I recently received a rather timely parcel from our friends at Douglas & McIntyre Publishing: a copy of Joe Wiebe's book, Craft Beer Revolution, with a flier encouraging me to "JOIN THE REVOLUTION". I say it was timely because only one day before I had made the decision to dip my toes back into the world of beer, after being away for a few years on a self-imposed dry spell. I quit drinking right before I turned 30, after some time... well... indulging in my 20's, and I've reached a point in my life where I'd like to simply enjoy a beer responsibly here and there. I made that decision, then this book showed up as if the universe was saying "Okay, cool. Then you'll need this.".
So I read it cover to cover, throughly enjoying the tales of BC ales (and lagers and saisons, and other types of beer I'd never heard of), as well as the profiles of all of the craft breweries that matter in this great province of British Columbia. It was an incredible introduction to something that, in my time away, turned from a small industry into nothing less than a movement. It got me excited, and it educated me on everything craft beer in our province. I took my newfound eduction to Legacy Liquor in the Village on False Creek, and I made a few purchases...
One of those was the OFFICIAL BEER of Vancouver Craft Beer Week (pictured left above) which, as coincidence would also have it, starts tomorrow and runs until June 8th. Learn more about this annual celebration of local brewing at vancouvercraftbeerweek.com. And for a crash course in everything craft beer in BC, pick up the book (the Bible, as I'm sure it might soon be referred to by some) at craftbeerrevolution.ca.
