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Happy Friday!
Five random things to get us started today...
Powell Beer has $10 4-packs until Sunday.
The Alibi Room is changing ownership on December 23. Details further below.
I stumbled upon a Reddit thread asking for advice on what to get for the craft beer lover in your life. I piped in with an idea..."The Brewer's Christmas Mix-Pack." Pretty much, get one of each of the beers from our popular Mix-Pack Series, to put together an epic 12-pack of beers that are loved by the industry's best. Here are the mix-packs: Dan Webster, Samantha Lindeman, Brandon Schultz.
You know what makes for an easy, cheap Christmas gift? A subscription to the Beer Loop. It's free. In fact, if you use your custom link ⬇️⬇️⬇️. We'll give you free stuff. You give, we give. Win, win.
Four Winds is doing something we wish every brewery in BC would do: As of yesterday, all cans for sale at the brewery are available as singles so you can mix and match.
As usual, we have your Friday hit list of new beer releases and events to check out. Enjoy!
– Joseph Lavoie
FEATURED NEW BEER RELEASES
Triple Collaboration
Steel & Oak collaborated with Dageraad, Small Gods, and Whistle Buoy to make HYPE, a 4.4% Dry Irish Stout made with British Maris Otter and Heritage Winter Barley from Field 5 Farm on Vancouver Island. "We added a touch of rye malt, some flaked and roasted barley and a hint of chocolate malt for a creamy mouthfeel and a chocolatey dry roastiness."
Given the recent flurry of high-ABV winter and holiday beers, we're as hyped as the brewers to get our hands on a flavour low-ABV beer we can enjoy several of.
Available: In the tasting room at Steel & Oak, shipping BC-wide this week and next
Caffeinated Coffee Collaboration
Superflux has partnered with Ghost Roaster Coffee for the first of its new coffee stout series. As you'd guess, the new series uses coffee from local roasters. "The base beer for Drip is full-bodied with low astringency leaving room for the coffee character to shine through and create a drinkable stout with lots of flavour. The coffee selected for this version of Drip is Colombia Blanca Romo Romo, Finca El Cujacal, Castillo, Washed."
Superflux promises notes of toasted nuts, milk chocolate, brown sugar, and baking spice.
Available: In 4-packs at the brewery
A Quad
House of Funk is showcasing its brewing team's creative side. This new Brewers Series encouraged House of Funk's brewers to take chances and lean into styles that have never been done at House of Funk. The brewery is dropping one new release every week, and the first four look fantastic:
Plum Parti (3.5%) was brewed from the second runnings of a Belgian quad, naturally soured, fermented with House of Funk's house yeast and then conditioned on cinnamon sticks and Italian plums.
Aux Cord (3.0%) offers a hoppy aroma of tangerine, mango, and blueberries, finishing with a "nice stone wheat thin cracker malt backbone."
Separation Anxiety (5.0%) is an Irish Red Ale steeped in coffee. It offers a nutty roasted coffee aroma, followed by toffee malt, and sweet finish.
Cadence (8.0%) is a Bière de Garde, a style from northern France. This one is copper coloured with a honey/spiced toffee backbone. You'll get notes of leather, white pepper, rosemary, and poached pear with a dry finish.
Available: In the taproom, online, and select stores
ADDITIONAL BEER RELEASES
Ales
🍊Parkside is releasing Disco Granny, an Orange Marmalade Ale, available today.
🍍Neighbourhood Brewing and Twin Sails partnered to create a new White IPA that mashes up old school hops and tropical hops with notes of pineapple, banana, and vanilla.
🍊Slackwater also has a new White IPA this week. This one features Citra, Mandarina Bavaria, coriander, orange peel, and Thiol Libre yeast.
🥧The latest limited release out of Old Yale is its English Toffee Amber Ale, with notes of dried fig and pie crust.
🧙🏽Backcountry is out with a new Citra IPA called Don’t Let The Muggles Get You Down. Available today.
🇬🇧 Camp Beer Co. and Steel & Oak collaborated on an English Ordinary Bitter made with new world hops.
Stouts and Porters
🥣 North Point is adding to the holiday stout list with a new cereal milk stout made with Frosted Flakes. Here's video proof.
🥥 Farmhouse's latest stout is of coconut, cinnamon, and vanilla.
🥥 Brewhall used liquid coconut (I had no clue that was a thing...) for a creamy coconut stout with notes of rich espresso. Exclusively on tap.
Sours, Seasonal Beers and Others
🍊 Field House was inspired by the lively cocktail and has a new sparkling citrus mimosa sour, now available.
🍰 Field House also released its Neapolitan Dessert Stout this week, a fruited sour made with strawberries.
🍫 Land and Sea is celebrating its 4-year anniversary with New Moon Winter Porter, a chocolate raspberry porter.
IN THE NEWS
The Alibi Room is changing hands next week
One of Vancouver's original craft beer meccas is about to undergo a significant change. Victoria-based hospitality group Four Top will be taking over the family business from Nigel and Kerry Springthorpe, Raya Audet and Chef Greg Armstrong on December 23.
The Scout reports that what makes the Alibi room so endearing will remain intact, including the spectacular 50-tap beer list. When I was a Torontonian making frequent business trips to Vancouver, the Alibi room was my refuge. We had nothing like it in Toronto and it has maintained a soft spot in my heart. Perhaps you'll join me at the bar next Thursday for a toast to the end of an era?
Nigel posted this goodby letter earlier this week.
MIX IT UP
Brandon Schultz' Curated Mix-Pack
Ever wonder what BC's brewers enjoy drinking? No need to wonder. Persephone's Brandon Schultz shared his BC Mix Pack with us this week. Get his list here.
UPCOMING EVENTS
This Weekend
🎶 Copper Brewing has live music tonight from 5-8pm, featuring Nevaeh Dyson doing covers from the 60s to the 2000s.
✨ Fern and Cedar is turning one this weekend, and brewmaster DJ Yeastie Boy is mixing funky tunes from 5-8pm tonight.
🎤 Galaxie Brewing will play host to three comedians for a night of comedy tonight.
🎶 Ben Cottrill is playing at Old Yale tonight, from 6-9pm.
🥞 North Point is turning three with a pancake brunch on Sunday.
Not This Weekend
🎤 Container Brewing is hosting a comedy night on December 20. $12 tickets, with proceeds going to the Greater Food Bank.
🧶 Deep Cove invites you to wear your best ugly Christmas sweater for a party on December 22. Music, Santa, mulled wine, and festive activities.
🧑🎄 Gladstone is hosting a "Tibs Eve" ugly Christmas sweater party on December 23.
📽️ Fuggles is screening Star Wars in the tap room on December 23.
🧘 Patina Brewing is hosting a mindful beer tasting yoga class monthly on Saturdays. The next sessions are on December 17, January 28, February 18, and March 11. Container Brewing is also offering Beer Yoga sessions on January 15 and February 25.
🎆 Patina Brewing is putting on a New Year's Eve Party. You're encouraged to book a spot in advance. $10 per person. Beacon Brewing is also putting on a NYE party with live music and food trucks on standby.
🍽️ Persephone is hosting a 4-course dinner to ring in the new year. Call the tasting room to reserve your spot. (778) 462-3007 (ext 2). Menu.
GAME TIME
Last week we brought you a holiday-inspired Wordle, asking you to name a Christmas spice. The answer? Nutmeg.
This week we wonder why this appropriately-hued beer style isn't considered a holiday beer.
BEER QUESTIONS
Got a question about beer? Let us know and it could be answered in the next newsletter.