Okay, so Cold Comfort Driftwood Singularity Ice Cream isn’t technically flavoured beer, but it is beer-flavoured and it is pretty dang awesome. This frozen treat was made as a collaboration between Driftwood Brewery and Cold Comfort, which is a Victoria company that churns out the ice cream equivalent of craft beer. Their products are small-batch and, as they put it, “curiously-flavoured.”
The Verdict:
- Definitely the most I’ve ever paid for ice cream (the little tub was about $12), but the novelty factor of trying Driftwood Singularity Russian Imperial Stout in ice cream format was worth the price. Plus, Cold Comfort uses quality, natural, local ingredients, so it’s not surprising that this cost a bit more than a bucket of Heavenly Hash from Safeway.
- A rich cappuccino brown colour, with a smattering of chocolate chips plunked on top. The most prominent flavours for me were coffee and dark bittersweet chocolate with a dash of booze. Creamy and rich.
- I’m not a huge fan of boozy desserts (rum balls or those little liquor-filled chocolates = blech), but this wasn’t overpoweringly hefty with booziness… especially considering that the 2012 Singularity is an 11.6% beer.
- Overall, an interesting ice cream experiment that tipped the scales towards tasty. Two of us easily polished off half the tub and left the rest in the freezer for our fantastic Victoria host to discover.
If this beer ice cream was a cat:
Singularity is a “Beer of Infinite Density,” and this beer ice cream deserves multiple cats to match its boldness. Cat #1 would be Black Hole Cat, in homage to Driftwood’s black hole reference. Cats #2 to Infinity would be those featured on the Infinite Cat Project.
Where to buy:
Check the Cold Comfort Facebook page for availability details. I found my tub at Niagara Grocery in James Bay.
I bid adieu to 2011 and welcomed in 2012 on a tiny island with a fine group of friends. From the place we were staying, we watched ferries inch along in the distance and spotted deer on the front porch (a novelty for me, as wildlife in my neighbourhood seems to be 90% skunks). There were card tricks courtesy of “30 Easy-to-Follow Tricks to Amaze Your Family and Friends;” driftwood skeet-shooting competitions using beach rocks; and three-foot-long sparklers leftover from Halloween.
Somehow, we managed to squeeze in a few beers between card tricks and taking 300 pictures of deer. One festive brew along for the New Year’s ride was San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing 2011 Christmas Ale (5.5%).
The Verdict:
- A divisive beer. Depending on who to you talked to this beer was either: A) gross and tasted like a Christmas tree or B) delicious. Person A could not finish the beer; person B cracked another.
- Disclosure: I am person B and I dig this beer. It’s got a herbal spiciness to it (is there anise or mint in this?), along with what tastes like some molasses and pine. As to what’s actually in the recipe? No clue. Anchor keeps the recipe top secret and changes the beer (and the bottle label) every year.
- This is Anchor’s 37th version of their special ale, and when next year’s version is out I’d definitely give it a try.
If this beer was a cat:
It would be Iris and Fern, two festive cats with an entire webpage documenting their skills in Christmas tree assembling/decorating/climbing.
Earlier this month I ran my first marathon. It was long and it was intense. Thankfully, it was also in Victoria, the Land of Brewpubs, so my cheering squad was well-hydrated over the weekend.
We stopped by Liquor Plus (an incredible place) on the island and I found some yet-to-be-tasted-in-bottles pumpkin beers, one of which was Phillips Crooked Tooth Pumpkin Ale. Yes!
The Verdict:
- Does not smell like a heavily spiced, thick pumpkin beer… it has a light spicyness on the nose. It’s 5%, which means I can claim the entire bomber as my own without getting redonk.
- The spice plays a bigger role in the flavour when tasting. Not so intense that it’s overbearing, but enough to notice subtle traditional pumpkin pie spices. When I had it at the 2010 CAMRA Harvestfest, I remember it being more cinnamon-y than this bottle.
- I rather enjoyed this beer, but I gotta say that the aftertaste kind of threw me a bit at the beginning… the sweet/spicy flavour seems to drop right off into something else. Didn’t stop me from pouring another glass, though — I found this quite drinkable.
If this beer was a cat:
It would be a cat — or rather, 20 cats — rocking the pumpkin theme.
Where to buy:
I found this at Liquor Plus just outside of Victoria. Interesting sidenote: Liquor Plus also has their own brand of beer that is branded and sold as Just Over a Buck a Beer.
What is the best beer to drink after recaulking your shower and bathtub? If you answered “ANYTHING, because recaulking is ZERO FUN” then you are correct.
Thankfully, my fridge was stocked with something tasty. Goodbye nasty old caulk, hello Phillips Blueberry Pail Ale.
The Verdict:
- Last year Phillips did a 24-Mile Blueberry Pail Ale, which had all ingredients sourced from within 24 miles. Very cool, but there is no mention of mileage on this bottle so I’m guessing the footprint is bigger for this version (okay with me, as it means I get to try some this year… last year it was very limited and only available locally).
- Pours a wonderful reddish-purple colour with a decent foamy head. Slight fruity scent.
- Upfront taste is more pale ale than blueberry, which fades into a lingering mild berry flavour after each sip. Not overly sweet, not fake-tasting and very refreshing. Pale ale is the dominant flavour and the fruit delicately adds something different.
- I would definitely buy this again, and it’s 5% so I could actually drink the whole bomber and maintain a conversation. I’m loving these flavoured beers that are using something other than a wheat beer base.
If this beer was a cat:
It would be Mao, who shares some similarities with a blueberry (kind of blue, kind of round) and is totally adorbs. Mao’s hobbies include sitting right up in your face, chasing Snakey (his favourite toy) and stealing meatballs.
Where to buy:
I found this at the West End Liquor Store; Firefly Vancouver and Brewery Creek have also posted on their Facebook pages that they received some Phillips Blueberry Pail Ale.
I threw down the rockhands for BridgePort Brewing Stumptown Tart Strawberry Ale as this beer made it’s way into my life via The Backstage Rider, who was recently on a rock-xcursion to Portlandia for MusicFestNW.
3 facts about The Backstage Rider: She’s goes to more shows and has met more musicians than anyone I know (and probably anyone you know) and then blogs about it on TheBackstageRider; she has the world’s largest gallery of rockhands; she’s ridiculously fun.
3 facts about Stumptown Tart Strawberry: It was brewed with 2,000 pounds of Oregon strawberries; it’s #4 in the “Stumptown Tart” series (previous years were Belgian-style Marion Berry, Cherry Wheat Ale and Belgian-style Framboise); it’s got pinup star Bernie Dexter as the bottle model.
The Verdict:
- Didn’t pour as pink as I thought it would, but that’s totally cool by me. Heavy fruit aroma with hints of bubblegum.
- Very delicious. Strawberry flavours are light and is overall less fruity-tasting than you’d think from the smell. Fruitiness is natural and is not artificial tasting.
- Alarmingly easy-drinking, considering it’s 7.7%. Really nice carbonation with lingering fizziness on the tongue. I wouldn’t say it’s exceptionally tart, but not syrupy sweet either. Nicely smooth — I would buy this again.
If this beer was a cat:
In honour of Portlandia’s Put A Bird On It and the fact that The Backstage Rider met Fred Armisen at MusicfestNW, this beer would be CATBIRD (which is the next logical step in the put-a-bird-on-it genre).
Where to buy:
Oregon.
Ah, the elusive “spices.” Pike Brewing Dry Wit keeps its secrets close on the label, listing only “spices” as part of the ingredients, but a little sleuthing reveals that Dry Wit includes dried orange peel, coriander, camomile, and organic lavender from Pelindaba Lavender Farms on the San Juan Islands.
My one-woman online Ladies’ Beer-Detective Agency also realized that “Dry Wit” does not appear to do anything to do with dry-hopping… it’s just a play on words.
The Verdict:
- Pours a hazy apricot colour. Apparently the Pike Pub serves this beer with an orange slice garnish.
- A nice soft wheat beer base with a pleasant zestiness to the flavour. A bit of a zippy, tingly, peppery spice lingers on the tongue in the aftertaste.
- Some online reviewers mentioned tasting a lot of orange sweetness in Dry Wit, but the only citrus I notice is the slight bitterness that I guess comes from the orange peel (my palate is far from refined, though).
- Overall, an easy-drinking patio beer.
If this beer was a cat:
Spices? Sounds like a beer for Dune Cat.
Where to buy:
Another import from a rad beer fairy back from a Washington journey (I haven’t seen this one in beer shops in Vancouver).
You gotta take advantage of the sun when shows its hot face in this city (that is, any time it creeps above 20°C), so yesterday I gathered supplies — book, towel, sensible one-piece bathing suit, and bottle of Kona Wailua Wheat passion fruit beer — and headed for the water.
Fittingly, it was also the first day of summer, which seemed like an appropriate time to bring a taste of Hawaii to Vancouver.
The Verdict:
- A preview of fruit flavours in the scent; smells a bit like very ripe mango peels amidst all that wheat ale.
- The passion fruit lends its sweetness, slight tartness and floral elements to the overall flavour; the fruitiness is noticeable, but not overbearing. Underlying citrus notes are a pleasant balance to the natural sweetness.
- I find that passion fruit in beer creates the impression of a thicker mouthfeel… I think that’s because the passion fruit flavours remind me a bit of tropical juices with nectar-like consistencies.
- I have a tendency towards enjoying the fruity and the tropical (I was also a fan of the Howe Sound Ménage à Trois, another passion fruit beer), so I really enjoyed this beer. Would buy it if I spotted it.
- Patios, beaches, campsites — anywhere the sun is shining would be a good place to enjoy Wailua Wheat.
If this beer was a cat:
It would be a cat that’s happy chilling out poolside: the Turkish Van, aka “the swimming cat.”
Where to buy:
Full disclosure: Kona Brewing was kind enough to send me over some samples of this seasonal beer (thank you, Kona!). I haven’t seen Kona beer in Vancouver (yet) but I’m sure it’s available at specialty beer shops in Washington and Oregon — I’ve purchased the Kona Koko Brown coconut beer at 99 Bottles in the past.
Much of May and June has been dominated by watching hockey inside instead of gallivanting outdoors (I’m not complaining, just stating facts). I’m a nature-girl, though, and have been pining for some decent weather to coincide with a break in the playoff schedule so I could get outside. Today was that day.
And what a day. Still buzzing from the fact that my guy (lippy Lapierre — he cracks me up) busted out last night’s game-winner, I was pumped to see that the sun was shining for Vancouver’s collective, yet blissful, hangover. Sidenote: My hands are still sore from so much high-fiving last night.
My Quest for the Outdoors became a reality with today’s trip to Nelson Canyon Park (thanks Z+A!) and it came complete with bear cub sightings (shown above; safe distance and no dawdling), herds of ferns, a curious banana slug, lake surveying and a posh double-door outhouse.
So where am I going with all this? Well, after an amazing game and a relaxing day in the woods, I’m now sipping a Phillips Raspberry Wheat on my patio, which is really what this post is supposed to be about. Bears and beers and boys with beards… forgive my rambling. I think I’m just crushing hard on Vancouver right now.
The Verdict:
- Like Granville Island Brewing False Creek Ale, this is a ruby-red coloured beer. The head was huge (some dissipated before I could capture it all in the picture) and was soft pink like a strawberry mousse.
- Strong raspberry scent and bursting with raspberry flavour. Nicely fizzy with subdued natural fruit sweetness, and is tart without being lip-puckering. This bomber goes down very easy.
- The berries do dominate much of the wheat beer flavour, so if you’re looking for a wheat beer with complex flavour profiles, then this probably isn’t the one for you.
- Label states that this beer “pairs well with sunglasses and patios, ” which is bang-on. Other pairing suggestions: beach, picnic, barbecues, and any glass I happen to be drinking from. Will buy this again.
If this beer was a cat:
It would be relaxed and soaking up the sun like this kitty.
Where to buy:
I picked this up at the Dover Arms Liquor Store.
Spring is finally here in Vancouver! (Or at least it was when I cracked open this bottle.) And there’s nothing like a warm spring breeze and beams of sunshine that makes me want to hunker down in front of the TV to watch the Stanley Cup playoffs and drink some beer.
Before the game, I visited my local BCLDB and zeroed in on a massive display of bright fuchsia boxes: Granville Island Brewing False Creek Raspberry Ale. I confess that I had a minor moment of flavoured beer nerd glee when the clerk told me that he’d just finished the display and I was first to snap up a six-pack.
The Verdict:
- If you like the colour of cherry Jell-O, you will like the colour of this beer. Boldly pink; there’s a reason the box is fuchsia. Slight sour scent from the berries.
- Made with Fraser Valley raspberries, which is a nice local touch.
- Not uber-sweet or uber-berry. The underlying ale is very prominent, and there’s a mildly tart raspberry flavour that dwells around the edge of each sip. Easy drinking. I would buy this again.
- Comes in a six-pack, so it’s a commitment. I’d say give ‘er a try if you’re looking for something different to bust out at your next BBQ… I’m sure you can find someone to share a box of beer with. (PS: I am open to BBQ invites with beer sharing involved).
If this beer was a cat:
A bright pink beer would be a bright pink cat: Oi! Kitty. (Story involves white cat, the police, the RSPCA and a 22-year old with pink hair.)
Where to buy:
BC liquor stores are carrying the Granville Island raspberry beer. Note: this is not the same as the previous GIB raspberry creation, which was a raspberry wheat ale.
I was a vegetarian* for seven years. That no-meat streak came to an abrupt end when I was seduced by BeerBrats at last year’s Vancouver Craft Beer Week. It’s been a steady downhill slide (into heaping piles of meat) since then.
Almost one year after the infamous sausage-undoing of my vegetarianism, I found myself eating meaty pizza with a crust engorged with bacon, sausage and pepperoni… all while drinking Three Skulls Buccaneer Bacon lager.
Dear god. What have I become?
The Verdict:
- A very hefty smoky, meaty scent. Three Skulls Ales‘ website says the “campfire smokiness” comes from “beechwood smoked malt and bacon”.
- The smoky scent carries through to the flavour, which is undoubtedly bacon. After a lengthy discussion, the tasting panel determined it was more imitation bacon bits flavour than fresh wake-up bacon flavour. The smokiness is intense.
- I’m not sure how many more calories a bacon beer has as compared to other lagers, but it feels way more fattening. Thankfully, it’s not greasy.
- Can you have too much of a good thing? When that good thing is bacon and when that bacon infused into lager, yes. Three of us never even made it to the bottom of the bomber.
If this beer was a cat:
Bacon Cat. Obviously.
Where to buy:
Picked this up at 99 Bottles south of Seattle. Note: the bottle says “Perishable. Keep refrigerated.” so keep your bacon beer chill.
* Okay, a lazy vegetarian. I ate fish.