legacy liquor store

new and delicious beers at legacy liquor store in vancouver:

Ommegang Take the Black Stout – $11.25

Now this is a stout that even the brothers at Castle Black can call their own. As dark as the abyss itself, this beer is darker than the fates of those that venture beyond the wall. Roasted dark malts, smoky oak and Belgian yeast own the nose of this beer while the palate is all about chocolate, mocha and warming alcohol. This medium bodied beer is rich, delicious and perfect for these cold months. Remember, winter is coming.

Evan Doan | Beer Team | Legacy Liquor Store

Burnside Thundarr the Bavarian Imperial Wheat Ale – $7.55

Don’t let the fact it’s a wheat ale turn you away; this imperial beer can hold its own amongst the dark beers that dominate the season. German through and through, boasting a hazy golden appearance and an aroma dominated by banana, clove and citrus and a flavour profile that is all about that German hustle, specifically orange peel, lemon peel, coriander, banana and clove, this light-bodied brew hides its ABV well at 7.2% with a quaffability that is out of this world.

Chris Bonnallie | Beer Supervisor | Legacy Liquor Store

Alameda Stubs Old Crow Hazelnut Porter – $7.95

A waxed bottle means two things: a lot more difficulty getting to the beer, but a beer that is well worth the extra work. This particular brew is nearly black in colour with a dark tan head and aromas of chocolate, espresso and vanilla that leap from the glass, while in the mouth rich and medium bodied with all sorts of roast malt flavours, chocolate and a defining nuttiness. A spectacular American Porter that has been taken to the next level courtesy of defining hazelnut flavours.

Joel Wilson | Beer Team | Legacy Liquor Store

chili

i think i am losing my ability to appreciate spice in my old age
i used to be able to pour on the hot sauce
but lately…
lately i’m finding all the chili beers i drink to be too spicy
they hurt my throat
drinking them is just not enjoyable

the exception remains rogue’s chipotle ale
that one i can drink a whole pint of
more if i’m sick

tuesday night at the railway club the cask was central city’s red chili white ale
i had a taster of it
and it hurt my throat
the flavour was lovely, but i couldn’t get past the throat burn to have more than a couple of sips

same thing happened when i was in portland at burnside brewing
they had two spicy ales on the menu
i tried them both in my sampler
(and they do warn you that they contain the hottest pepper known to man)
they smelled divine, but i couldn’t get past a sip
instant throat ache
instant disappointment

is it me?
or are people putting too much spice in the beer?
is it so wrong that i want just a hint of chili in my beer?
that i don’t want the spice to overwhelm the beautiful beer behind it?

and will someone please make a very mild little chili beer?!

top ten reasons to drink craft beer

endless simmer provides their top ten reasons to drink craft beer

me, i think some of the best top reasons are:



r&b red devil pale ale cask at railway club – look how pretty it is!!!

taster of nine beers at burnside brewing in portland

you can brew your own!

central city iced tea ipa cask at the railway club – omg, do you even know how tasty this is??

look how good the craft beer bottles look in a handknit cozy!

portland

my long weekend in portland was fabulous!
(even if the weather was less than stellar)

this time around i managed to make it to deschutes, hopworks, gigantic, burnside, cascade, and old town breweries, plus a couple of other drinking establishments offering the lovely craft beer

i took bolt bus to get there and back
and definitely got my $68 worth
its not totally dreamy though… the seats may have a little extra leg room, but they’re leather so you spend the whole ride trying not to slide off the seat
the wifi connection isn’t very fast, apparently only works well at the front of the bus and until they change the routers, does not work at all while you’re in canada
we were not called by group as they say on the website, so even though we were there when the driver had told us to be, he had already loaded everyone else and we had trouble finding seats together – so be early, even earlier than the driver tells you to be!
the departure and arrival times were not ideal, but we worked with them
(6:30 am to arrive at 1:45 pm or 4:30 pm to arrive at 11:30 pm approximately going in either direction)

that said, the drivers were great, we made good time both ways
the border was only a small delay for us, and the officers processed us really quickly
i do plan to take bolt bus again
and recommend it to you and you and you

helpful hints:
if you’re going all the way to portland, pack food for the trip
the only stop (besides going through customs at the border) is in seattle
by the football and baseball stadiums, in chinatown
where nothing but starbucks was open on the weekend
(sure, i had a sandwich and a coffee, but over a 7 hour bus ride, that may not be enough for you)
and depending on when you arrive, you might not have any time to go anywhere before the bus has to move on out for portland

there is an international market kitty corner to the bus stop
that was open on monday evening as we passed by it at 7ish
with some fast food places still serving food
and a grocery store
a grocery store that sells beer
not a whole lot of craft beer choices
but still enough to gladden our little hearts as we had neglected to factor beer shopping into our agenda while in portland
we were lucky enough to have 45 minutes to spend there as our bus got to seattle early

if you are just going to seattle
you might want to investigate public transit before you do
as the bolt bus stops in the middle of nowhere
but right at a rapid transit station which looked like it could connect you to a whole lot of other places quite easily

bring earphones
some of your fellow passengers may want to have loud boring conversations that make it hard to sleep or read or want teenagers to be allowed to mix with the rest of society

ah, the bus
its like a box of chocolates
you just never know how many nuts will be in it!