A long overdue visit with a friend

A girlfriend and I had a pleasant evening at the Tap and Barrel.  To be honest it wasn’t my first choice as I haven’t heard outstanding reviews.  We picked the coal harbour location as it was a middle meeting point on transit and found a table on their large patio without any problems. They have set tables under giant umbrellas or communal seating up top overlooking the seaplane. This is where we opted to sit.  They have a large area so we had no trouble finding a table with some space on a summer evening.

Their drink menu is pages long of beer or wine. You can pick a flight of whatever you like, which is a great option. Being easily overwhelmed I picked things that sounded refreshing on a hot day.
 

My choices were:

Pineapple hef. The Tree Brewing, Kelowna offers up some beers with great creative names. They love what they do and have fun with it. Mellow Moon Pineapple Hefeweizen has a summer smell to it! It is a light citrus wheat start for flavour, than evolves to a citrus taste before finishing with the pineapple flavor. 

Beermosa, Parallel 49 see: Bearmosa Post

Life, 33 Acres Brewing.  I didn’t love this in the start.  There is a bite as the beer hits your tounge, but by the 3^rd sip it is hardly noticeable. Perhaps that bit is because of the way it is processed. It’s called a California Common” What this means is rather than fermenting the lager at a cool temperature it is done at a higher temperature closer to an ale. Because of this face it is often referred to as a lager / ale hybrid.

Over all it was a great summer evening for a patio drink and some great company.

~ Colleen

 

 

Beermosa

Defined as an excellent blue-collar breakfast cocktail, consisting of orange juice and beer. Best prepared with light, American style lager beer. And is especially popular with post-punk hipsters.

The name is what got me and I am not a hipster nor was I having it for a breakfast cocktail.  But I can see how it would be a great substitute for champagne and orange juice on a special morning.
Or for my purpose as a light refreshing drink on a patio on a hot summer day. It tastes like beer but with a hint of a tropical taste, would be a great drink for the non beer drinker.

~ Colleen

Mellow Moon Pineapple Hefeweizen

This is a pineapple wheat beer, from Tree Brewing in Kelowna BC.

It pours to a cloudy yellow colour with the aroma of pineapple, banana and an overall tropical fruit.

My first sip I could taste the banana and fruity tropical flavor, which held up the entire pint. A light beer and easy to drink on a summer day. Not too sweet, so I could enjoy a pint or two.

~ Colleen

CRAFT Beer Documentary Screening

 

CRAFT Beer Documentary Screening

Vancouver June 24th, Rio Theatre

Sea to Summit hike, follow by beer at Howe Sound

A few weeks ago the gondola opened in Squamish, with mixed reviews about if this was a good thing to cut down trees and make it a tourist attraction, we put our views aside to check it out.

With clouds in the forecast and potential rain for the entire day, we still put on our hiking boots and rain coats on an adventure up a new trail to a new peak behind the Squamish Chief.

We were a group of 8, all in good spirits! Starting out early we all met a the parking lot. The FREE lot at Darrell Bay, walking past Shannon falls and onto the Sea to Summit trail.

The trail starts off as the same trail as the Chief, so be prepared for a good 20 minute hike UP (like the grouse grind.) It then tapers off giving you a chance to catch your breath before heading up again, this time not quite so steep.

The trail is lovely passing all sorts of different terrain. Big stair like rocks, squishy dirt pathway, there is even a chain as well as a rope pull yourself up near the top.

Near the top, at marker 332, the trail splits. You can go right or you can go left along Wrinkle Rock Trail (this is the way we took).

We finally arrived to the top wet and dirty, after about 3 1/2 hours. There were no views that day, we could not even see across the suspension bridge. Not wanting to get a chill we bought our download ticket ($10 plus tax) and squeeze into the gondola (it holds 8) for the ride down.

It looked like a great place to spend the day on a sunny afternoon. There is a lookout at the chief after a small walk, a few other trails to explore. The suspension bridge and a great big patio for a nice pint on a sunny day.

You're able to take your dog in the gondola, or even buy them a pass. Complete with their own headshot!

We'll be doing this again for sure !

With a quick change we headed off to the pub for some Howe Sound flights and food. We'd worked up a great thirst!