Tag Archives: courtenay

Burton Ale – Vancouver Island Brewing (Gladstone Brewing)

by Mike

From Vancouver Island Brewing in Victoria in collaboration with Gladstone Brewing out of Courtenay comes their “Burton Ale”.  The beer pours a deep red / amber colour with a tan head.  The aroma consists of caramel, molasses, mild roast and dark fruit.  The flavour is of caramel, molasses, orange zest, herbal, resin and bitterness.  The alcohol content comes in at 7.5% with an IBU of 75.  This is an interesting ale.  I don’t know much about the Burton Ale style so I can not say if it is to style though.

Commercial Description:  Originating from Burton-On-Trent, England, the Burton Ale inspired the IPA beer style we know today. Almost 200 years later, Gladstone and Vancouver Island Brewing have come together to recreate this strong amber ale that inspired the IPA beer style. English born, Island proud.

Pilsner – Gladstone Brewing

by Mike

From Courtenay BC’s Gladstone Brewing on Vancouver Island comes their “Pilsner”.  The beer pours a straw yellow with a white head.  The aroma consists of grain, biscuit, citrus and floral hops.  The flavour is of biscuit, grain, citrus, sweetness, grassy and a very mild bitterness.  The alcohol content comes in at 5.5% with an IBU of 35.  As a person that does not get excited about pilsner usually this was actually very tasty!

Commercial Description:  Resulting from the advent of pale malt in the 19th century in what is now the Czech Republic, Pilsner was the original pale coloured beer. Once pale malt became widely adopted, Pilsner and lagers in general became the preeminent beer style in the world.

IPA – Gladstone Brewing

by Mike

From Courtenay BC’s Gladstone Brewing on Vancouver Island comes their “IPA”.  The beer pours a copper colour with an off white head.  The aroma consists of earth, citrus, resin, pine and sweetness.  The flavour is of citrus, fruity, earth, malts and some bitterness.  The alcohol content comes in at 7% with an IBU of 70.  I quite enjoyed this IPA and wish I could have gotten more growler fills while at the brewery!

Commercial Desctiption:  A highly bitter beer, with lots of hop flavour and aroma and a higher than average alcohol content that helps to balance the flavour and bitterness of the hops.

gladstone brewing ipa

IPA – Førbidden Brewing

by Mike

From the Nano Brewery Førbidden Brewing in Courtenay comes their “IPA” a beer only available in the tap room.  The beer pours an orange colour with an off white head.  The aroma consists of malts, earth, sweetness and some melon finish.  The flavour is of melon, citrus, tropical fruit, pine, earth, bitterness and a caramel finish.   The alcohol content comes in at 6% with an IBU In the range of 60.  I was quite happy with this first taste from Førbidden Brewing and I look forward to trying more of their beer in the future however that happens!

førbidden brewing ipa

Gladstone Brewing Company – Courtenay

by Mike

Courtenay is located mid island on Vancouver Island and is now home to two different breweries one being Gladstone Brewing Company.  Gladstone Brewing was the first to open in Courtenay though but is still just under a year old!  The brewery is located right downtown Courtenay right on the main drag.GladstoneBrew-09

GladstoneBrew-10

The brewery has a nice sized tasting room but a much bigger patio to enjoy their beer.  The tap handles in the tasting room are great as they are all tools that have been turned into tap handles with one exception as it is the Bronze medal award they won for their  porter at the Canadian Beer Awards.  Like all good breweries they have the correct glassware for all of the styles that they serve in house.

The brewery is located right behind the bar and in plain sight.  Its a pretty small brewery and explains why their beer is only available currently in the Courtenay and Cumberland area of the Island.  Their beer is a tap only product with growler fills at the brewery.  If you don’t live near Courtenay it might be time to take a trip up island.

Full sized photos

Gladstone Brewing
http://www.gladstonebrewing.ca/
244 4th Street
Courtenay
250-871-1111
daniel@gladstonebrewing.ca