Category: firefly

on the coast

i always run out of time during my radio spot on cbc’s on the coast!
six minutes just isn’t enough time for me to say all i want to say on a subject
(which is good, because i can save up all that unsaid stuff and have topics for 100 more shows…)

so,
i am going to use this, my lovely blog, to finish saying what i didn’t have time for on the air
(and i will try to do it in a more timely manner next time!)

what makes a good beer joint?
imho it doesn’t matter what style of beer joint it is, fancy, british, dive, restaurant, brewpub, pub…
these four things NEED to be present to get repeat beer loving customers:
clean lines
interesting beer choices
food for pairing with beers
knowledgeable staff

if i hate your decor i may not have my birthday party at your establishment, but it won’t stop me from coming back if the beer’s good
if the beer is off, i definitely won’t be back
if there are few to no craft beer choices, i won’t willingly be back
if the food is lousy, you won’t be my beer establishment of choice
if the staff is unhelpful or not at least trying to be helpful about the beer choices, you’ll be way down my list of watering holes

best practice is to clean beer lines every two weeks
more often if they are longer than 25 feet
most people i have talked to clean their lines once a month
and i have heard horror stories of places that never clean their lines
guess which places i won’t drink draught beer at?

and now for my sour beer suggestions:

cantillon kreik – $17.95 at legacy liquor store, $17.55 at firefly fine wines and ales
lindemans kreik, framboise, peche and cassis – $7.85  and $12.35 at legacy liquor store and firefly fine wines and ales

oud bruin by iain hill of yaletown brewpub – only to be found on tap at yaletown brewpub and alibi room
imperial flanders red by storm brewing – currently on tap at st. augustine’s
mad bruin by driftwood – 650ml bottles at specialty liquor stores
i found this one a little bit young, why not buy two bottles?  one for now and one to cellar for a few months to see how it matures!

yelp!

this week’s yelp is all about beer in vancouver:

Beer-ly beloved, we are gathered here to honour the union of parched lips and everyone’s favourite patio pleaser. Be it pilsner or stout, lager or ale, this Weekly vows to bond Vancouverites with ice-cold suds.

Offering 300 brews on rotation and a “dizzyingly diverse beer menu,” Alibi Room holds Jordan Y‘s heart. “There’s something for every taste; it’s the place to bring that friend who professes to hate beer just so you can blow his/her mind.” Meanwhile, Malloreigh M proclaims, “St Augustine’s has a selection of microbrews on tap that’s unrivaled.” Their pint-priced, four-beer taster “allows customers to quell a bit of that overwhelmed feeling that comes from reading a double-sided, tightly-packed beer menu.” We’re foaming at the options! L James V prefers to tap into Six Acres for his fix: “The beer is vast, varied, unique, and sometimes very rare… they frequently feature beers that the CAMRA dorks pummel each other for.” The bevy brewage battle is on!

Grubbin’ while he guzzles, Peter S praises the “polenta fries and proper pints” offered at The Cascade Room. “Whether meeting up with a craft beer rep for some sampling or a good friend,” the killer casks here have him frothing for more. Sarah D‘s pumped for The Charlatan: “There aren’t many bars in Vancouver that serve a proper Black & Tan… once a week there’s a burger and beer deal, so you can get your Guinness for a decent amount.” Deal! According to Matthew C, if you want suds, “BierCraft Bistro is the place to go. Seriously, the menu is huge.” Stay for the Battle of the Belgians: a three-course meal paired with a beer trio for only $60. We approve.

Summer pints aplenty can be sourced from Vancouver’s fine liquor stores. Just ask Luisa D, who “finally made it to Firefly and promptly had a beer boner once inside.” Just “load your meter ’cause it’s going to take awhile to choose.” We’re still talking brews, right? “If you’re on a beer hunt, you have to stop at Legacy,” Emily-Anne P explains. “In addition to selection, they’ve great staff who are happy to chat about beer” at one of their weekly seminars. Sam L paddles up Brewery Creek for his liquor lesson: “I come back far too often for their fine selection, whether it’s a rare Euro treasure or a guilty PBR pleasure.” Play it again, Sam.   

golden plates

vancouver winners of the golden plates awards

beer-related spoilers:

Best Pub Food

1.Irish Heather Gastropub, 210 Carrall
2.Yaletown Brewing Company, 1111 Mainland
3.Doolins Irish Pub, 654 Nelson

Best Restaurant B.C. Beer Selection

1.Alibi Room, 157 Alexander
2.St. Augustine’s, 2360 Commercial
3.ensemble Tap, 990 Smithe
3.BierCraft Tap & Tapas Bar, Various locations

Best Restaurant Imported Beer Selection

1.BierCraft Tap & Tapas Bar, Various locations
2.Alibi Room, 157 Alexander
3.Bitter Tasting Room, 16 W. Hastings Street

Best Pub

1.Irish Heather Gastropub, 210 Carrall
2.Lamplighter Public House, 92 Water
3.Doolins Irish Pub, 654 Nelson

Best Brewpub Restaurant

1.Yaletown Brewing Company, 1111 Mainland
2.Steamworks Brewing Company, 375 Water
3.Dockside Restaurant, 1253 Johnston, Granville Island
3.Central City Brewing Co., 13450 102 Avenue, Surrey

Best Imported Beer

1.Heineken
2.Stella Artois
3.Guinness

Best Microbrewery Local

1.Granville Island Brewing, 1441 Cartwright Street
2.Storm Brewing, 310 Commercial Drive
3.R&B Brewing Co., 54 East 4th Avenue

Best Locally Brewed Beer

1.Granville Island Lions Winter Ale
2.Red Racer IPA (Central City Brewpub)
3.Red Truck Ale

Best B.C. Beer brewed outside Vancouver

1.Okanagan Springs Pale Ale, Vernon
1.Kokanee, Creston
2.Driftwood Fat Tug IPA, Victoria
3.Phillips Blue Buck Ale, Victoria

Best Canadian Beer brewed outside B.C.

1.Steam Whistle
2.Big Rock, 5555 76 Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta
3.Alexander Keith’s

Best Private Liquor Store

1.Legacy Liquor Store, 1633 Manitoba Street
2.Brewery Creek Liquor Store, 3045 Main Street
2.Hastings Liquor Store, 2769 East Hastings Street
3.Firefly Fine Wines and Ales, 2857 Cambie Street

i think it will be interesting to see how long it takes the general population to realize there are better imported beers than stella and heineken out there, that local brews far outstrip okanagan springs and kokanee on flavour and that there’s better canadian beer than big rock and keiths
next year?
2014?

biercraft and firefly

i spent my lunch hour today at firefly and biercraft
success at firefly!  bit of fail at biercraft 😦


shopping with shans at firefly
my hoppy haul

biercraft has a new lunch menu and were offering $2 lunches between 11:30 and 1:30 today, plus a $2 coupon for your next lunch visit, meaning that your net spending would end up being zero
a free lunch
who doesn’t want a free lunch?
alas, because of the deal they were not able to make substitutions or deletions to their menu items and this vegetarian who isn’t eating cheese these days was shit outta luck on menu items
bummer
but on the bright side, i made it back to work on time!
i’m surprised there weren’t more people in there taking advantage of the special, but then again, i only heard about it at about 11 this morning…

yelp wines about it

well, its not beer, but wine is pretty good stuff too…
here’s some yelp advice about good places to get yer wine on in vancouver:

Why Doesn’t Yelp Wine About It?

This Weekly Yelp brought to you by Make It Vancouver

It’s that time of year, Vancity… that cold time of year when all we want to do is curl up beside a fire with a big, bold, smooth, elegant, full-bodied… glass of wine. And because not all of us have the knowledge of a sommelier, this Weekly is about finding a way to vin your oenophilic heart.

Meet Scott P’s latest crush over at Liberty Wine Merchants, where “they have a great selection from throughout the world. If you want a nice bottle of BC wine, the staff will take care of you.” Yunn A sips over to Taylorwood regularly “to pick up a bottle or two because of the friendly service, great BC wine selection, and knowledgeable staff.” As someone who’s seen her fair share of stores, Kimberley B toasts the manager at Village Wines. “He never judges me if he sees me more than once a day, and he’s always cheerful and ready to help!”

If like Janice F, you want to taste before you buy, Legacy Liquor Store is a “seriously impressive Liquor Wonderland!” With “a full kitchen and dining section for tastings,” it’s no surprise when she emotes: “This place has my heart… and likely, my liver.” It wasn’t only the wine tastings at Marquis Wine Cellars that won over Annika F. She can roll in with a request like: “a wine for a guy who’s more of a beer drinker,” that’ll still prove that “a delicious red is a way better match for roasted duck. The staff really know their wine and love a good challenge!” Meanwhile, Firefly’s Enomatic tasting machine allows Nadine F to “discover new varieties and end up buying more than” she went in for! Swirl on that!

When Allison F wants to cozy up in a more public space, she basks in “the creative lighting of the bar” at Keefer. “I’m stuck on Gamay Noir right now and they carry my beloved Mt Boucherie. Heaven.” But “for something uniquely Italian to have with a bottle,” Ronald J ching-ching’s Tavola. Be sure to call ahead because this tucked-away spot “no doubt gets full.” In the mood for something “small, cozy, and filled with wine-loving diners”? Luisa D prefers Latitude whose “focus is food and wine from the Americas.” ¡Salud! Vancity!

reel swordfish

when i went to firefly to pick up my hop in the dark about a month or so ago, lundy (the beer expert) told me i needed to get fish brewery’s reel ale swordfish double cascadian dark ale
because i am obedient where beer commandments are concerned, i did so
however, i didn’t get around to drinking it until last weekend
what can i say, my beer fridge runneth over!

“Swordfish Cascadian Dark Ale (CDA) is dark in color, with a prominent “Northwest” hoppy aroma – citrusy, piney and resinous – with sweet malt, hints of roastiness and toasted malt. The flavors strike a beautiful balance between citrusy Northwest hops and, to a lesser degree, roasted, chocolate malt or caramel notes. Despite it’s rich color, the body is more reminiscent of an India Pale Ale, not heavy like a porter or stout.

It takes the very deft hands of our Fish brewers to make these flavors play well together so that they don’t fight one another. But as you’ll see with Swordfish CDA, when that perfect balance is struck, something sublime happens; the result becomes more than the sum of its parts and you’ll finally taste what makes a Casdadian Dark Ale so special.
7.5%alc/vol • 64 IBUs
Available April 1st – June 30th in 22oz bottles & draft”

i’m surprised it was only 64 ibus
it was a hoppy brew, nicely balanced with the malts
two thumbs up i say, two thumbs up!