Beer Thread V2?3?4?

[Regular_John]

Hit up Beerfest on Friday night, honestly I had not won tickets I'm not sure I'd have considered it money well spent. The "trade show" format just isn't conducive to discussing beer and given that many of the servers/pourers were basically front line bar staff you weren't likely to learn anything from them that you wouldn't learn from reading the label.

But having said that, a few stand out beers:
- Tamarack Brewing Yard Sale Amber Ale: Very well balanced amber ale, with a decent hop "bite" but enough malt to back it up. If there wasn't such a "hop war" in the craft market this is really the sweet spot between hop & malt in my opinion. This is one I'll seek out again.
- Laughing Dog Brewing Huckleberry Cream Ale: My wife absolutely loved this one, I actually didn't get a chance to try it, but their other two beers I did try (Rocket Dog Rye IPA & a Pale Ale) were both very drinkable
- Mt. Begbie Brewing Co High Country Kölsch - This right here is everything a "light" beer should be, crisp clean, and flavourful. Very "fresh" taste, honestly it's what I'd expect Stella Artois or Heineken should taste like if we were able to get it fresher.

Anyways, it's an interesting event, but very much about variety & quantity of selection over anything else. Much of what I saw/tasted could be had at one of our many beer halls.

[Tinordi]

Just got back from a beer tour of Belgium this weekend. Toured West Flanders, Flemish Brabant and Hainaut regions. Drank a boatload of geuze, lambic and saison. Those truly are special varieties of beer. Spent three hours at the De Ranke brewery drinking their beer, I believe that have De Ranke in Alberta. If so check them out.

[Flash Walken]

New Beer Alert:

Tree Brewing, which gets distribution in Alberta, has released a nice summertime Radler.

Y'all have probably all had the Stiegl Radler which is amazing, but tastes more like a mimosa to me than it does beer. Tree has gone in the other direction, making a nice grapefruit flavoured, 2.5% beer. It's like a really nice golden ale with a subtle splash of grapefruit. Really nice beer.

Picture of the Can spoilered below:

Spoiler!

It appears the success that Stiegl Grapefruit Radler has had in Canada since it’s release here last year has rubbed off on several Canadian breweries, with Kelowna’s Tree Brewing being the latest to offer its own response to the popular import.

Tree Grapefruit Radler is a traditional take on the style, featuring a 50/50 mix of lager and grapefruit juice, and checking in at a refreshing 2.5% abv.

http://www.canadianbeernews.com/2014...now-available/

[Mark]

I tried Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale the other night and thought it was fantastic. Not bad for picking something randomly off the shelf. If you like that style, I highly recommend it.

[Komskies]

Dead Frog Wit is really tasty:

[Baxter Renegade]

Originally Posted by Komskies

Dead Frog Wit is really tasty:

I saw this the other day but passed on it. I've had their pepper-lime and mandarin brews, and liked them. I'll have to pick up a sixer of this tonight.

[Baxter Renegade]

I don't know if these have been mentioned, but Fernie Brewing Co has a couple of beers I quite like. I get them occasionally at Safeway:

Huckleberry Wheat Ale:



Belgian White Ale:

[J epworth]

At Brassneck Brewery on Main Street in Vancouver right now, first time trying their beers and very happy with them so far. Favourite has to be their sour ale, the Changeling, best sour I've tried before.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by J epworth kendal

At Brassneck Brewery on Main Street in Vancouver right now, first time trying their beers and very happy with them so far. Favourite has to be their sour ale, the Changeling, best sour I've tried before.

Hey, sweet deal! You're in my neck of the woods.

There is a brewery up the street at 7th one block east of Main called "Main Street Brewing", it just opened up last weekend, you should head there, they've got great beers. Also, if you go on 8th 2 blocks West of Main, there is a brewery called 33 Acres, and they ALSO have great beers. Their Pale Ale is amazing.

And if you want to fill a growler for later, at 4th, 1 block west of Main is R and B Brewing, which I think make the BEST beers in Vancouver.

[J epworth]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Hey, sweet deal! You're in my neck of the woods.

There is a brewery up the street at 7th one block east of Main called "Main Street Brewing", it just opened up last weekend, you should head there, they've got great beers. Also, if you go on 8th 2 blocks West of Main, there is a brewery called 33 Acres, and they ALSO have great beers. Their Pale Ale is amazing.

And if you want to fill a growler for later, at 4th, 1 block west of Main is R and B Brewing, which I think make the BEST beers in Vancouver.

I'll definitely try all of those later on, I'm here for the next few months so I have tons of time to discover all the microbrews around here. Thanks for the recommendations!

[J epworth]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Hey, sweet deal! You're in my neck of the woods.

There is a brewery up the street at 7th one block east of Main called "Main Street Brewing", it just opened up last weekend, you should head there, they've got great beers. Also, if you go on 8th 2 blocks West of Main, there is a brewery called 33 Acres, and they ALSO have great beers. Their Pale Ale is amazing.

And if you want to fill a growler for later, at 4th, 1 block west of Main is R and B Brewing, which I think make the BEST beers in Vancouver.

Trying out Main Street Brewing today, so only one I still need to check out now is 33 Acres.

Have you been down to Storm on Commercial just north of Hastings? That place is crazy but the beer is so so good.

[GreenLantern]

Tried the Red Racer ISA this past weekend:



Man is it good, all of the taste of an IPA with only 4% of the alcohol. Great summer sessional for the hop lovers out there.

[calumniate]

Bought a six of Old Yale sergeants IPA this weekend. From Chilliwack bc. Was only twelve bucks and did not expect much, but damn.. I'll be going back!

[Cain]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

Tried the Red Racer ISA this past weekend:


Man is it good, all of the taste of an IPA with only 4% of the alcohol. Great summer sessional for the hop lovers out there.

I hated the Red Racer ISA. I don't think I've liked an ISA ever though...2% more alcohol for 100% better taste in the full IPA in my opinion!

[GreenLantern]

Originally Posted by Cain

I hated the Red Racer ISA. I don't think I've liked an ISA ever though...2% more alcohol for 100% better taste in the full IPA in my opinion!

Fair enough.. but my big thing is a sessional beer that tastes good. I can crush a case of Hop Head, but it definitely hits you hard and even harder the next day.

I like a beer I can drink 12-20 of without becoming a total mess. Light beer tastes like water, but this ISA gives me a light beer option that still has a great taste.

The Phillips Hopslosion is another great beer that sits at 5% for sessional drinkers.

[polak]

Anyone know where we can find karlovacko in Calgary?

Great Croation beer.

[Regular_John]

If you're a fan of Brewster's Brewpubs you'll be able to pick up 6-packs of some of their brews later this month as they're rolling out some retail offerings.

My employer did the rebrand/design on these, so this one is pretty close to the heart as far as "dream project" goes. I wasn't directly involved, but got to witness it all coming together. Can't wait to see these on store shelves.

Brewsters Brewing Co
‏@WeAreBrewsters

We are building stacks. Getting ready to ship out. It's like a wonderful version of #beerTetris. #InBeerWeTrust

Spoiler for size.

Spoiler!

[Flabbibulin]

Not sure if Brix Bottleshop in Kalispell has been mentioned in this thread, but they have a pretty impressive selection of craft beer from Montana and the NW US. Also some harder to find European beer that I have never been able to find in Calgary- and all by the bottle so you can mix and match- was like a candy store. Picked up 24 different beers for about $40. So far, been pretty impressed with the Harvest Moon Beltian White. A wheat ale pretty similar to Blonde Leffe, but a little sweeter with a touch of coriander and orange peel. A lot ipas in Montana with IBUs off the charts, so Im glad I picked up a few belgian style beers.

[Bobblehead]

CAMRA Alberta (CAMpaign for Real Ale) has started up in Calgary. https://camraalberta.com/

A volunteer-driven organization focusing on growing the craft beer culture in Alberta through education, promotion & social events.

So if you have a taste for beer this is an opportunity to meet others who share your passion.

[jofillips]

love what camra has done in britain, hope they replicate what they do here!