“Springtime in Alberta Chills me to the bone.”
~ Ian Tyson
We lost Alberta icon Ian Tyson just after Christmas but we know his music will live on. Every Alberta spring when the ‘warm sunny days, endless skies of blue’ end when ‘another winter storm comes raging through,’ I’ll cue up Springtime in Alberta on the stereo. Often that means the car stereo as we head through an April snowstorm on our way to Easter with family. Upon arrival, conversation moves from the road report and the weather to ‘what wine goes with ham (or turkey or lamb)?’, with the beer guy interjecting, “Well actually, beer pairs better than wine.”
Wine gets most of the glory in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Jesus turned water into wine. Passover and Holy Communion are marked by the sharing of wine. And of course, wine filled the Holy Grail at the Last Supper. In 2016 two Italian archaeologists postulated that the Last Supper menu may have been lamb, a bean stew, olives, bitter herbs, unleavened bread, dates and aromatized wine (wine flavoured with fruits, spices and florals). Still, twelve men meet for their good friend’s send off and no one drinks beer? Seems unlikely! Beer and Christianity do go way back, with many saints of suds and apostles of ale over the years. St. Brigid, the Irish saint of beer, made one barrel of beer last all Easter weekend, with enough ale for 18 churches. She changed a leper colony’s bathwater into beer through the strength of her faith. Blessed St. Brigid!
It was medieval monks in Europe who kept the knowledge of brewing alive during the dark times and advanced the art and science of beer making with their monastery breweries. The remaining Belgian Trappist monastery breweries of Achel, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle and Westvleteren carry on the brewing tradition today. One of those monkish traditions is the brewing of bock beer during the winter, for enjoyment in spring and at Easter with the end of Lent. Bock is a German style of dark, strong, malt-forward lager that began with monks in the 14th century in the northern German city of Einbeck. Bock and its sub-styles, Helles Bock, Maibock, Weizenbock and Doppelbock remain popular with German brewers and drinkers, but not so much on this side of the Atlantic. Shiner Bock and Rogue Dead Guy Ale are the two notable exceptions to the rule that craft brewers don’t brew bock beers. Here in Alberta, Fahr Brewing makes traditional German styles but only brews bocks like Weizenbock or Doppelbock as limited release seasonals. Malty beer fans need not despair, for Alberta brewers were busy brewing some bock-adjacent beers this winter, for release this spring. We’re talking rich, malt-focussed dark lagers, black/Cascadian ales and IPAs and amber ales and lagers—all beers that can transition us from the heavy stouts and porters of winter to the lawnmower lagers of summer. And yes, they go well with ham, turkey and lamb, so go ahead and bring them to the dinner table at Easter or Passover or your spring bacchanal.
Spring beer six pack
Celebrate spring with six brand new beers that transition us from the big beers of winter to the light lagers of summer. Available at the breweries or from better beer stores.
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SYC Night Rider Robust Dark Lager, Edmonton
Tell me you’ve made a bock without telling me you’ve made a bock. This rich, dark lager has all the hallmarks of a bock: full-bodied with notes of espresso and dark chocolate, a fragrant nose of dried figs and oatmeal cookies, flavours of roasty malts, sweet molasses and dried dark fruit.
Blindman Foedered Lager: Amber, Lacombe
The latest from Blindman in their series of lagers aged in the 3,000 litre oak foeder nicknamed Woody Barrelson. This amber lager balances malty sweetness with some assertive bitterness. It is biscuity with rich malty flavours. Blindman notes it is perfect for post spring skiing, or settling in for the night.
Alley Kat Black Gold Cascadian Dark Ale, Edmonton
Cascadian, dark or black ales and IPAs are the perfect spring beers, with the rich malt taste of a wintry stout or porter plus the fresh hop bitterness of a summertime IPA. Alley Kat’s take is a rich dark ale, with aromas and flavours of roasted malts, coffee and toffee plus a hint of hoppy citrus.
Annex Dark Adaptation Black IPA, Calgary
Annex says this Black IPA is as bright on the palate as it is dark in the glass. Grounded in dark malt, they hopped heavily with Vic Secret and Amarillo hops to bring out the IPA side of things. A throwback to the days when Black IPAs were big, bold, roasty, aromatic and
bitter.
Blind Enthusiasm Sojourn in Sicily Wild Ale, Edmonton
Sicily in spring? Yes, please. Blind Enthusiasm’s new mixed fermentation blend spent 20 months fermenting in Sicilian Marsala wine barrels, resulting in a robust, complex beer with a subtle red berry aroma, walnut and maple avours and medium high acidity.
Establishment Beyond the Pines West Coast IPA, Calgary
Sometimes it snows in April but sometimes it’s summer-sunny and warm. at’s when you need a West Coast-style IPA like this new one from Establishment. It’s their rst West Coast IPA in years, ‘a pleasant, sunny afternoon stroll down a forested path’—properly piney and purposely clear and loaded with classic American hops.