The Beer Brief is a new round-up of all the local beer-related news and events we think you should know about. Got news brewing? Send it to thalia [at] scoutmagazine.ca and we’ll do our best to include it!
COLLAB-OTANICAL | Head to Faculty Brewing Co. this Tuesday to taste their much-anticipated collaboration with Juniper restaurant, the 581 Botanical Ale. It’s an aptly gin-inspired brew that includes juniper berries, among other tasty ingredients. Sounds like a great summer quencher for beer- and gin-lovers!
TAP TAKEOVER | On June 21st you can drink your way across Canada at St. Augustine’s Central City “Across the Nation” tap takeover. The second annual national beer series features Central City collaborations with breweries from every province and two territories (which begs the question, ‘What’s brewing in Nunavut?’). The first round of 2017 collabs were pretty hit and miss, but it’s still a cool opportunity to test your Vancouver beer ego and find out what’s brewing beyond the mountains. So show your Canadian beer pride and head to The Drive!
MORE TAKEOVERS | BC brewery veteran heavyweights Coal Harbour Brewing Co. and Storm Brewing are each taking over five taps at Dundas Eat + Drink on June 22nd. Then, the following evening, Darby’s Gastown is handing over 6 taps to North Vancouver’s Beere Brewing Co. If you haven’t made the ferry jaunt or bridge drive to Beere yet, consider this the perfect introduction. (The “Dark Humour” stout with Meyer lemon, lactose and espresso is an intriguing combo.) Also, consider wrapping up the month of June at Darby’s, with a trifecta of beer-forward deliciousness when Luppolo and Temporal team up for a cheese pairing event.
BEERS NOT TEARS | Bid a beer-y farewell to MorningStar Brewing on Friday evening when they wrap up their stint at Callister. If you’ve ever been to a shindig at Callister, then you know there’ll be plenty of free food and good tunes to get you through this bittersweet event…the giveaways and $6 pints all night won’t hurt, either!
BEER ICE CREAM BATTLE | We like some healthy competition…but we LOVE a good beer-ice cream competition! Earnest Ice Cream and 33 Acres Brewing are giving Rain or Shine’s Dat Juice ice cream just that with their new 33 Acres & Pretzel flavour, which uses 33 Acres of Darkness with chunks of honey roasted salted pretzels. This duo will definitely be duking it out on our palates for several rounds this month!
WHISTLER | If you happen to be in Whistler on June 21st, be sure to snag an early seat at HandleBar Cafe and Apres, when the art-loving Hamilton brewery Collective Arts will be taking over the restaurant’s taps and walls for the night. The details of this event are minimal, but we’re sure that brews and art on the walls will be to the max!
GET WEIRD | Things are gonna get weird in the Fuggles & Warlock parking lot next Saturday. The Richmond beer geeks will be coming out of the dark on June 23rd for their annual Summer Kick-Off Party. Head to the brewery for a full day of live music, food trucks, beer stations and some special brews.
BEER FESTA | Meanwhile, also happening on June 23 in a parking lot in East Van, Luppolo Brewing is throwing their “Summer Festa”. Take your bike out for a spin along the Adanac path and get in on the festivities with a day of beer and beer-pairings that includes live music, a DJ, food, and some special surprises at Luppolo’s neighbouring arcade and bike shop, Landyachtz. This party encourages dancing, so bring the right shoes and attitude.
ON A ROLL | Keep the festive, beer-drinking summer vibes going by also swinging by Strange Fellows Brewing for their Strange Day #42 Midsummer BBQ, also on the 23rd. Time this one for dinner since they’ll be offering a $15 beer and burger special. Then, before your hangover has settled the following day, Strange Fellows will host another party to celebrate Vancouver Brewery Tours’ five year anniversary. This will be one bumpin’ weekend in East Van and the perfect beer-loving way to officially kick off the summer in the city!
BEER DINNERS | There’s a three-way collaboration beer dinner going down at Nomad on June 25th. Port Moody’s The Parkside Brewery and Strange Fellows Brewing are working with the Main Street Restaurant for a TBA three-course menu. Advance tickets are just $55 per person and, considering the triad of deliciousness involved, this seems like a pretty tasty gamble to take. Buy yours here. Also for consideration is the five course Ethical Table Pop Up Dinner at Whiskey Six BBQ with pairings from Coal Harbour Brewing Co. that very same night. Tickets are $80 and available here. Tough decision!
STOCK UP | This time of year, stocking up your fridge with beer for impromptu BBQs and park hangs is always a good idea. Here are a couple of releases that are on our radar: Steel & Oak’s summery sounding Subtropic IPA gets released on June 21st; and you can snag a couple of tall cans of Powell’s SUPER DUPER! Dry-Hopped Sour with Mosaic and Belma, available at the brewery starting on June 22nd.