BC Update

[Tapsucker]

I’m on a short trip to Vancouver. It’s been a while since I have been out here so I decided to grab a sampler of untried (by me) locals. Here are a few biased opinions to share…

1. The BC Liquor stores make me appreciate the LCBO. Even if the ‘BO is too stupid to refrigerate it’s inventory, at least they can sweep their floors occasionally. Not to mention the prices…
2. Currently sampling: R&B Brewing (Vancouver) Hop Goblin (see beer name generator thread elsewhere on Bartowel). Nice hoppiness (no surprise) a slight, but inoffensive sweetness, could use some more body. Generally, rank the taste high, the graphics on the bottle low.
3. Earlier sample: MT Belgie (Revelstoke) Powerhouse Pale Ale. In this case the name applies to a generator not a testosterone influenced over the top beer. This was quite soft and I would describe it closer to a cream ale. Not offensive, dull in fact.
4. Earlier sample: Cannery Brewing (Penticton) Anarchist Amber. Despite the ‘tries too hard marketing’ this is my best pick so far. Great hop and balanced bitterness. Close to the Black Oak pale we enjoy at home, with a little more complexity. High on alcohol though, I wonder if they could get this flavour with less medication…

For the record, I was not scientific but I did temper my process by starting from milder to stronger. First sampled was the Powerhouse, then Anarchist then Hop Goblin. Still to go tonight is Saltspring Island Porter. I’ll report on that later.

Also, back to the local distribution. Each of these bottles were 650ML for about 4.50-5.00 each. It would not sting so bad if I knew the brewery were pocketing most of it, but this is primarily markup.

[Gedge]

Try and make it to the Granville Island brewery if you have time. They have some interesting brews.

http://www.gib.ca/

[Jon Walker]

Try and make it to the Granville Island brewery if you have time. They have some interesting brews.

http://www.gib.ca/

...if by "interesting" you mean mediocre. Granville Island is the Amsterdam of the BC brewing industry...lots of types of beers, nothing very good.

Also, the prices of draft beers at the Granville Island brewpub are quite high. I think they count on tourists paying a premium.

[Derek]

I prefer Vancouver Island... plenty of brewpubs.

Stop at Longwood in Nanaimo (pick up some bottles from Fat Cat), then head down to Victoria for Spinnakers, Swans & Canoe. Stop in at the Spirit merchants to grab some more locals as well (Phillips, Lighthouse, etc...).

On the mainland, I haven't been to many brewpubs. For breweries, everything from Old Yale is great, and Tree brewing's Hop Head IPA is quite good too.

As for the little island (Granville), I prefer Dockside (in the Hotel at the end). It doesn't get the best reviews, but the beer is decent, you can get sampler tray, and it's right on the harbour (though it might be a little cool outside now).

[Tapsucker]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have not been to the Granville Island brewery or the Dockside in a long time. I do remember liking their lager when it was available on tap. In the can, it's not so special. Shaftsbury does a better job in this mainstream.

The Yaletown brewpub has been going downhill for years, but I still decided to drop by. They have a seasonal stout on right now that was very good. I found it had a bit too much sour note, but for that place it was a good brew. BTW, the Granite's stout is much better.

The Yaletown's food is nowhere near as good as it use to be and the place is constantly too loud. They are trying to cater to people who are afraid of conversation and generally dumb sports fans these days.

Despite the food quality going downhill, at least they still try to be adventurous with their menu. My dream brewpub would be the civilised Granite with the Granite's food and beer quality but the more interesting menu attempts of the Yaletown.

The porter I had left to try was ok., but no big deal.

[Jon Walker]

Vancouver has a large selection of brewpubs but many are lacking in quality either on the beer front, the food front or both.

Yaletown does do a pretty good IPA these days, same goes for DIX. I've rarely been impressed by the Steamworks beers but the food is generally pretty good and the ambiance isn't as noisy as Yaletown. Across the harbour on the seabus you'll find Sailor Hagars. The food is very basic pub fare but the beers are still pretty good (although not what they were in years past). Taylor's Landing is also over there, one of the Mark James group of brewpubs, and again the food is good, the beer good but nothing stands out.
There are several others in the suburbs that I'm less familiar with.

Regardless, it's exciting to see so many brew pubs catering to a population vastly smaller than the GTA's. I little more innovation on their part would be appreciated but the mere fact that there are three or four decent, freshly brewed IPA's on tap around the city is a big bonus for me.

[Tapsucker]

I should add one more positive note. In Vancouver it appears reasonable beers like Okanagan Pale Ale are everywhere on tap. You actually have to go out of your way to find crap like Keiths and Stella, but the Okanagan is even on draft at the White Spot (local take on Denny's). Many average bars have at least one or two excellent micros on offer.

I've noticed this in the past in Alberta too, where Big Rock beers are widely poured. The general public appears to expect more from what they put in their bodies than we do in the east. Either that or the bars are not letting themselves get pushed around by the tap control marketing stunts as much.

[Jon Walker]

Sorry Tapsucker. I have to disagree with you again. Okanagan Springs Pale Ale is a terribly ordinary beer. It garners a whopping 19/100 score on Ratebeer (Molson Export gets a 14). The entire line of their beers has gone downhill especially since they were bought out by Sleemans in years past (now owned by Saporo). The presence of beers like this in places like White Spot is no great surprise.

[GregClow]

Sorry Tapsucker. I have to disagree with you again. Okanagan Springs Pale Ale is a terribly ordinary beer.

Agreed. And most of the Big Rock beers are no great shakes either. I'd compare both of them to Sleeman or Brick - generally inoffensive, mainstream oriented beers that are usually the "craft" beer option at most average watering holes.

By that yardstick, we're sitting in about the same place here in Ontario as they are out west. It's hard to find a bar in Toronto that doesn't have at least one or two non-MolBatt beers available. They may not be great beers (although Mill Street has been making some great inroads in the last year or so), but to a lot of people, they're a somewhat exotic choice.

[Tapsucker]

Hmmm…perhaps I’m not the sophisticated connoisseur I think I am.

I don’t find the Okanagan offering that offensive. That and the Big Rock are dull, I will agree, but far more drinkable than the MolBat tap offerings around here. I didn’t mean to suggest you run out and procure a case, just that the mainstream in the west does seem a little better.

Yes we get Sleeman and Amsterdam all over the place here too, and it is a lesser evil to the pretend Keith’s / Ricard’s premiums, so perhaps I stand corrected.

You know, “Toronto’s Best Brewery” (credit NOW) : puts out a pretty inoffensive pilsner that may not set the world on fire, but deserves credit for quality and consistency (brewmasters are chemists and chemists are scientists and they strive for repeatable results). I'd be glad to see that in more bars. On the other hand I'd be glad to see Tankhouse in every bar...