Driftwood Ale

For my first post, I've chosen something I've had my eye on since I moved to Vancouver- Driftwood Ale.  There's something delightfully modern about Driftwood's labels; thick lines, simple illustrations and lots of black/white contrast give you something to look at while enjoying the fruits of one of BC's premier craft breweries. (also, note the hilarious ingredient icons on the left side; water, barley malt, hops and yeast.)

Driftwood Ale's light amber colour shouldn't fool you into thinking that they've skimped on flavour.  To the contrary, this ale has all the strong hop and dry malt notes that I've come to expect from BC craft brews.  It's labeled an ale, but could easily pass for an IPA or Pale.  A hint of fruit gives this beer excellent composition, contrasting fragrant German hops with their cotton candy malt notes.  Driftwood's website, http://driftwoodbeer.com/ , recommends pairing this beer with bitter green salads, Gruyere, or shellfish.  I'd recommend drinking it on its own; anyone who's had a good hoppy ale before knows that you won't be tasting much of anything after drinking it.

Driftwood Ale can be found for under $5 at most BC Liquor stores.  At 5% alc./vol., it's not going to throw you off the deep end, but it will definitely knock your socks off in the taste department.  Expect a visit to the Driftwood Brewery in the future.