- Story by Jane Zatlyny Photography by Don Denton

I like beer 害羞草研究所� sometimes. When it comes to beverages, it害羞草研究所檚 hard to beat the refreshing taste of an ice-cold ale alongside a dozen fresh-shucked oysters, or a dark, chocolate-brown stout with grilled baby back ribs. Still, my natural inclination when dining out has always been to reach for the wine list.

But lately, as I walk by the banks of fridges devoted to craft beer at my local liquor store, I can害羞草研究所檛 help but wonder: am I missing something? For answers, I asked Joe Wiebe, author of Craft Beer Revolution: The Insider害羞草研究所檚 Guide to BC Breweries and all-round BC beer enthusiast, to lead me through a beer tasting.

As we settle in at a back table at Victoria害羞草研究所檚 , Joe orders a flight of beer for us to sample. We talk about how Victoria, with its long-established brewpubs like Spinnakers and Swans, has always been at the epicentre of the Canadian craft beer movement.

害羞草研究所淚 like to say Victoria is the cradle of the revolution,害羞草研究所� Joe says, noting that changes to liquor legislation in 2013 allowed breweries in BC to operate tasting rooms, much like wineries, further propelling the popularity of craft beer here.

Like alchemists, craft brewers today experiment with herbs, spices and fruits. They express themselves through the hops they use and through new interpretations of traditional brewing techniques.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e producing some incredibly exciting flavours,害羞草研究所� says Joe. 害羞草研究所淏eer has really evolved in the last decade or so. It害羞草研究所檚 a tasting culture now.害羞草研究所�

It害羞草研究所檚 these more eclectic brews that I害羞草研究所檓 most interested in tasting, beginning with our first beer, Strawberry Hibiscus Milkshake IPA from Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 (6 per cent alcohol). The name is intriguing, but how good can a strawberry-flavoured, milky beer taste?

Surprisingly good, it turns out: this is no ordinary milkshake. 害羞草研究所淢ilkshake害羞草研究所� actually refers to the use of lactose by the brewer, an unfermentable sugar that retains sweetness in the beer. It害羞草研究所檚 the perfect complement to the star ingredient: ripe strawberries. The first taste reminds me of spring害羞草研究所檚 first strawberry, greedily plucked in the field, while Joe likens it to strawberry ice cream.

Next up? A Beets by Sinden sour beer from (5.5 per cent). Deep pink in colour, this beer is unusual for two reasons, says Joe. One, it害羞草研究所檚 made with beets, and two, it害羞草研究所檚 part of a category of beers known as sours.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檝e erupted in the last few years as their own category of beer,害羞草研究所� he explains. Traditional sour beers have a three-year aging process, but modern craft brewers figured out how to accelerate the aging process by heating the beer in the brewing kettle. Sour beers then became more practical to produce and more affordable for consumers.

Sour beers are often the 害羞草研究所済ateway害羞草研究所� beer for people who don害羞草研究所檛 think they like beer, says Joe: 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e very sour, and there害羞草研究所檚 a certain type of person who just loves them. They害羞草研究所檒l taste one and say, 害羞草研究所極h! I didn害羞草研究所檛 know beer could taste like that!害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

Raising the glass of peony-coloured beer to my nose, I really can smell the beets, or at least a very earthy suggestion of beets. The beer is sour, but pleasantly so and very refreshing. If I didn害羞草研究所檛 know better, I would have said this was a cider.

害羞草研究所淭his beer is proof of how far the craft beer industry has come,害羞草研究所� laughs Joe as he drains his tiny glass. 害羞草研究所淗ere I am, a big bearded guy in a flannel shirt, drinking a pink beer.害羞草研究所�

The third beer in our flight was another sour 害羞草研究所� the Corvus Lingonberry Lime Gose from in Abbotsford. Joe says that this salty sour beer won Gold at the World Beer Cup 害羞草研究所� quite an honour for a fledgling BC brewery.

As I peer into the cloudy, pinkish glass of wheat beer, I can害羞草研究所檛 really distinguish the smell of red lingonberries. But I can taste the tartness of lime and the salinity of the Himalayan salt in my first sip.

害羞草研究所淭his beer would taste great with seafood or a big bowl of mussels,害羞草研究所� I mention to Joe.

害羞草研究所淏eer works really well with food in general,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 much more versatile than wine, and the carbonation is great for cleaning the palate between courses.害羞草研究所�

Interesting point. I害羞草研究所檇 never thought of that.

Leaving sours behind for now, Joe introduces me to another sub-category of beer 害羞草研究所� the very popular hazy IPA. The Humans IPA from in Port Moody (6.3 per cent) is like lemon meringue pie in a glass: it害羞草研究所檚 golden-coloured with a pleasant froth and a sweet, lemon-drop scent.

害羞草研究所淏rewers have started to experiment with adding hops later in the process, so you get more of the fruity sweet characteristics of the hops and less of the bitterness,害羞草研究所� Joe explains. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 what gives us that huge burst of lemon aroma.害羞草研究所� The beer害羞草研究所檚 flavour is just as fruity but not sugary. It reminds me of tropical mango, pineapple and peach.

It害羞草研究所檚 time for our second flight (I should mention at this juncture that neither of us are driving and we害羞草研究所檙e sharing six-ounce glasses). This time, we害羞草研究所檙e turning to nut brown, dark and stout beers, beginning with the Silk Road Chai Nut Brown Ale (5.2 per cent) from in Victoria. You害羞草研究所檇 have to like the scent and flavour of chai tea spices to enjoy this amber-coloured brew, a classic nut brown ale made with loose tea from Victoria害羞草研究所檚 Silk Road Tea. Fortunately, I do.

害羞草研究所淗ere you have something with definite spices,害羞草研究所� says Joe. 害羞草研究所淚t reminds me of some sort of baked Christmas treat.害羞草研究所�

I agree: 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a molasses flavour coming through, like the sticky goodness of a fruit cake on the bottom of the pan.害羞草研究所� Again, I can imagine a great food pairing, perhaps a cr猫me br没l茅e.

Coriander, cloves, orange zest, Belgian candi sugar and local plums flavour our next beer, Saison Noel (6 per cent) from in North Saanich.

害羞草研究所淭his small brewery produces some incredible craft beers,害羞草研究所� says Joe. 害羞草研究所淭hey make the candi sugar themselves in the brew kettle.害羞草研究所�

The Belgian-style dark beer tastes well-rounded, sweet, but not cloyingly so, with a slight tannin aftertaste. Don害羞草研究所檛 tell Joe, but for this wine lover, Saison Noel is reminiscent of a rich Cabernet Sauvignon.

Our last beer is a stout, and it does not disappoint. The Mole Stout (6 per cent) from in North Vancouver is crafted in the style of the famous Oaxacan dish, and brewed with poblano and jalapeno spices. Like a true mole, its flavour profile is complex. 害羞草研究所淪ome beers with peppers are incredibly hot,害羞草研究所� says Joe. This stout is not. The peppers add depth without the searing heat; cocoa nibs, chocolate malt and fresh Mexican spices balance the full, rich flavour of this delicious stout.

As we finished our last drops of beer, I admit to Joe that I was truly surprised at what I害羞草研究所檇 just experienced 害羞草研究所� so much so that I may no longer automatically reach for the wine list. Joe nods. He害羞草研究所檚 heard all of this before.

害羞草研究所淲hether you害羞草研究所檙e a high-level beer geek or someone who doesn害羞草研究所檛 know a lot about beer, order a flight of beers, and you害羞草研究所檙e sure to find something there you like,害羞草研究所� he says.

INFO

7th Annual Victoria Beer Week, March 6-14

Learn more about BC craft beers at the 7th annual Victoria Beer Week.

Check out these events to try some new and unique brews:

害羞草研究所� Lift Off! The opening night event will feature all-new beers from a variety of BC breweries

害羞草研究所� Pucker Up Sample all of the sour beers on tap at the Garrick害羞草研究所檚 Head & Churchill Pubs

害羞草研究所� Saturday Night Casks More than 20 cask-conditioned beers showcase brewmakers害羞草研究所� creativity, often using highly unusual ingredients

/schedule

Make craft breweries a highlight of your next B.C. staycation by checking out this province-wide ale trail. bcaletrail.ca

Craft Beer Revolution: The Insider害羞草研究所檚 Guide to BC Breweries

Paperback, 2nd edition, by .

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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