^ Frank Appleton, Scottie McLellan, and John Mitchell at the Great Canadian Beer Festival in Victoria.

On July 26, 1980, Labatt, Molson, and Carling O’Keefe locked out their unionized workers on the threat of a strike, and stopped distributing beer in BC. Since the Big Three produced all the beer sold in the province at that time, their strategy was to create a beer drought that would turn the public against the unions. What they didn’t count on was John Mitchell.

Mitchell was co-owner and manager of the Troller Pub in Horseshoe Bay. It was a popular local, reminiscent of the pubs in his native England. The only thing missing was the flavourful Real Ale he had enjoyed in his youth. In contrast, what passed for beer in BC then was “pale yellow, bland, fizzy swill that embodied the Myth of the Three Cs—that beer must be cold, clear, and carbonated,” recalled Mitchell.

In the first couple weeks of the lockout, only cider was available for sale. Then, the Liquor Administration Branch imported beer from Washington state as a stop-gap, but that lasted for only three weeks before there was, again, no beer to be sold. Mitchell resolved to brew his own beer for Troller, an idea he had first read about in The Illustrated London News. However, due to tied-house restrictions, brewpubs were illegal in BC. This would have to be changed.

Mitchell first lobbied Allan Gould, General Manager of the BC Liquor Administration Branch. Gould was supportive, but advised him that a presentation would need to be given to the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs, Peter Hyndman, if any amendments to the Liquor Control and Licensing Act were to be made.

^ John Mitchell and his son, Andrew, toast with the first pints of Bay Ale served at Troller Pub in June 1982.

Not being a brewer or familiar with brewery operations, Mitchell was at a bit of a loss as to how to proceed. But as luck would have it, Roger Cross, a Troller regular, passed along an article from The Harrowsmith Reader II written by Frank Appleton on the decline of Canadian beer quality and how to homebrew. Mitchell contacted him the following day and the two subsequently formulated a plan for Canada’s first brewpub to present to Hyndman.

In what Mitchell describes as a stroke of “incredible luck”, the brewpub concept was approved in the fall of 1981, but with a caveat in the amended legislation requiring a commercial road to separate the brewery and the pub. Nevertheless, it was enough for Mitchell to obtain a brewing license. Appleton then built the brewing system with used dairy equipment, trained Mitchell how to brew, and created the recipe for the Canada’s first craft beer since Prohibition — Bay Ale, an English bitter inspired by Fuller’s London Pride.

In June of 1982, Horseshoe Bay Brewery and Troller Pub served their first beer to the public. It was an instant success. Mitchell had calculated that they would need to sell one or two kegs a day to break even. Eight were sold on the first day. Within two weeks, they ran out of beer. With a capacity of producing 32 kegs per week, they struggled, and sometimes failed, to keep up with demand. Despite this success, MItchell’s business partners did not share his vision of being able to serve international visitors coming for Expo 86, something much better than “ersatz fizz”. Within a year, he and Appleton left, and the brewery was closed.

^ John Mitchell behind the bar at Spinnakers with the original four ales he created for the brewpub.

A chance meeting with Paul Hadfield at a private beer tasting in 1983 resulted in Mitchell being invited to help found Spinnakers in Victoria with another partner, Ray Ginnever. Mitchell had Appleton design the brewhouse, and with his help, created their first four ales — Spinnaker Pale, Mitchell’s ESB, Mt. Tolmie Dark, and Empress Stout. More regulatory hurdles at the municipal, provincial, and federal level needed to be overcome, but a year later on Saturday, June 16, the doors to Canada’s first in-house brewpub opened to the public.

Horseshoe Bay Brewery and Spinnakers not only inspired other entrepreneurs to follow, they pried us loose from the stranglehold of the Big Three. Thanks to John Mitchell, Frank Appleton, Peter Hyndman, and other pioneers, the foundation was established for a craft brewing industry that has significantly changed the manner in which beer is enjoyed in British Columbia today.

In 2001, Mitchell wrote in Brewed in Canada,

Still the optimist, I am looking for the spot where I can find good fellowship, marvellous food and cask conditioned Real Ale, in that order – and at a reasonable price. I am confident that sometime in this Twenty First century my aspirations will come true!

They have.

On Friday, May 18, at 5:00pm, John Mitchell will tap the first cask of VCBW 2012 Collaboration Ale at the Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre to officially open Vancouver Craft Beer Week.

~ RG

In most cultures, social gatherings commonly involve three elements – food, alcohol, and music. With Vancouver Craft Beer Week I & II, the connection between beer and food, beyond the typical burgers and pizza, was well-established. Now, VCBW III turns the spotlight on music with our craft brewers featured as rock stars.

Music is represented by a range of genres further broken down into a variety of styles, each of which can be quite distinct. While rock began as a fusion of country and blues, it was only the beginning of a movement that has continuously evolved, pushing the boundaries of music. Craft brewing is similar in that we have stepped beyond the “historical period” that delivered predictable melodies (Reinheitsgebot), and entered the 20th century with new variations and styles emerging at a growing pace.

With that in mind, here’s a sample pairing of VCBW craft beer and rock to break down Vancouver’s notorious social barriers. Get friendly, and be sure to complete your “frat bat” with a Cascadian Brown Ale produced by the VCBW Collaboration Beer jam session our brewer rock stars played at Russell Brewing on March 30. No recordings were made. Dio died. That’s it.

^ Portage and Main (Leigh Eldridge photo)

Folk rockers, Portage and Main, describe their songs as “honest and genuine”, as if they had ridden “the timeless rails like tramps”. When they play at the Biltmore on May 22, eight Phillips Brewing beers will be on special. Choose the clean, refreshing Analogue 78 to pair with the clear vocal harmonies emanating from the stage. The soft, rounded palate, crisp mouthfeel, and slightly sweet finish will nicely compliment a sound P&M characterize as “reminiscent of the lighter side of [Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young]’s Déjà Vu”.

^ Rich Hope

Hoppapalooza III at the Alibi Room on May 20, sees trouble once again with Rich Hope bringing his infective brand of electric blues to shake the joint around. A heavier sound calls for a hopped-up brew to match Hope’s amped-up blues. Try the cask-conditioned Barnacle Wheat IPA from Lighthouse Brewing for a double-punch pick-me-up that will send your melancholy packing. If your foot isn’t tapping, you may be suffering from a Total Eclipse of the Hop.

^ Dave Varga, Red Truck Beer brewmaster, as “The Iron Man” (Brian K. Smith photo)

Heavy metal emerged in 1969 when the English band, Black Sabbath, took the blues-rock sound of the day, slowed the tempo, tuned down the guitars, accentuated the bass, and composed songs confronting the contemporary hard-edged social and political issues. They struck a chord with the public, releasing multiple albums that went platinum. Local tribute band, Sack Blabbath, take us to the dark side on May 19 at the Hop-Headbanger’s Ball. Don’t expect any light and happy fruit or wheat ales. Something more ominous is needed, like Red Truck Beer’s Limited Release English Strong Ale aged on oak. While the mood may be black, don’t overlook the underlying message, “Show the world that love is still alive; you must be brave.”

Vancouver Craft Beer Week Music Lineup

May 19, 4:00 – 9:00pm
Hop-Headbanger’s Ball with Sack Blabbath
Woodland Smokehouse
485 Commercial Drive

May 20, 4:00 – 10:00pm
Hoppapalooza III with Rich Hope
Alibi Room
157 Alexander Street

May 21, 2:00 – 6:00pm
Steam Whistle Rock Show & Patio Party
Electric Owl
928 Main Street

May 22, 7:00pm – CLOSING
Belgium on the Canvas with guests Casa Rosa
Raw Canvas
1046 Hamilton Street

May 22, 9:00pm – CLOSING
The Biltmore Presents Portage and Main with guests The Sumner Brothers
Biltmore Cabaret
395 Kingsway

May 24, 5:00pm – CLOSING
Beer Flights and Rock n’ Roll with The Butterfield Review
The Main
4210 Main Street

~ RG

Athough the majority of people in North America has been conditioned to drinking mass-market adjunct lager throughout the year, there is an historical seasonality to beer that is being rediscovered as people broaden their horizons to other styles. Some seasonal beers are obvious from their name. A Märzen is traditionally brewed in March to be served from late summer to Oktoberfest. A Maibock is so called because it was a spring beer served in May.

Saison (season) was also a seasonal brew. It was originally a low alcohol, refreshing summer ale made by farmers in Wallonia to give to their farmhands at harvest time. Contemporary versions, however, are brewed throughout the year and are stronger in alcohol (5 – 8.5% ABV). Nevertheless, with a combination of light to medium body and acidity, high carbonation, soft malt character, fruity and spicy flavours, saisons remain pleasantly refreshing.

Saisons are also versatile when pairing with food. To demonstrate that, Biercraft Executive Chef and Certified Cicerone, Don Farion, and Chef Stephen Chadband created the following four-course menu for their April 16 Battle of the Belgians: Reason for the Saison dinner that played on the “season” theme:

Spring
Gazpacho made from grilled, roasted, smoked tomatoes with grilled corn, lobster, chorizo.
Pairing: Ommegang Hennepin

Summer
Sloping Hill Farm barbecued baby back ribs, potato salad, green apple slaw.
Pairing: Saison Dottingies

Fall
Seared bay scallop, lemon brown butter, pumpkin & wild mushroom risotto.
Pairing: Saison Dupont

Winter
Christmas cake with crème fraîche, rum balls, mince pies, ginger shortbread.
Pairing: Glazen Toren Saison D’Erpe-Mere

With the presentation of each course, Farion explained the development of the dish and how it paired with the particular characteristics of the chosen saison. Certified Cicerone and BJCP Beer Judge, Adam Henderson was also on hand to provide diners with the history of saison and the background on each of the featured beers. With this level of beer expertise involved, Reason for the Saison was an excellent example of how beer can be part of a sophisticated dining experience. And at only $60, the meal and education were of exceptional value.

The next Battle of the Belgians dinner is Duck, Duck, Gueze on May 14, featuring three duck-focused courses paired with Cantillon Gueze, Cantillon Rose de Gambrinus, and De Ranke Kriek imported by Raincity Brands. Visit Biercraft’s Facebook page for details. Tickets are limited and sell out very quickly.

BierCraft Bistro
3305 Cambie Street, Vancouver
(604) 874-6900
biercraft.com‎

~ RG

^ l to r, Sous Chef, Matthew Nichols, Executive Chef, Carl Sawatsky, Brewmaster, Gary Lohin.

Ever since Central City Brewing brewmaster, Gary Lohin, learned of the The Bacon Explosion, he’s been looking for an appropriate excuse to make it. (What took you so long, Gary?) The occasion finally came on February 25 when Central City launched their latest seasonal beer, a 5.5% ABV German-style smoked amber lager, known as a Rauchbier.

Rauchbier (smoke beer) harkens back to the days when most barley malt was dried over wood fires, imparting a smokiness to the grain that came through in the flavour of the resulting beer. When kiln-drying of malt with indirect heat was introduced, it became widely adopted and the smoke flavour in beer largely disappeared. However, two breweries in Bamberg, Germany — Schlenkerla and Spezial — have continued smoked beer production to this day, using beechwood logs.

What better to go with a classic Bavarian smoked Märzen than that other German staple, pork? Sous Chef, Matthew Nichols, was given the task of creating over 60 of the four-pound, 5,000-calorie “fatties” for Central City’s sold-out dinner.

First, a 5″ x 5″ woven bacon base was created and seasoned with Central City’s pork shoulder rub.

The bacon weave was then covered with two pounds of pork sausage filling.

Next, the sausage filling was covered with Central City’s house made stout barbecue sauce and topped with a layer of cooked bacon pieces.

The sausage layer was then carefully separated from the bacon weave, rolled up, and the seams sealed. Finally, the sausage was rolled over the bacon weave to completely wrap it up.

After baking, The Bacon Explosion was sliced into half-inch rounds, and served with spicy slaw, mashed potatoes and beer onion gravy. While The Bacon Explosion was originally meant to be barbecued and lathered with barbecue sauce to finish, paired with the Rauchbier, you get the smoke without the fire.

Bacon Explosion inventor, Jason Day, wrote, “Just a warning….the first Bacon Explosion leads to many more!” It also led me to want to pig out a bit more. Not part of the meal, but a fitting ending that I couldn’t resist ordering off the regular menu, was Central City’s Maple Chocolate Bacon Cheesecake. Sublime.

Central City’s Bamberg-style Rauchbier is a special limited release that may not be available again for some time, nor is it often that we see that kind of beer in BC from other brewers. If you’ve never tried this style of beer before, I recommend you visit the Central City Brewing brewpub before it is gone. Be sure to try it with food; you may like it even better! And don’t forget, you can get 2-litre growlers at the bar to take some home to enjoy.

~ RG

Photography by Brian K. Smith.

Six years ago, there were only two establishments in Vancouver offering cask-conditioned ale (AKA Real Ale) on a weekly basis – Dix BBQ & Brewery on Thursdays and The Whip Restaurant & Gallery on Sundays. Craft beer was still very much a sub-culture confined to brewpubs and the rare establishment where a manager or owner happened to know a thing or two about a good brew. To get the word out about offerings and activities, I began publishing the CAMRA Vancouver newsletter on a weekly basis.

It was at that time that I also read Garrett Oliver’s seminal book on beer and food pairing, The Brewmasters Table. Oliver inspired me to delve deeper into appreciating beer and food together. I began encouraging others with a culinary appetite to join me. More than anything, I felt cultivating a Flemish sensibility for beer and food would also resonate with women, offering a more cultivated dining experience that mass-market lager could never offer.

As beer friendly chefs, like Mike Carter (when at Dix) and Lee Humphries (of FigMint at the time), made successful forays into this fledgling frontier, it created a bit of a stir that began drawing in novelty seekers from outside the tight circle of Vancouver Real Ale aficionados. Morris Anh of The Whip was also interested in exploring the affinities of beer and food. So to highlight their weekly program of rotating cask ale supplied by R&B Brewing, I suggested they host a multi-course dinner featuring firkins from different brewers. Thus, the Feast of Five Firkins was born.

The Feast was actually a challenging step for The Whip to take. Normally, a chef can taste a beer and create a dish to go with it. But if a brewer creates a special, one-off cask-conditioned ale, it can’t be sampled ahead of time. It requires a close relationship between chef and brewer to consistently create successful pairings. The Whip was also new to serving multi-course meals to the entire restaurant.

To their credit, The Whip rose to these challenges and created an award-winning event that has become an annual tradition which sells out each time. For this year’s Feast of Five Firkins, Chef Andre Tremblay created the following menu:

^ Three Chili Glazed Perch, wild rice cake, citrus sun-dried cranberry sorbet.
Pairing: Tofino Brewing Tuff Session Dry-Hopped Pale Ale

^ Dry-Rubbed Rabbit Loin, blackberry reduction, sweet potato purée, charred lobster mushrooms.
Pairing: Yaletown Brewing Brick and Beam IPA

^ Heirloom Tomato and Watercress Caprese Salad, lemon poppy seed Muscovy duck breast, Gruyère.
Pairing: Cannery Brewing Wildfire Black IPA

^ Seared Wild Boar Medallion, shank confit demi-glâce, caramelized winter squash, root ragoût.
Pairing: Storm Brewing Bourbon Barrel-Aged Wee Heavy

^ Fubá and Papaya Custard Cake, framboise sweet cream, ancho chili ice cream.
Pairing: R&B Brewing Kumquat Cream Ale

Aside from the excitement of anticipating the pairings, what makes the Feast a grand occasion is the ritual involved in presenting each course. Before the food is served, the brewer explains the ale they created and then ceremoniously taps their firkin.

^ Yaletown Brewing brewmaster, Iain Hill, taps his cask of Brick & Beam IPA.

The live ale is served, unfiltered and unpasteurized, directly from the cask as the next course is presented to the diners. This happens five times.

^ The Whip’s Rose Weir with the 2012 Feast of Five Firkins brewers.

And at the end, when the brewers and staff have been congratulated by all on a fine meal, the firkins are free to be drained by those who still have room left to indulge (and, perhaps, the next day off from work).

~ RG

When I first became involved with Vancouver’s craft beer community, Belgium came to mind when thinking about the sort of beer culture I hoped we could cultivate here. Rather than attempt to transplant Flanders in the Lower Mainland, developing a Flemish-style appreciation for beer and food in local terms seemed more appropriate. It would have to include the Reinheitsgebot styles embraced by our pioneering craft brewers and the English traditions the Campaign for Real Ale advocates.

We’ve come a long way in the last five years. Previously, the average punter only saw draught industrial lager and fried food as natural partners, while the occasional brewmaster’s dinner was celebrated by beer geeks as Christmas come early. Now, more establishments are getting beyond the unappealing sleeve as the only glass to serve beer in. Chefs are also spilling more beer into their pots and liking the results.

For beer-forward businesses, this means taking it to the next level. Biercraft’s new Battle of the Belgians dinners offer a glimpse of what’s to come. Here’s what Chef Don Farion and his team offered last month at their “100 Points Quad Dinner” featuring five courses paired with Belgian quadrupels (amongst the world’s best beers, according to ratebeer.com) supplied by David Turnbull of Horizon Beers:

^ Mushroom cappuccino with spiced truffled cream.
Pairing: Trappistes Rochefort 10

^ Antipasti plate: applewood house-smoked oysters, caviar, Chimay à la Bière cheese, truffle chèvre, Wagyu beef rissoles, venison & blueberry sausage, fig & brandy jam, organic gold & red pickled beets.
Pairing: Chimay Grand Réserve

^ Spicy Asian beef tenderloin salad with bok choy, celeriac, roasted potatoes & yams, malt extract, and Cascade hops.
Pairing: Gouden Carolous Cuvée Van de Keizer Blauw

^ Yarrow Meadow Muscovy duck with beet tops, potato croquette, fig & sour cherry demi-glace.
Pairing: Westvleteren 12

^ Curried banana cannoli with salted caramel brittle.
Pairing: St. Bernardus Abt 12

There was a sixth “course”. At the end of the dinner, we were served tasting glasses of the five quadrupels and asked to rank them blind. The one-time best beer in the world, Westvleteren 12, garnered the top spot, followed by Rochefort 10 – both Trappist-made ales, which speaks to why there were high hopes for the Mont des Cats that I recently reviewed.

Without question, this was the best beer dinner I have attended to date. The fact that the extremely rare Westvleteren 12 was available, made it noteworthy alone. And for the quality that diners received, the $100 cost represented exceptional value. However, what truly elevated the experience was the creativity employed in offering excellent pairings that highlighted the synergy one can achieve with food and beer.

Biercraft’s next Battle of the Belgians will feature tripel ales.

~ RG

Abbaye Sainte Marie du Mont des Cats is a Trappist monastery located on a mountain outside the French village of Godewaersvelde, near the Belgian border. As with the likes of Chimay, Orval, and Rochefort today, Mont des Cats was once was highly regarded for its beer. However, during the Battle of the Lys in April 1918, an artillery bombardment destroyed the monastery and its brewery. Brewing ceased and the brewery was never rebuilt.

For those Trappist breweries that continue to brew, their stature has been such that commercial breweries have tried to take advantage of their reputation for marketing purposes. To protect the Trappist name, eight abbeys founded the International Trappist Association in 1997 and created a trademark for Trappist-produced goods. Similar to a denomination of origin, for a beer to be labeled Trappist, it must be brewed under the supervision of Trappist monks. The operation of the brewery must also be managed by the monks for the sustenance of the community, not for profit.

These strict guidelines have meant that, currently, only seven breweries can use the Authentic Trappist Product logo. Pessimists wondered if there will ever be another Trappist beer. Consequently, when the creation of Mont des Cats beer was announced last year on June 9, it naturally generated some excitement in the beer community. However, the abbey does not have a brewery, nor do the resident monks have any brewing expertise. Therefore, this beer is being produced by Abbaye Notre-Dame de Scourmont, the brewers of Chimay.

Mont des Cats is a bottle-conditioned (on lees) amber ale that produces a large, creamy head when poured, leaving the signature Belgian lace on the inside of the glass. It has a mild aroma with some honey sweetness, giving way to a bready yeastiness. There is an initial biscuit sweetness on the palate that is quickly overtaken by a brisk dryness from a combination of active carbonation and hop bitterness that extends to the finish.

Mont des Cats lacks the depth and complexity one associates with fine Trappist ales. Let’s hope that this is a work in progress, and that by the time it reaches North America, they will have perfected the recipe.

Brewer: Abbaye Notre-Dame de Scourmont (Chimay)
ABV: 7.6%
Category: Belgian Strong Ale
Appearance: 4/5
Aroma: 3/5
Flavour: 2.5/5
Mouthfeel: 3/5
Overall: 3/5
Score: 15.5/25
Availability: currently, only at Auberge Mont des Cats

Beer courtesy of Don Farion, BierCraft.

~ RG

On a recent visit to Shanghai, I discovered the craft beer revolution is starting to make inroads into China. While Belgian imports are the most widely available, followed by Germans and the Brits, North American craft beer has only just arrived. These are thinly scattered amongst luxury hotels, Western restaurants, and more upscale supermarkets. But if you are a beer seeker, there are some diamonds in the rough you should target.

One of the most unusual spots I came across was Southern Barbarian, a restaurant specializing in Yunnan cuisine. Like a Southwest Chinese version of Fogg N’ Suds, their menu offers 99 imported beers and Tsingtao lager. Food-wise, I recommend ordering the Yunnanese specialties, such as Across-the-Bridge Noodles, chilli-tossed mint salad, fresh goat cheese, and sautéed pomegranate flowers. If, after a few high-test Belgians, you feel even more adventurous, consider their deep fried bamboo worms, honeybees, grasshoppers, or woodbugs. Insects make for good beer snacks.

Hiding in the middle of a tree-lined neighbourhood street, Jackie’s Beernest is as snug as it sounds. A wood-panelled room the size of a North American living room, it features a single picnic-like table in the centre. At the far end from the door, two glass-fronted fridges hold the Belgian-dominated chilled beer selection. On the right is a smaller fridge standing between two shelving units that contain replenishments and mementoes of Jackie’s notable beer tastings. Abutting the opposite wall, two small high top tables can accommodate small parties.

Jackie is a craft beer enthusiast who has taken on the herculean task of educating the public about beer, one palate at a time. He’s no mere opportunist. Jackie is also a homebrewer, so he knows his subject. On our visit, we gave him some BC craft beer to taste. To reciprocate, he offered us a sample of his housemade snake liquor, served directly from a transparent jar with its steeping ingredients clearly visible.

Cheers In is Shanghai’s equivalent to Brewery Creek, begun by two expat Frenchmen, Grégoire Prouvost & Cedric Bourlet. Their shop is even smaller than Jackie’s Beernest, but their selection is second to none; prices are comparable to what you would find here. An innovative, value-added service they offer is cold beer home delivery via electric scooter. Next year, they are opening a second location with triple the space. So if you have been suffering from skunky Chinese rice lager on your travels, an antidote can be delivered directly to your hotel with but a phone call.

Not all craft beer in Shanghai is imported. Fanchised brewpubs from the likes of Hofbräuhaus and Paulaner appeal to China’s German brewing roots. But if you imagine small Bavarian oases, what you actually discover is a bit of a mirage. For those with a North American craft beer palate, the two best destinations to satisfy your thirst are The Brew and Boxing Cat.

Located within the upscale Kerry Hotel (Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts) in Shanghai’s Pudong New District, The Brew immediately impresses upon entering. The striking, modern interior offers clean lines of glass, stainless, warm wood, and contrasting cream tabletops. The room’s centrepiece is a glassed-in brewhouse, fronted by a large pentagonal bar crowned with a three-tiered steel and glass chandelier that doubles as a glass rack.

Resident brewmaster, Leon Mickelson, joined us at our table to take us through his two lagers, four ales, and craft cider. His regulars consist of a Witbier, low-carb Lager, Pils, India Pale Ale, and a vanilla Stout. The MASH is a seasonal that, on our visit, happened to be a well-balanced roast pumpkin and pecan ale. Only open since February 2011, Leon’s already won medals at Beerfest Asia for his Skinny Green Lager and White Ant Wit. So, although it can be a bit of a trek getting out here if staying east of the Huangpu River, being located near a subway station means your cab fare will be better spent on fine-crafted beer.

Michael Jordan is not a basketball player. He’s the brewmaster at Boxing Cat Brewery who found his way from Portland’s Widmer Brothers to Shanghai via Bryggeriet S.C. Fuglsang in Denmark. We met with Michael one evening at Boxing Cat’s newest location, the swank Sinan Mansions, part of which is a pedestrian entertainment district redeveloped from the French Concession mansions of Shanghai’s early 20th century elite. There is no brewing done here. Rather, it’s a multifunctional space with a lounge on the ground floor, dining room above, and games room on top. The menu features authentic Southern cuisine with American-size portions.

In anticipation of our visit, Michael had chosen to release his Oaked Glasgow Kiss Scotch Ale aged on American oak Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. While chatting about the Shanghai craft beer scene, we sampled his seasonal pumpkin ale, the special barrel-aged Scotch Ale, and his regular Helles, Pils, Pale Ale, and IPA. Although there were a handful of expats around us, it was gratifying to note that the majority of patrons were Chinese.

Like those in the craft beer industry here, Jackie, Leon, Michael, Cedric and Greg are passionate participants in the brewing renaissance. With others, they’ve been working together to host beer festivals and tasting events, opening new horizons in beer to the Shanghainese. As a result, finding good beer in China is becoming less difficult.

~ RG

Like wheat beers for summer, pumpkin ales seem to staking a claim to fall as the go to seasonal beer in BC. As with any beer style, once you’ve tried one pumpkin ale, you haven’t had them all. With a diversity of brewers now offering them, you find an equal diversity in the taste profiles of the various brands now available. They range from lightly spiced with a moderate pumpkin character to big and bold, like pumpkin pie in a glass – a good excuse to gather some friends together for a tasting.

Granville Island’s Pumpkin Ale is a good entry point for those who haven’t yet acquired a taste for spiced ales. Lying at the opposite end of the spectrum from Howe Sound’s Pumpkineater Imperial Pumpkin Ale, it is a clean-tasting, medium-light amber ale with an earthy undertone and light dashes of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Served too cold, its maltiness will be suppressed and hop bitterness will come to the fore. Between 8-12°C, GIB’s Pumpkin Ale is nicely balanced and almost sessionable, save for the 6.0% alcohol that will creep up on you fairly quickly if you haven’t eaten.

Given the subtlety of pumpkin and spice character, Granville Island Pumpkin Ale could be paired with various pumpkin dishes, including pie, without overpowering the palate. Roasted poultry served with yams, carrots, turnips, or roasted butternut squash are well-complemented for an enjoyable feast to celebrate the harvest.

Brewer: Granville island Brewing
ABV: 6.0%
Category: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer
Appearance: 4/5
Aroma: 3/5
Flavour: 3/5
Mouthfeel: 3/5
Overall: 3/5
Score: 16/25
Availability: in 650 bottles for a limited time at GIB retail store and in select government & private liquor stores.

~ RG

In the mad dash up the Sea-to-Sky Highway to Whistler, Squamish is typically bypassed. However, it offers much in the way of outdoor activities and has equal draw to Whistler in terms of craft beer offerings. What you don’t get is the expense associated with a world class resort town. So if you are looking for a quiet, craft beer-worthy getaway to the great outdoors that is kind to the pocketbook, you’ll find it a 45-minute drive north of Vancouver.

Guest room at Howe Sound Inn and Brewing Company.

Conveniently, Howe Sound Brewing has its own 20-room inn with a pub, full-service restaurant, banquet and meeting facilities. So for the craft beer enthusiast, there is no better place in town for room and board. Even if you aren’t a beer geek, you will appreciate the quality of the food, Northwest ambiance, and relaxed atmosphere. They do serve wine, if you insist on not trying to find a beer you like.

A taster rack is always a good way to start off a brewpub visit.

If you’re here for the beer, then Howe Sound’s pub is the place to be. It offers a changing selection of at least eight beers, four of which are served from hand pumps and a minimum of one seasonal. I always like to get a sample rack on my first visit to determine where a brewer’s strength lies – no brewer makes all styles equally well. For places I have already been to, it helps to get reacquainted and then order a pint of what strikes your fancy. To get the true flavour of an ale, be sure to let it warm to the correct serving temperature.

Peace Country lamb burger with hand cut fries.

While it would be a stretch to say Howe Sound’s food is gourmet in the true sense of the word, their emphasis on local and seasonal products, and making everything but the ketchup and mustard in-house, means eating a burger is much more than a pedestrian experience. The menu is well-designed to offer something for everyone. Vegetarians will be happy to know they won’t have to subsist on fries and iceberg lettuce-heavy salad. You’ll also want to come with enough of an appetite to have dessert, even if just to share. Noteworthy are tiramisu made with oatmeal stout (Beeramisu) and beer ice cream.

Howe Sound Inn and Brewing Company's Firebread Restaurant.

Prefer a quiet meal or something family-friendly? The Firebread Restaurant offers that with seven of Howe Sound’s regular beers on draft and a shorter menu, sharing some dishes from the pub. Wood Stone oven pizzas with a Rail Ale crust are a popular item. And if you’re staying overnight, you’ll want to come here for brunch. Be sure to try their spent grain toast and house made preserves that burst with flavour.

The Squamish Spit is a favourite spot for wind and kite surfers because of consistent summer winds.

Oh, and if all this isn’t reason enough for you to convince others to join you in Squamish, there are activities and attractions, like hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, kite & wind surfing, white water rafting, bird watching, and the West Coast Railway Heritage Park.

Howe Sound Inn & Brewing Company
37801 Cleveland Ave., Squamish
Tel: 1-800-919-ALES
hsibrew@howesound.com
www.howesound.com
Twitter: @howesoundbeer

~ RG

If you love beer, trips always seem to involve a beer bar, brewpub, brewery, or beer festival. Depending on your degree of obsession, the trip may completely revolve around beer or, at the very least, the destinations are chosen with good drinking in mind. Fortunately, the location of any of these establishments is not dependent, like a winery, on a location’s climate.

Crannóg Ales farmhouse brewery, Sorrento.

Culinary travel in BC is a developing segment in our tourism industry that is growing with the increasing appreciation for local food and drink. However, like fine dining, craft beer is under-represented. I will attempt to address that oversight through a series of posts featuring destinations or itineraries that will appeal to the craft beer curious and enthusiast.

Bart & Tracey Larson, owner/operators of Mt. Begbie Brewing Co., Revelstoke.

Frank Zappa said, “You can’t be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. It helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer.” As craft beer is catching on in the province, that also seems to be true for places having a brewery. With new ones opening up in places like Tofino, Oliver, and Powell River, the good news is that there is a growing number of destinations that Lower Mainland residents can visit without having to bring their own supply.

~ RG

The tagline of the Mark James Group is “Drink Fresh Beer“. For the most part, this is what you should do. Go into a brewpub, where you find the freshest beer, and try a seasonal release when it first comes out. Sample it again three or four weeks later, and you may notice a considerable difference in taste, especially hoppy beers. The vibrant herbal freshness that was once at the forefront, will have lost some of its lustre. Malt and bitterness will have come out from behind the curtain to play a greater role.

There are, however, beers that actually improve with age. Barley wines, Belgian strong ales, bottle-conditioned ales, lambics, old ales, and Russian Imperial Stouts are some of the beer styles that, when stored properly, will grow in character and complexity. High alcohol beers, when young, will often have a noticeable booziness, particularly those that have been aged in barrels used in spirits production. Time will soften the edge and meld the flavours, resulting in a more refined beverage.

So how do you cellar beer? First, choose your beer. If you are new to this, play it safe by picking one that is above 8% ABV and low in hops (IBU). Many of these are released by breweries during the colder months of the year and are known as winter warmers. Key words to look for on the label are “barrel aged”, “bottle conditioned”, “Imperial”, “reserve”, or “vintage”. Realize that some beers, like Fuller’s Vintage Ale and Anchor’s Our Special Ale, have recipes that change from year to year. Therefore, if you want to do a vertical tasting of a particular beer to compare the differences that result from aging, you will have to choose one whose recipe is consistent from year to year, such as Vancouver Island Brewery’s Hermannator Ice Bock.

Innis & Gunn Scottish ale aged in rum barrels.

Next, buy at least two bottles – one to try right away, the other to keep for at least one year. If you want to really test a particular beer’s cellaring ability, the number of bottles to get will depend on the length of time and frequency of the sampling. For example, for a ten-year test, you could do it with 11 bottles. However, you may want to sample more frequently starting around the four year mark, therefore, you will need more.

Like wine, the enemies of beer are oxygen, light, and heat. So when cellaring a beer, you want to find a cool, dark place to store it – ideally, a spot in the basement where the temperature is fairly consistent throughout the year. Use your refrigerator only as a last resort. It is too cool of a temperature for strong ales, and the regular opening and closing of the door exposes the beer to light.

Unlike wine, it is recommended to store beer upright. This minimizes the surface area potentially exposed to oxygen and keeps any yeast or sediment at the bottom of the bottle for easier decanting when served. Be sure the bottle is marked with the year it was packaged. It is also a good idea to keep your ageing beer out of sight, so as to avoid the temptation to drink it.

2000 Thor's Hammer award-winning barley wine served after nine years of cellaring.

How long can you age a beer? In most cases, it’s hard to know for certain. A barley wine, like Central City Brewing’s Thor’s Hammer, can easily stand up to ten years; traditional lambic, even longer. Some breweries have enough of a history of producing beer meant for maturing that they can give you an idea of when the best time to consume it is. However, beer cellaring is still in its early stages as a hobby. The most common method for knowing when to pop the top is trial and error.

When you do decide to open a cellared beer, serve it at the same temperature it was stored at. If it was kept in your fridge, though, let it warm up to just under the proper serving temperature for the style. And if you’re taking more than a casual approach to beer cellaring, be sure to take tasting notes to help you determine the aging parameters of a particular beer. If you find one has started to go off part way through your trial period, open another bottle to see if that one may have just been an anomaly. If not, there’s no point in continuing to age the remaining bottles. The beer has reached its maturity and it’s time to drink.

You can learn more about beer cellaring during Vancouver Craft Beer Week at the following VCBW Signature event:

Legacy Liquor Store Cellaring Seminar
May 10, 7:30pm – 8:30pm
1633 Manitoba Street, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 331-7900
Details: vcbw.ca

The primary grain used to make beer is malted barley. Today, most industrial brewers may replace up to 40% with rice or corn which serves to reduce body and maltiness for a lighter, crisper beer with the added bonus to them of reducing cost. However, there are some traditional beer styles that have used other grains, such as wheat in Hefeweizen, oats in stout, and rye in sahti.

Rogue Morimoto Soba Ale is part of the Signature Series of Rogue Ales made for Iron Chef, Masaharu Morimoto, that won Gold for Specialty Beer in the 2008 World Beer Cup. In addition to four types of barley malt (Harrington, Metcalfe, Munich, C-15), they use roasted buckwheat (soba) groats to create this refreshing ale. Like most Rogue products, the bottle is a fount of useful information for the beer-savvy consumer to make a more informed purchasing decision:

• 12° Plato original gravity
• 75% apparent attenuation
• 30 international bitterness units
• 14º Lovibond

As one would expect from the above, Morimoto Soba is a lighter-bodied golden ale, slightly hazy, with a tight white head that emerges from soft, moderate carbonation. Crystal hops, which were bred from German Hallertau to create a US version of this noble hop, were the only variety used. They add a floral note and some spice to an aroma of honey, biscuits, and nuts.

Morimoto Soba begins with a lemon citrus taste that transforms into pineapple, toasted bread, and nuts. It finishes dry with a light bitterness of fairly short duration. Recommended pairings on the bottle suggest poultry and seafood. Tempura soba, tanuki soba, or mori soba would be obvious candidates. This would also be a welcome replacement to the generic Japanese lagers to have with chicken karaage, ebi sushi/tempura, and yakitori.

Brewer: Rogue Ales
ABV: 4.8%
Category: Specialty Beer
Appearance: 3.5
Aroma: 4
Flavour: 4
Mouthfeel: 3.5
Overall: 3.5
Score: 18.5/25

~ RG

Beer supplied by Brewery Creek Liquor Store.

Given the growing popularity of Witbier (bière blanche/white beer) here, it may come as a surprise that the style almost became extinct when the last brewery producing it in Hoegaarden closed in 1957. The Belgian village in Flemish Brabant synonymous with the name of the Witbier that most people are familiar with, had been brewing the style since at least 1455. Fortunately, Hoegaardier, Peter Celis, revived the brewing of Wit in 1966 and is largely credited for bringing it back from the brink.

Witbier, to my mind, is quite simply the beer of summer. In terms of refreshment, cold will only take you so far. A Wit offers a briskness on the tongue that parries the lethargy borne of a heavy heat. Citrus, spice, and a tart dryness combine to offer the ultimate in refreshment. Wit is also the perfect accompaniment to the lighter fare we naturally gravitate to in the hottest months – e.g. salads, shellfish – and is always good with sushi, which is why Japanese craft brewers have readily adopted the style. Drink it in winter? Admiring its bright light colour is a foreshadow of the sunshine we long for on a gloomy, drizzling Vancouver day.

Dominus Vobiscum Blanche won Gold at the 2010 Canadian Brewing Awards for the Wheat Beer – Belgian Style White/Wit category, so you can be confident that this is a well-crafted brew. The brewery recommends serving it from 4 – 6°C in a goblet, but a tumbler is also commonly used. Some further statistics from the label for beer geeks:

• 12° Plato original gravity
• 75% apparent attenuation
• 7 international bitterness units
• 5 Lovibond

Dominus Vobiscum Blanche pours a bright straw yellow with medium carbonation and a large, dense white head. This medium-bodied beer has a trademark milkiness from the yeast in the bottle (bottle conditioned, aka Real Ale) and proteins from the unmalted wheat used. This is a desired trait, not a sign of the beer going off. The aroma is moderately sweet and perfumy with notes of citrus and pepper. In flavour, it begins with a honey sweetness, giving way to citrus, then finishing dry and tart with chamomile and spice. (Note: adding lemon or orange will probably mask the chamomile.) There will be no discernible hop bitterness for the average drinker (i.e. 7 IBU).

Wit is a fragile beer that does not age well. It is best consumed as fresh as possible. The beer I sampled was bottled on June 2, 2010.

Brewer: MicroBrasserie Charlevoix
ABV: 5%
Category: Witbier
Appearance: 4
Aroma: 4
Flavour: 4
Mouthfeel: 4
Overall: 4
Score: 20/25
Availability: in 500ml bottles exclusively at Viti Wine & Lager for $7.60

~ RG

We normally think of Canada as a single country. However, when it comes to alcohol, inter-provincial sales restrictions make us more like ten countries. Until just recently, the craft beer produced in other parts of Canada has been something of a mystery that cost a few pints and an airline ticket to unravel. Now, thanks to some intrepid import agents and liquor store managers, we are seeing a trickle from east of the Rockies with the likes of Paddock Wood, Half Pints, Mill Street, Dieu du Ciel, and Propeller showing up on LRS shelves.

A recent addition to these expats is MicroBrasserie Charlevoix, who just won a Gold at the 2010 Canadian Brewing Awards. Their La Vache Folle (Mad Cow) is an extra special bitter whose 6% ABV comes in at the top end of the style range. You can learn a number of other things about this beer before tasting it just by reading the bottle’s back label:

• 14.5° Plato original gravity
• 74% apparent attenuation
• 30 international bitterness units
• 15 Lovibond

When you do get around to popping the cap, the label also tells you to drink La Vache Folle in a pint glass at between 6°C and 10°C. It pours a murky, reddish amber with a full, off-white head and moderate carbonation. Compared to a citrusy West Coast ESB, like Central City’s Red Racer (60 IBU), this is more English in its hopping, adding a floral note to a sweet, fruity nose. The initial sweetness on the palate seems more Belgian candy sugar than malty, though. This is not surprising, given that four of the six beers Charlevoix brews are Belgian styles. However, taste does give way to a dry bitter finish one expects from an ESB.

Pair with a medium cheddar or ham baked with a coating of marmalade.

Brewer: MicroBrasserie Charlevoix
ABV: 6%
Category: Extra Special/Strong Bitter
Appearance: 3.5
Aroma: 4
Flavour: 3.5
Mouthfeel: 4
Overall: 4
Score: 19/25
Availability: in 500ml bottles exclusively at Viti Wine & Lager as part of a mixed 4-pack for $28.60

~ RG