Obviously, beer is awesome. And, clearly, rock stardom is awesome, so it makes only perfect sense, even in an imperfect world, that rock stars* would love beer.
(*Editor’s note: We use the term “rock star” loosely – anyone who makes music and has a Wikipedia page and/or uses excessive glitter in their live show is, in our opinion, a rock star.)
Since we’re amidst Craft Beer Week here in Vancouver, we thought we’d ask a few local rock stars what their favourite local craft beers are. This question is important, as it a) helps us regular folk manage our way through the increasingly saturated craft beer market in British Columbia, and b) asserts the awesomeness of a few select beers, based on a rock star’s preference.
So, um, without further adieu:
Hannah Georgas
Favourite brew: Phillips Blue Buck
Why? “It’s really familiar to me and I’ve had a lot. I just pick that one up when I see it. I don’t know. I’ve had it. It’s familiar. I’m a big fan of pale ales, ambers, that brown, caramel-y, and malty flavour. It’s smooth but I like that it’s kind of hoppy at the same time.”
Catch Hannah Georgas next at the CBC Music Fest at Deer Lake Park on June 14.
Lightning Dust
Josh Wells’ favourite brew: 33 Acres’ California Common
Why? I’ve liked pretty much everything of theirs [33 Acres] I’ve tasted. I couldn’t tell you exactly [why], I just like it. I like their style. It’s a northwest-style beer. I like stuff to be a little bit darker and hoppier.”
Amber Webber’s favourite brew: Coal Harbour Brewing’s 311 Helles Lager
Why? “It’s really good. It’s not too watery, it’s a tiny bit nutty, but it’s still a nice light beer. “
Catch Lightening Dust play a free show at the Khatsahlano Festival on July 12.
Todd Fancey, The New Pornographers
Favourite brew: Fancey doesn’t like craft beer. He says,“I’m a light weight in some ways, so I like Mexican beer. I wish we could have it in Canada, but when I was in Los Angeles in September there were these cans of Tecate. They have tall cans in the States, but it was with lime. The ones here don’t have lime. They were so good, I wish I had bought a crate and brought them back with me. They’re so great. If I was thirsty at, like, two in the morning I could go to a 7-11, there they are. So nice.
Why does he like Mexican beer? “I’m not an expert. Their Coronas are beautiful. You can through a lime in there. They’re nice and light. I don’t know, I think I get hung over too easily with beers that have too many things in them.”
What does he have against craft beer? “Actually, I could be wrong about them, in the sense that they’re probably not as stuffed full of things as I think. They’re probably organic, a little bit? Natural ingredients? I’m sure those Mexican breweries are really losing sleep over the health aspects.”
Katrina Jones, The Belle Game
Favourite local brew: Parallel 49’s Ugly Sweater milk stout
Why? “They do it right by only having it come out once a year, which makes me want it so more. I don’t know what it is. The taste of it just reminds me of the holidays.”
Catch The Belle Game next at the CBC Music Fest at Deer Lake Park on June 14, and a free show at Vancouver Jazz Fest at David Lam Park on June 29.
Tyler Bancroft, Said the Whale
Favourite brew: 33 Acres of Darkness
Why? “They aren’t making it in the summer, which is a major bummer, but it’s one of my favourite beers that I’ve ever had, I think. I’m a big fan of dark beers. It’s not a porter, it’s not a stout. It’s still got the light feeling of a lager, because it is a black lager, but it still has the comfort-food value of a dark beer. It’s very smooth and sessionable. I can’t say enough good things about that beer.”
Said the Whale’s playing a free Canada Day show at Canada Place.
The Zolas
Cody Hiles’ choice: Bomber Brewing’s Pilsner
Why? “It’s not your average pilsner. It has a lot of flavour. It’s a little heavier, but in a good way. It makes you feel nice and full. It makes you feel pretty good after you have a few of them and they taste great.”
Tom Dobrzanski’s choice: Crannog’s Back Hand of God Stout
Why? “It’s an organic brewery. I actually went there once and there’s a couple that runs it. They feed all the waste from the brewing to the pigs that they have. But the beer is amazing. I like it because, I don’t actually drink coffee, but I drink their stout I feel like I’m drinking a real thick cup of coffee.”
Zach Gray’s choice: Lonetree’s Ginger Apple Cider
Why? “I’ve never fallen in love with beer, and this isn’t a beer, but [it’s] like crack to me. It’s kind of spicy and it’s somewhere between ginger beer and apple cider, which is a nice balance for someone like me who has just not inherited whatever gene you need to like beer.”
Aiden Knight
Favourite brew: Hoyne Pilsner
Why? “I didn’t drink beer for a really long time. I started off saying that I was never going to be an IPA guy or anything like that. Eventually I went through this huge brutal hops period where I just wanted to drink double and triple IPAs all the time. Then getting back into other styles of beer, the Hoyne Pilsner is such a great balance between having a beer that you can really drink that just has a little bit for people are on the hop-addiction train.”
Aiden Knight’s playing the Squamish Valley Music Festival on August 8.
Donné Torr, Top Less Gay Love Tekno Party
Favourite Brew: Brassneck Passive Aggressive IPA
Why? “ 1. I am not going to use words like mouthfeel, nose, palate or head. They are all confusing awful words that distract from describing why one would enjoy this brew. Instead I will use words like cantaloupe and dazzling.
2. The beer is a mellower IPA compared to something like the Fat Tug IPA.
3. It has a citrus burst (orange, grape fruit and lemon).
4. It uses dry hops.
5. The name is hilarious.
John Wright, NOMEANSNO / The Hanson Brothers
Favourite Brew? Bomber Brewery’s ESB
Why? The brewer, Blair Calibaba, is a good friend of mine. He just opened the brewery [with a couple of friends]. I taught a friend how to brew who taught him how to brew. I taught him [Blaire] about home brew back in the day and he used to be our soundman for NOMEANSNO for four years, so it’s exciting to see him get his own brewery together. It’s exciting for me because he’s a good friend and we’ve had many, many great beer experiences around the world in our travels.”
Wright has released his own brew, PunkRauch, in collaboration with Lu Trou Du Diable
Evan Wansbrough, The Isotopes
Favourite brew: Red Racer IPA
Why? “Number two, the can. It’s easier to hide the can in public, which is where I do a lot of my drinking. And number one, it’s a really rich beer. It’s 6.5 per cent, which is a bonus. It does the trick but you don’t feel the effects of a hard night of drinking. I don’t find that anyway.”
