Craft Beer
Coal Harbour Brewing starting up in Vancouver?
Thursday, January 19th, 2012 | Beer | 1 Comment
I heard about Coal Harbour Brewing a few years ago and was very curious as to what they might become. Turns out they’ve been working away at starting up a new craft brewery in Vancouver and they are now up and running. I got this email from their brewer Kevin Emms:
After an excruciating and lengthy setup period, Coal Harbour Brewing is now open for business! We are ready to debut our first round of beers, all ready to be packaged and sold in 58.7 L kegs.
We want to be a craft brewery that serves our tastes rather than replicating the styles being brewed by others. With that in mind, we will not be exclusively brewing hop bombs. We like lagers, as do our friends, and it is important to enjoy beer with friends! Also, we take great pride in brewing intriguing, satisfying and unique ales:
“three-11” helles lager – A genuine, Munich style pale lager. Brewed with care and aged appropriately to provide a mellow and refreshing drinking experience that pairs well with any occasion. Priced very competitively, this beer is your best choice to satisfy diverse groups of people.
“Vancouver” Vienna Lager – A painstakingly brewed authentic golden coloured European lager. The 3-step mash ensures excellent body and maximum conversion of sugars. The massive amounts of German malts contribute to the continental flavour. This is a fine lager for a more upscale market.
“Triumph” Rye Ale – A true Pacific Northwest style craft ale, not quite like what you have tasted before. High portions of rye malts combine with northwest hops to give this copper coloured ale a complicated and intriguing, yet smooth and surprisingly drinkable flavour.
Our plans for the future include introducing some unique new ales into our catalogue, and producing seasonal and ‘one off’ batches of very special beers.
Sounds promising, I look forward to trying their beer and I wish them all the best!
Cheers,
Chris
Beginner’s Guide to Craft Beer from the Art of Manliness
Wednesday, October 6th, 2010 | Beer | 3 Comments
If you’ve never been to the Art of Manliness, you’re missing out. It’s a both hilarious and informative site on manly things and, despite what you might think, isn’t all that sexist. I’ve been told I should pay attention to the style section, but I’m more interested in practical things like fending off bear attacks. Anyway, I was perusing this fine site recently when I came across a well written Beginner’s Guide to Craft Beer. You should read it.
Cheers,
Chris
Quebec City
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009 | Beer | 1 Comment
I must apologize for neglecting my blogging responsibilities. I am terribly sorry. I have no excuse – just laziness really. After my vacation a week ago I never really got back in the groove of blogging. I’ll be better though, it won’t happen again. I promise.
I have a lot of lost time to make up for and do want to quickly cover the last half of my trip to one of Canada’s most impressive beer destinations, Quebec. So I figure bullets points and pictures are the way to go.
- Best Pub in Quebec City: L’Oncle Antoine. This pub is found in one of Quebec City’s older buildings, dating back to 1754 – new by European standards, old for Canadian standards. This pub boasts a number of great craft beers from Quebec and Belgium. Our last night in Quebec was spent in the L’Oncle Antoine pub enjoying a few pints before heading to a 24 hour poutine joint.
- Best Quebec Beer: Microbrasserie Ile d’Orleans Extra Strong Stout. This fantastic beer is brewed on Ile d’Orleans, an island in the St. Laurence River about 20 minutes out of Qu
ebec City. This stout had a rich mouth feel with loads of roasted coffee and chocolate flavours – delicious.
- Best Poutine: Chez Ashton. This fast food joint is unique to Quebec and was a welcome change from McDonalds and Wendy’s. Poutine is right up there with pancakes when it comes to post pub eats
I don't know how they do it, but in Quebec the gravy doesn't cause the fries to go soggy.
Cheers,
Erik
Maui Brewing company
Thursday, July 30th, 2009 | Beer | 1 Comment
Gavin, a coworker of mine, just returned from Hawaii and was thoughtful enough to bring back some of the local beer. Gavin is a good man. More of my friends should learn from his shining example and bring me beer back from places. I just finished a can (labelled as welcoming me to the microcanning revolution!) each of CoConut Porter and Big Swell IPA from Maui Brewing. They were both quite delicious beers, even after overheating in my car yesterday in the epic Vancouver heat. Like Erik, I am not a huge fan of fruit beers, but I really enjoy a good Coconut flavor. The coconut adds a subtle sweetness that really rounds out a porter. The Big Swell IPA was quite good also, full of fresh hoppy flavor.
I’d never thought of Hawaii as a beer destination and I was surprised to find that Hawaii has some really excellent craft beer. I am going to Hawaii soon (when your Dad offers you free accommodation and you find cheap flights, you go!) and might have to make some detours to a few of the local breweries. The BeerAdvocate BeerFly directory for Hawaii will guide me on my quest to find deliciously fresh craft beer in Hawaii. Me, sea turtles, beer…heaven.
Cheers,
Chris
First Annual Whistler Brewhouse Beer Festival
Friday, May 29th, 2009 | Beer, Breweries, Events, Pubs | 2 Comments
The Whistler Brewhouse is an establishment that I love. I’ve been going there for many years, long before I’d even fully discovered my love of beer. Some friends and I stumbled upon it during a ski trip one winter and have been going back ever since. We found the fresh beer and food to be excellent and the atmosphere to be delightfully cozy after a day on the slopes. The Whistler Brewhouse was also where I first enjoyed many lesser known beer styles, including a cherry ale, barley wine, and dunkelweizen that I can recall. When I found out that the Whistler Brewhouse would be hosting a beer festival this year, my interest was piqued.
I heard about the festival via the CAMRA Vancouver email newsletter, but haven’t been able to find very many details online besides the image included in this post and a Facebook event. The festival is said to be happening on Saturday June 27th from 12PM to 6PM and over twenty unknown microbreweries will be on hand. Tickets are $25 ($20 for CAMRA members) and are on sale at the Brewhouse and at Dix in Vancouver. Despite the lack of official details, the mere mention of a beer festival at the Whistler Brewhouse is enough for me. Erirk and I will be heading to Whistler that weekend for the wives for what will surely be an excellent time. To all my friends who expressed interest in previous beer festivals and were less than impressed when I didn’t invite them, please feel encouraged to join us at this one. It is going to be fun.
Cheers,
Chris
Beer Wars: The Movie
Friday, April 17th, 2009 | Beer | 6 Comments
I came across Beer Wars on the intertubes a while back, but immediately forgot about it because I just assumed I would be reminded when it came out in theaters. Turns out I was foolishly mistaken, Beer Wars was shown across the USA for one day only, which happened to be last Thursday. How then, do I watch this movie in Canada? I wouldn’t dare download it illegally (yes, I would), so I’ll have to wait until it is available on some form of recordable media.
Anyway, from what I gather, Beer Wars is about the craft brewing industry’s uphill battle against the international beer conglomerates that rule the North American beerscape (new word I just made up, no big deal). I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t learn much from this movie, having already given my support to the little guys and their delicious beer, but I still want to watch this movie anyway. I think this movie would be good for the macro swilling uninitiated, who could learn a thing or two about the brewing industry. One key point I hope comes through is that there are many tastier beers out there than the standard lager offerings from brands like Budweiser, Miller, Coors, and Molson.
Check out the trailer:
Cheers,
Chris
Frequenting the Alibi Room
Monday, April 13th, 2009 | Beer | 6 Comments
I’ve never really had a frequent haunt, the kind of place that I could walk to and visit frequently. The closest thing to a local watering hole I have is Big Ridge in Surrey, which is a fifteen minute drive for me. Granted, there is Dublin Crossing, a fun fake Irish pub within walking distance, but it isn’t a place I want to latch onto.
Lately, I’ve found myself going to the Alibi Room almost once a week. I am lucky (or unlucky, depending on your impressions of the neighbourhood) to work only a block away, making it quite a convenient place for a pint after work. Even if the Alibi Room wasn’t so conveniently located for me, I would still make an effort to get there once in a while. They have the best beer selection in the lower mainland and are the only place you can get many of the local craft beers they serve. They have 19 rotating taps as well as three beer machines pumping out cask conditioned ales, which also change on a weekly basis. Notwithstanding, their food is very good and reasonably priced.
The great Alibi Room beer menu, updated weekly
The Alibi Room is really the one stop shop for beer in the entire Metro Vancouver area. It saddens me that there are no similar places. Why I wonder, do none exist when the Alibi Room’s success (it is always busy) clearly indicates an existing demand? Maybe Erik and I should open up a place of our own?
Cheers,
Chris
Cask Ale Sundays at The Whip
Wednesday, March 18th, 2009 | Beer | 2 Comments
Two incidents made Sunday a strange day for me. The first happened that afternoon during my soccer game. I was subbing into the game when a spectator’s dog bit me on the thigh. I’m not sure what I did to provoke it, but the dog lunged at me as I was running past it onto the field. I’m still sporting fang punctures and a nasty bruise. How often does that happen? Had you asked me right then, I would have assumed that would be the strangest thing to happen to me all day. I was wrong.
It was Erik’s birthday this week and the Wolfe family tradition entails going out for a meal together. Tempted by the CAMRA newsletter, we chose The Whip to enjoy the cask ale they feature every Sunday. Sadly, CAMRA members had already consumed the cask of R&B Red Devil Pale Ale by the time we arrived. No bother, The Whip has an excellent beer menu and we were able to drink some tasty local craft beer. I enjoyed pints of Storm‘s Hurricane IPA and Black Plague Stout, both of which were highly enjoyable. Some undercooked yam fries aside, the food was also excellent. I really enjoyed my Mexican chicken burger.
It was as we were eating that Sunday’s second strange incident occured. We were enjoying our meals when a group of extremely intoxicated people arrived, taking a table near us. They were no trouble, but I can’t say I enjoyed their company. The serving staff quickly took note of their level of innebriation and cut them off. I heard one remark “this is the third bar we’ve been kicked out of” only for the waitress to reply “this is isn’t a bar, it’s a restaurant!” The group was allowed to finish their beers, giving one fellow the chance to expose himself in the middle of the dining room, perform the “windmill”, and place his genitals in his friend’s glass. How often does that happen?
I can’t say I’ve ever seen anything like it, I mean the incident, not the… I don’t blame The Whip in the least. Upon hearing of the infraction, the offending group was quickly removed. The Whip’s staff even gave us coupons for a free pint and 15% off during our next visit. We’ll definitely go back because the food, beer, and atmosphere were great. Happy birthday Erik, you’ll definitely remember this one.
Pictures of our visit:
Erik and Holly enjoying their beers
The wife and I
Papa Wolfe
Kelly and Concord, they don't drink beer:(
Cheers,
Chris
What is craft beer?
Thursday, February 5th, 2009 | Beer | No Comments
Last weekend during the Superbowl, a friend of mine picked up a bottle of Driftwood Ale I had just poured from, read the label, and asked “What is craft beer?”. I know I just wrote a “what is” post, but craft beer is something that all beer drinkers should know about.
I don’t think there is an official definition of craft beer, at least not one that I could find, but I would say there are some things that are generally true about craft brewing:
Craft brewers consider brewing an art requiring special skill (hence the word craft).- Craft brewers stick to the four main brewing ingredients (water, barley, hops, yeast), save adjuncts for special brews, but definitely no preservatives.
- Craft brewers are small microbreweries, brewpubs, or home brewers.
- Craft brewers brew beer for taste and quality, not mass appeal and shelf life.
- Craft brewers respect tradition and are independently owned.
- Craft beer tastes better (most important to me).
There are always exceptions, note that I believe the above list to be only generally true. Please comment if you have a different definition of craft beer or feel that more or less should be added or removed from my list. In my web searching I found a really interesting article about the definition of craft beer where the author asked prominent brewing figures for their own definition. I particularly enjoyed the response by the Anheuser-Busch employee, but recommend reading the entire article. Beertown.org also has a good writeup on the subject.
Lately I’ve noticed that the words “craft beer” have become more of marketing catch phrase. Okanagan Spring have rebranded themselves as a craft brewer, you may have noticed the new labels, packaging and commercials. While I enjoy Okanagan Spring’s beer much more than most macrobrew, I’m inclined to think that their usage of the moniker has more to do with market segmentation and Sapporo‘s global brand strategy than beer artisanship. I will point out that Okanagan Spring is not a member of the BC Craft Brewing Association.
I don’t really think that labels and terms matter. I will always drink what tastes best (as long as it won’t kill me) and will only ever advocate that others do the same. I do think that craft beer tastes better in general and I do suggest that beer drinkers give their local non-macro brewers a try. A positive sign to me are the reports I’ve recently noticed that show craft beer sales on the rise, but I wonder how they define craft beer?
Cheers,
Chris
Review: Bowen Island Brewing
Monday, January 19th, 2009 | Beer, Review | 15 Comments
I am on round number two in my search for BC’s best value priced beer. I picked up a six pack of Bowen Island Brewing Extra Pale Ale at the liquor store for $8.45 earlier this week. With help from Chris and my lovely wife I am now down to the last can, which I am nearly finished with at this very moment.
I bought this beer assuming it was brewed on Bowen Island, which I think is a fair assumption, but it is not. Bowen Island Brewing started out as a small cottage brewery off the coast of Vancouver on Bowen Island. The brewery changed hands multiple times in the late nineties eventually to become a brand owned by the NorthAm Group. The NorthAm Group is one of BC’s fastest growing brewing companies owning three popular BC beer brands; Bowen Island Brewing, KB, and Whistler Brewing all brewed in Kamloops at the KB Brewery.
The good people at the NorthAm Group are playing a sneaky game by selling beer, all of which is brewed in the same facility, under three separate brands with different pricing. I am intrigued by the similar reviews that KB, Bowen and Whistler Pale Ales share on Beer Advocate and Ratebeer.com. If all three brands are brewed at the same facility and under the supervision of the same brewmaster how can they be dramatically different from one another? Bowen Island, KB and Whistler all offer a Pale Ale – but are they different? Does Whistler beer use more expensive higher quality ingredients? Beer drinkers have a right to know this pertinent information.
I tried to get to the heart of the matter by sending an email to Bowen Island and KB Brewing – none have replied as of yet. Perhaps there is a perfectly good explanation and each brand is brewed with completely different recipes or my sources are incorrect and all three brands are completely unrelated, but without a response from the brewery I have no way of knowing. This unimpressive display of customer service is not making their beer taste any better. I have no desire to drink beer brewed by a company that is not honest with their customers. Over the next week I am hoping to solve this puzzle – I will post any new information as soon as possible. In the meantime, I have put together a breakdown of the three NorthAm brands:
Bowen Island Brewing – local value priced beer
KB Brewing – quality BC craft beer
Whistler Brewing – premium craft beer, leveraging Whistler’s international reputation
By now, the last glass of Pale Ale has vanished and I am feeling all the better for it – time to review. Bowen Island Brewing Extra Pale Ale is a surprisingly impressive beer for its price. It is a rich, copper coloured English Style Pale Ale with good head retention. Upon pouring, the beer releases a powerful aroma with sweet caramel leading the way followed by earthiness and a mild floral note. Similar to the aroma, caramel flavours are quite dominant but are somewhat balanced a medium hop finish. I would prefer this beer to be hoppier, but I tend to like hoppier beer. It was a bit thin, lacking any significant body. It is nice to find a pale ale from the Pacific Northwest that does not have a strong citrus flavour, not that I don’t like citrusy hops, it is just nice to change it up now and again.
This is a great session beer that is well suited for students, the unemployed (like me) or people who are just plain cheap. However, until I get to the bottom of NorthAm’s game of smoke and mirrors I do not feel comfortable recommending the beer to anyone.
Erik
Search
Categories
Archive
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008