Since I moved to Kelowna, BC Canada from The Philippines and met the Suds Magazine Crew I started being curious and wanting to try more about the local craft beers which are available in beautiful Kelowna which my friend is so addicted to it. I tried some craft beers but here are some of those that interests me the most to write.
Tree Brewing Hophead IPA
One night during our dinner, he let me try the Hop Head India Pale Ale from Tree Brewing in Kelowna, BC paired with the Coconut Crab dish special from Big T Taphouse and Grill. This is my first Hoppy experienced. IPA was poured with a golden amber honey color. It has a nice sweet aroma with a medium body that was lightly bitter. On my first sip, i noticed a clean and smooth on the palate and a nice bitterness from the hops but not in any way overpowering. As an inexperienced drinker of IPA., I highly recommend this beer and it can be paired with any cuisine. I really enjoyed every sip of it till the bottom.
I was at a get together with my friends birthday party when Suds Magazine brought some Audacious Apricot Ale from Pyramid Brewing. This caught my interest because it has an apricot flavor which I never had a flavored beer before. Most ladies I know like the taste for a lighter sweet beers, so I introduced this beer to my girlfriends and surprisingly they mentioned they liked this kind of beer because of its taste and its refreshing drink.
Pyramid Brewing Apricot Ale
This Audacious Ale has a pale orange yellow color with a creamy small white head and a very pleasant Apricot aroma. It was poured in a small glass because it is the only available glass in the party but not bad as long as the main flavor of sweet apricot still there in the beer and it did not bother us to enjoy every sip of it. The smell was delicious and it has a little bit sourness on the nose. The apricot mainly contributes to the taste of the beer with a little of sweet caramel malts and a little hops around it.
It’s winter once again.It is nice to sit by the fireplace with a cold one. I want to try something new for a drink. I am a martini lover since I tried the special martini served at the Big T Taphouse and Grill. I kept going back with their martini and IPA so i decided to do my own martini. As i was browsing what ingredients should I take for my martini at the BC Liqour store, the Black Chocolate Stout from Brooklyn Brewery made me stop and think why not try this one. Though I read at the bottom it was an extra strong stout with a 10% alc./vol on it, which i thought it is too strong for a woman like me, this did not made me stop bringing one of this home. Besides, Suds Magazine encouraged me to pair this for desserts or it is very good for stout float.
Brooklyn Brewing Black Chocolate Stout
For my dessert after a great early dinner with the family I am working with, I poured this Black Chocolate stout on a glass which revealed a very dark almost black color. It has a strong smell of bittersweet chocolate and a roasted espresso. On my first sip, i noticed a sweet, smooth on the palate and warmth as it goes with a satisfying taste of chocolate and roasted espresso throughout the beer and some bitterness from the hops. Half of it I made as a stout float and indeed it turned out great. This is recommendable for a cold winter night on your happy hours. But for a lady like me, the alcohol content is so strong that it made me tipsy a little bit at the end, but still enjoyed this drink.
Regina is a recent transplant to Canada from The Philippines and enjoys trying new beverages and foods. She recently offered to share her ‘newbie’ craft beer experience with Suds Magazine. We think she did a fine job.
