08 August 2007

6 August 2007 - Jasper Brewing Co. Brew Pub and Eatery, Jasper, AB

At least in Alberta (or at least in its mountain resort towns), the trick to Canadian cuisine seems to be staying away from anything too fancy and sticking with solid, hearty food. Not burgers, though - law requires they be cooked with the consistency of hockey pucks. So I was confident that a brew pub’s fish and chips would be a good choice - and I was right, but even more right than I expected. The fish was delicious, the outside not over-battered or over-fried, and the cranberry tartar sauce good. The fries were only okay and the slaw too little, but the fish more than made up for it. And then, since it was a brewpub, there was the beer. Rather than an imperial pint that could be a mistake, my mom and me split the sampler, a generous six-case of 6-oz. glasses. The breakdown was as follows:

Rocket Ridge Raspberry Ale: “Yep, tastes like raspberry. Very nice,” said JD. Hoppy presentation but not taste; raspberry-y but not too sweet, and not gimmicky. One of my favorite non-Lambic fruit ales.

Liftline Cream Ale: best cream ale I’ve had in a while - very much like a Sierra Nevada, actually, but less hoppy and less carbonated.

Honey Bear Ale: actually pretty good. A little weird - local honey, cardamom and orange peel (but the honey was mostly what showed up), served with a slice of lime. JD didn’t like it; very aromatic, I found it clear and refreshing. Dunno if I’d want a lot of it, but an interesting beer.

Rock Hopper IPA: hoppy and a little bitter (in a good way), not too carbonated and just flowery and sweet enough (i.e., not very). A good IPA - JD’s 2nd favorite.

6060 Stout: a solid, chocolatey stout - the roast came through strong, dry and satisfying. Not Guinness but definitely multiple-pint-worthy.

B Hill Pil: a local favorite, JD rated this “Not overly bitter but with a tanginess. Full of flavor and with an effervessence.” Clearly the best beer of all of them, a big flavorful pils that’d be a regular drink of mine were it available.

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