WARNING!!! There have been many reports of establishments adding higher-than-normal automatic gratuities to bills (20% or worse). Be sure to ask ahead of time what you will be charged, if this is something you are concerned with.

With all the commotion the Olympics (am I allowed to use that word?) promise to bring us in February, you’d think we might at least get some interesting beer out of it?

This page will attempt to be a clearing house of places to go and beers to drink, both before and during the Olympics. Be sure to let me know if you hear of anything I could add, or if you’ve given any of these a try.

And, okay, Palle’s making me really JEALOUS!!!!

Provinces

• Atlantic provinces – Propeller, Picaroon, Garrison … maybe they could sneak Adam and Gillian in with the kegs?
  • given Palle’s review I’m definitely heading down there at least once!
  • Feb 18: Peter sends this sad news: “Atlantic House is out of many of their on-tap local (to the Atlantic) brews. They got sent only small kegs, which ran out in the first day after 4 hours, according to the barkeep. They had a few left on tap, mostly Keiths and Moosehead. Otherwise the local (to them) was still available in bottle only.”
  • Feb 18: Better news from Ryan! “I just got back from the Atlantic house and the info on the CAMRA website is a bit wrong. The craft beer is at the Revue stage across from the arts club), and they still have atlantic craft beer. I just got back from there and they had (and I drank) bottles of Garrison nut brown, Pumphouse Cream Ale, and Picaroon Bitter. (They also had propeller bitter). Candahar has Whistler Black Tusk and Lager on tap. Cover during the day (before 4?) is $5.75 and includes your first beer. don’t bother buying another beer as extra drink tickets are $6.90!!! (whistler pale ale and honey larger were apparently cheaper). I’m still amazed that cover + beer is cheaper than beer… (and no, they wouldn’t let me leave and buy cover again… )”
  • Feb 23: Alas, word is there is NO genuine Atlantic beer to be had there anymore. Maybe they’ll get some, but why go through the expense if the hoards are happy with swill? Regardless, be sure to ask before you stand in line.
• Ontario will be featuring Mill St, Steam Whistle, Beau’s and Great Lakes.
  • @OntarioCulinary has been mentioning beer tastings.
  • see Palle’s review
• Quebec (which doesn’t seem to have a site?) is featuring Archibald Microbrasserie brews at $9 for a large can (see Palle’s review)
• Northern House
  • According to Yukon Brewing’s Bob Baxter, “we have our Yukon Red (top ranked beer in the Canadian Brewing Awards 2009 at 45/50) as well as Yukon Gold, Lead Dog Ale, Midnight Sun Espresso Stout, and Ice Fog IPA.” Alas Bob let me know that their brews are being served only for “special” events…

Countries

• German beer gardens!   Serving up Köstritzer Schwarzbier (very nice!) and Wernesgrüner Pils Legende (haven’t tried it yet), $8.25 for a plastic cup’s worth.
  • Also bratwurst on a bun for $7 and a really yummy pork sandwich for $9
  • it’s free from 10-5, then they boot people out, and it’s a $10 cover after 6pm
  • yeah it’s a bit pricey, but it’s better quality than GM Place by far, and probably cheaper
  • And, alas, Fräuleins are yet to be seen…
  • check Palle Hoffstein’s review here
  • Feb 23: Can you be TOO successful? Apparently they are selling 70-80 kegs per day rather than the expected 30, and they ran out of the genuine German beer by last weekend. They are reported to be flying more in, and in the meantime have purchased huge amounts of fresh beer from R&B, Central City and no doubt other local breweries (at least they have the good to buy local). If you’re heading there, be sure to ask what’s pouring before standing in line… and to compensate the punters for serving “lesser” beer they’ve raised the evening cover to $20. !?!?
• the Irish might put on something interesting… though hopes are not high it will be from Ireland… and at $9 for a pint of Guinness?!?
• Heineken House is listed here only for the sake of completeness… yawn. Though they ARE bringing in a dozen shipping containers of kegs from Holland, so at least it will be real Heine.
• reports suggestion “don’t bother” beer-wise with Russian, French or Swiss pavilions…

Locals

No doubt some Vancouver establishments will be trying to impress the visitors. Anyone heard of anything?

• don’t forget about Gastown!
• R&B are selling their special Iceholes brew and are having trouble keeping stores stocked! Grab one beFORE Colbert puts it on TV, or you’ll have to go to Ebay to get one…
• Howe Sound have released their own take on the festivities with their Three Beavers Imperial red ale, but since their site is annoyingly nothing but one giant Flash, I can’t link to it.
• I did get one email from someone rather annoyed at Steamworks: “Our experience was marred somewhat by the 18% service charge added to the bill. Despite my British heritage I am usually a good tipper but was somewhat miffed by this, especially as we were subjected to the unusual occurence of an airhead waitress wearing an ‘I couldn’t give a shit pin’.”

Weird

• How about a fake Irish pub that’s actually a piece of performance art? The Candahar on Granville Island…

Some General Resources

City Caucus seems to be keeping on top of the freebies quite well, and they have a very nice Google map

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAMRA VANCOUVER ACCLAIMS THE BEST OF LOCAL BEER

Vancouver — The Vancouver chapter of the Campaign for Real Ale has announced the results of its annual members poll recognizing local and regional excellence in brewing and beer service. Surrey’s Central City Brewing was awarded Best Local Brewpub; the Alibi Room Best Local Beer Cafe, Pub, or Restaurant; and Brewery Creek Liquor Store, Best Local Liquor Store for beer selection. This is the second year both the Alibi Room and Brewery Creek were rated the best in their categories.

With the growing popularity of cask-conditioned ale (Real Ale) in Vancouver, more establishments have been adding this type of beer to their offerings. For this reason, CAMRA Vancouver added a Best Local Cask Night to its list of awards. In a nod to its pioneering role in popularizing Real Ale in the city, Dix Barbecue and Brewery won this category and won silver for its winter cask ale festival. The Whip is also acknowledged for its Real Ale Sundays with a different cask every week supplied by R&B Brewing.

Since last year, Amber Jack’s Tap House, St. Augustine’s Restaurant & Lounge, and Yaletown Brewing have each begun offering Real Ale on a weekly or monthly basis. The Alibi Room now offers a continuously changing selection of three cask ales nightly. They celebrated their 100th beer menu rotation on December 3.

Victoria continues to be a hotbed for innovative craft brewing, as evidenced by Phillips Brewing winning Best BC Brewery for the fourth year and Driftwood Brewery coming in second place, in a tie with Central City Brewing. The latter’s Red Racer IPA captured the imagination of CAMRA Vancouver members for a second year running as Best BC Beer.

Seasonal favourites reflected the first commercial introduction of fresh hop beer in BC and the popularity of pumpkin ales last year. Local beer is mostly produced with dried hop pellets. Driftwood’s Sartori Harvest IPA was brewed instead with fresh Centennial hops from Sartori Cedar Ranch, a new hop yard in the Columbia Valley that is part of a grassroots effort to bring large-scale hop production back to the province. Phillips also released a fresh hop ale, their Growhop Fresh Hop Bitter, made with Chinook hops from Mission’s Eagle Road Organics.

This year should be an exciting time for craft beer in BC with the premiere of the annual Vancouver Craft Beer Week festival from May 10-16.

The results of the 2010 CAMRA Vancouver Awards are:

Best Local Brewpub

Gold: Central City Brewing

Silver: Steamworks

Bronze: Dix Barbecue and Brewery

Best Local Beer Cafe, Pub, or Restaurant

Gold: Alibi Room

Silver: The Whip Restaurant & Gallery

Bronze: The Railway Club

Best Local Liquor Store

Gold: Brewery Creek Liquor Store

Silver: BCL 39th & Cambie

Bronze: Firefly Fine Wines & Ales

Best Local Cask Night

Gold: Dix Cask Thursdays

Silver: The Whip Real Ale Sundays

Bronze: Yaletown Making it Real (Ale)

Best Local Beer Event

Gold: Alibi Room 100th Beer Menu Rotation

Silver: Dix X-mas X-treme

Bronze: CAMRA on a Mission to Mission

Best BC Brewery

Gold: Phillips Brewing

Silver: Driftwood Brewery, Red Racer aka Central City Brewing (tie)

Best BC Beer

Gold: Red Racer IPA

Silver: Phillips Longboat Double Chocolate Porter

Bronze: Crannog Back Hand of God Stout

Best BC Seasonal Beer

Gold: Driftwood Sartori Harvest IPA, Phillips Crooked Tooth Pumpkin Ale (tie)

Bronze: Phillips The Hammer Imperial Stout

About the Campaign for Real Ale

In 1971 angry beer lovers in England formed the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) to combat the replacement of traditional regional beers with “mainstream” factory beers. Affiliated with the now 108,000-strong CAMRA UK, CAMRA BC was incorporated in 1990 as an independent consumer organization to:

• maintain consumer rights
• promote quality, choice, and value for money
• campaign for greater appreciation of traditional beers, ciders, and perries as part of our heritage and culture
• promote and preserve full-flavoured & distinctive beers and decent pubs

CAMRA Vancouver was established as a chapter of CAMRA BC in 2002.

What is Real Ale

“Real ale is a natural product brewed using traditional ingredients and left to mature in the cask (container) from which it is served in the pub through a process called secondary fermentation. It is this process which makes real ale unique amongst beers and develops the wonderful tastes and aromas which processed beers can never provide.”

— CAMRA UK

Media Contact:

Media Contact:
Rick Green
President, Campaign for Real Ale Vancouver
P.O. Box 47013
15 – 555 West 12th Avenue
Vancouver, B.C.  V5Z 3X7
Tel: (604) 879-5548

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAMRA RECOGNIZES VANCOUVER’S BEST IN BEER

Vancouver — The Vancouver chapter of the Campaign for Real Ale has announced the results of its annual members poll recognizing local and regional excellence in brewing and beer service. Dix BBQ & Brewery was awarded Best Local Brewpub; The Alibi Room is Best Local Beer Cafe, Pub, or Restaurant; and Brewery Creek, Best Local Liquor Store for beer selection.

“While it may seem curious that the best beer is in Surrey and the best brewery in Victoria, this year’s results reflect the growth in popularity of Real Ale in Vancouver,” explained CAMRA Vancouver President, Rick Green. “We are fortunate to have brewers throughout the province willing to meet the demand here.”

Dix BBQ & Brewery began the trend in 2002, featuring a cask-conditioned ale once a month. With the encouragement of CAMRA Vancouver, the following has grown. Now Dix features a weekly cask ale and hosts a semi-annual cask festival.

“We are very pleased to be awarded favourite brewpub in the Lower Mainland,” said Dix brewer, Derrick Franche. “On behalf of the Dix BBQ & Brewery staff, I’d like to thank CAMRA Vancouver for their support.”

In January of 2007, The Whip Restaurant & Gallery partnered with local microbrewery, R&B Brewing, to offer a weekly cask from brewers all over BC. Last year, they inaugurated the annual Feast of Five Firkins, a special brewmasters’ dinner featuring five courses paired with five firkins from five brewers. Their success is reflected in the three rewards they received this year.

Real ale is also reaching the suburbs. Taylor’s Crossing brewpub in North Vancouver offers a monthly cask ale, as does Surrey’s BigRidge brewpub. Central City Brewing, also in Surrey, launched their annual cask festival last summer.

Not only is Gastown an evolving dining destination, it’s also a growing focal point for craft beer. Steamworks has been the standard bearer since 1995. Two years ago, the Alibi Room changed direction to become a true free house showcasing all of the province’s best beers. Publican, Nigel Springthorpe, noted:

“We went out on a limb to try something different. The build has been slow, but I really feel things are coming together. We pick up our own beer from the Island; we even have small breweries in the Interior carpooling their beer or getting visitors to throw kegs in their trunks to bring to us. Things are changing. Craft beer is becoming a bigger part of our culture here in BC.”

Last year, the Irish Heather moved across the street into a newly-renovated location. As part of their makeover, they became the first establishment in Vancouver to offer cask-conditioned ale daily, supplied by R&B. And with first-rate imports being sold through progressive retailers, such as Brewery Creek, we can expect the bar to be raised in Vancouver.

The results of the 2009 CAMRA Vancouver Awards are:

Best Local Brewpub

Gold: Dix BBQ & Brewery

Silver: Central City Brewing

Bronze: Yaletown Brewing

Best Local Beer Cafe, Pub, or Restaurant

Gold: The Alibi Room

Silver: The Whip Restaurant & Gallery

Bronze: The Wolf & Hound

Best Local Liquor Store

Gold: Brewery Creek Cold Beer & Wine Store

Silver: Firefly Fine Wines and Ales

Bronze: BCLS Signature Store (39th & Cambie)

Best Local Beer Event

Gold: The Whip Real Ale Sundays

Silver: CAMRA On a Mission to Mission; Feast of Five Firkins (tie)

Best BC Brewery

Gold: Phillips Brewing Co., Victoria

Silver: Storm Brewing Ltd., Vancouver

Bronze: Crannóg Ales, Sorrento; R&B Brewing, Vancouver (tie)

Best BC Beer

Gold: Central City Empire IPA

Silver: Storm Black Plague Stout

Bronze: Crannóg Back Hand of God Stout

Best BC Seasonal Beer

Gold: Yaletown Oud Bruin

Silver: Steamworks The Grand espresso stout

Bronze: Granville Island Winter Ale

About the Campaign for Real Ale

In 1971 angry beer lovers in England formed the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) to combat the replacement of traditional regional beers with “mainstream” factory beers. Affiliated with the now 97,000-strong CAMRA UK, CAMRA BC was incorporated in 1990 as an independent consumer organization to:

• maintain consumer rights
• promote quality, choice, and value for money
• campaign for greater appreciation of traditional beers, ciders, and perries as part of our heritage and culture
• promote and preserve full-flavoured & distinctive beers and decent pubs

CAMRA Vancouver was established as a chapter of CAMRA BC in 2002.

What is Real Ale

“Real ale is a natural product brewed using traditional ingredients and left to mature in the cask (container) from which it is served in the pub through a process called secondary fermentation. It is this process which makes real ale unique amongst beers and develops the wonderful tastes and aromas which processed beers can never provide.”

— CAMRA UK

Media Contact:

Rick Green

President

CAMRA Vancouver

pres@camravancouver.ca

Tel: (604) 879-5548

** Photos courtesy of Brian K. Smith Photography.

VANCOUVER’S BEST IN BEER

Vancouver — The Vancouver chapter of the Campaign for Real Ale has announced the results of its annual members poll recognizing local and regional excellence in brewing and beer service. Steamworks was awarded Best Local Brewpub; The Whip Restaurant Gallery is Best Local Beer Cafe, Pub, or Restaurant; and Brewery Creek, Best Local Liquor Store for beer selection.

“We chose to strongly emphasize craft beer and continuously make an effort to source brands no one else in the city carries,” said Brewery Creek manager, Gerry Erith. “Not only does this award endorse our strategy, our success has meant that we will continue to improve our selection to accommodate the growth we’ve seen.”

The past year has seen an increased interest in craft beer in Vancouver. In addition to the ever-present lager and pale ale, every brewpub now makes strong, robustly-hopped India Pale Ale. All will have, either seasonally or year around, a wheat beer and a stout with a various assortment of styles in between. We are also seeing Belgian fruit and abbey-style ales that defy Vancouverites’ common conception of beer.

Food pairing has been getting more notice since acclaimed Brooklyn brewer-author Garrett Oliver (“The Brewmaster’s Table”) hosted a brewmaster’s dinner at Gastown’s Boneta restaurant last August. Subsequently, beer dinners have been held at Zin, the Pan Pacific, Mission Springs Brewing, FigMint, and The Whip. Surrey’s BigRidge Brewing and The Whip regularly have special menus paired with their cask offerings and there have been a handful of beer and chocolate, and beer and cheese pairing events.

“Clearly, beer is not just for the burger and pizza crowd, said Rick Green, CAMRA Vancouver’s newly-elected president. “There is a place for flavourful craft beer in fine dining that has, until now, been largely overlooked in Vancouver. Restaurants are beginning to recognize the broad palate of flavours available to them from the myriad beer styles.”

Cask ale is another growing phenomenon. This is a traditional English method of beer production where real ale is matured in 40.9-litre firkins and served directly from the cask without filtering, pasteurization, or the addition of carbonation. Cask ale is available weekly at DIX BBQ & Brewing and The Whip, and monthly at BigRidge and Taylor’s Crossing in North Vancouver. DIX hosts a summer and a winter “Caskival” that typically offer two dozen different beers from brewers around the region.

The results of the 2008 CAMRA Vancouver Awards are:

Best Local Brewpub

  Gold: Steamworks

  Silver: Central City Brewing

  Bronze: DIX BBQ & Brewing

Best Local Beer Cafe, Pub, or Restaurant

  Gold: The Whip Gallery Restaurant

  Silver: The Alibi Room

  Bronze: The Railway Club

Best Local Liquor Store

  Gold: Brewery Creek Cold Beer & Wine Store

  Silver: BCLS Signature Store (39th & Cambie)

  Bronze: Firefly Fine Wines and Ales

Best Local Beer Event

  Gold: The Whip Real Ale Sundays

  Silver: DIX Cask Thursdays

  Bronze: CAMRA On a Mission to Mission

Best BC Brewery

  Gold: Phillips Brewing Co., Victoria

  Silver: Crannóg Ales, Sorrento

  Bronze: Storm Brewing Ltd., Vancouver

Best BC Beer

  Gold: Central City Imperial IPA

  Silver: Storm Black Plague Stout

  Bronze: Crannóg Back Hand of God Stout

Best BC Seasonal Beer

  Gold: Steamworks Grand Espresso Stout

  Silver: R & B Auld Nick

  Bronze: Granville Island Merry Monks Doppelbock

The Campaign for Real Ale

In 1971 angry beer lovers in England formed the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) to combat the replacement of traditional regional beers with “mainstream” factory beers. Affiliated with the now 84,000-strong CAMRA UK, CAMRA BC was incorporated in 1990 as an independent consumer organization to

• maintain consumer rights
• promote quality, choice, and value for money
• campaign for greater appreciation of traditional beers, ciders, and perries as part of our heritage and culture
• promote and preserve full-flavoured & distinctive beers and decent pubs

Media Contact:

Rick Green

President

CAMRA Vancouver

bodger@istar.ca

Tel: (604) 879-5548

SECOND ANNUAL CAMRA VANCOUVER BEER AWARDS ANNOUNCED

The Vancouver chapter of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale Society) BC is pleased to announce the results of our second annual Vancouver Beer Awards. Designed to recognize excellence in both local & regional brewing and beer service in B.C., this year’s recipients exemplify the “Best of the Best” in British Columbia’s thriving beer culture.

The 2007 Vancouver Beer Award recipients are:

Best Local Brewpub 2007

1. Mission Springs Brewing, Mission

2. DIX BBQ & Brewery, Vancouver

3. Steamworks Brewing Co., Vancouver

Best Local Beer Cafe, Pub or Restaurant 2007

1. The Whip Gallery Restaurant, Vancouver

2. The Railway Club, Vancouver

3. The Raven Neighbourhood Pub, North Vancouver

Best BC Brewery 2007

1. Phillips Brewing Co., Victoria

2. Storm Brewing Ltd., Vancouver

3. Crannóg Ales, Sorrento

CAMRA Vancouver congratulates this year’s winners for their dedication to showcasing the best of the brewing arts in this province. Through the innovation and craftsmanship of B.C.’s brewers, there has never been a better time to enjoy the ales, lagers and specialty beers of Western Canada.

Comprised of beer lovers, home brewers and brewing professionals, CAMRA BC is a membership organization that is dedicated to the promotion and responsible consumption of better quality beer.

With groups in Victoria, Vancouver, and throughout the province, B.C. beer lovers are invited to join CAMRA BC and to participate in the many brewing-related events held each year throughout our region. You can find out more about joining CAMRA BC at http://www.camra.ca/, where you can learn about upcoming meetings, beer festivals, promotions & events.

CAMRA Vancouver contacts:

Warren Boyer, President

homebrewboy@shaw.ca

Tel: (604) 552-3634

Aly Tomlin, Corporate Liaison

bentley_23@yahoo.com

Tel: (778) 834-6853

Shane Patrick, Vice President

Tel: (604) 589-8721

Rick Green, Secretary

bodger@istar.ca

Tel: (604) 879-5548