Last Friday I had the honour of representing the 604 Now team at the BC Beer Awards at the Croatian Cultural Centre. This was my first experience of the annual event, and going in all I really knew was that all of the local breweries would be here. Needless to say, I wasn’t prepared for the spectacle that is this incredibly well-executed event.
Undoubtedly, the craft beer market has decimated the big-players in BC’s beer market, and microbreweries offer an intimate beer experience that elevates beer knowledge into it’s on, small niche. The kind of niche where you can take home cool quart-bottles of craft beer and refill it at the brewery for super cheap.
If you don’t know much about craft beer, I did some research for you in an article in September.
Walking into the venue, the space was filled wall-to-wall with people milling about, sipping beer out of little tiny glasses. Everything was decorated in gold, and I could smell chilli cooking somewhere nearby. There were writers, students, and tap connoisseurs from all over the lower mainland, and there was an air of supremacy about just being there.
I stood with my mouth gaping, like a child in a candy store holding my little taster glass -conveniently filled with a bunch of free drink tickets- surveying the area. I noticed many familiar names, and some I had never heard, piquing my desire to get some liquid in my cup.
If there’s one event you put on your calendar to check out next fall, this one is a must. The atmosphere was enchanting, and all of the stands were elaborately decorated to show the character of each brewery. The people representing the breweries were incredibly informative, friendly, and eager for you to taste their intricately crafted brews.
If you didn’t make it this year, at least take some time to try some of the winning beers! I have listed the top beers below, some with commentary. Some of these names were just too creative! There is also a list of my personal favourites of the night.
Winners:
Light Lager: Turning Point Brewing Company- Stanley Park Noble Pilsner
Pilsner: Steamworks Pilsner- Steamworks Brewing Company
Special Lager: Tree Brewing Company – Captivator Doppelbock
Hybrids: Steamworks Brewing Company – Steamworks Brewpub Kolsch
German Wheat/Rye: Moon Under Water Brewery – This is Hefeweizen (this one was ridiculously good)
UK Ales: Tin Whistle Brewing Company – Stag Apple Scotch Ale
North American Ales: Main Street Brewing Company- Main Street Sessional IPA
Porter/Brown: Yellow Dog Brewing Company – Shake a Paw Smoked Brown Porter
Belgian/French: Driftwood Brewing Company – White Bark Witbier (Also ridiculous)
Vegetable/Spice Beer: Parallel 49 Brewing Company – Lost Souls (Delish and cryptic)
Stout: Persephone Brewing Company – Dry Irish Stout
North American IPA: High Mountain Brewing Company – 5 Rings IPA
Imperial IPA: Brassneck Brewery – One Trick Pony
Fruit/ Sour: Driftwood Brewing Company – Bird of Prey – Flanders Red (remembrance day is in two weeks, just saying)
Strong: Steamworks Brewery – Steamworks Blitzen
Specialty: Granville Island Brewing – Lost in the Barrels
Smoke/Wood: Central City Brewers and Distillers – Thor’s Hammer Barrel Aged
Our Personal Faves:
Prohibition – Harvest Pumpkin Spiced Ale: This ale is brewed in Kelowna, and tastes astonishingly similar to pumpkin pie.
Whistler Brewing Company – Winter Dunkel: With chocolate notes and an orange aroma, this easy drinking beer tasted like a Terry’s Chocolate Orange. So, yeah… try it.
Steamworks Brewery: Blitzen Xmas Ale: For the beer drinkers who like ‘em strong, its a 9.5% brew.
Review by: Alycia Sundar
