issues & ideas wrorevavsanscan THE VOICE, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2018 7 A deeper look into boozing in B.C. Vancouver brewers applaud Bar Watch program, modernization of provincial liquor laws Cheers for spring beers With warm weather hopefully approaching, bars and breweries through- out Vancouver are switching up their selection of alcoholic beverages ae ME Steamworks Saison: a wheat beer with a bit of spice added HM Lord of the Hops: Parallel 49 Brew- ery's own India pale ale MM Hay Fever spring saison: Parallel 49 Brewery's spring seasonal beer HE Killarney Stout: Granville Island's St. Patrick's Day beer FLICKR photo A St. Patrick’s Day special. By KRISTEN HARPULA ith spring almost here, bars and breweries around Van- couver are changing their kegs and rolling out new brews to suit the warmer weather. While the cold winter months had most people indulging in hot comfort foods and beverages, the seasonal change means it’s time to trade in the creamier blends of beer for something a little lighter. The Voice caught up with some local breweries to find out what’s coming down the pipes for the spring. Steamworks Brewery sales repre- sentative Mare Roberts believes every beer has a time and a place, and for spring that beer is Steamworks’ Saison, debuting later this month. A saison is a poorly defined pale ale. “This is kind of like the new wheat beer, essentially. It’s just a little higher in alcohol, a little more carbonated, a little different spice,” Roberts said. He also recommended Steamworks’ pilsner, a year-round beer perfect for the warmer months ahead. “Our pilsner is kind of a German or Czech-style, it’s got a little more hops, a little more malt. So it has the bite from an IPA, but the drinkability of a lager,” Roberts said. “If people want some- thing they can drink for hours, it’s go- ing to be the pilsner.” Parallel 49 Brewery, which opened last summer, just launched a new spring saison, as well as their India pale ale called Lord of the Hops. STEPHANIE VACHER photo Olympic tourists explore the entertainment district. “We're just in transition from our winter seasonal, which was our Ugly Sweater milk stout, into our Hay Fever Spring Saison,” said Parallel 49 sales representative Jeff Hurkett. Hurkett explained the history be- hind saison being the beer of the spring. “Back in the day farmers would cre- ate a beer in the fall. They would brew a saison and let it sit and mature. Then come springtime, when it comes time to harvest, they would have this saison for their employees to drink,” Hurkett said. Many restaurants roll out new sea- sonal cocktail menus as well, including The Charlatan, a trendy Commercial Drive bar. Manager Jesse Sugarman said the bar cycles its cocktails every spring and fall. He said besides bourbon sours and other classics, this season will include a lot of infusions, which are spirits in- fused with different herbs and spices. They will also incorporate lighter la- gers and some “fruit beer” to match the season. Sugarman said another growing trend is beer pairing, breaking away from the tradition of pairing wines with meals. Local hot spots are now giving beer drinkers the option to find the perfect beer to compliment their food of choice. “It’s about looking at what the fla- vours are in the food, what flavours are in the beer and how well they pair to- gether,” said Sugarman. :& KRISTEN HARPULA photo Steamworks Brewery sales rep Marc Roberts shows off Steamworks Pale Ale. Bar Watch program successful so far Alcohol-related issues in Granville’s entertainment district are becoming less of a problem By GARIN FAHLMAN Icohol-fuelled disturbances in Penne: entertainment district are becoming less of a problem as the VPD expands its Bar Watch pro- gram, according to businesses. The district is home to over 20 night- clubs, which consistently draw large crowds. According to VPD spokesman Brian Montague, the police treat the Granville Street nightlife as a special event. Bar Watch, which shuts down traffic along the strip on weekends, was cre- ated in an effort to keep the majority of partiers in one manageable area. “We concentrate resources to Gran- ville like we would for the fireworks,” said Montague, noting that bringing extra officers to patrol the strip does not mean that other areas of the city are neglected. “Regularly deployed officers are an- swering calls and preventing crimes. They’re left alone and not brought into the downtown entertainment district. We don’t draw resources from other areas.” There’s been concern among resi- dents the area attracts gang activity and the heavy concentration of people at night may pose a safety threat to bar patrons and employees, but Montague says the program is addressing the is- sue. “Bar Watch was put in place by busi- nesses themselves as a way to remove gang members from the premises. Bar staff have the authority to remove peo- ple they recognize, but in lots of cases owners have made agreements with the VPD that they can call us,” said Montague. B.C. liquor laws are changing but some students say they're sti New rule allows province’s distilleries and bars to have on- site tasting rooms By NIALL SHANNON ith new rules for B.C.’s distill- We breweries and wine mak- ers, liquor laws are changing, but some feel more needs to be done. The most recent change, which be- gan March 1, allows breweries and dis- tilleries to have on-site tasting rooms, something that only wineries were able to have previously. The law will increase their ability to promote their products and increase revenue according to the Liquor Con- trol and Licensing Branch, one of the two government departments respon- sible for liquor laws. The new rules also give an edge to companies that use all B.C. grown in- gredients, allowing products with 100 per cent local ingredients to avoid pay- ing a mark-up price. The changes are being praised by Campaign for Real Ale’s B.C. chapter, a beer advocacy group. “The recent amendments to provin- cial liquor regulations...are a welcome change,” said Rick Green, president of the B.C. chapter. While the changes might be benefi- cial for CAMRA, Green feels the laws don’t go far enough. “For beer and spirits to fully realize their potential, they must be encour- aged similarly to what has been done with B.C. wine, not only in terms of Li- quor Distribution Branch policy and regulation, but also in how they are re- tailed in government liquor stores,” added Green. Some Langara students believe the Montague admits there are potential problems to blocking off traffic. “When you have so many people to- gether, things do happen, but in the end it’s all about pubic safety,” he said. “Closing down the street prevents peo- ple from gathering on sidewalks and getting pushed in front of cars and bus- es.” Ceili’s Irish Pub & Restaurant is lo- cated in the heart of the entertainment district at Granville and Smithe. Gen- eral manager Mike Georgas said the problems aren’t noticeable at Ceili’s. “Shutting down the street does cre- ate a party atmosphere around the bars,” he said. “For sure it’s safe for people. Gangs don’t really have a pres- ence among the bars.” Ceili’s also operates a bar in Kitsi- lano. Georgas believes the police do a good job of keeping both areas safe. “It’s hard to have presence in every single bar, but Bar Watch is expand- ing,” he said. Stuck In the ‘30s current liquor laws are still far from perfect, and need to better reflect the generation they’re living in. “Only last year did the liquor board allow people to bring your own wine when you're eating out,” said health sciences student David Ireland. “The liquor laws are stuck in the 1930s, like it hasn’t changed since Pro- hibition, with most bars and stores closing early except in the downtown core,” said Simon Currie, a general arts and sciences student. “The current laws are draconian.”