Faithful readers of this here beer column – all seven of you (hi Mom) – will have noticed I’ve never actually written about beer. I write about people involved with beer, and issues surrounding the industry, but the actual liquid itself I’ve avoided discussing.
There are a few reasons for this: 1) There’s plenty of beer writing and criticism already happening in BC, and I don’t feel I can add anything of value to the conversation because 2) as I’ve written before,I’m a novice in the craft beer world and don’t think I can confidently write about or critique beer with the authority necessary to make it sound like I know what I’m talking about.
Really, though, 3) the nuances of the industry itself are a lot more interesting to me than the nuisances of the actual beer. Since life’s too short to criticize anything with regularity, I’ve decided to just enjoy the good stuff and leave it up to the other writers to inform readers on what’s “hot” and what’s “not”.
Alas, the time has come when I must finally write about the actual beer. My editor told me to, and though I moaned over it, past experience has taught me what every grown man must learn eventually: Suck it up and do what the Boss Man commands.
Because it’s Westender’s annual Best of the City: Dining issue, I’ve been asked to list my five favourite local beers. However, this list is by no means meant to denote Westender’s official list of Vancouver’s “best” beer, nor is it my opinion that these beers are actually “the best”. As Mijune Pak writes this week, there is no “best” – there is only personal preference.
So here, in no particular order, are my personal favourite beers right now, brewed in Metro Vancouver, with little care given to what you might actually think about any of it.*
Brassneck’s Mr. Personality: Easily my favourite beer at what’s proooooobably my favourite brewery in the Lower Mainland right now. Mr. Personality’s not for all tastes, and might turn off some folks who are just getting acquainted with this whole craft beer thing, but I’d be lying** if I said I didn’t pray to the patron saint of beernightly that he make Brassneck make this beer more widely available outside its Main Street brewery.
Dageraad’s Amber: This brewery is the best thing to come out of Burnaby since Michael J. Fox, and every beer is worth a try (or several). The amber, though, is probably the most crushable and maybe the most flavourful of them all. I’d wager it’s also the best bet of BC-brewed beer to persuade people who claim to hate beer that, hey, some beer’s actually pretty good after all.
Main Street’s Sessional IPA: This might not be the greatest beer in the province – though it did win first place in its categoryat the BC Beer Awards last month – but it’s my favourite beer brewed at my favourite local watering hole right now, so I drink more of this than probably anything else. It’s smooth and sessionable and just the right amount of hops. Good stuff.
Four Winds' Pale Ale: It’s a dependable and creative pale ale that has the right amount of balance between the malt and the hops. Plus its sold in four-packs (rather than six) which means I can call it a night earlier and not hate myself too much on Thursday morning (you know how Wednesdays can be…).
Gypsy Tears: An instant classic and a staple of BC craft beers. Right up there with Blue Buck as an introductory craft beer for people hoping to wean themselves off Kokanee and the like. Sure, it’s almost as popular as the sun and is on tap practically everywhere (including Rogers Arena!). That makes it even more awesome. I’m gonna drink some right now (and so should you).
*OK, I sorta care a little. Feel free to email your thoughts and feelings about this list to [email protected], or find me on Twitter @stephensmys. Psychoanalyze me, even. Let’s talk this through.
**Editor’s note: He’s lying.
