beernesday

My latest feature in The Growler magazine is a timely little piece about why you won't easily find yourself on a craft beer patio  in Vancouver this summer.  (click the link, or see below) I found myself a great place to drink beer outdoors this past weekend - Folkfest at Jericho Beach.  True, it is where I find myself this time every year, but it struck me particularly hard this year after writing my Growler article about the lack of patios that there I was, enjoying a beer (or three) outdoors while listening to some fabulous music.  We need more of that in Vancouver.  It's a shame it takes someone a whole lot of hard work to get a special event licence to offer me that opportunity. Folkfest has always been a magical event for me, long before they added a beer garden.  And it is arguably a very different festival now that they have.  The beer garden is a laid-back place to have some beverages, chat with friends and make new ones, all while being s...

due to a lack of space in the july/august edition of the bc craft beer news my lengthy article on the best craft beer patios in vancouver got truncated the whole article is available online but i'm also copying it here Summer time and the living is easy… not to mention best enjoyed on a patio! In a departure from my usual format and just in time for summer 2014, I bring you the very best patios in Vancouver for enjoying craft beer. The list starts with larger patios and beer menus and goes on down to smaller (but no less enjoyable) venues, with smaller beer menus. Only the heat and the hours available to you will limit your time on these patios, so there is no rating system in this round of reviews. Enjoy! Patio drinking tips: Look for session ales—those tasty lower alcohol beers that enable you to spend a long ‘session’ on a patio. Drink water! Go for a rinse cycle after every beer; your body will love you for it. Keep your drink out of the sunlight—no one likes a beer t...

here are my notes from yesterday's beer column on sessionable beers on cbc radio one's on the coast with stephen quinn: Spring/Summer beers aka what the heck is a session beer anyway?! Coming up on May 10 th is Camra Vancouver's second annual Spring Sessional.   The general definition of a sessionable beer as interpreted by Camra Vancouver is one “brewed to be low in alcohol (4.5% or less) without sacrificing flavour or the malt to hop balance, resulting in an extremely drinkable beer. The purpose of these beers is to allow repeated consumption over a long session without overwhelming the palate or coherence of the imbiber”. In other words, tasty beers low enough in alcohol not to get you intoxicated before you finish the first half of it! Session beers are really a natural progression in craft beer, and a return to old days.  Historically in Europe beer was the beverage of workers – quaffed during the work day - and you can’t have the workers getting all l...

oh happy sunny day in vancouver! spring is in the air! and that makes me think of beer okay, everything makes me think of beer new seasonals coming out wearing beer tshirts without a hoodie over them trying to lose those 10 lbs of winter beer weight so i can fit back into those beer tshirts drinking on patios east side beer fest washington cask beer festival vegas craft beer fest cider riot party in portland bring it on!

parallel 49 is just over a year old, but they've already expanded several times and brewmaster graham with has become a media darling interactive beer labels! craft beer lounge update from inside vancouver what's in your beer?  some ingredients in macrobrewed beer may surprise you yet another reason to drink craft beer instead (suggestion:  gloss over the part where she talks about the evils of alcohol on diets and go straight for the scary chart at the bottom of the article) my friend lynn's article for the bc craft beer news about how to pair your craft beer with food the best patios in vancouver, some of which actually serve craft beer beer education in vancouver get schooled while you drink beer that is a win-win situation if i ever saw one! collaboration brews - where creativity meets marketing (and the true spirit of craft brewing comes alive)

i had the pleasure of visiting the deep cove brewers and distillers' in-progress site on thursday they held a bit of an open house for media folks its not the easiest place to get to via transit, but i persevered and, once you get out there, you can visit bridge brewing as well, pretty much across the street (in this case the streets are dollarton highway and forester in north vancouver) beer is always worth the effort of travel! she's in a rough state right now, but the brewery has got good bones! the brewery section is coming along well, with most of the equipment in place and they should be able to begin brewing in the next week or so but the boiler room is empty, there are barrels stacked around equipment and the custom bar (which is gorgeous) is on a pallet that's today though the owners expect to be serving you in their tasting room and on the patio by the end of june the tasting room and patio will not be large, but that's okay, there are plenty of...

looking for a patio in vancouver on which to sip your beer? never fear, the province has you covered (or in this case, uncovered!) #IPADay approacheth - what to pair with your ipa ? how about oysters!? need something to do in vancouver on september 21st? how about beerlesque II ?

Hooker's Green at the New Oxford - Now Open If you follow the newly fabricated winding raw metal staircase down from the library at the New Oxford, you will be greeted by the dimly lit games area of the newest addition to the Donnelly Group Public Houses, Hooker's Green. Not to be mistaken with ladies of the night, Hooker¹s Green takes its name from a unique shade of green, created by 18th century botanical artist William J. Hooker. The space is complimented by a large covered patio, a massive wooden bar, its own library and of course a well-stocked and stimulating cocktail and beer menu. Open seven days a week from 4pm, Hooker's Green offers a menu of locally sourced modern pub fare and a selection of 14 rotating craft beers on tap. For more info please visit us at www.donnellygroup.ca Hooker's Green 1141 Hamilton Street p. 604.669.4848 Sun – Thur: 4:00pm – 1:00am ...

pivo currently has the driftwood ale as one of their two taps we hit them up for some on monday night, when pitchers are just $10.95 and hey, did you know that they have a patio now?  nice addition! driftwood says this about their north west style ale: A Northwest-style pale ale that presents with the aromas of light citrus and hops blending with a soft & mild malt body and an exceptionally clean & crisp finish. Refreshing from start to finish!  Dry and restrained malt character allows the hops to shine through in this quintessential example of a beer style our region is famous for. Food Pairings Salads with plenty of bitter greens (arugula, watercress, m ustard greens) Grassy cheeses like Bleu d’Auvergne, Reblochon and  Gruyere. Seafood such as prawns, crab, halibut or cod. delightfully hoppy such a great beer! i wanted an ipa (of course) but a $10.95 pitcher?  couldn't pass that up... luckily alison remembered that we have enjoyed the driftwood a...

The Charlatan on commercial drive boasts 15 shiny taps. they say:  "The Charlatan is Commercial Drive’s best Gastro-Pub. Offering 15 fresh tap beers with 12 imports, its the best place to enjoy the perfect pint. The relaxing 80 seat south-facing patio is East Vancouver's crowning jewel. The contemporary downstairs bar is hidden away from the busy street and is ideal for relaxation, experiencing our inspired menu and a cocktail with friends." and sure, i'd say its the best gastro-pub on the drive.  the food is upscale pub grub and darned delicious (the tuna bites make me swoon).  and the beer offerings are quite sufficient and varied.  the bathrooms aren't amazing, but for the drive, they're darned good! but... lately they've got the same service issues as st. augustine's pub - uninterested and slow servers. i'm not sure if this is a terrible trend going on in the service industry right now, or if i'm just unlucky enough to keep finding th...