Caskival 4: "Bung Love"

Caskival 4
"Bung Love"
Saturday, August 5, 2007
Dix Barbecue & Brewery

The fourth annual cask tapping event is a showcase for local microbreweries to demonstrate their brewing flair and creativity. Contributing casks this year are Russell Brewing, Storm Brewing, Yaletown Brewing, Longwood Brewpub, Swans Buckerfields Brewery, Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub, Howe Sound Brewing, Dix BBQ & Brewery, Big Ridge Brewing, Taylor's Crossing Brewpub, Central City Brewing, High Mountain Brewing, Mission Springs Brewing, Dockside Restaurant & Brewery, Old Yale Brewing, Dead Frog Brewery, and Crannog Ales.

Although 32 cask ales were advertised, there were "only" 26 different beers being poured. Four ounce taster glass times 26 beers equals 104 ounces equals 6 1/2 pints equals about twice as much beer as I can handle in an afternoon. Deciding which ones to try was the hardest part.

Dockside Black Cherry Ale
4.5% abv
Drinking this was like drinking cherry flavored cough syrup. It even looked like cough syrup with its dark reddish colour. Consume strictly for the medicinal value when the Vicks supply runs out.

Crannog Three Fingers Cherry Ale
7.5% abv
Far more successful was Crannog's sour cherry beer. With it's pale amber colour, and refreshing crispness it goes down far too easy for it's high alcohol content. You'll need three fingers to signal the bartender to scrape you up off the floor.

Storm Ginger Ginseng Pilsner
5% abv
This one brings back childhood memories of the ginseng soup that my parents would force us to drink to improve our health and boost our chi. The full woody smell and taste of the ginseng overpowers the ginger. An interesting experiment for the Asian market. Just feel the chi flowing.

Storm Wormwood India Pale Ale
6.5% abv
The smell and bitter flavor of wormwood dominates this un-IPA-like IPA. Just pour into a glass over a sugar cube balanced on an absinthe spoon, and pretend you're on the Left Bank of Paris.

Storm Basil India Pale Ale
5% abv
With its intense infusion of basil flavor this pale gold IPA would go great with a plate of spaghetti and meatballs in a nice tomato sauce.

Russell White Peach Honey Blonde
5% abv
This blonde ale was fairly light in the flavor department. The honey was distinguishable but the peach was barely there.

Yaletown Darjeeling India Pale Ale
5% abv
One of the flavors I love to pick out of a good IPA is the bergamot essence more familiar to Earl Grey tea. The addition of real Darjeeling tea which is part of the Earl Grey blend to this IPA works wonderfully.

Taylor Crossing Fig & Anise Pale Ale
5% abv
Licorice fans will love the flavor although the fig is hard to distinguish.

Big Ridge Candied Apricot
5% abv
This hefeweizen has a subtle aftertaste of apricot. It's light mouth feel makes for a refreshing summertime beer.

Big Ridge Honey Mocha Ginger Lemon Cream
5% abv
Despite the unwieldy name, this ale displayed an amazing range of complexity and flavor. The lovely aromas of flowers, tea, lemon, and ginger were reflected in the flavor. Like eating a lemon cream pie, with a nice cup of honey ginger tea. Definitely my favorite of the wildly experimental brews in the festival.

Spinnakers Scottish & Scotch
8.5% abv
What better chaser with a Scottish ale than a nice Scotch? In this case, real 18 year-old Talisker single malt was added to the brew! A soft peaty smokiness makes this complex and subtle beer a real slow slipper.

Longwood Imperial Stout
8.3% abv
This highly unusual stout at first smells like an IPA with its bergamot aroma. It tastes like an IPA but finishes like a stout. Another one of my favorites this festival.

Dix Hop Complex India Pale Ale
6.3% abv
This straight ahead IPA was my favorite IPA of the festival with an intensity of flavor that lingers long on the tongue. And unlike most of the other beers being tasted they might actually have some available after the festival.