What a way to end a fantastic week. On Saturday, March 11, I headed down to Centennial Square for Victoria Beer Week’s final event, Lift Off. Luckily, the rain stopped for the better part of the festivities, which was a chance for BC brewers to show off new beers to the public for the first time.
A pop-up beer store was set up, allowing patrons to be the first to take these new beers home. The rest of the public can’t buy all of these beers just yet, but I promise you it will be worth the wait.
Victoria’s legendary Spinnakers introduced their Juice Monkey IPA; it was, yes, juicy and citrusy, while being light on the bitterness associated with IPAs today. Another local staple, Swans will continue to make new friends—a lot of them, I suspect—with their Venerator Doppelbock, which was deliciously rich and sure to be as much of a hit locally as it was with those attending the event.
Nanaimo’s White Sails and Gibson’s Persephone both brought offerings that were deliciously different takes on the California common lager. My wife really enjoyed Vancouver’s Powell Brewery’s gin-barrel-aged pale ale and Steel & Oak’s Earl Grey IPA. We were both blown away by Port Moody’s Twin Sails’ No Fun Zone white stout, with its beautiful, white, creamy appearance and huge flavours. The coffee, cocoa, toasted coconut, and vanilla used in brewing stood out loud and clear in this delicious beer. The few cans of this one-time offering disappeared quickly.
These events are important in bringing together people, ideas, and innovation. They’re also a huge boon to Victoria’s culture, economy, and local food scene in the middle of our drab winters. Cheers!