This was another one from the Cannery Brewing Sampler pack. After experiencing nothing but good things with their Naramata Nut Brown Ale I'm expecting something special from their offering in the I.P.A department.
I'm still getting used to the Canadian take on I.P.A - a different animal indeed from what I'm used to back in London. Still, the boys at Cannery have been good to me so far so I'm happy to put myself in their capable hands. Don't let me down guys!
Just like before, they've taken their artwork seriously. Even the can looks like it would taste pretty good, all orange and pretty as it is. The Taj Mahal motif makes me wonder if I should have tried this one when I was getting a curry and I've got a lot of time for the nautical crap around the bottom of the can. The blurb tells me to expect 'a rich malt foundation' and a 'lingering hop finish'. Are these claims nothing more than the sadistic lies of a crazed brewmaster?
Probably not, but let's check.
Cannery's IPA looks good on the pour - cloudy, but without any sediment with about 1/4 inch of thick foamy head that dissolves down over to leave a bubbly film and plenty of lacing.
Based on the smell, the back of the can was pretty accurate. I'm definitely getting the hops (not exactly surprising in an I.P.A) and there's plenty of malty fun in there too. The malt fades away pretty swiftly and leaves a lovely hoppy aftertaste that keeps me happy until my next sip.
I'm definitely pleased with this one. It's pretty, it's tasty, and this particular can had been slightly overfilled so when I opened it, it kinda spilled a little but I got extra beer. It packs 6% abv without tasting even a little bit boozy. There's a lot going on here I could see it going nicely on it's own or with a meal with plenty of strong flavours - I've got a nice chicken jalfrezi in mind.
I’ve taken the, possibly ill advised, decision to delve back into the world of alarmingly strong lager this week. After a few minutes wandering those aisles of the liquor store that seem to be home to local, colourful, hobo community, I come to a decision: Ironhorse Original.
The sight of a monochrome locomotive rearing towards me from the front of the can certainly grabs my attention but it doesn’t exactly bode well. I’m not expecting a range of delicate flavours from a beer the brewers are comparing to 19th century steam engine.
Still, I’d rather they were up front about what’s inside and you can’t fault them on that front here. There’s an appeal to class around the top of the can with the assurance that it’s brewed with ‘pure spring water’ but then it’s right down to business.; the only other words on the can are the label assuring the easily confused that the can does, indeed, contain beer, and a sub-headline near the bottom saying “BREWED STRONG” in alpha-male capitals.
Overall the whole outside of the can looks less like a marketing strategy and more like an overt threat towards any would-be drinkers. Still I do love a challenge, so here we go.
Locomotive pours like a lager but strangely retains a little film of bone-white head. The beer itself actually looks quite pretty for having come out of such an angry can; it's a dark copper colour without any cloudiness and it doesn't leave any lacing on the glass.
The smell is more like what I was expecting – there are a few grainy tones and maybe a hint of caramel kicking about but aside from that it’s mostly just alcohol.
Given the less-than-enticing smell the taste is surprisingly gentle (as PWB themselves have noted on their website). I’m not getting the dodgy aftertaste you’re apt to find in an extra-strong beer but I'd have to watch myself if I was having an evening on this stuff; it wouldn't be tough to put away a good few cans before you notice how sloshed you've got yourself.
Ironhorse Original is never going to be my go to beer - there's not enough going on in the taste department and the smell leaves plenty to be desired - but for an extra-strong brew it actually isn't too bad. If you're in a hurry to get trollied you could certainly do much worse than a can of locomotive.
It's 2012, apparently the last year of existence according to the ancient Maya and modern-day mental people, so let's waste no time in jumping back into sampling everything the brewing world has to throw at us.
This week I've gone forCannery Brewing's Naramata NutBrown Ale . Picked this one up as part of a sampler pack in November last year and it's been lurking at the back of the fridge ever since. I would have had it sooner but I wanted to make sure I had the chance to make the most of it - it just looks too pretty to chug back on my way to the bar.
Cannery Brewing take their shit seriously by the looks of things; there are promises of 'velvety soft Ale', 'rich, dark malts' and a 'smooth finish'. This is borderline beer-porn and it might sound sleazy if the can wasn't so damn classy looking.
They seem to have hired the same guy who produced WW1 propaganda posters to draw the little mural on the front of the can. These people have mastered the art of making drinking premium strength beer take on the appearance of being wholesome and respectable. Hats off to you boys!
Naramata has set the bar high - but can it measure up to the hype?
It looks nice on the pour. Dark cola brown colour with a foamy brown head that hangs around and some lacing that stays on the glass. It smells chocolatey with lots of malt. There's a hint of caramel lurking just on the edge too.
Taste is a little bit of a surprise - sweeter than I'd expect with lots of nutty flavours in there too. It's quite well carbonated and not too heavy either.
Naramata has been a good start to 2012. It tastes good, it weighs in at 5.5% and the can makes me want to go fishing or do some other rural, wholesome activity. Maybe badger-baiting? Whatever countryside people do.
I've been here long enough now to get to know most of the local brew's by sight - so big green stickers with 'NEW!!!' written on them are certain to get me excited.
Such is the case with Laid Back Lager. Even without the aid of BC Liquor store's oh-so-subtle subtle marketing strategy it's hard to miss the can anyway. It looks like what I suspect a Beach Boy's album cover looks like; lots of sunny pastel colours, surfboards and other generic summer-ish crap.
This of course totally out of sync with the real world - I'm browsing at 4:30pm it's pitch dark, raining, and I may have just seen a mammoth come rearing out of Waterfront station. But this beer is bringing back thoughts of summer; palm trees, sunshine, being able to feel my toes most of the time, loads of fucking wasps everywhere...
I'm able to hold onto this nostalgia until I get my beers home and take a closer look at the can - Laid Back Lager is produced by 'Big Surf Brewing Company'. Where are they from, I hear you cry with rabid curiosity; California? Florida? Hawaii maybe?
They're from bloody Kelowna! As in, Kelowna, BC. As in down the road, and currently gripped (so says the CBC website) in slightly shittier weather than Vancouver itself is right now! And what the fuck is this 'Big Surf' nonsense? Kelowna is at least 4 hours from the sea!
I feel cheated - I thought I was getting a beer that had come from a hallowed land of swaying palm trees and coco-nut bikini clad- hotties. Instead I feel like I should be offering Laid Back lager a nice warm cocoa and some comfy slippers before he catches a nasty chill.
But, putting all these feelings aside, how does Laid Back Lager do as a beer?
It certainly pours like a lager. The white head is gone in a couple of seconds and literally nothing hangs around. It's a clear yellow colour with surprisingly little carbonation for a lager too. I can smell that it's beer, but there's not much else too it. Maybe some citrus lurking in the bottom but I'm really having to fight to get anything out of it.
The taste is a little weird though, but not necessarily bad. I'm getting a little hint of apples but aside from that it doesn't have much to it, even for a lager.
It goes down pretty easy so I guess if you were lying on a beach in California it wouldn't be terrible, but I have no idea why anyone would bother bringing this stuff all that way. In no way would it be worth it.
I could sort of understand this escapist beer mentality it if BC was some awful part of the world, but it isn't. Ok, it's cold right now but there's mountains, snow, forests, possibly bears or something - all that nature crap. Shame on you Big Surf - be proud of your province!
Nestled near the corner of West Hastings and Carrall at 16 West Hastings Street, the Bitter Tasting Room balances industrial chic with warm pub-style informality. Bare brick walls, exposed beer kegs and open kitchen sit well with the simple but comfy furniture and the whole place doesn’t make you feel like you’ll need to stand on ceremony.
A quick glance over the menu and I feel like I’m back in London; pickled eggs, pork scratchings, beer nuts, and a host of other pub favorites are on offer. But Bitter is offering something beyond standard pub-grub; these are handmade, organic, high quality versions of pub favorites. Scotch eggs are a staple back home but I have to admit the one’s from Bitter are better than anything I’ve had in the UK; crispy and golden brown on the outside and the sausage meat is packed with flavor. The biggest surprise though are the pork scratchings. I imagined a coronary-waiting-to-happen in a sealed foil bag hanging on a hook behind the bar. These are light, chewy, without a hint of grease and dusted with just enough Cayenne Pepper to give them a kick. The closest I can think to compare are shrimp crackers in terms of texture, but the flavor is completely different.
The sausages can also come highly recommended – the Weisswurst we tried was a new one for me. When it arrives at our table our server explains how we remove the skin ourselves; this is hands on food and as I look around the room most of the guests have abandoned cutlery a few mouthfuls in. The Weistwurst is delicious – lightly spiced, soft with an almost pate texture – and it goes brilliantly with Bitter’s home-made sweet honey mustard.
The food is great, but the beer is better: the Bitter Tasting Room is a hopheads Mecca. Owner Sean Heather has clearly taken pains to make ensure that Bitter can offer a beer-tasting experience to rival anything else in Vancouver and the effort has paid off. From the moment you walk in you can’t miss the 12ft high beer coolers. I spot English ales, Asian lagers, German wheat beers, local craft porters and dozens of others.
I go for a selection of four samples – “The Islander” as it’s called – and I’m not disappointed. There’s a Dunkel (Dark German beer) by the name of Dr. Funk from Phillips, a Cream Ale from Lighthouse Breweries, the 9.5% ABV Eisbock style ‘Hermanator’ from V.I.B and “White Bark” a Wheat Ale by Driftwood.
The Hermanator is a pleasant surprise – 9.5% ABV beers often don’t turn out too well – but Vancouver Island brewery have cooked up something here that carries it off well. There are earthy malts on the taste along with grape juice and a hint of something that almost reminds me of soy sauce. You can taste that it’s a stronger beer but it’s not so overpowering that I’d be put off going for another.
The cream ale goes beautifully with the Weisswurst. It’s hoppy, slightly bitter and keeps a nice head. It’s 7% but you wouldn’t guess it from the flavor and it doesn’t overpower the Weisswurst but sits alongside it perfectly.
The stand-out beer for me though, in this selection, is the White Bark wheat ale by Driftwood. It pours nice and cloudy and has some amazing citrus smells coming off it. It’s got a low carbonation and though I tend to think of these as summer beers it’s goes down beautifully on a chilly Vancouver night.
Technically you’d probably call Bitter a gastropub, but only for want of a better word. I associate ‘gastropubs’ with restaurants that awkwardly dip a toe into the booze market without much enthusiasm or expertise, but Bitter seem to have the passion and the knowledge to create a genuinely novel experience. Devoted hop-heads will appreciate the chance to see what the local brewing scene has to offer, and the servers are happy to point you in the right direction if Bitter is your first foray outside the world of Bud Light (shame on you!).
Picked this one up as part of a special offer at the BC Liquor Store opposite waterfront. It was cheap, but I still think I might have been robbed.
It may be true that I was drawn to this beer because it had a picture of some mountain lion-y thing on the front and I like cats.
It may also be true that the SKY SPORTS ACTION NEWS style font made me associate this beer with getting drunk while something exciting is going on, rather than watching a re-run of mission impossible on a damp sunday evening.
And it may even be true that I held out a faint hope that it would make the Sex-Panther roar when I opened the can.
But none of these things can make up for what I find inside the can.
I've had reasonable experiences with this company before; Labatt's Blue is a bit of a staple out here in Canada and as an inoffensive lager it certainly gets the job done. While I'm naturally wary of extra-strong beers that aren't Belgian I thought I would give the Labatt's boys a break and see if they can impress me with WildCat.
On the pour it actually looks ok. Nice colour, plenty of carbonation and actually retains some head after the initial fizz dies down.
It doesn't have much of a smell - some sweet malt and corn but nothing especially offensive. Trouble is, there's nothing good going on either.
Taste is worse - there's the same lack of any kind of flavour but it's got a rank metal aftertaste that doesn't hit for about 4 seconds, then hangs around for far too long. The aftertaste would be bearable if there's was some during-taste to make up for it, but there's not much of anything going on here.
The brewers are very keen to boast that WildCat contains 'No Additives'. Frankly, if people are drinking 6.1% beer they probably aren't doing it for the health benefits, and if chucking a shitload of E-Numbers, artificial flavourings or asbestos powder into this stuff would improve the flavour (or at least get rid of that sodding aftertaste, which is still with me as I type this, a good 30 seconds after my last sip) then I say go for it!
This beer has low price and high ABV content going for it if that's your thing. If not, avoid, avoid, avoid!
As the weather turns colder and the days grow short I'm left with a choice: construct a cocoon from pillows and retreat beneath the ground for the winter, or go on a hunt for warming winter ales. Since I only have 2 pillows and my housemates aren't happy with my building a larger fort out of sofa cushions, it looks like I'm off to the liquor store.
Enter 'Tree Brewing Company'. Established in 1996 (so says the bottle) this is another Canadian brew. The bottle is a pretty plan affair - company name embossed on the glass and a label around the neck. They have at least gone to the trouble of personalising their own bottle caps but at first glance this isn't an eye catching affair.
Still, I'm freezing and this stuff claims to be 'Winter Ale' so I'll give it a go. There's a mention of a 'vanilla finish' on the beer which sounds interesting too.
It pours nicely. Coppery brown, clear, decent head which leaves some lacing.
It looks nice, but it smells awesome.
The vanilla is definitely there and it goes great with the biscuity malt. On the mouth, there's bready hops, and some caramel flavours in there too. If you're a fan of Innis and Gunn I'm sure Vertical Winter Ale will be a pleasant surprise.
It's a great beer but I'm not sure if it's quite meeting it claim as a Winter Ale. It tastes best right out of the fridge, it's not as heavy as I was expecting and at 5% it's not as 'warming' as you might hope.
I could definitely put a few of these away but it probably wouldn't be my go-to beer on a frosty night. It's got a bit of an extra price-heft since it's bottled, not canned, but it's not so pricey that I'd rule it out.
I'm still getting used to the Canadian take on I.P.A - a different animal indeed from what I'm used to back in London. Still, the boys at Cannery have been good to me so far so I'm happy to put myself in their capable hands. Don't let me down guys!
