legacy liquor store

new and fabulous at legacy liquor store in vancouver:

Southern Tier Brewing Live Pale Ale – $18.35
From the beloved Southern Tier Brewing Company in New York comes an exceptional bottle-conditioned pale ale. Deep yellow in colour, with a touch of haze for mystery, this beer is all about citrus on the nose. A hop-forward profile featuring the likes of orange, grapefruit and lemon all work together to rocket you into absolute bliss, while a crisp finish and lighter body make this brew easily quaffable and one worth revisiting again and again.

Evan Doan | Beer Team | Legacy Liquor Store

Jolly Pumpkin La Roja – $15.05

This American Wild Ale is brought to you by the state of Michigan and the creative minds of Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales. This barrel-aged beauty is brewed in the Flanders tradition and pours a murky amber in colour with all sorts of things going on in the aroma including subtle oak, spice, floral and of course sour notes. In addition to notes of red grape, these sour characteristics carry through on the palate to expertly mask the robust 7.2% ABV. If you’re feeling adventurous, or just love sour beers, this should be at the top of your bucket list.

Chris Bonnallie | Beer Supervisor | Legacy Liquor Store

Deschutes Chasin’ Freshies – $11.45

Stop what you’re doing right now and buy this beer. Featuring freshly harvested Amarillo hops from Virgil Gamache Farms, this fine, fresh hop Deschutes offering pours a striking golden straw colour with bright citrusy and grassy notes. Although light-bodied, this brew packs a punch when it comes to the palate with more citrus arriving layered between ghostly malt and orange pith. A serious gem.

Joel Wilson | Beer Team | Legacy Liquor Store

legacy

new beers at legacy liquor store in vancouver:

Southern Tier Brewing – IPA – $17.55 (6 Pack)
In Lakewood, New York, on the shores of Lake Ontario, resides the brew house of Southern Tier Brewing. This beer, simply named ‘IPA,’ pours a beautiful amber colour with a nose of citrus, pine and a touch of caramel from the intense yet balanced hop presence found both in its bouquet and on the palate. An outstanding beer.

Joel Wilson | Beer Team | Legacy Liquor Store

Shmaltz Brewing – Coney Island Albino Python – $7.45

Another brew from our friends on the far side of the continent, New York to be precise, this White Lager is brewed with ginger, fennel and orange peel (think Belgian Wit, but not at all). Cloudy and straw-coloured, with a one-two punch of ginger and zest, this crisp, light NY brew is a must.

Conor Marshall | Beer Team | Legacy Liquor Store

Gaffel Kölsch – $4.25

This classic German beer style is making a serious splash this summer. Clear and golden in colour with earthy yeast and slight hops on the nose, the palate boasts notes of honey, barley and an almost ghostly fruit presence. A truly delicious beer from Deutschland that is perfect for the heat.

Chris Bonnallie | Wine Team | Legacy Liquor Store

legacy liquor store

blergh, i’ve been a bit under the weather
not a great start to a long weekend
but fortunately the amazing vancouver weather has healing qualities
(or maybe it was the beer)
and i’m on the mend – with a tan!

new beers at legacy liquor store in vancouver:

Southern Tier – Imperial Mokah – $13.15
Exclusively at Legacy, this east coast beer packs a serious punch. Jamaican coffee beans and Belgian chocolate are the stars of this dark and powerful brew, with serious malt and a touch of bitterness making it a beer best enjoyed with dessert.
 
Alameda – Rose City Red – $7.45
Named after the Rose City, this beer pours red amber in colour and has hoppy floral notes on the nose. Malt, brown sugar and caramel balance well with the Nugget hops used in the brewing process. The laidback lifestyle of Portland, Oregon is complimented by this easy drinking red.
 
Hofbrau – Schwarze Weisse – $5.15
Straight from the heart of Germany, this Schwarze Weisse is chestnut in colour and has a nose of roasted malt, caramel and spicy cloves. Bread, wheat and banana represent the palate of this quaffable brew from Munich, the perfect example of German beer craft.

ipa championship

there’s a u.s. national ipa championship?
i never knew!
read all about it here

only one of my favourites is still in it
(hopefully in it to win it!)
green flash west coast ipa

some of my favourites (unbelieveably to me) went out in the first or second round
ballast point big eye ipa
deschutes inversion ipa
stone brewing ipa
southern tier ipa

unfortunately central city’s red racer went down in the first round to fat head’s headhunter
must try some of these ipas
i mean, if people say they’re better than my known faves, then maybe they’re pretty good!

tasting notes

from last week’s beernesday at st. augustine’s:

i began my night with a sampler
dead frog’s christmas beeracle!  5%  a festive, rich, warm amber ale with a medley of spices including cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
cannery’s no jail pale ale:  3.05% a lower-alcohol beer with an authentic ale taste!  a clean, crisp ale with a bright hop finish and about 40% less alcohol than conventional beer
salt spring’s golden spike ale:  5%  voted “best golden ale” at the canadian brewing awards
paddock wood’s london porter:  5.3%  a dark ale based on a recipe from 1850 which lets chocolate malt take the lead.  smoother than stout, but still holds a deep roast profile

i very much liked the christmas beeracle!
gingery goodness (reminiscent of the steamworks ginger from last spring)
and no vanilla!!
i would definitely have this one again
and i don’t say that about many christmas or winter ales
bridget liked it a lot too!

the no jail was a little thin
very pale in colour and quite crisp
i didn’t really find that hop finish they spoke of
you could definitely session this one
and what’s not to like about a beer you can have one of and still drive afterward?
but i probably won’t have it again

i’ve had the golden spike before, but didn’t remember that until i tasted it
apparently i am not a golden ale fan because i really didn’t like it
(neither did bridget)
i like a roastier malt

the london porter was fabulous
very light and refreshing for a dark beer
malty without cloying chocolate or espresso
i would definitely have this one again

next up for me was a bottle of the pyramid snow cap 2010:  7%  deep mahogany in colour, this full-bodied winter warmer is crafted with roasted chocolate and caramel malts, and is generously hopped

yup, its dark and the mahogany comes through in the light
quite clear
and no vanilla!
nicely malty, not too sweet
no over the top flavours
just good reliable maltiness

brooklyn brewery’s penant ale ’55:  5.1%  a classic english pal ale, brewed with the prized maris otter malt and fuggles, willamette and cascade hops.  maris otter is an old malt variety that yields an incomparable biscuity flavor.

lovely stuff this
the maris otter are a fine malt
this would make a great session beer
tasha is not a big fan – but it does make her want a hot dog!
i would prefer a bit more of a hop profile, but that’s hardly a surprise
i’d have it again
i might especially like to have it at a ball game, hot dog or not!

anchor brewing company christmas ale 2010:  5.5%  aroma and flavours of figs, cherries, plums, vanilla, caramel malts, raisins, nutmeg and other winter spices.  medium-bodied with low carbonation and malty, spicy mouthfeel.

i didn’t like last year’s christmas ale, but this year’s isn’t bad
i don’t love it, but its alright!
quite fruity, but not too sweet
and the vanilla isn’t overwhelming
glad i tried it, but i won’t have another

and finishing off my night, i had to go with the southern tier pale ale again – i love this stuff!!!

tasting notes

last week at beernesday i began my night with a sampler
i went with darker beers, it being winter and all

rogue’s hazelnut brown nectar:  5.6%  a nutty twist to a traditional european brown ale.  dark brown in color with a hazelnut aroma, a rich nutty flavor and a malty finish.
longwood’s scottish ale:  6.5%  scottish ale, little brother to the “wee heavy”, is a soft, full bodied, malty ale, nicely balanced by subtle hopping.
storm’s scottish highland cream ale:  5%  this creamy, nutty, malty, dark ale is true to its scottish origins and is caramelized as the kettle is being filled.
central city’s red racer oatmeal stout:  6.5%  this irish-style stout is deep, dark, smooth and creamy.  the use of oatmeal adds a silkiness to the texture and body of this ale.

the hazelnut was some nutty goodness
maybe a bit too malty on the finish for me, just a sampler did me fine

the longwood scottish ale was the big hit of the night
bridget loved it so much she convinced several other people to get pints of it
“i had to get a pint of it, its so good” said bridget, follwed by “i’m not a scottish ale fan, but i love this one!”
definitely a gooder.  i could have sessioned it for sure

storm’s scottish ale was definitely creamy, nutty and malty
the carmelizing adds quite a distinct flavour
i preferred the longwood though

the oatmeal stout was so creamy
lovely cascading action on the pour
a fabulous beer for a winter’s day

i followed my sampler with the red racer esb
“tempered with hops from the uk, this english bitter is very smooth”
yes it is
and hoptastically refreshing
makes me happy every time i have it!

then bridget talked me into the southern tier pale
“aggressively hopped with immense overtones of grapefruit and tangerine wrapped in a delicately refined body of pale barley and wheat”
bridget rates it “the ultimate pale”
but that’s because she is an ipa fan
this is not a pale ale
its an ipa if ever i met one
very pale in colour
resinous goodness with an intensely hoppy citrus nose
bridget “can’t believe they call it a pale ale”
me, i think its a thing of beauty and a joy to imbibe!
i’m not gonna lie to you, i like an aggressive hop!

pub crawl!

lord almighty, i pub crawled last night and lived to tell the tale!
okay, it was more of a meander, we only made it to four stops
but the last one was so comfy and we had our own room, we decided to stop venturing out in the rain and just stay put
that i think is the biggest difference between pub crawling in your twenties and doing it when you’re a little older
knowing that enjoying where you are is more important than checking off 12 pubs on your list!

we started at 3 at anna’s place for sushi and ipas (southern tier unearthly and howe sound devil’s elbow)
then hit the charlatan, where joy of joys they now have fat tug on tap!
then the libra room, where i enjoyed the anchor steam
and finally falconetti’s, where we had the whole upstairs room to ourselves, and our own bartender – how could we possibly leave there?
okay, well shortly before 2 we kicked ourselves out!

good times, good friends, good beers
does my heart and soul good!

tasting notes

yet more tasting notes from the last beernesday at st. augustine’s…

this time its all the bottles that we tried!
and between three of us, we tried quite a few:

elysian brewing co. avatar jasmine ipa:  6.3%  has a very floral nose while the taste is an elegant balance allowing the subtle flavor of jasmine to prevail through essential hoppiness.
southern tier unearthly imperial ipa:  10%  vigorously hopped high abv beer that is still eminently drinkable.
kiuchi brewery hitachino nest real ginger ale:  7%  a dose of fresh ginger root added to the brew kettle creates an intriguing mix of ginger, malt-sweetness, and citrus-like aromas.
flying dog classic pale ale:  5.5%  brilliant amber in color and dry hopped for an unrivaled hop flavor.

jasmine ipa:  good head, clear, floral, light hops, pale, malty yet still crispy and hoppy.  big floral nose.  delicious at first, almost too sweet as i get further down the glass.  perhaps not a session beer for me.

unearthly imperial ipa:  i am a big fan of this beer!  i find it really delightful and delicious and that 10% sneaks up on me every time!  everyone else was a fan of it as well.  i will continue to drink this beer wherever and whenever it is on the menu (and at home too of course)!!

ginger ale:  i love it!  reminds me of all that i found delightful in the steamworks ginger with none of what i found too cloying in the granville island attempt.  its crisp and clean and so very drinkable.  bridget says “i like it i REALLY like it” (and insisted that i put the emphasis in)!

classic pale ale:  another fabulous beer!  hoppy goodness that tickled everyone’s fancy.  i would definitely have this beer again (and if i’m not mistaken, they sell six packs of it at firefly and i will be there tomorrow night… survey says i shall have six more soon!), well balanced, delicious and a great way to end my night!

southern tier iniquity black ale

and now for “the antithesis of unearthly“
from southern tier, its the imperial iniquity black ale

pours up thick and black with a compact creamy head
malty, malty, malty
definitely some hops
definitely different than an ipa
a taste bridget is happy to acquire!
and i like it too

much like (and yet totally not even similar at all to) the snakebite i made with ipa and worried that it would be too clashy, this is a pairing that could be disastrous, but instead ends up complimentary and supportive
its like therapy in a glass!
hops and de-bittered chocolatey malts are a match made in heaven!

9%
21 degrees plato
2 row pale malt, debittered black malt
kettle hops:  chinook, cascade
hop back:  willamette
dry hops:  cascade, centennial
serve chilled in a southern tier tulip glass

from the bottle:  “The hexagram talisman has been used around the world for centuries to invoke magic and good luck.  The six-point star is also the customary symbol of brewing, representing the essential pure ingredients of the craft:  water, hops, grain, malt, yeast, and of course, the brewer.  Wishes of good fortune often collaborate with the brewer’s creativity to yield dramatic results.  We carefully chose the name for this imperial IBA, Iniquity – a word opposing goodness.  Why?  This beer is contrary to what one may expect from an IPA; this is an ale as black as night.  It is the antithesis of Unearthly.  Some may consider it an immoral act to blacken an ale.  We suggest they don’t rely on conventional standards.  Allow the darkness to consume you.  Cheers!”

fun glassware southern tier has on offer:

Southern Tier’s Unearthly Imperial IPA

ah the Southern Tier Unearthly
’tis one of my favourites – and offers “an uninhibited infusion of hops”
which is good – i like hops!

i’m not sure if its the 11%, the 23 degrees plato, the red wheat or the triple hopping with chinook & cascade hops in the kettle, styrian golding hops back, topped with cascade, centenial and chinook dry hops that makes it so darned tasty, but whatever it is, i’m quite the big fan!  (and don’t tell anyone, but i like to put on my best jersey accent when i say that its from new york, not that i know whether lakewood is anywhere near jersey or not – why let trifles like that stand in the way of an accent opportunity?)

this is a beer that i can have just one 650 mL bottle of over the course of an evening and feel perfectly satisfied on any old night, or require several rounds of to quench my hops hunger some other random night, but guaranteed i’ll be a hoppy camper either way it turns out!  one night it will just be easier to remain vertical than the other.  tom-a-to, tom-ah-to as they probably say in lakewood, new york.

the bottle says:

“At the Southern Tier Brewing company, vigorously hopped beer is our standard and inspiration.

We continue a commitment to innovation with our most aggressive offering yet.  Unearthly is a manifestation of the brewer’s craft; skilfully balancing art and the forces of nature to produce a divine liquid.  Delicately pour a taste into a fluted glass.  Smell the enchanting aromas of the hops waft forward as your fist sip divulges this beer’s fervent soul.  To underestimate Unearthly is to trifle with the mysteries of the universe, so please consume wisely.”

truer word have never been spoken, in vino or otherwise.

i am intrigued to try this other unearthly version of special and limited availablity, but despair of it ever arriving locally.  mind you, i’ve not yet scoured the entirety of vancouver and environs for it… i do have other things i need to do in a day you know.

gemini Imperial Blended Ale: blended unearthly & unfiltered hoppe:

High in the winter sky, two parallel stick figures are visible & known as “the twins,” or the constellation Gemini. The astronauts of the 1960s flew as teams of two in a program named after the celestial pairing. At Southern Tier, we have our own fraternal twins, Hoppe & Unearthly. Blended together & placed in this vessel, the mission of our Gemini is to travel high & take passengers on a journey far into the heavens. so, to sum up, i am a big fan; this is one of my favourite ipas. you know, just in case you missed that in your reading so far.  yummy.  like it lots.  might marry it.  worry about the children, but might just do it any way. http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=becksbeerblog-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000069HZ2&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=becksbeerblog-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1933164093&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=becksbeerblog-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0014061AI&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr