Stone Enjoy By 02-14-15 IPA: Yes, finally the Stone Brewing Enjoy By series has made it into British Columbia with a $10 price tag which is about right for the market, albeit almost a joke because it hit shelves like 3 days before it technically expires (we all blame our Liquor Distribution Board for this). This…
Bomber Brewing Blood From A Stone Collaboration: In collaboration with Stone Brewing Compamy to celebrate their BC launch, Bomber Brewing released this 6.8% abv and 60 IBU Red Rye IPA in a screen printed bottle, keeping with the Stone Brewing tradition. Aroma and Appearance: It pours a clear amber colour with medium carbonation and two fingers of ivory…
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Terry Hickey (@westcoastbeergeek) Craft Beer Review – Coronado Blue Bridge Coffee Stout: Brewed in Coronado, California to a strength of 5.4% abv using dark roast coffee from San Diego, this is a year round offering that has recently made it’s way into BC private liquor stores.…
New Holland Dragon’s Milk Bourbon Barrel Stout: Brewed in Michigan to a strength of 11% abv, this stout is aged in Bourbon barrels for at least 90 days prior to bottling. Aroma and Appearance: It pours a very dark brown colour with some red hues, hardly any foam and no visible bubbles. The aroma is oak, chocolate, bourbon,…
Bomber Brewing Apex Barleywine: Brewed to a strength of 10% abv with apparently 15 different malts and 73 IBU’s, this barleywine was aged in french oak red wine barrels for 9 months before bottling and was released in January 2015. Aroma and Appearance: It pours a dark red amber colour with minimal foam and some centered carbonation.…
Phillips Hammer Barrel Aged Imperial Stout: Likely the cheapest barrel aged Imperial Stout I have ever seen (like $7 for a 22 oz bottle), this beer is brewed to a strength of 8.3% abv and is aged in bourbon barrels for an undisclosed period of time. Aroma and Appearance: Pours with two fingers of foam, a dark…
Central City / Four Winds Collaboration Maiden Voyage Cedar Aged Pale Ale: In conjunction with the BC Craft Brewers Guild, this is part of a collaboration series which should be continuing soon in the spring of 2015 with hopefully another release, perhaps with different brewers? Maiden Voyage was brewed to a strength of 6% abv, with…
Central City Winter Cask Festival 2015: In BC I would say this is one of the larger cask events that is offered, this particular one featuring 39 casks from 37 breweries which is kind of crazy when you think about it. The Winter Cask Fest is held annually in January at the Central City Brewpub location in…
Traquair Jacobite Ale: Brewed in Scotland at the Traquair House in Innerleithen, this house ale is brewed to a strength of 7.2% abv in a historical landmark that was originally a hunting lodge for the Nobility of Scotland. I enjoyed this beer as a simple homage to Robbie Burns Day on Jan 25th, who never apparently…
Bridge Brewing Black Rye IPA: A new release from this recently expanded North Vancouver, BC brewery, this darker Rye IPA is brewed to a strength of 5.8% abv and 68 IBUs. Aroma and Appearance: This beer pours a very dark brown with 3 huge fingers of foam (pour carefully) and no visible bubbles. Its aroma consists of…
Four Winds Nectarous Dry Hopped Sour: The fourth unique beer in the Eurus series (aka the one’s in the 750mL bottles), this 5.5% abv dry hopped sour ale has finally been bottled and just hit the shelves yesterday. It’s been in their tap room from time to time, however I haven’t had a chance to try…
Steel & Oak / Four Winds Collaboration Gratzer: This is an old world style of smokey, slightly sour beer brewed to a strength of 4% abv featuring oak smoked wheat malt instead of barley and some lacto-fermentation to give the sour effect. This style almost died out as it was only being brewed in Poland, where it was…
Coronado Brewing Black Sails IPA: Brewed in Coronado, CA at a strength of 6.8% abv this was the first beer from this company that I purchased in Canada since they recently started distributing here in British Columbia. It’s great to see all of these interesting beers in BC, although I bet the local brewers are feeling…
Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB) Abominable Winter Ale: A contender for the Best Can Art Ever, this Oregon brewed winter IPA comes in at a strength of 7.3% abv and 70 IBUs. This is a standard purchase for me annually, I tend to pick up a four pack to enjoy over the holidays since it is a nice…
Dageraad Anno 2014: This particular beer is a Belgian Strong Ale seasonal release from Burnaby, BC brewery Dageraad who specializes in brewing authentic Belgian beers. It is brewed to a strength of 8.3% abv and was infused with fully ripened Keremeos, BC pears as well as Indian coriander that all go together in this very interesting…
Steamworks Blitzen Belgian Tripel: This is an Abbey Tripel released during the winter months of Vancouver, BC which is brewed to a strength of 9% abv. This beer actually won a silver medal at the 2014 World Beer Cup in Denver, CO and is one I like to pick up once a year to enjoy over the holidays.…
Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout 2013: A bucket list beer that I obtained (and have since stocked up on), this monster is brewed to an amazingly high 14.9% abv and is aged in bourbon barrels for 8 to 12 months. This beer was originally brewed in honour of the 1000th batch at their original brewpub many…
Mission Springs Cranberry Ginger Radler: Is a pre-mixed can of beer blended with ginger infused cranberry and grape juice to bring the alcohol strength down to a very sessionable 3.0% abv. I refer to this as a beer cocktail, because it isn’t just beer and you can make a Radler by adding really any juice to…
Delirium Christmas (aka Noël): I got this beer as part of a 4 pack that was released around Christmas time, which included this super awesome glass that I will cherish for years to come. I mean who doesn’t love pink elephants with Santa hats on them right? This is a Belgian Strong Ale brewed to a…
Townsite Brewing Bière d’Hiver: A winter ale brewed to a strength of 7.5% abv in Powell River on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, this was one of those beers I kept missing because their distribution is limited compared to other local brands (their local market is 80% of their volume, crazy considering its small 17k population).…
Rogue Santa’s Private Reserve Ale: A traditional beer that manages to repeatedly appear in my stocking on Christmas Day, this 5.1% abv and 74 IBU Christmas Ale is brewed in Newport, Oregon. I love the festive logo, the fact that it isn’t another gingerbread ale (which I enjoy, just not all the time), and since I have been…
Samuel Adams New World Tripel: Day 24 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring a 10% abv Oak Barrel Aged Tripel from the Boston Beer Company itself. This is one of those beers I have seen on the shelves many times and for whatever reason I simply passed it by thinking it was a fancy bottle…
Dick’s Brewing Company Barleywine: Day 23 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, this barleywine from Centralia, WA is brewed to a strength of 9.9% abv and comes in a manageable 12 oz bottle. I love to try new Barleywines, so it was nice to see a new one pop up in my calendar as Christmas neared.…
Longwood Brewery Full Patch Pumpkin Saison: Day 22 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring a Nanaimo beer brewed to a strength of 9.0% abv that I thought I had missed out on this year, however it magically showed up in my advent calendar. Most of the local pumpkin beers are simply pumpkin ales, there are…
Rodenbach Grand Cru: Day 20 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring a Belgian sour red/brown ale brewed to a strength of 6.0% abv. This is a blend of 1/3 young beer and 2/3 beer aged in oak vats for 2 years to make this unique blended sour beer. Aroma and Appearance: It pours a slightly…
Dieu Du Ciel – Rigor Mortis Abt: Day 19 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring This Belgian Quad Abbey Ale from Montreal, Quebec. This ale brewed at a robust strength of 10.5% alcohol and has been aged for 1.75 years (bottled in March 2013). Aroma and Appearance: This a pours hazy brown with a thin…
Unibroue Grand Reserve 17: Day 18 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring a 3 year old bottle of this limited release beer. I have always enjoyed this beer and for the longest time it was one of the few Canadian beers you could actually find and cellar for a period of time until recent…
Goose Island The Muddy Imperial Licorice Stout: Day 21 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring a black licorice infused beer – oh, oh! Black licorice is a flavour I generally don’t appreciate in beer so I was hoping it would only be a subtle note and not an overpowering one like some beers out there. Aroma…
Almanac Dark Pumpkin Sour: Day 16 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring a sour pumpkin beer aged in wine barrels that is brewed to a strength of 7% abv by these gypsy brewers who do a lot of barrel aging. I have seen this brewery’s beers on the shelves in the USA a…
Brower Witnica Black Boss Porter: Day 15 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring a Polish 9.4% abv Baltic Porter (which is typically bottom fermented and lagered). This bottle has been cellared for one year and since I have never had a craft beer from Poland before (and this style is apparently a popular brew…
North Coast Grand Cru: Day 14 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring North Coast’s Grand Cru which is a beer brewed with agave nectar, fermented with a Belgian yeast and is aged in oak Bourbon barrels. This beer comes in a 500 mL caged and corked bottle and has an abv strength of 12.9%, which is…
Spoetzl Shiner Holiday Cheer: Day 13 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring a Dunkleweizen from Shiner, Texas brewed with peaches and roasted pecans at a strength of 5.4% abv. This is a pretty festive looking beer, perfect for a Christmas Advent Calendar! Aroma and Appearance: This pours a dark clear red-brown amber colour with a bit…
Fremont Kentucky Dark Star Bourbon Barrel Aged Oatmeal Stout: Day 12 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring a 11% abv Imperial barrel aged beauty of a beer made in Seattle, Earth (just saw this now). This is the 2014 release so it is pretty fresh, however I have another for the cellar that I’ll…
San Miguel Brewery Red Horse Beer: Day 10 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring a pale lager from the Philippines that was cellared for 1 year in a “what the heck, why not” kind of way. This is actually a malt liquor and if you read through online ratings will give you some good…
Day of the Dead Amber Ale, Death Becomes You: Day 9 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring a beer from Mexico that is brewed at a strength of 5.5% abv and features some pretty cool artwork on the bottle. I had never heard of this brewery before, but it turns out the also…
Widmer Brothers Barrel Aged Brrrbon 2012: Day 8 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring Widmer Brother’s Barrel Aged Brrrbon (2012 version), which is a barrel aged imperial version of their seasonal all. It is brewed at a strength of 9.4% abv and is part of their Alchemy Project lineup of barrel aged beers.I have…
North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout: Day 7 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring North Coast’s Russian Imperial Stout which is brewed at a strength of 9% abv. This beer pays homage to the 18th century Russian Imperial Stouts brewed for Catherine the Great as a means of trade between Britain and Russia.…
This Sandwich That Beer Throwdown IV: This was the fourth occurrence of this event where 9 local chefs and 9 local brewers made special pairings of sandwiches and cask beers in a throw-down contest. Beyond the everlasting bragging rights of being named the winner, they also contributed to raising money for Growing Chefs who is dedicated to…
Gilgamesh Brewing Vader CDA with Coffee: Day 6 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring a 6.5% abv coffee infused Cascadian Dark Ale named Vader which combines three of my favourite things: beer, coffee and what could be considered a Star Wars tribute. This beer is so me, it took me all of 2 seconds…
Dogfish Head Saison du Buff: Day 5 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring a Dogfish Head Saison herbal beer brewed at a strength of 6.8% abv with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme herbs. This is actually a collaboration between Stone, Victory and Dogfish head an BUFF stands for Breweries United for Freedom of Flavour aka…
AleSmith Old Numbskull Barleywine: Day 4 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, this barleywine is brewed to a strength of 11% abv and literally had me falling asleep in my chair as I finished it. I love barleywines, they are one of my favourite styles so it was great to get one of these in my…
Uncommon Brewers Bacon Brown Ale: Is a nut brown ale brewed with buckwheat and bacon cured pork coming in at a strength of 6.8% abv and was my day 3 beer in the Advent Calendar exchange I did with my father. I haven’t had this beer for a few years and even then I only had a…
Widmer 30th Anniversary Craftylicious Gigantic Collaboration: Day 2 of my Advent Calendar exchange with my father, featuring a Widmer collaboration with Gigantic to celebrate Widmer’s 30th anniversary. This is the 4th special collaboration release related to their 30th anniversary, it was brewed at a strength of 5.7% abv and is considered a wild ale. Aroma and…
Brooklyn Brewing Black Chocolate Stout (Aged 1 Year): This is one of those beers that I have seen on the shelf year over year and never picked up, yet low and behold I got it on the first day of my Beer Advent Calendar Exchange with my father. You see my dad and I in years…
Do you have a friend or someone special in your life that has an abundance of craft beer, says words like “re-fermented” with glee or quotes vintages when describing beers they enjoy? Odds are they may just be a beer geek like me and you may find it intimidating to buy a beer related gift that will impress…
The Idea: About a month ago a group of us local BC Beer Bloggers (and one from Alberta) decided to get together and collaborate on a list of our favourite local winter craft beer from Western Canada, primarily British Columbia and a few from Alberta. We thought it would be fun to compare what we were looking forward…
BC Beer Bloggers Local Winter Favourites – This special review is part of a multi-blog collaboration between five BC Beer Bloggers (including a guest from over the mountains in Alberta) where we each chose our top three local winter releases and are blogging about them. Please take a look at the bottom of this review for…
BC Beer Bloggers Local Winter Favourites – This special review is part of a multi-blog collaboration between five BC Beer Bloggers (including a guest from over the mountains in Alberta) where we each chose our top three local winter releases and are blogging about them. Please take a look at the bottom of this review for…
BC Beer Bloggers Local Winter Favourites – This special review is part of a multi-blog collaboration between five BC Beer Bloggers (including a guest from over the mountains in Alberta) where we each chose our top three local winter releases and are blogging about them. Please take a look at the bottom of this review for…
Powell Street Stout: brewed in Vancouver, BC at a strength of 6% abv and 45 IBUs this beer with a clean logo and non fancy name was kind of a nice change of pace for the local brewing scene who seems to be super addicted to crazy labels and pun-filled names (many of which I enjoy, so…
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