See that sunshine? The season of patio lounging is here and that means trying some new fresh brews!
Richard Phillips over at Iron Road Brewing once told us Kamloops is a town that knows good beer — and in recent years we’ve also become a town that makes good beer!
With a brewpub, two craft breweries and another on the way, this city’s beer scene has a lot to offer your taste buds.
In collaboration will local brewers, we put together a list of must-try Kamloops beers for the spring:
This newly released Red Collar brew was designed with Kamloops summers in mind, so it’s at the top of our list for spring sipping. Marketing rep Lara Beardsell said the family-run brewery really wanted to make a beer that truly fit the Kamloops lifestyle.
“We wanted to say thanks to the people of Kamloops for all the support we've received over the past few years, so this beer was really meant to just be all about the 'Loops,” she said.
Some facts for the beer nerds: The common is a lager recipe born in California, originally known as Steam Beer. Unlike other pilsners and lagers, the common embraces a unique yeast strain that ferments at ale temperatures for a flavourful body and refreshing mouthfeel. The Kamloops Common is light, crisp and poundable.
“We wanted this beer to be easy drinking and approachable for almost all Kamloopsians, but we also wanted it to have it's own subtle nuances which is why we went with the California Common style,” Beardsell said.
“Ideally, this would be the beer than comes to mind when you're packing up for a camping trip and realize that the cooler is empty, or you're heading over to a buddy's for a BBQ and want to contribute some beer.”
We can’t tease this brew without also mentioning the hilarious beer description you’ll find on every can, which is really just a spot-on characterization of Kamloops. Make sure read it if you pick up a pack.
Stats: 5% ABV, 28 IBU
This Iron Road ISA is brand new and another canned beer that is made for indulging this spring and summer, with tropical hop flavour.
Head brewer Aaron MacInnis said the Handcar India Session Ale is a low ABV beer that is literally designed to go down in volume without making your afternoon or evening hazy. Could we ask for a better summer brew?
“Most beers brewed at Iron Road are selfish beers. It's what we want to drink,” MacInnis said. “As we come into spring we want to be outdoors. Fishing, golfing, biking, BBQing — you name it, it's calling us and we want to have a nice hoppy beer that doesn't rob you of your alertness needed for these activities.”
MacInnis said the Handcar ISA is a hop-forward beer that still has a little malt backbone to ensure it’s not undimensional. The hops are Mosaic, Enigma and Vic. Secret. According to MacInnis, a low ABV and a good balance are two things that make a great spring-summer beer. A hoppy beer is perfect for the season.
"The fruity and floral notes they create remind us of spring,” MacInnis said.
Stats: 4.5% ABV, 45 IBU
This refreshing bad boy just hit the beer menu at the Noble Pig this week and will be on tap for about a month — just in time for patio season!
Here are the #beerfacts for ya: The Summit S.M.A.S.H. IPA is a single malt and single hop beer brewed with a pilsner malt backbone and a generous amount of Summit hops to create what the Pig is calling a citrus summer adventure. It's light and refreshing, with a smooth lasting bitterness. Its citrus aroma has a hint of pineapple.
Of course, this brew will be available for growler fills at the city’s original brewpub.
We should mention Nick Murphy is the new face at the Noble Pig, taking up the reins as head brewer just this week. He comes to the Tournament Capital from Beere Brewing in North Vancouver and will be putting his creativity to work at the Pig to create some new interesting brews.
“I'm excited to start building relationships with both our regular guests, and the new ones!” he said. “I'm looking forward to discovering what they enjoy, and cater to their taste buds while still putting my own spin on new brews in the future.”
