Hoyne Brewing hails from picturesque Victoria, on Vancouver Island – and bottled just in time for summer, they’re featuring a special release of Summer Haze Honey Hefe. Perfect for those lazy afternoons when you aren’t quite sure what you’re feeling like – as long as it’s cold, you’ll want to grab a bottle of this one. With a pale-golden colour, light hops and equally mellow maltiness to it, it goes down well. There is a touch of locally-sourced honey (straight from the Fairmont Empress Hotel’s own bee aviary) which only sweetens the appeal.
Another brew worth grabbing packs a serious citrus punch and comes from Russell Brewing. We’re talking about their Lemon Ale, a refreshing cold filtered wheat ale with a hint of natural lemon essence that is a perfect pick for those who aren’t huge beer fanatics but enjoy summer sipping. With a light clear golden body, there is subtle crispness offered by the lemony flavours and nice creaminess we think makes it a top notch pick for the patio.
Granville Island Brewing is back with their most popular Limited Releases of last year – their Ginger Beer. GIB brewmaster, Vern Lambourne states that they “brought it back as a seasonal selection and spiced it up with a subtle yet memorable ginger kick that stealthily blends into this light-bodied lager.” It packs a zippy punch we think you’ll love and it works surprisingly well as a base for cocktails to boot.
Vancouver Island Brewery has also introduced its Beachcomber Summer Ale , an unfiltered-ale modeled after a German weissbier and oozing with flavour. It pours golden yellow in colour with lots of tropical fruit flavours melded perfectly with mellow aromatic notes of citrus. These flavours combine to create a thirst quenching, crisp beer perfect for sunny summer days where you just want to kick back (and perhaps knock back) a few. As for food, it works work well with an array of summer-style appetizers and patio-worthy snacks, making it a no-brainer for BBQ gatherings and alfresco dinners.
Worth mentioning (though not quite as local) is Alexander Keith’s new Hop Series Ales; Cascade Hop Ale using hops from the Cascade Mountain region of the Pacific Northwest United states. This specific style of hops is known for its mild citrus aroma and flavour, making it a great pick for the season ahead. We were sold on the subtle hint of grapefruit and citrus and think it will work well with grilled seafood, chicken and a variety of snacks this summer.