The BC beer awards happened last night. This is BJCP event meaning Beers are judged on, among other things, their ability to remain close to BJCP style guides. This means that if a Brewery brews a beer that is insanely good but doesn’t fit well into any style guide well it could easily go home with nothing. That aside lets get going!
Richards Buell Sutton Rookie of the Year Award: @doanscbc
I’ve only visited Doan’s once before the more venerated beers like the Rye Stout appeared, they were all delicious and I’m happy to see them take this!
Best of Show: @brassneckbrew for One Trick Pony.
Brassneck doesn’t often make bad beer, nor do they ever have few beers. I’ve had a lot of their beers, so many I can’t remember if I’ve had this one, but also enough to be confident that they are deserving of winning.
Sours/Wild Ale:
3. Dageraad De Witte
2. Strange Fellows Roxanne
- Four Winds Juxtapose IPA
Hard to argue here, I’m sure someone could point out some really awesome sours not on this list but we could do that with most categories.
Imperial IPA
3. Parallel 49 Hopnotist
2. Parallel 49 187 on a undercover Hop
1.Brassneck One Trick Pony
Although i’m happy Brassneck won I’m really not impressed with the other beers in this category, on the whole i think its reflective of the stagnating state of IPA in BC.
Belgian Abbey Ale
[email protected] Belgian Quad
2.Tree brewing Trappist Artist Belgian Dubbel
- @dageraadbeer Dageraade Blonde
Dageraad is a deserving winner.
Strong Ale
[email protected] Swans Scotch Ale
2. @randbbrewing Auld Nick Winter Ale
- @swansvictoria Legacy Ale
Not a style I follow but nice to see R & B on the upswing.
Belgian/French Farmhouse:
3. @ravensbrewing Farmers Ale
2. @dageraadbeer Randonneur Saison
[email protected] Multigrain Saison
Again not a style I follow terribly hard, but again happy to see Dageraad with more awards for their effort. I also tried Raven’s Farmers Ale following their win and really enjoyed it.
Speciality IPA
3. @bomberbrewing Blood From A Stone Red Rye IPA
2. @moonbrewery Hip As Funk IPA
- @bridgebrewcrew Black Rye IPA
Upset not to see Yellow Dogs ISBA in that mix but once again we could play that game all day!
North American IPA
- @centralcitybrew Red Racer IPA
2. @redtruckbeer Red Truck IPA
3. @hearthstonebeer Hearthstone IPA
Really surprised by this category. I think it goes to show that our IPA production is in dire straights. Sure Red Racer is a fine IPA but has no one produced an IPA better than it this past year? that leads me to believe quality is in fact getting worse! As for the Red Truck, i’ve found it to be a quite dumbed down IPA… but who knows at this point.
Wood/Barrel Aged:
3. @parallel49beer Barrel Aged Vow of Silence
2. @fourwindsbrewco Pequeno Cabo Tequilla Barrel Aged Berliner Weisse
- @bridgebrewcrew Imperial White IPA
Sad to see no stouts on the list but can’t really complain about the beers on this list can you?
Stout/Porter:
3. @msbcbrewery Fat Guy Oatmeal Stout
[email protected] 52 Foot Stout
1. @doanscbc American Rye Stout
I guess i’m visiting Doan’s again soon!
Specialty:
3. @steamworksbeer Steamworks Gose
2. @bridgebrewcrew Wee Tipsy Peated Scotch Ale
- @brassneckbrew No Brainer Pre Prohibition Lager
A corn lager for the win? Amazing and definitely worth drinking!
Spice/Herb/Veg:
3. @tofinobrewco Kelp Stout
2. @stanleyparkbrew Icebreaker
[email protected] Spruce Tree Ale
Wow, no pumpkin. Tofino is a deserving winner in my mind here but I’m really surprised to see Turning Point here, i thought icebreaker was a mess.
Fruit:
3. @strange_fellows Framboise Noir
2. @treebrewing Mellow Moon Pineapple Hefeweizen
- @stanleyparkbrew SunSetter
I’m going to be clear here Mellowmoon is bad, and SunSetter is bad.
German/Belgian Wheat:
3. @granvillebeer Hey Day Hefeweizen
2. @bigrockurbanyvr Dunkelwiezen
- @barkervillebeer White Gold
This has got to be the weakest category.
North American Amber/Brown Ale:
[email protected] Brassneck Ale
2. @russell_beer Cream Ale
- @bigrockurbanYVR Hollow Tree
Another weak category in my opinion.
North American Pale Ale:
3. @russell_beer Hop Therapy ISA
2. @persephonebeer Pale Ale
- @howesoundbeer Sky Pilot Northwest Pale Ale
Sky pilot has to be one of the most underated beers in BC right now, grab some.
UK Red/Brown Ale:
3. @parallel49beer Old Boy
2. @lighthousebeer Race Rocks
- @whistlerbrewing Whistler Black Tusk
Please breweries start making better UK beers, please! In fact try Ridge Brewing’s Brown.
Amber/Dark Lagers:
3. @treebrewing Captivator Doppelbock
[email protected] Oktoberfest
[email protected] Dark Lager
Steel and Oak is deserving.
UK Pale Ale:
3. @BomberBrewing Bomber ESB
2. @forbiddenbeer Forbidden Pale Ale
[email protected] Big Ridge Clover Ale
Love Bomber ESB, would have expected to have seen something from Off The Rail here too but…
Light European Bier:
3. @russell_beer Eastern Promises
2. @centralcitybrew Mayor Kolsch
[email protected] Craft Lager
I suppose you have to have this category but honestly who cares?
North American Light Beer:
[email protected] Island Lager
2. @brewhouseatwhis Lifty Lager
- @tofinobrewco Tofino Blonde Ale
Molson produced GIB won, thats a good discussion!
Dan Small HomeBrew Award: Sho Ogawa and Shin Shan Chan for their Kettle Sour Prune Plum Old Bruin.
Well done Sho, a BREWardInlet and Tri-City Brew Club-er!