Commercial Drive is a pretty cool place. It’s a cultural hub near a vortex of antiseptic-unoccupied-city-of-glass-windowed-condos. For our purposes, let’s just say Commercial Drive is cool. The Drive is cool because despite our hyper-capitalist, hyper-consumer culture, the businesses there seem to do their best to flex their anti-establishment muscles. This allows your average hyper-consumer to consume stuff in a way that is often at odds with our present commercial culture.
Beer is a great frame through which to consider this. When one stops at a cafe, bar, or pub on The Drive, they’re unlikely to see someone sipping on a Bud, or a Kokanee (I will concede Cariboo is oft-quaffed, it seems to be more a question of funds than real choice). What are often had are artfully produced Belgian ales, especially at places like The Tangent Cafe or BierCraft.
But what if I told you some of the world-class ales weren’t produced in Belgium? What if I told you that they were produced very near to SFU’s Burnaby campus? Dageraad brews many of your favourite beers found at places like the Tangent Cafe. Those beers are in fact brewed less than two blocks from Production Way–University station, and appreciated as among the best examples of the style by people from Vancouver to Brussels.
I understand that if you are new to craft beer, it can often be intimidating to know where to start. Ben Coli, owner and Brewmaster at Dageraad, wants you to know that Belgian beers are very approachable compared to other popular craft styles such as the IPA. The Belgian style plays with softer, fruitier flavours rather than the harsh bitterness of these and many other craft beers.
Ben, who is a local but has spent many a day sampling the legends of Belgian beers on the Dageraadplaats (square) for which his brewery is named, laments that more students don’t stop by his cozy tasting room for a beer. I couldn’t agree with him more. In Ben and his brewery, we have a local craftsperson creating world-class beer, and many of us walk past the ambrosia-creating factory twice daily only to sip it in cafes miles away that same evening.
Of course no one can force you to come sit down and enjoy something amazing, but if none of this excites you, please also consider Ben’s wonderful table beer “Burnabarian,” a Belgian table beer with a slight fruity flavor and light body that make it an absolute crowd pleaser. On the other hand, if you are more of a beer geek, get ready for their Wet Hopped Blonde or, even more exciting, a Belgian Brune that’s been kettle soured.
So, SFU, hop on board with our local world-class brewer, or be doomed to share it with the hipsters of The Drive.
While I agree Ben is making some great beer and really good representations of styles I don’t Think he has made it to the levels of Belgian brewers. Better than most in Canada/US we can have a discussion though. Love Dageraad Brewing though for the beer and people.