BEST IN BC!
We had a HUGE night at the 2022 BC Beer Awards this weekend!
Our GALE FORCE Garage Series Old Ale took top spot in the Strong Ale & Lager category!
Traditionally made from the first runnings of a mild recipe (in this case, our Tunnerman’s Dark Mild Ale from 2020) Gale Force was built on a rich, almost barleywine-like base that underwent an extended boil to add to its depth of sweetness, and a secondary fermentation with a traditional English brettanomyces that imparted a subtle tropical fruit character without detracting from the array of English malts used in the brewing process.
Our CIRCA 1775 Garage Series Sumac-Rosewater Saison finished first in the Specialty Wild Ale category!
We used a base of BC malted pilsner, raw and malted wheat, and a touch of English aromatic malt and then put it through a secondary fermentation in Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc Barrels from Bench 1775 Winery before inoculating it with our own house culture for 10 months. The blend was then conditioned on locally harvested Staghorn Sumac and Rose Water from our friends at Afra on Main and bottle conditioned for a nice sparkling bubble in each sip.
Our Co-Owner Robert Edmonds took home the award for Best Can Design for Kingpin Pale Ale!
Rob re-envisioned our whole look this past year, and we’re thrilled that his redesign of Kingpin - our flagship Pale Ale - was singled out for praise. His ‘hep cat’ design truly taps into the history that inspired its name.
The beer was named in honour of George Paris, a Nova Scotian-born, Montreal-raised legend who carved out a legacy as a renowned drummer on the Vancouver jazz scene. He made the most of his nine lives banging the skins in local speakeasies during the Prohibition era. His prolific and prodigious power over percussion earned him his stylish sobriquet as ‘the kingpin of the drummers’.
Massive thank you to all the judges, fellow breweries who took home hardware, and of course, all of YOU who keep making us your MAIN choice for craft beer!
