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 ever will 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

Get ready BC, more quality regionally brewed ale is on the way! The newest craft brewery on the immediate horizon is Townsite Brewing in Powell River on the upper Sunshine Coast. Just before the holidays, we caught up with the team as they were preparing their historic heritage space in the heart of Townsite for the arrival of their new brewing equipment. Come inside and learn more of what they have in store.

Describe the style and approach of the brewery…
Belgium meets West Coast.  Our Brewer Engineer, Cedric Dauchot, was born & raised & trained in Belgium and brings a Belgian flair to our west coast shores.  Think trippels, Belgian IPA’s, specialty brews and quirky crafty beers in addition to our regular stable (see below).  As far as approach goes, Powell River is very keen on sustainability and self-sufficiency so we want to use local ingredients as much as possible, gradually decreasing our dependence on outside sources and grow the business organically.  The business model is one of sustainability, not growth for growth’s sake.

Proprietor, Karen Skadsheim

What made you decide to open up a brewery in Powell River?
(Karen:)  I am originally from Vancouver and experienced the rise of craft beer there.  I wound up in Powell River pretty much by accident and when I finally realized (after about a year) that I was actually living here and not returning to Vancouver, I figured I had better get some good beer happening.  There were plenty of rumours around town about people wanting to open up a brewery or a brew pub, but when I ran them to ground I found they were all just ideas, so I wrote the business plan and found some partners and voila!  I am really excited to be opening the first brewery on the Sunshine Coast.

^ Brewmaster, Cedric Dauchot

(Cedric:)  My wife Chloe and I are both brewers and had plans to open a gastro pub in Saskatoon; however, we didn’t have the financial backing or marketing expertise.  Karen posted an ad for a brewer for the Townsite Brewing project and we both discovered that we were each other’s missing link so Chloe and I moved out west.  I am also really excited to be involved in this project and bring great beer to the Sunshine Coast.  Chloe and I and our new baby, Beatrix, have been very welcomed into the community and think Powell River has all the right ingredients for us as well as beer.

What beer styles are you launching with and why?
Our stable of initial regulars will be a Golden Blonde Ale (Zunga), a west coast IPA (Tin Hat), and a porter (Pow Town).  The names are very typically Powell River and refer to various local activities and places.  We will also be brewing seasonals featuring local ingredients and will grow the stable from those based on feedback and popularity. See bottle labels here

How will you present your product? (draft, bottles, cans)
Our beers will be available in draft and 650ml bottles, as well as growlers direct from the brewery.  We plan to have a growler charity program whereby $1 from each growler sale will go to a local organization every month, and our customers will choose the organizations every month.  This will be one of the ways the brewery will support the community of Powell River which has been so supportive and welcoming to us.

When will you be open?
All going well, the brewing equipment from Newlands should be here by mid-January and we’ll be up & running before the month is out.

Name the beer you would drink for each season (spring, summer, fall, winter)
Out of the regulars, Zunga is our session ale, perfect for any time, but especially the dog days of summer.  For the winter, definitely Pow Town will comfort you beside the fire, and Tin Hat IPA is perfect for crisp fall days.  We are also planning a complement of seasonals based on local ingredients.  The names have yet to be determined and will come about based on their individual personalities, like any good baby!

^ Chloe Smith

What is your favourite craft brewery (other than your own)?
Chloe: Sierra Nevada in Chico California for their unyielding dedication to the cause of craft beer. You want a Bavarian Wheat beer? They will travel to Germany to spend time in breweries there studying the exact brewing techniques then build tanks to the exact specifications to make you a delicious wheat beer…how can you argue with that?

Karen:  Tough question!!  I am going to cheat and say two.  First is New Belgium Brewing.  Before writing the business plan for Townsite Brewing, I went on a 3-week odyssey of beer (with a side trip to Burning Man) including a visit to NBB in Colorado and was very impressed by their business model and also their truly incredible employee loyalty.  I had the good fortune to stay with the manager of the tasting room and hang out with some of the crew and every single one of them spent months and even years trying to get their jobs at NBB, sometimes even leaving more lucrative jobs.  My second one is Driftwood Brewing in Victoria.  I really love their beers and think they have built their business really well.  They are another big inspiration for me for sure.

Cedric:  Brasserie St. Feuillien in Le Roeulx, Belgium.  This is a small, family-owned farm brewery who only recently started exporting after 20 years in business, and last year they won the Best Saison in the World Beer Awards.  It is an old brewery that was actually defunct, but the son took it over in the 1980’s and revived the local brewing scene.  Their equipment is all original from the 18th century (?) and they still use it today.

BONUS QUESTION: What is microcarbonation?
A sly marketing ruse invented by Molson created to distract you from the fact that their beer has no flavour.  OOPS!  Did we say that out loud?!?

Townsite Brewing Co. – opening in mid-February
5824 Ash Avenue | Powell River
Phone: 604.344.0127
www.townsitebrewing.com

Twitter | Facebook

HOW TO GET THERE

RETAIL STORE
Our retail store is open to serve you the freshest beer possible at our facility in the historic Townsite from Wednesday to Sunday Noon – 6pm

Beer Santa has some more fine gifts to offer us, but they won’t be delivered until the new year. The beer elves are still busy putting the final touches on two new BC craft breweries that are set to join the growing artisan ranks in 2012.

First up, we have Parallel 49 Brewing Company, who are set to start delivering bottles and kegs from their East Van location a few blocks north of Hastings and Victoria Drive in early spring.

Brought to us by the good folks of pioneering craft beer pub St. Augustine’s on Commercial Drive, we are expecting good things; these guys know their beer. Recently, I caught up with Parallel 49 Brewery co-owner Anthony Frustagli to ask him a few questions about the upcoming venture:

Describe the style and approach of the brewery…
The overall approach is the same one we took with St. Augustine’s.  We ask ourselves one question: “What do WE want to see out of a beer company?”  Everything kind of flows from there.  We will be producing the kinds of beers that we love.  What kinds of beers are those?  In 6 packs we want session beers with high drinkability, but that are still packed with flavour.  In bombers we’re looking to really let brewmaster Graham With loose and let him explore big, interesting beers.  Overall, I want to produce beer that is amazing… the kind of beers that Cicerones and connoisseurs can appreciate, but presented in a very fun, non-threatening way such that casual craft drinkers won’t be scared off.  Craft beer to the masses! Portland, your days are numbered!

How many beers are you planning to launch with?
Yet to be determined

What styles and why?
We haven’t hammered out all our recipes yet, so I can’t say definitively.  I will say that most of the styles we are looking at are either twists on common and familiar styles, or styles that are not represented well in our market.

How will you present your product?
Draft, 6 pack 341ml bottles, and single 650ml bombers

How many hectoliters will you produce in 1st year?
Hopefully quite a few :)  We have a few sets of projections, but saying them out loud is kind of like of like saying “shutout” (I’m typing this after the Nucks game finished 6-0, so I can say it without fear of repercussions from the sports gods)

When are you hoping to be open?
Mid-spring 2012 (fingers crossed)

If there was one brewery to emulate, which one would it be?
I can’t really name one in particular, and we’re not looking to emulate anyone.  While there are several great breweries in BC and TONS down the west coast we believe that the market is still big enough (and growing) to support more breweries that can each bring a unique perspective to the industry.

Parallel 49 Brewing Co.
1950 Triumph Street | Vancouver
Tel: 604-588-BREW (2739)
www.parallel49brewing.com

Twitter | Facebook

NEXT, we take a look at Townsite Brewing opening up on the northern Sunshine Coast in Powell River. Stay tuned!

~ PK

If you truly love to drink real beer, then the next few days are going to be pretty freakin’ epic. Beer Santa has arrived early to town and has generously dropped off some exclusive and rare gifts (aka. kegs) at The Alibi Room in Gastown to help them celebrate the 300th turn of their legendary tap list on December 12, 13, & 14.

A little background…
The Alibi Room has been keeping track of their beer line up since they started to get really serious about the beer selection about four years ago. Every time they add, or rotate a new beer onto the list they increase the tally, every time they reach another century they  have a little celebration.

There is no cover, no admission nothing like that. The service & set-up will be the same as a regular night, except as already mentioned they’ll be open a couple of hours earlier to try to even out the flow a little bit.

The doors open at 3.00pm (usually open at 5pm) All glasses of beer will be $3.00 for 3 days.

Local blues talent Rich Hope will be playing a set each night from 7-8 pm.

Seasonals, Signature Styles, One-Off’& Specialties from BC & beyond will be showcased.

Product highlights include:
- Driftwood “Bird of Prey” – The one & only keg produced.
- Iain Hill of Yaletown’s – 100% Barrel Aged “Oud Bruin” – Also the only keg out there
- Iain’s – Blended “Oud Bruin”
- Storm’s 13-14 Year Aged SOUR Lambic
- Deschutes – The Abyss (never poured on tap before in canada)
- Conrad (of Steamworks) – JJ Bean Espresso Stout
- Howe Sound vs AlibiRoom – MegaDestroyer (the last of the last of the last of the last)
- Red Truck vs AlibiRoom – “Red Truck 300″ – IMperial Altbier (Red Truck Seasonal Produced for this event)
- Howe Sound vs AlibiRoom – “300 Beavers” (Modified version of the Howe Sound 3 Beavers Red Ale with Sorachi Ace Hops, also produced for this event)
- Tariq Khan’s (of Big Ridge Brewing) – IMperial Stout on Cask
- Central City (brewmaster Gary Lohin’s) – Thor’s Hammer Barley Wine, Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Porter, Peated Wee Heavy.
- Tofino Brewing – Rye Infused Porter on Cask
- Russel Brewing – Oak Aged Wheat Wine
- Storm vs Russel – Smoked Scotch Ale Collaboration
- Elysian Brewing (Seattle) – Cask Conditioned Ales & One offs
- Tree Brewing – Spiced Reserve
- Phillips Brewing – Krypton on Cask, Triple Hoperation & Amnesiac on tap

157 Alexander St | Vancouver (Gastown)
Tel: 604 623 3383
Twitter: @alibiroom

Enjoy!

~ PK

It’s hard to imagine a time when a liquor store in BC didn’t contain at least a few of Phillips Brewing’s products, but 10 years ago that was mostly the case. The brewery had just gotten off the ground, and had begun the arduous task of developing a customer base. Slowly but surely they have developed a large and loyal following, changing minds one sip at a time via clever marketing and skilled brewing. They’re an important craft brewery in that they took the ethos of the long existing community of brewpubs in the province, and put it in a bottle.

It was their India Pale Ale that changed my mind forever. I was previously under the impression that an imposter known as Mr. Alexander Keith had put together the quintessential IPA, and that it wasn’t very good; Matt Phillips’ version changed all that. From the get-go, it seemed of utmost importance that Phillips offer a variety of styles at all times, taking inspiration from Belgium and the rest of the Pacific Northwest. The results were good, but were striking mostly because of how different they were from the rest of what was readily available at the time. Craft brewing in BC has been happening for a long time, but the recent swing from crap to quality, for me at least, started with Phillips. To be blunt, Phillips matters. If not for the reasons stated above, then for their dedication to good causes outside of the bottle. I’m referring to the newly released Ancient Brown Ale, the proceeds from which will be directed to the Ancient Forest Alliance, a group that concerns itself solely with the protection of a treasured aspect of our landscape. Now, is the beer as good as the cause?

First of all, don’t drink this beer straight out of the fridge, unless of course you’re an overgrown child suffering from impatience and alcohol withdrawal. Let it come up a bit before you get down, alright? Anyhow, pour it into a glass and you’ll find that the deep brown ale produces an decent amount of off-white head. The head doesn’t last long, at least not in my glass, but it looked nice while it was. Light does not want to pass through the densely dark chocolate coloured barley juice. If you take a second to smell the beer, you’ll find the usual brown ale suspects of chocolate, coffee, and toasted nuts, as well as the promise of alcoholic warmth. It isn’t a potently aromatic beer, but it’s pleasant. Meanwhile, in flavour country, the beer exhibits a keen balance of roasted malt sweetness and hop bitterness, finished with a lingering black coffee aftertaste. Weighing in at a mere 5.0%, the Ancient Brown Ale manages to provide some of the warmth you’d find in a higher gravity ale, along with above average carbonation and a smooth finish.

Brown ales are often ruined for me by being imbalanced, and usually a bit sweet. What we have here is a well crafted, session friendly brown ale that, for me at least, is a nice break from my beloved hop-centric beer. I was pleasantly reminded of the virtues of the dark side by Phillips’ Ancient Brown Ale, and you’d do well to give in yourself. It’s a good beer for a good cause. Need I say more?

Brewer: Phillips Brewing Company
ABV: 5%
Category: brown ale
Appearance: 4/5
Aroma: 3.5/5
Flavour: 4/5
Mouthfeel: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

Final Score: 19.5/25

Availability: in 650 bottles for a limited time at select private liquor stores.

~ Jacob Galbraith

The last two weeks have been difficult for me, having to wait for the right time to sit down with two dear friends and assess their strengths and weaknesses. Yes, every time I opened the fridge over the past 14 days, I’ve had to endure a staring contest with bottles of Driftwood’s Fat Tug IPA and Sartori Harvest IPA. The former is a beer that I’m willing to go back to repeatedly, and the latter is a beer I anticipate annually. But this is the first time I’ve been able to sit down and taste them side by side, to figure out if one is actually better than the other, or if they’re both awesome for different reasons.

Two years ago the first edition of the Sartori Harvest was released, marking the first time Driftwood put an IPA on the shelf. Made with freshly picked hops from the Sartori Ranch in Chilliwack, it was the epitome of seasonal, as the window for brewing a “wet hopped” beer is extremely short. The hops need to find themselves involved in the brewing process soon after being harvested in order to extract as much of the fresh hop essence as possible, before the bright green buds start to deteriorate. The beer was released and an enthusiastic response quickly followed, mostly because it was a terrific and unique beer, but also because it was a real life IPA produced by the skillful beer wizards at Driftwood.

The following year Driftwood decided to add an IPA to their full-time roster, the Fat Tug. It quickly became a favourite among craft beer nerds, especially those who lustily covet the freshest, hoppiest beers available. It went toe to toe with Central City’s Red Racer IPA (2010 Gold Medal IPA at the Canadian Brewing Awards), and fared well to say the least, taking the 2011 Gold Medal for IPA. I’m hesitant to declare either a clear victor. No matter, it just means that there are two titans of the BC Craft Beer industry widely available at any given time. Win/win.

Soon afterwards, the second release of the Sartori Harvest took place, and as expected, it was still incredible and had a place in the hearts/fridges of all the beer lovers who could get some. I remember it being one of the most frenzied releases of the year, in Victoria at least, something that has become a bit of a trend when it comes to Driftwood’s seasonal releases.

This fall marked the third time the Sartori came out to play, but in order to spice things up, Driftwood took the opportunity to use the same local malt that it has been using throughout 2011 in a few of their seasonal releases (i.e Cuvee d’HIver, Spring Rite), in addition to the locally sourced bushels of hops. At this point, I’ve been able to drink some form of Driftwood IPA on a consistent basis for over a year, so now seems like as good a time as any to put these two up against each other and ask “What’s the dif?”.

Out of the bottle and into a couple of my favourite glasses, the beers appeared identically pale gold, with a slightly fluffy off white head. Upon smelling the Fat Tug and Sartori, the differences between the two became a little more clear: Fat Tug has a an aggressively piney aroma that reminds me of the woods, where as the Sartori comes across as distinctly floral and citrusy. The beers are built in similar fashion, so I wasn’t surprised to find that both beers felt the same while drinking, each was smooth and rich with a slight amount of warmth that accompanies beer with above average ABV, 7% in both cases. As the aroma suggested, they taste similar but not the same. The Fat Tug’s hop characteristic is dense and feels like the backbone of the beverage, with a slight malt sweetness that gives way to a lingering hop bitterness. The Sartori Harvest, however, is sweeter throughout, and the hop flavours are decidedly more delicate and lean more towards citrus. There’s almost a peppery characteristic present here, and then a more subtle bitterness that hangs around until you sip again.

For me, drinking the beers side to side didn’t really change the way I feel about either, but now I can think a little bit more clearly about what’s great about either. The two are indeed different, but are similar to the point that you truly need to try both at the same time to understand just how that is the case. They’re both incredible, although my Sartori Fever has tempered slightly now that I can consistently acquire Driftwood IPA. This affords us the ability to consider the story of the Sartori, and the fact that it puts local ingredients in the spotlight, and unabashedly serves itself up for comparison against beer that doesn’t do the same. It acts as proof positive that BC Craft Beer, given the time and energy, could one day be a great deal more sustainable than it currently is. Sustainability is one thing, but quality is another, and the Sartori certainly does not suffer for having used our very own ingredients. Does it make it a better beer? I’m not willing to say one way or another, because the contest truly is that close. What I will say is that the Sartori is ultimately the more interesting of the two, and if you’re willing to be a little bit cerebral about your beer consumption, this beer will reward your effort. It’s probably a bit late in the game to get a bottle, but you can rest easy knowing that the Fat Tug will be there to gently coax you to sleep until next fall when you can find out for yourself which you truly prefer. One thing is for sure, they’re both incredible.

It’s a draw, kids.

Driftwood’s Fat Tug IPA

ABV: 7%
Appearance: 4/5
Aroma: 5/5
Mouthfeel: 4.5/5
Flavour: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

Final Score: 23.5/25

Driftwood’s Sartori Harvest IPA

ABV: 7%
Appearance: 4/5
Aroma: 5/5
Mouthfeel: 4.5/5
Flavour: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

Final Score: 23.5/25

~ Jacob Galbraith

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

Lighthouse’s latest large format offering, the Uncharted Belgian IPA sidles up nicely with the beers that came before it for a couple of reasons: it has a nautical title, and it is quite strong. The company, despite having existed for many years, is relatively new to the seasonal big bottle game. Realizing the growing consumer demand for interesting and calendar appropriate offerings, Lighthouse has made room in the brewing schedule to put together something new every couple of months or so. It is the lone opportunity for the brewers to go wild, and they typically do it by making highly alcoholic beverages that pay homage to the beers they like to drink themselves. They recently tried their hand at spiking a Pilsner, and have dabbled with a Saison, as well as a Dopplebock, all of which stood out because they were so very different from the rest of what they had to offer. This beer, like the others, is pretty good, but fails to establish itself as a beer that the people need to drink.

When any brewery tosses its hat into the IPA category, it is entering one of the most competitive categories in the North American scene. Twists on the style are popping up left and right, capitalizing on an abundance of high quality hops. A perusal of the cooler at any well intentioned beer store will reveal dark interpretations (Cascadian Dark Ales), imperial IPA’s, standard but not run of the mill IPA’s, and now, as featured here, Belgian IPA’s. The sub-styles are less abundant, but are all counted on to be hop forward, each with their own little twist. The variance here is the inclusion of a Belgian yeast, which provides a fruity kick against the coarse, piney bitterness tabled by a New Zealand hop variety called Riwaka. The flavours amalgamate, and that ultimately prohibits the strength of either flavour from being pronounced clearly. The above average alcohol content brings a lasting warmth, which is welcome at this time of year.

Am I being hard on this beer? Probably, but that’s because I can afford to be with so many upper level IPA’s currently on the market, either from these parts or abroad. The Belgian aspect just isn’t executed in a way that makes this beer excellent. 10 years ago, this would likely be one of the best beers in BC. Fortunately for us, things have changed for the better, and we are now spoiled by an abundance of beer that ranges from great to incredible. This isn’t a bad beer by any stretch of the imagination, it just isn’t among the best. I appreciate that it tried to be different by being Belgian, but it wasn’t different enough to make me want to have it instead of the award-winning Fat Tug or Red Racer IPA.

Brewer: Lighthouse Brewing Co.
ABV: 7.5%
Appearance: 4
Aroma: 3
Flavour: 3.5
Mouthfeel: 3.5
Overall: 3
Score: 17/25

~ JG

Disclosure: http://cmp.ly/2/qzf0KE media sample provided for review

Congrats to Meghan Radomske, you are the winner of 2 tickets to Oktoberfest & Harvestfest!

OKTOBERFEST & HARVESTFEST TICKET GIVEAWAY

Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Follow @UrbanDiner @MalonesBarGrill @CAMRA_YVR on Twitter

• Post the following on Tweet (1 entry)

I entered to win 2 free OKTOBERFEST & HARVESTFEST tickets @urbandiner http://bit.ly/oE5i57 #bccraftbeer

1 winning entry will be selected randomly on October 12.

*Must be 19 years of age or older to enter and win. Please enjoy responsibly and plan a safe ride home from the event. Urban Diner is a proud sponsor of Beerlesque.

————————

CAMRA Vancouver and Malone’s Urban Drinkery are pleased to present Oktoberfest & Harvestfest – 2 events, 1 day!

Where: Malone’s Urban Drinkery, 608 Pender Street
When: Sat, Oct 15th, 2011
Time: 12-6pm

Details
$25 for entry ($20 for CAMRA Members*), including a 6oz tasting glass (yours to keep) & 3 *bonus* tokens upon entry. Each additional token will be $1 (seriously! oh and 35% of all proceeds from drink tokens will be donated to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank)

Buy your tickets at: www.ohfest.eventbrite.com

Description
What’s better than one event? Two of course! Grab your friends and come on down to Malone’s Urban Drinkery to enjoy all the merriment of Oktoberfest, taking place in the main room. Festivities include tunes from The Creaking Planks, prizes for best costume, a yodeling contest and of course, Oktoberfest themed beers!

But the fun doesn’t stop there! We’ve also got Harvestfest taking place in the lounge hall! The focus of this room is centered on all the rich and flourishing flavours of the changing season; think pumpkins, imperials, fresh hops, earthy, seasonals and full flavoured ales. I hear chanterelle mushrooms were a big hit last year!

Both rooms will feature casks and kegs.

Food
Malone’s Urban Drinkery will be offering food pairings to accompany the beer styles from each room. Think traditional German sausages, charcuterie plates and pumpkin pie for dessert!

Special Details
Like to yodel? I bet you do! Show us what you’ve got and you could win a prize! We’ve also got prizes for best costume, so be sure to dust off your dirndl and lederhosen!

Membership has its benefits, so be sure to bring your member card. All valid card holders will receive 2 special tokens entitling them to the member’s only cask (exclusively available for members from 12-2pm). Not yet a member? Be sure to sign up here or in person at the event. http://bit.ly/amKEO5

Participating breweries
Red Racer Beer, Red Truck Beer, Tree Brewing, Storm Brewing, Big Ridge Brewing Co., Coal Harbour Brewing Company, Driftwood Brewery, Elysian Brewing, Granville Island Brewing, Lighthouse Brewing Company, Phillips Brewing Company, Russell Brewing Company, Steamworks Brewpub – Vancouver, Big River Brew Pub and Restaurant, R&B Brewing, Longwood Brew Pub, Great Western Brewing, The Brooklyn Brewery, Erdinger, Ayinger Privatbrauerei / Brewery Aying, Stiegl and many more!

It’s official, the Province of British Columbia in a proclamation signed by Attorney General, Barry Penner, has deemed October to be BC Craft Beer Month; a time to celebrate the 50+ breweries and brew pubs across the province that dedicate themselves to making the finest craft beer.

^ Minister of Agriculture, Don McRae, CAMRA BC president and BC Craft Beer Month director, Lundy Dale pose with legendary brewmaster John Mitchell and the official declaration at Steamworks on September 30

^ A fine display of BC's growing beer selection

For more information, including a list of events taking place at different venues across the Province, visit: craftbeermonth.com

I have 2 FREE tickets ($100 value) to giveaway for BEERLESQUE – “An Adult Carnival for the Senses” on Friday, August 19th from 7 pm til midnight. Come inside for details…

Cut-off for the contest is Wednesday, August 17th at 12 noon.

Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post with the name of 5 of your favourite BC craft breweries participating in Beerlesque (1 entry)

• Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

I entered to win 2 free BEERLESQUE tickets @urbandiner http://wp.me/pkIaw-4xU #bccraftbeer

*Must be 19 years of age or older to enter and win. Please enjoy responsibly and plan a safe ride home from the event. Urban Diner is a proud sponsor of Beerlesque.

It was hot out a few days ago, and then, suddenly, it wasn’t. Those days were enough to remind me that it is indeed the middle of the year, and that typically we can rely on a good stretch of sweat, sunburn, and self medication with delicious beers. I’m choosing to behave according to the calendar and not what is or isn’t in the sky on a particular afternoon, and by doing so, I’m drinking beer that is particularly suited to heat. Put the porter away for a few months and tuck into a few of these beauties.

Howe Sound’s King Heffy
Here is what I’m willing to call the perfect summertime compromise beer. It’s got the alcohol of a winter warmer, plus all your favourite hefeweizen characteristics that you’re after on those hot days. It’s patio beer for shite weather: the sun won’t be keeping you warm, so King Heffy’s bonus ABV points will have do the job in its stead. There’s a liter of it, too, so when you’re done on the patio, you can crawl under the table and take a nap.

10 bucks almost anywhere you can find beer that doesn’t come with t-shirts.

Mill Street’s Lemon Tea
I approach this kind of tampering with hesitance. Keith Talent favours the Bud Light Lime, and this puts him in a strange category of individuals who are snooty about how they grill their meat, but not so much about the radioactivity of their beer. This concoction of wheat beer brewed with earl gray and orange pekoe, however, is a stunner. It’s the perfect sprinkler beer, as in, it fits nicely in your hand while you relive your childhood by jumping through sprinklers and the like. While it sounds like it could be a sweet mess, it’s actually pretty mellow and refreshing all the way through. It’s lighter on the booze than the king up there, so it’s fine to repeat the process until you no longer feel responsible.

A tall can runs about $3.50, and I got mine from Brewery Creek.

Mt Begbie’s High Country Kolsch
I live an apartment and have for many years now, so I’m yardless. I do remember what it was to be of yard, to have to maintain a lawn, pull weeds, and all of the other strenuous bullshit that comes with grass. This beer, what I’m calling yardwork beer, belongs by your side while you get gangbanged by the cruel sun and an unforgiving weed whacker. It’s also good for when that’s over and you can take a seat and revel in the feeling of a job well done.

If 6 of these cost more than 15 bucks, you’re being cleverly robbed. You’ll find it loitering amongst some pretty marginal beer that also comes in cans. Don’t be fooled, this is the good stuff.

Driftwood’s Fat Tug IPA
I’m friends with a ginger, who consequently isn’t on good terms with the sun. Too many cans of not so good beer combined with a generous dose of sunshine and a hastily applied and frugal layer of sunscreen resulted in a sunburn that stopped in their tracks to observe. Most couldn’t help but gasp, but one particular chubby kid on a bicycle decided it would be best to heckle. This happened years ago, long before I knew about great beer, and long before this one even existed. If it had, I would have used this to ease his pain and induce slumber. This is the ideal second degeree sunburn beer.

650ml @ 7.7% for $7 is pretty easy to swallow. Tastes better than Tylenol, too.

Saison Dupont
A big time classic like this deserves to be included, given the style is meant for long days under a hot sun. Pick up a bottle so you’re at the ready when the sun finally breaks through that thick grey sweater its been wearing since January. It’s a beer that appeals to the many with its refreshing nature, but can please even the most discerning (snootiest) palates around with its complexity. There are numerous layers of funk and sour here, and as a result it plays very well with all kinds of food, so maybe we’ll have to call it a potlach beer. It probably goes dynamite with the many kinds of potato salad that everyone just happened to make, and it definitely brings a level of sophistication all seven layers of a 7 layer dip.

I heard a rumour you could find this on the cheap at 41st and Cambie. $7 or something crazy like that. If they’re tapped out or that’s too far for you, you can find it at a myriad of beer stores for a couple bucks more, which is still a bargain given its status as one of the most widely loved and respected beers in the world.

~ Jacob Galbraith

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June 15, 2011 is the 90th Anniversary of the repeal of prohibition in BC and the establishment of government control of the sale of liquor within the province. The BC prohibition commenced on October 1, 1917. It was soon judged a failure, resulting in law-abiding citizens becoming criminals for simply wanting to have a drink with their dinner. Following a referendum, prohibition was repealed on June 15, 1921. On the same date, a “government control” system was implemented for the sale of liquor within the province.

This press release was sent to us today by Julia Watt of Gala Events and Marketing and Mark Hicken of the Vintage Law Group.

It is the 90th anniversary and the government monopoly Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) still controls and sells all liquor within BC at the wholesale level and still sells a vast amount through its government retail stores which have extremely high operating costs. The LDB is a $3 billion per year business in B.C. It generates about $900 million per year for the government but costs about $300 million per year to operate.

The following are some of the legacies of prohibition which make BC look ridiculous when compared to the rest of the world:

•  Today, all liquor sold within BC must be registered and listed with the government. All imports of liquor must be approved by and processed through the government wholesaler. Yet, we don’t do this for cigarettes or guns.

•  Today in BC, and unlike most of the rest of the world, it is still illegal to consume alcohol in a public place such as a park. BC citizens cannot legally enjoy a glass of wine while enjoying a picnic.

•  It is still illegal to carry liquor across provincial borders (a criminal offence with possible imprisonment). In Europe, you can ship alcohol between countries without a problem. While Canadians cannot legally return from a vacation in another province with any alcohol, they can bring back 2 bottles per person after a trip to another country.

•  We have excessively high taxes on liquor which result in prices being about double what they should be. For example, Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, a Washington state wine, is commonly available for $6 south of the border. It is $15.99 in BC because the standard LDB markup on wine is 123% plus 12% HST on top of that for a grand total of 135% tax.

•  Wine is good for you when used in moderation as intended. No amount of soda pop is good for you but that is taxed at only 12%.

•  We have arcane regulation of restaurants and private retailers such that these independent businesses are not permitted to do things which are otherwise commonplace. For example, they cannot store liquor off-site. They cannot transfer liquor between locations of the same restaurant or retail chain (even if the LDB is out of stock). They must buy nearly all their liquor from the government, usually from a single designated government store. If they order anything other than mainstream products, they are forced to order in full case lots via a slow and inefficient delivery system. As a result, restaurants frequently run out of products or encounter storage and financial issues due to the requirement to order in such large quantities.

•  Restaurants and bars are denied wholesale prices entirely. Private retailers are given wholesale prices which are fixed artificially high by their chief competitor (the government stores). As a result, there is virtually no competition in the retail liquor business and consumers are denied the sales and good deals that are common in other countries.

•  It is illegal for a private person to sell a bottle of liquor to another private person. Auctions are also illegal (unless done for charity).

•  Citizens cannot take their own wine into a restaurant and have the restaurant charge them a corkage fee (even if the wine was purchased from a government store). This is illegal – it’s considered to be “illicit liquor”.

Happy Anniversary LDB, but don’t expect the rest of British Columbia to be joining you to celebrate the 90th birthday of the establishment of government control over the sale of liquor within the province.

For more information about wine and liquor laws in BC and Canada, visit www.winelaw.ca.

As a child I looked forward to the various seasons for their corresponding special occasions and holidays. Winter brought plenty of rain, a little bit of snow, and a magic fat guy who owned tiny slaves in the North who just happened to be generous to the good little boys and girls in the western world. Spring featured a similarly giving magical bunny that was keen on leaving eggs and chocolate all over the place. Summer was the ice cream man, and fall was left to turkeys and scarecrows. I’m no longer enamored by these characters and their stories, but adulthood has provided new reasons to celebrate seasonality. Enter, seasonal craft beer releases.

There are beers that are appropriate all the time, and others that are best suited to certain weather conditions. Hefeweizen and sunburn belong together, as do winter ales and well stoked fires; pumpkin beer provides consolation to what would otherwise be a candy coated nightmare. Spring, however, seems without a dedicated craft beer suitor. No specific style prevails during raincoat season, and so it seems that it’s more or less up for grabs. Driftwood’s most recent seasonal offering, Spring Rite, just might be the sort of beer to lay claim to the season.

Made exclusively with malt grown on Vancouver Island, Spring Rite is Driftwood’s way of paying homage to Orval, a legendary Belgian Trappist Ale. If you are familiar with Driftwood, you’ll understand that a faithful tribute would never suffice. Instead, what they’ve produced is a localized version of an international classic. This beer is their second to feature a base made exclusively from malt grown on Vancouver Island. Labelled, for legal purposes, as an “Abbey Ale” and not a “Trappist Ale”, I’d be most comfortable describing this beer as a Belgian Pale Ale. The signature sharp hop bitterness found in a glass of Orval is ratcheted up here to feature the more citric and floral tendencies that beers of the Pacific Northwest are famous for. The use of the brettanomyces yeast strain provides the strongest tie to the beer’s legendary origins, as Orval is the only Trappist Brewery to use “brett” in their ales.

I was fortunate to have a proper Orval serving vessel at my disposal, and found that once poured out, the beer was luminously copper in colour, and featured a tidy amount of fluffy white head. A sniff presented those dialed up hops, which mingled nicely with sweet and spice aromas. Finally, a swig provided evidence of Spring Rite’s blatant similarities and deviations from Orval. It’s wonderfully crisp, with a lingering floral hop flavour that plays nicely with the fruity characteristics of the signature yeast strain. A slight acidity qualifies the beer as a terrific quencher, and the subtle spice flavours provide a reminder of the beer’s spiritual origins.

Drifwood’s Spring Rite, embodies the freshness and rejuvenation of the season, and belongs at the front of any beer drinker’s mind this time of year. Get it while it lasts.

Brewer: Driftwood Brewing
ABV: 7%
Category: Abbey Ale
Appearance: 4
Aroma: 4
Flavour: 4.5
Mouthfeel: 4.5
Overall: 4.5
Score: 21.5/25

~ JG

Beer supplied by Brewery Creek Liquor Store.

I’m still unclear as to the source of the misinformation, but somehow I had it in my head that the “Battle of the Belgians” dinner, hosted by Chambar, was getting underway at 6PM sharp. Nearly a decade of stove-work taught me “on time” means “early”; so there I was, sitting at the wood in Chambar at half past five in the evening, waiting for supper to start. I was alone, and therefore anxious, so I didn’t hesitate to establish myself as a pain in the ass by nervously inquiring if it was time to sit down for the beer dinner. Over the course of a well put together cocktail and a couple of Belgian ales, I repeated the question and received the same answer of “not yet”, until eventually one of the staff kindly let me in on the fact that I was actually an hour and a half early. For a moment the rest of my face turned as red as my nose, and I realized I had inadvertently been getting buzzed before dinner, just as I had the previous night, despite promising myself that, on this day, things would be different.

I read the menus cover to cover and lightly engaged the a few of the other bar dwellers until it was time to trade my spot there for one in the back area of the restaurant that had been set aside for the event. Though I arrived on my own, it wasn’t long before I was in the company of a few friendly and familiar folks: Ian from Driftwood, Dave (who represented the Belgian selections), and Chef Don from Biercraft. It was quickly decided that I’d be sitting with Don, considering we were both solo and just happened to be a couple of cooky cooks. With a few drinks and someone to sit with, I felt at ease and could sit back and enjoy the whole experience. “Battle of the Belgians” has a nice ring to it and all, but it didn’t really do the concept justice: four courses prepared by the Chambar kitchen, each to be paired with a beer from Driftwood and a Belgian beer. The whole thing felt less like a battle and more like an uber sexy craft beer and haute cuisine pillow fight. This formula strays a bit from the conventional approach of one glass of beer or wine per course, but is appealing to the sort of beer nerd that enjoys quality, quantity, and variety (see: me).

What followed wound up being the stuff of a last meal fairy tale. The beers were less contentious than advertised, bringing harmony instead of the havoc I had anticipated. What we had here was the best of both worlds; Belgian influenced craft beer from Victoria alongside actual Belgian beer. The first course of gently braised frog’s legs was served with Driftwood’s White Bark (a wheat beer brewed with coriander and dried orange peel) and Belgium’s La Chouffe (a strong Belgian pale ale). Never having had the privilege of trying both frog’s legs or La Chouffe, I gladly dove into both, occasionally returning to the familiar comfort of the White Bark. The mild anxiety that comes naturally with all things strange was quickly erased by the first bite of frog, followed by a sip of the La Chouffe that turned into the kind of swig that I usually reserve for celebrating. Having consumed tangible evidence that we were all indeed in good hands, the whole room relaxed and eagerly waited for everything else.

Driftwood’s Cuvee d’Hiver (a Saison style ale made with Vancouver Island malt) and the oft celebrated Orval from Belgium went nicely with the Duck Vol au Vent and apple salad. These ales played quite well together, with similar fruity notes provided by the Belgian yeasts used in the brewing of both. The luxuriously rich duck and puff pastry combination was managed well by the duo of dry and crisp brews.

Round three found Driftwood’s Crooked Coast (an amber ale/altbier) and Belgium’s Duvel hanging out hard with a braised beef short-rib, lovingly prepared and presented with a dainty (yes, dainty) salad of Brussels sprouts, and also a few bacon wrapped prunes that had been wonderfully stuffed with walnuts. I’ve cooked and eaten embarrassing amounts of beef short rib throughout my career as a cook, and I’ve yet to find one that didn’t inspire feelings of decadence; it’s a preparation that is difficult to upstage. On this occasion, however, I found myself prematurely declaring the prunes as champions of the evening, once again wishing for infinite amounts of a component that was unfortunately, and cruelly, finite.

The end brought about a dueling preparation of a brownie and a blondie, each steeping in a little bit of their accompanying beverages: Driftwood’s generously hopped Fat Tug IPA for Betty, and a glass of Rochefort 8 with Veronica. IPA and sweets seemed outlandish at the outset, but once everything was being sampled and smeared together it sort of clicked. The Rochefort was terrifically complex and rich and absolutely belonged with the chocolate brownie, while the IPA seemed to be there as a chaperone to make sure shit didn’t get too far out of hand. If, by chance, a life without sex meant a life filled with terrific trappist ales like this one from Rochefort, I just might be able to get by. Thanks to an increased demand for these magnificent beers, however, I can have both, and thankfully will never have to wonder about life without either.

Ultimately, I’m not convinced these beers were actually up against each other. As much as our local beer scene lacks comparable lore and history, the new world’s best can share a table comfortably with that of the old world. It was an absolute delight to have terrific examples of both in front of me simultaneously as proof of that theory. As previously mentioned, this menu of food and drink closely resembles something I’d lay out for either my own final meal, or that of someone I loved dearly. Terrific local beer, legendary Belgian ales, and classically informed cooking from an extremely capable kitchen team were all together at once. Perhaps it was a bit much to tell a prune to fuck off, but I felt so at ease that it would have been wrong to hold back. I walked away drunk, stuffed, and spoiled rotten. Beneath that thick layer of satisfaction was a terrible feeling that all future meals would fall victim to such an unfavourable comparison. Thanks Chambar, thanks alot.

~ Jacob Galbraith

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