People often ask me what my favourite beer is, and to be honest, unless they specify a timeframe, the answer usually involves many questions and an answer that is longer than I can fit in this column.
Craft Beer is a passion for me. I drink it (often), study it, read about it, talk about it, and write about it.
As much as these words are mine, this column is for everyone. I want to be able to provide the information you need to take your beer drinking experience to a new level. You’ll find showcase beers and events as well as tips to make sure you’re enjoying your beer even more than you do already, and if that isn’t enough, you’ll find even more at Mondaymag.com.
Beer of the Month:
Category 12 Elemental Series Brett IPA 6.8% ABV
Category 12, who just celebrated their second anniversary in November, are located up in Saanichton. Their head brewer and founder, Michael Kuzyk, has a doctorate in microbiology and biochemistry, and it shows in their Belgian influenced, scientifically creative beers. For their third Elemental Series beer, following the Wild IPA and Dry Hopped Sour, Category 12 has gone even wilder than before. Refermented with Brettanomyces Bruxellensis Trois Vrai for an extended period in locally-sourced red wine barrels, this IPA is sure to please the palate of funky and fruity beer lovers. The yeast strain tends to leave very little sweetness and imparts notes of pear and tropical fruit, and along with some restrained hoppiness and the flavours drawn from the barrels, this will be definitely be a complex beer.
Released in limited quantities and for a limited time at the beginning of February, keep an eye out for this at your local liquor store.
Event of the Month:
The Eighth Annual Island Beer Festival. This hidden gem is a must attend event for any beer lovers. Fourteen breweries will be on site at Distrikt Nightclub on Feb. 25 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Tip of the Month:
Beer isn’t necessarily a dish best served cold. Depending on the style, proper serving temperatures can range from 3C - 13C. As beers get stronger and more complex, the proper serving temperatures tend to rise, so a standard lager is great cold, but a nice stout should be left out to warm up a bit before serving. Cheers!
- Mathieu is the mastermind behind the Matter of Beer blog.