For the first time in the six years we’ve been holding Friday staff tastings, every single one of the beers we tried (25 in all) were cans. There was not a single new arrival in a bottle of any description. Crazy, huh? There is definitely a shift toward packaging craft beer in cans, as evidenced by this week’s new arrivals from both BC and the US. This is the future of craft beer.
Powell Southern Belle Peaches & Cream 4.8% 473ml (Vancouver)
Pours a cloudy grapefruit juice colour. Fruity, herbaceous, spicy and fresh on the nose. Soft mouthfeel with notes of tart stone fruit, a hint of dried herbs and a zesty, tart finish.
Steel & Oak Weekend Plans Peach Tart Pale Ale 3.9% 473ml (New Westminster)
Pours a cloudy pale white-yellow colour. Notes of hop spice and peach jam on the nose. Dry, spicy and tart on the palate with notes of tart fruit and a bit of bitterness on the finish.
Steel & Oak Weekend Plans Passionfruit Tart Pale Ale 3.9% 473ml (New Westminster)
Pours a cloudy pale white-yellow colour. Notes of funky/cheesy passionfruit notes on the nose. Sour passionfruit, a bit of hop spice with a dry finish. Light and chuggable.
Russell White Rabbit Lemon Raz Radler 3.5% 473ml (Vancouver)
Pours a pale golden yellow colour with a hint of pink. Big fresh raspberry notes on the nose. A bit sweet on the palate with notes of fresh raspberry and zesty lemon. Light and easy-drinking with a crisp, dry finish.
D.A.B. Export Dortmunder Lager 5% 500ml (Germany)
Pours a clear pale gold colour. Sweet, rich malt notes on the nose. Round and malty on the palate with clean, crisp biscuit/cracker notes. Very smooth and easy drinking.
D.A.B. Maibock Lager 7% 500ml (Germany)
Pours a golden yellow colour. Sweet cereal/grainy malt notes on the nose. Sweet on the palate with nutty, floral cereal malt notes on the palate. Clean and malty.
Hopworks Survival Stout 5.8% 473ml (Portland, OR)
Pours a dark black colour. Notes of coffee and coffee grounds predominate. There are chocolate aromas, as well. Taste pretty much follows suit. Coffee dominates, but there are also rich grainy and nutty notes, with a bit of rye bread flavour and chocolate, as well. Mouthfeel is incredibly creamy.
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale 5.6% 473ml (Chico, CA)
Pours a copper orange colour. Notes of sweet caramel malt and fruity citrus on the nose. Good malt/hops balance with caramel sweetness and citrusy fruit. Bitter finish.
Beere Pushing Daylight French Spelt Saison 6.9% 473ml (N. Vancouver)
Pours a golden yellow colour. Bold notes of orchard fruit, citrus, spice and booze on the nose. Big and full bodied with notes of spice, stone fruit, lemony citrus and grainy malt.
Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA 6.7% 6pk (Chico, CA)
Pours a cloudy pale yellow-orange colour. Clean, fresh hop notes of tropical fruit, berries and melon on the nose. Sweet and fruity on the palate with notes of tropical fruit and a soft mouthfeel. Pleasantly bitter finish.
Stone Tangerine Express IPA 6.7% 355ml (San Diego, CA)
Pours a clear golden yellow colour. Aromas of pineapple and tangerine. Juicy tangering and pineapple noters with IPA spice notes and a bitter tangerine skin finish.