Industry News 2 tasty trends AT VCBW 2019

Last weekend was VCBW 2019! We set out to sip beers, chat with our creative partners in crime, and get a peak at the latest trends. Here’s what we came back with. 

WE SAW AT VCBW 2019:

With a lower alcohol content and fruity tropical flavours, they’re the perfect summertime treat on a patio or in a tasting room. We saw the new German hop varieties Mandarina Bavaria and Huell Melon popping up all over VCBW, developing the citrus base we saw behind so many beers this year. We noticed quite a few fruity, juicy sours including mango, melon, pineapple, citrus and passionfruit.

IPAS ARE STILL KING

IPAs are always top of the charts for pushing craft beer sales, and they certainly had a presence at VCBW. Popular North Van new-comer House of Funk Brewing Co. who were brewing new and exciting flavours like Chaka Khan, a sour fruit IPA with notes of coconut and pineapple.

DIPAs were also heavily featured with brewers like famed Cigar City Brewing Co. who featured the Jai Alai, a luscious tropical fruit and citrus flavour East coast IPA.  

CHECK OUT OUR LIST OF FAVOURITES FROM THE 10TH ANNUAL VANCOUVER CRAFT BEER WEEK BELOW: 

Jumo - Dageraad Brewing

A fermented Norwegian farmhouse ale with Mandarina Bavaria and Citra hops (no orange included!) they assured us, but it does have this distinctive and refreshing taste. Complex yet light and refreshing at 4.8% ABV. This was the perfect starter for a day full of sunshine and laughs as we caught up with our partners across the event.

Dry Hopped Sour - Category 12 Brewing

Our friends at C12 assured us this would be our top beer of the day. After trying it, we could see why. Brewed with a mix of Huell Melon and Mandarina Bavaria hops and fermented with wild yeast, this tart and complex sour was a tasty mix of summer fruits. At 5.0% ABV, this beer ties the Moon Dance for our heaviest picks of the day (and it’s still pretty light!)

Moon Dance Mango Wheat - Old Yale Brewing

The Moon Dance Mango Wheat from Old Yale brewing was smooth, juicy and delicious! It really tasted like eating a mango, no big surprise when you consider each batch is made with over 900 ripe mangoes. This refreshing summer beer is the heaviest on our list at 5.0% ABV.

Roxanne - Strange Fellows Brewing

A black raspberry sour. We loved the complex fruity taste of Strange Fellow’s Roxanne. A sour raspberry grisette, with a fun colour and even better taste. A delightful kettle soured surprise full of juicy and refreshing raspberry flavour. Again sitting light at 4.5% ABV.

Ten by Vancouver Craft Beer Week - Four Winds/Powell/Dageraad collab

Vancouver Craft Beer Week’s annual collab beer featuring Four Winds, Powell, and Dageraad brewing, Ten. Named in honour of VCBW’s 10th anniversary we saw signs for this one everywhere and had to try it before wrapping up the day. We were not disappointed. Ten is a dry-hopped table saison full tropical fruity flavours, and at only 4.2% ABV we could have happily enjoyed a full glass.

There were a million other beers we didn’t get a chance to try (even though we were there all day!) with over 100 breweries in attendance it’s no wonder. We heard great things about Lauma by House of Funk Brewing Co. and Vanishing Act, a tropical lactose sour from Twin City Brewing Co. So if you’re loving the tropical beer flavours we mentioned above, these seem like a great follow up bet (if you can get there). Either way, we’re off to a great start, and looking forward to whatever the rest of the summer has to offer!