Central City Brewing Co.'s Winter Cask Festival

Beer Geeks Queueing

On the 26th of January, Central City held their Winter Cask Festival.  Upon arrival it was quite clear that the popularity of these events in the Vancouver area continue to grow exponentially.  I attended the Summer Cask Festival, which was very good and well attended but free of any waiting lines.  On this day, we arrived at roughly the opening time and immediately saw a queue of about 60 people lined up at the entrance.  At least we were inside though, and this is Canada so the line was polite and easy going.  On a side note, the craft beer scene has grown so much that I am always half-amused and half-appalled by the faux-beer experts.  They are indeed proof that a little knowledge is often (a) fatal or (b) at least dangerous.  Quick to voice their "expert analysis" drag down many great beers and always praise the obscure or hard to find for the area. The story is the same everywhere.  I always end up laughing to myself and rolling my eyes, when I really just want to lean over and tell them that a freaking idiots. End of rant.

OK, once in, your $30 gets you in, a souvenir glass, and 3 tasters. Kind of pricey but additional tasters are a paltry $1 a piece which is a steal. It is truly a festival meant for consumption, which is right up my alley.

This year's list of casks:

Photographic Proof I Was There

• Central City Brewpub – Oaked Imperial Porter
• Tofino Brewing – Dawn Patrol Coffee Porter
• R & B Brewing – Latte Stout
• Storm Brewing – Black Forest Cake Stout
• Driftwood Brewing – Singularity
• Phillips Brewing – Hammer Imperial Stout
• Big Ridge Brewpub – Whalley Winter Ale
• Spinnakers Brewpub – Biere De Noel
• Salt Spring Brewing – Spiced Fireside Winter Ale
• Moon Brewpub – Weizenbock
• Longwood Brewpub – Doppelbock
• Lighthouse Brewing – Smoked Hop Bock
• Howe Sound Brewpub – Super Duper Grapefruit IPA
• Dead Frog Brewing – Fearless IPA
• Old Yale Brewing – Centennial Dry Hopped IPA
• Coal Harbour Brewing – Powell St. English IPA
• R & B Brewing – Dry Hopped Red Devil Pale Ale
• Red Truck Brewing – Fresh Hopped Red Truck Ale
• Elysian Brewing – Perseus Porter
• Swans Brewpub – Legacy Ale
• Granville Island Brewing – Barrel Aged Barleywine
• Cannery Brewing – Cracken Nut Brown Ale
• Gigantic Brewing – Black Friday Imperial CDA
• Whistler Brewhouse – Grand Cru w/ Orange Peel
• Canoe Brewpub – Lager with Lemon Rind
• Steamworks Brewpub – Conrad’s Golden Ale
• Storm Brewing – Daniel Knibb’s Sour Fig Saison
• Boundary Bay Brewpub- Cabin Fever Scotch Ale
• Parallel 49 Brewing – Braggot
• Russell Brewing – Dry Hopped Wheat Wine
• Yaletown Brewpub – Oud Bruin
• Mystery Cask

A few minor bitches here is that a few of the casks were just your standard easy to find brews, readily available in bottle or draft.  With cask festivals, I am always hoping for the one off or some bourbon barrel aged monstrosity.  or something daring that was made in a small batch.  This is no offence meant to Oud Bruin, Black Friday Imperial CDA, Fearless IPA, Singularity, etc. which are all fine beers but I could walk to any number of bottle shops or bars and have these beers.  I was hoping for the winter beer festival we would have some more stouts, barrel aged stuff, dubbels,  and winter spiced beer.  I am not sure standard ales, lagers with lemon rind, sours, and saisons say winter.  Additionally, I appreciate the loyalty to BC breweries but it would be nice if they could include some smashing US breweries like Two Beers or North Coast Brewing that featured in 2012.

Cheers to You Central City

Winners for me including Storm Brewing's Black Forest Cake Stout and Central City's Oak Aged Porter.  Behind that, the standards were always good (aforementioned) but there were a lot of forgettable beers and not a lot of standouts.  The festival fell short of expectations, but it was still a good day out. As a big added plus, Central City (the standout brewery on the Lower Mainland) has their regular pours available, food, and always put a special few kegs of their own which makes it a good day out.