more tap takeover

Commons & Breakside Takeover Portland Craft! Sept 18th – 6pm – No Tickets Required Join our team as we hang out at Portland Craft for the night with our Portland Pals! Jacob and Fred from Breakside will be here as will Josh from The Commons! We’ve got 5 beers from each brewery on tap, including some very rare or never before seen beers.

link love

10 stark truths (and we’re not talking game of thrones here) about dating a beer nerd

breakside brewery liquid nitrogen frozen fresh hop beers
and a reminder that breakside and the commons are having a tap takeover at portland craft on september 18th (aka thursday)

a sneak peek at steel toad

the strait loves stateside craft

also, a very happy birthday to one of my oldest friends today
oldest in time known, not age!
not that she reads my blog, but whatever, happy birthday goog!

vancouver craft beer week

my liver is happy that vcbw is over for another year
the rest of me is a little relieved too – so many good times and good beers, but a person’s gotta sleep!

i may have only made it to a few events
but those events were of the all you can drink persuasion
and i do take the list as a personal challenge to complete

i have already given my low-down on the business of craft beer
so i will begin my vcbw list with the opening night last friday
i was volunteering, so there wasn’t much drinking at all for me
holding this event at a nightclub (gossip) was great from a couple of standpoints:  the performance space was in the same room so there was no need for anyone to have to choose between beer and the show; all the breweries were pouring their beers from an actual bar with access to water so there was no running out of rinse water; and the club provided plenty of different areas, including several with seating, to get away from the fray
somehow though, it still managed to be crowded
i think if they hold opening night at gossip again next year i’ll give it a miss

sunday found me at my favourite event of the year, the alibi room’s hoppapalooza
it felt like there were fewer people there this year
which was a very good thing – no crowding, short lines for beer and chili and none of the beers ran dry
nigel opened up the cellar and brought out some vintage sours, barleywines and imperial stouts
such a great way to spend an evening
it was over far too quickly!

on wednesday i went to pdx love at portland craft
this is quickly becoming one of my favourite events of the year
where else can i find all my favourite portland people in one place at the same time, without having to travel?


obviously i’m having a really rotten time photo by Two Peas Photography

there were sixteen beers on tap

i made it through all sixteen

and still managed to have my wits about me – i do love small pours for that!



photo by Two Peas Photography

 

attendees included abe of cider riot

jamie of hopworks

gigantic ben love

base camp, upright, occidental, the commons, breakside and alameda

highlights for me were the commons madrone which i hadn’t had the pleasure of trying before and the breakside india golden ale, which i just can’t get enough of

photo by Two Peas Photography

my only complaint about this is event is the lack of a vegetarian option for dinner

i’m sure everyone else loved the pulled pork on a bun though

how everyone will be wearing their beard next season photo by Ben Love

thursday my oregon love continued at brothers in hop (or bros in hip-hop this year) at the butcher and bullock
plenty of delicious food, including oysters and crab cakes, accompanied the beers by parallel 49, central city, gigantic and ninkasi
there were some service issues at the beginning of the night, but as it wore on the hard-working staff ironed out the kinks and brought the beer faster than i could drink it
i think i made it through the list again
which, even though it was a bit shorter of a list, was an accomplishment because they were bringing sleeves of many of the beers rather than all taster sized pours
the highlight of the night was gigantic’s too much coffee man, which i had not had tried before

photo by Kurtis Sheldon

my liver hurts!
i would say that i’ll never drink again
but that would be a really big lie!

portland haul

this is what i brought back from portland with me

this is what i brought back from portland and have already drunk:

bottle share

i got to attend a backyard bbq and bottle share over the long weekend

wanna see what we drank??

 

 

the two stand-outs for me were the breakside india golden ale and the double mountain devil’s kriek
tree’s serendipity no. 8 was also stellar

of the beers i regularly enjoy the gigantic ipa and driftwood 20 pounder continue to please me greatly!

and i just can’t say enough good things about the 2 towns hop and stalk cider
i have one bottle of this baby left
i want to save it for a special occasion, but i need to drink it soon!
my life is really very difficult

legacy liquor store

new and exciting beers at legacy liquor store in vancouver:

Breakside Brewery – Liquid Sunshine Pilsner – $7.85

Just over the Columbia River is where you’ll find this Portland, Oregon brewery. This beer pours a pure gold with a thick head of foam. Wafting from the glass are aromas of grassy hops, cereal and earth, while on the palate a distinct German crispness is found. Crisp and delicious, this pilsner embodies the Pacific Northwest.

Evan Doan | Beer Team | Legacy Liquor Store

Mendocino Brewing – Talon Double IPA – $10.05

Brewed in Ukiah, California right next to the Russian River, this brewery has over 30 years’ experience under its belt. This Talon Series is clear and copper in colour with an aroma of grapefruit, pine, mango and malt, while on the palate toffee, malt, grapefruit and tropical fruit are found in exceptional balance. A tasty DIPA from this Californian brewery.

Chris Bonnallie | Beer Supervisor | Legacy Liquor Store

Green Flash Brewing – Friendship Brew – $11.95

A collaboration between California-based Green Flash Brewing and St. Feuillien Abbey in Belgium, this Black Saison pours dark brown, nearly black with aromas of roasted malts and spice. On the palate these malts and spices complement one another perfectly while a mint-like characteristic comes through to join the party, proving once again that the best ship is friendship.

Joel Wilson | Beer Team | Legacy Liquor Store

legacy

new beers at legacy liquor store in vancouver:

Breakside Brewery – India Pale Ale – $7.85
You’ve all been asking for it, and it’s finally happened! Breakside beers have finally landed in our cooler. This Portland brew pours a beautiful transparent orange with a pile of citrus and citrus hops on the nose. More citrus in the form of grapefruit and orange accompanied with a bit of pine on a malt background represent the palate, while a medium body and dry finish close out this tasty Oregon treat.

Evan Doan | Beer Team | Legacy Liquor Store

Pyramid Brewing – Hefeweizen – $6.65

It’s time for some Hefeweizen, and these west coast gentlemen have produced a fine rendition of this cloudy and delicious beverage. A hazy pale lemon with wheat, grass, slight orange essence and floral hops can all be found on the nose, aromas that carry through on the palate with a touch of lemon tartness on the finish. Crisp and refreshing, it’s a fabulous Hefe for any thirsty individual.

Mike Dolan | Beer Team | Legacy Liquor Store

Townsite Brewing – Said the Ale – $7.55

Part of the CBC music radio craft beer collaboration, ‘Said the Ale’ is a Belgian pale ale from the folks in Powell River pouring dark copper in colour, with notes of dark fruit and yeast as well as herbal hops in its bouquet. Raisin and dark malt are the stars on the palate with herbal hops playing backup as a dry finish rounds out this delicious beer.

Chris Bonnallie | Beer Supervisor | Legacy Liquor Store