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The Weekend Guide: Bakers, plums and daisy days
Festivals, sour events, brewery parties all feature this week
Joseph Lavoie
June 24, 2022
Happy Friday!
I get the joy of writing to you from Portland where I'm spending the next four days. A soccer tournament may have brought me here, but I'm going to take advantage of it to make a dent in this Best of Portland list. Don't be envious though — there are plenty of great events to check out this weekend!
- Joseph Lavoie
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WHAT TO DRINK THIS WEEKEND
Plum Sour
Forgive us for leading with a sour for the second straight weekend, but this one looks incredible and we just had to make it our weekend drink of choice because it is incredibly enticing with its deep purple hues and packed with aromas of aged plum and blackberry. Plus it aged for years on oak and sports robust tannins and grape acidity. Bring yourself to the bridge between beer and wine.
Where to get it: Available in 500 ml bottles and on top at both locations. Available in stores soon.
Chilliwack Location: #102-9251 Woolly Dog Alley | Map
Abbotsford Location: 2281 W. Railway Ave. | Map
WHERE TO GO
Featured Brewery: Bakery Brewing
With so many breweries stacked one next to the other, Port Moody's Brewers' Row makes for the perfect brewery hopping experience. One of the places worth stopping into is Bakery Brewing which is always serving up fresh experiments.
Here's a review of our recent visit to the brewery:
Reason to visit the taproom: A beautiful tap room awaits you, with cozy booths that are equipped with electrical and USB outlets for all your charging needs. The bar area showcases the barrels that have a strong influence on many of the beers you'll enjoy. Some taprooms are purposefully beautiful and this one invites you to spend an extended session in comfort.
The beer: You come here to try the latest experiment on tap. Expect an adventure and expect to push your taste buds into new directions. While not every option will be a home run, we love the creative direction Bakery has taken, and love going along for the ride.
What to try: With the menu changing as frequently as it does, we'll limit our recommendation to a beer that is currently on the menu, and one we showcased in the new releases we shared on Tuesday: the cherry rosé sour. 🍒
Food: This being Brewers' Row, you'll have plenty of food truck options along the strip, especially on weekends.
Patio seating. The patio seats a comfortable number of patrons and feels integrated as part of the full experience at the brewery. Plus, those views...
Location: 2617 Murray St., Port Moody, BC | Map
Read our other reviews:
North Point Brewing has a lodge-like ambiance, a unique Hefeweizen and awesome pizza.
Container Brewing for a relaxed lounge, their hazy IPA and a food truck offering chicken/eggplant parmesan.
THE LAST WORD
Justin's "Good Tier" is here
The ratings-palooza is nearing its end with the release of the second-best tier of breweries, according to popular Twitter personality, Justin McElroy. The latest batch of the so-called "Good Tier," breweries ranked 31st to 50th.
What Geoff thinks: Beer Farmers is a top-notch choice. Quite possible one of the most scenic brewery locations in BC and as Justin says, it's absolutely worth the trek.
They also have a poutine truck which I have to say, is on par with what you find out east (apologies to any of our Quebecois readers).
What Joseph thinks: I was glad to see Locality rank well, coming in at 31. Locality is trying something very tough: making beers that are hyper-local, using ingredients from their own property, including malts.
That might sound like par for the course, but BC does not have a huge number of malt farms or maltsters and many breweries rely on important malt. Combine the local focus with a wonderful rural/creek setting, and this new brewery is one to watch.
WHAT TO DO
Daisy Days at Studio Brewing
Starting tonight, Studio Brewing is hosting a large block party and makers market to celebrate the community, local vendors, and naturally, beer. Daisy Days features a beer-garden experience, giving you the ability to enjoy your beer as you walk about checking out the 20+ vendors on display. Expect giveaways, live music, and games.
Details: June 24 and 25, 4 to 9 pm
Music: Live music from 4 to 9 pm, featuring local group Table Tutors and a Korean funk band.
Food: featuring Jerkshack on Friday, Henry's Hip Eats on Saturday
Location: 5792 Beresford St., Burnaby | Map
Squamish Beer Festival
It's already here! the Squamish Beer Festival kicks off tomorrow featuring 55+ craft breweries promising to showcase new releases, backed up by food trucks, DJs, live music, games, and a variety of vendors. Live in Van but want to attend? The Squamish Connector is doing a special shuttle leaving from the Hyatt Hotel on Melville Street, starting at 1130am, and returning at 730pm. All in, it's $38 for the return fare. Cheaper than gas, amiright?
Details: June 25, 1 to 7 pm
Tickets: $45 for pre-purchase, $50 for day-of. Available on the festival website.
Location: In the heart of downtown Squamish | Map
Sour in the Suburbs
Another Beer Co. is celebrating its third year with a sour festival featuring new releases and guest beers. Among the new releases: a White IPA collaboration with Dageraad, a heavily fruited sour collaboration with Sad Magazine, and a yuzu-fruited sour collaboration with Sun Down Beer. Plus beers from Ile Sauvage Brewing, Temporal, Strong Fellows, and Luppolo Brewing.
Details: June 25, 12 to 8 pm
Tickets: Free, beer tokens purchased as needed
Food: The Jerk Shack
Music: @liarsradio will keep the vibes going along with a pop-up record vinyl shop co-hosted by @ecs_records. Live performances by @mama_kandee (3 to 5 pm) and @anotherbandco (6 to 8 pm)
Summer Solstice Sesh Fruit and Sour Beer Fest
Head on over to Luppolo Brewing to enjoy a full tap list takeover of wild and sour beers. The list will include fruited sours, collaborations with other breweries and limited one-off kegs of barrel-aged beers. To round it out, Luppolo will also be releasing exclusive bottles. If I wasn't in Portland this weekend, this is where you'd find me.
What else?: Live music, super secret pizza pop-up, and palate cleansers.
Tickets: Free
Location: 1123 Venables St., Vancouver | Map
Steel and Oak's 8th Birthday Celebration
Steel and Oak is turning eight and we're all invited to the party. Food from Top Rope Birria, Sirius Craving smash burgers and Rocks Point Ice Cream. Music, lawn games, and kid-friendly activities. Your pooch is also welcome!
Details: June 26, 12-5pm
Tickets: Free
Location: 1319 3rd Ave, New Westminster | Map
Whistlemania 2022
The Whistle Buoy Brewing Company is celebrating its birthday with beer gardens, giveaways and performances by Alle, Neighbourly, Juice, The Projectors, and Downtown Mischief. The organizers are also promising "some high flying, breathtaking, way entertainment." Food by Wandering Mollush, Los Panas Kitchen, and Hey Happy.
Details: June 25, 2 to 10 pm
Tickets: $55
Location: 560 Johnson St., Victoria | Map
More events this weekend
Friday: Fridays at the Station at Victoria Beer Society in Langford
Saturday: Storm Summer Loading Dock Party in Vancouver
Saturday: Pride Mixer at Gladstone in Comox
Sunday: Beats & Brews at Farm Country Brewing in Langley
Sunday: Vintage Tractor Day at Barnside in Delta.
Read our event list
We've put together a list of upcoming beer events in and around B.C. Check them out and send us any suggestions!
🗞️ Long Reads🗞️
Oskar’s Lager: The beer all brewers want to drink (Hop Culture)
How a hop earns its name (Beervana)
The intersection of running and beer (Pellicle Mag)
Taming the beautiful and distinctive British house yeasts (Good Beer Hunting)
Share to increase your chances
Background photo from Steel and Oak
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