Went to Steamworks a couple of times due to the location.
Steamworks Empress IPA – reminded me of a Pale Ale or Bitter more than an IPA but was lovely after walking around on a warm day (thumbs up)
Steamworks Nirvana Nut Brown – sweet/smoky smell, hints of porter (thumbs up)
For some reason I noted that one of the songs on was one used to death at Spin class and was followed by Band of Horses (yessss!).
And then for the best surprise find of the trip. Off the SkyTrain (love love love the SkyTrain) at Commercial Drive and needing to find a bathroom. We spotted what looked like a Sports Bar and kept walking until I spotted this sign and figured 12pm was as good time as any for a pint (and a trip to the bathroom!).
So with 40 micros on tap, what to pick?
Crannog Ales Red Branch Irish Ale – clean, good session ale (thumbs up)
Central City Brewing Red Racer ESB (two thumbs up)... and he returns to the old faithful
Back to Alibi Room and oh look, a Red Racer ESB again. This was the final excursion to Alibi Room and therefore we may have gone a little crazy.
Phillips Brewing Skookum Cascadian Brown
RnB IPA (cask) – intense and yet mellow (much different in a bottle with the carbonation going nuts), lovely, lovely, lovely. Ordering a pint of this was both wise and unwise (yes two thumbs up)
Driftwood Crooked Coast Amber Ale – pumpkin? (can’t remember what this referred to)
Iains Warm Dry Hopped IPA – straw/hay. Awesome! (two thumbs up)
Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout – and now I seem to have acquired an obsession with chocolate stouts which is amazing given that I was (a) not a stout fan, and (b) dubious about chocolate beers (I cannot stand fruity beers, don’t know why that made me dubious about chocolate…). This was WOW… Like a cherry devil’s chocolate cake with espresso and a huge helping of rum (two thumbs up)
Conrads NXNW Hoppy Pale Ale
Rogue XS Series Double Chocolate - all I wrote was “drool, chocolate goodness!”. Definite two thumbs up. I remember getting a high just from taking a sniff, this had HUGE cocoa aromas.
And then we finished the trip with bottled beer at the hostel
Nelson Brewing Company Paddy Whack IPA – organic, had little to say about it (meh)
Hoppleganger RnB IPA – after the pint at Alibi Room I was keen to have this again (also picked up a bottle for a friend back home). Was still lovely and hoppy but over-carbonated.
Philips Longwood Chocolate Porter – some chocolate notes but also floral. Saved by the lingering chocolate after taste, otherwise bland (meh).
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