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While it looks like Vancouver Island Brewery’s 30th anniversary beer will be a one-off, Granville Island‘s looks likely to stick around for a while.
But then, GIB didn’t just release a beer as it moved into its fourth decade; it launched a series of beers, titled Under the Bridge, that celebrates Granville Island’s history. The series starts with Swing Span, a full-flavoured amber named after one of the first bridges that crossed False Creek.
(Notably, as Barley Mowat points out, this beer isn’t produced at the small-batch Granville Island tap room, but in the Molson-Coors facility on Burrard Street, which hints at the high hopes of a return of investment in this beer.)
Swing Span pours an impeccably clear medium-amber with a rich, dense head that laces beautifully on the glass.
There’s a good hit of tangy, piney, sweet citrus orange and brackeny hops on the nose, backed by a sweet, warm bready, lightly biscuity malt. It’s a juicy aroma.
Flavourwise, gently sweet bready malt offers a good base for those sprightlier woody pine and light citrus hop notes. This is followed by denser toffee malt notes as a decent bitterness swells from the tongue. A slight crackle of carbonation adds a little extra refreshment to the dry finish, which is followed by a chewy bitter maltiness in the aftertaste. It’s a delightfully soft beer and beautifully rounded thanks in part to medium carbonation.
Food pairing: I’m thinking pulled pork.
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Beer Cat: Interested
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