Advised against shotgunning, Grant Lawrence wrestled with his inner angels when cracking open the first can of the Vancouver Craft Beer Week collaboration brew. Photograph By MARK YUEN
“Sorry, no shotgunning.”
That’s the response I received from Vancouver Craft Beer Week’s communications manager, a few hours before the official opening of Vancouver’s 9th annual weeklong celebration of all things hoppy, sudsy, and malty.
I had been invited to crack the first can of the festival, a tradition that kicks off VCBW, this year at the Maritime Labour Centre in the heart of Yeast Van’s booming brewery district. In a few short years, East Van has gone from having just one (Storm Brewing, the area’s longest-lasting craft brewer, which began in 1994) to dozens, turning East Vancouver into one of the busiest craft brewing communities in North America.
Since the only liquids I drink are beer and water, and I have the daily joy of riding my bike to and from work five days a week through our beer district’s goodtime-gas-gauntlet, I heartily accepted the “Cracking of the Can” honour.
“We have to ask you not to”, the VCBW communications manager explained. There were a couple of reasons they didn’t want me to rip a hole in the side of the can and swallow the entirety in under two seconds. Despite BC’s beer boom, liquor laws in this town are still tighter than 49th Parallel’s tasting room on a Friday afternoon.
She went on to detail that that the beer that I had the honour of cracking was a carefully crafted collaboration between three Sea-to-Sky breweries: a tall-boy double dry hopped pilsner concocted by Backcountry Brewing from Squamish, Coast Mountain Brewing from Whistler, and Beere Brewing from North Van (yes, Beere Brewing. Beere is the actual last name of the owner).
It also turns out that shotgunning such a collaboration, prepared for flavour and taste, may appear a bit disrespectful. It could encourage copycat behavior, which is admittedly how I first learned to shotgun beer, a few decades ago in the bushes near Horseshoe Bay.
So I agreed: no shotgunning. And yet, when I cracked that first can on Friday night to loud applause from the hundreds of beer enthusiasts crowded into the historic Maritime Labour Centre, a loud chant rose like foam in a mug: “CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!”
I couldn’t help it: I started chugging. The chant grew louder. Despite the collaborative beer being a tallboy, seven per cent strong, with more hops than Bugs Bunny, I knew I could do it.
The organizers’ words crept into my head as I guzzled: “… responsible consumption… non-excessive drinking… liquor inspectors… you could ruin everything….”
To the crowd’s dismay and the organizers’ relief, I pulled my mouth from the can. I did some quick math, which gave me an explanation to satisfy the crowd: “that’s nine straight gulps for nine straight years of Vancouver Craft Beer Week! WHOOO!!!!” Phew.
In a city that brings craft beer and yoga to new heights, a craft beer plank competition is in order. – Mark Yuen
Shortly after the Cracking of the Can, the annual Feats of Strength contest between breweries began: hilarious challenges like planking while balancing a pint on your back, stool hoisting, thumb wars, and more.
I was surprised to see so many muscle-bound men and women stepping up from a scene that sells a product that produces beer guts and hangovers. The B.C. craft brewing community is a surprisingly fit bunch. Surrey’s Russell Brewing emerged triumphant, winning the 2018 Feats of Strength trophy.
The frothing festivities of VCBW continue all through this week, with trivia, tap takeovers, tours, and other events occurring throughout the city. Everything comes to a head in a two-day festival at the PNE this Saturday and Sunday, June 2 and 3, featuring more than 300 craft beers and ciders, bands, DJs, food trucks, and fun. Partial proceeds go to Music Heals and Eastside Boxing’s women’s self-defence training series. For tickets and event information, go to vancouvercraftbeerweek.com.
And remember: no shotgunning.
