This week sees the release of the Phillips 24 Mile Blueberry Pail Ale. This is the first release of this beer but what makes it groundbreaking is the idea that lives in its soul.

I haven’t even tasted the beer and I am really excited about it. All the ingredients have been sourced within 24 miles of the brewery, and it will only be distributed to shops within 24 miles of the brewery (sorry Duncan you are outside the range). The malt, the hops, the yeast, the blueberries and of course the water are all truly local.

Like all things the whether this bee, or other beers and products for that matter, will be determined by the success of this idea. I say idea as I know that the beer itself will be of a high standard (do you know of anything that Matt Phillips has done that has been less than top quality), and like all of Matt’s short run releases it will sell out within weeks if not days. Nope the real success of this  product will be measured through the conversation it inspires. If there are hundreds of tweets, facebook updates and blogs about the principle at the heart of this beer, then it will be a success. If, on the other hand, people simply talk about how good the beer tastes then, in my books it won’t have been a complete success.

I am really pulling for this product to grab at peoples heart strings as I fully support the concept and I think more of this kind of thing should be available in the market place. As long as the products are of a high quality standard, I can say that Liquor Plus would support the products through all means reasonable… and perhaps a few that are not .

Anyway the Phillips 24 Mile Blueberry Pail Ale will be available in stores by Thursday August 10, 2010. It comes in a 650ml bottle, is 5% alcohol and will be priced around $5.99. If you want some you will either have to be really quick or reserve ahead. To reserve your bottles simple contact your favourite Liquor Plus store or post a comment here, our Facebook page or send the stores a tweet to @LPDouglas, @LPSaanich, @LPRoyalOak. You can even tweet yours truly and I will make sure that your reservations goes to the right place.

Cheers

Recently I had the good fortune of travelling with a friend to tour the Turning Point Brewery which is located in Richmond.

I posted some info on our Facebook page and a really good conversation sprouted about what makes a brewery a ‘Craft’ brewery?

It seems that the most common definition is what a craft brewery is not and less about what it is. Here are a couple of examples:

Craft brewers will emphatically tell you that lovingly craft their beers for quality whereas the large national brands manufacture their beers for speed and efficiency. I learned the other day that brands like Budweiser, Kokanee, Canadian and the like are brewed and shipped to the market within 7-10 days. What makes this possible is the use of high fructose corn syrup in the brewing process. In addition, at a point in the brewing process beers made with high-fructose corn syrup are actually toxic. Whereas beers that come from brewers like Phillips, Driftwood, Lighthouse, Vancouver Island, and indeed Turning Point, take a minimum of 3 weeks to a month to properly brew (min. 24 days for ale and min. 28 days for lager), and do not use high-fructose corn syrup and are never toxic during the brewing process.

Craft brewers will also tell you that they have small production. This is in relation to huge brands like those mentioned above and Sleemans, Okanagan Springs and Granville Island. Part of this distinction is derived from taxation levels. Smaller brewers are not taxed at the same level as large brewers and thus it is easy to make a quantitative distinction between a craft brewer and commercial brewer. Notwithstanding this taxation difference, in this case I don’t believe size is a good indicator of what a Craft brewer is. I mean the image of a single brewmaster working under the light of one bare bulb in an old wooden barn with small tanks until all hours of the night honing his or her craft, is very appealing but it simply that a romantic image. A barn, a bare light bulb, some small tanks don’t necessarily add up to a great beer. In fact I am almost certain that most craft brewers if afforded limitless cash reserves would have larger tanks, a large facility, and some state of the art equipment, but when they started out they did what they could with the cash they had to work with and I applaud them for the guts it takes to to that… especially when the result is truly a superior product.

Next is a subjective statement on taste. The common refrain is that Craft brewed beer offers more flavour and more character. I am 100% behind that statement as my experience has proven this. In fact I think this is why the term craft brewed is thrown around so often as it suggests that the product inside will have more flavour and character than the products on the shelf that don’t say craft brewed. Any smart marketing whiz at any brewing giant will figure this out regardless of whether or not there is truth in the product. The best example of this is Alexander Keith’s IPA that isn’t an IPA at all. The marketing people at Alexander Keith’s know that IPA will convey more quality and craftsmanship and thus allowing the brewery to charge more for each 6 pack.

What does all this mean? My belief is that a craft beer can only be defined by what is not used to make it and the length of time it takes to brew a batch. Outside of this the definition gets muddled and although the source of many a good conversation, using taste and size cues will only serve to exclude deserving breweries and include some that are not so deserving.

Please pass along your notes and comments and they are valuable. As my grandfather said “if you stop learning, you are dead with your eyes open.” Cheers

Rod Phillips

Driftwood’s Blackstone Porter 650ml is hitting Liquor Plus stores today Nov. 4, 2009. This is a ’seasonal’ beer from Jason Meyer,

 Brewmaster, that is perfect for snuggling up in front of the fire on a wet, chilling winter’s eve.

This is a London style porter that has a lovely flavour of bittersweet chocolate. Serve this just below room temperature and you will get the deep creamy, malty sweetness and the fullness of the body.

I would have this with a great big stew, or a grilled steak. I particularly enjoy the Blackstone with a healthy slice of aged Gouda, aged Cheddar and some quality Beemster. In fact I think I will do that tonight.

Price: $5.99/650ml Bottle

Availability: The plan is to make enough to have from now through March. Liquor Plus will carry this as long as there is stock available. Liquor Plus Douglas 60 bottles, Liquor Plus Royal Oak 60 bottles, Liquor Plus Saanich 36 bottles. Not available in BC Government Liquor Stores.

Service: Just below room temperature or just slightly chilled. If it is too cold you will miss out on the smooth creamy body and chocolate tones from the malt.

Reservations: If you would like to reserve some bottles of the Driftwood Blackstone Porter please contact me via e-mail at askrod@liquorplus.ca, or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Rod_Phillips, or by writing on our Facebook wall under the post for the Blackstone.

Cheers

Rod Phillips- Buyer

You know how sometimes we just chalk an ‘ailment’ up to getting older? I had just that experience this summer.

It was a hot day and I had just finished cutting the grass and cleaning up the yard. The whole time I was labouring I was thinking of the ice cold beer that I had in the fridge waiting for me. My daydreams created a very romantic interlude between myself and that beer (frankly I don’t even remember the beer’s name). I finished my tasks, removed all dirt and grass before entering the house (I am well trained), got changed, grabbed the book I was reading at the time (Cellist of Sarajevo – great read and the author lives in Richmond), went to the fridge and opened the door.

I swear that streams of light flew out of the fridge, there was a light breeze that blew  tufts of my hair back. My eyes met the bottle which, in anticipation of our meeting, had a hint of condensation beading around its neck.

I gently put my hands around the bottle and gazed longingly at its label. As I opened the top, the sounds of angels rang in my ears. I lovingly poured it into my glass and as the golden nectar of the gods filled the glass, a chill grabbed the glass as if to say ‘hold me, love me.’

I proceeded to the deck, arranged a chair for the best view, and allowed my lips to touch the glass. As the brewed ambrosia cooled my body I sat back with a contented smile and thought ‘I am the master of my domain.’

I drank about half the bottle when my peace was broken.

About 20 minutes later I was not feeling well. I had some heartburn, felt really bloated, and more dazed than usual.

This was not the first time this had happened after having only a few sips of beer. I started to notice the same feeling after having bread, pasta, and anything, as it turns out, that contained wheat… gluten.

Since then I have dramatically reduced my intake of gluten and have never felt better. I have lost weight, I don’t have ‘food comas’ in the afternoon, and most importantly, I no longer need my medication for acid reflux.

I started to look into gluten free beverage alcohol products and found some very interesting facts.

#1 Anything not made with wheat or barley contains no gluten. This includes wines, rum, gin, brandy & cognac and most liqueurs.

#2 Anything distilled, even if the base product is wheat or barley, contains no gluten. This means Scotch, Rye, Irish Whisky, Bourbon and wheat Vodkas contain no gluten.

#3 Beers made from rice or sorghum, do not contain gluten.

All the above would be fine for those who wish to reduce or control the amount of gluten in their diet. However they can not be certified as gluten-free.

Items can only be certified as gluten free when there is zero threat of any resulting product being ‘contaminated’ with gluten. That means if there is barley or wheat, or any gluten products in the winery, distillery or brewery, that facility cannot be certified as gluten-free.

This certification is very important to those who suffer from Celiacs disease or have significant gluten intolerance.

At present there are a very few items that are certified as Gluten-Free. This designation is relatively young and like organics, there are different certification boards and standards around the world.

There are only a few beers currently available in B.C. that are gluten free and they are generally more expensive than others, given that they have to do their own malting of sorghum. However we will continue to seek out more and, I suspect that in the years to come demand will be high enough to encourage a reduction in prices and appropriate labelling.

The Phillips Crooked Tooth Pumpkin Ale is one of the most sought after releases of the year. Originally intended to last through Halloween, it rarely lasts the weekend in our stores.

The Crooked Tooth is a rich malty ale that is enhanced with a touch of pumpkin and pumpkin spices. The palate is filled with the rich creamy texture of the malty while the finish becomes vibrant with the essence of pumpkin and pumpkin spices.

Last year was the first release and it sold out within 3 days of arrival in the stores wo I would make plans to either reserve your bottles now or get down to one of the store and purchase today or tomorrow.

Serving:Serve at about 4C to get the full creamy texture. Last year I had this with a simple plate of medium gouda and some muenster and it was the ‘bomb’. It was so enjoyable that I am likely going to do it again.

Availability: Liquor Plus Douglas 180 bottles, Liquor Plus Saanich 180 bottles, Liquor Plus Royal Oak 180 bottles as of 3pm Tuesday October 6, 2009

Price: $5.29/bottle + deposit, $63.48/case of 12 + deposit

Reservations: If you would like to reserve bottles please send me a note either via e-mail (askrod@liquorplus.ca) or via Twitter ar www.Twitter.com/Rod_Phillips. Please specific the number of bottles and your preferred Liquor Plus pick up store. All reservations must be collected by Sunday October 11, 2009.

I came was doing some research on the DeuS Brut Des Flandres and came across another fascinating brew from Bosteels in Belgium.

The name is Tripel Karmeliet and since its re-introduction to the market in the late 90’s it has one scads of awards including “World’s Best Ale” in 2008 from the World Beer Awards.

What makes this beer unique is that it is a blend of 3 grains: Barley, Wheat and Oats. Each brings different and wonderful elements to the aroma, flavour and texture of this ale.

The next distinguishing feature you will note is that this comes in the very rare 1.5L format. There were only a few cases in BC so I snapped them up.

If you and your friends are looking to do some exploration in the world of beer here is a great one to go with.

Price: $32.99 +deposit

Availability: Liquor Plus Royal Oak 3 bottles, Liquor Plus Douglas 3 bottles. Not available in BC Government Liquor Stores.

Cheers

 

Rod Phillips

Buyer – Liquor Plus

Driftwood Brewery has a new release that will available in all Liquor Plus stores tomorrow Oct. 1, 2009 by 3pm; Sartoria Harvest IPA.

Jason Meyer, Brewmaster, Beer Geek and all round nice guy, has an incredible passion for expressing himself through his beer. After each conversation I have with him I can’t help but feel energized.

Jason’s approach is incredibly simple- he brews beer that he likes, and what he likes is beer that is a true expression of the four players in the band. Like great musicians, the combinations of sounds, harmony and rhythm that can come out 4 quality players is infinite if ignited by a common passion. The story of the Sartori Harvest IPA is a perfect example of this.

You may have noticed a few tweets from Jason a few weeks back. They were pretty simple: “walking lines of fresh hops” “stuffed the car full of Sartori hops; wow the smell is amazing.” But he was talking about the exact hops that he has now brewed into the Harvest IPA.

The Harvest IPA is a unique style of IPA as it can only be brewed upon the harvest of the hops. In many beers the hops are either dry or in pellet form, thus allowing them to be used throughout the year. In a Harvest IPA the hops are still wet and are at their most flavourful and pungent.

What distinguishes this brew further it the fact that the hops come from the Sartori Cedar Ranch hop farm south of Chilliwack. Like a wine, hops, and the resulting beer, will have a flavour that is unique to our region. So for a very short time you can have a beer that is a true expression of the time of the year and our region. Brilliant!!!

Price: $6.49 +deposit $77.88 + deposit case of 12

Availability: One Time Offer

Liquor Plus Douglas 120 bottles, Liquor Plus Royal Oak 120 bottles, Liquor Plus Saanich 84 bottles (not available in BC Government Liquor Stores)

Reservations: If you would like to reserve some bottles please send me a note via twitter at www.twitter.com/Rod_Phillips or via e-mail at askrod@liquorplus.ca. Reservations are only held for 7 days from date of release. In this case all reservations not collected by Thursday Oct. 8, 2009 will be released.

Cheers

Rod Phillips

Buyer – Liquor Plus

Right on the heals of the Hudson Light, Gentleman Jim, & Crazy 8’s, Phillips Brewing is releasing another limited release perfectly timed for blackberry harvest.

This past weekend was the Cowichan Wine Festival. One of the things that makes this festival so unique is all the expressions of blackberry wines. Some are made dry, some fortified like a port, and some fermented leaving some residual sugar for a dessert wine. These wines are quite unique on the world stage.

This week (Wednesday Sept. 23, 2009) sees the release of Matt Phillips’ celebration of our luscious blackberry bounty. Fresh, local blackberry puree is blended with a classic wheat beer in a way that Matt can do.

Every year this item sells out within days so get it quick. In fact if you would like to reserve some bottles drop me a line via e-mail, askrod@liquorplus.ca, please note the number of bottles and which Liquor Store is best for you to pick up from.

Price: $5.29/bottle + deposit or $63.48/case + deposit

Format: 650ml Bottle, cases of 12

Availability: Liquor Plus Douglas 180 bottles (15 cases), Liquor Plus Royal Oak 180 bottles (15 cases), Liquor Plus Saanich 120 bottles (10 cases). Not Available in Government Liquor Stores

This weekend I noticed the leaves starting to change on the maples, a gentle mist hovering above low lying areas, and a nip in the early morning air. This combined with the steady stream of reps must mean that fall is a upon us and that Thanksgiving is right around the corner.
Over the next few weeks you will no doubt see a number of new items hitting our shelves and this week is no exception.
The new releases this week include 5 wines, 6 spirits, and 1 beer. Here is a little story about each starting with the wines.

WINE

RED BELLY BLACK 2006 SHIRAZRegion: Australia (Riverland, Wrattonbully, Padthaway and McLaren Vale)

Grapes: 100% Shiraz

Alcohol By Volume: 14%

Winery: Angoves Pty.

The Story: The Angove’s family has been making wine and brandy in Australia for over 150 years and is still 100% family owned and operated. I had the great pleasure of spending a few days with John Angove and his daughter Victoria a few years back. True salt of the earth people whose life’s pursuit is not premised on earnings or the accumulation of ‘things’. Rather they believe that financial wealth comes from the development and care of healthy relationships. Relationships not only with people, but also with the environment.

Water rights and practices along the Murray River is on of the most significant issues facing all the communities that source from the Murray. This has lead many a winery to pack up, but the Angove’s and decided to work hand  in hand with local communities to develop sustainable strategies so that all can share the water.

The Red Belly Black Shiraz is inky black with purple and garnet hues. The aromas are deep and filled with ripe black plums, red currant and a touch of licorice. The palate is soft, silky and rich with full flavour. The finish is velvety and features luxurious flavours of berry, vanilla and nutmeg.

I bought this wine as it one of the best values on the market even though it is $20/bottle.

Food Pairing: The winemaker suggests long marinated Kangaroo. Given we don’t get a lot of Kangaroo on the grocery shelf I would suggest a big thick steak with a Greek rub. Other choices would be a lamb roast with rosemary and roasted garlic.

Serving: let breathe for 15 minutes before serving.

Price: $19.99 +deposit

Availability: One Time Buy, Not Available in Government Stores.

  

 

 

Region: Spain (Toro- Central Spain)

Grapes: 100% Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo)

Alcohol By Volume: 13.5%

Winery: Bodega Vina Bajoz

The Story: In January 2009 I had the good fortune of going to Spain and tasting my way around the country. One of my favourite stops was in the City of Zamora which is in the heart of the wine region of Toro. Not only was the City steeped in history (see photo of Roman built bridge that is still in use today) but it is home to some of Spain’s best wines. The region is not as famous as Rioja, or a cult favourite of collectors like Ribero del Duero or Priorat, but it does produce some amazing wines using the same grape (Tempranillo) as those areas but a far better prices.

Consider for a moment that the Bajoz 2003 Crianza was made 6 years ago. Since fermentation it has spent a minimum of 12 months resting in oak barrels and another 60 months blossoming in bottle, yet it is only $20. Wines such as this from Rioja would start at $40, and if from Priorat they would be $60.

This wines features aromas that are dark and rich in layers. The scent of wild berries, cherry and sage drift slowly upwards as if heavier than air. To get a great sense of the palate let the wine linger on your tongue and you will find that like a rose, it opens up to incredible beauty. Wonderful flavours of ripe berries, plums, currants, lavender, violets and a touch of earth glide across the palate. If you are not a lover of oak you will rejoice in the fact that the effect of the oak aging was to tame the brutish nature of Tempranillo without interfering with the flavour.

Like many aged wines the finish is long, velvety with hints of spice.

I bought all 42 cases that were available as this will be a wine to buy by the case as there won’t be anymore from Bajoz of the 2003 vintage.

Food Pairing: I can think of a number of cheeses like Manchengo or Gouda that would work with this, but I am salavating thinking of a rainy evening tht features a hearty stew and big glass of this wine.

Serving: Let breathe or decant for 45 minutes before serving.

Price: $21.99 +deposit

Availability: Liquor Plus Douglas 216 bottles (18 cases) Liquor Plus Royal Oak 168 bottles (14 cases) Liquor Plus Saanich 120 bottles (10 cases)

 One Time Buy, Not Available in Government Stores.

Cellaring: 2-3 years but pretty close to peak right now.

 

FATTORIA MONTELLORI 2006 CHIANTI

Region: Italy (Chianti – Tuscany)

Grapes: 100% Sangiovese Grosso

Alcohol By Volume: 13.5%

Winery: Fattoria Montellori

The Story: For Bordeaux 2005 was the vintage of a century and 2006 was really good but overshadowed by 2005. In Chianti it was the opposite. 2005 was pretty good but 2006 was excellent. Even the Wine Spectator rated the vintage as 93 points or Outstanding. This created a bidding war for the top names and thus drove prices way up. That is unless you are the family that runs Fattoria Montelloriwho have always believed in providing the best possible quality for a fair price. So when the wine gods shine down on Chianti they don’t see an opportunity to increase profits, rather they see it as a gift for lovers of what Chianti can provide.

The 2006 Montellori Chianti is classic in its aromas of dried and ripe red cherry, with undertones of almonds and earth. The palate is awash in wonderful acidity and body, while the finish is graceful and long. When giving a seminar on Chianti, this is what I would present as a wine that represents the region of Chianti in terms of aroma, body, flavour and value.

I bought all every case I could (30) so get it while you can as there is no more 2006 hanging around.

Food Pairing: Perfect Veal, meat sauce pastas, or with a plate of olives, cheeses (including Parmesano, Gouda, and Mild Cheddar) baguette, prosciutto, salami and olive oil.

Serving: Let breathe or decant for 30 minutes before serving.

Price: $16.99 +deposit

Availability: Liquor Plus Douglas 120 bottles (10 cases) Liquor Plus Royal Oak 120 bottles (10 cases) Liquor Plus Saanich 120 bottles (10 cases)

 One Time Buy, Not Available in Government Stores.

Cellaring: 2-3 years but pretty close to peak right now.

 

MUSE WINERY 2008 VIOGNIER

Region: B.C. (Vancouver Island)

Grapes: 100% Viognier

Alcohol By Volume: 12.0%

Winery: Muse Winery

The Story: Janet & Peter Ellmanare a couple heavily influenced by the hippie generation in San Francisco California, and after years of hard work and hard play they were in a position to decide where the next chapter in their lives would take place. Lucky for us they chose here.

A few years back Mike Betz put the Chalet Estate winery up for sale. If you haven’t been there you should go. It is a beautiful, serene little parcel of heaven in North Saanich. Mike took every step to insure that his grapes were treated with extreme care. The proof is that year after year his wines would sell out in the local Victoria market.

This is the tradition that Janet and Peter inherited and have taken great pains to continue; to the point where Mike is still consulting on the final wine product.

A couple of months ago the Muse Winery received a Gold Medal at the All Canadian Wine Championships. Great praise indeed. I called Peter and ordered a number of cases for our stores and his words at the time were “if you like that you’ll love the Viognier.”

The wine is full of aromas of sweet orange and honeysuckle blossoms, fresh peach, apricot and lime zest. The palate is deliciously exotic and full. There is a lot of body but the wonderful acidity keeps that in check.

Food Pairing: Serve just chilled and not too cold with cold wild salmon, fresh greens follow fresh lemon tarts and you will be in heaven.

Serving: Serve chilled (2 to 4C). If condensation is on the bottle after removing it from the fridge it is likely too cold.

Price: $25.99 +deposit

Availability: Consistent - Vintage change next Spring. Not Available in Government Stores.

 

MUSE 2007 SYRAH

Region: B.C. (Vancouver Island)

Grapes: 100% Syrah

Alcohol By Volume: 13.5%

Winery: Muse Winery

The Story: In the description about Viognier you got the description about the winery so I will keep my comments limited to that of the Syrah.

As most of you know it is pretty much impossible to ripen Syrah  on Vancouver Island. So to offer full bodied reds most Vancouver Island Wineries source grapes from the Okanagan.

The trick is to find a grower that will meet your viticultural needs. Mike Betz, years ago, had secured some of the best Syrah available in the valley from some of the oldest Syrah vines in the valley.

The result is a Syrah that has rich and textured aromas that featured smoked meats, black fruits and tones of violets and lavender. the palate is full of opulent fruit, spice and is hugely textured. The finish is juicy and soft which make it very approachable on its own or with food.

Food Pairing:  This would be a great pairing for roasted beef or Saltspring Lamb. This would also be great with a deep dish classic steak & kidney pie.

Serving: Let breathe or decant 30 minutes before serving.

Price: $25.99 +deposit

Availability: Consistent - Vintage change next Spring. Not Available in Government

Coming Soon….

Lyngrove Chenin Blanc (Western Cape, South Africa) $14.99

Nine Below Shiraz (South Eastern Australia) Low Glycemic Index, Low Alcohol, Low Calorie without loosing the body. $15.99

Nine Below Chardonnay (South Eastern Australia) $15.99

Folonari Bardolino (Veneto, Italy) $17.99 Exclusive.

Benton Lane 2007 Estate Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, Oregon) $39.99

Emino Prestigo Ribero del Duero (Spain) $42.99 – very limited quantities

 

BEER

PADDOCK WOOD CZECH MATE

Region: Saskatchewan

Category: Craft Brewing

Type:Pilsner

Story:The Paddock Wood Brewery in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan started out as a way to satisfy a hobby. Steve Cavan, a professor at the University of Saskatchewan, began making mail-order brewing kits. They became so popular he soon found demand to create brewed products. Within a few years Steve found himself as the President and CEO of a craft brewer that was gaining global recognition for quality brewing.

Although Paddock Wood has a number of offerings, one in particular captured my taste; Czech Mate. I love the refreshing, hoppy quality of euro-lagers and ales but had not found a Canadian expression until now.

Czech Mate uses very soft water with rich barley malts that greet the palate. The hops come through in the mid-palate, while the finish is refreshing and clean. If you like Czechvar, Budvar, or Krusovice Czech Pilsners give Czech Mate a try and let me know your thoughts.

Serving: 4 to 6C Chilled but not cold. If a beer is too cold the quality and profile of the malt is hidden.

Price: $12.99 + deposit

Availability:Liquor Plus Douglas, Liquor Plus Royal Oak only. Not Available in Government Stores.

 

Coming Soon ……..

Lindemans Kriek 720ml-Belgium $11.99 + deposit

Lindemans Cassis 720ml-  Belgium $11.99 +deposit

Lindemans Framboise 720ml – Belgium $11.99 +deposit

Karmeliet Tripel 1500ml – Belgium $34.99 (very limited quantities)

Deschutes Black Butte Porter 6×355ml – Bend, Oregon $16.99

Brooklyn Pennant Ale ‘55 6×355ml – Brooklyn, New York $14.99

Pyramid Apricot Heffeweizen 6×355ml – Seattle, Wa. $16.99

Pike Brewing XXXXX Extra Stout 650ml – Seattle, Wa. $6.99

Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat 650ml – Eureka, Ca. $6.99

Dogfish Midas Touch Golden Elixir 4×355nl – Delaware $17.99

Dogfish 60 Minute IPA 6×355ml – Delaware $18.99

 

SPIRITS

SCHRAMM VODKA

Region: Pemberton, B.C.

Base: Organic Potato, Glacial Water

Category: Premium Vodka

Story:What do you do if you are from the Pemberton Valley, just north of Whistler, and you grow some of the best potatoes in the world, but want to find a different expression for your growing craft- well make Vodka of course.

Jonathan and Tyler Schramm were faced with this question and in 2002 they decided to invest and build a distillery to make their dream come true. They figured they had some of the best potatoes in the world and access to glacial water, so why not?

Tyler went off to Scotland to do his Masters Thesis in Potato Distilling and upon arrival home, with Masters in hand, he developed the recipe that is now available on our shelves.

Schramm Vodka is 100% organic and 100% Gluten Free. It is distilled 4 times in small batch copper pot stills. Once distilled the Vodka rests on pure charcoal to insure purity and smoothness. As measure of the quality it takes 600kg of potatoes to create 80 750ml bottles.

In taste tests it is easy to see that Schramm could and will compete with brands like Grey Goose and Chopin. However these isn’t much around so get it while you can.

Price: $49.99 + deposit

Availability: All Liquor Plus stores.

CHARTREUSE YELLOW

Region: Dijon, France

Base: 167 different herbs, Glacial water from the Alps. Actual recipe is tightly guarded by 2 Carthusian Monks.

Story: The world was introduced to Yellow Chartreuese in 1838. It is a blend of 130 different herbs found in the region of Dijon France. The actual recipe is closely guarded by only 2 Carthusian Monks, yet the order has been making Chartreuese for over 4 centuries in the same way.

Yellow Chartreuese is slightly lighter than the Green (40% ABV vs 55% ABV) and its colour is 100% natural; nothing is added to the green or the yellow to create the world famous colour.

Makes a number of really interesting cocktails, some of which you can find at Solomon’s in Victoria, B.C. Canada.

Price: $39.99

Availability: All Liquor Plus Stores. Not Available in B.C. Government Stores.

Beerfest is this week so I thought I would share one of the coolest beer stories that I have come across.

It wasn’t that long ago that every village in the area of Flanders Belgium had its own brewery. The breweries were a great source of pride for the village and from this sprang the tradition of Belgian brewing.

About 200 years ago in the hamlet of Buggenhout , the Bosteel Brewery was established and since then has been handed down from generation to generation. Its reputation was built on Bosteel Pils and this became their first export to far off exotic places like Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels.

As time passed they expanded their line up and attempted some new things. Some didn’t work at all, I won’t rehash those, but a few worked tremendously well. A case in point is DeuS Brut des Flandres which is the successful attempt to create a beer that carries the delicacy and body of a true French Champagne but harbours the flavours characteristic of its barley based nature. In fact the attempt was so successful that it won the coveted ‘Beer of the Year’ Award from Malt Advocate Magazine a few years back.

DeuS Brut des Flandres is the result of a great deal of patience and the blending of two methods. First the Belgian master brewer ferments the beer using special yeast. It then goes through what is called secondary fermentation, which is a period of tank conditioning. After the tank conditioning, it is bottled and sent to Champagne where it starts a 3^rd fermentation in the bottle which lets the creamy textures and baked bread aromas integrate with the citrusy aspects of the malt. The DeuS is then left to slowly ‘ripen’, as the brewmaster calls it, where it is slowly turned on the riddling rack which sees the yeast cells start to collect in the neck of the bottle. Lastly, just like a fine Champagne, it is disgorged- great word. This is the process where the neck of the bottle (where the yeast cells have collected) is frozen,  making the extraction of the yeast plug simple, clean and easy. Following disgorgement, the beer is left to rest before making its journey to its final resting place- your palate (hopefully!).

I have served the DeuS on a number of occasions and it is perfect with lighter style foods like local whitefish or trout, tender grilled chicken and even with a cheese plate of soft cheeses like Brie.

I once served it to my father-in-law who proclaimed it to be the best wine he had ever had at my place.

Serve chilled, about 2 to 4C, and place in a bucket of ice and water to keep the temperature consistent. Enjoy and let me know what you think.

If you would like more information on the Bosteels Brewery or DeuS Brut des Flandres check out their website at www.bestbelgianspecialbeers.be

Cheers!