Travel Blog

28 May

Craft Beer “Battle Royale” Coming to Vancouver

Photo credit: Mathew Knott | Flickr

Photo credit: Mathew Knott | Flickr

Vancouver has some great craft breweries, but which of them is king of the ring?

That burning question will be settled once and for all (at least, for this month) at the fourth Beer Battle Royale at Doolin’s Irish Pub on May 29.

The premise is simple: “four B.C. breweries battle it out in the Doolin’s ring for total beer glory.” Vying for top honours this year are local heavyweights Granville Island Brewing, Longwood Brewery, Coal Harbour Brewing Company and Bridge Brewing.

Each of the contenders will bring one cask of their finest beer to the competition.  The winner – chosen in fittingly democratic fashion – is whoever sells out their keg first. Apart from bragging rights, the victorious brewery will also have its beer featured at Doolin’s throughout the month of June.

Tickets for the Beer Battle Royale are $25 and include four 16-ounce beers.  The event kicks off at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 29, at Doolin’s Irish Pub (654 Nelson St., corner of Granville Street).

Now for a little bit more on the contenders:

Photo sourced from Wikimedia Commons

Photo sourced from Wikimedia Commons

Granville Island Brewing: Established in 1984, Granville Island Brewing claims to be Canada’s first microbrewery.  While they still make seasonal and specialty beers at their namesake brewery on Granville Island, the brewery was purchased by a subsidiary of Molson Coors Canada in 2009

Longwood Brewery (1)Longwood Brewery: This Nanaimo-based brewery (and brew pub) is known for its risk-taking beers with exotic names.  Favourites include Berried Alive (a raspberry ale), Stoutnik (a Russian imperial stout that takes your tastebuds “into the stratosphere”) and The Big One (a West Coast IPA causing “an aftershock of intense flavour).

 

Photo sourced from Coal Harbour Brewing

Photo sourced from Coal Harbour Brewing

Coal Harbour Brewing Company: One of the new wave of Vancouver craft breweries, Coal Harbour has been turning heads with its tight lineup of beers blending European and New World styles.  Their flagships are the 311 Helles Lager (a Munich-style, very drinkable pale ale) and the Powell IPA (a blend of big hops and big malt).

Photo sourced from Bridge Brewing

Photo sourced from Bridge Brewing

Bridge Brewing Company: Vancouver’s first “nanobrewery,” this tiny operation set up shop near Deep Cove in 2012.  Despite its small size, it punches above its weight with a lineup of small-batch gems, including North Shore Pale, Hopilano IPA and Wunderbar Kolsch.

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Article source: http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2014/05/28/craft-beer-battle-royale-coming-to-vancouver/