BeatRoute Magazine BC Edition December 2018

CITY
DECK THE HALLS WITH STOUT AND PORTER
• Written by Jennie Orton • Illustration by James Mackenzie
Winter is coming, friends. And many of us combat the darker days by shifting to beer that matches our cold dark hearts. We trade in
crushable beach lagers for beer that requires a knife and fork. We put down the saison in favour of the intoxicating tendrils of stout foam
as it crawls up the glass like a smoke bomb revealing your new dark master. To keep it interesting and save you from a season of Guinness,
BeatRoute has compiled a list of our favourite choices for beer that sticks to your ribs through the cold months.
Broken Resolution Cherry Baltic
Porter - Parallel 49 Brewing
An aptly named holiday season Limited Release,
this is a surprisingly tasty addition to your vices.
This porter is cool-fermented and complex of
flavour. A present malt refrains from taking over
the palate thanks to the tart cherry flavour and the
standard porter characteristics of chocolate and
deep purple fruit. A satisfying sipper to say “f@#$
it” with.
33 Acres of Darkness – 33 Acres
A perennial favourite of local beer connoisseurs,
this sessionable at 5% Schwarzbier combines Cara
Vienna, Black Prinz, and Caramel Munich 40 malts
roasted in harmony to produce a caramelized
but light “supernatural lager” as described by the
brewery. It’s the dark beer that doesn’t make you
feel full, combining chocolate and coffee notes
with a refreshing mouth feel.
Postmark Stout – Postmark Brewing
A more standard issue stout, this drinkable 4.8%
beer has the roasted barley backbone stout lovers
crave while not destroying your cozy guts with
high gravity. If you are looking for an exceptionally
made traditional stout, this one’s your man.
Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial
Stout – Moody Ales
Aged for six months in bourbon barrels, this one…
this one has teeth. At 11%, this Imperial is brewed
more to the English tradition with large hops to
balance the malt and make this a dangerously
drinkable behemoth.
Attack of the Cherry Stout – The
Parkside Brewery
This murky black goddess finishes with sweet sour
cherries to give it an exciting palate experience
while still being a high gravity dark beer. This is one
fruity brew you can enjoy and not worry about
toxic masculinity coming from a neighbouring
table to ruin your fun.
Mapalé Milk Stout – Andina Brewing
Company
It wouldn’t be a list without a milk stout, and
this one is an infinitely interesting brew from one
of the city’s most charming breweries. As with
all milk stouts, it features lactose so those with
allergies should steer clear lest you crop-dust the
taproom with your intestinal woe. But for the rest
of you, this is a smooth and sweet milkshake of a
beer. You’ll love it.
Oaked Stout – Faculty Brewing Co.
This surprising brew from our new favourite local
brewery is a wonderfully clean stout with crisp
oaked age to its finish. A non-aggressive 5% with a
refreshing quench to it, and they let you bring your
dog into the taproom so…gold medal as far as we
are concerned.
Chai Milk Stout – R&B Brewing
This beer is like dessert after Christmas dinner.
Sweet and milky and filling, this isn’t a beer you
would drink more than one of, but it is a great way
to cap off an evening. There is a lot going on in this
beer but it’s the Silguri Chai Spices that make it a
rare treat.
Mona – Four Winds Brewing Company
This saucy minx is a Belgian Ale aged in Port Barrels
on Cherries then blended with an assortment of
barrels which amounts to a truly crazy personality.
This beer is bold and lush and lusty, a good show
off bottle to bring to your holiday party.
Luminosity – Temporal Artisan Ales
Though not in keeping with the seasonal dark beer
theme, this is a must drink right now in the city.
Available at Luppolo as a shared space-brewing
project, Temporal brews very interesting beer; but
this one is their masterpiece. A truly fascinating
and delicious beer, this sour has bretty atmosphere
with tequila barrel character and an overall flavour
profile that will make you salivate. Seriously: go try
this beer.
Floridian Holiday IPA – Electric
Bicycle Brewing
For those of you that prefer to escape the winter
and head somewhere balmy for the holidays,
this one is for you. And much like Florida, it is a
complex experience. Tropical fruit is all over the
initial palate but then it hits you with an absolutely
numbing pepper punch. It, like Florida, is not for
everyone. But if you’ve got the stomach for it, it’s a
pretty swell vacation from the every day.
Winter Cider – Dominion Cider Co.
For those with celiac disease or those who like
their brew a little sweeter who still want to cash in
on the winter brew hoopla, we recommend this
apple pie in a bottle. Heirloom apples and a wallop
of mulled spice flavour, the flavour is balanced
by the dryness to create a cider that would be at
home in a to-go mug for a night of ice skating. But
wear a helmet: it’s 6.5%.
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