Move over, beer! Tacos shared the spotlight at Victoria Beer Week’s Taco Tuesday.
The evening began with the Czechmate Pilsner (5.2%) from Off the Rail Brewing. Crisp, clear, and mild, it doesn’t forge any new paths, but would be perfect for a day at the beach.
Very Good Butchers are a completely vegan operation that, as they put it, “butchers beans.” Their jackfruit-roasted corn taco with pickled red onions had a strange texture, but its sweet-spicy chipotle mayo and fresh corn tortilla made for a tasty, satisfying nosh.
From Hoyne Brewing came the Down Easy Pale Ale (5%). Less hoppy than most pales, and mildly fragrant, this refreshing beer lives up to its name.
Next up was a vegetarian braised mushroom soft taco from Taco Stand #2. The mushrooms were juicy and spicy, the apple slaw was crisp but could have used a bit of fresh lemon juice, and the crumbled queso fresca on top was a nice touch.
Canoe Brewpub’s Charred Pineapple and Mango IPA’s (6%) fruit flavours synergized surprisingly well with its hops. These flavours were added separately, however, rather than being an integral result of the brewing process, resulting in it tasting somewhat like a beer punch. Still, it was my favourite of the night for its unique flavour.
Roast Meat and Sandwich Shop dished up a taco consisting of two chicken nuggets on a tortilla, a squirt of Sriracha aioli, and a spoonful of salsa. Meagre and sloppy, it lacked any sense of care in both design and presentation. At least the salsa was fresh.
The Escape Artist Mango Guava Sour (6.4%) from Twin City Brewing tastes literally like sour worm candies, and if I were an alcoholic as a small child, this would have been my go-to. Slightly sweet with hints of grapefruit.
Taco Stand #1 provided the best snack of the night with their tantalizing popcorn shrimp taco with avocado crema and salsa fresca. The deep-fried shrimp had the perfect crispiness, and it was definitely gone too soon.
Victoria Beer Week runs until March 14; visit victoriabeerweek.com for details.