beer column

my notes from yesterday's beer column on cbc radio one's on the coast with stephen quinn:

Because the holiday season is upon us, and everyone has a beer lover on their list, here are some gift ideas for everyone who didn’t purchase a beer advent calendar in time!

Beer tour gift certificates:
Vancouver Brewery Tours
www.vancouverbrewerytours.com
604-318-2280
Hop in the van and get squired around town!  Enjoy a three hour tour of three breweries.  The breweries on each tour vary, and include Deep Cove and Bridge Brewing in North Vancouver; Storm, Parallel 49 and Bomber Brewing in East Vancouver; and Sunday tours now include Brassneck Brewing.  $69 gets you a van ride, behind the scenes tours and beer samples at the three breweries, and a really nice souvenir pint glass.  Tours run year round Thurs-Sun at noon and Saturdays at 4:00 on select dates.  They also offer private tours for up to 14 people.
Aaaand, they have a DineOut tour on January 16 and 17 that includes a tour of two craft breweries and three artisan food stops.  You’ll visit the brand new Strange Fellows Brewing and Bomber Brewing plus Big Lou’s Butcher Shop, La Grotta del Formaggio, Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria and East Side Beer Food (aka Pig on the Street).  All that for $71

The Original Vancouver Food Tour
www.vancouverfoodtour.com
778-228-7932
Craft Beer ‘n Bites Tour – runs year round. For $75 you get beer and food at three Gastown locations.  The tours run weekdays at 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Friday to Sunday at 4:00 – 7:00 pm.

Or how about a gift pack:

Steel & Oak in New Westminster has a gift pack containing two pilsner glasses, a toque and a $100 gift card, all for $100;

from the steel & oak facebook page

Four Winds in Ladner has a gift box containing a mixed 4-pack of beer, a 750ml Triplicity Belgian tripel, 2 snifters, a driftwood coaster set, spiced nuts and shortbread for $100;

 

from the four winds twitter feed

Or beer clothing:

How cool are these hop leggings??? Made in Montreal, sold via TheBrewHeads.com.  They do ship to Canada.  The leggings would be $44US plus $10 shipping.  Tshirts, caps, glassware, toques.  Fun, fun, fun!



from the brewheads.com website

www.brewershirts.com has free shipping to Canada if you spend $40 at the store.  I had that amount purchased in about 2 seconds flat!  Mostly tshirts, but also stickers, glassware, bar towels and openers, etc.

If you want to shop more locally, Phillips Brewing’s online store is now open at www.Phillipsbeer.com/shop. They’ve got beer steins, hoodies, tees and hats.  Shipping costs vary by order.


Or beer gear:

I am in love with the stainless steel products at innate.com. You can't go wrong with one of their growlers or sleeves.

Steel & Oak also have spiffy red stainless growlers for sale.

from steel & oak's facebook page

Then there's always the go-to brewery gift certificates and growlers:

Most of the local breweries have gift certificates available for purchase, along with swag and growlers, and are a great place to stop in for a last minute gift purchase… while you get your own growler(s) filled!


I would like to send out big 'thank you's to the contributors to my Food Drive Gift Baskets:

Basket #1:

Stainless Steel Growler donated by Hunter Litigation Chambers
2 bottles of Ice Breaker winter ale and 2 beer glasses donated by Stanley Park Brewing
6-pack of Red Truck Ale and ball cap donated by Red Truck Brewing
1 650ml bottle of Moon Dance Mango Wheat and tshirt donated by Old Yale Brewing
2 650ml bottles of Cameron’s RPA and Sound Brewing Dubbel Entendre and HopGoblin tshirt donated by Craft Beer Importers
$50 gift certificate and beer glasses and Persephone Brewing ball cap donated by 12 Kings Pub
Tshirt donated by CAMRA Vancouver
(Estimated value, $225)

Basket #2:

6-pack of Ice Breaker winter ale and 2 beer glasses donated by Stanley Park Brewing
6-pack of Red Truck Ale and ball cap donated by Red Truck Brewing
1 650ml bottle of West Coast IPA and tshirt donated by Old Yale Brewing
2 650ml bottles of Cameron’s RPA and Sound Brewing Trippel Entendre and Eggenberg women’s tshirt donated by Craft Beer Importers
Glass growler donated by CAMRA Vancouver
(Estimated value, $100)

Basket #3

6-pack of Ice Breaker winter ale and 2 beer glasses donated by Stanley Park Brewing
6-pack of Red Truck Ale and ball cap donated by Red Truck Brewing
1 650ml bottle of Knotty Blonde Ale beer and tshirt donated by Old Yale Brewing
2 650ml bottles of Cameron’s RPA and Sound Brewing Ursus Spaelaeus and Eggenberg women’s tshirt donated by Craft Beer Importers
Glass growler donated by CAMRA Vancouver
(Estimated value, $100)

Beer picks:

Whistler Brewing Uncommon lager – 650ml bottles at private and gov't stores

Parallel 49 Toques of Hazzard white imperial ipa – available at the tasting room and bottles

Powell Street Brewery Ode to Citra pale ale - available at the tasting room and in 650ml bottles