Farmhouse Friday . You ever pour a beer that has you wondering "did they can the right beer in here?". I'll confess, I was surprised at how dark and juicy this @smallgodsbrewing farmhouse ale poured, that immediately had me thinking 'big, fruity sour'. . Deceptive, but it is assuredly a farmhouse. First sip confirms with a bright mix of funk and estery spice which plays nicely with the dry, fruity grapefruit. The elderberry brings florals and a subtle tangy fruity kick, this is a really creative, yet cohesive farmhouse, perfect for the long weekend! . . Blue Runaways Small Gods Brewing 6% #farmhousefriday #farmhouseale #smallgods #funkybeer #fruitedbeer #yyjdrinks #yyjcraftbeer #yyjbeer #craftbeer #vancouverisland #longweekendvibes #craftbeer #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #bcaletrail #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
🌷Happy Mother's Day🌷 . Here's to all the mothers out there, past, present and soon-to-be. While everyone's relationship with Mothers Day takes a different form, today the girls and I are celebrating all the amazing, tireless things mama (and their grandmas) do for us! Among the plans for spoiling mom, Rosie insisted we treat Mom to a tea party while Áine napped. . Rosie's had her eye on the label of this Alice in Wonderland-themed hazy IPA from @kingsanddaughters and @hettyalicebeer since I brought it back from my last trip south, and it felt appropriate. All Citra all the time! Bright, subtly sweet orange, slightly pithy grapefruit and soft tropical fruitiness. Easy-drinking and light, perfect afternoon treat for tea time. . . We're all Mad Here Kings and Daughters Brewery × Hetty Alice Beers 5.8% #mothersday #kingsanddaughters #hazyIPA #IPA #indiapaleale #citra #washingtoncraftbeer #WAcraftbeer #pnwbeer #hops #hoppy #craftbeer #instabeer #beersofinstagram #beer #bier #onehoppybrewd
Why nap alone, when you can make it a party! . Compared to her bigger sister, Àine's been a dream sleeper, but every now and then, she'll throw us for a loop. Today she's decided to wake up in the middle of her nap and demand her friends join her in order to settle back down...just missing the mirror ball and we'd have a Disco Nap. . It's Friday and Dad's working from home, so why not enjoy the quiet. This spontaneous spelt ale from @dwinell_ and @obeliskbeerco is all sorts of bright, zippy and ridiculously easy-drinking. Oakey funk, lots of fruity vinous character, raspberry, blackberry, and a touch of pepper on the finish. We've been getting lucky to have a few of these beers up here in BC, don't sleep on them. . . Disco Nap Dwinell Country Ales × Obelisk Beer Company 5.1% #funkyfriday #disconap #spontaneousale #spontaneousbeer #spon #dwinell #obeliskbeer #mixedfermentation #wildale #washingtoncraftbeer #WAcraftbeer #oregoncraftbeer #pacificnorthwest #beercollaboration #independentcraftbeer #craftbeer #beer #cheers #onehoppybrewd
🧙🦈Witchshark Wednesday🧙🦈 . Each evening while the girls fall asleep, Dad's on clean-up duty making sure everything goes back to where it started the day. Between all the pretend food items/dishes (including this little birthday cake toy), the play kitchen is easily the most work, locating so many tiny pieces. Given they're celebrating their 12th birthday, it felt apropos to have a little help from @bellwoodsbeer in my clean-up. . I lucked out that I was in Ontario for Motley Cru Day, so got my fill of some of the other Bellwoods anniversary offerings, but made sure I brought a couple of these anniversary edition Witchshark home with me. The addition of Phantasm dials up the peach and tropical fruits. Ripe citrus down the middle with a hint of resinous bite to keep it on the rails, it's the perfect beer to accompany my evening clean-up...like a shark, you don't even see the 9% sneaking up on you! . . Witchshark (12th Anniversary Edition) Bellwoods Brewery 9% #witchshark #bellwoods #cheerstotwelveyears #twelveyearanniversary #doubleIPA #DIPA #IPA #indiapaleale #ontariocraftbeer #ONcraftbeer #torontocraftbeer #yyzbeer #hoppy #craftbeer #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
Cheers to 10 years! 🍻 . In the context of history, 10 years may seem like a minor milestone, however when you run a brewery in today's climate, it's a minor miracle and you probably have the scars to show for it. Being a big fan of both @wanderbrewing and @steelandoak I was fortunate that my cross-border camping trip last week fell on the same weekend that this tasty anniversary collab dropped in Bellingham. . This was delicious fresh out of gate...no "it's still pretty green", no excessive bite, no overly ripe sweetness. Just a big, really balanced citrus bomb, soft, full-bodied and super juicy. There's some tropical fruits and a touch of resinous bitterness restraining the fruits, but it remains bright and smooth! Happy anniversary, birthday buddies! . . Metric 10 Wander Brewing × Steel & Oak Brewing Co. 7.5% #metricten #wander #steelandoak #sobeer #anniversarybeer #collaboration #IPA #indiapaleale #hazyIPA #hoppyhumpday #supportlocal #drinklocal #bellinghamcraftbeer #bellinghambeer #pnwcraftbeer #craftbeer #bcbeer #bccraftbeer #hops #cheers #onehoppybrewd
"For me, nature's one of the neatest things on this planet...that's why Rosie and I started Neature Walk!" . All kidding aside, our trips through Everett Crowley Park eerily resemble those viral videos from 14 years ago. Letting nature take over the site of the city's former dump in South Vancouver, this huge off-leash dog park is a hidden gem of sanctuary in the busy-ness of the city. It's become a calming, happy place for both Rosie & myself, and my environmental science degree can't help but insert itself into our walks. . Most often this takes the form of snapping off needle clusters from pine trees to see which ones smell more like citrus (her eyes just lit up the first time) and which ones smell more like fresh, resinous pine. Conveniently that exact exercise is captured note for note in this @beerebrewingco pale ale! Deep grapefruit, both pithy and fruity, opens up to waves of woody, resinous pine, mingling perfectly. It takes those core flavours of a west coast pale ale and dials them up to 11, and I am totally here for it! . . Nature Walk Beere Brewing Co. 4.9% - 30 IBU #neature #neaturewalk #naturewalk #beere #paleale #thirstythursday #drinklocal #supportlocal #northvancraftbeer #northshorebeer #bcbeer #bccraftbeer #craftbeer #craftbeerlife #brewery #beer #bier #cheers #hoppy #onehoppybrewd
Elevated camping beers. . Since the kids were born (and a pandemic in between) our camping/roadtrips have shifted closer to home (mainly due to naps and "Dad, I'm bored, when are we going to get there?")...which means it's been almost 6 years since we've been down to Seattle! With mum and the kids going to visit Grandma and Papa this week, I jumped at the chance to take a solo camping trip across the border and hit up all the favourites in Seattle. Couldn't have picked a better time to go, with this @brujos_brewing × @bottleworksbeer collab dropping Saturday. . Brujos really are crafting liquid spells! This is pillowy soft, dank and creamy. Juicy notes of peach, pineapple and citrus balanced by a slightly resinous bitterness. Full-bodied, luscious and super balanced, this hazy just hits different than most, in all the right ways. Thanks to the teams at Bottleworks and Brujos for making this fantastic collab happen (and for all the other amazing goodies I was able to pick up at their amazing shop)! . . Wraiths Brujos 7.5% #wraiths #brujos #bottleworks #DDH #DDHIPA #IPA #indiapaleale #hazyIPA #oregoncraftbeer #oregonbeer #seattlecraftbeer #craftbeer #independentcraftbeer #beercollab #pnwbeer #cheers #beer #bier #onehoppybrewd
Magic Lambic at Magic Hour . Unfortunately wasn't able to make it to the Zwanze Day festivities this year, so next best thing to cheers the day than this fresh bottle of @brasseriecantillonofficiel Magic Lambic! . Picked this up earlier in the year and with the vanilla and blueberry mixed in there, what better excuse to drink it fresh. Definitely raspberry forward with big juiciness but there's that slightly dry, earthy pucker of blueberry and just a hint of the vanilla on the finish as it warms. Hope everyone's getting their fill of Lambic today! . . Magic Lambic Brasserie Cantillon 5.5% #zwanzeday #zwanze #zwanze2024 #cantillon #brasseriecantillon #lambic #lambiclife #fruitedlambic #belgianbeer #sourbeer #brusselsbeer #craftbeer #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
Hard not to be cherry about that! . I've learned with the Sang Du Merle series, not to sleep on the @moonbrewerydistillery barrel program, particularly sours. This first foray into a traditional Kriek has sat in my fridge far longer than I intended (blame my growing need for Tums), but fear not, it beautifully marries the traditional, heartburn-inducing krieks of Cantillon with the more modern (overly) sweet krieks of Mort Subite or Belle Vue. . Easily the darkest kriek I've ever had, it's so intensely fruity (perhaps enhanced by the added sweetness) with big juicy cherry complimented by earthy cinnamon and almond from what I assume was the inclusion of the pits. If heartburn and mouth pucker have ever scared you off a kriek, reach for this, as it brings restrained sweetness alongside a pleasant sour character, for an enjoyable, easy-drinking kriek. . . Oud Moon Kriek Moon Under Water Brewery 8.4% #thirstythursday #kriek #oudmoon #moonunderwater #belgianstylebeer #sourbeer #cherrybeer #cherries #yyjbeer #yyjcraftbeer #victoriacraftbeer #bcbeer #bccraftbeer #craftbeer #craftbeerlife #instabeer #cheers #beer #bier #onehoppybrewd
If the sasquatch has pancakes, do you still turn and run? . It's Monday morning and I don't know about anyone else, but I could sure use a stack of pancakes to go with my coffee. We took the kids out for a hike this weekend and had to keep our heads on a constant swivel, as this hairy guy kept sneaking up on us. . It's a @greatnotion classic for a reason. Bitter yet bright hit of coffee upfront with the maple syrup bringing a really restrained sweetness to balance. Remarkably easy-drinking, the smooth blend of coffee, chocolate and maple syrup has you reaching for sip after sip, without realizing it's 11%, while waking up all your senses. . . Double Stack Great Notion Brewing 11% #doublestack #greatnotion #coffeebeer #imperialstout #stout #seattlecraftbeer #portlandcraftbeer #independentcraftbeer #pacificnorthwest #northwestcraftbeer #craftbeer #beersofinstagram #instabeer #cheers #beer #bier #onehoppybrewd
Today we're Moonwalk-ing...right in front of the 🌞. . I understand someone's going to rather rudely walk in front of the sun today, and it's causing quite a commotion. Not that we're going to see much in Vancouver with our distance from totality and the wet, grey cloud cover, but still, a total eclipse is always a fascinating event and it felt apropos to celebrate with a little Moonwalk of my own. . Having watched @bofkontbeer enter the lambic scene over the last few years, I was lucky enough to score a couple of bottles in their 2022 lottery. This blend of 1 & 2 year old lambics with apricots from the Ardeche in France strikes great balance between fruity and earthy apricot with a far more pleasant sour character than the acetic-forward Howling at the Moon. Just a hint of sweetness, subtle funk and really soft bite of lactic acid, this blend really lets the apricots shine! . . Moonwalk (2022) Bofkont 6% #eclipse2024 #moonwalk #bofkontbeer #lambiek #apricotlambic #fruitedlambic #lambic #lambicislife #gueuze #belgianbeer #beersofbelgium #sourbeer #craftbeer #craftnotcrap #beersofinstagram #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
It seemed like a good idea at the time...and it ended up a good idea...once I found helpers! . With the right style of beer, and the ability to taste the difference time can add to its complexity, verticals are an enticing idea to beer drinkers. Heck, Rosie's on track for an 18 year vertical of Cantillon gueuze when she turns 18! . The one thing that we often forget to account for though, is that we're probably going to need help to taste through all of them. So sure enough, after @containerbrewing packaged this pre-cellared vertical of Seawise Giant in 2022, I was left to find people willing to tackle four 11.2% behemoths. . After finding some willing accomplices (twist their rubber arms) we finally got the chance to taste through all four years tonight...each with some very subtle differences, but all still tasting really good. 2019 drank surprisingly light, with a little heat building as it warmed and lots of hot chocolate and subtle caramel. The heat disappears in 2020, with molasses and a bit of vanilla and oak bringing out the sweetness. 2021 comes through a touch hot but brings a little licorice, cinnamon and caramel. Finally, perhaps not shockingly, 2022 is the most balanced with sweet fudgy chocolate, a hint of oakey bourbon and just a hint of booziness. No consensus on a favourite, but was impressed by the variation between years from what is always a consistently good annual stout. . . Seawise Giant (2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022) Container Brewing 11.2% #seawisegiant #seawisesaturday #stoutsaturday #containerbrewing #beersforsharing #imperialstout #stout #beervertical #yeastvan #eastvancraftbeer #yvrbeer #vancitybeer #bcbeer #bccraftbeer #craftbeer #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
🐰🐇Hoppy Easter!🐇🐰 . While Peter Cottontail brought the kids enough sugar to fuel a small army, he dropped off something decidedly juicier for the parents! . 4-packs of @superfluxbeer don't often last long in the house, usually finished within a couple of weeks, but this one though took some time to grow on me. Had saved this last can til the flowers started to bloom (cards on the table, this beer did not make it all the way til Peter Cottontail's arrival), but it wasn't until a month old that this came into its own for me. Once it did though...super crushable with big dank citrus notes and a hint of berry & mango. If he didn't bring you the copious amounts of chocolate, my kids are currently plowing through, I hope the easter bunny brought you some good beer too! . . Cottontail Superflux Beer Company 6.5% #hoppyeaster #cottontail #superflux #IPA #indiapaleale #yeastvan #eastvan #yvrbeer #vancouvercraftbeer #bccraftbeer #craftbeer #supportlocal #drinklocal #cheers #beer #bier #hops #onehoppybrewd
Throwback Thursday . All the cherry blossoms blooming out there, got me thinking of cherries. Cherries got me thinking of Kriek. Kriek got me thinking of this beautiful one from @micro_le_prospecteur I had a little while ago. . Outside of Belgium, this is hands down the best Kriek style beer I've had! It's got the right amount of mouth pucker that comes across pleasantly, encouraging you to have another sip rather than taking a breather. The balance of sweet and earthy fruitiness from the cherry is so good, and has a bit of pit character bringing that subtle cinnamon. . . Eau de Kriek (2021) Microbrasserie Le Prospecteur 6% - 5 IBU #throwbackthursday #thirstythursday #kriek #cherrysour #cherrybeer #barrelagedbeer #barrelaged #leprospecteur #quebecbeer #quebeccraftbeer #craftbeer #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
🌞Anyone else taking a Sunday Sunbreak?🌞 . With the week of rain looming in next week's forecast, I challenge you to find a more appropriate beer for this much-needed day of sunshine! . Sun or rain, I hope this becomes a staple in the @fourwindsbrewco line-up! It's got that hit of pine and pithy citrus of a west coast, but there is this really welcome mix of tropical juiciness & complimentary white grape from that nelson sauvin. And therein lies the magic for me, nelson sauvin is my least favourite hop, and often is completely off-putting for me in an otherwise good beer, but here, it sings in a way I really love! Maybe all it needed was the WCIPA backbone, but definitely need to stock up on more of this! . . Sunbreak Four Winds Brewing 6.2% - 55 IBU #sunbreak #sunnysunday #fourwinds #westcoastipa #WCIPA #IPA #indiapaleale #nelsonsauvin #supportlocal #drinklocal #bcbeer #bccraftbeer #craftbeer #craftbeerlife #craftbeerlovers #cheers #beer #bier #hops #onehoppybrewd
Rock and roll...heavy pedal...the bike puns would be endless! . When your daily commute is as Heavy Pedal as mine, regular maintenance is a must. Luckily I had a little help with this week's job thanks to @phillipsbeer new porter. It thankfully came in a bomber too, as there was a fair bit of work needed. . As far as porters go, this is really solid and robust in body. Deep chocolate, strong, but not overpowering roasted malts, a little smoke and licorice rounding things out. I'd say dust off that bike, and ride, not walk, to get a bottle of this for yourself. . . Heavy Pedal Phillips Brewing 5.5% #porter #phillips #darkbeers #victoriacraftbeer #yyjbeer #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #drinklocal #supportlocal #canadiancraftbeer #canadabeer #craftbeer #craftbeerlovers #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
Is it actually midnight...or is the time change just messing with me? . Anyone else just get completely thrown for a loop with daylight saving time changes? Throw kids in the mix and our house might as well shut down for a couple of days, as the time change throws all our routines out the window. . So as the kids fight sleep and I question what time my body clock thinks it is, this boozy nightcap felt propos. Holy moly, this 12.4% barrel-aged stout from @laugarbrewery is ridiculous! It is amazingly thick and channels the balanced, full-bodied takes of modern American pastry stouts. Waves of luscious fudgy chocolate all over this, some light coffee and then that barrel character bringing some nice oak restraining the sweetness and adding extra dimension. With that smooth delivery, the ABV sneaks under the radar as you just want to sip it all night long! . . Midnight Harvest (Porto Wine and Scotch Whiskey barrel aged) Lauger Brewery 12.4% #daylightsaving #midnightharvest #lauger #imperialstout #stout #russianimperialstout #barrelagedstout #barrelaged #BAbeer #BAstout #spaincraftbeer #spanishcraftbeer #craftbeer #drinkbeer #beer #bier #cerveza #beerlife #onehoppybrewd
It's been more flamingos than skis this winter. . Luckily I'm not much of a slope monster, as this winter has delivered surprisingly little snow, lots of rain & warm temperatures, and instead, crocuses that seemed to come and go, faster than you could say Who Farted? Picked this tasty @hoofheartedbrewing TIPA up last month down south and felt it rather appropriate for Vancouver's tame winter. . IPAs with milk sugar and lactose can often be hit or miss for me (a certain Dairyland-inspired can springs to mind as a recent swing and miss). They're either complete bangers or muddled, overly sweet experiences. Luckily in this case, you can see why the Key Bump series is so highly regarded, as the milk sugar and lactose is dialled in, complimenting and accentuating the citrus, tropical fruits and coconut. Just the right amount of sweetness and absolutely no sign of its 10.5%, this caught me off guard with just how well it integrates, drinking like a smooth, ridiculously full-bodied, juicy IPA. . . Key Bump (Pure Snow) Hoof Hearted Brewing 10.5% #keybump #puresnow #hoofhearted #whofarted #TIPA #IIIPA #IPA #indiapaleale #tripleIPA #ohiobeer #ohiocraftbeer #independentcraftbeer #craftbeer #beer #bier #onehoppybrewd
Families come in all shapes, sizes...and beers?! . In addition to a few good phone calls with the out-of-town family, we lucked out with an overdue visit from Grandma and Poppy for Family Day (which included Rosie forcing Poppy to play with every toy she owned including this Lite Brite). Still, we missed everyone's presence, so had to find a stand-in. . Good thing we had the appropriately-named @theveilbrewing triple IPA, Uncle Cousin that fit the bill perfectly! Despite it having traveled some distance (thanks to new Washington State distro...woohoo!) and across the border, it's still tasting pretty fresh. Lots of mosaic juiciness with bright orange, ripe mango, some sweet berry and just a touch of dank bitterness. Full-bodied with no heat or hint of ABV, this one'll get you if you're not careful. . . Uncle Cousin The Veil Brewing 11% #familyday #hoppyholiday #theveil #TIPA #IIIPA #tripleIPA #IPA #hazyIPA #hoppy #hops #virginiacraftbeer #independentcraftbeer #craftbeer #craftbeerlovers #craftbeerlife #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
No early risers here on a holiday Monday . Name me a more appropriate time to have beer for breakfast, than a holiday Monday! Heck the beer even says 'breakfast' on it! And if pancakes and bacon are on the menu, even more appropriate. . My first taste of @sidekickbrewing and might as well swing for the fences with this Maple Bourbon Breakfast Stout. Big in-your-face coffee, melds nicely with the sweet kick of maple syrup. Rich chocolate and a healthy bourbon kick from the oak chips, this is an easy drinking, dessert beer that'd go well at any time of day. . . Early Riser Roxanne Sidekick Brewing 7% - 34 IBU #familyday #holidaymonday #earlyriser #sidekick #breakfaststout #stout #darkbeers #drinklocal #supportlocal #bcbeer #bccraftbeer #craftbeer #craftbeerlife #brewery #breweries #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
Wake Up Wednesday . Anyone else having a dreadful time waking up these days? It's that dreary mix of later sunrises, dark grey skies and wet, stormy weather, yet the alarm clock still beckons too early. So these days, the perfect siren call comes in the form of a coffee beer. . I've had a couple of coffee tripels in the past, and they've been a real pleasant treat, but this one from @allagashbrewing might be the first barrel-aged one and it's tasty! You'd be forgiven if you can't tell what the base beer is here, as the star of the show is the interplay between the coffee and the bourbon barrel. The esters underneath lend themselves to tripel which together bring this beautiful mix of bright, fruity coffee and rich, full-bodied caramel. . . Barrel and Bean Allagash Brewing 9.6% #allagash #tripel #coffeebeer #barrelagedbeer #barrelaged #BAbeer #belgianbeer #mainecraftbeer #independentcraftbeer #bcorp #craftbeerusa #craftbeer #craftbeerlife #beersofinstagram #beerstagram #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
🏴Some hae meat an canna eat...🏴 . Celebrated Robbie Burns Day with family and friends last night and (maybe not) amazingly with 12 people around the table, there were no haggis leftovers...perhaps we're finally convincing people of the deliciousness of this very undelicious-sounding delicacy! . Found this @batch44brewery Scottish ale a few weeks ago and knew I'd have to hold onto it for a little haggis-accompaniment. Light caramel, a little apricot, spice and subtle hop character. At 4% it was a little lighter than I usually like my Scottish ales, and perhaps hurt the flavour profile a bit, but it at least helped ease the heavy haggis meal it accompanied. . . Frosty Morning Scottish Ale Batch 44 Brewery 4% - 12 IBU #robbieburnsday #robertburnsday #scottishale #batch44 #thirstythursday #supportlocal #drinklocal #canadiancraftbeer #bcbeer #bccraftbeer #craftbeer #craftbeerlife #craftbeerlovers #beerstagram #beer #bier #brewery #cheers #onehoppybrewd
Fernando Friday . We've both been through the ringer a fair bit, having worked together for the past 11 years, but there's no one I'd rather go through it with than Fernando (@vantuylen ). Like me, he hates his birthday (and the spotlight that comes with it), but after the year we had, and his continued upbeat attitude and generosity of spirit, I think it's fitting to celebrate his birthday with a 'Fernando Friday'! . I mentioned earlier this week that he brought over a nice little beer care package from his recent trip to Ucluelet, but what I didn't mention is that he also brought over 'guatamales' (Guatemalan tamales) that he and his wife Ana make every year over the holidays. Easily one of my favourite things to look forward to, it only seemed right to enjoy them for lunch on this cold Friday with this tasty little West Coast IPA he brought back from @ucluelet_brewing_co . South Swell is a really solid balance of resinous, piney bitterness, citrus and what feels like a subtle berry note. The perfect foil for the dense, meaty, saucy tamale (which might have been their best batch yet!). . Happy birthday Fernando (and our other co-worker who happens to share the same birthday...I'm the odd one out apparently), thank you for your generosity and being the best co-worker a guy could ask for! . . South Swell West Coast IPA Ucluelet Brewing 6.5% - 55 IBU #uclueletbrewing #WCIPA #westcoastIPA #IPA #hoppy #hoppybeer #vancouverislandbeer #vancouverisland #bccraftbeer #craftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeerlife #cheers #beer #bier #brewery #hops #onehoppybrewd
Frozen Fuzzz Friday. . It may be freezing cold, but the sun's out, and I'll take that over the grey, wet warmer weather we've experienced through most of the winter. Rosie asked to walk home from pre-school instead of drive (so she could go sledding...in all 0.5 inch of snow that's left), so after 45 minutes of sledding through frosty grass and the first "Dad, my hands are cold", I needed some fuel for the trek home. . I'll never say no to @structuresbrewing Fuzz series, and this one is big, dank and loaded with citrusy grapefruit and orange. It's bright and juicy, with a touch of tropical sweetness on the backend. Thanks to @langley_bc_beer_share for connecting me with this tasty treat, hope you're all staying warm, off the roads (if you can avoid it) and enjoying the sunshine! . . Fuzzz Structures Brewing 7.2% #fuzzzfriday #fuzzfriday #frozenfriday #structures #hazyIPA #IPA #structuresbrewing #bellinghamcraftbeer #independentcraftbeer #pnwbeer #pacificnorthwest #craftbeer #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
The tug-of-war between 'holiday' you and 'new year reset' you. . Mom and dad are ready for the tree to come down...Rosie insists it stay up. As soon as these kids are in bed, it's coming down...time to reset! . Mom took Rosie out for her first 'movie theatre' movie this afternoon, and Áine's napping like a champ, so dad (influenced by the tree's burgundy theme) settled in with a little winter treat from @fremontbrewing . Four years in and this is smooth as all get out. Rich toffee, oakey bourbon character, cherry, dark fruits and a touch of cinnamon. Whether you're closing out your first week back, or finishing up a later holiday break, you've earned a treat to close out the week. . . Barrel Aged B-Bomb (2019) Fremont Brewing 13.2% #fremontfriday #fremont #bbomb #barrelaged #BAbeer #winterale #cellarbeer #cellarpull #pnwcraftbeer #washingtoncraftbeer #seattlecraftbeer #independentcraftbeer #craftbeer #brewery #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
'Special time' calls for special beer! . It's been a bit tricky to fit it in over the last year, but making room for 'special time' with Rosie has been super important since her little sister arrived. Unstructured and solely directed by the kids, it's been shown to improve listening skills through stronger bonds between kid and parent. So when Rosie says "Dad, can we do blocks for 'special time'?", you drop what you're doing, grab a beer and settle in. . I'd heard good things about @sacrilege.biere so when I found this down south, I had to grab a bottle. Bright fruitiness, tart and funky with a very dry finish. You get a mouthful of fresh, jammy raspberry, but there's an earthiness that caught me off guard (in a good way) coming from the small amount of cassis added. The combo is fascinating and unexpectedly really complimentary...would be cool to see other breweries blend the two. . . Framboise (2022) Brasserie Sacrilège 5.5% #sacrilege #framboise #raspberry #cassis #thirstythursday #wildale #mixedfermentation #funkybeer #sourbeer #fruitedsour #frenchbeer #wildbeer #craftbeer #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
As Comic Book Guy would say "Worst. Year. Ever" . I know I'm not alone this year in describing 2023 as the toughest year yet. Fittingly, I'm typing this in the dark consoling a pretty sick little 16 month old, while my wife calls 8-1-1 wondering if we need to drag her down to the ER on New Year's Eve. Despite the incredible hellscape that has been this year, I toast the incredible people in my life, led by the three lovies in that photo who remind me why I keep persevering. . It's important to step back and put things in perspective, even at our lowest, as we don't know what everyone else is going through. Breweries, restaurants, small businesses and people in less fortunate circumstances than myself are equally closing out 2023 exhausted, beaten down and fearful of what's to come. This Anno is likewise for all of you too, may 2024 somehow bring support, overdue systematic change and maybe even the miracles that many feel are the only way to survive in the current state of the world. . With this year's Anno, @dageraadbeer weren't kidding when they said there was a bolder, fruitier note this year! It hits you upfront with sweeter, almost overripe pear compared to past years alongside the familiar coriander, bretty funk. If I'm only going to have time for only one beer to celebrate, I'm pretty glad it's this! . Peace out 2023, I'm going to bed...don't let the door hit you on the way out! . . Anno 2023 Dageraad Brewing 8.5% #anno2023 #newyearseve #newyears #goldenstrong #belgiangoldenstrong #dageraad #raadbeer #supportlocal #drinklocal #bccraftbeer #craftbeer #beerstagram #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
What's on your plate/in your glass this holiday season? . I don't know about you, but it seems like almost everyone we know was making ham this year for Christmas. And I can't blame them, if their pocketbooks looked anything like ours, they were looking to cut down on costs involved with holiday dinner. Thankfully we found this amazing dutch oven cranberry beef bourguignon recipe that was all root vegetables and cheap stewing beef. . As I looked through the fridge for a special beer to share, this @degardebrewing spontaneous ale with cranberries made perfect sense. You get hit with that sharp, tart hit of cranberry (almost unsweetened cranberry juice) with a nice, light funk. The barrel contributes a pleasant oakiness with subtle gin botanicals that weave through the juiciness. No matter what you had for dinner last night, I hope you all managed some quality time with those you love and maybe shared a special beer or two. . . Cranberry Premiére Gin Barrel Cuvée DeGarde Brewing 8% #christmasdinner #christmasbeers #degarde #spontaneousale #farmhouseale #funkybeer #oregoncraftbeer #pacificnorthwest #pnwbeer #tillamook #independentcraftbeer #craftbeer #craftbeerlife #cheers #beer #bier #onehoppybrewd
🎄Bonus beer...Beervent Calendar Day 25🎄 . Thanks to everyone who hung around (or put up) with my daily advent posts...it ends up being a lot, but makes December a whole lot funner/easier to get through, so thank you! I hope it inspired you to get out, grab a BC beer and support our local breweries. . As is tradition, thought I'd throw a bonus day in the calendar, reserved for a special bottle. . This year, it has more meaning because not only is it a Canada Beer Cup winner, but sadly, also the last time we'll see this, or any beer from the fine folks at @callisterbeer . An early leader in BC's craft beer scene, in addition to cranking out some fantastic beer and soda, they've been incubators to the gods, providing a safe nest for countless amazing brewers/breweries over the years. We're going to miss their presence in Yeast Van, so thought it pretty appropriate to close out this year's calendar with Wee Laird. . Rich, sweet caramel, plum and just the right amount (ie. just shy of lots) of barrel character adding bite and a bit of rye-like spiciness. If you see this out in the wild, treat yourself to a couple of bottles, drink one now to toast the fantastic team at Callister and save one for the cellar before they are no more. . . Wee Laird Callister Brewing Co. 9.2% #day25 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #christmasday #weelaird #barrelaged #whiskeybarrelaged #weeheavy #callister #yeastvan #eastvancraftbeer #yvrbeer #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #shoplocal #beersofinstagram #instabeer #cheers #holidaybeers #christmasbeers #adventbeer #beer #bier #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 24🎄 . I'd say this was a serendipitous pick for Christmas Eve, but one can be forgiven for taking some liberties by handpicking the last day of advent. . Surprisingly I've never had this perennial Christmas beer from @hoynebrewing . This chameleon is really hard to pin down as a style, sweet malts, warming spices, a touch of Belgian esters. A bit like a baby created by a dubbel and a pumpkin beer, it's oddly light-bodied for the 9% and goes down real easy...maybe that's why we need two cans in the pack. May you all find some gratitude during this busy season! . . Gratitude Hoyne Brewing Co. 9% - 15 IBU #day24 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #christmaseve #gratitude #hoyne #winterwarmer #yyjbeer #victoriacraftbeer #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #shoplocal #beersofinstagram #instabeer #cheers #holidaybeers #christmasbeers #adventbeer #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 23🎄 . It's been awhile since I've made a batch of chocolate from scratch, but having used beans from Alto Beni in the past, I know how amazing they are. When I saw @facultybrewing release this cacao stout using beans from the same region, I knew I was going to have to make a stop on the bike ride home. . Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. The base stout brings out those rich roasty notes, but there's waves of chocolate all over it. Full-bodied and big on flavour (considering its more docile abv), each sip brings a different dimension, from sweet chocolate chips, to bittersweet baking chocolate, to a nice nutty light roast cacao. Complex, yet crushable, this should be in your fridge over the holidays. . . 525 Bolivian Cacao Stout Faculty Brewing Co. 5.4% - 15 IBU #day23 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #faculty #chocolatestout #stout #cacao #yeastvan #eastvancraftbeer #yvrbeer #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #shoplocal #beersofinstagram #instabeer #cheers #holidaybeers #christmasbeers #adventbeer #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 22🎄 . It may not quite be a Christmas tree, but close enough. Saw the green can, saw the tree, saw @wildeyebrewing knew it was destined for the calendar. . This one was a fortunate last minute addition to the calendar, as there was a real dearth of fresh IPAs available for this year's calendar. A real solid WCIPA, nice resinous, piney bitterness, citrus and a hint of sweet stone fruit. I missed the last incarnation of this IPA, so I'm not sure if this year's version has spruce added too, but either way, it's certainly a trip into the trees. . . Into The Trees Wildeye Brewing 6.8% - 60 IBU #day22 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #wildeye #WCIPA #westcoastIPA #IPA #indiapaleale #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #shoplocal #beersofinstagram #instabeer #cheers #holidaybeers #christmasbeers #adventbeer #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 21🎄 . The randomized nature of an advent calendar is all fun and games, until you pull the 11% belgian quad on a Thursday. The way I'm limping to the end of the year though, this anniversary brew from @lighthousebeer was a welcome sight to soothe the soul. . The cherries are the star here. A really solid quad with lots of candi sugar and dark fruits without being too sweet. Masks its abv well (as any quad should), the cherry rounds things out and smooths the edges. Cheers to 25 years Lighthouse! . . Belgian Quad with Cherries (25th anniversary brew) Lighthouse Brewing Co. 11.1% - 23 IBU #day21 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #cherryquad #anniversarybeer #lighthouse #quadruple #belgianbeers #yyjbeer #yyjcraftbeer #victoriacraftbeer #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #beersofinstagram #instabeer #cheers #holidaybeers #christmasbeers #adventbeer #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 20🎄 . You could make this whole calendar out of saison and farmhouse ales, and you would hear zero complaints from me! . There's never enough saison around when beervent time comes around, so this rye saison from @wildambitionbrewing was a no-brainer. Brett-forward funk dominates with some subtle citrus and apricot. The rye brings out a nice spicy, bitter bite that adds a new dimension to your normal saison. . . Imaginal Phase Wild Ambition Brewing 5% #day20 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #saison #ryesaison #wildambition #farmhouseale #brettanomyces #brettbeer #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #beersofinstagram #instabeer #cheers #holidaybeers #christmasbeers #adventbeer #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 19🎄 . Couldn't have scripted this one any better...today's @campbeerco birthday and look who we pulled! I had a different Camp beer in mind for this year's calendar, but unfortunately its 355mL size would've given it away, so we'll have to circle back around to it after Christmas. . Luckily for me, they had this even-more-appropriate Ginger Snap Ale available and wow, it's Christmas in a glass! Heavy molasses throughout, the ginger provides a nice contrast along with light warming spices. Despite all of this, it's both full-bodied and easy-drinking. Happy birthday Camp, cheers to 4 years! . . Frostbite Camp Beer Co. 6% #day19 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #cheerstofouryears #campbeer #langleycraftbeer #winterwarmer #gingersnaps #gingercookie #dessertbeer #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #beersofinstagram #instabeer #cheers #holidaybeers #christmasbeers #adventbeer #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 18🎄 . As we officially enter "let's circle back in January" week at work, there's nothing better than celebrating the end of the day with a nice, strong belgian style beer with the masters at @dageraadbeer . . Upfront, it gave me big Saison Dupont vibes, the yeast, fruitiness and dry approach. But like giving yourself lots of time to get in the exit lane, it smoothly changes lanes into Belgian Golden Strong territory. Pear, orange peel, clove and a subtle noble hop bite, it drinks dangerously easy. I know we're all stocking up on their other Golden Strong (Anno), but don't sleep on this one too. . . Antigoon Dageraad Brewing 9% #day18 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #dageraad #raadbeer #beersofburnaby #belgiangoldenstrong #belgiangolden #belgianbeer #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #shoplocal #beersofinstagram #cheers #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 17🎄 . You'd think getting closer to Christmas that the weather'd be getting colder and more miserable, and this sunny beer would have you dreaming of beaches somewhere warmer. Instead, it was 9°C and sunny today and I was wearing shorts while putting winter tires on the car...go figure! . This @ilesauvagebrewing and @whistlebuoybrewing collab was a tricky one to hunt down, but came highly recommended and I can see why...this is a dang fine berliner weisse! Well executed, balanced and beautifully tart, light and refreshing. The fruit adds just the right amount of fruitiness without taking away from the base beer, with a citrusy trio of lemon, lime and orange. . . Sunny B Île Sauvage Brewing Co. × Whistle Buoy Brewing 4% #day17 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #ilesauvage #whistlebuoy #berlinerweisse #sourbeer #yyjbeer #victoriacraftbeer #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #beersofinstagram #cheers #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 16🎄 . Cost increases aren't confined to just our local grocery runs, breweries are seeing huge jumps to their ingredients too. When you combine that with the environmental costs of many of these ingredients, it only makes sense to start looking closer to home for sourcing (we live in a pretty fertile province). . Good on @slowhandbeer for sourcing all the ingredients for this version of their classic pilsner within 50 miles! Crisp and refreshing, it's got those bready malts, nice grassy, floral hops and a subtle bite on the finish. I know there are other breweries in BC looking at getting hyper local and it's on us to get out and support them making these changes. . . Pilsner (50 Mile) Slow Hand Beer Company 5.2% #day16 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #slowhand #pilsner #pils #yeastvan #eastvancraftbeer #yvrbeer #vancitybeer #vancouverdrinkscraft #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #beersofinstagram #cheers #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 15🎄 . We're into the back half of advent and things are getting busier, more chaotic and just a tad bit more stressful. What a welcome sight at the end of a long week to see a big, easy-drinking IPA show up for day 15! . Neither a stranger to crafting delicious IPAs, this collaboration from @superfluxbeer and @bellwoodsbeer proves that when doing fun shit with people you like, great things can happen. DFSWPYL is full-bodied, dank with big citrus and sweet, almost candied tropical fruits.Thankfully (maybe because it was cryo) I didn't get any of the white grape/gooseberry notes typical to Nelson Sauvin which let the citrus take centre stage. . . Do Fun Shit With People You Like Superflux Beer Company × Bellwoods Brewery 6.5% #day15 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #superflux #bellwoods #experimentalIPA #IPA #indiapaleale #collaborationbeer #yeastvan #eastvancraftbeer #yvrbeer #vancitybeer #vancouverdrinkscraft #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #beersofinstagram #cheers #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 14🎄 . Like a ferraro rocher, hazelnuts seem to go hand in hand with the holidays, and having consumed enough cans of @twinsailsbeer Gold Foil in my time, it felt appropriate to re-return to its cousin. . Last time I had Roche Roche, I just couldn't taste any hazelnut but was told the new recipe would tweak it substantially, so thought I'd give it another go. Tweak they have, the hazelnut is heavy and in your face. Unfortunately it's also so obviously artificial that it tastes more like mint extract and overpowers the fudgy chocolate stout. I know TS know their way around hazelnut as Gold Foil is fantastic, so it pains me to not be able to recommend this one. . . Roche Roche Twin Sails Brewing 5.5% - 24 IBU #day14 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #twinsails #rocheroche #brewersrow #thirstythursday #pastrystout #dessertstout #stout #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #craftnotcrap #supportlocal #drinklocal #beersofinstagram #cheers #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 13🎄 . If Áine was picking a winner in this calendar (based only on her love of labels) this colourful rainbow can from @townsitebrewing would easily be the winner. I've had a 4 pack around the house over the last month and each time, Áine can't resist checking out all the colours, giggling at the wolves and refusing to relinquish the can. . Light and refreshing, Rainbow Peaks is like the blondes we drank on patios across Brussels a couple of summers ago. Lots of esters bringing banana, mandarin fruitiness and warming spices of clove & nutmeg. Some mild hop bitterness and a dry finish, it is surprisingly crushable. . . Rainbow Peaks Townsite Brewing 6.6% #day13 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #townsite #belgianbeer #blondeale #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #beersofinstagram #cheers #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 12🎄 . I'm fairly certain with the number of beers on offer right now at the brewery, that I could've almost single-handedly made this a @brassneckbrew calendar. But since I could only choose one, and fresh IPAs tend to be harder to come by in these winter months, this New Zealand IPA was an easy choice. . With the brewery on my bike route home, I have already stopped a couple of times for repeats of this tasty IPA. It definitely has those new world hop aromas going on and big juicy fruits. White wine grapes, tropical fruits, along with a healthy dose of lemon zest and pithy grapefruit. . . New Best Mate Brassneck Brewery 6.5% #day12 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #brassneck #IPA #indiapaleale #tuesdaybrews #yeastvan #eastvancraftbeer #yvrbeer #vancitybeer #vancouverdrinkscraft #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #beersofinstagram #cheers #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 11🎄 . Collabs don't often make an appearance in these calendars, but when I saw @c12beer partner up with @blindenthusiasmbeer I knew that I needed to not only pick up this beautifully packaged set of mixed fermentation sours, but add one for this year's calendar. . Drank Cause a couple of weeks ago, but thought I'd leave the cherry-conditioned Effect to see what it brings. Both beers straddle that line between Flanders and Kriek with fruity, slightly acetic sour character and mild balsamic sweetness. The addition of sour cherries here, swings it a bit more in line with a Kriek, bringing out more juiciness that seems to make this drink a bit lighter and less mouth-puckery. . . Effect Category 12 Brewing Co. × Blind Enthusiasm Brewing Co. 7.9% #day11 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #maltymonday #category12 #blindenthusiasm #collaborationbeer #mixedfermentation #sourbeer #flandersred #yyjbeer #yyjcraftbeer #bcaletrail #bccraftbeer #kriek #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #beersofinstagram #cheers #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 10🎄 . Sometimes you buy a beer for the flavour, sometimes a style, and others the can art. This can falls into the latter. Áine loves puppies and cats right now, so I knew this boxer would have her full attention. . Anything but a pout, she was smiling and laughing at this cute puppy face staring back at us. This @unleashedbrewingco milk stout has all the roasty, chocolatey stout vibes with a smooth delivery thanks to that lactose. The sweetness is dialled back nicely and there's just a satisfying hint of hops on the finish. . . Boxer Pout Unleashed Brewing Co. 5% - 29 IBU #day10 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #unleashed #boxers #milkstout #stout #stoutseason #kelownacraftbeer #kelownabeer #bcaletrail #okanagancraftbeer #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #beersofinstagram #cheers #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 9🎄 . Another brewery that spoiled us for choice ahead of calendar. I haven't had too many stouts from @fieldhousebrewing so this was a natural choice. . Finally a big boozy imperial stout, the oak barrel almost brightens the roasty chocolate, caramel notes of the base beer. Some rich, sweet molasses and brown sugar and a little cinnamon adds further dimension and helps ease the higher abv. . . Imperial Stout with French Oak & Rum Field House Brewing 9.5% #day9 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #fieldhouse #imperialstout #stout #stoutsaturday #stoutseason #fraservalleybeer #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #beersofinstagram #cheers #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 8🎄 . Trying to bring more fun to this year's calendar, I decided to abandon the sensible Christmas flavours of an Egg Nog Latte Stout in favour of the fun, synthwave vibes of the Pineapple Paradise Pilsner. . What else do you need to know, it's a Yeast Van classic! Among the endless @stormbrewing experiments, the pineapple pilsner is a mainstay and more readily available for those who don't live within a stones throw of the brewery. I know there's a pils in there somewhere, but this is essentially pineapple juice...and I'm here for it. Juicy, bright and super easy drinking, it would be a welcome thirst-quencher at any time of day...say an easy replacement for vacation-time mimosas. . . Pineapple Paradise Pilsner Storm Brewing 5% #day8 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #stormbrewing #pilsner #pils #yeastvan #eastvancraftbeer #yvrbeer #vancitycraftbeer #vancouverbeer #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #beersofinstagram #cheers #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 7🎄 . Between a crazy couple of weeks at work and a 15 month old whose both sick and cutting some molars, I've gotten pretty familiar with 3am bedtimes and couch cushions. So to pull this coffee stout from @patinabrewing this morning, I knew it would be the perfect tonic for my tired eyes. . The coffee is upfront and well-integrated into the stout with the lactose neutralizing any acidity there might have been. Robust and creamy in delivery, there's still enough roasty, chocolatey notes, that you could easily mistake this for a cup of joe. . . Coffee Milk Stout Patina Brewing Co. 6% #day7 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #thirstythursday #patinabrewing #stout #milkstout #coffeestout #stoutseason #tricitiesbeer #darkbeer #darkbeers #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #beersofinstagram #cheers #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 6🎄 . Some days you hope the calendar yields something big and boozy, others when you're short on time, something light and easy-drinking, and others (like today) you're just looking for something fun! . I always enjoy @ravensbrewing beers, and when I saw this fruity, chocolatey stout, I knew it would add some fun to this year's calendar. Funnily enough, I kept feeling like I'd had this before, and I realized it reminds me a lot of Velour Toboggan. Nice fresh raspberry upfront that melds nicely into the rich chocolatey stout underneath, it's a great mid-week easy-drinker. . . Salted Chocolate Raspberry Stout Ravens Brewing Co. 6% #day6 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #ravensbrewing #stout #raspberrystout #stoutseason #fraservalley #abbotsfordbeer #darkbeer #darkbeers #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #beersofinstagram #cheers #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 5🎄 . Having a few years' worth of calendars under your belt is a double edged sword. You have to be careful that you don't duplicate beers and sometimes miss out on big, fun annual winter releases (ie. Boreas), but it also allows you to branch out and grab new releases you may not have tried otherwise. . This is the case here. A Czech dark lager wasn't on my bingo card, but as I was grabbing this year's Boreas, this new @fourwindsbrewco release caught my eye and I knew it would break things up nicely. Robust chocolatey notes, mild, toffee-like sweetness and a bright hoppy bitterness. A little coffee, roastiness and nuttiness, it still drinks really light and clean like a pilsner. . . Antithesis Four Winds Brewing 5% - 32 IBU #day5 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #fourwinds #czechdarklager #czechstylebeer #darklager #lager #darkbeer #darkbeers #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #beersofchristmas #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #beersofinstagram #cheers #beer #bier #hoppy #hops #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 3🎄 . It seems we were spoiled for choice on @smallgodsbrewing beers this year, as they've been pumping out new and interesting beers at great intensity. Despite these calendars always being a bit stout-heavy this time of year, I had to go with this big boozy treat. . No adjuncts, no crazy barrel blending, just a big, unadulterated imperial stout with nowhere to hide. The six malt backbone more than holds up, robust, chewy with loads of chocolate, some licorice and a little dark fruit underneath. The abv is well hidden, but thankfully the flavours demand your attention enough to slow you down. . . The Last Day Small Gods Brewing 10% #day3 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #smallgodsbrewing #imperialstout #stout #darkbeers #stoutseason #yyjbeer #yyjcraftbeer #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #brewery #supportlocal #drinklocal #beersofinstagram #cheers #beer #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 2🎄 . First IPA of the calendar, and it's travelled a good distance to join the party. . With good provincial distribution, you're likely to find @ferniebrewingco beers almost anywhere, and as such I've had my fair share of their brews...luckily this was a new one for me, so to the calendar it went. Right off the bat, this big imperial IPA hits you over the head with all kinds of pineapple. Sweet citrus, melon and a healthy resinous bitterness, help deliver a smooth, balanced IPA. . . Free Fall Fernie Brewing Co. 8% #day2 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #imperialIPA #DIPA #IPA #ferniebrewing #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #brewery #beersofinstagram #cheers #beer #onehoppybrewd
🎄Beervent Calendar Day 1🎄 . My apologies in advance to everyone following along at home for bombarding you with advent calendar beers over the next 25 days. We'll see how well I keep up this year, but excited for the mix of new(ish) beers from across the province, celebrating BC craft beer. . And what a way to kick off the calendar! Arguably the most beautiful can art of the whole calendar, with three foedre-aged @driftwoodbrewery birds of prey to choose from, I couldn't escape the hawkish stare of this can. Without reading the details, the red wine influence came through upfront alongside the deep cherry, berry fruitiness. Subtle bretty funk, mild oak and fresh, yet restrained sourness delivers exactly what it says it does. Got the kriek sitting in the wings, but so far this is a series of sours you don't want to miss. . . Obscuritas Driftwood Brewery 6.7% #day1 #beerventcalendar #adventcalendar #obscuritas #driftwood #sourbeer #barrelagedbeer #barrelaged #foedre #yyjbeer #yyjcraftbeer #vancouverisland #victoriacraftbeer #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #cheers #beer #onehoppybrewd
Mezclar Monday . The herons are usually mainstays on the timber rafts along our river walks, but of course, when you need them for a photo, they're nowhere to be seen. With the weather getting colder, the girls are bundling up more, but dad's warming up from the inside out by reaching for the darker beers. . Leave the wax-topped bottles at home, how nice is it to have a canned option for @fremontbrewing barrel-aged goodies. Mezclar offers up a nice barrel-aged cuvee of BBADS and porter, bringing a nice big bourbon experience. While it doesn't have the same thick body of a normal BBADS, it still delivers lots of chocolate, vanilla caramel and dark fruits, with the porter helping cut it down to a more manageable solo drink. . . Mezclar Barrel-Aged Cuvee Fremont Brewing 10.1% #mezclar #cuvee #fremont #bbads #barrelaged #BAbeer #stout #imperialstout #porter #darkbeers #independentcraftbeer #craftbeer #craftbeerlife #seattlebeer #pnwbeer #WAcraftbeer #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
Lest we forget . Today we remember and honour those who sacrificed so much for the life and freedoms we enjoy. It is an especially poignant reminder of the cost of war and the importance of striving for peace. . With poppies being the symbol of remembrance, it only felt right to crack a can of @lostabbey Red Poppy. Just a real solid Flanders, tart yet bright with deep, juicy cherry taking center stage. A bit of tannic oak and earthiness round things out with a dry finish and no distracting sweetness. . . Red Poppy Ale The Lost Abbey 6.5% #lestweforget #remembranceday #poppy #flanders #flandersred #lostabbey #independentcraftbeer #craftbeer #uscraftbeer #californiacraftbeer #californiabeer #beerstagram #beer #brewery #onehoppybrewd
Knock knock, trick or treat! . Look at these double scoops arriving on our doorstep! Didn't have to look too hard for this year's costume & beer pairing, when I saw this new Double Scoop collab from @fieldhousebrewing and @bantericecream . @abeautifulyonder painstakingly crafted waffle cone hats and hand-stitched sprinkles to these cute little double scoops all week, so finally time to enjoy the fruits of her labour. . But how's the beer? Nails the idea of apple pie, with natural apple flavour, warm baking spices and a creamy, vanilla body. Perfect level of sour with a complimentary sweetness on the finish, respecting the tartness while elevating the apple fruitiness. . Stay safe out there everyone, Happy Halloween! . . Double Scoop Apple Pie Field House Brewing x Banter Ice Cream 5.1% #HalloweenBeer #ApplePieSour #FieldHouse #fraservalley #drinklocal #supportlocal #bccraftbeer #craftbeer #craftbeers #craftbeernotcrap #craftnotcrap #beersofinstagram #beerstagram #cheers #beer #bier #onehoppybrewd
👻All Hallows Eve...Eve👻 . I think Rosie's going to be a bit sad once Halloween has passed, as she's become used to sleeping under the watchful eye of her string of ghosties above her bed this month. Still, she couldn't be more excited today as she went off to the pre-school costume party that she's got only one more sleep til Halloween. . Fantôme Saison has been a bucket list beer of mine for a long time, but after finally securing a bottle this summer, thought I'd use these wee ghosties as an excuse to crack it. And all I can say is WOW! It is like a fuller, more complex Saison Dupont without the super dry finish. Yeasty, funk forward, fruity and moderately sweet with just the perfect balance of spice. Orange peel, baking spices, straw, barnyard funk, this had me wishing I had ordered a case of it. They say batch variation is high with Fantôme leading to a bit of bottle roulette, but based on this, it sits firmly in the top 5 saisons I've ever had. . . Fantôme Saison Brasserie Fantôme 8% #FantomeSaison #Fantôme #saisonislife #saison #HalloweenBeers #Halloween #belgianbeer #belgianbeers #belgiancraftbeer #craftbeers #craftbeernotcrap #craftnotcrap #beersofinstagram #beerstagram #cheers #beers #beer #beerlife #bier #onehoppybrewd
💀🕷️🎃Freaky Friday🎃🕷️💀 . Just like S̵t̵r̵a̵n̵g̵e̵ Dead Fellows' haunted brewhouse (that kicks off today), things are starting to get eerie around our house too. Well, as eerie as the kids will permit at least, with little halloween decorations here and there. . What better accompaniment than this black lager from @strangefellowsbrewing . It's still easy-drinking despite having a robust body, full of roasty malts and a strong chocolatey backbone. Hints of coffee, smoke and a bit of dark fruit add lots of dimension, making for a really satisfying Halloween crusher. . . Psychopomp Black Lager Dead S̵t̵r̵a̵n̵g̵e̵ Fellows Brewing 5.1% #HalloweenBeer #FreakyFriday #KeepItStrange #StrangeFellows #blacklager #lager #yeastvan #eastvancraftbeer #vancouvercraftbeer #yvrcraftbeer #vancitybeer #bccraftbeer #craftbeer #beersofinstagram #beerstagram #cheers #beer #bier #onehoppybrewd
Fresh Hop Friday . It seems like we're hitting peak fresh hop releases in BC right now, and thankfully all the stalwarts were out early and drinking great. . It seems to mark the unofficial kick-off to fall to hunt down @driftwoodbrewery Sartori Harvest. No two years are ever the same with the fresh hops showcasing different hop growing conditions, yet there is a consistency to them that is hard to beat. The past couple of years, I've picked up a distinct blueberry note which I didn't pick up this year, but that same bright citrus, pithy grapefruit and grassy, resinous bitterness are all on display, and arguably tastier than the last two years. Lots more fresh hops to come, hope you're out hunting them all down (if they're your thing) but if you want to stick to the classics, this one's for you! . . Sartori Harvest IPA Driftwood Brewery 7% #freshhopfriday #freshhop #sartoriharvest #sartori #driftwood #IPA #hoppyfriday #yyjbeer #victoriacraftbeer #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #craftbeerlovers #beersofinstagram #cheers #beer #bier #onehoppybrewd
How is it Wednesday and I'm still eating turkey? . After a chaotic last few years which saw us largely abandon big holiday meals, we finally got around to hosting a Thanksgiving dinner this weekend, and while that maple bourbon-basted bird was a hit on Saturday, I am fully ready to give up turkey until next October after endless leftovers. . Perhaps I'd feel differently had I just decided to buy the magnum bottle of this Mystery Farmhouse from @powellbeer and @dageraadbeer as it'd have made dry, days-old turkey go down so much easier. Still, having Powell release this delicious saison ahead of turkey time, was perfect timing and a great foil for the heavy meal we had planned. Right off the bat, it reminded me of a classic Logsdon saison, but with a hint of Dageraad yeast expression and bright yet robust body. Dry lemon, green apple, soft funk and a really nice minerality, if you like saison/farmhouse ales, grab yourself a bottle while they last. . . Mystery Farmhouse Powell Brewing × Dageraad Brewing 6.8% #happythanksgiving #thanksgiving #powellbrewing #dageraadbrewing #farmhouseale #farmhouse #saison #saisonislife #mixedfermentation #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #craftbeer #yeastvan #eastvancraftbeer #yvrbeer #craftbeerlovers #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
🇨🇦🍻Canadian Beer Day🍻🇨🇦 . The leaves are changing, the garden's turning over and look who was sneaking through the leaves to rear its beestly head. . What better celebration of Canadian craft beer than this triple IPA from @strangefellowsbrewing which has been fuelling me through the kickoff to Fall here in BC. Big and boozy with good balance, there's lots of tropical fruitiness to compliment the piney west coast vibes. Smooth and dangerously easy-drinking, you be(e)st keep your wits about you while consuming this. . . Beest Triple EyePA Strange Fellows Brewing 10% - 90 IBU #CanadianBeerDay #HereForBeer #KeepItStrange #StrangeFellows #TIPA #IIIPA #IPA #yeastvan #eastvancraftbeer #vancouvercraftbeer #yvrcraftbeer #bccraftbeer #craftbeer #canadiancraftbeer #canadabeer #beersofinstagram #beerstagram #cheers #beer #bier #onehoppybrewd
🎉And just like that, Áine's one!🎉 . I'm not exactly sure what vortex we tumbled down, but the last 12 months have evaporated in the blink of an eye. Probably accelerated by the endless energy of a 4 year old preventing us from giving Áine our undivided attention (second born problems amiright?!) but here we are celebrating this sweet, feisty, perpetually-tousled-haired little gem's first birthday. Mama set her up with her own personalized golden-topped cake, so it only felt fitting to gild it with some gold of my own with my last @kingsanddaughters can from our trip last month. . Bringing what seems like every hop known to humankind, this DIPA explodes with juicy tropical fruits and citrus. Sweet navel orange, pineapple and mango with a touch of coconut and a slightly dank finish, it's pillowy soft and delicious. Perfect celebratory beer, sorry kiddo, you've still got 18 more birthdays before you're joining me, so enjoy that applesauce cake! . . Gilded NE-style Double IPA Kings and Daughters Brewing 8% #somanyedibleflowers #birthdaybeer #doubleIPA #DIPA #nationalbeerloversday #thirstythursday #kingsanddaughters #washingtoncraftbeer #WAcraftbeer #seattlecraftbeer #pnwbeer #pnw #summerbeers #independentcraftbeer #uscraftbeer #americancraftbeer #beersofinstagram #instabeer #craftbeer #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
Really, who doesn't love raspberries! . It may not be a hammock, but cramming in as much sunshine time as I can on the patio before the grey and wet of the Fall sets in. Held onto a few @smallponybarrelworks beers after they closed their taproom, but had to save this bottle for some hammock weather. . This crams so much juicy raspberry in, that you forget it's Small Pony and it's a sour. As it warms, it develops a pleasant pucker, but the hibiscus and rose hips add an earthy floral character that compliments the raspberry nicely. Hope you're all savouring the last rays of sunshine too! . . Hammock Weather Small Pony Barrel Works 3.9% - 4 IBU #hammockweather #smallpony #barrelaged #goldensour #sour #fruitedsour #sourbeer #labourday #longweekendbeer #summerbeers #ontariocraftbeer #ontariobeer #ONcraftbeer #canadiancraftbeer #craftbeer #craftnotcrap #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
Who needs the cooler space more? A pint of raspberries or a growler? Why not both! . My love for Die in Haze is well established, so I was extra excited that @structuresbrewing still had Raspberry Die in Haze on draft on our way down to the campground. However with growler fills only, and a cold stuffing up my senses, the growler got split up over days (not a bad idea at 10.2%) until my tastebuds were fully functioning on day 3. . The raspberry meshed perfectly with the fruity, boozy kick of the original DiH with big, juicy natural berry taking centre stage. So much so, that I couldn't help but feel like the raspberry sort of papered over the little things that make the original amazing. Don't get me wrong this was fantastic as a raspberry fruited IPA, and the ripe, tropical fruits were still there, but for me it was missing the magic of the original DiH. A solid case of 'splitting hairs'....if you took my love for DiH out of the equation, this is probably in the top-5 raspberry beers I've had. . . Raspberry Die in Haze Structures Brewing 10.2% #DieInHaze #structuresbrewing #TIPA #IIIPA #IPA #bellinghambeer #washingtoncraftbeer #WAcraftbeer #bellinghamcraftbeer #pnwbeer #pnw #summerbeers #campingbeers #independentcraftbeer #uscraftbeer #americancraftbeer #beersofinstagram #instabeer #craftbeer #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
"It's called a Purple Adrondac flower Dad" "Wow, that's beautiful! How could you tell it was an Adrondac?" "I know all the flowers, I learned about them when I went to flower school...pretend flower school" (Rosie's been an 'authority' on a great many things lately, but somehow has the wherewithal to preface that her asserted expertise is usually 'pretend') Perhaps Sarah Simon's book would've come in handy in identifying the real flower that emerges from these berries (my wife's fairly certain it was a wild rose...probably Woods' Rose), but I loved the confidence in Rosie's assertion that it was called an 'Adrondac'. With all the 'rules' that come with living in the heart of a bustling city, letting her loose in nature really brings out the little 'wild rose' in her. . With circumstances forcing a few delays on new @kingsanddaughters beer, I made sure to grab as many new releases as I could while we were camping. This fruited IPA was a perfect accompaniment to beachwalks with Rosie. A super soft, slightly dank delivery of peach and apricot, with just a hint of lemon adding a bright, refreshing contrast to the fruit. . . Flora & Fauna Kings and Daughters Brewing 6% #fruitedIPA #IPA #hazyIPAday #thirstythursday #kingsanddaughters #washingtoncraftbeer #WAcraftbeer #seattlecraftbeer #pnwbeer #pnw #summerbeers #campingbeers #independentcraftbeer #uscraftbeer #americancraftbeer #beersofinstagram #instabeer #craftbeer #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
When camping, make sure to squeeze in some fruits and veggies amongst the camp grub! . Had some beermail to pick up in Blaine last week, so we decided to take the kids on an impromptu camping trip out of it to make sure the 11L of beer wouldn't look totally out of place coming back across the border. Chalk it up to work burnout, frenzied packing or too many late nights, but sure enough who picked up the kid's cold (multiple tests indicated it wasn't worse)? This guy! That first day of camping is always chaotic with packing, driving, site set-up and kid meals/bedtimes, but with a cold in tow, I was downright beat! . So once everything was set up, I took my health into my own hands and made sure I got my smoothie on thanks to the maestros at @drekkerbrewing (and Elizabeth Station who thankfully still had this). Smoothie sours are not always my jam, but Drekker know what they're doing and this was thick and full of fruit and the perfect remedy. The orange and raspberry were most prominent with some fibrous pineapple rounding things out. I fully expected more sweetness with the vanilla and lactose, but you hardly can tell they're in there (maybe tamed by the sea salt which is just imperceptibly there) and act more to accentuate the fruitiness. I have no idea if it (or me falling asleep in my camp chair at 9:30pm) helped kick the cold, but it was one of the best smoothie sours I've had. . . Braaaaaaaains - Midwest Sunrise Drekker Brewing Company 6% #smoothiesour #smoothie #drekker #fruitedsour #summerbeers #campingbeers #pastrysour #sourbeer #independentcraftbeer #uscraftbeer #americancraftbeer #beersofinstagram #instabeer #craftbeer #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
🍻Happy IPA Day!🍻 . Last weekend we took Áine out for her first hike (can't believe it took us 10 months, but that just encapsulates the chaos that is life with small children) and while it was just to Quarry Rock, I learned that the natural age for a child to stop being carried in a hiking backpack is 4 (she was game for portions, but there were a lot of stairs/elevation gain for her). Between the weight of said 4 year old + carrier on my back and the extra 'plump' I seem to be carrying in the form of 'dad bod', I think my body still aches from my camel-duties. Thankfully I had this @greatnotion hazy IPA to quench my thirst and ease my pain on the way back down. . Plump is like a greatest hits collection of citra and mosaic. Dank and juicy, it drinks pillowy soft and goes down way too easy. Lots of sweet navel orange and tropical mango fruitiness with a balancing, pithy grapefruit peel adding a pleasant compliment to the juiciness. Thanks to @perry604 for hooking me up with this one! . . Plump Great Notion Brewing 7% #nationalIPAday #hoppyIPAday #IPAday #hazyIPA #IPA #thirstythursday #greatnotion #pnwbeer #oregoncraftbeer #oregonbeer #independentcraftbeer #craftbeer #hikingbeers #trailbeers #instabeer #beersofinstagram #beer #cheers #onehoppybrewd
I think all this sad clown needed was his hat! . Most who know me, know I'm not big on birthdays (maybe I just dislike the attention), however when that phone blows up with well-wishes, I often feel like the sad clown (who apparently just wants more beer). However with kids in the mix, they're almost more excited to throw you a party, than you are to have one - Rosie's been bursting all week with surprise details of dinner plans, what she's written in the card or wrapped in the gift - that you can't help but perk up a bit. . We had these handmade birthday hats left over from Rosie's party, so thought this clown needed a hat. I've wanted to try Sook since it was last imported into BC a few years ago, so while we were visiting @stillwellbrewing on our trip back east, I had to make sure I brought a bottle home with us. This grisette is all kinds of crushable. Bright with a refreshing kick of lemon zest, bretty funk and floral noble hops. Dry and crisp, it's perfect for this hot weather with a low abv that you could drink this all day! . . Sook Stillwell Brewing 4.1% #birthdaybeers #grisette #farmhouseale #saison #summerbeers #stillwell #novascotiacraftbeer #novascotiabeer #nscraftbeer #halifaxcraftbeer #halifaxbeer #canadabeer #craftbeer #craftbeerlife #craftbeerlovers #instabeer #beer #bier #cheers #onehoppybrewd
Dude chilling in Bruges....and a Dude Chilling in Bruges . Wayback Wednesday (almost 6 years to the day) to when we visited @brouwerijdehalvemaan in Bruges (pre-children) and I got to actually be a dude chilling in Bruges. No surprise, when I saw this belgian take on a @rbbrewing classic, I had to drink it in much the same way....although I'm sure @abeautifulyonder would agree I'm much less 'dudely' and the 'chilling' was debatable with two children crying in the background. . Nevertheless, this Belgian pale ale is light, easy drinking with a nice citrusy body and distinctly belgiany esters bringing in those slight peppery, pear notes. In many ways, I'd say it tastes similar to the Brugse Zot that followed the Straffe Hendrik in that photo on their patio. . . Dude Chilling in Bruges R&B Brewing 5.2% - 40 IBU #waybackwednesday #dudechilling #belgianpaleale #paleale #belgianinspired #rbbrewing #bruges #yeastvan #eastvancraftbeer #yvrbeer #yvrcraftbeer #vancouvercraftbeer #craftbeer #bccraftbeer #bcbeer #beer #cheers #craftbeerlife #supportlocal #drinklocal #onehoppybrewd
Sometimes you don't need a reason for a treat! . Last day in Nova Scotia and while I work through the last few NS beers, we had to toast our hosts with one of the beers I brought with us on the trip. North of the border we are stuck with just the original BCBS, so when you can get your hands on a variant along your travels, you just say yes! Having already tried this 2021 Cola one previously, this bottle has sat waiting for the right time, space and company. Plus it works well as a toast to our friends south of the border celebrating the 4th of July. . This @gooseisland Cola Bourbon County Brand Stout has mellowed a bit since we had it last summer, but if anything it has just gained more of the fudgy chocolate of the original. It still has that citrusy, winter spice, demerara hit of the cola alongside the smooth milk chocolate fudge and slight oakiness. Happy fourth to our friends to the south, have a safe holiday! . . Bourbon County Brand Classic Cola Stout (2021) Goose Island Brewing 14% #bcbs #bcbsvariant #bcbs2021 #gooseisland #independenceday #julythefourth #fourthofjuly #bourboncoutybrandstout #imperialstout #stout #barrelaged #barrelagedbeer #chicagobeer #beer #beerlovers #beerphoto #americanbeer #onehoppybrewd