Moving to Vancouver BC (actually Langley)

Discussion in 'Northwest' started by sharpski, Apr 23, 2023.

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  1. sharpski

    sharpski Grand Pooh-Bah (3,100) Oct 11, 2010 Oregon
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    After 11 years in Bend, it’s time to play We’re New in Town: the International Edition! I’m stoked to tackle another Cascadian beer scene; I’ll be going back to school to dive deeper into the beer industry and hope to parlay my time into increased Canadian brewery participation at the Best of Craft Beer Awards.

    The NW forum will always be my home on BA, though I’ll do my best to liven up my new home base too.
     
    #1 sharpski, Apr 23, 2023
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  2. vurt

    vurt Grand Pooh-Bah (4,504) Apr 11, 2004 Oregon
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Congratulations on the move! Looking forward to hearing about your adventures in Canada.
     
    #2 vurt, Apr 23, 2023
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  3. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Good luck in BC Ryan. Needless to say, BC's gain is our great loss. I know I've come to rely on you as an expert for all things Bend, Sisters, Sunriver, Redmond, etc. Going to be pretty tough to find anyone to fill your shoes in that regard.

    Anyway, here's wishing you the best up in Langley. Hopefully you won't be a stranger and will post periodically here in the NW. But damn, it just won't be the same without your always helpful and insightful updates concerning Bend, Sunriver, etc.
     
    #3 John_M, Apr 23, 2023
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  4. DefenCorps

    DefenCorps Grand Pooh-Bah (4,838) Jan 18, 2007 Oregon
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Oof. Sorry to see you go, but moving on your own terms is the way to go. Good luck! I would love to spend a few years up there is we could swing it.

    The bees scene is earnest, but doesn't hold a candle to what you're used to. There are bright spots, for sure. It'll take some time to adjust, but the food will more than make up for it.
     
    #4 DefenCorps, Apr 23, 2023
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  5. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Hmmmmm, you'll be 30ish miles away. We might actually, really, finally meet IRL.

    @JonnyBeers can provide valuable Intel on your new hood.
     
    #5 BBThunderbolt, Apr 23, 2023
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  6. distantmantra

    distantmantra Pooh-Bah (2,954) May 23, 2011 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    You're still gonna be part of Cascadia, and much closer to us in Seattle now!

    The BC beer scene has exponentially improved over the past decade. Still somewhat dependent on where you live for access to the beer, but you'll be ok. Plus they do fresh hop season and you're just a short drive to Bellingham to get all the WA and OR goodies that don't see distro on that side of the border.

    Don't sleep on the Chinese food and dimsum in particular, holy shit it's good.
     
    #6 distantmantra, Apr 24, 2023
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  7. woemad

    woemad Grand Pooh-Bah (5,601) Jun 8, 2003 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I can't help but think your new abode's closeness to Kiribati could lead to some hijinks.
     
    #7 woemad, Apr 25, 2023
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  8. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Maybe we can stand on the opposite sides of the ditch by 0 Avenue and toast each other from 2 feet apart.
     
    #8 BBThunderbolt, Apr 25, 2023
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  9. JonnyBeers

    JonnyBeers Savant (1,211) Oct 24, 2012 Canada (BC)

    We have beer here! Maybe even in Langley :grinning:
     
    #9 JonnyBeers, Apr 28, 2023
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  10. woemad

    woemad Grand Pooh-Bah (5,601) Jun 8, 2003 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    #10 woemad, Apr 28, 2023
    BBThunderbolt, distantmantra and sharpski like this.
  11. checktherhyme

    checktherhyme Savant (1,036) Apr 8, 2008 Washington

    He’s in New West but close! BCs beer scene has vastly improved over the past 5 years. I was just talking to a friend about how Luppalo brewing was one of the best beer experiences I’ve had in a long time. Dagaraad, Four Winds, Brassneck, ABC, Steel and Oak, and Superflux are all putting out fantastic beers too.
     
    #11 checktherhyme, Dec 6, 2023
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  12. sharpski

    sharpski Grand Pooh-Bah (3,100) Oct 11, 2010 Oregon
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    In the twilight of 2023, I'm feeling nostalgic and a little homesick. BC has its pleasures beer-wise, but a far cry from OR and WA; I'm far enough from Vancouver that distribution isn't terrible but the on-premise options are limited in scope and quality, and I haven't visited nearly as many of my favorites from home tasting as I would have liked. My incomplete power rankings based on what I've been exposed to:

    Top Tier
    Backcountry (overall favorite due to wider portfolio: hoppy, lagers, sours, barrel aged, high hit/miss ratio)
    Dageraad (most of what I've tried has been really good, but they do a lot of Belgian-focused stuff which is my kryptonite)
    Slow Hand (mostly lagers, but the California IPA was impressive)
    Small Gods (hoppy, sours, a German pils, may have other taproom only stuff but they're on Vancouver Island)
    Superflux (hoppy, limited other styles)
    Temporal (BA and Mixed Ferm, the darling of the BC beer scene)

    Some Good Beers, Some Not So Much
    33 Acres
    Another
    Barnside
    Boardwalk
    Brassneck
    Brewhall
    Boombox
    Camp
    Category 12
    Container
    Curious Creatures
    Driftwood
    Faculty
    Farm Country
    Field House
    Five Roads
    Four Winds
    House of Funk
    Howe Sound
    Hoyne
    Ile Sauvage
    KPU Brew Lab
    Lighthouse
    Luppulo
    Main Street
    Moody
    Parallel 49
    Parkside
    Patina
    Persephone
    Powell
    Ravens
    Rewind
    Sidekick
    Slackwater
    Smugglers Trail
    Steel & Oak
    Storm
    Strathcona
    Studio
    Twin Sails

    Not Very Interested After What I've Had
    Brookswood
    Cowdog
    Dead Frog
    Foamers Folly
    Granville Island
    Locality
    Phillips
    Russell
    Trading Post

    Sample Size Too Small
    Abandoned Rail
    A-Frame
    Beere (most promising of this group)
    Bomber
    BNA
    Brave
    Bridge
    Cannery
    Crannog
    Electric Bicycle
    Fernie
    Fraser Mills
    Fuggles
    Lilooet
    Land & Sea
    Nelson
    Old Yale
    R&B
    Tofino
    Trial & Ale
    Unleashed
    Vancouver Island
    Wildeye
    Yellow Dog
     
    #12 sharpski, Dec 28, 2023
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  13. JonnyBeers

    JonnyBeers Savant (1,211) Oct 24, 2012 Canada (BC)

    You've already tried more BC beer than I have good work haha
     
    #13 JonnyBeers, Dec 29, 2023
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  14. DefenCorps

    DefenCorps Grand Pooh-Bah (4,838) Jan 18, 2007 Oregon
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Great list, @sharpski! I'd give Strange Fellows a try for a wide variety of styles!
     
    #14 DefenCorps, Dec 29, 2023
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  15. sharpski

    sharpski Grand Pooh-Bah (3,100) Oct 11, 2010 Oregon
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I have enjoyed a few from them but none since a pre-move trip in Nov 2022. Forgot to put them on the list, thanks for the reminder!
     
    #15 sharpski, Dec 29, 2023
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