Best Features: great story, bold but balanced beer flavours
Driftwood Brewing in Victoria has only been in operations since July 2008. Since that time, they have made their presence felt in both the Victoria and Vancouver markets. The brewery itself is located in an old industrial building in the Rock Bay area. It was a little hard to find on my trip but well worth the venture.
Currently the beer is only available on tap in a few high end establishments in Vancouver , including the Alibi Room in Gastown. The 4 varieties brewed by Driftwood also come in 650 ml bottles that are available at finer government and private liquor stores.
My brewery tour was brief but very informative. A great story was told by one of the owners and brewers, Jason Meyer, of a couple of guys who love beer and took on the challenge of starting up their own brewery. The owners took on all aspects of the brewery including brewing, bottling, sales, marketing and promotions. In the last year they have been able to hire some relief staff to spend a little more time on the production of the beer and less time running everything else. A great example of loving what you do and doing what you love!
The Lineup:
Driftwood Ale – this ale is smooth and easy to consume with a nice floral hop aroma and flavour. The hops are more apparent than the malt character but it is not as strong as an India Pale Ale. This should be considered the “working man's beer” of Driftwood Brewery. A versatile beer with seafood, salty stir fry or lighter cheeses.
Crooked Coast Amber Ale – the roasted malts are nicely balanced creating a slightly sweet beer with citrus notes in the finish. A great pairing with BBQ sauce, grilled or plank BBQ salmon and smoked cheeses.
Farmhand Ale – this Belgian style beer is faintly sour with a hint of black pepper. The yeast strain gives the beer a nice fruit fragrance and flavour. This is a really unique beer that has several layers of flavour that can stand up to different types of food from mild to heavily seasoned red meat to vinaigrette dressing.
White Bark Ale – the traditional Belgian-style wheat ale is usually subtly cloudy in the glass flavoured with coriander and orange peel. This gives the beer a unique flavour and aroma different from the aroma given off by hops. White Bark works with herb cheese, grilled white fish, lemon chicken and other dishes with hints of citrus zest. |
