Bars of Choice

Since I'm not currently drinking a beer (it IS only 9:45am) and I feel like typing (yet don't feel like doing homework) I thought I'd post 2 of my favourite bars in the GVRD.

1 - St.Augustine's
2 - City Central Brewery

St. Augustine's

St. Augustine was the patron Saint of Beer. And what a perfect name for this bar. As you can see from their Draft Menu they have about 40 beers on tap, organized by Seasonal, Stouts, Wheat, IPA's, Brown/Amber/Cream etc.   They feature a large variety of local and near-by breweries like Phillips (the best Brewery in BC, imo) and Crannog (which deserves it's own post), which is also awesome. They also bring in excellent beers like Dogfish Head 60 Min IPA  (yes, that's 98 on Rate Beer!!) and Rogues Yellow Snow. On top of all that, they even brew some of their own, though I believe it's done so in Victoria.

One of the things I really enjoy is the 4 Cup Sampler they have. At $8, it's not cheap, but it's a great way to taste several excellent beers. I often go with friends, so we'll each get different ones and share. If you want to  sample all the different beers that are being offered, that's the way to go!

They also have beer in bottles and some pretty decent food, but both are kinda pricey. The service is usually excellent and they have a well arranged display of LCD screens. You can watch the game/fight/event that's being played from pretty much anywhere.

Due to the hours of my job, I have yet to check out their Monday Night Cask, but I'm really looking forward to getting in their at least once before I leave. The Granville Island Limited Release Ginger Beer looks like a good one to shoot for.

On top of all the imbibing excellence there is also the great location. It's right on Commercial Drive, which is my favourite 'hood in Vancouver. It's one block from BOTH Skytrains, so no matter where you are in the GVRD (more or less), you can get home quickly and safely. Provided it's before 1am.

One more thing, Uncle Fatih's Pizza is also in the vicinity :)

City Central Brewery

Probably the only good thing about living in Whalley (other than a couple of cool neighbors) is this Brewpub/Liquor store. They make ALL their own beer on site, and have one of the best Brewmasters in Canada, Gary Lohin. They also have their own specialty liquor store, which is open 365 days a year and features excellent craft beer, both locally and from around the world. One thing I appreciate is that the price is only slightly higher than at regular liquor stores. A lot of specialty stores jack the price WAY up. Not here, though.

The Restaurant/Bar has an awesome ambiance, a great patio and of course, excellent beer. The specials vary, but on Tuesdays and Sundays pints are $3.50 and on Mondays you can get a pitcher for $10. The food is pretty good, too.

They also offer the 4 Cup Sampler, but for only $5! The only downside is that since they only serve the beer they make, they don't have the same variety of St.A's or the Alibi Room.

So if you ever find yourself near Surrey Central Skytrain Station and you have a hankering for some fresh, tasty beer, walk one block over to SC Mall and try this place out. I recommend their IPA (which is amazing) and their ESB. Their Pumpkin Ale is also pretty awesome, when you can get it.