KIND BREWING Westbank (early 2018) By the time you read this, Kind will hopefully be open for business.

The brewery is ready to go, and just waiting on paperwork. KindBrewing.ca

NORTHPAW BREW CO Port Coquitlam (early 2018) Northpaw is already brewing beer offsite, so it won’t be long now before Port Coquitlam’s first craft brewery is open to the public. NorthpawBrewCo.com

OMEN BREWING

Kelowna (2018) The corner of Richter and Baillie in North Kelowna is starting to get crowded, but that’s a good thing. Omen hopes to become the fourth brewery to set up shop near the epicenter of Okanagan craft brewing.

OmenBrewing.com

STREETCAR BREWING

North Vancouver (early 2018) Streetcar Brewing has a spot picked out on East 1st Street, not far from where the eponymous streetcars used to run on Lonsdale Avenue, decades ago. StreetcarBrewing.ca

TRENCH BREWING & DISTILLING

Prince George (early 2018) Trench was hoping to be open this past summer, but got caught up in red tape (a familiar story here in B.C.).

TrenchBrew.ca

WILDEYE BREWING

North Vancouver (2018) This brewery is slated to open next year on Main Street, not far from Bridge Brewing and Deep Cove Brewers and Distillers. The owners are currently running a crowdsourcing campaign that promises, among other things, beer for life for contributors.

WildeyeBrewing.ca

THE WILDWOOD PUB

Powell River (summer 2018) Former NoMeansNo drummer and prolific homebrewer John Wright bought the old Red Lion Pub and is turning it into a brewpub. We’re hoping for smoked lagers, live music and a punk rock vibe.

TheWildwoodPub.com

AS-YET-UNNAMED BREWRY

Ucluelet (summer 2018) Located in an old church in the centre of town, this brewery will be yet another great reason to visit Vancouver Island’s wild west coast. Expect a full kitchen and taps a-plenty. j

Y THURSDA R E Y EV PM 7 AT

F E AT U R I N G A N E W B R E W E RY E V E RY W E E K FREE TO JOIN

92 Water Street