For those NOT at the GABF

The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) is a three-day annual event hosted by the Brewers Association in Denver, Colorado. The GABF brings visitors from around the world to sample more than 1,800 different American beers. This weekend, in Denver, more than 46,000 people are enjoying the GABF. For those of us left at home, Boundary Bay Brewery wants to ease the pain just a little bit.

Today and tomorrow, we’re serving up some of the special brews that we made specifically for the Great American Beer Festival. Yep, you heard us right, we set aside some of those kegs of liquid gold for those not able to make it to Denver.

alpha king!!

On Friday (today!), we’ve got Alpha King on tap. This is like our Imperial IPA which won the Alpha King Challenge two years ago (and placed 2nd last year), but even hoppier if you can believe it! This hophead’s dream is our entry into this year’s Alpha King Challenge. Come in today for what may be your only chance to taste this one of a kind beer. Heads up…we’ve only got one keg…this one will go fast!

We’ve also got a special cask of our Black IPA for tonight’s Happy Hour.

Then, on Saturday, we’re bringing out the big guns! We’re going to have our Cabin Fever on tap as well as a special Bourbon Oak-Aged Barley Wine…both entries in this year’s Great American Beer Festival Competition.  Bring some friends, grab a couple pints and start judging like those lucky judges at GABF!

Boundary Bay’s Imperial IPA

We tapped our Imperial IPA last night and had a little party to celebrate!  We somehow convinced everyone at Boundary Bay Brewery to wear gold crowns and got them in the mood to celebrate our hoppiest beer ever.  We had to celebrate this royal beers Alpha King history and it’s many awards – there IS a reason this is the only Pacific Northwest beer to take home the title of Alpha King!  Check out a couple pictures from the event last night.

2 of our bartenders who weren't working and came in JUST to have a taste!

two of our brewers getting their first taste of their creation

owners, brewers, long time regulars!

Hurry in and try this incredible beer while we’ve got it on tap.  This is one gem that doesn’t get too far from the brewery.  It’s such a beloved beer that all we make gets served here at our brewpub (except for a few samples that travel to competitions!).  We never have any left over to bottle or even to sell at other bars who carry our beer.  Come see what all the fuss is about!

And keep your calenders marked…Cabin Fever will be on tap Tuesday, November 18th!  Ah, ’tis the season for wonderful, heavenly beer!

Boundary Bay at the Great American Beer Festival

Currently, Ed Bennett (owner of Boundary Bay Brewery) and Matt Z. (one of our beer salesmen) are at the Great American Beer Festival that is happening this weekend in Denver.

These are the beers we’ve submitted for judging:

Cabin Fever: Specially brewed and bottled for the Pacific Northwest winters, this winter warmer’s dark red-brown color and rich malty flavor will complement any rich, hardy meal as well as your favorite spicy dish.  However, with it’s cold conditioned, smooth, dry-hopped flavor, Cabin Fever is very satisfying all by itself.

Old Bounder: A rich, full-bodied barley wine with a smooth caramel sweetness, warming alcohol content and balanced hop character.  Excellent with desserts as an after dinner beverage. To be appreciated in moderation.

Dunkles Bock: This traditional German-style Bock is made with all German malts.  Strong, full-bodied and bottom fermented, our Dunkles Bock has a low hop flavor and a deep copper color.

Imperial IPA: A full bodied, copper colored India Pale Ale, with a fairly strong alcohol content and an aggressive “fresh hop” quality.  Only in the Great Northwest can one find such a well balanced, over the top highly hopped draft ale.

Imperial Oatmeal Stout: A black, very rich and full-bodied stout with a silky smoothness that gives way to a long “roasty” finish.  A heavy weight monster of a beer — not for the timid.

Pilsner: A light, honey colored lager with a beautiful hop aroma and flavor.  This lager is brewed in a traditional manner using only the finest ingredients: Pilsner, Munich and Vienna malts and Saaz and Gr. Hallertau hops.  This beer is fermented at lower temperatures than an ale, creating a drier body, with less fruity esters.

Highland Reserve: In commemoration of the Highland Games our brewers have released a special reserve Highland Scotch Ale, rich and dark with a faint smokey finish.  Dark crystal and peated malts are added to achieve the elements unique to this historic seasonal.

Boundary Bay winning the Alpha King, 2006

The Alpha King challenge (which our Imperial IPA won in 2006) will be judged on Friday and all the awards for the entire competition will be presented on Saturday.  Get a piece of the action by trying one of our entries to the GABF.  There will be rotating taps all weekend with selections from our beers being judged. Come in to Boundary Bay this weekend and judge them yourself and let us know what you vote as the favorite!

Click here to see a list of the awards our beers have one in past years of competition.

Tooting Our Own Horn!

Have you seen these?

** a great commercial posted on Youtube that a viewer described as “the greatest beer commercial ever”

** the banner bank commercial starring Ed (the owner of Boundary Bay)

And have you read this article printed in Beer Northwest magazine last spring where Megan Flynn describes Bellingham as a town with a beer-centric attitude. She goes on to say: “…Bellingham is home to Boundary Bay Brewery and Bistro, a neighbor hangout producing distinctly Northwest brews, full of flavor and hops. Open since 1995 and located on the popular Railroad Avenue in downtown Bellingham, the brewery attracts locals and out-of-towners. With numerous beer awards under their belt, you can’t go wrong with any of their brews.

The staple Inside Passage Ale (IPA) is far from a traditional India Pale Ale, and will delight your palate with citrusy hop flavor and upfront aroma. In 2006, the seasonal Imperial IPA won the coveted Alpha King Award for the best hoppy beer in America at the Great American Beer Festival, a first for a Washington Brewery.

Inside Passage Ale (IPA)...a favorite of many!

Imperial IPA...the Alpha King

The large brick building that houses Boundary Bay is a maze of brewery equipment and bustling dining areas. In the summer, the outdoor patio and lawn morphs into a beer garden, hosting live music and hula-hoop contests. The menu feature traditional pub grub like Beer-B-Q Pork Sandwiches, Smoked Salmon Chowder, and classic Mac and Cheese. Expect a line out the door on Friday and Saturday nights, but step into the bar for a glass of beer while you wait for a table.” (article by Megan Flynn)

P.S. (did you catch what the Beer and Brewing Editor said about our lil’ ole Imperial IPA in that article about the Alpha King: “The grand, first-place win was awarded to Ed Bennett of Boundary Bay Brewery and Bistro in Bellingham, Washington for Imperial IPA, a coppery American Double IPA. Its deep-coral hue dances with a foggy glow, like a tropical sunset. Pungent aromas of grapefruit, orange, caramel, and spruce fill the air. The taste is rowdy, with a significant malt foundation and mountain of hops, drenched in sticky pine-sap and orange liqueur. Velvety and yielding on the tongue, it lingers in a long , bone-dry finish.” (quote from Carolyn Smagalski)