Seattle/Vancouver/Victoria beer scene

[Manul]

All I’ve read in this forum about Pike brewery (Seattle) is true. I stopped by the brewpub twice last week and I tried all the beers they had on tap. Just as a curiosity – along with their brews they were serving Celebrator on tap, which is commendable. Anyway I think their IPA should be taken as an American style IPA standard everywhere. Very good pale ale as well. I had a chance to drop by Bottleworks (probably Seattle’s best specialty beer store). If you are in the neighborhood it’s worth checking it out. These guys have an amazing selection and they are very knowledgeable.
By the way, BC beer market sucks. Small selection, more expensive imported beers than Ontario. If you want good beer in Vancouver you’d better check out Sailor Hagar’s (Vancouver) or Spinnakers’ (Victoria)brews. I’ve visited both of these brewpubs and I was really surprised with the variety and high quality of their beers. They also sell their beers bottled at the site.

[Jon Walker]

Glad to hear you liked Pike. I've ranted far too much on this board about their beer (IPA in particular). Seattle is a micro brew Mecca with so much variety and selection it really blows my mind. I miss it terribly.

While Vancouver does have a somewhat limited number of beers available at the liquor store I would disagree with your assertion that the market "sucks". There's a good deal more genuine domestic micro beer available there than I've seen in stores here. While the imported selection is much more limited there also isn't the glut of taste alike european lagers you find here. Brew pubs are far more common there than here (5 within a few miles of downtown). Lastly Seattle is only a 2 and a half hour drive...no such diverse beer oasis is that close to Toronto (Premier Gourmet aside) particularly when you consider there are 15+ brew pubs in Seattle. Regardless let's hope Perry manages to get Sgt.Majors into the LCBO soon. It's the closest thing to Pacific Northwest IPA I've tasted since I moved here.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Jon Walker on 2002-08-08 16:40 ]</font>

[Manul]

When I said "sucks" I was reffering to imports mostly even though I must say I tried some of the locals and wasn't excited at all. All in one I preffer LCBO to the BC liquor store.

[SirIsm]

Being an ex-West Coaster living in Ontarion now...I must agree with the idea that BC has at least a larger if not healthier micro scene than Ontario.

[SirIsm]

Being an ex-West Coaster living in Ontarion now...I must agree with the idea that BC has at least a larger if not healthier micro scene than Ontario.